Book Synopsis:
Austria, 1938
After years of hardship, Ella is full of hope for a better future for Austrians, and when Hitler marches into Linz, she can’t help but become swept up in the euphoria of her boyfriend, Max.
But she soon realises her mistake. When she witnesses a woman being shot in the street and a childhood friend’s Jewish department store is closed down, she knows she must do something.
It’s a dangerous time to be a resistor, especially when her fascist boyfriend proposes to her. Knowing the secrets she can uncover, Ella enlists in a Reich Bride School, finding herself propelled into the social elite of the Nazi circle.
Ella knows she has a duty – to her family, her friends, and her country – so while Europe teeters on the brink of WW2, a desperate race begins to save the people she loves. But betraying the Nazis could be her death sentence…
A powerful and unforgettable story of the strength of women and the unwavering courage of those who seek a better world. Fans of Suzanne Goldring, Mandy Robotham and Debbie Rix will devour this heartbreaking tale.
My Review:
As regular readers of my blog will know I’m a huge fan of historical fiction, especially if it’s set in WW2 and features events that I didn’t know anything about previously. I thought The Austrian Bride was a emotional, gripping and thought provoking read that will stay with me.
The story is told from the point of view of Ella and her mother Marlene which helps the reader see events from two different generations. I really like Ella who came across as a very brave girl. I loved how realistic she was depicted and how she grew from being an excited supporter of Hitler to being a fighter against the Nazis. Her mother is also a very brave lady and I enjoyed following an older character throughout this period. They make a great team and I really admire them for standing up for what they believe in.
I hadn’t read much about the Nazi’s early occupation in Austria so I found it fascinating to learn more about it. It was especially interesting to see how welcomed they were initially by the citizens and to learn more about the Reich Bride School which I hadn’t heard about before. I found it quite chilling to see how women were treated and how they were prepared to be good Nazi wives. It was also quite sad to see how Ella’s boyfriend Max transformed into a perfect Nazi soldier which made me feel very sad for Ella.
I thought the story had a great pace to it and I soon found myself drawn into the story. The story is incredibly gripping and there always seemed to be something happening to keep my glued to the page. My heart was in my mouth in some of the scenes as I prayed that Ella and her mum would be alright. This was the first book that I’ve read by this author and I’d definitely be interested in reading more from her in the future.
Huge thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me onto the blog tour and to the publishers for my copy of this book. If you like absorbing historical fiction than I highly recommend this book.
About The Author:
I come from London but now live in Hamburg, Germany with my husband, daughter and rescue dog. I gave English lessons to retired Germans for twenty years and became intrigued by many of their wartime stories. I have ancestors from Austria and I spent my summer holidays there for years which inspired my next novel. I have always loved reading and writing, and now finally have the time to devote to writing.
Over The Rainbow Blog 