Heartwarming and Heartbreaking at the same time!
This is a story of 3 young women in Germany during World War II. It is told from the alternating points of view of Hanna, a poor German girl who is sent to live with her wealthy aunt and uncle in the city after her mother's death, and Tilde, a young half Jewish woman who is struggling to keep her mother hidden after her father's abandonment.

I LOVED this book! The alternating viewpoints were fantastic. There was enough of a feeling of danger without being too much. The ending made .me cry (always a sign of a wonderful book).

My only wish is that we would have gotten some of the story from the viewpoint of other characters (specifically Klara). I think those could have been added in a little bit while still telling the majority of the story from Tilde and Hannas viewpoints. I would have loved a little more about Klara at the end as well.

The School for German Brides is a compelling, moving, and well-researched book that takes place in Germany during Hitler’s rise to power. As with most historical fiction that takes place during WWII, this book was heartbreaking and tragic. I did like the main characters, Hanna and Tilde, two strong women each faced with different expectations and challenges. I had no idea there were schools for brides back then. That is what I love about reading historical fiction as I always learn something new. Aimie K. Runyan has written another wonderful book that I believe historical fiction fans will love.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.

Hannah moves in with her aunt and uncle after her mothers death. Her aunt Shar was her with beautiful gowns and nice things. Tilly is a talented seamstress who works in the shop with her and Hannah become friends. Little does Hannah know she is being showered with nice things because her aunt wants to marry her off to an older Nazi. Then there is Clara she runs in the same circles as Hannah and her aunt Malco is she to signed up for the Hitler youth which is really the future brides for Nazis group. They both worry about Tilly who is pregnant due to an assault by a different Nazi soldier, Who thought he had the right because Tilly is Jewish. This book was so good and it’s all about how three girls during the most violent time in the modern era get through things most people don’t even fathom. I can’t imagine it being a legal to be the religion I am but that’s what they faced and not only that they were women so their rights with you if nonexistent. This book was so good and although the summary doesn’t even come close to telling the story I found the author weave together all the sub stories and plots into one cohesive interesting tale. it can’t be easy to write such a story not emotionally or physically and yet she does it with grace and respect. I truly love this book and highly recommend it. I was given this book by Netgalley and the publisher and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Please forgive any grammatical or punctuation errors I am blind and dictate my review, but all opinions are my own.

There is something utterly hypnotic about Runyan's writing. In what felt like the same breath I started this book and then found myself over 50% in. This book pays homage to all the women whose lives were irrevocably altered by circumstances beyond their control.
There are two main storylines but in essence there are three main characters, Hanna, Tilde and Klara. Hanna went from living in a small town learning all her mother could teach her to being thrust into the lion's den of German high society. While her aunt portrayed a loving air, Hanna was unknowingly part of her aunt and uncle's plot to use her marriageable status to secure their own position and standing in the party.
Tilde had a loving family but that all changed when Jews were labelled as lesser beings and every association with them frowned upon. In a small show of defiance, Tilde attempted to have a "normal" life and pursue a romantic relationship. As the emotional toll and struggles of trying to survive as a Jew became all to real, Tilde was left alone.
Klara's desire to be involved with fashion and her family's status granted her privileges that not many others had. Like Hanna, Klara's family was looking to ensure their own security in the party through an advantageous marriage. Unlike Hanna, Klara seemed to accept the expectations placed upon her. Klara linked the women together as she initially befriended Hanna at school and took sewing lessons from Tilde. Klara became the pivotal player as the women struggled to survive the events that took them to the German Bride School.
Runyan wrote a breathtaking story. Three women who had their individual goals crushed all found ways to seemingly acquiesce to the system while at the same time they sought to challenge it. The School for German Brides will stay with you long after you close the book.
I received a copy of this title via NetGalley.

This story is about three young women, all in Germany, as Hitler rises to power.
There isn’t a lot written about the expectations of properly married Nazi wives. It is an age old issue; reducing women to perfect housekeeping wives and productive mothers. If a women isn’t content in her duties, or can’t bear children, they are failures. Tyrannical men are always beating down women. You must not think for yourself, use unapproved skills, or ever make your man look bad. I’ve lived it and it is extremely abusive and demeaning to a woman.
This story gives strength to women who rose above the rules in the midst of an evil Nazi dictator and elite military.

