Would you leave behind everything you've ever known for 'The One'?
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The blurb
Meet Eliza Bloom: She likes to live life by the rules: long, blue skirt on Thursdays, dinner with mother on Fridays and if someone tells you a Valentine should be anonymous, give your new husband a blank card. Nothing is out of place in her ordered life…
But last night her teenage daughter found something in a hidden shoebox that no-one was supposed to see and started asking questions. Questions that might just change everything in Eliza’s carefully constructed world.
Join Eliza as she shows you how to run away with the love of your life (quite fast actually, as your family are coming after you), how to make your grandfather happy (this might involve a little bit of lying), how to let someone you love go (actually, this never gets easier) and how (now, this is a bad idea) to keep secrets from your new husband.
The only way to truly live is to learn how to open your heart.
The Review
This one snuck up on me a bit, because nothing in the blurb prepared me for a story that revolves hugely around religion - in particular Orthodox Judaism. It's probably a good thing, as I might have avoided it otherwise (I'm not massively into religious fiction) but actually this was quite an insightful read.
Eliza knows nothing outside of her strict Jewish upbringing. She has turned down several suitors presented to her by her parents, but finally agrees to marry Nathan, on the basis that he's the least offensive of the lot (always a bonzer reason to marry someone, I think). Then she meets Alex. Definitely not a jew. And definitely not someone her family would consider even letting her near, let alone have a relationship with. I have really strong personal feelings about any types of arranged marriage, however I'm putting these to one side as a) I'm very influenced by my secular upbringing, and b) the author actually deals with this quite sensitively - i.e. sometimes this can result in hugely happy and fulfilling relationships. (Emphasis on the sometimes)
This was actually quite a complicated story about families, expectations, rebellion and clashing cultures. When Eliza makes the decision to follow her heart, this also means cutting herself away from everyone and everything she knows. It asks the question, 'can love really conquer all?'
I really enjoyed learning more about the Jewish religion and their rules and customs. It was fascinating to realise how much of 'the real world' as Eliza puts it, she was unaware of, before she leaves the insulated confines of her culture. Although, Eliza is actually a really frustrating protagonist - at times she almost seems willfully selfish, rather than just confused.
I wanted to like this a lot more, but for one thing. Alex writes lists of all the things that he wants Eliza to try, that before her faith would have forbidden. On the one hand this was sweet, as he was introducing her to all the things in popular culture that he loved. However on more than one occasion, it felt uncomfortable, and actually a bit oppressive. I'm not convinced if the author meant to write it this way, but it felt like Eliza was being forced into doing things she wasn't keen on and that does not sit well with me. Especially as this is clearly billed as being a healthy and loving relationship. I really wanted the male character to pick up on the cues she was so obviously emitting...but he never does. I would love to ask the author her thoughts on what she meant to portray in this relationship. Had that issue been addressed this would have been a solid 4 star read.
The Two Hearts of Eliza Bloom was released on 1st March 2019 by Bookouture.
Big thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.