Set just before the Second World War, we are taken to Austria as a vote is to be taken on whether Austria should join the greater German republic. History has already told us the outcome of that decision, but I knew nothing of the circumstances surrounding the choice. The descriptions of the escalating mob mentality and the venomous attitudes of the Austrian people caused me to repeatedly pause to regain my composure.
Ella holds the main focus in this book, although her mother, Marlene lends breathtaking support as she returns to her resistance ways and helps those in immediate danger.
As the Synopsis explains, Ella becomes enrolled in a Reich Bride School. This is something that I had never heard of, and I wish that I was still in the dark. The Fiancée’s of Nazi officers were trained in antisemitic propaganda and reading about it made my stomach churn. I found it particularly difficult to not draw comparisons with some of the inhumanity that we are witnessing in this day and age.
Despite the sombre themes in the book, I felt uplifted to be part of the movement to relieve the oppression of the Jews. The bravery of some of the Austrian people seemed to know no bounds when faced with the dangerous spectre of the rise of Nazi mentality.
The story accelerates toward a dangerous, terrifying climax for both mother and daughter, and I could feel my pulse racing as I hoped for some form of a happy ending.
The Austrian Bride tells an important story that I am glad I now know, as it has helped me to understand more about Austria’s involvement in WW2. Yes, I appreciate that the story is only partly factual, but I also know that it is inspired by a part of world history that needs to keep being shared.
An important novel that challenged me to bravely step out of my comfort zone. Everything about this book was perfectly executed. The story arc and the character development were excellent and left me believing that these people had existed and endured the unspeakable acts portrayed. Then I realised that whilst the people may not be real, their experiences were all based on terrifying facts. I genuinely recommend this book; it’s powerful, lamentable, and wholly important to help understand how people are so easily manipulated.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I thoroughly enjoyed this gripping story that I found hard to put down.

It’s set before the war happened in Austria, at the time when the Nazi’s occupied it.

It’s so well written and researched.

I highly recommend this book.

I loved this book from start to finish , i couldn't put it down, loads of twists and turns. I look forward to more by this author.

I enjoyed this WWII historical fiction novel set in Linz, Austria, It was told from 2 perspectives, a mother and daughter Ella and Marlene. Ella is young and along with her boyfriend Max was swept up in the excitement of a promising future with Hitler. Soon comes the Austrian vote for annexation or Anschluss and the decision of whether or not to become a part of Germany. Her mother Marlene, was more skeptical of the promises made. Soon, they are both horrified at the changes they are seeing in Austria, as it’s becoming more Aranization of the country and hatred of Jews and others of different descent. They are seeing people shot and beaten up in the streets. She realizes she must do something. Once Ella is engaged to her boyfriend Max, she agrees to attend the Reich Bridal School, knowing the secrets she can uncover.

I loved the main characters, Ella and Marlene and how brave they were in the face of danger. I learned more about Austria at the beginning of WWII and the annexation of Austria, as well as bridal schools and the awards they gave to German mothers who produced 4 children. This was a page-turner of a story as I wanted to find out what would happen next. I wasn’t disappointed.

Thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources, Boldwood, Netgalley and the author for the ARC of this novel.

I highly recommend you grab some tissues. I cried gut wrenching tears. Have a stress ball on hand. I almost ruptured mine I was squeezing it so tightly. If someone is home give them some ear plugs. I yelled on more than one occasion.

The Austrian Bride begins before the start of WW2 in Linz, Austria. The Nazi party has taken over the country and life as they know it has disappeared. Soon the people find the Nazi flag everywhere. Being outspoken results in very unpleasant things. People are disappearing. The Jewish people have everything taken. Many lost their lives.

The story centers around Ella who has fallen for Max and they become engaged. Max is changing. He is a believer working his way up the ladder. She attends school for future Brides of the Reich. She doesn't like what she learns. She definitely isn't liking Max's actions.

She can't leave. She is collecting information to help save lives. She is risking everything to save her Austria. This story may be fiction but the truths are worth remembering. The issues are worth exploring.

There are many situations that broke my heart. The struggles. The Violence. The power plays. The treatment of those deemed unacceptable. I found myself really liking many of the characters. I became invested in their stories making the horrors they experienced even harder to accept. So many tissues were needed.

Many were risking their lives to save others. Many were working in secret to save their country. This was a stressful read. They risked so much. Consequences were horrendous. The treatment was gruesome. The usurpers took total control without concern of repercussions.

