Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    The Baker's Secret: A Novel
    The Baker's Secret: A Novel
    The Baker's Secret: A Novel
    Audiobook9 hours

    The Baker's Secret: A Novel

    Written by Stephen P. Kiernan

    Narrated by Cassandra Campbell

    4/5

    ()

    Switch to ebook

    About this audiobook

    From the multiple-award-winning, critically acclaimed author of The Hummingbird and The Curiosity comes a dazzling novel of World War II—a shimmering tale of courage, determination, optimism, and the resilience of the human spirit, set in a small Normandy village on the eve of D-Day.

    On June 5, 1944, as dawn rises over a small town on the Normandy coast of France, Emmanuelle is making the bread that has sustained her fellow villagers in the dark days since the Germans invaded her country.

    Only twenty-two, Emma learned to bake at the side of a master, Ezra Kuchen, the village baker since before she was born. Apprenticed to Ezra at thirteen, Emma watched with shame and anger as her kind mentor was forced to wear the six-pointed yellow star on his clothing. She was likewise powerless to help when they pulled Ezra from his shop at gunpoint, the first of many villagers stolen away and never seen again.

    In the years that her sleepy coastal village has suffered under the enemy, Emma has silently, stealthily fought back. Each day, she receives an extra ration of flour to bake a dozen baguettes for the occupying troops. And each day, she mixes that precious flour with ground straw to create enough dough for two extra loaves—contraband bread she shares with the hungry villagers. Under the cold, watchful eyes of armed soldiers, she builds a clandestine network of barter and trade that she and the villagers use to thwart their occupiers.

    But her gift to the village is more than these few crusty loaves. Emma gives the people a taste of hope—the faith that one day the Allies will arrive to save them.

    This audiobook includes an episode of the Book Club Girl Podcast, featuring an interview with Stephen P. Kiernan about The Baker’s Secret.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateMay 2, 2017
    ISBN9780062674432
    Author

    Stephen P. Kiernan

    Stephen P. Kiernan is the author of the novels The Curiosity, The Hummingbird, The Baker's Secret, Universe of Two, and The Glass Chateau. A graduate of Middlebury College, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop, he spent more than twenty years as a journalist, winning many award before turning to fiction writing. He has also worked nationwide on improving end of life medical care through greater use of hospice. Kiernan lives in Vermont.

    More audiobooks from Stephen P. Kiernan

    Related to The Baker's Secret

    Related audiobooks

    War & Military Fiction For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Women Of Bletchley Part I: The Bombe Operator

      Jan 24, 2019

      Although it was shrouded in secrecy for decades, the codebreaking work of Bletchley Park is now recognised as an extraordinary wartime achievement. Prodigiously talented cryptanalysts devised various methods to decipher Axis communications. This prod

      11 min read

    • Article

      Best-sellers

      Feb 25, 2018

      Rankings for hard-cover books sold in Southern California, as reported by selected book stores: ___ Fiction 1."The Great Alone," by Kristin Hannah (St. Martin's: $28.99) A family discovers it is in peril after the father, a returning Vietnam War POW,

      1 min read

    • Article

      The Boy Who Drew Auschwitz

      Jan 27, 2021

      The Boy Who Drew Auschwitz
      4 min read

    • Article

      The Proof Is In The Pudding

      Feb 15, 2023

      The Proof Is In The Pudding
      5 min read

    • Article

      The Vintage Train

      Jun 6, 2017

      The Vintage Train
      6 min read

    • Article

      Odd Jobs

      Jul 19, 2017

      Odd Jobs
      3 min read

    • Article

      Cul-de-Sac

      Dec 1, 2021

      That old rage for order: how my father drove a square mouthed mower over-and-back, over-and-back, each row of neatly trimmed grass cut just like he told his barber: boy’s short, regular. O pioneer, taming this joke bit of prairie, no bindweed or dog