You’re going to want to dive into this book immediately after getting it. Ever wonder what it took to be considered a proper German fraulein cum frau? Read this book and find out. There’s so much below the surface. The read will keep you preoccupied and pondering. Dig deep and see what perfidy awaits.

The School for German Brides tells of strong women trying to be true to their values at a time when the only acceptable set of values in Germany belonged to Hitler. Hanna and Tilde, the two most prominent characters, have both been let down by their families. Hanna’s aunt and uncle are Nazi party faithful, as is Tilde’s father. Tilde’s mother is Jewish. Tilde’s father divorces her mother and leaves his family to have a better chance at survival. Tilde’s Aryan looks are an advantage as she supports both herself and her mother. As the story unfolds, each woman is forced to make choices in order to do more than survive. This is an excellent addition to the WWII historical fiction canon.

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

I loved The School for German Brides, but I wish the title and description spoke better to the book. The "bride school" and Hanna's dangerous interactions with Tilde don't come until the 70% mark and I found myself confused for much of the book if the "school" was the high school Hanna and Klara were attending originally or if it was somehow being used synonymous with BDM, though if it was it it wasn't' aligning with what I'd previously known of the "bride school"

Putting the title/description aside, I lost myself in Runyan's latest. The author once again shows herself to be a beautiful writer and talented storyteller with an enticing storyline. It's one I'll be recommending to historical fiction and war-time novel lovers.

This is not truly a story about the school for German brides. Instead, this is a story of German women doing what they have to in order to survive the Hitler regime. Hanna and Klara are matched and pledged to German soldiers, while Tilde is a young woman, born to a Jewish mother, who finds true love in times of war. The lives of these three young women come together in a display of friendship and love for others. This was such a good read!

Overall I thought this was a good book. I do wish it had actually focused on the School rather than just being a blip in the last 100 pages or so. It kind of seems like the title was a little misleading. Hanna's aunt and uncle, along with several other characters, were highly dislikable, but given the context of the story and the way Hanna is treated, it's obvious they are not meant to be very nice people and in that regard are written well. There were several times I wanted to grab at least one of them by the lapels and shake some sense into them. As appalling as these characters were at times, I think it's important to remember that this was a very real situation for thousands upon thousands and as unpleasant as it can be, it's important to hear these stories. I did like that even though Hanna and Tilde were the two POVs, we got to see Klara from both sides and she became a full character through them. We even learn what became of her in the epilogue. If I came across this author again, I would definitely read another of her books. 3.5 stars

Three German women, Three different walks of life, one war. Hanna's beloved mother dies and her father sends her to live with her aunt and uncle, two wealthy Nazi supporters. Hanna, young and naive finds her life in the control of her aunt and uncle whose only aim is to support the part in all aspects of their lives, including marrying Hanna off to an up and coming SS officer through it is not what Hanna wants.
Mathild, "Tilde", is a German Jew, her and her mother run a seamstress business after tilde's father, an Aryan "gentile" abandons them when it becomes "unsafe" to be associated with Jewish people.
The third person, though not one of the main POVs is Klara, Klara is from a premoninate,wealthy party supporting family who has her sights set on the Nazi SS officer that becomes engaged to Hanna instead. Tilde is also Klara's seamstress, fashioning sytlish dresses for Klara, thus also meeting Hanna.
As the war escalates and circumstances for German Jews deteriorates the three women's stories collide in one fateful episode.
The story is a good one, but the title is completely misleading. There isn't even a mention of a school for German brides until over 2/3s of the way through, and then it is skimmed over as a backdrop, nothing of substance about the school itself is told in this story.
I also fear that many who read this will come across with the impression that some of the characters are way to sympathitic to the Mazis. If not sympathitic to the Mazis, then Hanna is simply naive and spineless. She does not stick up for herself or her beliefs, even after being raped by the man shi is to be married to! Conon, grow some Hanna for goodness sakes! She was not a character I could connect with. She was a character I couldn't stomach. Tilde's character, on the other hand was a character a read could empathise with, her story is a soulfully sad, but heartenly courageous one. I feel Tilde's story alone carried this book, making it readable and holding interest despite the slow pace and weak main character.
Thank you to William Morrow and Custom House and Net Galley for the free ARC, I am leaving my honest review in return.

