I don't know why I put off reading this for so long. It was quite good. The characters were stuck in so many terrible situations that I was left wondering how they would get out. I am glad that it ended as it did.
The narrators were both quite good.

4 Stars

Content: WWII and all that is associated with it, r*pe ( )

Set in Germany during the late 1930s, this novel is about 3 women and their experiences during this time. One is the daughter of a family intent on rising in the new German hierarchy, one is the daughter of a lawyer who abandoned his first family because his wife is Jewish and one is a Jewish seamstress, trying her best to keep her head down and live her life. Interesting look at the times, especially into the concept of bride schools. ( )

I've loved every historical fiction book I've read by this author, and this story was no different. It was another great insight into behind-the-scenes realities around the time of WWII.
The story revolves around three determined young women: Hanna, whose father has sent her to live with her aunt and uncle in Berlin after her mother dies, Klara, the young woman she becomes friends with... until Hanna (against her will) becomes romantically involved with the German officer Klara had been dating, and Tilde, a young woman whose father abandoned her and her Jewish mother years ago.
Hanna and Klara are enrolled in the school to be groomed for their rolls as wives of German officers. A fateful situation binds them together with their friend Tilde, and these three brave women do their best to buck the strict rules of "right and wrong" forced upon them.
It's a well-woven story about women with spunk, friendship, and a slice of history that educates and entertains. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me a copy of this great book. ( )

I have read many WWII books by now though not as much as during the height of the pandemic. I like finding ones that are a bit different than the ones I've read. This book is one of those. Against their will two of the three main characters are being forced to marry Nazi officers. Because of this, they will attend the School for German Brides. Although they don't go to the school until near the end of the book, they are in sense in a school of life even in high school, the girls' club and by Klara's mother, Hanna's aunt, and fiances. Everything they're told is to make them better wives for their husbands, thus contributing to the Nazi cause. Then Tilde is I kind of wished that the author had chapters from Klara's point of view as well, but overall I liked this book. ( )

With so many books about World War II being published, it's always a surprise to me when someone writes a story that hasn't been told before. Aimie Runyan has done that with The School for German Brides. I had never read about the way that young Aryan women were groomed to make them better wives and helpmates to the Nazi husbands-to-be.

Hanna is sent to live with her aunt and uncle in Berlin after her mother dies. They are thrilled to have a 'daughter' and shower her with new clothes and jewelry. They take her to the best parties and introduce her to the hierarchy of the Nazi party. She soon becomes engaged to influential SS officer Friedrich Schroeder. He is much older than her and she feels trapped by the future that is being planned for her. When her mother was alive she taught Hanna to be independent and to help heal people. Hanna's desire is to go to school to become a doctor but since Hitler doesn't believe in educating women there's no way she can fulfill her real dream.

Klara is her new best friend until she becomes engaged. Klara's mother wanted her to get engaged to Friedrich Schroeder and feels that she's a failure as a daughter since she let him get away. She and Hanna later reconcile at bride school.

The third main character is Mathilde known as Titlde. She is a young Jewish dressmaker who is alone and pregnant. She realizes that she must hide to save her baby but will she be able to survive?

Fate ties together the lives of these three very different women. Their story comes to an explosive encounter while Hanna and Klara are at bride school to learn how to be good German wives. They are taught to cook and sew and be good hostesses. Along with those lessons, they are taught hate and prejudice.

Will these Hanna and Klara be able to save Titlde and her baby? If they can, what kind of future will they have? Can they ever feel safe again? This book was a very interesting look at the German beliefs about women - that their only job in life was to be a good wife and to birth perfect Aryan babies. Can these three totally different women be successful while they are turning their backs on the current beliefs in Berlin?

I really enjoyed this look at these three women. They followed their own beliefs instead of believing what they were being taught. It's tough to break away from societal beliefs especially in a government where the punishment is death. These three women were brave beyond words. ( )