      5 min read

    • Article

      Haycation

      Dec 14, 2020

      Haycation
      5 min read

    • Article

      THE Maine COURSE

      Jun 10, 2021

      JUST AFTER LUNCH, NOT LONG PAST Labor Day, I was hightailing it across an Acadian landscape of glacier-scoured hills and moose-haunted plains. To be only somewhat more specific—because GPS showed me no nearby towns, just vague, empty stretches—I was

      11 min read

    • Article

      Cooking for James

      Oct 2, 2018

      Cooking for James
      13 min read

    • Article

      The Peasants Are Not Revolting

      Mar 13, 2024

      WE couldn’t afford to live in St John’s Wood—think of the taxi fares’ (overheard in Claridge’s). ‘Are you going home with him?’ ‘I might as well: I am pregnant, anyway’ (overheard outside a Mayfair nightclub). ‘How do you take your coffee, madam?’ ‘L

      2 min read

    • Article

      Pigeons On Your Tod

      Oct 6, 2021

      Pigeons On Your Tod
      3 min read

    • Article

      Buried Treasure

      Nov 24, 2021

      Buried Treasure
      6 min read

    • Article

      Western Cape

      Jun 1, 2023

      Western Cape
      7 min read

    • Article

      ‘A Letter To My MOTHER’

      Aug 26, 2021

      ‘A Letter To My MOTHER’
      3 min read

    • Article

      A Story For Our Times

      Dec 29, 2021

      ROBINSON CRUSOE is a lockdown story, as are most Golden Age detective novels, set in remote country houses: Jane Eyre and Rogue Male, but Stella Gibbons, wrote the lockdown story for our age. Born in 1902, she was the eldest of three children whose f

      2 min read

    • Article

      The Black Spider

      Sep 27, 2019

      The Black Spider
      11 min read

    • Article

      Going Round In Crop Circles

      Aug 17, 2022

      Going Round In Crop Circles
      6 min read

    • Article

      A Sparkling CAREER

      Oct 27, 2022

      A Sparkling CAREER
      4 min read

    • Article

      La Dolce Vita

      Aug 7, 2023

      La Dolce Vita
      19 min read

    • Article

      The Leopard Catcher

      Sep 4, 2020

      The Leopard Catcher
      8 min read

    • Article

      Hats Off

      Jul 17, 2019

      Hats Off
      11 min read

    • Article

      Cover To Cover

      Dec 11, 2019

      Cover To Cover
      2 min read

    • Article

      The Bread Baker’s Apprentice

      Mar 1, 2022

      The Bread Baker’s Apprentice
      5 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for The Baker's Secret

