This was a great historical fiction book to listen to. The narrators did a great job keeping my interest and portraying the characters.

I don’t think that I have ever read a historical fiction about the Cold War. Growing up in the 1980’s it was a constant on the news and I remember the stories of families being separated by the Berlin Wall. The Berlin Letters gave me a new look at these events, at a family separated by the wall and their lives on either side and one eventually moving to the US. This is a story about a tumultuous time in history, but also one about family, understanding generations past, and hidden family secrets. I can’t recommend it enough. Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the chance to listen to and review The Berlin Letters.

This was such an interesting read! I am not usually a big fan of historical fiction but since this one had a FMC who is a CIA code breaker I knew I had to pick it up. I adored this story so much. Told over years and from different POVs which gave a true picture of the entire story from start to finish.

Luisa is extremely smart and as a CIA code breaker, she has been decoding letters from past wars for some time. Little does she know that her job will become reality when she uncovers letters from her presumed dead father and her now deceased grandfather. Getting the POV from both Luisa and her father was wonderful. This is a time period I don’t know a lot about so I learned a lot from this one. Luisa’s adventure and mission in Berlin brought a pleasant anxiety and I was rooting for her the whole time.

As I immersed myself in this riveting audiobook experience, I was swept away on a journey through the turbulent landscapes of Cold War Germany. Through the skillful narration, I found myself traversing dual timelines, each intricately woven with threads of desperation, loss, and ultimately, hope.

The voices of the characters echoed in my mind, their struggles and triumphs brought vividly to life through the expertly crafted performances. From the tense atmosphere of espionage to the poignant moments of human connection, every emotion was palpable, every scene painted with clarity.

What struck me most deeply was the exploration of consequences—the ripple effects of past decisions felt keenly in the present. As the narrative unfolded, I was drawn into a world where the lines between right and wrong blurred, and where the specter of regret loomed large.

Yet, amidst the darkness, there shone a beacon of hope—a reminder that even in the darkest of times, resilience and determination can prevail. Through the evocative storytelling and immersive sound design, I found myself not only witnessing history but feeling it—its echoes reverberating within me long after the final chapter had ended.

In the end, this audiobook was more than just a tale of Cold War intrigue; it was a testament to the enduring power of the human spirit. For anyone seeking an emotional and thought-provoking journey through the complexities of history, this audiobook is an absolute must-listen.

Cold war, code breaking, the CIA, the Berlin Wall.... This is a period of time that seems to be under-represented in historical fiction, the era of the separation of East and West Berlin and Germany. I absolutely loved this book and I look forward to more from this author. And hopefully more authors will take up this period of time.

I absolutely loved it! Another delightful read from Katherine Reay. Fast-paced, dual narrators, easy to follow. Historical fiction at its finest—the details don’t bore and the storyline keeps you wanting more. I’m also a sucker for a neat and tidy happy ending. 😍

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

✨ Review ✨ The Berlin Letters by Katherine Reay

Thanks to Harper Muse, Uplit Reads and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

I loved Reay's last book A Shadow in Moscow, and apparently I have a secret unexplored love for Cold War spy thrillers featuring women! This one follows in the same line -- featuring multigenerational families and multiple timelines to bring together stories of Cold War espionage.

Featuring Luisa Voekler in 1989 (a CIA codebreaker in Washington DC) and her parents starting in 1961 as the Berlin Wall goes up. Luisa's mom is able to basically throw her to her own parents in West Berlin over the barbed wire that popped up overnight before a more permanent wall is put up.

The book really brings to light the sudden disruption to life caused by the creation of the wall. It was sneaky in how sudden it was able to come into being and break understandings of free movement throughout the sectors of Berlin.

The structure of the book really smartly is able to highlight key moments of change in Berlin and the Soviet world after the creation of the wall, and I loved how it showcased resistance through underground newspapers, punk, radio, etc., while also showing the brutal opposition of the Stasi. I also loved how it tied in Poland's Solidarity movement and the role of Pope John Paul II in undermining the Soviet empire.