Some of the treatment of innocents and resistance members had me yelling very loudly. To be reminded in such detail of what happened will be not be forgotten. I can only hope that this story affects readers in some way. The Austrian Bride was a very emotional story. I got lost within the pages wanting to learn more.

Thank you net galley for giving me this opportunity to read the book 'The Austrian Bride'.
I have to say it really piqued my interest as I had to find out what happened.
The setting is in Austria just before the onset of WWII. The story alternates between Ella and her mother Maureen.
Ella has a boyfriend whom she loves and hopes to marry one day. There has been rumblings of Germany wanting to annex Austria. There is a referendum to vote yes for the annexation or no. The citizens were told if Germany annexed Austria there would be jobs.
The referendum goes through for the annexation of Austria and the citizens are in turmoil.
Ella is accepted to go to a Nazi Bridal School through her boyfriend Max.
Max has become an ardent Nazi and Ella want to break off their engagement but doesn't know how, as he has shown his true colours.
Ella's mother is also hiding secrets of her own.
Max is also hiding secrets of his own.
These are my own opinions of the story.
Thank you again net galley.

I found this book a little slow at the beginning but persevere as it soon becomes a page turner.

The book is told through the eyes of Ella and her mother Marlene and is set in Linz, Austria in 1938 and leading up to the rise of Nazism and WWII . Hitler is visiting Lintz and there is excitement in the town as change is badly wanted. Ella is going out with Max, a handsome athletic boy who is everyone’s dream of a boyfriend. Max proposes to Ella and sees that she is accepted to the first Reich Bride School. Ella however has her own plans once she sees what the Nazis are up to are. Her best friends are Jewish and she is determined to be on the right side of history. Her mother Marlene is also assisting the resistance in any way she can. She has secrets and struggles with past decisions that have been life changing .
The Austrian Bride is a heart warming story. It tells a story of family, trust, love, loss, courage, friendship and above all bravery to do the right thing.

This was amazing, edge of your seat, nail bitting, heart racing read. My first book by Helen Parusel. Took me into Austria and what it was like for the Austrian people when they thought the yes vote for Germany to rule would be better, some realising quickly it wasn't and choosing to fight back anyway they could. We follow the story of Merlene and her daughter Ella as they fight back and do what’s right, whatever the cost. A heart-warming story of love, loss, courage, friendship and bravery. If you enjoy WW2 books this will be a great way to start your 2024 reading list.

I would like to thank Boldwood books, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this complimentary copy for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was a gripping story and I found it particularly interesting that it was set in pre-war Austria during the rise of Nazism. Given the increasing popularity of right-wing parties in present day Europe, I found it a thought-provoking read which illustrates how easily ordinary people can be persuaded to vote in favour of this kind of ideology, and its consequences.
The historical and local detail was well researched and I liked the main characters enormously. It was the first book I’ve read by Helen Parusel but I’ll definitely read more in the future.

This is the second Helen Parusel novel I've been privileged to read and review. Once again the author does not disappoint. There is plenty to raise the hairs on your arms, and many heart-gripping and stopping moments. This historical novel is set, obviously in Austria, just pre- and during WWII under Hitler's Reich. We often hear about what happened to the Jews in the concentration camps and so on. This work takes a look at the citizens, what they endured and how some resisted. I praise the author in how she wove all this together: the kindnesses, the courage, but also the cruelty of mankind, which in my opinion gave the reader a 'feel' for those times.

In the novel we meet Ella, who attended the Bride School. Had never heard of this angle before so it was of interest to me. Then there was Max and what he turned out to be. I found it all quite realistic.

The only caution I have about this book is the few bedroom scene intimacies described, which I would rather not have read. Other than that, this has been a great read.

4 star rating from me.

~Eunice C., Reviewer/Blogger~

December 2023

Disclaimer: This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary review copy sent by NetGalley and the publisher.

Part history lesson, part romance, part a cautionary tale.

Although beautifully written, this was a hard read at times. Not because of the words but of the horror they conjured up. The horror of seeing people beaten in the street. Bullies, including a romantic partner, randomly taunting and abusing innocent Jewish citizens in the streets, even using them to rest their muddy boots on. Seeing Jewish families being terrorized in their homes and businesses. Then, being forced out of those homes and businesses, even being arrested and taken away. Where? It's vague to them. The characters don't know the full horror of it yet but, you, the reader do. Linz, Austria, went from being hopeful to being frightened and distrusting of friends and neighbors as atrocity followed atrocity.

