The Dinner Party

Sylvia Gold has worked hard to maintain her perfect family and home in Connecticut. This Passover will really put her to the test – like an eleventh plague called children growing up and disobeying. With two daughters and a son that have spent their young lives following very high expectations, Sylvia is not prepared to have her pretty picture disturbed. The knock on the door Passover night is her son, Gideon, not Elijah. He is with a woman they’ve collectively never heard about even though they’ve been skyping him in Sri Lanka. Joe, Sarah’s non Jewish childhood boyfriend, is bringing his mom Valentina, who neither wears nor says the right thing and Becca, the youngest, has invited her new Boyfriend’s parents – The Rothschilds. Yes, that is The Rothschilds with a capital “R”. After all these years the family is learning that honesty and forgiveness are a much quicker path to redemption. Sylvia painfully faces that her children are growing up and she must loosen the parenthood reins (or handcuffs) so they can follow their own dreams. Laugh out loud FUNNY - The Dinner Party was unputdownable, worth eating matzo for a week. Partly exaggerated and terrifyingly real, the “Jewish Mother” at her best. Highly recommend this enjoyable, easy, well written novel and I absolutely look forward to reading more from author Brenda Janowitz.