I loved this book! An amazing look into Germany during WW II. Told through 2 women's lives. One is Jewish and one is the girlfriend of a high ranking officer in the 3rd Reich. I know this is fiction, but I felt that I learned so much about what is must have been like to live in Germany at this time. I have German ancestry and honestly I don't know much about that. I felt the ending was a bit hurried and the middle of the book dragged a bit, but the ending was satisfying and very hopeful.

I was given an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own.

<u>The School for German Brides</u> by Aimie Runyan was a good book, but I definitely wouldn't say it wowed me. The story goes back and forth between Hanna, a German girl who gets engaged to a Nazi soldier, and Tilde, a half Jewish seamstress who is pregnant. Both girls have a connection to another girl named Klara, and it is that connection that essentially saves both of their lives.

This sounds fantastic, right? It should have been. But it was just, okay. Nothing happens until about 80% into the book, and then everything all happens at once and then it was over. Good in theory not so much in execution, but still nowhere near a bad book.

You can find this book in stores now, as it was released on 4/26/22.

Loved it!! It was a different take on my usually historical fiction books. This one mainly focused on the woman (teenage girls) and the expectations put on them to be a proper Nazi wife. The actual school was only a tiny part of the book. Loved getting to know Hanna, Tilde and Klara. Hanna and Tilde seemed to be the more prominent characters and Klara was just there. I would have liked to read more about her and also what happened to the girls after the weddings. There was definitely more to their stories. Aunt Charlotte was more of a pimp than an actual aunt to Hanna. All her actions had nothing to do with love. Hanna really had no one to turn to or trust. None of the girls had a loving, reliable man their life. They all had men who abandoned them. Klara dodged a bullet with Friedrich, he was not a prize to win. Samuel was a disappointment. He had people who needed him. He was so focused on his parents and sister, he completely forgot about Tilde. Klara and Hanna definitely had privileges that others would have killed for, but they definitely came at high costs. Everything was decided for them and people were always watching.

Definitely recommend the book. Loved the characters, writing style and story. I was sad to see it end because I wanted to keep reading about the girls and see what they were up to. Look forward to reading more books by the author. Loved the color of the book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from William Morrow and Custom House through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is one of the best historical fiction novels that I have read so far this year, this is my favorite genre to read and especially the WWII era, so what makes this book different to the many that I have read so far? The point of view of the protagonists, you see this book shows the reader the history of the events but mostly from the point of view of young adult girls.
For me one of the markers of a good book is that when you finish reading it it leaves you thinking about it and especially asking yourself "what would I have done?", this book does that.
The writing is very good as well as the characters development, you feel like you are there with them.
I highly recommend this book for every historical fiction fan.

The law is not truth. It's only a glimpse into the values of man at any given point in history. Don't confuse the laws of men with the word of God.

Some historical fiction based on history can grab you and question what you believe. What would you do in any given situation. The book is centered on 3 women in the beginning of the war. The narration is done by two of the women. Hanna and Tilda who have a common friend in Klara. Hanna and Tilda have common subtle experiences. Tilda's father abandoned her mother and herself because of their Jewish heritage. She was very close to her mother who was a dressmaker. Hanna's mother was killed and she desired to be a doctor and her father was a Nazi symphazier. Klara had used Tilda's dressshop and Hanna had come to live with her Aunt and uncle who were good friends with Klara's family. The rise of Hitler was building a new nation with an emphasis of purity starting with family. That was the dream of Hanna's uncle and aunt to make sure that young Hanna be married to an upcoming Nazi.

As the war goes on, each women are faced with decisions and how they overcome the evil of tyranny. The 3 also bind together in sisterhood, womanhood and a better future. I always enjoy books like this because you do question what you believe and the most important why you believe. What you fear and why you fear. Each of these women did what they had to do to survive and not lose who they were. It may look in the outside that they did but I think that in losing themselves, they also drew strength.

A special thank you to William Morrow and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

Fans of WWII historical fiction will love this book featuring 3 different women whose lives are all impacted by the dangerous fascist regime of Germany.

Hanna’s mother has recently passed away and her father ships her off to become part of Berlin’s high society. She’s blonde, looks sensational in tailored dresses and just naïve enough to allow her aunt and uncle to mold her into something perfect for the Fatherland. Everyone underestimates her though. Hanna is smart and had previously assisted her mother on midwife calls.

Klara is Hanna’s school chum. She wants nothing more than to please her parents to the point of losing her true self. She’s a skillful seamstress with designs that are worth of the a Vogue catalog.

