War forces people to make choices that deeply impact their lives and the loves of those around them. WWII in Latvia is something I have never read about. The assault that took place their on multiple fronts was heinous. Again the resiliency of the people shines through as they seem to do their best amidst challenging circumstances.



Thanks so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. The opinions are my own

This is my first book by Aussie author Lelita Baldock but it won’t be my last, this story is heart-wrenching, it is also beautifully written with empathy and emotion, set during the occupation of Latvia during World War 2 first by the Russians and then The Nazis and South Australia 2018 as we meet sisters Estere and Zenta and their family.

Estere and Zenta work in the family bakery with their mother Darta and father Nikolai, their brother Tomass works on the dockyards, life has been good but with the war coming closer things are changing in their quiet town of Riga Latvia, when first the Russians take over there is much cruelty, then the Germans arrive and oust the Russians and things get even worse, Tomass is forced to join the army, rations are cut, the Jews are being rounded up and Estere leaves for a while, Zenta stops going to school and is working harder in the bakery, life in changing and getting more dangerous.

When Estere arrives back home pregnant she is determined still to fight for Latvia’s freedom with the Latvian Resistance as her father had done many years ago and soon convinces Zenta to help while delivering her bread to customers, she also delivers letters and supplies. But with Nazis appearing to lose ground the tensions are rising, Estere has her baby a little girl Aina and danger arrives on their doorstep, Zenta must run with baby Aina to save her life, leaving her family behind and life again changes so much for Zenta, not knowing what happened to her family she moves on to the other side of the world with a baby and starts a new life in Australia and holds a secret that will tear lives apart.

Decades later Zenta knows she must tell her secret before it is too late, the tears I shed the heartbreak I felt but I also saw the courage, strength and determination that kept Zenta going all of those years and Estere what she went through searching for her daughter, the things they both lived through was shocking. I loved Zenta so much, this is a story that I highly recommend to anyone reader who loves an excellent historical fiction story, this is one not to be missed.

My thanks to Storm Publishing and Netgalley for my digital copy to read and review.

I really had high hopes for this book, which tells the story of a girl from Latvia during the Holocaust. I was interested in learning about the Russian occupation and then Nazi Germany occupation, then back to Russian occupation in Latvia and how the Latvians fought to make their country independent. The story begins with the main character being a sweet girl named Zenta, who is the daughter of a baker. Zenta lives with her older sister Estere, brother Tomas and her parents who run the bakery. Throughout the story, we see how Tomas is forced to the Nazis, Estere joins her love Valdis in fighting for Latvia and trying to smuggle the Jews from the terrible concentration camps and how the family tries to keep their family's bakery running through the meager rations. Zenta's childhood best friend is taken away by the Nazis, Estere becomes pregnant and leaves the baby with Zenta. And teenage Zenta has to flee with the baby Aina to try to survive. The story shifts from present day Australia, where elderly Zenta lives to the 1940s in Latvia and Germany. I really wanted to like this story. Its premise is very interesting. Unfortunately Estere plays a large part in the story and while I love what she did, her actions and how she treats her family is horrendous. I don't want to give the ending away, but I think if the Estere character had grown up in some way, it could have been a beautiful ending. I really wanted to like this book, but I was left saddened at the end.

I received this book as an ARC for my honest opinion.

As the title tells us this novel is set in a working family bakery. The bakery had a reputation for producing tasty bread. Each member of the family played their part.
However, their peaceful lives were to be changed when the Russians over ran Latvia.
The invaders brought cruelty and pain. Divided families and turned neighbour against neighbour. When the Russians fled and the German’s arrived the Latvians thought they would live again.
However, much worse was to come. Zenta and Estere worked hard and Tomass was forced into the German army.
Zenta soon has to flee with baby Aina tucked tightly in her arms. Eventually settling in Adelaide, Australia. There she lived her life in peace, but deep inside was the darkness that she remembered from her young life. As a Grandmother, herself she begins to tell her story with all its trauma and suffering. The Baker’s secret is heart-breaking, but in the hands of the skill Lelita Baldock we readers experience it all.
I recommend this story to all who have a heart, this level of suffering must never happen again.

Thank you NetGalley and the storm publishing for allowing me to read this wonderful story in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Lelita for bringing the story and the people to life.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read the ARC for this book. I was drawn into the story and the plot kept me reading to find out what happened with these characters.

