Such a good story about 2 women whose lives intersect over a bottle of wine. I love reading WWII historical fiction, and I enjoyed that in this one the war is not a central focus, but in the background of Martine’s childhood. It does not feel like a heavy war book. I liked the main characters of Charlotte, Martine, Sister Ada, and Julien. This is my first book by Loretta Ellsworth, but I would read more.

@lorettaellsworth_author ‘s dual timeline story tells the tale of Charlotte, a pilot, living in 1990, and Martine, a small Jewish girl trying to survive in 1942 WWII France. Charlotte and her Parisian beau Henri bid on a set of old wines at an auction. Charlotte finds a hidden note on one of the bottles and this begins her search for the daughter of this winemaker and Charlotte’s life is changed in so many ways.
Martine’s story is by far the star of this show. Her fight details the resilience of a group of people whose fight would not be dimmed as well as those that refused to let their fellow man be persecuted.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thanks to @netgalley and @harperbooks for this #advancedreaderscopy that I took way too long to read because… life 🤷🏻‍♀️. Pub date was 12/10/24.

#2025bookchallengebook4of100
#netgalley
#worldwar2
#thefrenchwinemakersdaughter

yhis gripping dual-timeline historical fiction had me in tears! One storyline follows a female airline pilot in the 90s, while the other traces the journey of a young girl during WWII. As the novel unfolds, their stories beautifully intertwine in unexpected and heart-wrenching ways. I highly recommend this book to any fan of historical fiction!

I liked the different angles of the story and the significance that a bottle of wine played.
I enjoyed the chapters with Martine the nest but I also appreciated the perspective of Charlotte from 1990 and her career as a pilot.
It’s refreshing to read about the era before technology. I smiled as I read the paragraph describing Charlotte consulting her French dictionary to translate the label on the wine bottle.
It’s a good story and oh yes there is a brave little stuffed rabbit who plays a special role in the story.

This was a relatively quick read, set in France during WWII and in contemporary times. A young girl, who is Jewish, hides in her father's winery from the Nazis. Her father has left her a wine bottle, but she drops it as she flees the Germans. Meanwhile, a female airline pilot is gifted an old wine bottle by a lover, who has no idea how much the bottle is worth. The pilot sets off to try to find the original owner of the wine bottle.

I enjoyed this book, mostly because it was concise and got to the point quickly. The action moves along well, and the story is interesting. Characters are well drawn. However, as with almost all books in this genre, the historical story is much, much more interesting than the contemporary story.

Loretta Ellsworth’s The French Winemaker’s Daughter reminds me of the horrors of World War II - Martine, a little Jewish girl, hiding in an armoire and forced to find her way in a war torn world without her dear Papa and only family who was taken away by the Germans. I am always stunned by what victims of war must endure. She adds to it the story of the winemakers of France - and how the Germans stole from them and harmed their legacy for generations. Ellsworth intertwines Martine’s story with that of Charlotte, an airline pilot, charting her own course for women, in the 90s. Her home base is in Paris, and through an auction and a rather horrible “boyfriend” she comes into possession of a bottle of wine from the WW2 era. A mysterious note and second label sets her on a journey to find its story and perhaps its owner.
The WW2 historical setting in the Paris area was a fascinating one. We learn about the making of wine; we learn about the French resistance; we learn about how people worked to save Jewish children (and are reminded of how some did not.) In the 90s as Charlotte works to solve her mystery - we learn a great deal of the intervening history. We also learn a bit about how recently women have been fighting for career equity as well through Charlotte’s struggle as a female pilot. We have so many lessons to learn. Ellsworth does a remarkable job of bringing these characters to life in both eras. Martine must grow up so quickly. She struggles through new names, learning a second faith. She struggles to trust and live as the only child in an abbey filled with nuns. Ellsworth foreshadows her future, and we long to find out what happens to her. I didn’t relate perfectly with Charlotte and her jet setting life in Paris, but her quest was one to admire. She is determined to do the right thing by this WW2 era winemaker and his daughter while learning some things about her own family, love, and strength on the way.
I recommend this book - history, romance, and the voices of women make it an important read. I think it’s very important to be reminded that we can work to try to not fix, not right, but maybe ease the pain of mistakes of the past. Many are quick to refuse accountability and insist that moving forward is the only way to move forward. We can do better. I’m beginning to also believe that we can never ever be reminded of the failures of history too many times. Too often the world just seems to be walking down painfully similar paths. Historians matter. Authors matter. The arts matter. I can’t do as much as I’d like to change the world at large. But maybe I can keep saying those words and return a bottle of wine.

The French Winemakers Daughter was a very sad and well written story. Stories about war and a story about wine deal with some very difficult times.

A heartbreaking and inspiring dual timeline/POV novel featuring young Martine, essentially orphaned and alone due to the war, and Charlotte, a pilot who accidentally discovers her story from the past. This was fast paced and engaging and a lovely read.

