Another great historical fiction book from Kristin Harmel. Actually The Sweetness of Forgetting was her first foray into HF and was re-released on the 10 year anniversary. A beautifully written story about love set in France during WWII told from a grand daughters view growing up in Cape Cod.

Although there are many WWII books out there, there are so many stories yet to be told and Kristin Harmel has a way of telling them that draw me in every time.
Hope McKenna-Smith is at a crossroads - her mom has died of cancer, her grandmother is suffering from Alzheimer's and slowing drifting away from her, her young daughter is going through a stage, her divorce is final and her business is failing. If that weren't enough in a moment of clarity her grandmother gives her a list of names, her family, that she lost during the Holocausts and wants Hope to find out what happened to them.
Though resistant at first, Hope goes to Paris in search of answers for her grandmother and a seventy year old mystery.
Although this could be seriously sad, this is a story full of wonderful characters, love and makes you thing about all the ways we are alike in spite of religious backgrounds. I loved it.

This book deserves 10+++ stars! Another well researched and beautifully written historical fiction book. You will fall in love with all of the characters and feel their pain as Rose sinks into the depths of Alzheimer’s but still needs her family to know the truth about their family history. Kudos to Harmel for another unforgettable book. Thanks for the advanced copy and the recipes!!

Hope McKenna-Smith's life has seen better days. A few years ago, her long time husband left her, her mother lost her battle with cancer, and now the Cape Cod based family bakery she is running is on the brink of closing due to money issues.And her daughter is in the difficult teen phase of her life.

And now she is slowly losing her beloved grandmother ''Mamie'' Rose to Alzheimer. She sometimes has a rare clear moment, and in one she asks Hope to go and search for a few family members she lost contact with during World War II. Mamie is originally from France, and Hope travels to Paris to trace back her Mamie's family members. And during her stay there, she learns more about Mamie's past, that leads back to the horrors of the Holocaust, and therefore sadly that she can't find some of Mamie's family anymore. But she does find Mamie's one true love Jacob, and hopefully it is not too late to bring back Jacob to his true love Rose, after she suffered from a stroke..

I have read (and reviewed) all of the previous by Kristin Harmel, and during the years, she has truly become one of my favorite authors. So I was very happy to find out that there has been a new book (which I will also review soon..) and a 10th anniversary edition of The Sweetness of Forgetting, which I hadn't read before. The style of writing is, just as her previous books, fenomenal! It is her signature style of writing that I love in all her books. It is fiction, but the characters are very relatable and realistic, and the storyline..oh.. it is just beautiful and sad at the same time because of Mamie's tragic past. But in the end, there is hope for Hope, and this was truly and ending that wrapped everything up perfectly! I loved every part of this wonderful book, and I am looking forward to dive in the new book by Kristin Harmel, to be reviewed soon!!

My thanks to NetGallery and Gallery Books for the opportunIty to read Kristin Harmel's The Sweetness of Forgetting. It is always such a pleasure to read Ms. Harmel's work. Her historical fiction is beautifully written, beautifully researched.

Kristin Harmel is a master of historical fiction. I love the story told in two timelines as we trace Hope's story and that of her grandmother Rose. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Sweetness of Forgetting
by Kristin Harmel
I have really really enjoyed Kristin Harmel’s historical fiction, and I was excited to find this title. It is being released again after its 10 year anniversary, celebrating it as One of her first best sellers.
I like finding hidden gems of history in a novel, and this one contains French Muslims helping Jews escape Paris in the 1940s.
This story is set in Cape Cod, Massachusetts in present time, with flashbacks to Paris in WWII. One of the main characters, Hope is a divorced mom trying to kerp her family bakery afloat. She is also navigating parenting a tween and caring for Rose, her French grandmother living with Alzheimer’s.
Filled with recipes from the bakery, we learn Rose’s history, something she rarely shared with her family. As Rose’s memory fades, she uses lucid moments to ask her granddaughter to return to Paris to find out what happened to her family.
Through this journey, Hope discovers her own heritage and the secrets in Rose’s past. She also learns more about herself as well as Rose in this process.
This was a touching story of a woman trying to find her past before it’s too late.
Kristin Harmel does not disappoint.

