Starting off in Vienna in 1937, just before World War two, this historical fiction book blew me away. I really loved it, especially the audiobook narration, which was so on point.

The story is about an American woman called Kitty who marries a man called Edgar after she meets him at a ball. She starts working at the American Embassy, and they seem to enjoy their marriage, although Edgar doesn't really seem to be very interested in Kitty sexually, which makes her a bit sad and confused. At the end of the book it is revealed why that is so. During the war, Edgar is distracted a lot and Kitty doesn't seem to know him anymore. Will they be able to survive in their marriage, or would they be better off as friends?

This is an amazing and emotional book, which will shock you and leave you in tears, but it will also leave you feeling inspired. Highly recommended!

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book.

Fantastic read, and one that you will not want to stop reading! The characters in this book are very compelling, and the story line draws you along, leaving time feeling as though it does not exist.

This story follows Kitty and her life in Europe during WWII. She’s an American daughter of a senator who works to help refugees in Vienna escape to America. Kitty learns there’s more to Vienna than just the life her diplomat husband lives.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved Kitty’s experiences in the more ‘underground’ aspects of the Vienna culture. Her friendships with Judith (a Jewish woman) and her son and his boyfriend, something that just wasn’t accepted in that part of the world back then. And she wants to help them all. Her husband doesn’t seem to see eye to eye with her feelings or approve of her friendships, but she’s a strong woman and doesn’t let that deter her.

I’m excited that this is the first in a series and I look forward to checking out the rest of them.

I was lucky enough to receive an ALC of this book from NetGalley and Bookouture Audio. Madeline Pall did a fantastic job narrating this book and I hope to catch most of her narrations.

What an opening book for the series. This has it all set between the backdrop of war. This deals with so much. A lot of research has clearly gone into the novel and this helps give it depth and keeps you hooked. The pace is pwrfect. There is just enough backstory.
The narrator does a good joy of protraying multiple characters without relying on too many accents. The story is brought to life. As the story centres on kitty i did find the male characters lacked a little deprh and sometimes found it harder to relate to rhem especially Edgar. This is how it meant to be qritten. In sime ways ots a love atory about discovering your true self against a backgroup of the worse human tragedy imaginable. I loved the twist at the end as it was unexpected and yet fitted so wrll.
It was a pleasure listen to and look firward to the next. This would appeal to a great number of readers not just those like historical romances.
Thank you net gallery and publisher for my arc

The American Wife is a good historical fiction book about World War II. This is a book about brave men and women that tried to stop Hitler and the Germans. These people saved the lives of the people that Hitler wanted dead. They risked everything to save others.
I listened to the audiobook. The narrator sounded just like I thought Kitty would have sounded. This book made me think about how we “Americans” come across in other countries. Kitty was brave, selfish, rude, thoughtful, caring and harsh. She was very tough on her husband, who she did not understand at all. She risked her life for her friends that she had not known for very long.
This was a good book, I do not plan to read the rest of the series. The book was slow in places and it was too easy to figure out the mystery. It was easy to put down and I so wanted Kitty to figure out who her husband really was.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for an audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 Stars

Kitty has always wanted to work in politics, it is the family business after all, but she hasn't found the right fit yet. While in Japan visiting her brother she meets a handsome Austrian named Edgar and when she cant get him out of her mind she pushes her father to get her a position in Vienna. Once there she seeks out Edgar and the two are quickly married. Austria is being invaded by Hitler's Nazi party and things are rapidly changing. She is working at the consulate to help escaping Jews get visas, including her gang of of eccentrics. Kitty soon discovers her and Edgar may not be on the same side.