    4/5

    257 ratings43 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      Loved the book, my only complaint was that the ending seemed rushed, didn’t have a definite resolution. Is there a sequel ?
    • 4/5
      I truly enjoyed the last five chapters showing Emma’s eternal courage and determination to serve her community weeks before D Day.
    • 5/5
      Kiernan's novel is set in a small village in Normandy in the months leading up to D-Day, June 6, 1944, when the people of France were living under Nazi occupation. The apprentice baker, Emma suffers immense losses and witnesses unimaginable cruelty but despite this, she resolves to do her best for her grandmother and friends while remaining sceptical of a rescue from Allied forces. She is given an extra ration of flour to make twelve baguettes for the Nazi soldiers, but by adding ground straw she is able to save enough flour to make two extra loaves for starving villagers. Combined with other innovative ways to procure food this modest young woman helps her neighbours endure the unendurable, at considerable risk to herself.Although she accomplished much in the way of helping villagers survive, when the allied invasion comes about, she is overwhelmed by the losses incurred just so that her people can live freely. It's a heartbreakingly familiar story, but Kiernan's writing style has a poetic quality that conveys something extra, more like a parable. It is beautifully written, thought-provoking and memorable.
    • 3/5
      Well written but takes awhile to get into the storyline. Improves as you get further into the story. A unique look at a rural setting WW II experience in France.
    • 5/5
      The Baker’s Secret is a powerful tale of the indomitability of the human spirit even under the worst circumstances. This story takes place in the small village of Vergers. This is a quaint town settled on the Normandy coast of France and has been under occupation by the Germans for several years. It is here that we meet Emmanuelle, at the start of the occupation she is the assistant baker to Ezra Kuchen. Ezra is Jewish and is one of the first residents to be murdered, execution style. That was a powerful and haunting scene. It is also the start to a secret rebellion that most of the townspeople take part in.This town is filled with a range of emotions in regards to the occupation. Many believe that the Allies will come and free the town’s citizens. Some villagers take the side of the Nazi’s believing in their propaganda and that they are the stronger force. Emma believes that the Allies will not come and it is through her determination to help who she can that she creates a network of bartering and trading that meets the needs of the townspeople. Emma becomes the lynch pin for the survival of the villagers.From the start of this book I was drawn to these characters. This story is woven through multiple voices with Emmanuelle being the main narrator. What I loved about this story was that the characters were fully realized. They all played a part to the tale that is being told. You are able to feel how the occupation of the German forces affected the entire town. Even better was that you knew clearly what was taking place without the writing being overly graphic. There is love, lose and desperation. You feel everything as the residents lose what mattered most to them. There are several scenes that will haunt you. This is such an amazing read!This is not a tale about war but how the occupation affected the villagers. How they had to pull together to survive even when that survival would come with an even greater cost for some. Truly an emotional, moving read that will engage your emotions from start to finish. You will not be able to put this book down. When choosing your summer reads or book club selections I highly suggest that The Baker’s Secret is on your list!This review is based on a complimentary book I received from LibraryThing Early Reviewers. It is an honest and voluntary review. The complimentary receipt of it in no way affected my review or rating.
    • 2/5
      H k k k k k k k k aj sks
    • 4/5
      When you are a simple young girl, forced to bake bread for occupying Nazi forces, your father in prison, for being part of the resistance, your lover not around, how do you go on?
      This is the premise of the book and the story offers an interesting perspective on how one can resist oppression without being a spy, without using arms or becoming a resistance member. Actually, Emma uses her empathy and humanity to help her fellow villagers, give away some bread, a light bulb, some petrol or cigarettes, some meat, and so on. Each person helped means meticulous planning and deceiving of the occupying forces, and this was at times melting my heart.

      Emma is not a hopeful person: actually, several times through the story she expresses her lack of confidence of ever living in peace; she is also not a religious person, she feels that God has turned away from his people.
      She manages to find out key details about the occupying forces and when the D-day comes she is able to help out the allies.

      “Are you with the Resistance?”
      “No. I am simply trying to survive, and to help those I can.”

      I liked this story since it was written with sensibility and it preserved the naivete of a very young woman, confronted with difficult life circumstances. Her small victories are heart-melting. The violence was there, since those were war times, but it was not depicted too often or too horrific, so the overall tone of the book is somehow light and fluid.

      I did not like too much how the rest of the characters were developed: the good guys and the bad guys are sketched with intense touches and the variation is very limited in depth.