The School for German Brides by Aimie K. Runyan is a fascinating novel focusing on the lives of three young women living in Berlin at the beginning of World War II. Hanna Rombauer has grown up in the country and is in her final year of school. Following her beloved mother’s sudden death, Hanna’s father sends Hanna to live with her wealthy Aunt Charlotte and Uncle Otto in the city. Hanna’s life with the childless couple is luxurious but leaves no room for her independent streak. The eminent SS Captain Friedrich Schroeder is immediately enchanted by Hanna. He is quite a catch! Friedrich is twenty years Hanna’s senior and Hanna abhors him. Ignoring Hanna’s feelings, Charlotte stops at nothing to ensure an engagement.
Mathilde (Tilde) Altman is a young woman of mixed blood from a wealthy family. The Nuremberg laws led to Tilde’s gentile father divorcing her Jewish mother-claiming this was only a formality. Post-divorce Tilde’s father quickly marries another woman. Tilde and her mother are forced to move into an ancient apartment above their fabric shop. Tilde hides her Jewish identity and runs the business while her mother secretly tries to arrange emigration visas for them. Tilde also gives sewing lessons to Hanna’s friend, Klara Schmidt. While waiting to leave Berlin, Tilde falls in love with Samuel Eisenberg, altering her life forever.
Friedrich insists Hanna attend an elite bridal boarding school where she will be molded into the perfect German wife. Klara also attends the six-week program. Tilde’s life is in immediate danger and Klara hides her in a home on school grounds. When Tilde needs medical care, Klara begs Hanna for assistance. Will Hanna risk her life to save Tilde’s? The School for German Brides takes a familiar subject and presents it in a unique way. This thought provoking novel provides important lessons for us all.

I have enjoyed ever book I have read by Amie Runyan, and this one is no exception. While it may not be my favorite of hers, it touches on a compelling piece of German WWII history that I wasn't aware of. They had bride schools?

I always knew that Nazi Germany placed a lot of emphasis on the wood German House Wife and mother, I knew about the Lebensborn program, and the overall denial of women is certain professional fields such as medicine, law, etc. I did not know they went so far as having bride schools, though I can't say that I am surprised.

The main character had a lot of promise. However i felt her development fell a little flat. I sort of had hoped that she would rebel more against the stifling confinement of her aunt, uncle and fiancé. But several times she took the easier road, and failed to stand up for what she felt was morally just. In the end she makes a stand, and in a way redeems her failure to act earlier, but it came so late in the story.

I really thought the most compelling character was Klara. She was bright, hardworking, creative, and she had leadership qualities, even if she did not know it. I liked her sense of humor.

Aimie is a wonderful writer, and she creates relatable and contextually honest characters in her stories. I feel like she had more to tell us readers with this book, but maybe was forced to find its conclusion sooner than she had intended? Or maybe the story took on a life of its own and she needed to try to reel it in. I would of liked to see more of what happened in the immediate aftermath of leaving the bride school, and more about Klara. But alas, that must all happen in my imagination.

Thank you Netgalley for the free ebook preview of this story in exchange for an honest review. I am happy to provide this honest review. I'm still new at writing these, so please bare with me. I would give this one a sold 3.5 stars. Also thank you Aimie Runyan for writing another good story, I look forward to whatever you decide to write next.

Given No Choice

A tragic and heartbreaking story of three young women growing up in a Germany that is being controlled by the Nazi Party. Of choices they were not allowed to make and choices they were forced to make in order to stay alive.

In this time of chaos where the Jewish population was forced to either flee Germany or stay and be sent to concentration or death camps to perish. A story of those that would help them and those that would denounce them to the Germans. No one was safe and no place was safe. Those you thought were friends and relatives were as dangerous as the Nazi's themselves.

Tilde is a dressmaker, her and her mother run a small dry goods store and make custom dresses for the rich that can afford them. Tilde even gives dressmaking lessons to those girls in an affluent home that wish them. This is how she meets Klara whom she gives lessons to on dressmaking. Then when Hanna is sent to live with her aunt and uncle and needs dresses for dances and dinners Klara recommends Tilde to Hanna.

Tilde's father is a Nazi and he left Tilde and divorced her mother when it became unhealthy for a German to be married to a Jewish woman. After Tilde's husband left to find his Jewish family that had been taken away by the Nazi's, she is pregnant and alone. When the German's raid her apartment and shop she has no one to help and goes to Klara for help.

