What a beautiful and heartbreaking love story about two people separated by war, and the daughter years later, who is looking for answers. Told in dual timelines, we follow Bettina, an artist, and Max, a sculptor, as they meet and fall in love, and Clara who is looking for the identity of her father. But this story takes place in Germany on the brink of another world war, and Max is Jewish.

There was a lot to love in this book. I loved learning about the porcelain making factory, and I also loved following Clara and her daughter as they searched for answers. The biggest, and really only, negative I have for this is that some of the chapters are really long. I’m a big fan of short chapters, and some were so long I couldn’t finish them in one sitting.

I managed to not get too emotional until the epilogue. Something about that really touched me. Overall a wonderful WWII historical fiction about what lengths we are willing to go for the ones we love.

Sarah Freethy’s debut historical fiction novel is a homerun!

I have read many books about the WWII era. This one penetrated my heart to the greatest depths. I appreciate that it was inspired by an actual porcelain factory in Dachau and spanned from 1925 Germany to 21st century America. The story spares no details of the horrors of WWII. Heartache, family separations, betrayals, death, and forbidden love were daily fare. I was also captivated by the detailed art history across various media.

Max and Bettina meet in Berlin in 1929. Both artists, the attraction was immediate, and they planned for a life together. Max was Jewish and Bettina German. As the Nazi’s began to infiltrate Germany, their lives are thrust into great peril.

Despite their best efforts to stay safe, Max is arrested and sent to a concentration camp in Dachau where he was allowed to make intricate porcelain figurines instead of hard labor.

Unbeknownst to Max, Bettina was pregnant. Leaving Max behind, she was forced to flee to safety to protect herself and their daughter Clare.

Eventually Clare grows up and has a daughter of her own. Bettina never told Clare of her father’s identity. Once Bettina passed, Clare set out with her daughter to find answers.

This story has many unexpected twists and turns. I laughed, cried, and hung on every word. I enjoyed this book immensely and wholeheartedly recommend it to those who enjoy general or historical fiction.

I received this advanced reader’s copy free from Author Sarah Freethy, Publisher St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley. This is a voluntary review, and all comments and opinions are entirely my own.

This was a sad but enthralling book to read, due to the subject matter, and people need to read books like to this, to remember what happened in the not-so-distant past, and to resolve that nothing like this can ever happen again.

The characters seemed so real, and even though the Nazis got worse and worse before the war officially started, so many Jews thought that the current government would eventually stop persecuting them so dreadfully. So many Jews were very assimilated into their country of choice, either Germany or Austria, and were not actively pursuant of their faith, but they were persecuted just as much as observant Jews.

Again, people need to read books like this, not for enjoyment, but to make themselves aware of this hideous part of the recent past, and to ensure it never happens again.

A beautiful work of historical fiction from debut author Sarah Freethy. Through alternating perspectives, The Porcelain Maker delves into an era of forbidden love and tragedy set in WWII and the 21st century.

In 1993, Clara embarks on a journey to uncover the identity of her father. For years Clara's mother Bettina guarded a lifetime of secrets, which remained hidden until her passing. Despite her mother's wishes to leave the past behind, Clara's determination for answers leads her to an auction in Cincinnati where she wins several porcelain figurines. Each piece holds the story behind her heritage.

During the 1930's a young Bettina meets Max, an Austrian Jew. Over the course of several years, the two fall in love and become entangled in the throes of the impending war. As Germany shifts into dangerous territory, their relationship undergoes heartbreaking sacrifice as they fight to survive and stay together.

This story is an immersive experience with rich vocabulary and fine details. It's clear that significant effort went into the research and development of this story and careful preservation has been ensured with the historical material. In so many ways, this book is perfectly written. As overwhelming and heartbreaking as this story was, I couldn't put it down and I only wish I hadn't finished it so soon. For fans of historical fiction and romance, I highly recommend this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-ARC.

This is the promo for this book:

“Germany, 1929. At a festive gathering of young bohemians in Weimar, two young artists, Max, a skilled Jewish architect, and Bettina, a celebrated avant-garde painter, are drawn to each other and begin a whirlwind romance. Their respective talents transport them to the dazzling lights of Berlin, but this bright beginning is quickly dimmed by the rising threat of Nazism. Max is arrested and sent to the concentration camp at Dachau where only his talent at making exquisite porcelain figures stands between him and seemingly certain death. Desperate to save her lover, Bettina risks everything to rescue him and escape Germany. “

So, that’s all true, and it sounded just my style, but I’d have appreciated this story more had it been told exclusively from Bettina’s point of view. Instead, the author has constructed the tale through the duel-timeline narrative, alternating Bettina & Max’s story with the voice of Clara, Bettina’s daughter. As so often happens with this technique/gimmick, the more contemporary narrator lacks the depth and character development to compete with the stronger original narrative. Frankly, Clara and her life bored me to tears.