      A nicely and carefully written book, with a few memorable scenes (I loved the description of the baking process, the entire plot around getting the lightbulb and the scene where Emma imagines herself getting the gun and shooting at the soldiers who were enjoying her loaves).
    • 3/5
      Set in Normandy during WWII, The Baker's Secret is the story of Emmanuelle, a baker's apprentice, and the people of her small town.
    • 4/5
      The Baker's Secret is a well-crafted novel set in occupied France in World War II. Emma is a baker that is forced to bake bread for the Nazi soldiers. This is a story of strength, courage and resilience of the people suffering in a small town in Normandy on the eve of D-Day.
    • 3/5
      This was a quick read, and it held my attention well enough. I thought it was interesting seeing how Emma set up her network, but despite her good deeds, I often found it difficult to like her due to her bitterness and pessimism. Also, her reaction to holding a baby was extreme and disturbing. Happily, she did seem to grow by the end, and it was interesting to see D-Day from a civilian point of view.
    • 4/5
      Fascinating viewpoint of life in Normandy, France before and during the infamous battle of WW2 as seen through the eyes of village baker Emma. Their lives were turned inside out and upside down with the arrival of the despicable, and violent invading army of Germans. Normalcy goes right out the window and in steps deception, murder and starvation. Up steps the bread baker Emma ,who creates a lifeline for them all. Heartbreaking, knowing that stories like this existed in real life. Uplifting in knowing the fortitude of the multitudes..
    • 4/5
      I loved "The Curiosity"! This book was a well written story about WW2 - a wonderful story about a tenacious girl who uses her wits to help her community.
    • 4/5
      I love historical novels about World War ll. Mr. Kiernan's characters transported my back to Normandy. It is a welcomed addition to my World War ll historical fiction collection. Thank you Mr Kiernan for a great read.
    • 4/5
      In a Nutshell: Vergers is a coastal French village occupied by Nazis who are using the beaches to fortify their claim over much of Europe. Emmanuelle is a baker with no bakery, a girl alone with her grandmother whose mind is slipping, who ends up sustaining a village in shortage by her wits and an uncanny ability to reallocate sparse resources and secret favors to those who need them most. The only thing Emma is short on is a little hope for herself, but a little hope might surprise her when she least expects it.The Good: A rich community of characters, a beautiful depiction of provincial France, the French perspective on a major World War II turning point, a writing style that makes France during the Nazi occupation seem somehow fairy tale-esque. The Bad: Needs more exposition. In a book full of “are things as they seem?” with the small and large acts of resistance from the occupied villagers, I was dying for a little more “this is the rest of the story on X character.” The Verdict: I like Stephen Kiernan’s books, enough to give them four stars on Goodreads, but there’s always just a little something missing that keeps me from all-out loving them. I loved all the parts of this book but, as a whole, it just falls the tiniest bit short. That said, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend The Baker’s Secret. It’s a welcome addition to the World War II historical fiction genre I love so much.
    • 4/5
      The Baker’s Secret, yet another WWII novel amongst the many hundreds being published over the past few years, is a sad story very beautifully told. Exquisitely penned with words and sentences skillfully crafted, Kiernan tells the sorrowful tale of a beautiful young girl named Emma, the baker’s apprentice. It is 1944 when the story begins to unfold; the place is a small village in occupied France. After the Germans conscript her boyfriend, imprison her father for being a leader of the Resistance, and murder her uncle the baker because he is a Jew, Emma finds herself frightfully alone. Left to care for her grandmother, and to somehow survive the terror of war surrounding her, she miraculously hatches a plan to assist the town villagers in staying alive by creating a cleverly planned secret network that outwits the Germans.An intriguing plot, believable characters, and a story you won’t forget for some time after you turn the last page, The Baker’s Secret is a winner. What I liked the most about this book was that I found it to be a very authentic wartime experience. I read a few of the negative reviews from various Amazon readers and really could not agree with their points of view. War never has a completely happy ending. It is not a neat and tidy package when all is said and done with. Soldiers and civilians may get tragically killed, some find ways to mysteriously escape their fate, a lucky few blissfully return home, but sometimes sadly they often go missing never to be seen or heard from again. I strongly felt that the author portrayed a very realistic story of just what could have happened in this small French Village, or in any of the other European countries. Four stars for a very enjoyable and informative read.
    • 5/5
      I received this book from early reviewers. I absolutely loved this book. It is set in World War II and these books are always terrifying to me. It is well written and the characters are well rounded. I love how Emma doesn't really mean to be a part of the resistance but she can't stand to see villagers starving, I wish the straw in the bread would have killed the Nazis.
