I couldn't put it down!

The Wartime Chocolate Maker captivated me from the very first words. The pain and suffering that was endured and survived are heart-wrenching. This is a story of family, faith, and friends who, with one another, can overcome the hardest of times. The author makes you feel so many emotions and paints vivid pictures in your mind's eye that you can't contain the tears of heartache and of joy. This is an absolute must read!

☕Review: The Wartime Chocolate Maker

🧁Rating: 5 Stars!!⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

💗Praise: Bravo! The story brought to life actually events that did happen during World War II! The bravery and strength it took for these men and women to get through each day and each moment during a horrible time took a lot of heart and strength! Kasia the main character truly embodies strength and heart!

🍵Helping the resistance through her father's chocolate factory is a riveting and heart pounding story! She is truly a messenger dove in a time of woes and uncertainty.

💌 There was a touch of a love story! Something that made me see more beats in the heart of this book! Hope is the veins of this book and perseverance is the essence of the heartbeat!

🌹Characters: All the main characters and the side characters intrigued me and made me think once or twice about what would happen next! They all truly embodied what it meant to survive World War 2! Coming together or working alone at times was required. But in the end no one was ever really alone. Uniting during a takeover was the ultimate strength! The characters truly, definitely, and irrevocably embodied these qualities in moments in the story.

🍰Extra/Tropes: The author has a true gift weaving together a tale based on a horrible time in life but that created strong and hopeful people! The author is magic! I definitely want more books in the future from her!


🍪Historical
🍪Touch of Romance
🍪Heart pounding
🍪World War 2
🍪Emotional

How can something so delectable posses something so deadly.
I love the creativity of hiding Polish resistance messages in chocolatier boxes,
The fake relationship was hard to read about but what sweetened the pot was knowing someone else loved Kasia.
It’s an interesting read that deals with intrigue, history, and danger rolled up in chocolate.

I haven't read a historical fiction in a while and so it was good to be reading historical fiction once again. The Wartime Chocolate Maker is a historical fiction, based during WWII the time when Germans were occupying Poland in 1943 and the work of the Polish resistance movement.

Kasia is half-German half Polish. When her father died, Kasia inherited his chocolate making factory. She has to work alongside Sebastien who was actually her father's trusted aide and who harbors feelings towards Kasia. But Kasia is interested in Felek, who is involved in the Polish Resistance Movement and through him, Kasia gets involved in the resistance movement as well. The story is about Kasia''s romance with Felek and Felek's sacrifice to resist against the German occupation in Poland.

This was a very moving story. I do like the small romance that brewed between Kasia and Felek in the story. And as someone in the reviews mentioned, there might be some inconsistencies with the actual account of what happened in real. For example, no one knew the existence of Auschwitz until the Soviets liberated the camp in January 1945 and so the prisoners mentioning about Auschwitz was a bit inaccurate. And even though Kasia maybe half German, I read that even Polish people struggled to live comfortably during the Nazi occupation in Poland. The title of the book is Chocolate Maker and I thought I missed some point about Chocolate in the story. I am not sure if this was based on a real life account or maybe fictional although I would have more enjoyed the book if this was based on a true story.

This was a great historical read and the writing was great but could have done some more research so would have made the whole story realistic. Overall 4 stars.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Set in Poland during ww2, The Wartime Chocolate Maker is an amazing story about a young girl who’s half German half polish and her bravery as she joins the polish resistance. I loved Nealon’s writing stlye, it’s very descriptive and flows through the book. I enjoyed reading about the chocolate factory and found it interesting to read about its role in the resistance. We get to see the characters grow in their strength and bravery and love for their county, doing whatever it takes to protect it from the Germans.
The reason I didn’t give this book 5 stars was because I found the ending to be unrealistic, it was too perfect. Apart from that I throughly enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it.
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book, all opinions expressed are my own.

It has been quite some time since I read a WWII historical fiction novel, due to the devastating feelings I experienced while watching the movie Schindler‘s List, but The Wartime Chocolate Maker was the perfect book to bring me back to the genre. This sensitive read highlights the well-known fact that during World War II, Jews were taken to camps either for imprisonment or extermination. So reading this latest book by Gosia Nealon had an impact on me from the very beginning.

Kasia was from two worlds, born to both Polish and Jewish parents. For her protection, she was sent to live with her aunt. But now, Kasia is forced to work at her own father‘s chocolate factory ostensibly to portray her support for the Third Reich. As difficult as this is for Kasia, being in her father‘s factory, with him now deceased, has her torn when it comes to how she felt about him.