Our third point of view comes from Tilde, a self-labeled “Mischling”. She’s a half Jewish, half Christian woman running her Jewish mother’s clothing material shop.

Each of these women’s lives weave between each other in a climax that changes all of them. Never underestimate the power of strong women who collaborate together. Each of them interact with men who cause them to question who they are, what do they want and who do we want to become.

This book is perfect for historical fiction lovers and readers who enjoy women’s fiction. It was refreshing to read a WWII novel that focuses between the dates of 1938-1938 without going into a deep, despairing concentration camp plot. The focus was the women, their stories and how they each change and grow.

"Choice is an amazing thing, Professor. And a luxury that isn't always afforded even to the most deserving. My apologies again for my behavior in class. It won't happen again."

Set in World War II Germany, this book gives an insight into the lives of German young women. The School for German Brides is the story of Hanna, Tilde and Klara. All the three young women are from different backgrounds and are trapped in situations which are neither their choice or liking.
All the three young women fight the situations in the best way they can and sometimes are punished. Hanna wants to be a doctor, Klara wants to be a fashion designer and Tilde wants to be lawyer. Their aspirations though are destroyed by Hitler's ambitions and laws. How these three young women meet and how their stories converge together makes this excellent book.
The author has done an excellent job of conveying the frustrations of these young women. Feeling for their situations comes easy and hating the people trapping them comes easy as well. This is a wonderful book that flows with a fast pace. I enjoyed this novel and would definitely recommend to all historical fiction lovers.
Thank you NetGalley William Morrow and HarperCollins
Triggers: A scene of sexual assault

Wow, what an intense book. Three young girls trying to live their lives in Berlin 1930s when WW2 was beginning. One was from a wealthy background, but her parents were rough on her. Another had a mother who was a doctor, frowned upon at that time, and was sent to her very wealthy Aunt and Uncle when her mother died. Both of these girls were expected to marry good connections in the party and advance themselves and their families in the party and status. The third girl was a Jew from a family of lawyers with an Aryan father who disowned them when things started getting dangerous. He left them to support themselves which they did as seamstresses and clothing designers for the wealthy. They are all struggling with their circumstances and trying not to get in trouble or killed. No one could be trusted. They were being taught hatred and prejudice and were expected to embrace it. They eventually trusted each other and saved each other's lives, during a complicated and stressful time. It's very hard to put down. I was grateful for the epilogue telling how they all did later on. Don't think you've read too many WW2 stories or think they would all be the same. Each life and story is unique and inspiring when you know what people went through. Lessons that should never be forgotten. One of those books that stays with you and leaves a mark.
I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
#TheSchoolforGermanBrides #NetGalley #fivestarbooks #historicalfiction #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout

1938 Germany. Three young women from three different backgrounds. After her mother’s death, Hanna is sent to live with her aunt and uncle who are determined to find her an elite SS officer as a husband no matter how cruel and controlling he may be. Klara becomes Hanna’s friend and is also looking for an elite SS officer. Tilde is a dressmaker for them and is Jewish. The story is told through the alternating perspectives of these three women.

It was interesting reading what was expected of young German women during the Second World War. Their “job” was to be a good wife to a German soldier and produce children for the Fatherland. I was sickened by the outside appearance of a genteel society that obscured the hatred and prejudice against the Jewish people and oppressed the German women. I reveled over the ways Klara and Hanna resisted against some of society’s expectations and remained true friends to Tilde.

I feel that the title is a bit misleading. The so-called “school” doesn’t enter the story until perhaps ¾ of the way through. And the happenings on the island were implausible to me.

I received an advance copy of the book. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Okay, can I just say that, as a Jew, the whole idea of someone passing as Aryan during WWII has always made me feel very uncomfortable. True, with my light hair and blue eyes, I could easily have been one of them, but I would hope that my first instinct would have been to use that only in order to help others try to escape (and yes, I know that hindsight is 20/20). And yes, I also know that there were many Jews at the time who were very assimilated (for example, my mother-in-law’s whole family); they thought they weren’t “really” Jews, they were first and foremost Germans, Austrians, or whatever. Despite that, the Nazis had a real talent for ferreting them out, and making sure they knew what their regime thought of them. So, at the outset, there were a few things here that didn’t sit right with me.