    • 5/5
      This was an early review book from Librarything and I loved it. I liked Kiernan's "The Hummingbird" but this was even better. I try to be selective because I seem to be reading a high number of books revolving around WWII. But this was from a different perspective. It takes place in a small French village that is near the beaches that will see the D-Day landings and all inhabitants are trying to do is survive the Nazi occupation and get enough to eat to sustain them Kiernan effortlessly brings the characters to life, I felt like I would have recognized them if I walked into the town. They and their circumstances we very believable and I shared their pain when something sad happened and laughed when they were able to outwit their enemy. Very well written.
    • 4/5
      The Baker's Secret is an instant classic hit! From the very beginning, I was transported back in time. I could feel the pain and anger when Ezra was executed by the Germans. Even though I barely got to know him, I had already started to form a connection with him. From the moment that Emma won him over with her knowledge and professionalism in the bakery. Although, Emma really did carry the story from the beginning until the end. Yet, she did have help from all of her neighbors and friends. From the fisherman, who traded his catch in exchange for fuel to the farmer, who gave away his fuel in exchange for tobacco, etc. Even with Emma's downer attitude of no hope that she and her neighbors will ever see the Germans leave, she could not get me down; only because she made up for it by her defiance in helping the Resistance. The Baker's Secret is a beautifully written book.
    • 5/5
      This is a well written fictional account of a Normandy village enduring two years of Nazi occupation. It speaks to the horrific treatment of civilians caught in the web of war, the choices one makes for personal survival and the enduring spirit to render justice in an unjust world. The bread baker is the heroine of the story. Her actions sustain her village and deliver hope to the least among them. Author Stephen P. Kiernan, spent much of his writing career as a journalist honing his craft and has become a fine and renowned writer of fiction. The emotional condition of his characters comes through clearly; one is transported in time and experiences the setting with all five senses. I look forward to reading more books by this very talented writer.Synopsis (from book's cover):From the multiple-award-winning, critically acclaimed author of The Hummingbird and The Curiosity comes a dazzling novel of World War II—a shimmering tale of courage, determination, optimism, and the resilience of the human spirit, set in a small Normandy village on the eve of D-Day.On June 5, 1944, as dawn rises over a small town on the Normandy coast of France, Emmanuelle is making the bread that has sustained her fellow villagers in the dark days since the Germans invaded her country.Only twenty-two, Emma learned to bake at the side of a master, Ezra Kuchen, the village baker since before she was born. Apprenticed to Ezra at thirteen, Emma watched with shame and anger as her kind mentor was forced to wear the six-pointed yellow star on his clothing. She was likewise powerless to help when they pulled Ezra from his shop at gunpoint, the first of many villagers stolen away and never seen again.In the years that her sleepy coastal village has suffered under the enemy, Emma has silently, stealthily fought back. Each day, she receives an extra ration of flour to bake a dozen baguettes for the occupying troops. And each day, she mixes that precious flour with ground straw to create enough dough for two extra loaves—contraband bread she shares with the hungry villagers. Under the cold, watchful eyes of armed soldiers, she builds a clandestine network of barter and trade that she and the villagers use to thwart their occupiers.But her gift to the village is more than these few crusty loaves. Emma gives the people a taste of hope—by enabling them to care for one another, by being a model of dignity and defiance, and by helping the villagers survive should the Allies ever come.As a brutal Nazi captain begins to uncover her network, and the intricately woven web of resistance and subterfuge starts to unravel, the people of Vergers find their bonds tested as never before. Ultimately Emma, facing potential execution, displays a courage and strength of will that shows them all a path to redemption.
    • 3/5
      Had a really hard time with this book. The story line was really good. It just got too boring for me. Could not follow sometimes. I see it is a best seller already. Wishing you all the best with this one. Love WWII historical fiction.
    • 4/5
      I adore books about WWII so when I saw I won this one I was pretty excited. The story did not disappoint. I didn't really know a lot about what the French went through, so this was really eye-opening and intriguing. The storyline is well written, the characters are developed. I would recommend this book. 4.5 out of 5 stars.
    • 4/5