I was swept up into this multigenerational story that has main character Hope McKenna-Smith on a mission to uncover secrets from her Mamie’s past that ultimately turn out to be a game changer for Hope’s life.

Mamie knows she has a short time to convey the part of her past she never shared with anyone. Now was the time to tell, but could her granddaughter Hope find the information she desperately needed before the sickness took over her body?

This novel was originally published in 2012 and made this author an international bestseller. The story is rich in characterization, with a unique look at how family members found each other after WWII was over. I was clueless about all the ways a person could be located. Not everything could be found online.

Hope is a single mom, who runs her family’s bakery, where she makes her grandmother’s favorites. I loved how the author sprinkles these recipes throughout the book. Some of them are keys that unlock her grandmother’s past.

I was spell bound by what Hope’s Mamie went through when Germany was invading Paris. This is a heartwarming, complex story with characters to root for, with some surprises for the reader. This is a wonderful escape and one for your book club list.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I requested and received a copy of this book by the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog https://psalm516.blogspot.com/

A lovely reissue that's sure to delight fans of Kristin Harmel!

This search for family lost in the Holocaust is very well-written. I especially appreciate how Harmel immerses the reader in each scene. The writing flows smoothly, and she includes just enough sensory details to ground us.

The dual POVs of Hope and Rose are both entertaining. As Hope leaves for Paris, new adventures await -- and secrets about the past will be revealed. I also found Hope's present-day struggles (teenage daughter/ divorce / potential love interests) to be engaging.

At times the pacing gets bogged down and the author is a bit wordy. I will admit that I got a little impatient. I wish the author trusted the reader more; we don't need so much repetition.

Overall, however, this is a gorgeous novel full of twists and turns and believable family dynamics as well as insights into history and the role Muslims played during WW2. Love how the author reminds us that we are all connected - such a beautiful theme!

I am such a fan of Kristin Harmel. This book was reissued and I hadn't read it before, although 've read so many others of hers. Her writing, storytelling and evocative prose are so beautifully rendered in this book. It's the story of a grandmother, suffering from dementia, who feels compelled to convey her life story in detail to her granddaughter, during her lucid moments. It her never been revealed prior to this and must be before her demise or all will be lost.
So much superb fiction of the Holocaust and World War II have been written which is so necessary. This book builds on it by discussing a different aspect of how the Muslim population rose to the aid of their Jewish friends during the Holocaust. It is so well-crafted and exquisitely written.
I can't wait for the author's next book. She has such a talent for storytelling. Superb!

I really enjoyed this book. Knowing this is the authors first dip into historical fiction, I had some hesitation. I felt for the lead character, Hope. With her grandmother in an assisted living facility and her preteen daughter stressing her out, she is also dealing with financial hardship and an ex husband. I was wanting a win for her in this book and was rooting for her the whole book. I loved the pacing of this book as well - I didn’t want to put it down. With a tenth anniversary edition you get an updated author note. It answers the question of her making the move to historical fiction and her writing career. I really enjoyed this.

I was given a copy of this from NetGalley, for an honest review.

The Sweetness of Forgetting is a beautifully written story. This is a reissue, but I had not read it the first time it was published. I am SO thankful I didn't miss it this time. The story, the setting, the writing style, it's all just so incredibly well done. Loved every single page!

Thank you to net galley for the arc in exchange of an honest review.

The Sweetness of Forgetting
by Kristin Harmel
Pub Date: October 4, 2022
Gallery Books
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book! I was introduced to Kristin Harmel through Friends & Fiction. I have read all of her recent historical work and none of her early work. I really like the research she puts into her writing. This book, in particular, touched heartstrings for me. This is the best book I have read this year! I have purchased it for our library and plan to recommend it.... a lot!!

