REVIEW: Don’t Froget to Write by Sara Goodman Confino

Don’t Froget to Write by Sara Goodman Confino: When Marilyn and Daniel skulk off at Synagogue to have a sneaky pash, they were unaware that their flirtatious boredom would have such dire consequences when they accidentally fall through the plate glass and land in front of the whole congregation.

Mortified, Marilyn’s father threatens her with either marriage to Daniel to save face for the two families, or to be exiled to Aunt Ada, reputed to be the firm hand with ‘wayward girls’. With little choice, Marilyn is shipped off for the summer, a summer like no other, where she learns to follow her heart and realise her life purpose by owning her choices and developing a powerful sense of self

From the start, this delightfully fun retro romance, captured all the wholesome values of the 1960s, particularly the gendered expectations with an accurate representation of Jewish family values of the times. Marilyn’s plight to place her two feet on the ground and honour the shoes she walks in was evident from the get go and similarly Ada’s stiff back, soft belly and brave heart was the perfect role modelling that enable Marilyn to find her own way.

As a coming of age story at a time when social expectations wherein tradition and progress were knee deep in battle, this one ticks all the boxes. Hilarious, warm, and at times insightful, both the thematic intent and characterisation were woven together beautifully, provoking laughter one minute and some heart felt tears the next. A great read with a big brave heart and some little twists you don’t see coming.

Book Info:

Publication: 1t September 2023 | Lake Union Publishing |

In 1960, a young woman discovers a freedom she never knew existed in this exhilarating, funny, and emotional novel by the bestselling author of She’s Up to No Good . When Marilyn Kleinman is caught making out with the rabbi’s son in front of the whole congregation, her parents ship her off to her great-aunt Ada for the summer. If anyone can save their daughter’s reputation, it’s Philadelphia’s strict premier matchmaker. Either that or Marilyn can kiss college goodbye. To Marilyn’s surprise, Ada’s not the humorless septuagenarian her mother described. Not with that platinum-blonde hair, Hermès scarf, and Cadillac convertible. She’s sharp, straight-talking, takes her job very seriously, and abides by her own rules…mostly. As the summer unfolds, Ada and Marilyn head for the Jersey shore, where Marilyn helps Ada scope out eligible matches—for anyone but Marilyn, that is. Because if there’s one thing Marilyn’s learned from Ada, it’s that she doesn’t have to settle. With the school year quickly approaching and her father threatening to disinherit her, Marilyn must make her choice for her future: return to the comfortable life she knows, or embrace a risky, unknown path on her own.