      The story begins with a prologue on June 5, 1944 in the small town of Vergers on the Normandy coast of France. June 5, as many Americans may know, is the day U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the supreme commander of Allied forces in Europe, gave the go-ahead for Operation Overlord, the largest amphibious military operation in history. On this day, a large number of vessels took off from England for the trip to France, and hundreds of aircraft filled with parachutists headed for drop zones in Normandy.The next day, the Allied troops landed on the heavily-fortified French coastline to fight with the Nazis who were occupying France. Although the cost in lives was high (more than 9,000 Allied soldiers dead or wounded), the Allies were able to gain a foot-hold in Europe at last. The Normandy landings have been called the beginning of the end of war in Europe.Emmanuelle, known as Emma, is a 22-year-old who has been running the town’s bakery ever since the Nazis killed the original (Jewish) proprietor under whom she apprenticed, known to all as “Uncle Ezra.” The German Kommandant in the area ordered Emma to provide him with twelve loaves of bread a day for him and his staff, and alloted her flour for that purpose. She decided to grind in enough straw not to affect the taste, but to stretch the flour to make fourteen loaves, giving her two each day to disseminate surreptitiously to the starving villagers.Eventually she is bartering in all sorts of contraband within a network of friends struggling to stay alive. But there are collaborators with the Nazis in the village as well as those who do what they can to resist. Emma and some other resisters are finally exposed and caught on June 5. Whether any or all of them will survive till the end of the day is uncertain. And even if they do, and the Allies make it through the barricades, why would they help these villagers with nothing to gain from them?Evaluation: This is an excellent story about the privations of the French during WWII, and the way the occupied nations responded. You won’t want to put it down.
    • 5/5
      Five stars! An amazing book, hit the last page and literally re-read the entire book! Stephen Kiernan is an amazing author. I could visualize, almost feel, every part of this story. From the scenery to the emotions to the fear and hunger of the townspeople. I was reading the last few chapters crying. It is unimaginable what the people of France survived during the war. I honestly think this needs to be a novel taught in high school or even middle school. It is such an honest depiction of what happens in war time. A novel I've read twice and would gladly read again. I'm having my English department Chair read this book in hopes of getting it on the curriculum. I think it may be more effective in teaching empathy than even Anne Frank's diary. So thankful for being allow to read this great novel.
    • 2/5
      Furing WWII, Emma does everything she can to keep the villagers in her small French town alive. She mixes sawdust with flour in order to make secret loaves of bread. She barters for medicine, soap, and other goods - anything to keep the town alive.This book was written in a detached, almost flat, way. Emma didn't really have a "voice." I think the story would have been more powerful if it had been written in a first person point of view. Overall, not a bad book, just not one I would re-read.
    • 4/5
      IT IS June, 1944 and this small village in Normandy is under the occupation of German forces. Many have been shot or taken prisoner, but many are left alive, their services integral for the German forces.one such person is 22 year old Emma, once the Baker's assistant, she is now responsible for baking the baguettes a high ranking German officer finds he cannot do without. Emma no longer believes in her faith, nor does she have any belief that the allied forces will come to the rescue. With that in mind, she sets out to do her best to ensure the survival of those left in the village, many who are slowly starving to death. Although this subject has been replayed many times in novels, the characters set this one apart. The characters are varied, from different occupations. from the resistance, to farmers, fishermen, and one young woman finds her own, frowned upon way, to survive. Emma who knows the town's pathways and short cuts better than most, finds ways to get things to those most in need. She is spunky, clever, and formidable, though this will put her in harms way. When the invasion of Normandy finally does come, the scenes are horrific, as history dictates. A finely written novel, with some unique characters that captured my interest early on. It is often the people that risk much that save many. The Germans are stereotypically portrayed with a few exceptions. This is a read I took to heart.ARC from publisher.
    • 4/5
      This story is set in a small village near the Normandy coast in the days preceding D-Day. It centers on Emma, the village baker, who struggles along with the rest of her neighbors through the Nazi occupation. They were all starving, yet took care of each other. I just loved this novel about these strong people. I wonder if any of us would be brave enough to do what they did. Beautiful, inspiring story about a dark time in history!
    • 4/5
      This was a moving visual of life in a small French village and what they had to deal with and endure throughout the German occupation. The book was well-written and seemingly well-researched with a relatable main character who was sucked into the resistance as a means of survival. These stories are always my favorite and really makes you think about life and death.