Kasia is not just going along with her forced employment, she is also involved with the Polish Resistance and is helping as many Jews as possible. One strong feeling that came from reading this book was how many dealt with the difficulties of having the will to live due to the brutal treatment they endured. All the while, Kasia struggles to protect her younger brother and her mother, even though it seems that someone is using her brother to get information to her. Walking on a tight rope has become Kasia’s life. She continues to struggle for optimism and deals with confusing emotional feelings. This touching story was a very good read and will be with me for a long time.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Couldn't put this book down. Was absolutely hooked the whole way through. Sobbed so much as well! Fab book

Kasia was raised working with her father in the family chocolate factory in Poland. She ran away from home when he wanted her to marry his partner at the chocolate factory towards the start of WWII. After he passed away she returned home to work in the factory with Sebastian, who is her family's protector but she's not sure if she can trust him. She's working with the Polish resistance to smuggle information through the chocolates.

I enjoyed this historical fiction story which took place in Poland. This was an intriguing story about working for the resistance, and dealing with having to pretend who you are to get along in a difficult political climate. It also dealt with the aftermath of WWII in Poland and going from being occupied by Germans to being liberated and having to deal with the communist regime and still not having much freedom.

Thanks @bookouture, @netgalley, and the author for this arc.

The Wartime Chocolate Maker reflects just how powerful love, compassion and courage can be in horrific circumstances. The array of characters were the highlight of this story - their strength, resilience, loyalty, bravery and determination to survive really shines through the pages.

I felt fully transported to Gdansk whilst reading this book. The author beautifully describes the Polish culture, the food, the history and the city architecture.
Do read the author’s notes and acknowledgements at the end for a little insight into the history of chocolate in Gdansk and also her inspiration for this novel.

I received a complimentary advance copy of this book from the publisher, Bookouture. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I enjoyed reading this book by Gosia Nealon.Kasia has come home to look after her mother and younger brother when her father dies.Kasia is working for the Polish Resistance but can speak fluent German.She has come back to help run her fathers Chocolate factory run by Sebastian who became a partner in the factory while she was away.Kasia has always had feelings for Sebastian buy can she trust him now.Kasia helps with the delivery of the chocolates to the Germans but also hides messages in the bottom of the boxes to pass to the resistance.While she be able to trust Sebastian ,who can tell.Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture.

This was my first book by Gosia Nealon but definitely won't be my last! Kasia is half German and half Polish and moves home to be with her mother and little brother after her dad dies. She goes to work in her father's chocolate factory after it is taken over by the Germans - her former boyfriend now in charge and working with the Nazis. Secretly working for the Resistance she accomplishes some amazing things - some right under the nose of the Germans she works for. People who like historical fiction will enjoy this story. I would like to thank Bookouture, NetGalley and Gosia Nealon for the ARC of this book.

Noone had it worse or better during the war. But having more recently read a few more Polish accounts and novels it's seared on my Brian some of theirs. It seemed they weren't free even after. Being passed on to the soviets wasn't the freedom for them.
During the war so many people had to do things they wouldn't otherwise to survive. I can't fathom it. I do know what I've seen over varied years of what family, love helps/makes/forced people to do in our modern era. So I can only imagine what it must have taken then to do what they had to to both protect and survive. Especially if your actively amongst Nazis. The fear of waking up and living every day must have felt like nothing else.
This is what our main character has going on. She's come home after her father's death to run their chocolate factory. But given how she is privy to German "whispers " she has the perfect opportunity to help the resistance by passing message on via her chocolates.
Sadly the manager of the factory is a Nazi. But also someone she used to know well. Could've known a lot better. She doesn't know how he can be trusted. But sometimes she see a flicker in him...
This is another tale centred around the ww2. It's tragic,stark and emotional to read. I know we can't ever truly know or understand jist what people had to go through. Some more torturous than others. That level of fear sweeps throughout this novel. Then unsettled and upsetting events just feel so desperate.
A brilliant book though. And once again keeps that time in history talked about. Which for me is a must.

Kasia and Felek have a heartbreaking story, stuck in Poland trying to help the Polish Resistance during WW2. It’s a really moving story, though at times certain plot lines seem to just get dropped. Kasia was a frustratingly complex character, but I just couldn’t get behind her infatuation with Sebastian through half of the book. The man worshipped the Nazis, had a picture of Hitler, and routinely threatened her and her family while claiming to be their protector. Blackmail is not protection, but Kasia has to endure a lot just to protect her family, especially her little brother.

I appreciated the description of the horrors of what happened after the Soviet Union liberated Poland, and how, for many, it only shifted the responsibility of tragedy from one place to another.

It wasn’t my favorite WW2 historical fiction, but the perspective of a chocolatier was one I hadn’t read before, so overall I enjoyed it.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book which is set in WW2 when Poland/Germany were at war. I couldn’t put it down.

