⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really liked it, stuck with me & would recommend
I liked the themes in this story of prodigal daughter returning home and trying to find her place while straddling two cultures. Marina is sent to NYC for college and to flee the civil war in Yugoslavia. She starts a life there, including getting married. After a devastating miscarriage she returns home to her Croatian island, Pag, and her family's cheesemaking factory. She's grieving, she's contemplating divorce, and she's realizing that her family business is where she feels fulfilled.

This is a story of expectations, tradition, food, and cultural divide. Ultimately Marina has to find her own way. I was completely all in with her choices. Lastly, the cheese (and food) were described in such beautiful details, I could taste it.

The narrator, Sophie Amoss, did a great job, I had no trouble understanding who was saying what, where, when, and with what expression/intension.

Thank you to RB Media, NetGalley, and author Kristin Vukovic for providing me with a digital ARC copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. The Cheesemaker's Daughter is out August 20, 2024.

This book it lovely but challenging. Overall I had an amazing time. I loved learning about romanian culture, cheese culture (haha) and I love, that the love stories and characters were realistic and made smart decisions, which is rare these days. This book does have a tendency to ramble. There's a lot to keep in mind plot wise and I found myself getting confused and then spacing out. I feel like its longer than it needs to be and the family scenes are so long and so cheesy.
All that being said, this look is a lovely little slice of life and cheese, definitely recommended for foodies or people who like cozy low stakes wholesome books.

Oh the missed potential of having an amazing novel LOST. The author is no strange to the international owes of only ten, fifteen years ago. And the upheaval such a beautiful landscape endured. So given that why were so many things about Marina returning to her home country just so …wrong?! A little research could have gone along way.
And yes it’s a simpler country and where Marina was hoing to be with family lacked skyscrapers and traffic but just like an American small town…simple and peaceful doesn’t mean backwards and stuck in the fast…I’m saying I felt a little prejudice on the author’s part.
Nor did the story ever get set up where there would be a happy day to look forward to any future relationships M goes into will be a disaster.
So much potential…..meh

I listened to the audiobook, beautifully narrated by Sophie Amoss, but unfortunately, The Cheesemaker’s Daughter didn’t quite land for me. At first, it seemed like the perfect fit—an international setting in Croatia, centered around a cheese factory—but the story leaned too heavily into negativity. There was so much focus on toxic relationships, parental pressure, sexism, infertility, and death.

Marina’s home life became repetitive and unpleasant, and I found myself wishing for some lighter moments to balance things out. The writing style didn’t quite click with me either, and I started skipping parts early on, mostly because of the unlikable characters and constant family drama.

In the end, The Cheesemaker’s Daughter just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for the opportunity to listen! 📚🎧

New Yorker Marina Maržić is dealing with the break up of her marriage and still getting over a recent miscarriage when her father asks her to come home and help with the family business. She returns to her native Croatian island where she helps her father with the family's struggling cheese factory, Sirana. She is dealing with returning after being a refugee from the former Yugoslavia. With old equipment that is constantly breaking down, making their cheese by hand, thus paying more employees, and competition from his ex-partner, he is almost bankrupt. Marina moves in with her parents on the island of Pag, a place that depends on employment with Sirana, Marina does what she can. She also meets up with a former childhood friend and son of her father's rival and they must learn how to bring the divided island back together.

The Cheesemaker's Daughter was a book that had a lot to it. I liked that we read about the past, the cultural and ethnic tensions in an area that had dealt with years and years of war. The year after the split from Yugoslavia and before joining the European Union was dealt with, but not in a dry way. I was excited to learn more about the area through the descriptions of the setting and the people, as I am going to be visiting Croatia in 2025. Along with the history, we see Marina struggle with her identity. Having been schooled in the US and marrying a US/Croatian, she is divided between the old ways and the new. She is able to use what she learned to bring Sirana into competitions, develop new products, add social media and still stay true to the family's roots. There is also some family issues with her uncle that throws the family for a loop, which was an unexpected twist for me. The book is told from Marina's POV and that works as she is the central character. This is a highly character driven novel, and it is slow at times, but I really liked Marina. It has a strong plot, well developed characters a couple of twists, a bit of romance, family issues and new beginnings. Overall, I enjoyed this story, doing a read/listen over a couple of days. Sophie Amoss is a narrator I have not listened to before, and I enjoyed her voice. She gave a good performance with accents, voices and expression that allowed each character to be recognizable.

Thank You for the opportunity to listen to The Cheesemaker's Daughter by Kristin Vukovic.

I loved this book.

The story of Marina going back to her country, Croatia, to help her father's cheesemaking company while going through personal loss herself, is one of finding yourself when all seems lost.

You feel drawn to Marina and her family, her past and her present and you end up rooting for her.

I would definitely recommend this.

Thanks.