5 stars

I thought I had heard of this book before, and I have, this is a reissue, but I am glad I got to read it. This is a beautiful look at family and family history and how what someone has been through brings you to where you are today.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book!

The Sweetness of Forgetting is a reissue for this novel's 10th anniversary. The author, Kristin Harmel, has added an extensive note at the end, explaining the process for writing the novel. This was my first time reading The Sweetness of Forgetting, and I loved this novel. The amount of research and history is remarkable and also important for readers to know. The way the author integrates historical and cultural research into the story is excellent, and I especially liked the efforts that Harmel made to illustrate how little difference there is between Jewish, Christian, and Muslim beliefs. We are all human beings and so more alike than different.

The characters in The Sweetness of Forgetting are nicely drawn and well-developed. There are two voices--Rose, who suffers from dementia, and her granddaughter, Hope, who is stressed and worried and trying as best she can to cope with loss. Harmel does a fine job of creating believable characters, who are multi-dimensional and interesting. Each one narrates apiece of the story, slowly revealing elements of the past that work well to create a full narration.

Thank you so much to the author and publisher for providing this ARC. And thank you to Netgalley for introducing me to so many wonderful authors.

A powerful book of love and healing, "The Sweetness of Forgetting" is a story that at first glance may seem to be just another tale about World War II, but it is so much more. I've read many books detailing the Holocaust, and I've never read one detailing what the Muslim people did during this time. The author's account of how they came to the aid of the Jewish people was incredibly beautiful and those selfless acts of love and courage towards one's neighbor will stay with me for ever.

I loved, loved, loved everything about Rose's story. The storyline was perfect; the storyline, the characters, the emotions. I wish I felt that way about Hope's storyline, but unfortunately, I don't. I found it mildly boring at times. Her bratty daughter, her condescending ex-husband , and the bimbo new girlfriend (Sunshine???) all slightly diminished my love for the story, with their stereotypical behavior. Hope's character was, at times, also frustrating and dull. Since that storyline was a huge part of the book, it took away from the overall feel of the book.

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book, and want to thank Netgalley and Gallery Books for the opportunity to read it in exchange for my honest review.

The Sweetness of Forgetting is an amazing novel! I was submerged in the storyline from the start, as Kristin Harmel writes with such beautiful depth and detail. This book follows a woman named Hope who travels from Cape Cod to Paris to uncover a family secret for her dying grandmother. Secrets of the past are revealed as Hope pieces together her grandmother's past. A wonderful novel! I can't wait to read more from this author.

This book really just took me for a ride. I loved the build up, the character development, and the writing. Kristin Harmel really knows how to write a book that gets you in your feelings and really places you in the setting.

The Sweetness of Forgetting
By: Kristin Harmel
Gallery Books
Release Date: 10/04/2022
Women's Fiction

When I read the 2012 edition of The Sweetness of Forgetting in 2021, the book became one of my all-time favorites. Reading the tenth anniversary edition, with its new author's note and recipes, is an even more enjoyable and celebratory experience. Harmel reminds us in this beautiful story of how family history connects us to the present and is an integral part of who we are.

For Hope, owner of North Star Bakery in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, her treasured recipes hold the secrets to her heritage. Although her beloved grandmother, Mamie, has Alzheimer's, she shares clues with Hope about missing links to her past. Hope's journey to Paris is full of both heartache and hope, taking her from horrors of the Holocaust to understanding of enduring love. This book is one to be savored and remembered, affecting a range of senses and emotions.

Thank you to Net Galley and Gallery Books for the advance reader's copy and opportunity to provide my unbiased review.

When I started the book I felt like I had read it before, and most definitely did as it was first published in 2012. Although a great story, I don’t like when publishers republish a book because of new cover etc., without letting the reader know this is a reprint.