This book was so different from other WWII stories. Set after the war it follows an heiress who ran her families company ironworks empire. Running from the Allies, she is trying to exonerate her name and find her best friend, while also playing a cat and mouse game with a British Captain who is trying to track down war criminals. This really makes you think about what it means to just get by in a war and what happens when your side loses.

4.0 stars

I received a complimentary e-book copy of this book from William Morrow Paperbacks through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Anika Scott, William Morrow Paperbacks, and, NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This was a very difficult book to review most especially because of the timing WHEN I read the book. I started reading this book right as the COVID-19 pandemic was starting to accelerate.

However, this debut novel is told from a German point of view which is different from all of the other WWII books that I have read. It really explained the horror, difficulties, and poverty that Germany suffered during the end of the war and immediately afterward. The author is very upfront and descriptive of the issues that the German survivors have to endure including starvation, black market control, and Allied control. It was difficult to read at times as I knew that some of the fictional characters could be describing my distant cousins.

The writer has a lovely way of writing including incredibly detailed and vivid descriptions. The characters were fully fleshed out and real. The only real issue for me was the main character was a little unbelievable to me. Also, the ending just seemed to end abruptly - it could have been fleshed out a little more.

Definite recommend, but most especially for lovers of the WWII fiction genre.

This book did not speak to me for these reasons:

1. I felt distracted as I was reading the book. Even though it was about finding her best friend, there was alot of stuff going on simultaneously, such as running away from the British officer to looking for Willie.

2. The ending was abrupt compared to how the story was progressively presented.

3. There was not a oomph factor. The plot did not particularly stand out.

4. I didn't connect with the main characters in the book. There was lack of character development.

To be honest, I would still share the book with my friends. It was still an enjoyable light read ,but it was not for me.

I stayed up two nights until after three to finish this book. I could not wait until the house was silent both nights so that I could sink into this book. The story of Clara caught me at the very first chapter as the hunt was on for her. I couldn't decide if I wanted her caught or if I was rooting for her to escape. The author does not sugar coat what Clara did in the war and I appreciate that, Clara, along with her father, ran her family's iron works in Germany in World War II. No matter what her personal beliefs were, she did help the German war effort and did use slave laborers. The book begins in 1946, when she is on the run from the Allies as a war criminal. Clara has to face her role in the war and what the Nazis did and how she helped them.

I read almost exclusively World War II fiction and non fiction. I have had the honor of working with Holocaust survivors. I am a hard person to impress. World War II fiction is so popular and not all of it is good. This is worth the read. It is interesting to find out what life was like in Germany after the war and the consequences that everyone had to face.

The German Heiress follows Clara Falkenberg after the end of WWII, on the run from the Allies and grappling with the decisions she made during the war.

This was an interesting book, as there are so many WWII novels readily available, but very infrequently do they delve into the perspective of Germans who did what they had to do to survive during the war, even if they didn't agree with the Nazi party, and how they reconcile with those choices after the war. However, the pacing of this book was a bit off for me. It started out very slow and then felt very rushed towards the end.

This was an interesting tale of life after the war, from a German perspective. This perspective added a nice element to the story. The writing is vivid and the story heartbreaking. The plot moves slowly as the anticipation builds. Overall a good book with an interesting viewpoint, but not my favorite historical fiction. My thanks to the publisher for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

So many of the novels I've read about WWII come from those that are oppressed or in the resistance. This novel, The German Heiress by Anika Scott is a pure work of fiction from someone that was in charge of a large German production factory in Essen, Germany. Clara Falkenburg is the last child in a powerful German family that owns factories and mines in Germany. Her father charges her with leading the family holdings and in turn she is known throughout Germany as the Iron Fraulein and is one of the most powerful heiresses in the Nazi Regime.

We encounter Clara after the war using false identification papers as she is hiding from the Nazi hunters looking for her. She decides to try and locate her friend Elisa who she hasn't heard from since she escaped from Essen. She takes a train back to Essen and from there she runs into a Nazi hunter and several others along the way as she searches for Elisa. She also encounters a black market worker Jakob who has his own motives for helping Clara locate Elisa.

This story kept me gripped from beginning to end. Akina Scott weaves a story that shows the shades of gray a person had to operate under in the Nazi regime even when they knew what the Nazi's were doing. Her heroine Clara was a well written character as were the other characters in the book. They are believable as real individuals despite each being a fictional character.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins publishing for the ARC. The review is my own without influence from any source.

I want to thank NetGalley, Anika Scott and HarperCollins for providing me this advanced copy.

Historical fiction is one of my favourite genres. As such, I have read many books revolving WWII but I don't believe I ever read one that is focus on the aftermath of the war. Having just come back from Mauthausen in Austria and reading about how most SS officers went on to live their lives after the war without any repercussion. It was interesting to see the British officer seeking everywhere for criminals of war.

I will definitely be recommending this book to my friends. Great read.

I received this Arc from NetGalley and publisher for an honest review.
I honestly couldn’t put this book down and was so interested to see a German Womans point of view coming back home after the war.