The Baker's Secret is the first book I've read by Lelita Baldock and won't be my last - I can't wait to read more by this author.
It is a tale of courage, sacrifice, resilience and loss, following two Latvian sisters as they are surrounded by war, making decisions that will forever change the course of their lives.
The book is well researched and was quite an educational journey for me. I knew nothing of this side of the war and I love it when I get a history lesson in the form of a well written and believable historical novel. The emotions felt real and I could clearly picture different events, it was like a movie in my head. I devoured this book and didn't want it to end, while at the same time I was left heartbroken and couldn't stop thinking about the devastation and trauma experienced. This is a great read and I highly recommend it if you want to learn more about Nazi-occupied Latvia.
Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and the author for an ARC to review.

This book was totally heartbreaking. A lot of WW2 fiction says that, but this really was.

Despite books set in WW2/Nazi occupied lands being my most read genre, my knowledge and reading of life in Lativa at that time is woefully small. But I feel that The Bakers Secret has fixed that to some extent.

The horror, fear and stress of living first under Russian and then German rule was captured so well. The love of the family and community was real and believable. The bravery of everyday people to protect and save so called "enemies of the state" is astounding.

Zenta and Estere are both so brave. Estere in helping the partisans and the Jews of Riga. Zenta for saving her sisters child and... I won't say more. Spoilers!

I'll definitely be looking out for more of Lelita Baldock's books in future.

Thank you to Storm Publishing, NetGalley and author Lelita Baldock for this ARC to read and review!

This book. Oh my poor little heart. It’s intense, gripping and emotionally wrecking. I was absolutely buried by all the feels of it. This story had a different approach to the much loved genre of WWII historical fiction … centering around the people of Latvia. The author really makes you feel their struggle and pain as war torn citizens who love their land and will do anything to restore their freedom! It’s told in dual timelines with multiple POV’s … really bringing you right into the heart of each character. As more and more of this story unfolded, my jaw dropped in shock at the revelations of secret truths hidden for years. I can honestly say this one is going on my list of favorite historical fictions of all time … powerful!

An amazing debut highlighting the plight of Latvians during WW2, something which I knew little about. Congratulations to the author on a compelling, heartbreaking story, all the more authentic due to her family ties. Perfect for lovers of Historical Fiction.

Honestly, I didn't know what to expect with this story and it gave it everything.
When I discovered the book, the title and the cover caught my attention (I know, I'm very hard to please), but I had no idea what the story was about since I skim read the synopsis; if I may say so, I think it was very accurate because the surprise I got when I started reading made me want to keep going and not stop.

You can believe it, so there I am, immersing myself in a story that might otherwise have taken me years to read, but that now I can't get out of my head since I finished it.

I tell you, in this story we find the story of two sisters whose family business is a bakery (note that here goes part of the title), that from one moment to another are immersed in wartime through the Soviet invasion and the Nazis, all this developing in Latvia. You will find a little bit of everything, love, loss, pain, love for a free nation, the taste and smell of freshly baked bread that invokes that feeling of longing for the good times, pain, goodbyes, sacrifice and of course a great secret which when the time comes when they tell you about it, you will be left with your eye squared and turning back the pages to tie up the ends that lead you to that moment.

I had not considered reading a historical fiction set in this country, and I loved it. I love learning about how other countries went through this historical period, as well as learning more about a country that hadn't crossed my mind much.

I think I can say without a doubt that I highly recommend this story, it has been quite a discovery and that having gone almost completely blind has given it a plus that perhaps if I had seen reviews I would have taken away.

So yes, do yourself a favor and read this wonderful story that has left me with a taste of bread and coffee and what better combination to accompany this incredible book.

A story that shows you the resilience and courage that many women had to experience in times of war.

#TheBakersSecret #NetGalley

Thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishers for an advance copy of this fantastic book.
I was so excited to get to this story and it didn't disappoint! I have never read a world war 2 story set in Latvia so it was very interesting to see the impact of the war there.
I found Zenta to be such a great character and was gripped to this story throughout. A very well written debut in historical fiction. I will be looking out for more historical novels from this author. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Baker's Secret isn't just another Historical Fiction WWII story. This heartwrentching story of a family in Latvia, doing everything they can do to survive the horrors of the Nazi occupation, had me unable to put the book down. The difficult decisions made to keep the family as safe as possible, and the secrets that have been weighing for a lifetime, Lelita Baldock's work is fantastic.

Thank you Storm Publishing and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Such a great book! I real a lot of WWII historical fiction but had never read about Latvia. Such a different take on the effects of war. My heart just broke for Zenta. So many sacrifices and so much pain. Beautifully told.