Again, we readers know the reality behind the bewildering events they are enduring and want to yell, "Run! Get out while you still can!" We know the reality of that warning, even in the earliest days, being futile, of course. Ella, the story's focus, doesn't. She starts out just turning 21, a rather naive and innocent young girl caught up in the romance of being picked by handsome Max as his girlfriend. Yes, there's a bit of pride in that, too. All too soon, however, she confronts reality. She's unnerved by Nazi officers overseeing the annexation vote early on, for instance. Then Max wants her to attend a Bride School for potential Nazi wives. It's more boot camp than bridal, with an emphasis of having lots of children and being subservient to your husband. Just to complicate things, Ella realizes she has feelings for an old friend, an old friend who just happens to be Jewish. How can she help him and others while remaining safe herself? That is the focus of the story, really, the resistance, in this case from inside.

I won't detail the plot further as I don't want to dilute the impact of Ella's story. You'll like and sympathize with her, a person who manages to find good in even her more strident fellow "brides" while risking it all to help those being persecuted. You'll definitely like her mother, too, and older readers will sympathize not only with her situation but her female changes, let's call them, too. She has a horrible secret, too, one that haunts her throughout the story. There are other fascinating characters, one who will feel real to you and, hey, you should look up Albert Goring, Hermann Goring's brother.

Bottom line, you'll immediately realize how relevant this story is to events happening today. The air of potential danger that hovers in the air is likely to give you chills at times. You'll being with the euphoria of Ella and her fellow Austrians as Hitler visits Linz and follow her heart-wrenching story through to the end. She learns a great deal about others and, more importantly, herself. What is important to her. You'll fret over her safety throughout, wanting to comfort her as she meets disappointment after disappointment. You'll also wonder if such a thing as Bride Schools existed. Yes. So did the Kindertransport, complete with reassurances to the children that Ella knew by then were unlikely to be true.

In other words, a heart-breaking but, oh, so wonderfully powerful and important read. While I cringed at the brutality, the hate, the sheer arrogance, and violence, I felt hope as Ella grew as a person and did what she could to make a difference. Thank you more than you know #BoldwoodBooks and #NetGalley for making this available to me early. It needs to be widely read. We must never forget, especially when we see the same patterns emerging again.

Another amazing book by Parusel! Explored a part of WW2 history I didn't know about before. There were lots of good intertwining of the story narratives and I love that the author was inspired to write the story due to the experience of her own family in Linz

This was just beautifully sad. Told through the eyes of two strong women- Ella and Marlene, both of whom need all their wits and courage to get through the Second World War. The book is in plain English and that makes the everyday brutality that much starker and hard hitting. The crimson blood of the victims of the nazi regime was haunting although the end emotion is hope.

Wow, what a powerful book. I went into this quite naively and didn’t know much about Austria during the holocaust. This book is absolutely heartbreaking but also beautiful at points. I would definitely recommend.

Austria, 1938. After years of unemployment, food shortages, the prospect of change has everyone in Linz feeling hopeful, the Austrian chancellor resigned and Adolf Hitler is visiting and two weeks before Austrians vote in the Anschluss to decide if they want to become part of Germany. The crowds of people are going crazy, Ella can’t help but become swept up in the excitement and she's accompanied by her handsome boyfriend, Maximilian.

Ella’s parents Franz and Marlene aren’t so sure, they witness the spectacle, and no one will speak out due to fear of reprisals and who knows what the average Austrian thought behind closed doors. Things in Linz start to change immediately for Jewish people, being targeted and humiliated in public. Ella and Marlene have always shopped at the Pisinger's department store, now their shop has been taken over and house because of their religion.

Ella enlists in Austria’s first Reich Bride School, for young ladies who are engaged to German officers or Nazi sympathizers, they learn what their duties will be, look after their husband and he's the head of the household, make sure it’s spotless and have large families. Ella uses this as a chance to mix with the German elite, and pass on any information she over hears or finds.

Max changes and he's no longer the polite man she met, he becomes anti-Jewish, harsh and at times Ella is scared of him, her family doesn't discuss politics with him and she's considering breaking off their engagement. With Europe on the brink of another world war, she worries what would happen to her parents, brother Freddie who’s studying in Vienna and the man she secretly loves.

