A historical WW II romance novel. A very quick read. Took me less than a day. Very emotional. I loved it all. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read and review a book from my favorite genre

Fantastic book with a lovely cover and i read in a matter of days, great cast of characters with twists.

Loved this book set at the start of WWII set in Vienna quite frankly I don’t think we have enough books set in Vienna. I personally want more.

I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley for review and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Recommending for young adult reader.
This is a tale of war time bravery with decisions made in an instant that have long lasting consequences. Loss, faith, love, hope and resilience in the face of horrific evil are reoccurring themes. Enjoyable book with strong characters. Great book for book clubs or discussion youth aged groups .

I have enjoyed all of Marius Gabriels books. This is no different - a stunning story set in Austria during the lead to WW2. Katya against her will arrives in Vienna and, despite her fury, ends up loving the family she joins as a governess. The horror of the rise of the Nazi's is covered in detail during Katya's experience in Austria. It is hard to fathom the brutality of the SS and Gestapo and the adoration of many of the Austrian people towards the occupation. A story of courage, strength and vulnerability. Wonderful characters and beautifully written.

Engaging historical romance set in Austria during the German invasion. As expected, this latest by prolific Marius Gabriel has a solid narrative and characterization. I especially enjoyed the character of the troubled child who in the hands of the governess/would-be doctor flourishes into a lovely human being. Aside from the topic of the imminent arrival of WW2, Gabriel’s focus on behavioral issues in children, supported by real-life historical figures like Freud and Asperger who appear in the story, gives the novel an extra oomph to make the reading experience all the more worthwhile. The romance between the protagonist and her employer feels a bit hurried but the overall delivery is quite impressive. Definitely recommended, especially to those seeking emotionally-driven offerings. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

It begins in 1937 .with Katya Komarovsky studying medicine in Glasgow. She is excited about her plans to become a doctor, and life is good. Then she gets a call from her spendthrift parents that they are in dire financial trouble and she must quit school and become a governess for a 12 year old girl who is severely troubled, in order to get them out of debt and save them financially. Katya resentfully goes to live with the widower and his daughter. As she spends more and more time with the two of them, she begins to fall in love with them both. She discovers Gretchen's amazing musical talent, and as she grows closer to the girl, she is able to understand her better and therefore change many of Gretchen's negative behavorial issues. When the Nazi's begin to invade Vienna, and Thor is arrested, Katya has to take Gretchen and flee. It is up to her to keep Gretchen safe, and out of the hands of those who would want to put Gretchen in a Nazi medical research laboratory, never to be seen again.
This book was so good. I have read a lot of WWII books, but none about the Nazi medical research laboratory, or the role Hans Asperger played in this. This was truly fascinating, and I ended up doing a few searches on the internet to find out more on the subject after reading about this. I loved Katya. She was a force to be reckoned with, and I loved how she protected Gretchen and completely turned her life around in the story. This book is definitely a must-read for all historical fiction fans, and especially all WWII fans out there.

After a promising start I was a little bit disappointed by the path this story took. I did not particularly warm to Katya as she took up her new post, her immediate success with the awkward Gretchen and the attraction to her father was a bit predictable. The description of life in Vienna, although interesting was a bit lacking in depth.
As the Nazis arrived and it is decided that Katya and Gretchen must leave, the story continued to follow a fairly familiar path. I am afraid that I found the constant repetition of Nazi sentiments quite difficult to read and several times was almost on the verge of giving up. I am glad I persevered though as the last part of the story introduced new characters which livened it up a little, leading to a satisfying conclusion.

I just can't get enough of great Historical Fictions books and this one is one that I really enjoyed. The story of young woman, Katya, who wants to make a career in medicine and the last thing on her mind is attending to and looking after a parents financially which puts her career at risk.

But that is not the half of it as the story builds from there. Resentment, war and looking after a young girl lead to big changes in the life of Katya. The book has all the emotion, courage, rage and danger you would expect.