In post WWII Germany during the Occupation, Clara Falkenberg -former heiress of Falkenberg Ironworks- is hiding in a small village working under a false identity and in a relationship with a doctor. Her father is in a prison camp awaiting trial for providing weapons to Hitler's army. During the war Clara ran the ironworks while her father was away. She advocated for better conditions for the enslaved workers, as well as hiding some. When the doctor proposes, Clara realizes that he is also living in secret to avoid capture for his own war crimes. She leaves for Essen, feeling the desperate need to see her best friend Elisa. On the train to Essen, she is captured by the American Captain Fenshaw who wants to question her about her father, the ironworks, and her own role in WWII. She escapes. Clara encounters Jakob who is a former soldier and also looking for Elisa. He is a fledgling black marketeer supporting his sisters who share the war damaged family home in poverty stricken post war Germany. In the ensuing cat and mouse story, Clara uncovers family secrets that cause her to reexamine and question everything she believed.

WWII novels are readily available today. This book is set apart due to its three German narrators: Clara - former heiress, Jakob - former Reich soldier, and Willy - Elisa's son and Nazi Jungfolk. The second half of the book is definitely faster paced. I could not put it down. I look forward to more from Anika Scott.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

The German Heiress is the story of Clara Falkenberg, nicked the Iron Fraulein because of her role in running her family’s ironworks during the war. Unlike most of the current World War II historical fiction available right now, the German Heiress starts after the war is over and Clara is struggling to return home and reunite with her family and friend Elisa and her son Willy.

This book is unique in the fact that although Clara to make decisions during the war that she has a hard time living with, the reader is forced to think if they would have done the same thing in her place and most likely had the same regrets. Clara is a likable, well-developed character, as are the supporting characters. I throughly enjoyed the German Heiress, and this is definitely one that readers will not want to miss!

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins Publishers for my ARC in exchange for me honest opinion.

This was a beautiful historical novel that drew me in and never let go. I felt emotionally invested in the characters’ lives and couldn’t stop reading.

I loved reading this book! I enjoy historical fiction but this kept me on my toes and wanting more! The connections between the characters really drew me in and I had to know what happened to Elisa.

Anyone who enjoys historical romance will enjoy this book.

I actually put my review in the private notes to the publisher, now I know better how to do it. Next time I’ll do better.

This was a really interesting book, as the main character played a different role in the war as most female protagonists in WWII books. Not only was she German, but she was also an heiress and actively played a role in the war effort against the Allies. However, the entire time she retained her conscience and did not support the Nazi regime ideals.
The first half of the book was difficult to get through. Despite the rising tension and escalating of events, something was lacking in the plot line or perhaps the writings. I wasn’t invested in the characters and didn’t want to continue. That being said, I’m glad I did. The second half was much more enjoyable and it was hard to put down. I became really invested in the characters as they faced many challenges in trying to find Elisa, Clara’s closest friend. It was intriguing and definitely redeemed the first half. Overall, worth the read.

Thanks to NetGalley & HarperCollins Publishers for an advanced copy of The German Heiress in exchange for my honest review.

I've been trying to avoid WWII books for a bit because I've read so many of them recently but when Book Club Girl had The German Heiress as a Book Club Girl Early Read I was excited. It was told from the German POV and in the period right after the end of the war, but ultimately this book felt flat to me. I was excited to read this book but it was disappointed.

It took me a little too long to get into it and I just couldn't get into the characters. Once I finally got into it, I felt like it ended abruptly.

The German Heiress delivers Anika Scott’s account of WWII from a German's perspective. Clara Falkenberg, nicknamed the Iron Fräulein and notorious ironworks heiress appeared to be a Nazi sympathizer. After the war, she faced retribution and was hunted like a criminal.

Despite appearances, Clara was an enemy of regime and sheltered refugees. While her life remains perilous, she's determined to right past wrongs and save her best friend's son.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #HarperCollins for the early read in exchange for an honest review. The novel was well researched and painted an alternative portrayal of Germans during the war. While most accounts vilify, #TheGermanHeiress examines the lives caught in the crossfire and held responsible for their actions.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for this copy of Anika Scott's The German Heiress in exchange for a fair review.
I love historical fiction and there has been a lot of WWII fiction out recently. This book centers around the heiress of an the iron works and the possibility of her involvement in mistreatment of her workers.
This story is told by more than one person, from their own point of view during the events and gives it a more personal feel. It moves very quickly, the story is very engrossing and I found myself at different points strongly disliking and then feeling sympathy for the main character, Clara Faulkenberg, and the choices she was forced to make.
The details, the characters and the research made this a wonderful read and I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of historical fiction and of WWII fiction.

I really enjoyed this book! Something that set it apart from other WW2 books for me, was that it was from the perspective of a German woman that, while not meaning to, did some things that she truly regrets in the war. I liked that at points, I wasn’t sure if I liked her or not because of that. It made her feel more human. Loved all the characters. She truly brought them to life for me!

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins for an ARC of this book.

Historical fiction is my favorite genre, and therefore, I have read a lot of it, particularly WWII fiction. The premise of this novel intrigued me. Anika Scott writes a story from the perspective of three very different Germans after the war, each of whom feels a lot of guilt over actions taken and untaken both during the war and after. I was intrigued by the premise.

However, perhaps the fact that I have read so much WWII fiction lessened the impact of this story on me. It was good, but not great, in comparison to some other similar books that I have read. I didn't really emotionally connect to any of the characters, and I often found myself wondering when the story was going to pick up the pace. I might have liked it more had the story spent more time examining the characters' actions during the war, rather than just alluding to them (particularly Clara's actions).

I enjoyed the character of Jakob the best and definitely appreciated how all of the plot threads were woven together in the end. This was a good story but not perhaps one that will stick with me emotionally.