First, a big thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Sharon Kurtzman’s novel “The Lost Baker of Vienna" – “An historical novel inspired by the experiences of the author’s own family after the Holocaust, a sweeping saga about survival, loss, love, and the reverberating effects of war”

The Lost Baker of Vienna is a historical novel that weaves the past and present. It explores the aftermath of the Holocaust through the eyes of its narrator, Zoe Rosenzweig who existed in the present day.

The story begins in 2018 when Zoe grieves the death of her grandfather. Her quest to uncover her family's history leads her back to post-World War II Vienna, where her ancestor Chana Rosenzweig is trying to navigate the complexities of freedom after enduring unimaginable horrors during the Holocaust. Chana's struggle to provide for her family while pursuing her passion for baking. The main conflict though is a love triangle, as Chana finds herself caught between two men—one offering security and another sharing her love for baking.

Through Zoe's quest, she discovers Chana’s resilience and sacrifices, illuminating themes of survival and love amidst challenging times. The novel explores identity, trauma, and the impact of war on society. It highlights how history affects generations and remains relevant to discussion.

Kurtzman's engaging writing brings Vienna to life. The tone balances tenderness with tension, capturing the emotional depth of Chana’s experiences without being overly sentimental.

I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

An unputdownable, show stopping novel that melds two different eras into one family. A dual timeline novel that not only keeps you interested but keeps you guessing who did what and how it all played out in the current timeline. An in depth look at not only what the Jewish people suffered during the war but after and the consequences that they faced to live the lives they not only wanted but needed. Books like these are a rare find and few can bring the war to life like Sharon Kurtzman. The thing that stood out the most to me regarding this novel was the inhumane treatments that the Jewish people suffered after the war and how they had to rebuild lives with so much hate and discrimination. The Nazi’s were defeated but the people were not and continued with their antisemitism and hate. The characters of this book bring all of this and more front and center and no reader will be able to read this book without feeling some sort of sympathy for these people. In a world gone mad how do you find the strength to carry on? How do you put aside all that you suffered and build a new life, possibly finding love and raising a family? I can only imagine the internal struggles they went through just living normal lives after the war. In today’s world this book can teach us that a little sympathy can go a long way and if you only put yourself in someone else’s shoes, perhaps you can crush the biases you have been taught and reach out with love instead. If you are a true historian, this book will bless you and disturb you as the research is well conducted and thorough and sheds a light on Vienna that will not be forgotten. Impeccable in its delivery, the Lost Baker of Vienna delves into so many historical facts and delivers them into a must-read book for the ages. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone that loves a well-researched book that will keep you up reading while others are snoring in their beds. A book for your TBR shelf for sure.

When Zoe Rosenzweig’s grandfather, Aron, dies, she’s left alone in the world. Already an orphan raised by her grandparents, not only is she the last one left from her family, but she doesn’t even know much about where she came from. She knows her grandfather was a Holocaust survivor who lost his father and beloved sister in the war, but that’s about it.

After Grandpa Aron’s death, Zoe discovers a file folder with her name on it. Inside is a photo of Aron, his sister Chana, and another young man, Meyer Suconick, copies of travel ID paperwork, and an article about the Martin Baking Company.

Zoe, a journalist, starts putting the pieces together, reaching out to the Martin Baking Company to learn more. Reclusive Henri Martin, the company founder, calls her back, inviting her to Vienna for a big conference where he and his wife, posthumously, will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, promising her that when she arrives in Vienna, he’ll tell her everything.

Told in both Zoe’s time and during and after the war, Chana’s story unfolds. It’s a story of grief and loss, but also tremendous love and fortitude, and. Zoe realizes she’s not as alone as she thinks.

