I've read every book in this series and each one gets better and picks up right where the reader needs it to. I found the characters and thier roles were well written and I have enjoyed reading.

A wonderful story. Based on true events, these characters will bring you to some of the hardest times in history. Heartbreakingly beautiful!

This is one of the best series of books I have read. Look no further for strong characters. Here there is everything friendship, adversity, love which conquers all. I can’t wait for the next instalment. Thank you to the author for writing this story. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book. Thank you to the publishers too.

The Berlin Wife’s Resistance is the latest powerful historical fiction novel by Marion Kummerow and the third book in her ‘German Wives’ series. I read and reviewed the first two books in the series ‘The Berlin Wife’ and ‘The Berlin Wife’s Choice’ in 2023 and rated them very highly so was eagerly anticipating the release of The Berlin Wife’s Resistance and it certainly didn’t disappoint.
The Berlin Wife’s Resistance follows on directly from the end of The Berlin Wife’s Choice, opening in 1943 as Edith Falkenstein and her Jewish husband Julius try to flee Germany. Our story is told through a fantastic fast-paced narrative, covering a much shorter time period than the earlier two books but still packed full of action. Marion Kummerow perfectly portrays the constant state of fear the characters would have been living in and her captivating writing style immerses the reader into the story, capturing your emotions and leaving you on the edge of your seat.
The German Wives series is definitely a very history intensive series, with each book taking a deep dive into the time period and covering many key events in great depth. This is something which I really think sets Marion Kummerow’s work apart from other historical fiction authors as there really is so much history packed into each novel and it is all clearly meticulously researched. The primary focus of the narrative is the Rosenstrasse Protest and it is not a topic I’ve seen covered in Second World War historical fiction before so this was fantastic.
One aspect of the book I really enjoyed was the blossoming relationship between David and Roxi, a young Roma woman introduced within this book. I would have liked this to have been explored in more depth, as we’re largely told about their romance retrospectively and in quite a brief way, but I’ll be interested to see how this is further developed in the next book in the series.
Overall, The Berlin’s Wife Resistance is yet another fantastic historical fiction novel from Marion Kummerow and a brilliant continuation of the German Wives series.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I have posted an extended review on my blog www.yourschloe.co.uk and the post is linked.

In the latest book in the series, Marion Kummerow brings the perils of being a German Jew (or related to a Jewish person, or half-Jewish) to life as readers follow the Falkensteins and others in their building as the laws grow tighter and tighter. Unable to successfully immigrate to Switzerland, Edith and Julius return to Berlin, where the situation grows more tense and the Gestapo grows in power. With imprisonments and other new laws becoming more and more common, Edith and her circle of female friends (especially her neighbor Helena and the mysterious Roxi) must find a way to protect their families, push back against the Nazis, and stay safe in increasingly dangerous circumstances. Kummerow’s characters continue to evolve over the course of the novel in increasingly difficult circumstances, and she does so in a realistic way that feels natural to the characters and their experiences in the novel. Berlin is a great setting choice, as the events over the novel shift the characters’ relationships with Berlin and their ability to transverse Berlin changes as well. Kummerow’s latest novel is an excellent work of historical fiction that combines high stakes, a compelling historical setting, developed characters, and a vibrant location for a strong, immersive novel.

The Berlin Wife’s Resistance is the third in the German Wives series by Marion Kummerow and it follows directly on from the previous book, The Berlin Wife’s Choice. But don’t worry if you are if you have not read any of the other books as new readers are quickly brought up to speed with events in the first few pages. This book really sees the two main female protagonists, Edith and Helga, come to the forefront and in the last quarter of the book the word resistance as mentioned in the title becomes a very strong force and emotion when things go from bad to worse for the families that feature. I quickly became reacquainted with the story so far and I was glad that things began right from where we had left off.

