The Marrying of Chani Kaufman by Eve Harris

A fascinating novel about a tight knit Jewish community in North London.  The novel has three main characters, each with a different relationship with their faith.   Chani is a young girl, part of a large family, who is resists pressure to marry until she meets Baruch who seems to respect Chani's bold character despite the fact that it is not always compatible with doctrine.  Avromi is a friend of Baruch's who, when he starts at college, struggles to resist the temptations and freedoms of the secular world whilst at the same time being unable to cut himself off from his family and the guilt he feels for what he sees as a betrayal.  Rivka is a rabbis wife and Avromi's mother who was not born into the community and starts to question the decisions she made to join it.    I really enjoyed the different themes within this book as well as the excellently written characters, all of whom are believable and engaging.  The plot is well portrayed and the three characters' stories are woven in a very natural way.   The way the Jewish community is described is really interesting, particularly the different ways the community interact with those outside of their faith.  Definitely worth a read.