“The Lost Baker of Vienna” by Sharon Kurtzman is an interesting dual timeline story set in the aftermath of WWll and 2018. The story revolves around a female Jewish Holocaust survivor trying to make her way in war-torn Vienna. She and her family are constantly dealing with hunger and physical violence, as they seek protection while waiting for a visa to emigrate to the US.
The 2018 timeframe follows a young woman’s journey to discover her family’s history. Upon the recent passing of her beloved grandfather she finds mysterious documents relating to the horrific suffering shared by his family during the Holocaust, and the mystery surrounding his sister who she always believed perished.
As an investigative reporter, she flies to Vienna to cover the story of a man, a famous baker, she believes to have known her family and begins to unravel this remarkable tale.

This book is a wonderful testament to the courageous survivors, and an honor to those who tragically did not survive.

Thank you NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Viking Penguin for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

i love a WWII novel. and will definitely be revisiting this one again later. Thank you for the opportunity to review this book.

When a journalist sets out to discover her family’s history during the Holocaust she finds many mysteries filled with twists and turns.

Sharon Kurtzman’s captivating tale, The Lost Baker of Vienna, intertwines two stories: one set in 1946, just after World War II, and the other in 2018. It’s a powerful tribute to survival, love, and family strength during challenging times. This book is a must-read.

A stunning, emotional story inspired by true family history. The Lost Baker of Vienna beautifully weaves past and present as Zoe uncovers her family’s hidden legacy. Chana’s resilience, her passion for baking, and the impossible choices she faces in post-war Vienna absolutely broke and healed my heart. This is a powerful tribute to survival, love, and the strength of family through even the darkest times.

WOW! LOVED this book! We start with Zoe who has recently lost her grandfather and finds a picture with an inscription on the back that says it is important for Zoe. A connection between her grandfather and a famous baker come to light and Zoe is eager to find some answers. Upon meeting this mysterious recluse baker, Zoe is taken on a journey through the eyes of her Great-Aunt Chana in Poland after WWII- the aunt Zoe was told died in a tragic hotel fire before being able to immigrate with her brother and mother to American.
I loved the back and forth between 2018 and 1946. The story flow was wonderful and just when you thought you knew who was who... maybe it's not so clear cut? This book has a slow romance, following your passion, desperation for a better life and hope that it is out there. I really enjoyed reading about characters who survived the war and how that effected their 'moving forward'. Struggling to find out what parts of themselves to resurrect and what they should leave behind. A satisfying story to be read and remembered.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for allowing me to read The Lost Baker Of Vienna. This is a heart wrenching story about family and just how much we are willing to risk for those we love. This dual timeline tale tells us about Zoe & Chana. This is a book you will not be able to put down. I devoured this book. Grab tissues.

This dual timeline novel explores one woman's journey of uncovering her family's past and another's story of survival and love. It was emotional, deeply romantic, and grew in intensity.

This book was set in an era that is not talked about very much-post WWII. The reality was that many people took years to get their lives back on track and the emotional fallout was enormous. The Jewish experience postwar was in many ways traumatizing to a lesser degree than the active Holocaust, but still left an indelible mark on the survivors. This story highlights some of those struggles for both Jewish and nonJewish survivors of the war.
The author also highlights some of the generational changes of especially Jewish families who were used to arranged marriages for stability. This clash with women wanting more independence postwar is a big part of this story. Overall a well written book about a time period not often explored by authors.

I am grateful to have been invited to read this advanced copy of The Lost Baker of Vienna by Sharon Kurtzman. This book has two storylines, one set in 1946 post WW2, and one in 2018. I found both stories intriguing and they seemlessly were woven together to tell a beautiful story about family love and loss. I highly recommend this book..

I loved the fact that this book is based on the author's family history and I would've liked to know a bit more about her history. However, once I got into the book, I could not put it down. The book is dual POV (present and past) and gives you a better idea of what it was like for Jewish people AFTER WWII in Europe. Must read if you like historical fiction and family history.

Thank you NetGalley & Viking Penguin opportunity to read and review Sharon Kurtzman's book, The Lost Baker of Vienna.

Zoe Rosenzweig is a journalist who is grappling with the death of her grandfather, Aron. Aron is a survivor of the Holocaust. After his death, she finds information that leads her to wonder about Aron's sister, Chana - who died in a fire in Vienna before the family could move to the U.S.