Edith, a pure blood German citizen, is married to Julius who although German has Jewish blood in his family making him mixed race. The pair have been through the mill in the previous two books and there has been a fall from grace for Julius, thanks to the actions of one man’s greed, hatred and need for power. The pair travel through Germany having finally organised all the papers required to emigrate. As they reach the Swiss boarder in the hopes of reaching safety with his sister in England they are stopped by guards. A new law has been decreed Jews can’t leave the country but Edith is free to do so if she wishes. Here is where Edith’s steadfast loyalty, devotion and love for her husband instantly shines through. She will not leave him and continue onwards with her journey. The couple have no future in Germany as Julius is no longer head of the bank which his family owned due to the innumerable ridiculous laws imposed by the Reich. How can they turn back when they are so close to freedom? But Edith will always remain by Julius’ side and they are forced to return to Berlin to the apartment they share with the Goldman’s and another family.

When we first met Edith and Julius in book one they lead a rich and sumptuous life and wanted for nothing but over time and as the Nazi’s extended their reign of power and cruelty we have seen a total change in their living and personal situation. But what remains throughout is the strong and durable love they have for one another. But now it’s Edith who has taken on the mantle of provider and over the course of the book as we see Julius’ physical and mental state decline it’s Edith who never gives hope and vows to resist the government by any means possible. Julius had been powerful and a man with his wits about him but as the signs of Hitler’s rise to power and the laws that were emerging daily well for someone so sensible he choose to ignore everything. In a way he buried his head in the sand and thought his position was secure thanks to his place in the realms of Germany’s elite.

Edith could see what Julius refused to and it's not until the worst fate befalls him that he really starts to wake up and shake himself out of his stupor. He suffers from rheumatoid arthritis which makes working daily in a factory very much a struggle. He never thought he would be forced to do this kind of work or that his wife would have greater entitlements and freedom than he has and all because he has Jewish blood. Julius is the one character who I felt has done a complete 360 from book one and although no one likes to see someone diminished and broken, in a small sense I was glad because it afforded the opportunity for Edith to show what she was made of. That women are equals with men. Edith shoulders so many burdens and holds things together with grace and dignity. She battles everything on a daily basis and as the situation in Berlin deteriorates with new laws every day, rationing and the threat of bombs from the British she must remain true to herself and her husband.

Once the initial activity of the first few chapters subsided I felt the book became quite languid and nothing much occurred. Yes, the changes in the city and the circumstances for the family were detailed but I felt at times the chapters were just fillers in until we got to the last 40% or so of the book when things really began to happen and my attention was caught and it didn’t let go until the final page. I think the story needed something to occur much earlier on and therefore this for me wasn’t the best book in the series but yet I wouldn’t have missed out on it because I have become familiar with and invested in the lives of these characters during the war and am keen to see how things will eventually pan out for each and every one of them. Definitely for me the later parts of the book made up for slow chapters.

Helga is an old friend of Edith’s and the war has once again brought them closer. Little did she think, given their vastly different social classes, that she would end up sharing an apartment with the head of a bank who had given her husband Heinrich employment. Her husband is Jewish as are her children, David and Amelie, and we follow their struggles coping with new laws not and not knowing what each new day would bring. I think it is brilliant showing the contrasts between the two families which are now slowly starting to merge together and they are becoming on an equal footing demonstrating that the wrath and persecution from Hitler showed no graces for anyone. Helga grows in strength in this book as does Edith and it’s the event towards the end of the book which really highlights this. I had read of said event before but I was glad to read of it in more detail here as it tells of the one time the German people, specifically women, stood up to the tyrants destroying their lives. It makes you think why didn’t more people at the time do this? Yet, the same could be said for the situation we see unfolding today in Gaza. There are many comparisons between Gaza and this story and it is sad to see the same events are occurring decades later.

David, Helga’s son, features more prominently here and I found him to be daring and courageous in his actions. He puts himself on the line and as the families and so many others teeter on the brink of mortal danger he just keeps going and is selfless in his small but vital actions. I want to know more about David in the next book and Roxanna who makes subtle appearances. I sense there is a more dominant storyline to come for them in the future. The book ended not on what I would say was a happy note rather things as much as they can be are stable but there is an sense of the inevitable. That the worst is yet to come. The final book in the series will take us all the way to the end of the war as this one finishes mid 1943. At the moment, there are brief moments of happiness for the characters but they leave in a constant state of fear, terror and anxiety and as we all know things often get worse before they get better and I am eager to see in what direction the author will take Edith, Helga and their families in the concluding book.

