This book had the makings of being a perfect read. If you know me, you know that WWII is my favorite historical fiction topic. This is a story that’s never been told and it was super compelling. However, the writing ruined it for me. The dialogue was stilted, the description of the love story/romance of Charlotte was awkward, as was her interaction with literally every other character. If that had been fleshed out a bit more, this book would have been a wonderful joy to read but instead it fell a bit flat. I’m upset and disappointed and can’t fully recommend for that reason. It’s possible I’m too harsh a critic in my love of Holocaust books, but I am genuinely flabbergasted by everyone else’s higher ratings for this one.

Historical Fiction at its best. One of my favorite books of the year. A serendipitous love story told from a duel timeline with some WWII, loss, hurt and some real Parisian love.

THE FRENCH WINEMAKER'S DAUGHTER by Loretta Ellsworth transported me as the best of stories do. Through the entwined stories of wine during the Second World War to the current day, a single bottle of wine propels present-day Charlotte to explore the past of a terrified 7 year old Martine who fled the Nazis for an uncertain fate. I deeply enjoyed both characters and stayed up way too late reading to learn of their fates. Reading many books set in France during the Second World War, I particularly enjoyed the voice, the sense of place, and the genuine feelings between a terrified child and the people who give her a home and life as well as the present-day woman being a successful pilot thrust into a mystery she defined and pursued for herself. It is a wonderfully escapist read that sheds new light on relationships and the ties that forever link us past and present. I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

Dear Fellow Reader,

It is that dark time of year when time flies. Yes, Christmas is on its way and we can sit around and wonder where the year went. How could it almost be 2025 already?

Today I am back with a historical fiction novel. It has been a while since I have reviewed a historical fiction book. And yes, I always claim it isn’t my favorite genre but I seem to read them – not as frequently as mysteries but still often enough.

The French Winemaker’s Daughter is a story that crosses time. It starts in 1942 as the story of seven-year-old Martine and crosses into the story of Charlotte Montgomery an airline pilot in 1990.

Martine is the daughter of a French winemaker. Her mother died at her birth and she has been raised in the vineyard by her father. She has problems in school but knows everything about the vineyard and the grapes. As the story opens, Martine’s father has her hide in an armoire because the Germans were coming. He hid her with her stuffed bunny, pinned a note to her dress, and gave her a bottle of wine, and told her to keep the wine no matter what. He closed her in and there was pounding at the door. The Germans came and took him away. She stayed hidden until nightfall. She came out to try and find Damien, who worked with her father. She thought she had found him in the cellar but realized that the voices she heard were speaking German and that they were getting closer. She accidentally dropped the wine and took off into the forest to hide.

Charlotte has been dating Henri for a year although their schedules mean they have not been together much. She thinks she may love him and she feels her biological clock ticking. Charlotte’s grandfather had been a grape grower in California. He died about a year ago and his vineyard is up for sale. Henri and Charlotte are on their way to a wine auction and Henri is very excited. He is going to bid on a box of wine that was found in the house of a German aristocrat. Charlotte is bothered that the wine was probably stolen during the war by the Germans but Henri is unphased by the wine’s history as long as it is collectible. The box contains 5 bottles of wine. Henri wins the auction for the wine and his contact tells him that two of the bottles are collectible but the other three are not. Henri and Charlotte go back to her apartment to celebrate Henri’s purchase. The next morning Henri leaves without even kissing Charlotte and tells her that she can have the one bottle of wine. She feels rejected by his brisk departure. She sits down with the bottle of wine and in her funk starts looking at the label on the bottle. She discovers there is a label under the label. Her first urge is to call Henri and ask him about it but then decides to see if he calls before her flight. If he does, she will tell him. If not, she won’t.

With this as the setting for the story, we go on to find out about Martine and Charlotte. Martine, a child, trying to find her way and Charlotte trying to find her way and find out the story of the bottle of wine. Do they find their way to each other? Is Martine even still alive?

This is the author’s second book for adult readers, and both are historical fiction. She has also written five books for young adults.

I enjoyed the story. I found it to be interesting and the story moved along well. Sometimes, when an author changes time and characters, it can be confusing. I did not find this book confusing at all. I recommend it.