I received a digital copy of The Austrian Bride by Helen Parusel from Boldwood Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Inspired by Adolf Hitler’s ties to Austria and he was from Braunau am Inn, the Annexation and the authors mother being born in Linz during the Second World War.

An interesting story about women, having the courage to stand up for what they think is right and especially when Ella's childhood friend Hedy is classed as Jewish, both Ella and her mother Marlene are secretly involved in the resistance, it’s extremely dangerous, and at a time when you couldn’t trust anyone.

Four stars from me, I liked Ella's character, the descriptions of Linz, the Danube River, what the two women did to help people who were being persecuted and a perfect read for historical fiction fans of Suzanne Kelman, Ellie Midwood and Amanda Lees.

I was first introduced to Helen Parusel with her debut novel, A Mother’s War, and fell in love with her storytelling. In The Austrian Bride, imagine you are in 1938 Austria and the Nazis have arrived. Soon after you witness a woman shot and killed in the public square after she stopped to talk to protestors against Nazi occupation. Haunted by the image as well as the changes happening in her hometown of Linz, Austria, Ella decides she needs to do something to protect those she holds dear and what her heart tells her is right. Accepting the proposal of a hopeful Nazi officer, Ella gets into the first group of engaged girls for The Reich Brides school. Her intent is to learn all she can, not so she can be the perfect Nazi wife, but to use the information to help the Jewish and those who are protesting the beliefs of the Nazi regime.

Parusel develops rich characters that have you feeling all the emotions: fear, love, anger, despair, hope. She utilizes well timed plot twists which you don’t see coming and gasp when they intrude on the events on the page. She has stepped up her writing game that places you in every scene as though you are hidden in the wings watching it unfold right in front of you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the advanced copy. Opinions expressed are my own. This book is set for publication on January 15, 2024. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#netgalley #arc #bookstagram #helenparusel #theaustrianbride #boldwoodbooks

Such a powerful emotive book about life in Austria during the Second World War, before and during its Nazi occupation. This story followed key characters Ella and Marlene as they navigated their way through an ever changing way of life. I liked how each chapter was written from either one of their POV. Both women showed such courage and strength as well as perseverance. It was really interesting to read how individuals dealt with what was one of the worst times in history and how the author incorporated real life events and people into the book.
Ella realises that her boyfriend Max isn’t who she thought he was but uses their relationship to find out information so that she can help others escape the Nazi regime. Marlene has her own reasons for acting how she does. A fascinating book and the author has obviously done lots of research to ensure that although fiction it’s as historically correct as possible.

In this book we follow ella and her friends and family, mostly during 1938 1939
This book is filled with strong love, courage , secrets from the past . It is very straight to the point, and somewhat graphic. But I really loved this book. And it always surprise me what people ca n endure and survive.
Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion

The Austrian Bride by Helen Parusel is a marvellous historical novel that will educate you as you read. The main characters are fictitious but the events are true.
The novel is set in Linz, Austria in 1938 and up to the outbreak of World War II. It was a time of great change. People voted for the Anschluss with Germany but were ignorant as to what that really meant. They believed it would be jobs, peace and prosperity. The reality was a reign of terror. Many felt guilty about voting for unification with Nazi Germany.
A character also feels guilt from an event thirty years earlier. How different life would be for the whole world if she had just made different choices.
Persecution of the Jewish people began. We hear of Kristallnacht and see the cruelty and man’s inhumanity to man. “To defy the Nazis was to be prepared to die.” – not many were that brave, however when one character speaks up, others join their voice.
As Edmund Burke famously said “for evil to flourish, it just needs good men to do nothing.” Far too many blind eyes were turned. However, there were those souls who were brave, and stood up to help those in need.
We follow a forbidden love. It is a love that is beautiful to witness. In contrast there is the ugliness of the Nazi bride school where young women are taught how to be good Nazi wives.
Many are hiding secrets. Most are admirable because they are helping the persecuted. One is a hypocrite, pretending to be something he is not and involved in dreadful persecution along the way.
The Austrian Bride was a powerful read of love, secrets, lies and betrayal. I greedily devoured it.
I received a free copy via Rachel’s Random Resources. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

A sweet story of love and resistance as the Nazis take over Austria. It shows how hate and fear can twist the lives and warp generations.