    • 5/5
      On the coast of Normandy, the people of Vergers are trying their best to go on with their everyday lives. Since the German occupation, everyone has simply been doing their best to survive by any means necessary. For Emmanuelle, this means continuing to bake her bread; however, it is no longer the joyful task it once was. Emma was apprenticed to Ezra Kuchen, the village baker when she was 13. Since the Germans came, she watched her mentor forced to wear a yellow star and later dragged away. Emma is the only one in town left to bake and is commanded to do so for the occupying army. Forced to bake for the soldiers while she watches those around her starve, Emma decides that she will stretch her extra rations to make 14 loaves instead of the desired 12 for the Germans. She stretches her resources by adding finely ground straw to the recipe. While taking her covert bread to those who need it most, Emma is asked if she could find other things: eggs, gasoline, light bulbs, for the townspeople. So begins Emma's unintentional Resistance to keep the town alive and hopeful until help arrives. The Baker's Secret is an extraordinary book that shows the effect of an occupation on a small town during WWII. The beautiful writing clearly conveys the struggle, the intense emotional state of the people and the beauty of the area. I could easily imagine Emma's baking shed, the coastline and the church. More importantly, The Baker's Secret impressed upon me the importance of one person during the times of struggle. Emma's perseverance and ingenuity saved lives and gave her town hope. Another aspect highlighted was the choices people will make in order to stay alive, some will paint "V's" on a tree in order to tirelessly annoy the occupying troops, some will use their beauty to take up with the enemy, some will turn in their neighbors, some will bake extra bread, some will join the Resistance and risk their lives smuggling ammo. listening in to German conversation and counting paces. With the Resistance the importance of every person's actions put together was highlighted. I thought it was especially important that the people who everyone believed were inconsequential, those who have been outcast, or with disabilities were able to do the most because they went unseen. These characters weren't even called their true names, going by The Goat and Monkey Boy, they were as big of heros as Emma. Lastly, it was very interesting to see the D-Day invasion through the eyes of the townspeople, it is what they hoped for for so long but happened very differently than they imagined. Overall, a tremendous story of courage, strength and hope of a town during WWII.This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
    • 5/5
      There are many stories still to be told about World War 2, and I love to read as many of them as I can. The Baker’s Secret ranks at the top of my list of books about this era along with Jillian Cantor’s The Lost Letter (out in June 2017). Stephen Kiernan’s writing is beautiful and magical, and his characters are authentic and brave beyond words. The story takes place in Vergers, a French town on the Normandy coast on the eve of D-Day. The town is occupied by the Nazis who have beaten down the townspeople with countless acts of cruelty including rationing food to the point that everyone is slowly starving. Even after digesting countless novels about Europe during World War 2, I am still stunned and angered by the intentional and horrific cruelty the Nazis inflicted on anyone who crossed their paths, including the people living in the various places they occupied. The opening portion of this book focuses on several such incidents which made me worry the entire book would be very depressing. However, as the story progresses, Kiernan tells the wonderful tale of the courageous baker Emmanuelle and her fellow villagers who worked to defy the Nazis in their own subtle ways. The Baker’s Secret is still a tear jerker (have plenty of tissues handy!), but the book’s message is one of optimism and the ability of humans to overcome even the most tragic circumstances. I highly, highly recommend The Baker’s Secret. The book is truly a must-read. Thanks to Great Thoughts, Great Readers and the publisher for my copy of this ARC.
    • 5/5
      I received an Early Reviewers copy of this book although I am not particularly early with my review. The book is another in a stream of World War II novels featuring strong female heroines in occupied countries. This book is set apart from the others in that it takes place in Belgium, a country normally overlooked in the literature. The heroine is Emmanuelle (Emma), who was apprenticed to a baker, Uncle Ezra, at a young age. After Uncle Ezra, a Jew, is shot by the Nazis, Emma becomes the only source of bread for the village. The Nazi Kommendant tastes her bread and orders her to bake ten loaves a day for him. She incorporates sawdust into her recipe, stretching the ingredients for ten loaves into fourteen. These she parcels out to hungry villagers on a daily basis, eventually setting up a barter system that enables the village people to survive rather than starve under the Nazi regime. Emma does not believe the Allies will ever come rescue her small town and is not part of the official Resistance. She does what it takes to stay alive, losing her faith in God along the way. The novel features a strong cast of characters, is well-written, and is a joy to read. Highly recommended!