The Baker's Secret by Lelita Baldock is an achingly-beautiful dual timeline Historical Fiction story about sacrifice, secrets, loyalties and what it meant to be family during World War II. My heart was captured and engaged the entire time reading both the heartwarming descriptions and the sorrowful ones.

In 1943, the Soviets have been driven out of Riga, Latvia, and replaced by the Nazis who add even more layers of cruelty. Starving and dying, the residents rely on those life savers including sisters Zenta and Estere who use their family bakery to deliver physical sustenance and snippets of hope. The girls become part of the Resistance and risk their lives and those of their family every second. Disgraced Estere leaves home but returns later. After giving birth, her life becomes even more precarious. Zenta promises to take care of her daughter and flees to Australia.

In 2018 Australia, Zenta tries not to dwell on her terrible past but is forced to confront it when she is contacted and questioned by someone seeking answers to mysteries of decades ago. The war may be behind her but the memories aren't.

As a baker myself, the bread details are homey and comforting, diametrically opposed to the horrors of starvation and family separation. Close family bonds, especially those between sisters, always beckon to me.

My sincere thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this stellar novel.

What an emotional heartbreaking read!
The story is based on the authors own family history where we learn of the Latvians fight for freedom during the Second World War.
We follow the life of Zenta through two times lines during the 1940s and 2018. Zenta’s family are bakers and when they are threatened by the Nazis Zenta’s sister, Estere, begs her to take her baby Aina and run. Zenta becomes sick while trying to find safety and is forced to leave the baby with a family. This changes the course of her life and that of her own child.
We read the horrors of the first occupation of Latvia, the Nazi rule, the Rebellion and finally the escape from war torn Europe to a new life, but can one truly escape after living through war year after year.
This is a truly compelling read of family secrets, betrayal, sacrifice, loyalty and love.

A powerful, epic tale, vividly told. From the first chapter I fell hard for this book. On finishing it, I felt I’d been on a heart-wrenching journey of a lifetime with beautifully drawn characters whose griefs and struggles left me deeply moved. With its gorgeous, heartfelt writing, this is a book to savour. Congratulations to the author for a brilliant novel of love, courage and resilience, a book which will stay in the memory for a long time.

The Bakers Secret
By: Lelita Baldock

4 Stars

War. Family. Survival. That is what you find in these pages.
With war pushing on all fronts, Zenta is made to leave her home of Latvia. After watching her whole family either slaughtered or captured, she is left alone with her niece. Save her. That is her only job. Zenta faces a life of war, loss, and secrets. Secrets that helped her survive.

Wow. This story was very well written and was a shock to boot. I have read many stories about the war, but never one quite like this, with such a well planned storyline. It was full of pain and loss, and I found myself on an emotional roller-coaster. Tears at times while happy at others. It was a very descriptive look into a nasty war. The total feelings of loss and the hard fight for survival are palpable in these pages. I was indeed touched by this story. It was one that will stay with me for a long time.

This was a very well written story with such great visuals and feelings that I can't wait to get my hands on more from this author.


*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review*


Stormi Ellis
Boundless Book Reviews

Thank you to NetGalley, Lelita Baldock, and Storm Publishing for a free ARC of The Baker’s Secret. This book will be released 1/25/2024.

This is a well written WWII historical fiction novel loosely based on the author’s family history. I don’t feel like Latvia is a popular setting for many books, and it was interesting to read how deeply and differently it affected their country.

Trigger warnings include spousal abuse, loss of loved ones, and war.

The book transitions both between decades and the viewpoints of sisters. The last 1/4 of this book really picks up and makes things interesting!

The Baker’s Secret has had me thinking all night long. The way Lelita Baldock created the characters, the details, the storyline was incredible! I got sucked in from page one and never came up for air.
There were many twists and turns, devastating events, love, loss, but above all, there was hope. They had to do whatever they could to survive. That is what Zenta did. She did what she had to, in order to survive.

I've read a lot of WWII historical fiction, and the first half of this one was fairly typical of the genre, then it got even more interesting toward the end. In pre-WWII Latvia, Zenta and Estere are young sisters whose parents run a bakery. As the Soviets and then the Nazis take over Riga, their lives, family, and loves are shattered. This was a really interesting story about an aspect of WWII that isn't widely covered, and shows the complicated aspects of war and refugees. The Baker's Secret was really well written and kept me on my toes.