One of those things was that initially, I had a hard time with the premise that Hanna would be taken in by her Hitler loving aunt and uncle, since it seemed to me that her mother was Jewish. However, I was wrong about that, and her mother's “crime” wasn’t her religion, but rather her profession. She was a doctor who was banned from practicing medicine under the Nazi regime because she was a woman. This is something I was unaware of, but apparently it is true. When I finally figured this out, I realized that Hanna’s whole relationship with her aunt and uncle made more sense to me. Since these two were true party-line believers, it made sense that they might want to remodel Hanna into one of their own kind, and marry her off to an SS officer. Still, while this worked out just fine, there were a few other inconsistencies that made me scratch my head a few times. That doesn’t mean I didn’t like Hanna, because I did, and I felt increasingly sympathetic to her as the story unfolded.

Tilde on the other hand had a much more consistent story. She was one of those cases of a child of a Jewish mother and non-Jewish father. That Tilde’s father saw the writing on the wall, and to save his own (greedy) skin, divorced his Jewish wife, abandoned his daughter, and took over his father-in-law’s business, made much more sense to me. I’m guessing this is why I found Tilde to be a much more sympathetic character, even when I wasn’t totally happy with some of her decisions. I’m also guessing that Runyan had a fairly expansive story to tell, and this may have been why I felt that Tilde’s relationships with her family and customers felt somewhat telegraphic at times. Plus, I would have liked to have had a whole lot more about Klara, the girl who becomes the connection between Hanna and Tilde, since I liked her rebellious streak, even when she was being petty and contentious. Mind you, some of what happens with Klara seems a bit overly convenient, but still… I liked her and I smiled every time she was in a scene.

So, you’re probably wondering why I kept reading this novel. The truth is, while it seems like I found many faults in this book, I really enjoyed Runyan’s writing and boy, does ever know how to keep the tension up with her plot. Because I liked the main characters (albeit, in varying degrees), I did want to know what happened to them, so there was no way I could stop reading. Admittedly, I thought that Runyan’s “Girls on the Line” was a more cohesive story, and I enjoyed it a bit more than I did this book (possibly because Runyan got a few Jewish things wrong here, which she didn’t have to deal with in that novel). That's why I can still recommend this novel for anyone looking for a slightly different WWII novel (that one that thankfully doesn’t have a dual timeline), and I think it deserves three and a half stars out of five. That said, now I really want to read her book about the female Red Army fighter pilots during WWII!

The School For German Brides is a story about three young German women and what happens to them during the Second World War. They come from different backgrounds, due to the war their circumstances change and during a extremely volatile time.

Hanna Rombauer leaves Teisendorf, her father sends her to live with her aunt Charlotte and uncle Otto in Berlin. Hanna wants to finish school, go to university and become a doctor. Hitler won’t allow women to work as doctors, instead he wants them to marry and have babies. Aunt Charlotte showers Hanna with expensive clothes and jewellery and she discovers why. She wants Hanna to marry influential SS officer Friedrich Schroeder, he's much older than her and she feels trapped.

Klara Schmidt attends the same school as Hanna, Klara's mother is friends and mixes in the same party social circles as Hanna's aunt and uncle. They meet a young Jewish dressmaker called Mathilde Altman, Titlde's situation is grim, she's alone and pregnant. The School For German Brides gives you an idea of what it was like for young German women during the Second World War, they were expected to to their patriotic duty, marry a brave German soldier and have Aryan babies. But it wasn't the same for everyone, so Hanna and Klara team together while at " Bride School " to what they can for Tilde and her unborn baby.

I received a copy of The School For German Brides from NetGalley and William Morrow and Custom House in exchange for an honest review, Aimie K. Runyan looks at the Second World War from a different point of view and what is was like for German women at the time. I felt a real connection to the characters and cared about what happened to them due to how well the narrative was written and five stars from me.

I enjoyed this well-written story of two women, one Jewish and one Gentile, each in her own way struggling to have a life and an identity in Nazi Germany. Both girls had goals for the future that included a career outside the home, and both had those hopes shattered by Hitler's regime. I sympathized with both girls. Tilde was the easiest to feel for since her very life was in danger, but I also felt for Hanna as she was basically steam rolled by her aunt and uncle. I felt this book did a good job of showing humanity at both its best and worst, and I was moved by the ending. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookclub Early Reads program for the early read.

I haven't finished a book for review since September of 2020. I have started so many and just didn't have the desire/drive to finish them. Until now. I knew The School for German Brides was a historical WW2 novel, but I was completely unaware of the bride schools that existed in Germany. Only girls engaged to SS officers were sent there and they were trained to be perfect wives for the officers.

This story revolves around Hanna, Klara and Tilde. Two German women unwillingly engaged to SS officers and the Jewish woman who makes their dresses and tries to hide her mixed heritage. Hanna was sent from rural Germany to the city to live with her aunt and uncle and meets Klara. Tilde is Klara's dressmaker and is hired to make new dresses for Hanna.

