Today, I’m posting my review for The Berlin Wife’s Choice by Marion Kummerow. Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the gifted ebook to write my review.
“I love you more than life itself. But you’re not safe. If you weren’t married to me, you wouldn’t suffer like this, terrorized by the yellow star on my chest. I could never live with myself if something happened to you—because of me.”
Berlin, 1939. Edith Falkenstein once lived a fairytale life. Falling in love with Julius introduced her to a world she had only dreamed of. She wore the finest silk dresses to host parties in their historic mansion home.
But those days are a distant memory. Under Nazi rule, her Jewish husband Julius has been stripped of everything. Now the couple share a cramped apartment with other destitute families, and the priceless jewels that once adorned Edith’s neck have been sold to buy food on the black market.
Julius was lucky to escape being imprisoned once, and Edith knows he won’t be so fortunate a second time. The echo of boots marching across the city is a constant reminder of the danger they face. She begs Julius to flee the country, while they still can.
But as war rages across Europe, the journey will be fraught with peril. All Julius has ever wanted is to keep Edith safe. He knows there is only one way to truly protect the woman who stole his heart all those years ago—even if it means breaking hers.
Time is running out and Edith must decide: let Julius go or follow her heart and her husband into the danger that lies ahead…
An absolutely gripping, heartrending story of the lengths we go to for love, that fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Nightingale and My Name is Eva will adore.
The second book in The German Wives Series. This is a historical fiction series by an author who can sweep any reader away to the war years so easily.
The Berlins Wife’s Choice picks up from where the The Berlin Wife ends. It is possible to read this book without having to read the first, although I tend to like getting to know characters fully, so do read book 1, no matter what the series.
I know about all the atrocities in the second world war, but that didn’t stop me feeling horrified and as scared as the characters as I read this. Edith and Helga are the main characters who are both strong women and prove it time again as the Nazi’s introduce horror after horror for the non-Aryan population of Germany and the occupied territories. Again, these characters are so authentic and lifelike I felt like i was almost returning to old friends. This is the skill of Marion Kummerow’s writing. The way she describes settings and characters makes the reader feel like they are there.
Edith’s brother, Joseph, who was an SS officer, has now gained even more power, and that’s a great cause of consternation for Edith. All she wants is to protect her family, but with a brother on the Nazi party side, what chance will she have?
This book felt that real, I couldn’t tell where the facts ended and fiction began. It’s a period in history that no one should ever forget. Authors such as Marion Kummerow do an excellent job of keeping these times alive in people’s minds.
This series is not an easy read. It’s emotional, it’s terrifying, and it’s written in a way that keeps those memories alive. I am grateful there are authors who are willing to undertake such painstaking research to create books that educate and entertain the readers. Marion Kummerow does just that! I look forward to the next instalment.
Author Bio
Marion Kummerow was born and raised in Germany, before she set out to “discover the world” and lived in various countries. In 1999 she returned to Germany and settled down in Munich where she’s now living with her family.
Inspired by the true story about her grandparents, who belonged to the German resistance and fought against the Nazi regime, she started writing historical fiction, set during World War II. Her books are filled with raw emotions, fierce loyalty and resilience. She loves to put her characters through the mangle, making them reach deep within to find the strength to face moral dilemma, take difficult decisions or fight for what is right. And she never forgets to include humor and undying love in her books, because ultimately love is what makes the world go round.
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Buy Link:
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