Wow…..this story offers so much and I loved it from beginning to end. Not only do readers/listeners get to discover the intricacies of cheesemaking, but we glimpse into the impact of the Yugoslavian civil war and Croatia’s independence; the heritage of Pag island, the community and family ties; the political and economical climate as Croatia prepares to join the EU. We journey with Marina as she tries to find her identity and healing.

Kristin Vukovic’s writing is beautifully descriptive and rich in detail. I sensed all of it whilst listening to this audiobook - the Croatian food and drink (especially cheese!), the Adriatic coastal winds, the pride the characters have in their island roots and traditions, and the heartache and sorrow experienced by the characters with circumstances including stillbirth and fertility issues, wartime experiences, betrayal and wounded friendships, business and financial struggles, death and grief.

The audio narration from Sophie Amoss is superb. She eloquently brings to life the wonderful array of characters regardless of the gender or age. Her accents are great too - for both Croatian and American characters.

I experienced the Adriatic coastline in Montenegro earlier this year and Croatia was already on my list of places I must visit…..but now even more so after having the pleasure of reading The Cheesemaker’s Daughter!

Thank you to the audio publisher, RB Media, for an audio copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The cheesemakers Daughter by Kristin Vukovic

Don’t let the title fool you… this book was a really solid read!

When Marina’s marriage crumbles, she leaves New York and returns to her native Croatia. Back to the cheese factory her family has owned for years. It’s in deep financial trouble and it’s up to Marina to try and help bring their cheese to the world while outshining their biggest rival.

It was awesome. It had this quiet brilliance to the writing and the story. I found the story most enjoyable because it wasn’t wrapped up in a Romeo and Juliet style love affair. It touched on the relationship between marina and her ex-love who happens to be the son of their biggest cheese rival. I think the beauty of the story was in how Marina went home lost after the deterioration of her marriage and the loss of their baby. She built herself back and with it, her fathers business and it was a beautiful story of resilience and a deep love for family traditions.

4 stars

Wow, what an engaging story! I love Croatia, so I was so excited to read a book set on the Island of Pag.

It was also so interesting to see the contrasts of old and new. You really feel those emotions as Marina tries to keep her family business alive, all while dealing with her own personal struggles.

While I did like this book, I didn't love it. It took me a little while to get into.

I will say, I really enjoyed the narration of those story. It really added to the richness of what was happening.

This was a solid read. I think others will like it.

A slow, but interesting story of family and all that goes along with that. Marina has been living her life in America. Things aren’t going all that well. Her marriage is on the brink of dissolution so when her father calls to say he needs help with their family cheesemaking business she decides to head back to her home country and her family. There have been so many changes due to the worlds political climate. yet her father is entrenched in his old ways and unwilling to change. When they face competition from another maker, she decides to do all she can to save the business, Sirana doing it with new ideas integrated into the old. She will not under any circumstances allow herself to fail. An interesting well written journey rich with details of so much of what really happened during so much political unrest and the many changes that are to come. Marina is a strong, smart, determined wonderful daughter, friend, businesswoman and artisan. It is a bit slow at times, but but I enjoyed her road to finding herself, what she wants and going along recognizing that you can go home again.

**I received an advanced listening copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

Vukovic writes a slow burn novel that quietly explores grief, loss, familial issues, and identity. As the novel unfolds, the reader learns about the tragic circumstances that lead Marina to return home to an island off of Croatia. Marina's family past is strained, and Sophie Amoss, who voice narrates this audio, offers a hauntingly beautiful interpretation of Marina's thoughts and feelings as she navigates life changes and her family's failing cheese business. Marina also shows a strength that grows throughout the novel.

The family dynamic is greatly explored, and those who are unfamiliar with Croatia and its political struggles, not to mention a patriarchal society, will quickly learn the toil of constant battles and the long rebuild of a group of people torn apart by politics, war, and death and destruction. Marina, who was sent away at the start of war, also faces issues with her identity: Croatian versus American, contributing member to her family's business versus someone who will not remain on the island forever.

The richness of the descriptions of the landscape and the cheesemaking process offer a pleasing addition to the narrative, balancing perfectly the sorrows and regrets facing the characters.

A worthy listen. 4-star recommendation.

#TheCheesemakersDaughter #NetGalley #bookreview #audiobook #audiobookreview

An adorable redemption story. As someone who also experienced pregnancy loss- this book hit all my emotions. I could empathize so much with the main character and the trouble she was having. I greatly enjoyed seeing her find herself again and really figure out what she wanted out of life. It was tragic and beautiful all at the same time.

I loved this one. The narration was wonderful. I loved the exploration of culture and family. I loved the subtle romance that isn't really a romance. The story stays focused on our protagonist. She is lovely and she is hurting.
I never craved cheese so much in my life,

4.5 stars.

This is one of my favorite books this year!