I love this series from Marion Kummerow. The Berlin Wife’s Resistance is the third book in the German Wives series and we start this book as we finished off the second, where Julius and Edith are at the Swiss border hoping to escape Germany to begin a new life.

Once again, I had my heart in my mouth throughout the entire book. Just what was in store for the families that were simply trying to stay alive in the country of their birth? A country that no longer wants them and will go to the utmost atrocities to rid Germany of these people, by any means necessary.

Marion Kummerow always researches her books brilliantly, and this one was no exception. I always learn something new when reading one of her novels and as I closed the cover on this one I was blown away by the attitude of the women who tried to save their families.

I recommend that you read this series in order to enable yourself to get the full story, and if you enjoy historical fiction and in particular a war story, then I hope you’ll enjoy this one too.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review The Berlin Wife’s Resistance by Marion Kummerow.

Thank you Bookouture for inviting me to be part of the Books on Tour for “The Berlin Wife's Resistance (German Wives Book 3)”
by Marion Kummerow.
Edith Falkenstein will do anything to save her husband Julius. This book is based on real events. This book will have you flipping the pages so fast to see what happens. Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
#TheBerlinWifesResistance #NetGalley #NetGalley #Bookouture #BooksOnTour #BookLove #BooksSetDuringWWII #Bookstagram #NewBook #ILoveBooks

Today is publication day for The Berlin Wife’s Resistance and my stop on the book tour. This is book three in the German Wives Series by Marion Kummerow and definitely my favourite.

The Berlin Wife’s Resistance picks right back up with the stories of Edith Falkenstein and Helga Goldman, both Aryan women married to Jewish men. Edith and her husband Julius are leaving Nazi Germany in hopes of a better life in England but when they reach the Swiss/German border their papers are no longer valid and they must return to war torn Nazi ruled Berlin. Heartbroken they return to their apartment in Berlin which they now share with The Goldman and Gerber families. At this time most Jewish people are in concentration camps and barracks but the Nazis do a final sweep of the city to capture and confine any remaining Jews. Unfortunately, both Edith and Helga’s families have been captured in the raids and sent to the Rosenstrasse building and Hermann Göring Barracks. The two women unite and protest with 100’s of other women outside The Rosenstrasse Building to demand the release of their husbands and children. The SS guards are shocked that anyone would dare confront and defy Nazi law so they threaten to shoot the women if they don’t stop their protest and leave. But the women hold their ground and don’t back down. What happens? Do the SS guards shoot the Aryan women who dare defy the Nazis or do the SS back down and release the captured Jews? I’m not going to spoil it and tell you what happens, you’ll just have to grab a copy of this incredible Historical fiction book and find out what transpires.

As I said earlier, The Berlin Wife’s Resistance is my favourite book in the series. Its pace is intense and the historical details accurate and astounding. I also really connected to the characters and felt like there was more depth to them in book three. I admired their tenacity, resilience and determination. Marion Kummerow wrote in such a way that I felt like I was right there with the characters as they were struggling to survive the Nazi Regime. It’s incredible to think that this story is inspired by the author’s grandparents story during World War ll. This book was a gem and although the topic was heavy and deals with the horrors of Nazi persecution, I was sad to finish the book.

Thank you so much Bookouture and Marion Kummerow for my advanced readers copy of The Berlin Wife’s Resistance in exchange for my honest review.

Publish date: January 22, 2024

I have read plenty of WWII books and after a while many of them have starting sounding like the others I've read. That is not the case with this author's books, her books captivate me and keep my attention the whole way through. Very well researched, the author's books are automatic reads for me, and I love that I am always learning something new from them. Having read the first two books in the series I was pleased to see this book picks up right where the last one ended. The story is one of survival and the brave women play a big part in this.
Despite the danger they put themselves in the women have had enough and stand up for their families after the rounding up and "cleansing of the Jews." Such resilience in the face of darkness. We meet new characters, see failures but despite these, the human spirit is strong.
I am so impressed with the way the author portrays each character, so realistically, the struggles and hardships are real. Despite all this I felt the strong family love the characters have for each other. I am very much looking forward to the fourth book in the series.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Wow!! This is the third book in the German Wives series and it was just as good as the first two books.

It starts off right where the last book ended and I was immersed in Edith and Helga's lives yet again. As Aryan women married to Jews, they display extraordinary inner strength and fortitude in the face of each new Nazi horror and go to all lengths to get their loved ones released from the Rosenstrasse Building where their families are held captives by SS guards.

I am in awe of Marion's writing. Her research is impeccable as the book deals with horrors of Nazi persecution.
It is intense, with courageous and inspiring characters. Their struggles and hardships are very well depicted and the love, hope and determination of the characters makes this an emotional as well as an inspiring read.
I can't wait to see what is in store for these characters in the last book of the series.

This is a powerful, soul shattering story, I could not put down. Historical fiction at its best.

This is the third book in The Berlin Wives series and if you haven’t read the previous two, I urge you to do so now.

The books are set during the antisemitism period of the German/ European history.

The Berlin Wife’s Resistance starts off in 1941 and it takes us all the way to 1943.

Edith Falkenstein is an Aryan woman married to Julius Falkenstein, a Jew, and a previous owner of a prestigious bank. Over the course of the years, the crippling antisemitic messages and laws resulted in Falkensteins losing pretty much everything.

However, they still have each other.

At the start of the story, the Falkensteins are en route to London via Switzerland. They set off on a gruelling train journey throughout the whole country. When the reach the Swiss border, they are told that only Edith is allowed to cross, but not Julius. Apparently whilst they were travelling, a new “law” came into power prohibiting any Jewish person from leaving Germany. Defeated, they return back to Berlin.

The Falkensteins used to share their Berlin apartment with another Jewish family: the Goldmanns, whose faith is very similar to theirs.

Helga Goldmann is an Aryan woman who married Heinrich, a Jewish man. Together they have two adult children, David and Amelie, who also stay in the apartment.

When Helga opens the door and sees Edith and Julius, she is surprised, saddened that they couldn’t leave Germany, but at the same time she’s happy that Edith is back as the two women grew quite close over the last few years.

This is as much of the plot that I will give away. I really encourage everyone to read these books, as they are well researched and the characters are down to Earth, very likeable and relatable.

The events in this book were inspired by the Rosenstraße protest, which I’ve never heard about. I love learning new facts and I was fascinated by it.

Thank you to Sarah Hardy of Bookouture for the NetGalley widget and my spot on the tour.

Julius and Edith’s only hope of survival is to flee their beloved homeland of Germany. They decide to sell the last of their belongings and make the exhausting and demanding journey across the border into Switzerland. But when they are turned away at the border they are devastated. Their only option is to return Berlin. They share an apartment with other Jewish families and they fear for their future. When Julius is taken by the Nazi’s along with many other’s, heading to the prison camps, Edith is terrified and heartbroken. Edith joins the crowds of women gathering outside the camps in protest. She draws strength from the women that she has something in common with. But her heart still breaks for her husband Julius, wondering if she will ever see him again?

The Berlin Wife’s Resistance written by Marion Kummerow is a heartbreaking and amazingly written story. Kummerow’s stories are never a disappointment and are always filled with courageous and inspiring people. The emotions and fear that the people experience in the story are always conveyed so eloquently to the reader. This story will definitely make the tears flow so make sure you keep the tissue box nearby. This is book three of the German Wives series but it can be read as a standalone. This phenomenal story is one that I highly recommend. I loved it!