I am a huge fan of historical fiction set around WWII that takes a different perspective so I was very excited about an Austrian based diplomat working at the consulate helping people escape the encroaching Nazi regime. I liked the dichotomy of the different perspectives of the invasion and how the city reacts to it. While this book is about that, that's about the end of its good points for me. I don't know if it is because it was intentionally broken up into at least 2 books but the story is very slow to get started and the pace really never picks up. I really disliked the main character Kitty and found her to be vain and annoying. She only got her job through nepotism but flaunts it as if she deserves everything she gets. She is a massive hypocrite, saying her new family would never approve of having a drag queen at her wedding so she just doesn't bother to invite her supposed best friends. However, she is willing to break the rules to push them to the front of the visa line over others needing to escape too. She wants to talk about all the starving children and yet goes on and on about her lavish breakfast her honeymoon. She has called off two previous engagements but does not bother to find out about her husband's politics before they are married and they both work in politics? Come on. She is messy and not a heroine regardless of what she thinks of herself. The plot is basic, the twist is evident overall this is a pass for me.
I had the audio version read by Madeline Pell while the narration was good I did not like her character voices and she repeatedly mispronounces several words.

The American Wife by Chrystyna Lucyk- Berger is a Historical Fiction set in Vienna during WWII. The first book in The Diplomat's Wife series.

A beautiful story about love,friendship, betrayal and protecting those you love during one of the most difficult times in history.

Can't wait for the next book in this series.

I enjoyed listening to this audiobook and I give it 4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to NetGalley, Chrystyna Lucyk- Berger and Bookouture Audio for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

I enjoyed this, good pacing with plenty of suspense and a decent twist. I didn't realize it was the first of two books so I will have to get my hands on the next one. The narrator was good as well.

I was given an audiobook ARC by NetGalley, but I had to contact support because I was only granted access to every third chapter. What I did listen to was intriguing! I look forward to finding this in stores soon!

The American Wife (The Diplomat's Wife Book 1)
by Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger
Narrated by Madeline Pell

Rating: 4.7/5.0 Stars

The American Wife drew me in and held on tight from the beginning. Kitty is a fantastic main character. She's intelligent, driven, and a true friend to those she loves. When she meets Edgar, a college friend of her brothers, at a party, she's instantly drawn to him. While their relationship moves quickly and she relocates to Vienna, Hitler's regime is moving closer and closer, and the fallout...well, we know what happens overall.

Ms. Lucyk-Berger crafts a small space in the world on the global stage, with characters you'll fall in love with, as well as some that you'll detest. You'll want to learn about Kitty's world, though. She does a great job of drawing you in and keeps you wanting to learn more. I could see this being made into a movie-she does that good of a job crafting a spectacular story. Ms. Pell brought the character to life with her narration as well. I will actively be looking for Book 2 in the series. I can't wait to read more!

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Bookouture Audio, and the author for the chance to listen to and review this ARC!

I love WWII historical fiction books. This one had a little different focus than what I have typically read. This was a delightful adventure as you rush through the pages. There is mystery, intrigue, danger, and misguided assumptions. The characters were well developed and you will quickly be drawn into the story. Kitty, the main character, is tough and tenacious. I admired her courage, the way she developed friendships with individuals with whom she probably would have never met, and her willingness to assist innocent people escape from Nazi brutality. A great twist at the end that will have you gasping in shock.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookoutre for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

The beginning was quite grabbing but at some point it lost me. I thought the book was interesting but the big twist was very easy to deduct way before it's revealed in the book.

Thanks for this audiobook!

This was a free audio book from @netgalley. The description of this historical fiction leads one to believe this is the tale of a young American woman who is confronted with the decision to spy on her new husband, an Austrian diplomat. What I didn’t realize when I requested the book that this is book one in a series. The spying dilemma didn’t come up until 80% in. By that time, I had tired of the narrator who kept mispronouncing chargé d’affaires and the Prater. Our heroine, Kitty, was annoying and the plot dragged. The big secret of Pim’s identity was so obvious. Sorry, this one was a dud for me.

Vienna at the start of WWII. Great book! You will LOVE Kitty! Loyalty, love, and friendship are tested. What will remain at the end?!

