While it’s fair to say that World War II as a time period is heavily leaned-on in the historical fiction genre, this book, with its nod to winemaking, the Vichy French government, and contemporary romance, is really worth the read. Charlotte accompanies her playboy French boyfriend to a wine auction at the historic Hôtel Drouot, and when he leaves her high and dry the next morning, gifts her a seemingly worthless bottle for her troubles. Heartbroken, she starts to scrub at the age-stained label, and peels it away to find the bottle’s true label: a letter from a Jewish vintner to his daughter Martine, outlining her inheritance. She embarks on a quest to unearth the mystery behind this family, and finds herself deep in a story that’s more beautiful and tragic and complicated than she could ever imagine.


I enjoyed this book! The plot was straightforward and it was a nice easy read. The ending felt a little rushed, in that some of the major windfalls were a little coincidental. But overall the two viewpoints between Charlotte and Martine, the seamless mix of contemporary romance and the trials of Nazi-occupied France, and the beautiful imagery of French wine country makes it a great read!


Thank you so much to @netgalley and @harperperennial for the advanced reader copy!!

This beautiful written novel shares the story of a young Jewish girl’s journey during WWII, the losses she experiences and the supports she discovers. It includes the role of vineyards as a source of love and solitude, that can bring people together and sometimes push people apart. The novel also includes the story of an American woman set in the early 90’s, as she discovers more about herself and the past.

I enjoy Historical Fiction and have read many books about WWII and the Holocaust. This one ranked very well compared to others I have read. I enjoyed the unique angle of experiencing a fictional journey set in this tumultuous time, counter balanced with the beauty of vineyards, wine and kindness. It shows how every small decision we make, good or bad, can have a huge impact on those around us.

This is an incredible historical fiction novel about WWII. Martine is a very young Jewish girl who loves her father and his vineyard. When the German soldiers come to take her father away, Martine hides in an armoire with a bottle of wine her father says is her inheritance and her stuffed bunny Annabella. Martine makes her way to Paris to live with her aunt, but by the time she gets there, her aunt is gone. Martine is found by Sister Ada and taken to live in an abbey. She eventually finds a vineyard near the abbey and assists a young boy in caring for the vines. This story is intertwined with a modern day story of a female airline pilot who discovers a bottle of wine with a false label. The label has a note on the back that intrigues the pilot who searches to find out what really happened to Martine and her father.

Interesting premise and well written book. The main character had some relationship/truat issues but don’t we all? Overall, would recommend.

A heart wrenching stories that shows how the future generations also bore the guilt, shame and even triumph of the past generations. I truly enjoyed the characters and the set up this story and how it all tied together. I would highly recommend this book.

Thank you @NetGalley and @HarperPaperback for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my review.

The French Winemaker's Daughter was a sweet story about love, family, war, and discoveries. This dual timeline book explores the atrocities & discriminations that took place during WWII in Europe. IN the early 1940's, a young girl is forced to leave her home after her father disappears. Traveling alone to Paris, she is saved by a nun and is taken in by the sisters of the order where she safely rides out the war. Years later, Charlotte, an American pilot, attends a wine auction with her boyfriend in Paris and with the purchase of wine, discovers a rare bottle. As Charlotte researches the wine, she experiences betrayal, loss, new love, and discovers herself in the process.

A poignant story that should not be missed!

#TheFrenchWinemakersDaughter #NetGalley #historicalfiction #WWII #womenaviators #wine

If you love historical fiction and romance you’re going to love this story!
This story reminded me of the movie Woman in Gold with Ryan Reynolds and Helen Mirren. Set in current days recalling the pain and heartache of Nazi thievery.
Told from two different time periods and two peoples POV. It was pain and hope and grief rolled into one!

This was a good one. I look forward to telling others about it. It was for sure a book that I would recommend. Can't wait to add the physical copy to my self.

This was my first book I have read by Loretta Ellsworth and I loved it! It starts when the Germans are rounding up all the Jews in a small village in France. As they are getting closer to their vineyard, Martine’s dad hides her in an armoire with a note pinned to her dress with the address of an aunt in Paris, and a special bottle of wine to keep her safe. Martine makes it to Paris and finds that her aunt was also taken by the Germans and she is left to wander the streets and is found curled up on a hotel doorstep by a nun. The story goes back and forth between 1942 and 1990 where Charlotte, a commercial airline pilot, Finds the bottle of wine that Martine lost all those years ago. Such a great story, I could not put it down. Cannot wait to read another story by Ms. Ellsworth.

This was a neat dual-timeline story set between WWII and 1990. It features Martine, a young, Jewish, French girl who has to find her way during the early invasion of France after her father and his vineyard helper are taken by the Germans. Set opposite that is Charlotte, a female pilot for a major American airline who has to be strong and outspoken for her position yet longs for someone who will truly love her.

The dual-timeline setting works really well for this story and I found it an enjoyable story to follow, watching the threads tighten and come closer as the story neared the end. Martine showcases the feelings of a young girl in her time well and how the adaptation that was required would have been. She is a real-feeling character, well-written and intense. Charlotte is not quite as relatable for me but still exhibits the emotions that we all have - desire to be loved, to do a job well, to want to do right. These two females are the perfect alternating storyline.

This was so enjoyable and I only had to skip over a few parts in Charlotte's story where the discussion was unnecessary about her love life. Leaving those parts out did nothing to dampen the story. I definitely enjoyed this and would not mind exploring another story by this author.