This brought together so many of my long buried interests (seriously, I went to her bibliography on her website and wanted to read it all), that I was willing to forgive some of the underdeveloped areas. Some of the pacing was a little uneven toward the end and maybe required some suspension of disbelief. While I would have loved to see some of these things deepened a bit, ultimately, I didn't really mind because I just flew through this...I literally could not put this down (or wait for my fellow buddy readers to catch up). Can't wait for whatever is next for Reay!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: cold war spy thriller featuring women
Setting: Berlin (West and East) and Washington D.C.
Reminds me of: Reay's A Shadow in Moscow
Pub Date: March 5, 2024

Read this if you like:
⭕️ Cold War + CIA + espionage + codebreaking
⭕️ punk music and resistance
⭕️ multigenerational family stories
⭕️ multiple timelines

3.5 stars:

This book taught me a lot about a time in history that I didn’t know much about, despite the fact that it overlaps with my own lifetime! I can’t imagine living in fear, not being able to trust a single person that I interacted with. Even though the events were interesting, I had a hard time connecting to the characters. Some of that may have been one of the narrators, but I never felt fully immersed in the story. Read this book if you enjoy historical fiction and code breaking.

1961-1990 Berlin and Washington DC

Engaging approach to sharing the history of the Berlin Wall!

While born in East Berlin, Luisa Voekler is soon in West Berlin and later the United States. Growing up primarily in her grandparents' home, she knows the language, culture and food of East Germany. When she discovers details about her past, Luisa is faced with the decision to pursue her heart or follow the rules of her job in the CIA. As you can guess, her heart wins out. What an adventure!

The story unfolds through two points of view, one of which is Luisa's. I listened to the audiobook version and the narrators did a phenomenal job. And the cover...spectacular and right on the mark for this historical novel.

This extraordinary novel tells the story that begins and ends on the day when the Berlin Wall is erected and subsequently demolished. It traces the life journey of a family torn apart by political differences across three generations and their experiences during the tumultuous history on both sides of the wall. However, the story takes a thrilling twist when Luisa, the protagonist, uncovers her family's secret.

The author's focus on the characters' lives when the Berlin Wall separated Berlin and the surrounding countries into two worlds is a brilliant concept. Luisa's family's lives underwent a radical change on both occasions, and it is captivating to witness their journey through such turbulent times. The novel vividly highlights two crucial historical events. Even though it is a work of fiction, it impeccably captures the lives of many Germans during those significant moments in history.

The characters' bravery is commendable, and the novel's rapid yet detailed pace keeps you engaged throughout. It is a beautiful piece of historical fiction that is a must-read for enthusiasts of the genre. It inspires readers to research further and refresh their knowledge of the history of "the Iron Curtain."

Luisa is a codebreaker for the CIA. She comes across a symbol on a letter and she knows she has seen it before. She begins to go through her grandfather’s office and discovers a past she didn’t know she had!

Luisa is a character which broke my heart in places. But, don’t let her situation get to you. She pulls out all her talents and gumption to save the father she never knew! And I loved her for it!

I love how the author entangles the past with Luisa’s present. The way it unfolds about her father and the way her grandfather molded her to be a codebreaker really had me all up in this drama. My emotions were all over the place.

Give me a book with family lies and secrets, written well, and set in the Cold War, and I am hooked! I have not read a Cold War book in ages. I remember when the wall came down. I stayed up late one night and watched. The author captures all of this and it is not something you will soon forget.

Y’all know I love a tag team of narrators. And this book has some of the best! Saskia Maarleveld, Ann Marie Gideon, P. J. Ochlan are great on the accents and all the drama!

This is my first five star read for March! Y’all do not miss this one! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Part historical fiction, part espionage thriller, The Berlin Letters does a fantastic job telling about a piece of history that not many other historical fiction novels have ventured into—the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall.
This dual story and timeline is told by Luisa Voekler and her father, Haris Voekler. Luisa was only a toddler when the Berlin Wall went up, permanently dividing West Berlin and East Berlin overnight. Families, friends and even buildings were divided and the ability to pass between the two sides was nearly impossible. Luisa’s mother, distraught over the newfound physical separation of herself on the East side from her family on the West side, makes a split decision to throw little Luisa over the barbed wire divide into her father’s arms—a decision that will have irreversible consequences for the remainder of their lives.