The novel drops us into the lives of the German rich. Those who benefited from the war and being in the good graces of the SS. And while neither Hanna nor Klara want to marry cruel SS officers, they know they have no choice in the matter. Their friendship with Tilde and their desire to help her, binds them together.

In all her stories, Aimie writes about strong women and their friendships and I absolutely adore books about the strength, resilience, and community of women.

These women are strong, resilient and steadfast. Even fighting against the expectations of their families and the Reich, they are tenacious. Hanna's maid, who helps her understand and navigate her new world is a charming addition to the story.

I have never been disappointed by an Aimie Runyan novel. And The School for German Brides did not fail me. It kept me enthralled and captivated.

THE SCHOOL FOR GERMAN BRIDES by Aimie K. Runyan is beautifully-written and compelling historical novel set in Germany in 1939 as Hitler has risen to power, World War II has begun and the atrocities committed against Jews, immigrants and other non-Aryans are becoming widespread. I have read several of this author’s books and greatly enjoyed them all, but I truly think this is her best book yet. The story is told from the points of view of two young German women whose lives become inextricably intertwined. Upon the passing of her beloved mother, Hanna Rombauer is sent to live with her aunt and uncle in Berlin. There she will be taught how to be the perfect German woman and wife. Thrust into an unwanted marriage to a high-ranking SS officer, Hanna is forced to give up her dreams of getting an education and becoming a doctor while suffering manipulation and cruelty at the hands of her fiancé. Mathilde (Tilde) Altman is a German Jewish woman of mixed heritage. Although Tilde can pass as a Gentile, the presence of her Jewish mother puts them at constant risk of losing everything, including their lives. As time passes, Hanna and Tilde each face unthinkable challenges with courage and commitment. A third young German woman in the story, Klara Schmidt, has unexpected ties to both Hanna and Tilde. A single moment in time changes their three lives forever. The characters in this story are complex and wonderfully-portrayed. This heart-wrenching story of friendship, love and resilience will stay on my mind for a long time to come. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

This book caught my attention from the very start. The author tells the story from the perspectives of 3 German women with one being of both German and Jewish parents. Two of the women find themselves in a school to learn how to be a proper German wife. The third women was a seamstress to her wealthy German patrons. This was an intriguing story highlighting what was expected of these women while disregarding their beliefs. Courage and friendship are prevalent throughout the horrible war years. The author did incredible research to bring another untold aspect of this time to light! Highly recommend! #TheSchoolForGermanBrides #AimeeKRunyan #NetGalley

The School for German Brides is a fast paced, engrossing read that won’t want to put down. Hanna Rombauer is a young German woman who is sent to live with her aunt and uncle in Berlin after her mother’s death. Hanna soon realizes that money causes more problems than you realize. Hanna is thrust into Nazi society and has to walk a thin line to protect her soul and life. Tilde is a half Jewish girl who is also trying to figure out her place in Nazi Germany. The story alternates between each woman’s point of view.
This story is a roller coaster of emotions. The contrast of the Nazi brutality with Hanna and Tilde’s hope will keep you reading.
Aimie K. Runyan’s research was impeccable. I learned so much about this time period that I never knew. I look forward to reading more of her books. I want to thank Aimie K. Runyan, William Morrow & Company, and Netgalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

If you are a WWII historical fiction fan, this book is different as it is told from the perspective of three German young women. The setting is in Berlin in the 1930’s when Hitler has come into power. The Jewish community is living in fear for their lives. The Arian Germans either enthusiastically follow the Reich and Hitler’s plans to eradicate the Jews or they live in fear of their lives too.
The story is told in the voices of these three courageous women. One is from a wealthy family, one is not, and the third girl is a mischling, who does not appear Jewish. How their lives intersect is quite moving and interesting.
Hitler expected the ideal women to be breeders and to obey and serve their husbands. The Reich actually had schools to train the women before marriage. The title suggests that the story focuses on this German bride school, but that is only a small part of this book. The relationship between the three women was heartwarming at at times dangerous. I was totally absorbed in this book and I like this author’s style of writing.

First let me say I love this author. Her writing style brings you into the book and you feel as if you are there. This book is amazing. It’s the story of a girl who is sent to love her aunt and uncle in Berlin after her mother dies. This is during WWII and the best thing a German girl can do is marry a SS officer. It is also the story of the half-Jewish girl who is trying to make a life in Berlin when everyone is being taken away.