Both Klara and Hanna are engaged to German SS Officers that have been chosen by Klara's parents and Hanna's aunt and uncle. Since they have had some views and a few issues that are unbecoming to a German wife they have both been sent to a school for German brides to learn to be the perfect German wife. All they want is to escape but that is not a choice given to them.

When Tilde asks Klara for help she is on the brink of having her baby. Klara hides her in a caretaker's shack on an estate by the school. When her baby comes she enlists Hanna's help who delivers Tilde's baby in the shack. Tilde is caught escaping and the girls make up a story to keep her safe, but Friedrich , Hannah's fiancee does not buy it and she must marry him to keep Tilde and the baby safe.

What will become of Tilde and the baby and will Klara and Hanna be safe with the ruthless SS Officers they have been forced to marry? What is their story and how will it take place? This was a book about women and how they were oppressed in Nazi Germany. How they exerted themselves in little ways to help others and how dangerous it was for everyone that disagreed in any way with the Nazi Party.

This was a good historical book, it wasn't violent nor did it go into gruesome details of the war, but rather it spoke of the truths and the horrors of the Nazi regime. It spoke of the German people and how it was in that time in history.

I am glad I read this book and I would recommend it.

Thanks to Aimie K. Runyan for writing a great story, to William Morrow and Custom House for publishing it and to NetGalley for making it available to me.

The last few years has seen a myriad of reading choices that feature a WWII theme. Count this as one of the few that truly sets itself apart. It takes place in Germany during the rise of Hitler and the Nazi party. Hanna has been sent away from her rural upbringing after the death of her mother to live with her well-to-do aunt and uncle who are firm believers in the Nazi party's way of thinking. Their goal is to see her married off, to a well-positioned SS officer, thus securing their standing in the world of Naziism. And it doesn't matter what she thinks about the arrangement. Tilde, a dressmaker, can pass for Aryan despite having a Jewish mother. But that doesn't mean she's safe from the increasing violence taking place in Berlin. While the horrible atrocities that took place back then are peripherally mentioned, this book takes us in a different direction. I could feel Hanna's frustration as she was made to tow the line and be the young ingenue who wasn't allowed to think for herself or step outside of the boundaries set for her by her family. At the same time, Tilde's perspective is much different, but no less compelling. I applaud Aimie K. Runyan for her ability to open up new avenues of thinking about a time in history that is much-written about. I loved getting to know these characters and couldn't wait to turn the pages.

I was looking forward to this book because of my own family history. I enjoyed the story quite a bit as I had heard of the school for German brides in a previous book that I had read. The story is about 3 women of different backgrounds and experiences during the WWII period. Each experiences difficult experiences and different lifestyles during this dangerous time.
The story revolves around Klara, a wealthy young German woman who is friends both with Tilde, a young Jewish Mischling (1/2 Jewish and 1/2 German) and Hanna, whose mother passed and she lives with her aunt and uncle who give her all the worldly things she could want or need, yet there is still something clearly missing in her life.

I did think the main focus of this book would be the school for the German brides, and I had hoped to learn more about that experience itself. All in all, it was an interesting book that was a very intriguing read.
I received an ebook copy of this book from NetGalley and William Morrow. All thoughts are my own.

A thought-provoking and captivating story about courage, in the face of war, hatred, and heartbreak. Three women’s stories intertwine to paint a vivid picture of life in 1930’s Germany. WWII fiction fans will devour this beautifully written book.

The School for German Brides
by Aimie K. Runyan
Pub Date: April 26, 2022
William Morrow
Thanks to the author, William Morrow, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.
I adore historical fiction. This is the first book of Runyan's I have read. I will be sure to look at her other books.
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 during an extremely volatile time.
Aimie K. Runyan looks at the Second World War from a different point of view and what it 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. Good Book!

The School For German Brides is the first book I have read by Aimee K. Runyan. First I must state that the title was very misleading. Nothing was mentioned about the school until I was over half way into the book. When I read historical fiction I like to learn something new and I was interested to hear about the schools that German brides were sent to. Even once two of the main characters were sent to the school there was very little detail about what on there. I did finish the book but skimmed through most of it. All that being said I appreciate every author that writes about the Holocaust. It is a time in our history that must never be forgotten. I think this would be a great book for young adults. Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow Custom House for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The School for German Brides was a wonderful story from 3 different points of views. Most WWII historical fiction books talk about resistance, but this one had a different spin to resistance. I felt this book was nicely written and I really enjoyed the ending