Audiobooks by Lelita Baldock

"She lifts the book from the suitcase, gently unwraps it and breathes a heavy sigh of relief. She has made it. The book is safely hidden. But at what cost? Bari, Italy. 1943. Twenty-year-old Siena knocks on a stranger's door with trembling hands. Her journey from Rome has left her exhausted and afraid, but after her friends were taken away, she had no choice but to flee. Hidden within her suitcase lies the reason for her desperate flight – a tattered leather-bound ledger, its pages filled with secrets Siena will risk her life to protect. When Alessia opens the door, Siena sees a woman bearing the weight of caring for her family while her father fights at the front. Siena hands over a scrap of paper – a watercolour sketch of Bari harbour – and watches recognition flicker across Alessia's face. Despite rations being low, she knows Alessia cannot refuse her. As bombs devastate the cobbled streets of Bari, the two women slowly learn to trust each other. But Siena isn't the only one keeping secrets, and her connection with Alessia runs deeper than either realises. Long ago, in a different world, impossible choices were made. As the war rages, the truth will be uncovered, like a hidden masterpiece finally brought into the light… A profoundly moving and evocative tale of love, sacrifice, and the power of art in the darkest of times. Perfect for readers of Kristin Hannah, Fiona Valpy and Fiona Davis. What readers are saying about books by Lelita Baldock: ‘Heartwarming and heartbreaking… a stunning book.’ Rachel Wesson, author of When's Mummy Coming Home? ‘I am speechless… What an amazing read! Truly one of the best this year.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘WOW… This beautifully tragic novel absolutely broke my heart (and made me want to bake bread). It is a must read for 2024.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Heart piercing… I was deeply moved… The main ingredients of The Baker's Secret are love and care… unforgettable.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Wonderful… You will smile with them and cry with them…You must read this book!’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Achingly beautiful… my heart was captured.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This story broke my heart… seeing their resilience and their will to survive (and bake bread) really moved me. This is a must read in 2024, I cannot recommend this book enough!’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I rarely give 5 stars but this one absolutely deserves it! Beautifully written… just the right amount of romance, family tension, and amazing plot twist (never saw that coming).’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"

Lelita Baldock (Author), Sarah Durham (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Girl Who Crossed Mountains: Breathtaking World War Two Fiction

"San Sebastian, 1936. Abene García, a fisherman's daughter, must make a terrible choice: risk being caught in the crossfires of the escalating Spanish Civil War or abandon her seaside home and make the perilous journey across the Pyrenees to the border of France. But the safety she finds on the other side of the mountains is shattered when the Nazis enter the country. Abene won't stand by and do nothing while innocent Jewish men, women and children are in desperate need - not when she knows a way to escape. Abene has crossed the mountains before, and she knows the dangers. Joining the resistance network, she helps to set up a route across the mountains. But when her safe house is discovered, a group of injured Allied soldiers is shot down, except for one - a Canadian pilot too sick to make the crossing alone. Abene knows what she must do. She will cross the mountains once again, back to the home she left years before, where her journey truly began, and many dangers remain… Perfect for fans of Kristin Hannah, Kelly Rimmer and Fiona Valpy, The Girl Who Crossed Mountains is an extraordinary tale of survival, family bonds and the power of love to persevere against all odds."

Lelita Baldock (Author), Stephanie Lane (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Baker's Secret: Absolutely gripping and heartbreaking World War Two historical fiction

"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. Above the newly built town hall, a Nazi flag waves in the breeze. 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 new-born 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... An emotional and heartbreaking tale of sacrifice, courage and love that spotlights the resilience of women in the Second World War. Perfect for readers of Kristin Hannah, Fiona Valpy and Kelly Rimmer."

Lelita Baldock (Author), Taryn Ryan (Narrator)

Audiobook