The story had heartbreak, fear, love and above all hope. Reading the story, you could feel what the people went through at that time and what sort of life they lived.

I highly recommend this book.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC. It was a book based on WW2 in Germany. I found it was an interesting read. It was different from the regular WW2 fiction books that I have read.

The story revolves around Kasia and her work with the resistance. Her father has passed away and she returns home to Poland to take over the running of the family chocolate factory. The factory has been taken over by the Nazis.
Author Gosia Nealon takes us on a complex journey as Kasia navigates all that is thrown at her.
What will Kasia endure in order to keep her family safe? Many difficult decisions will have to be made.
The Wartime Chocolate Maker is both heartbreaking and heartwarming.

Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Wartime Chocolate Maker is a story about a female chocolate maker during WWII.

I enjoyed this book, and I do give it a 4 star rating. I don't know how historically accurate the book is, I would need to do some more research to really know if the activities in the book happened or at least were semi accurate. I do know there is at least 1 passage that I don't feel was accurate, and that was when one of the characters is at a concentration camp, and mentions how "this camp did not give them tattoos like Auschwitz". I do not think that anyone in the world knew what was going on at the various concentration camps except the people in them, and the Nazis working at them, not until after the war was over. But I also feel that the author knows this, and was just making the comment more as a reference, because the reader would understand, I believe there was a Polish resistance army, and that is what this book is mainly based on. The FMC Kasia, works at her late father's chocolate factory, and delivers chocolates to the German soldiers. Because of her work, she is able to overhear information that she then passes onto the Polish resistance. Kasia is German and Polish, her father having been German and her mother Polish. Luckily for her family, when her father died, a benefactor named Sebastien, looks out for the family. Sebastien and Kasia were supposed to get married years ago, but Kasia fled as she was not ready for marriage at the time. Now, even though Kasia cannot figure out what side Sebastien is on, she has to allow his advances to keep her family safe.

I will make a couple complaints, I don't feel the blurb for this story, is the best description of what it is about. I don't want to write any spoilers, but Sebastien is not the only MMC in the story, and you would not guess that from the blurb. The other complaint I have is I didn't really know what the purpose of the story was. Yes, Kasia gathered information that she passed to the resistance, but beyond that, and the hope for the end of the war and a reuniting with someone she met in the resistance, I never really could figure out the end goal or point of the story. So, it truly was just a story, vs having any kind of expected set of events.

The entire story, I was waiting for bad things to happen, because, well it is a Polish family in WWII. There were definitely some tragic events within the story, and reading it was uncomfortable. And what I mean by uncomfortable is experiencing through reading, the way these non-German people had to live their lives to survive during that time. Even once the Soviets had taken over the city, it still wasn't safe for a while, and I just can't, and don't want to imagine having lived through such a tragic and horrible war.

I do recommend this book, if you enjoy WWII historical fiction, even with my complaints, I did feel it was a good read.

This WWII historical fiction didn’t blow me away, but was good. I liked the multiple POVs and the realistic view of what happened. Being a pastry chef, the chocolate factory/making part of the story was fun (but I wanted more). I think the phrase “I wanted more” is apt - wanted more from the characters, more from the chocolate making, and more from the writing. It was an enjoyable read but not top of the list for me

Yet another great WWII read.
How does chocolate play into the war?
It’s interesting that a year ago, I went on a chocolate tour in a small chocolate factory on Oahu. The author explains chocolate making well.
The main character is loyal to Poland but must play the deadly game with Nazis in order to survive.
Who can you trust in times of war? Spies are everywhere.
Some of the situations will challenge you to think. What is morally acceptable?
I received a complimentary copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

The Wartime Chocolate Maker- Gosia Nealon

With World War 2 raging across Europe, Kasia returns to her home in Gdansk after her father's death to take her place working in the family chocolate factory, now being run by Sebastian, her fathers German partner.
Basic however has different ideas for how she will use her position in the factory. After being part of the Polish Revolution in Warsaw, she finds herself involved in the movement closer to home. Balancing fighting for the freedom of her beloved country and protecting her family is no mean feat.
Promised to Sebastian by her father before he passed, Kasia finds herself falling for someone else. A risky move given that Sebastian seems to be the key to her family's safety. Will Kasia and her family come through the war unscathed? Or will the many risks Kasia takes for love and freedom catch up with her?

I love the use of multiple narrators employed in this beautiful and emotive novel. It was a slow burn but worth persevering. A beautiful and heartbreaking account of what it would have been like to live in Poland first, under German occupation and then under communist rule under the Soviets.
As always a huge thanks to @netgalley and @bookouture for the chance to read this book before publishing day. Getting to read these books is a genuine pleasure and honour.