As others have beautifully summarized the plot here, I will just say that this is an excellent World War II novel full of suspense as well as poignant moments. It is both the type of novel you want to race through as well as read slowly so as to savor the complex characters and the atmosphere presented.

Narrator Madelaine Pell did a wonderful job voicing all the characters as well as evoking the period.

I will definitely continue this series and will try the author's earlier historical books.

Thank you to Netgalley for permitting me access to this ALC.

The American Wife was a story that page after page started to grow and evolve better, at the beginning the heroine acted in a way that made me feel like the book was going to fall short but hey wait a minute, Chrystynas writing is always known at least to me to change in a way that you never know where the story or the characters will take you and that's is what I like about her books.

The American Wife is the story of Kitty a heroine who fell in love with a man who grew colder and more distant with each new day, making her feel like she did the wrong thing to marry someone who in the end was not what she knew or respected.

Kitty is one of those heroines who grew up with the story, who will surprise you and make you fall in love with her strength and her vivacious humor that constantly bothers the rest of the people who didn't understand her at all. This is exactly what I love about Kitty how she started as someone very naive and end up empowering herself and moving forward without looking back no matter what.

This is when she started to get involved with the resistance a group that will give her hope but at the same time, things will change forever in her life and also in her marriage making her also aware that she was living a very dangerous life one that she never had imagined.

without giving too much away this is a story that will captivate you and will leave you wanting more to the point that we can't wait for the second book to come out.

The Narrations by Madeline Pell were amazing, adding so much to the story and the characters making it even deeper, I really enjoyed it so much.

Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the advanced audio copy of The American Wife in exchange for my honest review

My thoughts:
The writing style is pleasant and well written, the story fast paced with a lot of historical details about this horrible time period.
The story is exciting but heart breaking if you think about what has happened to millions of people. The characters are convincing
and believable and there are a lot of unexpected twists.

This is a story about World War 2 but very different from what I have read before, it stays in your mind and let you think about
what you would do yourself if you would be in the same situation.

In this story you find love, resilience, standing up for principles, historical details and if you like to read historical non-fiction or about World War 2 I would recommend you to read this great book. This is book one and I will absolutely read the next book!


Thank you, @netgalley and Chrystyna Lucy-Berger for an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

The American Wife by Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger and Narrated by Madeline Pell is the first book in the new The Diplomat's Wife series and I really enjoyed it. This book was heart-wrenching and very hard to put down once I started to read/listen to especially as it was set in Vienna, 1937, in the years leading up to World War II and is historical fiction. This book has everything, friendship, romance, with a little mystery and suspense which made it an excellent book from start to finish! and a great holiday read. I loved it.

The narrator Madeline Pell was excellent.

I highly recommend this beautifully written book and I am looking forward to Book two in the brilliant new series.

Big Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the preview copy and audiobook copy.

I found this a fascinating book. I really enjoy historical fiction and thought this was a great story, depicting a tragic time in world history. I think historical fiction can be challenging via audiobook but the narrator did a great job keeping track of the timeline and distinguishing between characters on this.

Highly recommend to historical fiction fans.

Thank you to NetGalley for sharing this audiobook with me.

I was completely enthralled by The American Wife by Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger. The story takes place in Vienna just before World War II and follows the life of Kitty Larsson, an American woman who becomes engaged to an Austrian diplomat, Edgar. Through Kitty's perspective, the author masterfully portrays the terror of the Nazi regime and the anguish of those struggling to obtain American visas. The plot is intricate and engaging, with Kitty's marriage to Edgar, her involvement with the Austrian resistance group O5, and her diverse group of friends in Vienna. As the daughter of a career Foreign Service Officer, I was impressed by the amount of research that must have gone into creating such a realistic and powerful story. The author bravely addresses uncomfortable political issues, revealing the shameful truth of U.S. immigration policies at that time. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, and I am eagerly anticipating the next installment in the series.