Zoe embarks on a journey to uncover her family’s history, only to uncover more secrets than she ever anticipated—including an unexpected connection to a renowned baking company in Australia.

Written as a dual-timeline novel, the story explores family and freedom. Set in 2018 and the aftermath of World War II, the story reflects on the plight of Jewish people and their quest for liberation while living with the fear of violence. A shocking twist at the end will leave readers astounded.

The Lost Baker of Vienna is a gorgeous dual-timeline, dual-POV story set in both the aftermath of World War II and in 2018. The primary plot is that of Chana, a Jewish Holocaust survivor trying to make it in war-torn Vienna. She and her mother and younger brother Aron are constantly dealing with hunger and facing rampant physical violence, so they seek employment and protection as they wait to (they hope) be granted visas to move to America.

The second timeline is in 2018, when Zoe Rosenzweig finds mysterious papers among her recently-deceased grandfather’s things. Her grandfather was a Holocaust survivor who had raised Zoe, but very rarely ever spoke about the horrific things he suffered during and after the war.
Now, Zoe is trying to piece together details about not only her grandfather’s life, but that of her grandfather’s sister Chana, who perished in a fire instead of coming to America with her family.

I was immediately swept up in both the story of Chana and Aron, just teenagers in postwar Vienna, and the story of Zoe, desperate for a connection to her past, since she has no living relatives as far as she knows. Chana is full of grit and determination to not only survive, but to be her own person and pursue opening her own bakery in honor of her late father’s memory. The choices that these characters made during and soon after the war are at times difficult to imagine. I also hoped for Zoe to find a clearer understanding of her family and what they went through.

This book is a testament to the human spirit, to the courage of those who survived as well as those who, tragically, did not.

Thank you to Viking Penguin and NetGalley for the chance to read an ARC of this novel.

Tragedy can bring out the best and worst in people. Some will do anything they can to survive, even though it goes against everything they believe in. Some people will find their way out to a better life. In the end we all struggle with what we think is best.
This book is about those journeys and struggles. It will stay with you for a long time.

I really enjoyed this story about Zoe and Chana and their family. I was immediately drawn in and wanting to read more and like how everything came together.

I would recommend this book to others.

In her acknowledgements at the end of the book “The Lost Baker of Vienna”, Sharon Kurtzman thanks her mother, aunt and grandmother for their stories she shares with the world. She also admits if she were ‘asked the party-game question of what person dead or alive with whom I’d like to speak, my answer” is always Aron Kraus, her maternal grandfather, purported to be one of the two original lost bakers.

In real life, her grandfather’s death sets into motion her grandmother and uncle’s quest to emigrate to America at the end of World War II. There are people who would rather see them dead. Her great-aunt meets a black-market dealer who promised her family safe passage if only her great-aunt will marry him, a prospect her mother eagerly supports. But what does the investigative magazine reporter, Zoe’s great-aunt want to do – spend her life looking over her shoulder or peacefully being a baker like her father?

Using pseudonyms, Kurtzman casts herself as Zoe, Chana’s great-niece who sets out as an investigative reporter to go to Vienna and discover the truth. In the process, this book makes the reader ask himself, “Are you the hunter or the game in life?” And, in so doing, shakes him to the core and demands an answer.

This novel is reminiscent of the recent true story of her mother’s escape to Canada after World War II, “The Traitor’s Daughter”, by Roxana Spicer. Through the sacrifices of two lost bakers, Kurtzman’s grandfather and the character Zoe calls her great-aunt Chana, Kurtzman weaves a story of treachery, determination and redemption.

4 and a half stars rounded up to 5. Thank you to the publisher Viking Penguin Random House and NetGalley for giving me access to this book for my review.!
The story is told from the point of view of Zoe in 2018 and from the point of view of Chana from Mid 1940s
This book is about freedom, independence, career, friendship, and love. It’s a tearjerker and beautiful. The things Chana goes through for those she loves, for who she wants to be, for her dream to own a bakery. She never gives up. Zoe learns of this story and discovers happiness and family in an unexpected way. 🩷