I wish authors would give this duel narrative a rest already. . Dear authors- if the original story is worth telling, just tell it; be straightforward! Be bold! There is no need to weave in some ancillary sub-plot and limp current-day progeny of the original characters simply to satisfy a current novel structure trend.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As far as historical fiction, I enjoyed this so much. The era is one I always watch out for. I'll definitely be buying a finished edition.

In 1993, Clara Vogel is searching the world for Allach porcelain animal figures which were made in Dachau prison camp during World War II. She is trying to learn the identity of her real father, who was a sculptor for the figures. Her mother married a high Nazi official when she realized she was pregnant ,in order to keep her safe. This is a dual storyline of Clara’s parents, Max, a Viennese Jew, and her Mother, Bettina, a renowned avant-guard artist. It is a saga of love, loss, and unexpected kindness in the midst of unfathomable cruelty.

Thank you to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I try to be fair and give each and every galley I receive my time and full attention. Unfortunately, this book was just not for me. I wasn't able to get into it so I don't think it's really fair to review it. I'm in no way implying that it isn't a good book, it just wasn't for me at the time.

I really enjoy generational history "mysteries" because they help me see a big picture of cause and effect. There is so much to learn about why people do what they do, especially in times of great distress like WWII. This historic fiction did a great job of meeting both those interests in an engaging manner. Highly recommend reading.

Clara searches for particular porcelain pieces through auction houses and dealers; Lotte, her daughter, researches. They are not driven so much by a desire to own; rather by the desire to identify the man know as the porcelain maker of Dachau who they believe is Clara’s father. It is through their quest that Sarah Freethy takes her readers to Germany in the 30’s and 40’s. Alternating this time period with the 90’s she reveals how Clara came to be through the long-standing love affair of Max and Bettina, two artists, and the horror and heartbreak they endured. Clara’s questions are answered; her identity is solidified; the reader learns another key to Holocaust history. Despite the proliferation of World War II novels, there is always much to learn. In this debut the dedication, artistry and beauty of the porcelain pieces linger long after the last page.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's for the opportunity to read The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy. Excellent! I am always on the look out for good historical fiction during this era, i am happy to have discovered this.

This debut historical novel is set both in the US in the 1990s and in the years prior to World War II in Germany. The book is centered around on the creation of exquisite porcelain pieces made during the War years and what they represented for the artist that created the pieces. When Clara's mother dies she finds several small porcelain pieces among her possessions and is determined to find out their importance. But what she discovers is so much more than she ever expected. Through their story, Clara is able to discover the father she never knew and to understand her mother's behavior regarding the past. Even though I have read numerous novels about this period of history, it never fails to amaze me just how dark humanity can be or even the lengths that people can go in trying to survive. This was a tremendous debut and I look forward to what Sarah Freethy might write next! Perfect for fans of Heather Morris, Kristin Hannah, Pam Jenoff and Noelle Salazar.

In 1929 Germany, at a festive gathering of young bohemians in Weimar, two young artists, Max, a skilled Jewish architect, and Bettina, a celebrated avant-garde painter, are drawn to each other and begin a whirlwind romance. Their respective talents transport them to the dazzling lights of Berlin, but this bright beginning is quickly dimmed by the rising threat of Nazism. Max is arrested and sent to the concentration camp at Dachau where only his talent at making exquisite porcelain figures stands between him and seemingly certain death. Desperate to save her lover, Bettina risks everything to rescue him and escape Germany. In 1993 America, Clara, Bettina’s daughter, embarks on a journey to trace her roots and determine the identity of her father, a secret her mother has kept from her for reasons she’s never understood. Clara’s quest to piece together the puzzle of her origins transports the reader back in time to the darkness of Nazi Germany, where life is lived on a razor’s edge and deception and death lurk around every corner. Survival depends on strength, loyalty, and knowing true friend from hidden foe. As Clara digs further, with the help of her daughter, she begins to question why her mother was so determined to leave the truth of her harrowing past behind...

The Porcelain Maker is a powerful novel of enduring love and courage in the face of brutality. I was caught totally off guard by the ending of the story. It was hard to believe that this was a debut novel for the author as well as it was written. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting my request to read this book based on true facts. I highly recommend it for anyone who loves reading WWII historical fiction.