This is a well written book with some wonderful characters who have been well thought out and have so much personality and strength in them. I think this is what makes it such a great book as it is their story.

A great book that I highly recommend.

Goodnight, Vienna finds Katya in Vienna on the cusp of WWII. She was forced to go to Vienna by her parents in order to be a governess for Gretchen, who has learning disabilities. Despite her unwillingness to go, she quickly falls in love with Gretchen, and her father Thor. But soon Germany invades Austria, Thor is arrested, and Katya finds herself with Gretchen trying to escape the country to go back home to her parents in England.

While there are a number of heartbreaking events in this novel, the relationship between Katya and Gretchen is very endearing, and we also get some glimmers of hope in such a dark time by kindness shown to them by some people they meet along the way.

I didn’t know too much about Germany’s invasion of Austria so I was very interested in reading about events from this perspective. At times I felt like some of the events that happened were a bit unrealistic and seemed to fit in too neatly for the sake of the story, but this one is definitely worth the read.

Saving Gretchen

There are times in life when we make great sacrifice for others, even for strangers, this is one of those times. To some it would be inconceivable that one would give up their career and risk their lives for a child that was not their own. This is a story of a young woman and a gifted child that had to be saved at all costs.

Katya and her parents were forced to flee from Russia when the reds came and had gone to England where they have made their home and were now British citizens. Katya had been sent to the best schools and was currently attending medical school with her dreams of becoming one of the few women doctors. Then her world ended when her parents told her they were basically bankrupt and she must take a post as a governess in Vienna to save them from financial ruin. This made Katya very angry but finally she agreed since there was no more money for school or for anything else it appeared.

Upon arriving in Vienna Katya meets Thor and his trouble daughter Gretchen. The child cannot read or write, but she is a musical prodigy. Gretchen can play any song just from hearing it on the gramophone. Katya soon falls in love with both the father (her employer) and the daughter.

Then the Nazi's arrive and horrible events start to happen. Their friends are arrested and questioned, some are murdered. One day Thor is arrested and Katya is left with Gretchen to care for alone. When Gretchen is threatened with medical euthanasia because she cannot read and write, Katya knows that somehow she needs to get Gretchen out of Austria.

Will Katya be successful at saving Gretchen. she almost gives up when they barely escape being sent to Dachau, but then she has help from Austrian strangers that do not believe in the Nazi's and their view for Vienna. These proud Austrians put their lives on the line to help Katya and Gretchen.
The story is exciting and full of suspense and terror. It is also full of the love that a young woman has for the child and the trust they both have in each other. It makes for a great story of the lengths that some will go to for others.

I did enjoy reading this book about great courage in the face of danger and I would recommend it.

Thanks to Marius Gabriel for writing a great story, to Amazon Publishing U.K. and Lake Union Publishing for publishing the book and to NetGalley for making it available to me.

I might be in the minority with my thoughts on this one. At the beginning it pulled me in and I enjoyed the main characters. I also enjoyed a different perspective but I felt there was a big build up and then the ending was just abrupt. The epilogue did answer questions I have but I was expecting more to the ending.

Absolutely brilliant book! I thoroughly enjoyed it!! I've added Gabriel to my favourite author list. I will post a more in-depth review on @Hyggebookclub via Instagram as soon as I'm Well enough. A stellar read for a fan of historical fiction, based on frightening and true experiences.

Katya a single Russian women moved to England with her parents but as they became bankrupt she was forced to Vienna to become a Governess to Gretchen and work for Thor. As in many novels they fall in love but with WW2 just around the corner life becomes very complicated and hard. I’ve read many WW2 novels but this made me very emotional and I couldn’t put it down. Thanks Marius your publisher and NetGalley. Well worth 5 stars.