The French Winemaker’s Daughter is an unforgettable WWII historical fiction novel that will have you believing in fate.

The dual timeline book is told from the perspective of two women: Martine and Charlotte.

1942, France: Martine, the young daughter of a vineyard owner, is hidden in an armoire as Nazis come to round up the Jewish people in France. Before her father is taken, he pins a note on her dress with an address to her aunt’s apartment in Paris. In her possession is a rare bottle of wine to look after that will secure funds for her future. When the Nazis are gone, she escapes to a neighbor’s house but drops the bottle.

1990, Paris: Charlotte is a commercial pilot who attends a wine auction with her boyfriend. After bidding on and winning a box full of wine from the German occupation, her boyfriend gifts her one of the inferior bottles. Soon after, Charlotte peels back the label and finds a note leading to the shocking origins of the wine and with it a story that will take her on a journey to uncover the mystery of a winemaker’s daughter.

This passionate tale was such an enthralling read. I loved the connection between the two stories but especially how Charlotte’s investigation of a heartfelt letter led her on a chase after something that in return helped her discover her joie de vivre. Both storylines were equally compelling, and if you are a lover of WWII, you will enjoy this novel.

Trigger warnings: violence, war, suggestive content.

Many thanks to the author and NetGalley for the ARC. This review is voluntary. All thoughts are my own.

There were things I loved and disliked about this book. I wish this book was about 100+ pages longer to get more of the story and character development. Charlotte was not a likeable main character for me. She also brought up what felt like a dozen times that is a woman pilot (yes, we get it already.) I loved the historical parts with Martine's sections and was the best part of the book for me! I loved the relationship between her and Ada.

I adored Martine and Charlottes story and how they intertwined. I always find a historical fiction captavating when I learn something new about that time period. Ellsworth does an extraordinary job of telling the story of a found rare and expensive bottle of wine. I will be suggesting this to my book club for February!

A Riveting and Smartly Structured Story

SUMMARY
It is a memorable story of war, love, and family when two women from different continents' lives intersect and a life-changing connection is made.

In 1942, A scared father, a winemaker, hides his seven-year-old daughter Martine in an armoire as the Germans are approaching his vineyard. He gives her a bottle of wine and tells her to protect it until he comes home. The Germans take Martine’s Jewish father. She accidentally drops the bottle when she witnesses the Germans also taking away her father’s vineyard’s caretaker. She runs and, with a bit of help, eventually makes it to Paris, where a nun rescues her from a nearby abbey.

In 1990, Charlotte was a bright and beautiful commercial airline captain well ahead of her time. While in Paris, she discovers that one of the bottles of wine she and her boyfriend had bought at a wine auction is extremely valuable. Under the bottle's label is a mysterious note and a second, more elaborate label indicating that the wine was from the Burgundy region of France. Charlotte begins a quest to find who this bottle had belonged to and what had happened to them.


REVIEW
The French Winemaker’s Daughter is a riveting story set in Paris and the French wine regions. While WWII plays a role in the book for Martine, it is not the story's whole focus. The story is about survival, recovery, love, and family. I enjoyed learning about the history of the wine in that area, and my favorite part was Charlotte’s moral need to find the story behind the bottle of wine she found.

There are actually three female characters who serve as the pillars of the story. Martine and Charlotte are both intriguing and gripping characters, but it is Sister Ada who heroically rescues Martine in Paris and plays a pivotal role in the abbey.

Author Loretta Ellsworth’s writing was superb, and dual narratives were smartly structured.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Publisher Harper Perennial and Paperbacks
Published December 10, 2024
Category Religion and Spirituality, Women’s Fiction
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

Told in a dual timeline, World War II and the 1990's (scary some might consider this historical as well!), this story traces the history of a wine bottle and a little girl through the course of war. Martine is just seven years old when her father hides her in an armoire with a bottle of wine and tells her to stay hidden. Later in her desire to escape, Martine loses the bottle but she's only intent on getting to safety and hopefully finding her father. Fast forward fifty years and that bottle of wine comes up for auction. Charlotte realizes there must be some history surrounding the old bottle and sets out to find out what happened during the war and to the previous owners of the bottle. Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, so I really appreciated the way the author was able to create two separate stories in each time period and yet ultimately weave them together.

This book has a duel timeline with a 1990's American female pilot and a young Jewish girl in France during World War II. The love of vineyards is a bond for the characters. An antique bottle of wine with a hidden label compels the pilot to search for the story of the Jewish girl.

I found the plot to be too predictable, and I wished for more depth of the characters. It was interesting to read about the many vineyards in France.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley and the publisher.

