Zoe Rosenzweig, a journalist, recently lost her grandfather, Aron Rosenzweig, who survived the Holocaust. Post-World War II, his family sought freedom & to leave Vienna, Austria. While he and his mother makes it to America eventually, his older sister, Chana, died in a fire before getting a chance for freedom in July 1946. In the present day in 2018, Zoe, seeks to learn more about her family heritage & discovers more secrets than she can imagine including ties to a famous Australian baking company.

In a dual timeline novel, The Lost Baker of Vienna, focuses on the importance of family, defining the meaning of freedom and what a wonan's vocation should be. It touches upon a post-World War II world where Jewish people continue to be marginalized & finding means for liberation without fear of persecution. It is a book you do not want to put down to find out what happens to Chana & the ties to the baking company. Although some parts may seem predictable, there is a twist at the end that will surprise readers.

Another novel set against the Holocaust and its aftermath, but my patrons, and myself truth be told, welcome them. The story jumps from 2018 back to 1946. Zoe Rosenzweig is reeling after the loss of her beloved grandfather, a Holocaust survivor. She becomes obsessed with finding out what really happened to her family during the war and the bakery they owned. Once the war is over, Chana and her family have escaped to Vienna but find an unfamiliar world they need to find their way in. Chana channels that uncertainty into her love of baking, and along the way a relationship w a man who offers her security but also is dangerous. Recommended for public libraries.

Wow what a beautiful book. Chana and Zoe are such great characters. But also Henri and Aron are too. I loved the look back in time to help Zoe learn about her family.
The things Chana has to go through to make a life for herself, we're incredible. She is a very hopeful and optimistic character. There are moments of love and beauty, but there is also heartache and sorrow that she pushes through to make the life she ends up leading.
Zoe's determination as she learns more about her family, was great to watch her blossom.
I liked learning about these characters and their journeys through different times and across continents. I loved the look at baking too.
I really enjoyed reading this story and will be recommending it to everyone!

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

The story of Chana, a Jewish young woman and her strength, perseverance, and courage during the years just following WWII. Her love of baking endures throughout the story and helps her overcome the many challenges she faces. The author does a beautiful job of keeping the reader engaged and coming back for more.

Enjoyed the love story in this historical fiction. I appreciate that you always had an idea who Henri was but yet you also were never positive, it gave the book a little mystery about the choices Chana would make and how the story would play out. Enjoyed the characters. Appreciate how the author showed how some of the characters may have done things that made them appear like bad people but that circumstances sometimes dictate making decisions that are easier to judge when you were not in that situation.

Sharon Kurtzman's The Lost Baker of Vienna is a welcome new take on a World War II novel. In Kurtzman's book, the events of the Holocaust are backstory, touched on briefly but casting a shadow over the characters and their interactions. The story concerns a food writer whose grandfather has just died, leaving behind a mystery about his connection to an elusive Australian couple known for a popular commercial baked good. Without giving away any details, what I liked most was the depiction of the aftermath of World War II, the confusing Wild West-like environment of Europe, in which people could be murdered with little consequence, black marketeers ruled everything, and all Holocaust survivors wanted was a way out. While there were a couple of wiggly or unlikely historical details, the story was satisfying and the twist, while a bit predictable, accomplished what it needed to. I probably would have given this 4-1/2 stars had that been an option, but I will recommend it to others.