Goodnight, Vienna tells the story of Katya, a young Russian woman living in England who is sent by her parents to be the governess of Gretchen, the daughter of a very wealthy Viennese man, Thor. Katya falls in love with Thor and becomes a surrogate mother to Gretchen. In 1938, after the Anschluss, Thor is arrested and Katya flees with Gretchen to save their lives from the Nazis. No spoilers, of course, but both Katya and Gretchen grow and survive loss and brutality and come out stronger. This beautifully-written story was difficult to read sometimes as the Nazi's cruelty wasn't glossed over. I found myself staying up late to read this book! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I found this to be a compelling read. It was an intense read and kept me interested from start to finish.

Hats off to author Marius Gabriel for writing a 5-star novel that encapsulated all of what ‘Goodnight, Vienna’ really means.

Firstly, the phrase captured in the title implies ‘it’s all over.’ Readers certainly get a sense of all the threads in this story that showcase that meaning; it’s over for Austria after Anschluss, it’s over for Katerina’s post-secondary education and it’s over for Mr./Mrs. Komarovsky.

Secondly, the phrase also refers to an implied coming conclusion that’s become inevitable. Readers certainly see the inevitable situation the Jews find themselves in when Austria is incorporated into the Third Reich, the inevitable when Katya assumes her caregiver role in the Bachmann household and the inevitable when it’s revealed what’s happening behind closed doors at Dr. Hans Asperger’s clinic. I love this title!

Gabriel stuffs so much into this novel, yet it doesn’t read like stuffing oneself at Christmas dinner and walking away uncomfortable. It’s amazing what little known historical facts he’s included!

The absolute highlight of the book for me was how expertly Gabriel was able to tap into my emotions. I threw this book down MANY times and walked away. Yet, I kept coming back to it because Gabriel tells so much more than a story; it’s full of emotion-evoking scenes! The unsympathetic characters in this novel were fantastic. I loved to hate the ugly soul of the man they met at the resort. I just knew when he opened his mouth there’d be more nasty comments I wouldn’t like. Furthermore, there were cruel characters doing cruel things. I knew when Katya took Gretchen to Dr. Asperger’s clinic, I’d hate what I’d read. Katya’s reaction to the care Gretchen was receiving gave me validation for the emotions I was experiencing. Because Gabriel crafted Gretchen as a mysterious, gifted and delicate child, I was already cautious of people who came into her life. When I saw how others treated her, I became agitated. With respect to the effects of war, the suspense and anticipation Gabriel included only served to increase the tension and emotional impact. He was able to draw the fear out just enough that when horror occurred, I lost it!

At a close second was the conflict Gabriel included in Katya’s life; she was placed in an uncomfortable spot where there really were no options. I loved that she was en route to achieving her dream of becoming a doctor and giving back to society and loved her strength and drive. Therefore, when she was made aware of her parents’ improvidence and their plea (solution) was presented, I got defensive. It propelled me to keep reading because I had to find out the repercussions of the ‘choice.’

Katerina Komarovsky and the Bachmann family's tale is an exceptional read and should be on every historical fiction lover’s radar come February 8, 2022.

I received this advance copy from Marius Gabriel, Amazon Publishing UK, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Goodnight, Vienna

by Marius Gabriel

Amazon Publishing UK
Rated: 4

Back of the Book: “Katya never wanted to look after Gretchen. Now she’s the young girl’s only hope of survival.

1937. Katya Komarovsky is studying medicine in Glasgow, living among friends, and eager to begin her career as a doctor. But when her spendthrift parents announce that they’ve run out of money and are facing ruin—and that she’ll now have to support them by working as a governess in Vienna—the life she’s dreamed of goes up in smoke.

Furiously resentful, Katya rages at her wealthy employer, Thor, for stealing her future—and saddling her with twelve-year-old Gretchen, a deeply troubled child who has only a blazing musical talent to redeem her. Yet as Katya grudgingly digs into her reserves of compassion, she finds herself losing her heart to both father and daughter.