A purchase at auction prompts a search into history

In 1942 a young Jewish girl named Martine hid when conquering forces came for her father. She was left with a bottle of wine and her aunt's address in Paris, but the first was left behind when she was finally able to escape. Unable to find her aunt when she arrived in Paris, she was taken in by Sister Ada at the Hotel Drouot and hoped for her father's return. In 1990, Charlotte is an airline pilot from the US visiting her current boyfriend Henri in Paris. They attend an auction at the Hotel Drouot and are the successful bidders on a box of collectible wines. Charlotte keeps one of the bottles which her wine expert boyfriend thinks is the least interesting of the lot (which tells you a lot about what kind of a guy Henri is), and discovers that under the dust is a bottle with more than one label containing a note from a father to his daughter. Intrigued, Charlotte sets out to discover more about the wine and its origins as well as what happened to the daughter...and uncovers events that happened almost fifty years earlier, when Germany invaded France and wrought havoc on peoples' lives in their quest for power.
Told in chapters which alternate between Martine's life as a young Jewish girl in occupied France and the more contemporary pursuit by the American Charlotte, the reader experiences the terror and confusion of Martine who has lost all connection to her family and whose memories of them and their life on a vineyard dull over time. Through Charlotte's eyes we learn of the German army's seizing of the highly coveted French wines for the consumption and collections of the German elite, and about the wines of France during those years. It is hard not to feel for young Martine, who was shielded from much of the horror that could have befallen her but was still very much a victim of the war, and I found her character the more interesting. Charlotte was more of a device through which the reader could discover what happened to Martine and how the bottle of wine ended up for auction many years later. A story worth reading for those who enjoy WWII fiction and those who might be interested in wine; readers of authors like Janet Skeslien Charles, Sarah Freethy and Kate Quinn should definitely give this one a try. My thanks to NetGalley and Harper Paperbacks for allowing me access to a copy of this story of family, war, and love in exchange for my honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “The French Winemaker’s Daughter” by Loretta Ellsworth is a deeply moving historical novel that captivated me from the very beginning. The intertwining stories of Martine and Charlotte, set against the backdrop of World War II and the 1990s, are both heartfelt and compelling.

Ellsworth’s portrayal of Martine’s journey as a young girl during the war is both poignant and harrowing, shedding light on the resilience required to survive such a tumultuous time. Similarly, Charlotte’s quest to uncover the history behind a mysterious bottle of wine in the 1990s adds depth and intrigue to the narrative.

The novel’s exploration of love, family, and loyalty resonated deeply with me, making it a story that lingers long after the final page. I found myself unable to put it down, fully immersed in the rich historical context and the emotional journeys of the characters.

For readers who appreciate historical fiction that delves into personal narratives amidst significant historical events, “The French Winemaker’s Daughter” is a compelling and emotionally resonant read. Thank you to #netgalley pre-read. #bookstagram #bookreview #historicalfiction #booksbooksbooks #reader #lovetoread

The French Winemaker's Daughter by Loretta Ellsworth was so good! I was drawn into the story immediately, I always love a dual timeline, and as much as I wanted to find out how this would all end, I didn't want it to end! Historical fiction, mystery, romance, and an excellent antagonist that everyone will love hating. Cheers to a fabulous story and here's hoping for a sequel because I'd love to see where this goes next 🤞☺️ 4.5 ⭐s

The French Winemaker’s Daughter by Loretta Ellsworth is a beautifully told story that I was captivated by from the opening chapter all the way until the end. The book flows easily between Martine’s life beginning in 1942 WWII when she was put in an armoire by her father to save her from the Germans to 1990 with Charlotte obtaining an incredibly valuable bottle of wine with a storied past. The story flows seamlessly between the two time periods with characters that are well-fleshed out. Also, the cover is just gorgeous.

I enjoyed this book so much! What a saga, based on a true occurrence—-a bottle of wine from the World War II era having a fake label applied over the real one.

Charlotte, an airline captain, flies frequently to Paris and has a French sometime-boyfriend named Henri. He bid on the wine, along with several others, at the Hotel Drouot, a famous auction house. It is Charlotte who privately discovered the authentic label along with a note from the winemaker to his daughter.

The story flips between the 1940s and the 1990s, with Charlotte as the contemporary narrator and the winemaker’s daughter telling the WWII tale.

It has an immensely satisfying ending. This showed me some of the horrific side of war for the French people, the everyday citizens just going about their lives and dodging the bombs and the Germans.

4.5 stars, rounded up!

I love a good historical fiction. This book was enjoyable enough but there were a few things that really made it tough for me to read. The main character seemed extremely immature. The character’s “voice” just drove me nuts. The way she would word things, jump so quickly to conclusions, and say one thing then take it back drove me insane. I did love all of Martine’s POVs and felt like those were written very well. Another thing that bothered me was that while I liked the way everything was connected, I felt like the dramatic irony came way too early. Everything was a little too obvious for me, and then the denial of the character once again showed how immature she was. I also disliked that the author wrote out WWII when there was a person being quoted. This was an ARC read so I’m hoping they went back and changed it. It just seemed sloppy and overlooked to me. It took me a long time to finish this which is another reason I gave this 3 stars. It was good but I feel like it could’ve been great with some tweaking. Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for this ARC read!