The book blurb & other reviews hooked me immediately. Unfortunately, the story itself was not very compelling. Thank you NetGalley for the advance ecopy.

I requested to read and review for free from St. Martin Publishing Company. I know this is a work of fiction but I honestly could visualize this being a real life idea during that time period. At first I wasn't to sure about this story but the longer I kept reading I was hooked. It's a powerful story of love, betrayal, forgiveness and moving forward. Max who's live is going great until him being a Jew leads to a major roadblock in his life. Bettina had escaped the madness of her home and is moving forward in life until a series of things has her questioning life and everything in general. Can Max and Bettina story be a beautiful one or tragic one or can it be both? Will either of them get a happy ever after or will life take it away from them forever. This book can be read anywhere but by a mature reader

The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy is a captivating historical fiction novel that seamlessly weaves two timelines - 1929 Berlin and 1993 America - into a tale of love, art, and survival. Max, a Jewish architect, and Bettina, a celebrated German artist, navigate the dark era of Nazi Germany, with Max's life depending on his talent for crafting porcelain figures. In 1993, their daughter Clara embarks on a quest to uncover her father's identity. Freethy's rich vocabulary and adept storytelling make this debut novel a compelling read, and the alternating timelines add depth to the narrative. The book explores the enduring power of art amidst adversity, leaving a lasting impression on readers.

The story perfectly intertwines present day with Germany 1929 through World War II. This dichotomy parallels the love story of Bettina and Max. Bettina, a talented Bohemian artist, falls in love with Max, a talented architect who is Jewish. Before they can escape, Max is arrested and sent to Dachau. The portrait of German life at the time is quite realistic, providing a dark canvas to their efforts to survive. Yet this plot is perfectly contrasted with the present day as Bettina's daughter, Clara, and granddaughter try to uncover Bettina's story, and perhaps, the identity of Clara's father. Well-written, you will be entranced, appalled, and hoping for Bettina and Max.

I’m such a huge fan of historical fiction, and so I couldn’t wait to start this book. Sarah Freethy is a new-to-me author, and she did an amazing job blending romance into the historical bits, which gave the story a wonderful ebb and flow throughout. My emotions were all over the chart while reading this book, and I finished it in just a couple of days. Freethy’s characters were so well developed, and I found myself able to relate in some particular way to each one of them. Then, of course, you have the dynamics of war and the chaos and tension that goes along with it, which just adds to the many layers of the book. I would recommend The Porcelain Maker to everyone, and I look forward to reading more of this author’s work in the very near future. Well done!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. To say i enjoyed reading this book is hard because the subject matter is difficult. I have read many many books based on WWII and the cruelty to those deemed less than perfect that occurred. such a sad story, but also a story about how the human spirit cannot be crushed despite what happens. I enjoyed the back and forth between present day and then. I came to love the characters in this book, and commend the author for bringing them to life

In 1929 Germany, Bettina, an avant garde artist and Max, a Jewish architect, fall in love. As they realize what is happening in their country and the danger that lies within, they plot their escape. When their plan is foiled, Max is sent to Dachau and Bettina finds herself pregnant. To save her baby, she marries a rising officer in the SS. While at Dachau, Max’s skills are put to use in the porcelain factory opened there to promote the Nazi ideal. Bettina’s daughter, Clara, grows up not knowing who her father was and, in 1993, she and her own daughter set out to discover his identity. The timelines shift back and forth between the 1930s and the lives of Bettina and Max and Clara’s 1993 journey of discovery.

This debut offer is well plotted, beautifully written, and deeply affecting. I found myself wanting to race through to find out what happens.The book raises intriguing questions : What would one do to protect loved ones? What will one risk to express outrage through art? What painful stories should be shared? What are the differences among sacrifice, preservation, and complicity? I have read quite a bit of World War II historical fiction, especially those focusing on the Nazi atrocities. With its focus on the role of the porcelain factory in advancing their propaganda, this was a unique perspective and I learned quite a bit. Even though I have visited Dachau, I wasn’t aware of this factory being a part of it.

There are a lot of World War II era historical fiction stories; I like to find those with varying foci. What they all have in common, though, is that I see them as warnings for our time. We need to never forget man’s inhumanity to man and atrocities committed in the name of hate. We need to be sensitive to the dangers of cult like figures, hatred, and how easy it is for the unthinkable to become reality or a nation to be led astray.