Storm clouds are gathering, though, and when Hitler annexes Austria, patriot Thor is arrested, leaving Katya wholly responsible for saving ‘imperfect’ Gretchen from being forced into a Nazi medical research laboratory. With the terrifying uncertainty of the new world order, can Katya and Gretchen flee to safety? And dare they dream of ever seeing Thor again?”

Impressions: Although this was not my typical genre of clean romance, I have to say that I devoured this book. Like a ball rolling, I couldn’t resist the momentum and read far past my bedtime. I think that the journey these characters went through was gruesome but authentic to the struggles I’ve read about of WW2. I was stumped with Gretchen's character, however. I wasn’t sure what she was struggling with. Was she dyslexic? Was she just odd due to being a prodigy? There was too much inconsistency in her behavior for me to justify her as autistic, although that is what I feel the reader is made to believe. I also felt this was not a great romance. The characters were awkwardly paired in my opinion and never really had time to show depth in their relationship. Regardless the journey of this story is what was fascinating and worth reading.

Quotes: “‘Longing for what you can’t have is the recipe for unhappiness.’”

“‘Think of it as an adventure. Whatever happens, it’s going to be an interesting experience for you. And in my book, interesting experiences are what make life worth living.’”

“‘In my experience, even the most difficult children respond to honesty and kindness.’” - I wouldn’t limit this thought to children.

“‘You’re not very polite, Gretchen,’ Katya said. ‘Why should I be? Nobody bothers being polite to me.’” -Perspective...

“‘Being brave doesn’t mean not being frightened. Being brave means carrying on even though you are frightened.’”

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review shared here.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I lived for a short time in Vienna, and am always drawn to novels set there, but this was a great discovery and I was rapidly pulled into this WWII story with its excellent sense of place and time.

The year is 1937 and Katya is a bright and promising medical student in the UK. Her parents, Russian noblemen who fled their homeland with young Katya at the outset of the Russian Revolution, are now on the brink of bankruptcy. No longer able to afford Katya’s medical school and counting on her to be the family breadwinner, they ship her off to Vienna to take a governess position with a wealthy Viennese family.

Katya is distraught by this turn of events and furious with her new employer, the wealthy businessman Thorwald (Thor) Bachmann. She is even more perplexed as to why she has been chosen to care for his difficult twelve-year-old daughter, Gretchen, who is awkward and shy and cannot read or write. But while Gretchen struggles with most aspects of daily life, she is a musical genius, playing complicated musical compositions by ear.

Despite her earlier misgivings, Katya is quickly drawn to this lonely girl and wants to protect her. But Germany’s annexation of Austria (the Anschluss) changes everything – and raises the stakes for protecting Gretchen from falling prey to Nazi eugenics experiments.

This novel had striking depictions of Vienna leading up to the Anschluss and war, including deft depictions of the disbelief many sophisticated Viennese displayed at each stage leading them closer to the Third Reich, desperately hoping that things would not get any worse. There were also excellent segments on the work of Dr Hans Asperger, whose key role in the Nazi eugenics experiments has been uncovered in recent years. The story of Thor, Katya and Gretchen and the horrors they encounter in their attempts to flee an increasingly authoritarian city make for a fully engrossing World War II novel. I highly recommend this novel.

This book did not start very promisingly. The language was cliched and stilted - I almost gave up. I’m very glad I didn’t. This tells the story of Katya daughter of Russian aristocratic parents who fled the revolution. To save her parents she is forced to abandon her studies and take a job as a governess in Vienna at the very start of the Second World War. Up until this point I didn’t like the story at all, the romantic element I felt was contrived and unbelievable but then Nazism takes hold and the story takes on a much wider scope. To save her charge from the horrors of the Third Reich there is nothing Katya wouldn’t do - the bulk of the book follows their desperate e attempts to escape and the horrors and bravery they encounter on the way. The second part of this book is incredibly moving, emotional and powerful .I won’t say too much more for fear of spoiling the story but it is a book that will stay with me for a long while.
Excellent - don’t be put off by the stilted beginning.