The Austrian Bride by Helen Parusel - #bookreview #blogtour

 

The tram trundled away from the platform, the wooden carriages mellow gold in the late-afternoon sunshine. Ella slowed from her sprint as she watched the tram disappear through the stone arch and down the steep hill. She let out an exasperated sigh. Now she would be late, and she only had herself to blame.

He was coming to Linz. The man himself. The town was buzzing with nervous energy. Everyone would be fighting for a good view when he arrived...

***

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.

***

Last year I was on the blog tour with this author's previous work, A Mother's War, which I enjoyed immensely. You can read my review of this book by clicking here.

When I was offered a copy of The Austrian Wife on a blog tour I jumped at the opportunity to take part. I am so glad that I did as I enjoyed this book every bit as much as the previous one.

This is a well written narrative told from the dual perspectives of Ella and her mother, Marlene. Both women, individualy and bravely, fight against the Nazi regime at risk to their own safety. 

Set in Austria in the period just before the outbreak of WWII, the reader can observe Hitler's rise to power as Austria is annexed to the Third Reich. As more constraints are placed upon the native Austrian population as a whole, we also witness the beginning of the atrocities against the Jews.

However, some women were trained to become the perfect Nazi wife by attending the Reich Bride Schools where they were educated in how to look, serve their husbands and produce pure children, where under oath, they promise to raise them as Nazis.

This was an interesting and powerful read as we watch both Ella and Marlene fight to protect the Jews. In particular, we observe Ella portraying herself as training to become a perfect Nazi wife, whilst being in love with a Jewish man.

The author was able to create a volatile atmosphere in which she placed her characters. Her descriptions of Linz with vivid descriptions of kristallnacht came alive on the page. Rooted in history we see one of the characters depart Austria on the kindertransport anchoring this book very soundly in a particular point in history.

It is an excellent book which I highly recommend to fans of historical fiction.

ISBN:  978 1837515400

Publisher:  Boldwood Books

Formats:  e-book, audio, hardback and paperback (currently available on Kindle Unlimited)

No. of Pages:  330 (hardback)

About the Author:

Helen Parusel is a debut historical novelist, having been a teacher and a clothes buyer for M&S. She lives in Hamburg, and her first book is based on the Nazi invasion of Norway in 1940; while her second is inspired by war stories from her mother’s homeland of Austria, where she spent her early holidays.

(e-book and all media courtesy of Rachel's Random Resources)

(all opinions are my own)