Thanks for reading!

Happy Holidays!

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

I don't often read WW2 historical fiction. But The French Winemaker's Daughter caught my attention and turned out to be a wonderful read.

It's a dual-timeline story, and the timelines are connected by a very expensive bottle of wine.

I've been thinking a lot lately about dual timeline novels. Many of the books on my shelf use them. I tend to get distracted by the modern timeline in these novels. I wonder why the author chose to use this structure. Was it simply a way to help the reader connect to the story? And could the story be told well without a second storyline?

In this novel, I think the modern timeline works well. It does a bit of work. First, it provides closure to the past storyline in a way that is satisfying for the reader. It also adds tension to the past storyline by letting the reader know the significance of the bottle of wine. The child character could not have known what happened to the wine, but that matters to the larger story.

For me, the later timeline in this novel helps to balance out the point of view. The main character in the story set in WW2 is a very young girl. Her story is delivered in third person, but it's still the perspective of a child. This is done remarkably well, and this never feels like a children's book. The point of view character in the later timeline (1990) is a grown woman who knows what was done to Jewish people in WW2. Unlike the child in the past storyline, she is free to make choices.

I think this is a remarkable book. It's definitely worth the read.

This is my favorite type of historical fiction - following two separate timelines to learn how they eventually connect. This is a beautiful story inspired by tragic events during the German occupation of France in WWII.

The female leads in this story are strong and full of determination. The relationships they form throughout the book are lovely and inspiring. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys wartime historical fiction!

Thank you to the publisher, Harper Paperbacks, and NetGalley for providing me with a free e-ARC of this book in exchange for my review.

4.25 for me. I wish this book was longer actually, I think building on the romance for Charlotte longer term and getting even more of a background on Martine and Gabriel’s life would’ve made it a 5 for me overall. This book is super predictable, but in a comforting way. I liked reading a ww2 book that I knew would work out well instead of worrying when my heart would get broken. Thank you to the publisher for this gifted copy.

Thank you to @harperperennial @netgalley and @lorettaellsworth_author for the #gifted e-book.

In this captivating dual timeline, we meet Martine and Charlotte. Martine, a young Jewish girl in 1942, narrowly escapes from German soldiers after her winemaker father is arrested. A nun discovers her and takes her to an abbey, where Martine's harrowing journey of survival unfolds. Nearly fifty years later, Charlotte stumbles upon a bottle of wine that carries a profound legacy and embarks on a compelling quest to uncover Martine's story. Their lives beautifully intertwine, leading to an incredible and moving conclusion.

I found both characters deeply relatable. The author's ability to evoke emotions as Martine endures the horrors of WWII is masterful. The vivid descriptions of wartime France and Charlotte's explorations of the wineries are stunning. From the very first page, I was entranced by the intertwining narratives.

If you're a fan of historical fiction, this book is a must-read!

The dual timeline worked well in this work of historical fiction. The 1990 timeline revolved around Charlotte, a pilot often stationed in France. Charlotte believed she was in a meaningful relationship with Henri, but would be disappointed. Martine’s story was the more captivating, set in occupied France during WWII. Martine had to run and hide as the Germans approached, ending up hidden in a monastery. Her father, a vintner, gave her a bottle of wine to take with her as her birthright, and that bottle of wine would tie the two stories together. I liked the book, but thought that the coincidences and serendipity was a little bit of a stretch, especially with the background of the Nazi occupation of France and the brutality that occurred. I would still recommend the book. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Absolutely loved this book. The story is told in 2 different time periods; one in the 1940s during WWII and the other 1990. Strong women are portrayed in the story. One woman,Charolotte, a pilot for a commercial airline who flies the US to Paris flight and the other two are Sister Ada and Martine who must keep their secrets while hiding during WWII. While you know how the story is going to end it's a great read to find out how it all comes together due to a bottle of wine.

This dual time line novel takes place in Paris in 1942 and 1990. The two time periods are joined together by a bottle of wine that was worth over $100,000 in 1990. Where did the wine come from and why was it worth so much?