I loved the stories of the two woman from seemingly opposite side is society. The book is told by both of them and the chapter tells you who’s story you will read. I read late into the night to finish this book because once I started I just had to read until the end!

The School for German Brides is my first book by author Aimie K. Runyan. This was a great introduction to her work. I've found myself reading a lot of books set in World War II lately, and it's becoming a favorite setting for me. The title of this book was a bit misleading, as the "school" didn't make its way into the book until we get to 69 percent finished. The description made it sound like most of the story takes place in that setting. Despite that, I really enjoyed it and finished it in two days. (Thanks, boss, for being out of town so I could read instead of doing actual work.)

Hanna Rombauer, a German young lady, is sent to live in Berlin with her aunt and uncle in 1938 after her mother dies. She is unused to her new luxurious surroundings, and her independence and desire to be a doctor is unacceptable to her new guardians. After all, in Hitler's Germany, a woman's role should be solely a wife and mother to strengthen the glory of the Fatherland. She is pushed toward a relationship with an SS captain who is 20 years her senior, and one she wants nothing to do with; that has no bearing on the matter, however. She finds a friend in Karla Schmidt, but that relationship sours when the captain chooses Hanna to be his bride instead of her. Meanwhile, German Jew Mathilde (Tilde) Altman, who runs a sewing shop, is losing everything she loves. After Tilde becomes pregnant, her young husband decides he must leave her to discover the fate of his family who were taken to the camps. Needing to hide as she is close to giving birth, she relies on the help of her friend Karla and Hanna who are now attending the bride school. Will they be able to survive the hell their lives have become?

This story, though heartbreaking at times, was also quite uplifting. The strength of women, even in the face of encroaching evil, can be astounding. Their friendships and compassion, too, are stronger than they themselves can ever imagine. Hanna, Tilde and Karla were all inspiring characters. Though she wasn't mentioned in the blurb for the book, Klara was just as important as the other two young women. Just when I believed Karla was a hateful girl and not too true a friend, she totally surprised me. Tilde was a talented seamstress who ran her mother's shop. She looked Aryan, so she handled business with the public while her mother stayed upstairs. Her father divorced her mother when it became apparent that being married to a Jew would ruin his career and perhaps put him in danger. Just like that he dusted his hands of his family. He refused to help them leave Germany for the safety of the United States. Tilde's mother finally is able to obtain papers allowing her to leave Germany, but there are no papers for Tilde. However, she's fallen in love with a gifted Jewish musician and instrument maker, so she will have her own family to be with. But then tragedy strikes and her in-laws are taken away to camps, and her husband cannot bear not knowing their fate; he leaves his young pregnant bride to search for them, and now Tilde is alone. She quickly learns how neighbors are suddenly eager to out the Jews to gain special favors, or so they themselves will be left alone. It is then that Tilde finds out who her friends truly are. Hanna was my favorite character. She was heartbroken over the loss of her beloved mother. She wanted to stay with her remaining family, but her father sent her away to her aunt and uncle anyway. They were quite generous, but it soon became apparent their main goal was to marry off Hanna to a successful SS officer to give themselves a higher position in the party. Hanna really didn't have any say in the matter. She was briefly permitted to attend university, though not in the field she wanted, but her cruel husband-to-be began making her professors disappear. She returned to visit her father one time, but she wasn't welcome and was returned to her aunt and uncle quickly. Hanna, though terrified of her situation, still managed to be strong. Though the school Hanna and Karla were sent to didn't appear until close to the end of the book, it is where everything came to a head and the young women discovered of what they were truly made. It was interesting to see the viewpoints of both Jewish and non-Jewish women in this time period, instead of one side being totally considered evil. It was a refreshing look at a heinous time in history. I enjoyed the epilogue on the fate of the women and shed some tears. I was confused a bit as the narration switched from Hanna to Tilde, but checking the chapter headings cleared up any confusion quickly. I look forward to reading more of this talented author's work and her unique vision of the past.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

This is a thoughtful book. I know that sounds a little strange but, to me, that’s the best way to describe it. The book was about several German girls during the War. Hanna was one of the first people you are introduced to. She is sent to live with her aunt and uncle after her Mother dies. Hanna’s aunt has big plans for her. One of the other girls that you are introduced to is Tilde , the seamstress and then there is Klara, always a disappointment to her Mother. The story kinda meanders through the earlier days of the War. About the last third of the book Hanna and Klara are sent to the school for brides. As with the rest of Hitler’s idea’s the school is a little ridiculous. I’m so very glad that women in general have evolved so much and especially the German women. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy for my honest review.