I loved the slow, deliberate pace, making the changes and growth of the characters very palpable. Marina goes home to Croatia feeling lost, mourning, and needing to heal and reevaluate her place in the world. I loved her relationships with her family members, how she was so much closer to her father, how authentically she interacted with her brother, and how complicated things had become with her best friend. The grandmother cracked me up! And I loved watching her family slowly reincorporate Marina into the fold, the business, and their home. It was touching to witness Marina noticing all the changes to her hometown and the people in it, and also how little other things had changed. I was particularly moved by the effects of the war, the survivors, their stories, and how small-town, rural cheesemakers were called upon to take up arms and become heroes to protect their ways of life. I also very much appreciated that the most romantic aspect of this book was Marina falling in love with Sirana, making cheese, and working with her father to try to save the business.

Never in my life have I craved cheese in the way this book made me crave cheese, particularly because I deeply love sheep's milk cheeses, like Manchego. Having tried to make my own cheese a few times, and respecting the chemical peculiarities of each step in the process, I was still blown away by the information and dedication to real processes. I have a friend who raves about Icelandic cheese, so I have always been on the lookout for cheeses from countries you wouldn't expect, and now Croatia is on my radar as well.

This book was so lovely, so full of heart, so full of hope, and so beautifully told.

This book had me hooked from the beginning. It's a gripping tale with all of the elements of a great book. There is family drama, personal struggles, the past, effects of war, and financial struggles. The tension in this book was perfect. There was tension coming from many different angles and settling on the main character. The struggles she goes through after returning to the island are hard, but necessary struggles in the journey to find her place in the world again. This was an incredible roller coaster ride of emotions and I never knew which way we would turn next. I wasn't expecting twists, but this definitely isn't as straightforward a story as one might imagine. A well crafted book with writing that sucks you in. The narrator of the audio book does well at bringing it to life and portraying the many emotions.

I liked this book! I loved the setting of Coratia and learning about that country. I also enjoyed learning about making cheese. I found it slow moving at times but i think that is just me and the kind of books I am use to reading.

I listened to the audio book and thought that was a good option for this book. The acting was good.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc of this book!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

I did not enjoy this book as much as I thought I would. It was ok but not my favorite.

I tried so hard to get into this book but I constantly found my mind drifting. Ended up having to stop partway though.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sometimes when it feels like life is falling apart, it's really the opportunity for a new beginning.

That's the case for Marina, when she is disillusioned by her life in America, and travels home to the island of Pag in Croatia. Her family's ancestral cheese factory, Sirana, is in trouble. Her marriage is in trouble. She's suffering intense trauma from losing a baby in her second trimester. She's at rock bottom and wants to feel more settled. She wants to feel like she's home. But when her father sent her away during a terrible war as a refugee to New York when she was a young woman, her life was split in two. Now she doesn't feel whole in her old life or her new one, and she's struggling to decide if the best path is the one she left behind, or one that is still waiting to be uncovered ahead of her.

I learned so much in this book: lots of history about Croatia, so much detail about cheesemaking and the whole World of Cheese. It was a delight to read. And compelling! I came in with almost zero context for both, and it rapt my attention all the way through. I guess you could consider me a 'typical middle American'. We eat cheddar, mozzarella, colby jack/pepper jack, provolone, parmesan, maybe an occasional gouda. Cow's milk cheeses. Marina and her family make cheese from sheep's milk, which has a distinct flavor due to the amount of herbs that grow on the island. It sounds fascinating. I'd like to branch out and try more types of cheese, especially old world cheeses. It's a whole thing. This book did that to me.

Marina's story is difficult to swallow sometimes. If you're in the middle of fertility struggles, this one might be a hard read for you, but it may also be healing to read of someone else in a similar position. She has to come to terms with a reality she never thought she'd experience.

I appreciate that this is not a romance. This is the story of a woman coming into her own. There are men in this book. There are relationships to navigate. But this is about The Cheesemaker's Daughter. I have to say, I grew tired of novels being named The ___ Daughter in the 2000s when everything had a similar title, but this one fits so well. She is the daughter of Nicola, the famed cheesemaker of Pag, and she embraces that.

I am so glad I had the opportunity to listen to this book. I had planned to buy the paperback upon release, but then I was chosen for an advanced listening copy from netgalley and the publisher - Sophie Amoss, the narrator, did such a great job with the foreign words and so many accents to juggle. Croatian, French, English, and even different dialects. If you're able to, I recommend listening to this one!

If you like books that are a little somber in tone with a message ultimately of hope, I think you'll enjoy this book.

I really struggled to get into this book for probably the first 1/3, but I kept going and am glad I did! This story is about perseverance and I ended up really liking it. It’s definitely a slower start but eventually if you get immersed into the characters’ lives you’ll want to find out how things turn out for them.