While still only a small child, Luisa flees to the United States with her grandparents and maternal aunt. She grows up there under the assumption that both of her parents were killed in a car accident years before. Present day 1989: Luisa, now a code breaker for CIA, notices a familiar symbol embedded in an old intelligence document—one that she’s seen on papers belonging to her late grandfather. This innocuous finding sends her on a revelatory journey, all the way back to Berlin during the tumultuous period of time before the wall came down. It is here where she will uncover her biggest secret yet—the truth about her father.

Luisa’s narration is told in present day, 1989, while her father Haris’s narration spans the entire period of time from 1961 until present day 1989. Haris’s storytelling provides a great deal of historical information about key events and what life was like living in East Berlin under communist Soviet rule. The research that went into this portion was meticulously done and I learned a great deal about this period of time. The audiobook narration of this story was fantastic—alternating narrations by Saskia Maarleveld, Ann Marie Gideon, and P.J. Ochlan. Each narrator did a brilliant job bringing the story to life. I especially enjoyed Haris’s narration because the German accent added a realistic element to the telling of the story.

I will be SHOCKED if this isn't in my top 5 books for 2024. #katherinereay absolutely nailed this standout take on the historical fiction genre. Follow Louisa through what was my first book set after WWII but before the fall of the Berlin Wall. The characters in this story were so well developed and made you feel all the feelings as their purposes came together for the end. I listened to the #arc audiobook thanks to #netgalley, #harpercollinsfocus, and #harpermuse and it was phenomenal! I won't be surprised if I find myself reaching for the paper copy as well - it's just that good.

Historical fiction is my favorite genre so it is refreshing when I find a novel that sticks out from the crowd. Told in alternating timelines, this Cold War era brings us back to the days of the Berlin Wall and the Stasi Guard and the DDR. Luisa Voegler works for the CIA as a codebreaker, but after the passing of her grandfather she realizes a familiar symbol may bring this case closer to home than she ever imagines.

It was very easy to get invested in the 1961 timeline as families were cut off from each other with the raising of the Berlin Wall. The brutality of it and the thoughts of a young father brainwashed by fascism coming to grip with what those ideas cost him. It also wasn't hard to become invested in Luisa's story, especially after learning who she is.

Narrators Saskia Maarleveld, Ann Marie Gideon, P. J. Ochlan did a fabulous job at bringing the story to live and I appreciated the shifts in voices because it helped establish what POV and what timeline I was currently following.

Thank you HarperCollins Focus for gifting me an ALC to review.

Thank you Harper Muse, Harper Collins Focus and Harper Audio for my #gifted copies of The Berlin Letters!

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐊𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐲
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬: 𝐒𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐝, 𝐀𝐧𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞 𝐆𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐨𝐧, & 𝐏.𝐉. 𝐎𝐜𝐡𝐥𝐚𝐧
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟓, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

★★★★★

This book had me hooked from the start and I loved every single thing about The Berlin Letters. This is such a well-researched and beautifully written novel and I cannot recommend it enough. I have not read many historical fiction books that focus on the Cold War, and I really enjoyed learning more about this period of time. I love how the author took great care to weave two timelines together to tell an amazing story. To top it all off, Luisa and Haris were amazing characters and I cannot stop thinking about them and this book!

🎧I alternated between the physical book and the audiobook. The topnotch cast of narrators brought this story to life! You could feel the emotion in their words and I loved my time listening to this book. I highly recommend either format, but know that you are in for a real treat with the audiobook!

📄Historical Fiction
📄The Cold War
📄CIA Code Breaker
📄Dual Timelines and POV
📄Romance Subplot
📄Beautifully Written and Researched

Posted on Goodreads on March 8, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around March 10, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on March 10, 2024
**-will post on designated date

This book blew me away! Highly recommend!

This book is incredible! It's a riveting tale that keeps you on the edge of your seat as the Berlin wall rises and falls around people who try and do what's right in a world of misinformation, secrets, and politics. I wish I could give the book more than 5 stars as it truly deserves it. It's an immersive read that won't let go of me for a long time to come.

