Poland, 1943. "The Germans are here," Jakub whispers over the pounding at the bakery door. I snatch my baby from her crib but there's no time to hide, the footsteps are coming closer. Jakub and I exchange a glance: they know what we've done...
Present day. Heidi arrives in Poland, a scribbled address in her hand. It has been one week since she found the photo of her grandmother Nela holding a baby outside a bakery and gazing at a man who nobody knows. With her grandparents gone and her mother's illness getting worse, Heidi wants to find out the truth before it's too late.
Stepping inside the bakery, Heidi inhales the scent of sweet apple cakes and fresh bread. She shows the photo to the man behind the counter, but her hopes are shattered when Olek orders her out of his shop, cursing the couple who led the Nazis to his family's door during the war. But Nela was Jewish. Why would she risk her own life?
Determined, Heidi forces Olek to confront what he is so desperate to bury. As his resolve crumbles, they uncover stories of an underground network hidden within the bakery's walls. But will the truth about Heidi's grandfather give her mother the peace she needs, or will it tear apart her family for good?
An absolutely gripping and page-turning World War 2 historical fiction novel by Polish American author Gosia Nealon. Fans of Siobhan Curham, Lorna Cook and The Nightingale will be hooked.
What readers are saying about Gosia Nealon:
"An absolute 5-star read... gripping... completely impossible to put down... had me tearing up... heartbreaking... This was emotional, immersive, and unforgettable. Gosia Nealon has officially become an auto-buy author for me." Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"One word for this... Stunning! It's my favourite book of 2026 so far. I could not put this book down I was so invested... utterly gripping... full of heartbreak, love, loss, tragedy and buried secrets... totally deserves 5 stars... Just wow, it was incredible!" Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Oh wow, what a beautiful, heartbreaking and moving story!... I loved from the first pages... had me tearing up... really pulls at your emotions... heartbreaking but also heart-warming." The Strawberry Post, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"I was completely invested... I kept thinking I had things figured out and then another reveal would smack me in the face... WOW... had me fully locked in the entire time." heidireadsitall, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Heartbreaking... I loved every bit of it... This was my first book by Gosia Nealon and it definitely won't be my last!" fiction.fellowship, ⭐⭐⭐⭐