#BlogTour – #BookReview of #TheBakersSecret by @LelitaBaldock @RandomTTours #RandomThingsTours #HistoricalFiction #WW2

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February 2

I'm pleased to welcome you today to my stop on the blog tour for intriguing historical novel The Baker's Secret by Lelita Baldock. Thank you to Anne Cater and Storm Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read and review this wonderful book.

About the book:

In Nazi-occupied Latvia, two sisters are forced to make an impossible choice. To save a child, one sister must flee, while the other must stay behind. The secret of what happens next will endure for generations. But the truth won't stay hidden forever…

Riga, 1943. Cycling the streets to deliver fresh loaves, Zenta passes empty houses, curtains open, doors unlocked, their occupants forced out by Russian or German hands. Since her brother became a soldier and her sister joined the resistance, Zenta is all her parents have left.

Then one morning her sister returns. Tired, worn, with a newly rounded belly, Estere is as determined as ever to fight for their freedom. She convinces Zenta to join the Latvian resistance efforts and use her bread deliveries as a cover for smuggling letters, newspapers and supplies.

When the bell over the bakery door chimes and German officers cross the threshold, Estere pleads with her sister to run – and to take her newborn daughter with her. An agreement between sisters made in the desperation of war sends Zenta to a new life across the world, a baby at her side, with a secret she'll never tell. Until, decades later, now a grandmother, the smells and warmth of the bakery still in her heart, Zenta is finally ready to set the truth free…

About the author:

Lelita's first traditionally published novel, The Baker's Secret, is set for release on January 25, 2024 through Storm Publishing.

She is the author of two self-published historical fiction novels. Her 2020 debut, Widow's Lace, is a tale of hidden desires, fears and betrayal, set between Australia and England, current unavailable for re-release. Her award-winning novel, Where the Gulls Fall Silent, uncovers the everyday realities of life on the Cornish coast, and explores the impact of social structures and expectations on individuals and their choices.

Lelita was born and raised in Australia, living between the capital cities of Adelaide and Melbourne. In 2018 she relocated to Surrey. She holds a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in English Literature and History, and a Bachelor of Education, specialising in English.

As a secondary school English teacher, Lelita taught across multiple disciplines including High Level International Baccalaureate English Literature, and A Level English, in both Australia and the UK.

Lelita enjoys engaging with other readers and writers through social media, publishing a regular writing newsletter. When not writing, Lelita will most likely be found reading, with a cup of coffee or icy white wine in her hand.

Twitter/ X: @LelitaBaldock

Instagram: @LelitaBaldockWrites

Facebook: @LelitaBaldockWrites

LinkedIn: Lelita Baldock

My Review:

The Baker's Secret by Lelita Baldock is a beautifully written, highly emotional and intriguing historical novel that tells the story of sisters Zenta and Estere Kalnina who, before the outbreak of World War 2, live in Riga working in the family bakery. Told in multiple time lines the story begins in 2018, Southern Australia, as Zenta finds herself confronted by the secrets of her past - secrets she has tried to keep hidden for most of her life.

The story then moves back in time to 1940 Latvia, as Russia begins to take control of the country. Based around Lelita Baldock's own heartrending family history, this is a powerfully raw and painful story that spans almost eighty years. When Germany eventually overturns Russia's rule, the people of Riga are hopeful that they have been spared, but it soon becomes apparent that this is far from the truth - and before they know what's hit them, they find themselves in fear for their lives. Wanting to do everything in her power to protect her family, Estere leaves to fight with the resistance whilst her sister Zenta stays at home to try and keep everyone else safe.

But then, one morning, Estere returns. Tired, worn out and expecting a baby, Estere is still as determined as ever to fight for their freedom She convinces her sister to join the Latvian resistance by using her bread deliveries as a cover. But disaster strikes and Estere pleads with Zenta to run - and to take Estere's newborn baby daughter with her. Finally settling in Adelaide, Australia, Zenta holds her secrets close until one day she is confronted by Heather, an American woman who is in search of answers of her own.

Meticulously researched, The Baker's Secret is a stunning story that had me completely enthralled from beginning to end. Superbly written, it is a powerful story that really does pack a punch, especially as so much of the history surrounding it is based on real life events. The horrific treatment of the people of Latvia is devastating and Lelita Baldock's powerful words give a raw and brutally honest insight into the horrors the Latvian people have had to endure. As profoundly traumatic and upsetting as it is to read at times, The Baker's Secret is also a story of love and courage, proving once again just how resilient the human spirit can be.

I was drawn to The Baker's Secret from the moment I read the blurb and knew it was a book I simply had to read. Full of intrigue and suspense, this historical novel is beautifully descriptive and brings a period of history I knew very little about vividly to life. I love a historical novel told via multiple timelines and this one did not disappoint. Lelita Baldock has written a moving, thought provoking and suspense filled historical novel that I know will stay with me for a long time to come.

Highly recommended..

The Baker's Secret by Lelita Buldock is available to purchase now: