At first Kitty seemed like an overindulged, spoiled, carefree woman. Her desire to be loved and have adventures paralleled her wish to be taken seriously in the male dominated field of international relations. While she appeared to get everything she wanted, Kitty knew that under the surface things weren't quite right. As the Nazis encroached upon her world, Kitty had to decide what course she was going to take.
The author focused on some of the darkest days in Vienna during WWII. This story highlighted the bravery of so many who chose to do what was right at great risk to themselves. Lucyk-Berger's writing was so compelling and her characters so richly developed that the reader cannot help but be fully immersed in the story. From Minnesota to Toyoko, from Vienna to London, readers follow Kitty as she struggled to find a balance in her life and her marriage.

I received a copy of this title via NetGalley.

The American Wife (The Diplomat's Wife Book 1)
By: Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger
Publish Date: Apr 14, 2023

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture Publishing and the author, Christyna Lucyk-Berger for the advanced copy of The American Wife.

Are you looking for something new to sink your teeth into, but historical? A book that will make you laugh, cry and scream....I knew it?! Well, take a chance on this amazing book, because you will not be disappointed!!

The story follows, Gertude Larsson, an American nicknamed Kitty who has previously been engaged twice, when she meets Edgar, a friend of her brother Nils. Kitty thinks he is everything she could want and falls in love, fast. Unfortunately, their meeting ends rather quickly and he returns to Vienna. Edgar does tell Kitty he loves her though. At that point Kitty decides she will work abroad and find Edgar. Through the story of Kitty and Edgar's relationship, Kitty's boss, co-workers and friends, Edgar's prominent career opportunity -if he follows the Nazi rules, we are right along side the happiness, heartbreak, hope and confusion that has changed everyone's life overnight. Leaving the ultimate question, can love, both romantic and platonic, survive anything?

I really enjoyed this book. The authors words flowed so smoothly from character to character and chapter to chapter.

My favorite part, besides that the book is based partially on real life people, is when the boss John Cooper whose staff are in charge of intaking visa applications tells everyone no matter who comes in, if they can be helped or not, they will be treated as humans and kindly. To maintain human decency in the midst of chaos and confusion risking your life is absolutely incredible and carries on through the book. Hope, love, trust and decency.

#TheAmericanWife #NetGalley #ChristynaLucykBerger

Kitty's meeting with Edgar, a friend of her brother, Nils, meant Kitty had no desire to return to America. Instead she gained a position in Vienna which would keep her close to where Edgar lived and worked. Kitty's position became tenuous when the Nazis infiltrated Vienna, and her marriage to Edgar on New Year's Eve held great excitement, as well as trepidation, for Kitty. Her dress had been designed by a woman who'd become a close friend, but Judith and her son Oskar were Jewish and danger was creeping closer. Kitty was determined to help her friends - the gang as she called them - without her husband's help, as she was certain he was on the side of the Germans.

The Resistance were flourishing in Vienna and soon Kitty was deeply involved, without Edgar knowing what she was doing. He travelled a lot with his work, which made it far easier for her. But when the Germans picked her up for a misdemeanor, they told her they now had a folder of her. Kitty knew she needed to be more careful than ever. As danger came closer, Edgar and Kitty grew further apart. But she didn't trust him - how could she? Would her plans succeed?

The American Wife is the 1st in The Diplomat's Wife series by Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Kitty's courage and bravery stood out as she struggled to overcome her terror at what was happening. Plus her determination to stay in Vienna to help her dearest friends, instead of escaping to safety in America, showed her true strength. I'm looking forward to #2 very much. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

You know when you start reading a book by Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger that you are going to get a book that will leave you thinking about it and compelling yourself to debate, what would I have done in this case. This book is exactly that and more, it will stay with you for long after you finish reading it.
The book is so well written that you feel inside the story, living the rising of the Nazi party and the beginning of WWII along with our protagonist Kitty Larsson, and American woman trying to become a diplomat in Europe and her Austrian husband Edgar.
The story is one of patriotism, love, danger, resilience, and standing up for your principles and what you think is right. The accurate historical details show the amount of research the author did in order to write the book and the dedication cates to her writing.
By mixing actual historical people, like the Americans Wiley and Morris and the British Thomas Kendrick, with fictional characters along with a superb plot and good characters we got a hard to put down book.
You should definitely get and read this book as soon as you can.
I can wait for the next book in the series.

A well researched WWII historical novel.
Set in Vienna in the years just prior to World War II
Kitty and Edgar, her Austrian husband have the perfect life until Hitler and his Nazi regime start to annexe Austria.
It’s a story of resilience and courage, as Kitty decides to join a resistance group to fight back against the Nazi’s.
A very informative and emotive book.
Looking forward to the next instalment.
Thanks Chrystyna, Bookouture and Netgalley for the preview copy

The American Wife is the first book in a new series, The Diplomat's Wife.
As I've said many times before in my reviews, I love reading books I can learn from this one is a perfect example of this.
Incredibly well researched, the time period taking place right before WW II starts.
After an American woman, Kitty in Vienna has a whirlwind relationship and marriage to Austrian diplomat Edgar she feels in over her heard in Europe and longs for the comfort of home.
A lovely Jewish woman, Judith, her first real friend in Vienna, Austria introduces her to culture and art. I enjoyed being introduced to the cultural aspect of the story.
Our main characters Kitty and Edgar are based on facts gathered on many different actual people and rolled into these characters which I found to make such interesting characters.
During the Austrian resistance in Vienna many people stood up to the Nazis.
"An absolutely heartbreaking, powerful and gripping story about finding love, resilience and friendship in the midst of the darkness of World War 2."
Such a powerful read that will stay with me. I could not put it down.

Pub Date 14 Apr 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

The American Wife is a fantastic story of the years and events leading up to World War II.

The story started off pretty slowly for me. I honestly didn't like Kitty very much in the first several chapters. While she had goals and ambitions and was determined to work as a Diplomat no matter what it took I felt her interactions with others were somewhat immature. That changed as Kitty grew and matured from a self centered young woman to one who reached out to others as well as sticking her neck out to do things to help her friends and others in desperate need. It also took time for me to appreciate Edgar, the Austrian who became Kitty's husband. To me he started out as someone who was taking advantage of her rather than someone who truly loved her and would look out for her.

The character development is strong and the setting descriptions are wonderful. I really felt that I was getting to know them and knew enough about them to like them or not. The attention to detail in describing the events of the time and their effects on the people of Austria and Europe is superb. In The American Wife Chrystyna tells of the horror which fell upon these countries literally overnight changing the way of life for everyone in a sensitive and factual manner.

This was definitely an emotional book for me. I found myself becoming angry about how the hands of the government agents were tied as they tried to help people. I was frustrated by the facts that other countries refused to help by their inaction. I was angry about how Austria (and other countries) were streamrolled. I cried for the people who were killed and rejoiced over small victories and those things that were done to stick it to the invaders, no matter how small. Several times I found myself thinking that Kitty was where she was "For such a time as this".

I did not want to put this story down. When my e-reader battery wore down I stood by the charger and read.

The American Wife in certainly riveting. It is one of the best stories I have read featuring the Resistance in any country. I will definitely be reading this book again.

I received an ARC copy of this book. All opinions here are solely my own.

The American Wife is a heart-wrenching and unputdownable World War 2 fiction novel that starts in Vienna, in 1937. The story follows Kitty, a diplomat's wife, who risks everything to save her dearest friend and others from the Nazis. Kitty is brave, resilient and a very strong character who wants to love her husband. But as time goes on and he becomes distant and deeper involved with the Nazis can she really trust him? Kitty is torn, but she knows what she must do.

It's a fabulous read for its emotional depth, well-developed characters, and historical accuracy.

Overall, The American Wife is a must-read for anyone interested in historical fiction, World War 2, or stories of love and friendship and one I highly recommend.

Lovely ww2 romance

New to me author with the start of a new series that is part romance part spy novel. I really enjoyed reading the book and highly recommend it.

Thank you to the publisher who lent me a time limited e-arc via netgalley with no obligation. This review is optional and my own opinion

I regret to say before this book I had not read any books written by Mrs. Lucyk-Berger. However, The American Wife is so poignantly beautiful that I intend to delve into the authors other books. The story takes place shortly before/ at the beginning of Hitler’s takeover of Austria. The main protagonist is an American who marries an Austrian diplomat. The twists and turns of the plot were often unexpected and a delightful change from the average plot line where you can see the end coming. Highly recommend to any Historical Fiction lovers.

The American Wife is a captivating book about an American woman named Kitty. When she first met her husband Edgar a diplomat in Vienna, I found myself holding my breath and feeling all the feelings with Kitty as their whirlwind romance takes flight. But soon, they are faced with the horrific realty of the Anschluss. Soon, Kitty tries to help her band of friends known as "The Gang". Kitty joins the resistance without hesitation, using her channels as a secretary with the American Consulate. There are so many twist, turns and a shocking reveal at the end. The American Wife is easily one of my favorite reads this year, and I am waiting with baited breath for the continuation.

A special thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to review The American Wife.

I enjoyed reading this because the characters and the story were intriguing. The end of the book had me itching to find out when book 2 would be published. I really appreciated the work the author put into the world building by weaving on details about the cities and countries in which this book is set.

would like to thank netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this outstanding book

have to admit i was hooked by this book and couldnt put it down and never would i have imagined half of what was going to happen in this book

i dont really want to give to much away but this book will have you hooked and you wont be able to put it down once you start

will be keeping an eye out for more of this authors works as her writing is incredible and each character in her book are well thought out and either likeable or not and i just fell into this book and wasnt released until the end and now i have to wait for the second book in this brilliant series

Although I usually read Christian/Amish books, sometimes I a historical read.
History is important to learn something from the past, understand today events, be prepared for the future, not make the same mistakes.
The book is the story of Kitty, a determined, energetic woman from Minnesota in the USA, married to Edgar, an Austrian man. They live in Vienna.
"He had both feet firmly on the ground and had paid attention to her like it mattered"
Sometimes people address Kitty to "you Americans can't possibly understand what I mean. You have no culture."
Kitty suspects awful events, then experiences them and "she realized she had to believe it. It had been right in front of her all this time"
A lot of question in her mind: why so much anger? Why Jews? Why don’t people understand? Why don’t other countries help?
This book is intense, captivating, haunting, informative. I recommend it, enjoy.
Thank you to the Author, Editor, Netgalley for lettin me read this book. All opinions are my own.

A great story told with heartfelt sincerity and in some cases a lot of pain. A WWII story should always be approached with care since its contents are inevitably hard to digest, but the author managed to convey a new approach that through the horrors of persecution showed hope.
The story follows Kitty, an American that wished to follow her brother and work as a diplomat. Unfortunately that road is not very open for women and she struggles as an assistant without much independence. Also she asked to be posted in Vienna because she fell in love with an Austrian diplomat. Her life is quickly disturbed by the events that led to the war and she is torn by her love for her husband and her duty to her Jewish friends and to her conscience. A hard story but very well written.

The American Wife by Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger was a 5 star read for me. To be a 5 star read means that it is a book that I have a hard time putting down at night when it's time to turn off the light and go to sleep. For people who like a book that has a strong female as the main character in a European setting during WWII and the years leading up to it that includes plenty of action and suspense - The American Wife is one I can heartily recommend.

Intriguing plot, full of twists and heart wrenching decisions. Very descriptive in how the war started. Loved the characters and how they set the story.

Nothing is like it seems, that's what the story told in The American Wife teaches us. Kitty always lived a charmed life and although in her twenties, she does not know what to do with her life. She flies to Tokyo to visit her brother and asks to be given a chance at the diplomatic corps. However, she meets Edgar, an Austrian economist who is also a friend of her brother and they fall in love. Instead of Tokyo or Paris, she moves to Vienna and marries Edgar. The problems start when Hitler advances against other countries and Edgar's family supports it. She can't sit still and do anything whilst Edgar seems to be doing everything he can to help the Germans. Then it's a game of spies, treachery, lies, a lot of bad feelings, and hurting. Ms.Lucyk-Berger describes the pre-war years and the beginning of WWII in detail and with precision mixing with it a story of love for the human being and doing what is right. Highly recommended!

The American Wife deals with some heavy subjects. While it’s hard to read about the insidious seepage of evil that permeated Austria by way of Austria, it offers the context for the book.
I loved all the vivid descriptions of Japan and Vienna in the late 1930s, before the veil of darkness.
I did have to laugh when Kitty was told she wasn’t marrying Edgar’s family because that’s exactly what you do when you marry someone.
I found Kitty to be pretty naive for the first part of the book.
I was totally duped by one character and when I discovered the duplicity I thought even more highly of the character.
I’m eager to see what adventures await Edgar and Kitty.

This book is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat right up till the end. Kitty Larson seems like such a lovely young lady with aspirations to become a foreign service officer. Perhaps you might say she achieves that goal - a life-changing portal, perhaps?

Dr. Edgar Ragatz belongs to the upper class, the elite, in Austria. His family is well positioned to move up in the new regime, once annexation has taken place. But what will he lose in the meantime?

An early copy was received through Bookouture and NetGalley. These impressions are my own and were in no way solicited.