I was given an ARC of this as an ebook for the purpose of feedback to the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

As a lover of historical fiction, and particularly that based around World War II, the description of this book drew me in immediately. A tale of two women, separated by 50 years, and how their lives are intertwined through a bottle of wine? Sign me up! However, upon reading The French Winemaker's Daughter, I was disappointed. In the beginning, I found myself thinking, "Okay, when do things pick up?" I was 20% into the book before I felt like the story actually started to progress. Even so, I felt like by the end, the reader still hadn't been taken very far from where we started. I enjoyed Martine's story, and honestly would probably have liked the book a lot more if it had just been Martine's story. I didn't find Charlotte likeable or relatable. Her personality was not for me. Apart from her personality being shallow, the writing of the character itself seemed shallow and sometimes confusing. The relationships Charlotte had and her views on those relationships didn't feel realistic or fitting for the character and ended up being a big drawback in my enjoyment of the book. I'm sure The French Winemaker's Daughter will be a great read for some, but it just wasn't for me! The idea for the book is wonderful, it just needed a little more fleshing out.

When the Nazis start rounding up Jews in their village, seven-year-old Martine’s dad hides her in an armoire with a note pinned to her dress with the address of an aunt in Paris, and a special bottle of wine to keep her safe. She loses the bottle but manages to make it to Paris. Her aunt is gone and she is left to wander the streets where she is rescued by a friendly nun. Almost fifty years later Charlotte, an airline pilot attends an auction with her boyfriend, Henri, who wins a bid for a box of vintage wines stolen by the Nazis during WWII. A couple of bottles in the box appear to have no value so Henri gives one to Charlotte. A hidden note under the label leads Charlotte on a quest to find the French winemaker’s daughter. Told in dual timelines, this is a well written story of family, love and loyalty, especially during troubled times. It was easy to connect the dots early on, but still it was an enjoyable read with well-drawn characters and an intriguing storyline. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving m an e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Paperbacks for an ARC.

This is a solid piece of historical fiction. It gives the reader a feel for the setting and the struggles the French people endured during WWII. It's an enjoyable story with likeable characters.

However, it's quite predictable and very run of the mill. I was also less than impressed with the title, which according to the author's notes, she wasn't that happy with it either. *Shrug*

I am rating this book 5 out of 5 stars!!
This is my first time reading a book by Loretta Ellsworth and i’m simply blowing away.
This book was one of the best reads I have read in a while. I simply could not put it down, devoured the book in one day. The the plot was amazing. Lots of twist and turns and it has a lovely ending.

Enjoyable book, spanning two different generations following their passions and family history to determine their place in life. Very easy to read - perfect for a summer read!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It alternates point of views between Martine, who is a child living in France during WWII, and Charlotte, a pilot who frequents Paris in 1990. Charlotte is gifted a bottle of wine that leads her on a search for a winemaker’s daughter.
I liked the mystery that came with Charlotte’s search for the daughter of the winemaker. Additionally, Martine’s story gave a unique perspective of child trying to survive during WWII. I enjoyed the uniqueness of the plot. This book was a quick read with short chapters. My only complaint is that Charlotte had a lot of boy drama that I could have done without. Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for this ARC!

Thank you, NetGalley for this ARC.
As an avid reader of WW2 historical fictions, this was one of the most intriguing one I've read in a while. The dual timeline narrative was very skill fully presented. The characters in "The French Winemaker’s Daughter" are vividly portrayed, each with their own complexities and motivations. Loved reading this beautiful WW2 and it compelled me to google events, place and people. This is a compelling novel that will resonate with readers who appreciate intricately woven .

This was an excellent, straightforward historical fiction novel with an interesting “twist” on the typical Holocaust art theft story—how the Nazis took over French vineyards and wine businesses during WWII and the lasting effects it had on French families for decades.

The novel is told in two different timelines, the 1940s and 50 years later in the 1990s. One bottle of vintage ties together two women in an unexpected way in a hopeful and poignant story. I loved that is was a typical frame for a WWII novel, with a lesser-known aspect of the Nazi takeover in France as the main plot focus. The characters are a little bland but still lovable, having you root for them from the start. I’d recommend this book to any lover of historical fiction. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Thank you to @harpercollins and @netgalley for the advanced e-reader copy of this book. My opinions are solely my own.

The French Winemaker's Daughter by Loretta Ellsworth
Genre: WWII Historical Fiction, Women's fiction
POV: Dual, 2 time periods
Pub Date: December 10, 2024
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!!

Synopsis:
1942 - Martine Viner, a 7 year-old French jewish girl hides in her dresser to avoid capture by the Nazis in WWII France. Her papa is captured and she is left all alone at their family home and vineyard. Her father told her to keep a bottle of their vineyard's wine that had a very special note attached with her if she were able to escape. Though she loses the bottle in the commotion, Martine is able to take a train to Paris with the help of a neighbor. Here, she is rescued from the streets by a nun and taken to a nearby abbey. Martine lives here, assuming a different identity, leaving her religion, father, home, and childhood behind her.

1990 - Charlotte Montgomery is a commercial airline pilot, who in her early 30s, is still single, yet desperately trying to be a career woman and hopefully find a happy ending. Her flights allow her to spend much of her life in Paris, where she is hoping that her currently French boyfriend might be 'the one'. Henri (said boyfriend) buying a mysterious crate of wine bottles at an auction in Paris and gifts one to Charlotte. This bottle happens to have a hidden message under the label, setting Charlotte on a search that will completely change her life.

Opinion:
This book brought real tears to my eyes. It was so beautifully written and I couldn't put it down. The author interweaves some of the terrible realities of Jewish people in France during WWII with the kindness and selflessness of people who refused to see their countrymen treated in such a way. It is a true story of how love and friendship know no bounds when people put others' needs before their own. I loved Martine's story and how almost 50 years later it was able to be told through Charlotte's own adventure.

I was completely immersed by The French Winemaker's Daughter. If you are a fan of historical fiction and want to be taken on a journey spanning time but pulled close through war, connection and how much luck can do for your life. You need to pick this book up, it will leave a mark on your life!