Imagine that it is the weekend. You (Monica) are a mom with a three year old little girl (Luisa). Your husband (Haris) is a journalist and needs to work even though it is not a weekday. You live in the eastern part of Berlin. You are meeting your parents for lunch. They have moved a few blocks away and are just a few blocks into the western part of Berlin. Imagine that you go out with the stroller to meet them and find barbed wire! You cannot go for lunch but you do something big and impulsive that will have reverberations (no spoiler so no exact details here). This is the beginning of the story, the division of Berlin and the subsequent erection of the wall.

This start of Reay’s novel really captured me. I couldn’t stop thinking about what it must have been like for ordinary people when their lives were transformed by a wall and an ideology. It is to Reay’s credit that she sets the scene of the novel so well.

The book goes on to be largely told by two characters. One of these is a grown up Luisa and the other is Haris. There is a lot to find out about both of them (and others) but I do not want to give anything away. A few things to think about: an infinity symbol, truth and lies about family, codes. This should be enough to intrigue prospective readers.

Reay’s last book, A Shadow in Moscow, was a compelling read. Here Reay has again created a book that I both simultaneously could not walk away from and did not want to end. I recommend it very highly.

A note on the audio: There are multiple narrators which gives a true sense of the characters and story. Those who prefer their books as listens can’t go wrong with this one.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Harper Muse for the e book and audio versions of this title. All opinions are my own.

This was sooo good and a refreshing change of pace from all the WWII historical fiction that's on the market. Full of family secrets, espionage, codebreaking, covert ops to rescue a family member and what life was like for people in Berlin during the 1960s-80s on both sides of the wall.

Told through a dual timeline narrative that sees an East Berlin couple giving up their daughter so she can live free in the West only to yearn for a reunion that never comes in time before one of them dies.

Amazing on audio narrated by Saskia Maarleveld among others and highly recommended for fans of books like The girl behind the wall by Mandy Robotham. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

I’ve been mulling over what to say in a review for a few days now, trying to find the words to convey the impact this story had on me. Maybe because of the political times we live in world wide — so many people are living out their own Iron Curtain situations, or can see the threat looming on the horizon. And even in countries where democracy is supposedly safeguarded, the perils of exclusion, book bans, groups of people being treated as ‘other’ etc. is very real. So, to say ‘The Berlin Letters’ got me thinking would be an understatement. This is definitely the kind of read that will sit with me for a long time to come.

Reay has done an exceptional job of merging two timelines into a cohesive whole with the kind of block buster ending worthy of an Oscar. In fact, I could easily imagine this novel in cinematic splendour. The author’s descriptions of setting and character emotions brought everything into sharp focus and made me feel my way through to the spectacular ending.

The espionage/thriller aspects had me gasping out loud and I was so invested in Luisa’s family history mystery I couldn’t stop reading…well listening. (I highly recommend the audio book. The multi-narration delivered by Saskia Maarleveld, Ann Marie Gideon and P.J. Ochlan is stunning. Their portrayal of these characters really added to my emotional investment in the story.)

I read a lot of fiction and love most of what I read but, once in awhile a spectacular novel comes my way and I know it’s spectacular because I am changed for having read it. ‘The Berlin Letters’ is that kind of book. The author challenged some of my preconceived ideas and opened my heart to being more understanding and accepting and I am grateful for that.

My thanks to Harper Muse audiobooks and Net Galley for providing me with an audio edition of The Berlin Letters.

A fascinating and emotionally charged story of a family torn apart by the Berlin Wall. As the wall goes up, three year old Luisa's mother throws her over the wall to her parents, on the West side of the wall, leaving her and her husband trapped in the East,

In 1989, Luisa is working as a codebreaker for the CIA and discovers a symbol she recognises from her childhood. Breaking the code leads her to discover that her father and grandfather were in letter contact for many years and that her father, who she believed to have died, is alive and a prisoner in Berlin.

The story is told from the POV of Luisa and her father, across two timelines and it is clear that the author has extensively and meticulously researched life in a divided Berlin, in particular in the DDR.

A great book which was narrated brilliantly by Saskia Maarleveld, Ann Marie Gideon and P. J. Ochlan. A full cast is always appreciated and makes a huge difference to an audiobook.

4 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Katherine Reay and Harper Collins for an ARC in return for an honest review.