Having read the earlier books in this series, this continued story does not disappoint.
When Edith and Julius cannot cross the Swiss border, they have no choice to return to Berlin and resume living in the same house with the other tenants.
Scarcity of food and unreasonable work conditions take a big toll on their health and mental well-being. One of the high points of the story is the strong resistance of the German woman when their Jewish relatives are imprisoned. The Rosen Strasse protest where Edith and Helga joint other protesters and refused to leave until the Jews were released. Edith’s brother Joseph has not softened his attitude towards the Jews and her other brother Knot has come to show support more openly.
This story will bring tears in your eyes and leave you unsettled for quite a while after you finish.
I hope that the fourth story will bring closure and see these people manage to survive the war and rebuild their lives, but we know that in real life the ending is not always what we want. Looking forward to the final book , the good and the bad so we will now how it ends.

I have read countless books, both fiction and non fiction about this subject and era but Kummerow’s third book has such a visceral voice and effect.
The agony, anxiousness, and anguish emanates off the pages. I felt as if I was absorbing all those same emotions as the characters.
I could barely stomach to read Joseph’s chapters because he is so repugnant.
I had never heard of the Rosenstrasse protest so that was quite informative,
I know what awaits most if the characters but I have to see what the author does and how their situations are resolved.

This series was incredible, evoked very powerful emotions from me. Sadness, rage, heartbreak, glimmers of happiness. Though in those moments it always felt like something bad was right around the corner. And it usually was.

It's obvious the author did her research, but just the way she tells her stories make them addictive and captivating. This book like the others in the series had me invested in the characters. My heart ached for them. Maybe part of it is knowing these characters could have easily been real people from that time.

While this book shed light on the bigotry and cruelty of the Nazi regime, and what is shared is heartbreaking, it's not graphic like some other World War 2 fiction that I've read.

In summary, I can't recommend this series enough. Just like the first two books, The Berlin Wife's Resistance had me holding my breath as I raced to the end.

Thank you to Bookouture, NetGalley, and the author for an advanced reading copy.

Another heartnreaking installment in The German Wives series. This one starts off right where the last book ended. With that said, I encourage you to read the books in order. So much back story to know about the main characters.
A story of survival through the darkest of times.
It is always hard to read about this time of history. But, it is one we must remember and learn from.
A unputdownable historical novel.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

THE BERLIN WIFE’S RESISTANCE by MARION KUMMEROW is the third novel in the German Wives series by MARION KUMMEROW. Whilst it can easily stand alone, I am glad that I have read the first two books and got to know the characters so well.
The story follows the Falkenstein and Goldman families from 1941 until the Rosenstrasse resistence, where we see the strength of Edith Falkenstein and Helga Goldman who join the crowd of women who have had enough and are fighting for their families……
As always, the author has done a great deal of research and we see what life was like for Gentile women who were married to Jewish men and the effect this had on their children. We see the absolute brutality of the Nazis as they follow the orders of a madman in his efforts to annihilate the Jews.
This is a worthwhile read and I am looking forward to the fourth and final bokk in the series.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bookouture. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

The Berlin Wife's Resistance is truly an unforgettable read.

Book 3 starts with Edith and Julius attempting to escape via the Swiss Border.

The attempt is unsuccessful and heartbreaking. So close yet so far.

The tension is mounting as the restrictions for the Jews are coming fast and furious.

Berlin is at its worst as the Jews are being rounded up and sent to camps.

Yet you see the determination, the love, the hope and the kindness of people like Edith and Helga.

Resistance is on every page , on every face.

Marion Kummerow writes a powerful story and The Berlin Wife's Resistance is no exception.

Historical fiction at its best.

I cant wait for the final book in the series and yet I don't want the series to end but I have to know what happens.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for unforgettable read.

The Berlin Wife’s Resistance is the third instalment of The German Wives series, it continues where the 2nd finished, Edith and Julius trying to escape to the Swiss Boarder. You are swept into the fight of survival as we follow the lives of two strong, courage’s women campaigning for their husbands, children and friends during one of the darkest times of WW2, the “cleansing” of Jews. Determination, hope and love is stamped onto each page of this heart pounding, unputdownable historical novel. The anticipation builds for the final instalment of this highly recommend series.

I would like to thank Bookouture, 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.