My Review:

When I chose this book I knew it would be good, but good isnt quite strong enough. It’s a tear jerking page turner. Ok, it took me a minute to get into it but, once I was in I was locked in.

Gosia has that way about her with her research, detail and writing.

The story is told in the 1940s from the differing perspectives for Nela and Jakub and 2009/ 2010 from that of Heidi and Olek.

Set in Poland during WWII and the US in the 2000s, you’re drawn into the sad tale.

Heidi’s mum is dying and won’t save herself, she knows little to nothing of her mum’s past in Poland during the war.

Her mum is desperate to know more, in the hopes this will preserve her mother’s life, Heidi heads to Poland on a mission to seek out the lost history of her Grandmother with the help of a photo.

A beautiful story of blossoming love, the things people will do to protect others in desperate need for safety, putting themselves and their future memories at risk.

Nothing is as it seems and desperate times call for desperate measures. A strong heart and tissues are a must accompaniment during the journey these 5 star pages take you on. Fully recommended

Gosia Nealon
While Gosia Nealon is a proud New Yorker, she was born and raised in Poland. Her journey to the Big Apple revealed a wealth of cultural differences, but also the values that connect us all. Like the fierce desire to protect family, find love, and ultimately, discover who we are and why we’re here.
Gosia’s award-winning short stories have always delved into life’s biggest questions, but it was the drama, sacrifice, and tragedy of WWII that led her to pen her debut novel, which won a gold medal in the 2022 Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY).
Growing up in Poland, Gosia heard many firsthand accounts of the war, told from a perspective rarely captured in mainstream literature. She was compelled to breathe life into two young people falling in love in the midst of the most terrifying conflict of our time.
When Gosia isn’t tapping away at her laptop, she’s often walking the streets of New York. With her husband and two young sons in tow, they search for the most succulent pierogi, transporting them back to the cobbled streets of her childhood.

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The Underground Bakery
Gosia Nealon
Amazon: https://geni.us/B0HDTR1H4Psocial
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 The Underground Bakery:

“Sucked me in from page one and I couldn’t put it down… I found myself totally invested… heartbreaking… I loved this.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I love Gosia Nealon’s books… so personal and emotional… I really loved The Underground Bakery… heartbreaking… another beautiful story.” heidireadsitall, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Writers like Gosia Nealon are why I read historical fiction!… ALL THE STARS… will be in my top historical fiction reads this year.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Hooked from beginning to end… I highly recommend this… unputdownable.” NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

“Gripping… heartbreaking… I read long into the night.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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, ⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Completely broke my heart… I couldn’t put it down… heartbreaking… will undoubtedly stay with me for a long time… phenomenal.” carolines_pageturners, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


ISBN: 9781805506416
Publication Date: 22 October 2026