1942 - Martine is 6 years old and lives with her father at a winery. Her father claims that she understands the grapes and the process of growing grapes more than anyone. Unfortunately, she and her father are Jewish and when the Nazis storm into their home, her father hides her in an armoire with a note and a bottle of wine. When it gets quiet in the house again, she starts looking for the caretaker but when she hears the Nazis in the orchard, she drops the bottle of wine and hides in the woods. After a scary train ride to Paris to try to find her aunt, she finds out that she too has been taken away. She falls asleep in a doorway is found by Sister Ada who takes her to an abbey. To keep her safe from any Nazis who come to the convent, she is taught Catholic prayers and told to never tell anyone that she is Jewish.

1990 - Charlotte is a pilot for one of the major airlines and flies to Paris often. She has a boyfriend who is starting a wine collection. When he bids on a box of wine from WWII, he discovers that three of the bottles are worthless so they drink two bottles and he gifts one bottle to Charlotte. She removes the label and finds a note underneath and based on that note starts visiting wineries near Paris to try to find out more about the person who wrote the note and the daughter he wrote it to.

The bottle of wine connects these two women who live almost 50 years apart. Charlotte is convinced that Martine died during the war but she wants to find out whatever she can about her life and family. Her search exposes her strength and tenacity. This is a well researched story about family and love, luck and loyalty. It's a story that you don't want to miss.

Read if you like historical WWII fiction. It's a great addition to the genre. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

This is a WWII novel set in France told in two time lines. Martine is seven years old when her father tells her to hide. He is taken by the Germans and all she has left is a bottle of wine and her stuffed rabbit, Annabell. She makes her way to Paris where she is taken in by nuns where she is especially close to Sister Ada. The second timeline is Charlotte. She is an airline pilot. Her boyfriend takes her to a wine auction and gifts her a bottle of wine. When she finds a second label on the bottle and realizes it was probably stolen from a Jew she tries to find its origin. I found Martine's story way more interesting and just followed along with Charlotte to see how the story connected. Truth is I found Charlotte to be very unlikeable. She wants her career but laments that her schedule doesn't leave her time for a life. She seems desperate to be married and have a family and the men she meets have to check off all the boxes. I would give a 5 to Martine's story and wished to know more about what happened after the war with Ada and about her marriage to Gabriel. I give Charlotte a 2.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Perennial Paperbacks for providing me with a digital copy.

I really enjoyed this one! I always love WWII historical fiction. The dual timeline kept it interesting and I couldn’t wait to read more of each story.

✨Thank you NetGalley, Harper Collins and Loretta Ellsworth for this arc!

WOW!! What an amazing story!!!
Loved, loved, LOVED this story about hope, hardships, love, loyalty and survival!

If you know me or have been familiar with my posts, historical fiction is one of my favorites genres. Especially when it comes to WW2 historical fiction. It’s set in 1942 Nazi-occupied France and goes back and forth between then and 1990 France. I absolutely loved the way both stories intertwined in the most beautiful way as the story unfolds.

I was sucked in on page one and I couldn’t put this book down. When I read at nighttime before bed, I didn’t even want to go to sleep at times because I wanted to continue on with the story. I loved all the characters. Martine was my favorite character, so sweet and easy to love. So innocent. You get to see the impact the world war has on her through a year 7 year olds perspective. Intense is an understatement!

I will 100% be owning a physical copy as well as reading more from this author. Amazing story that i recommend to the fullest and it made it to one of my top reads of the year!

What a beautiful story to come out of such an ugly time. This story is told in different points of view by two strong women, over two time periods - WWII France and Paris in the 1990's. Martine's father had her hide in an armoire with a bottle of wine when the Germans came for them at their vineyard. She manages to survive and run away to her aunt in Paris, only to be found by a nun, who takes her to an Abbey where she rides out the rest of the war. 1990 Charlotte is an airline pilot who spends much of her time in Paris. When she is given a bottle of wine, she discovers a secret, which sends her on a quest to find its owners, who disappeared during WWII. These are two strong women, who live drastically different lives. They have heartache, secrets and determination. This story is one of love and strength, the power of doing what is right and fate. I found myself laughing and crying... and all the emotions in between. My one complaint is that I wish we had a little more history. Overall a beautiful book.

Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

Author Loretta Ellsworth is previously known for writing young adult novels. In 2017, her debut adult historical fiction novel, STARS OVER CLEAR LAKE, was published to rave reviews, including from me! One of the reasons I loved it was that it was set in Iowa at the famous Surf Ballroom. Her newest novel, however, is set mostly in France and a bit in Chicago.

Also a WWII novel, this dual-narrative takes readers back to 1942 France where we meet a young girl, Martine, who is told to hide because the Germans are coming. She and her father live on their family’s vineyard where Martine knows more about growing grapes than reading or writing. Her father hands her a bottle of wine and tells her to guard this with her life until he returns.

“But how do you know what choices you would make until you have to make them?”

Next, we meet Charlotte and it’s 1990. Charlotte is a pilot with frequent trips to Paris, which due to her seniority, she often chooses. Charlotte was very close to her grandfather who owned a vineyard in California, but her dad needed to sell it as no one in the family was interested in running it. Charlotte hates to see this family history being sold but is also stuck without the means to buy it herself.

After a recent flight to France, Charlotte meets up with her French boyfriend to attend an auction of highly sought-after wine, many left behind by German soldiers after WWII. Charlotte realizes that many of these wines were stolen from Jewish families by German soldiers. She begins to feel uneasy about being part of this auction yet is excited when Henri wins a bid on a box of wine. After taking the most valuable of the bottles, he gives one to Charlotte thinking it isn’t worth anything until Charlotte finds something special about the wine while cleaning it.

Charlotte becomes determined to learn the history of this particular bottle of wine after finding out that it actually is quite valuable. Charlotte begins a quest that takes her to various vineyards around France. Intermixed with Martine’s survival during the war and Charlotte’s research to learn all she can about the vineyard on the bottle will keep the readers excited to keep turning the pages.

Reading about the war from a child’s perspective offers an insight that is rarely seen in historical fiction. Martine was very innocent about what was happening in the world around her and survived numerous close calls. Her childhood was stolen from her at the age of seven. When I think of the seven-year-olds I know today, I can’t imagine them having to run for miles in the cold, all alone and without food, along with being sure to stay hidden from the German soldiers. Unfortunately, this happened to many children during the war.

“So many miracles that had kept her alive. Had she lived in a way that honored the life she’d been given? She hoped so.”

Even though the storyline was a bit predictable, Charlotte’s journey to finding the true history of that bottle of wine was so enjoyable. Martine and Charlotte both experienced a bit of romance in their lives and a few twists and turns made the reading experience full of surprises. War history, including those who fought for the Resistance, a bit of mystery, and some romance come together in this new novel and I think fans of historical fiction will love it.

I love a good historical fiction book, and this one delivered! I was really thrown into this story, taking place during WW2 and 1990, between the view points of a Jewish child, Martine, and Charlotte, an American pilot in France.

Between their 2 stories and how everything is told, history unfolds.

I also enjoyed the romance part of the book as well, but I wasn't a fan of Charlotte in the last quarter of the book. But other than that, I really enjoyed this book!

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺, 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬.

3.5 stars

The French Winemaker's Daughter is a dual-timeline WW2 historical fiction novel set in France. The story follows a seven-year-old Jewish girl, Martine, during the war and an American female pilot, Charlotte, in the 1990s. When Charlotte comes into possession of an old wine bottle, purchased at an auction and believed to be stolen by Nazis, she discovers a secret note and a hidden label that will lead her to solve the mystery of the bottle and discover Martine's story.

The book is short, under three hundred pages, but it packs an emotional punch. Martine's story of survival and resilience is very moving. I liked reading Martine's timeline a lot more than Charlotte's. I found Charlotte's character a little annoying, but it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book. The French Winemaker's Daughter has many elements I love in historical fiction, and I am glad I read it.

I love any historical fiction that is written well, this is one of them. This book was super fun with the two different time eras. The author researched this book well and it made it flow well. Thank you for allowing me to read this!