minxreads's review
1.5
Heroine’ hot and cold attitude was giving me whiplash and made me think that a time or two their seggs scenes could be labelled as dubc0n as after all hero kidnapped the heroine. Couldn’t care less about the historical side in the book, found myself skim reading the book. Overall, found it an okayish sort of read.
lucy_qhuay's review
5.0
YES! My first Brianna Hale book and it won't be the last. I loved the writing, the atmosphere and the characters. Reinhardt was definitely the star of the show, but Evony wasn't much behind.
You gotta love an unhinged antihero who's single-minded in his pursuit of the heroine. Someone who plays mind games with her and just doesn't give up until she has no other option but to want him with everything she has. But someone who can also show incredible tenderness and protectiveness. Once again, YES! Also, a heroine who is strong and just won't give up easily who she is even though she might have fallen in love with the hero.
Another thing I loved was the true enemies to lovers in here. Reinhardt and Evony truly represented the most hated things for each other. I loved the contrast between Reinhardt being able to compartmentalize everything and Evony being in agony over loving someone she shouldn't. The angst was heaven.
thanaetos's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
seffra's review
5.0
5 STARS.
OHHH-EMMM-GEEE!!
This book wasn't real, how was it real? How COULD it be real? I honestly didn't know what to expect from this book going in because of the make up of the story. We have a woman who is kidnapped by a man who seems to be a Nazi sympathizer or even just an evil soul. I was really ready to hate Reinhardt and to rake him over the coals....I did for a bit.... it didn't last long. I fell in love with that cold and sometimes distant man. He was such an enigma, I had all those questions that Evony had and we had the same struggles with him. UGHHH, I love him...GAWDDDD.
Evony!! WOAH, her character was such a great and well written person. She felt real to me; her needs and hopes, her desolation and her slow journey to love. Her never ending fight was awesome to read.
The overall story was so well told! I was sucked in from the first word until the very last, in fact, I'm still thinking about these characters and their brutal world. One thing that makes me nervous in actual Historical stories is making the time period believable. Can they get the feeling right? The day-to-day life? Lemme just say that Hale was able to make me believe that I was in Germany 1963. She got the little nuances, the small things that make the scenery believable. I really enjoyed the writing and the prose Brianna Hale developed throughout this novel.
I loved this book and I would recommend it to anyone who loves a good romance, good action and a KICKASS story!
OHHH-EMMM-GEEE!!
This book wasn't real, how was it real? How COULD it be real? I honestly didn't know what to expect from this book going in because of the make up of the story. We have a woman who is kidnapped by a man who seems to be a Nazi sympathizer or even just an evil soul. I was really ready to hate Reinhardt and to rake him over the coals....I did for a bit.... it didn't last long. I fell in love with that cold and sometimes distant man. He was such an enigma, I had all those questions that Evony had and we had the same struggles with him. UGHHH, I love him...GAWDDDD.
Evony!! WOAH, her character was such a great and well written person. She felt real to me; her needs and hopes, her desolation and her slow journey to love. Her never ending fight was awesome to read.
The overall story was so well told! I was sucked in from the first word until the very last, in fact, I'm still thinking about these characters and their brutal world. One thing that makes me nervous in actual Historical stories is making the time period believable. Can they get the feeling right? The day-to-day life? Lemme just say that Hale was able to make me believe that I was in Germany 1963. She got the little nuances, the small things that make the scenery believable. I really enjoyed the writing and the prose Brianna Hale developed throughout this novel.
I loved this book and I would recommend it to anyone who loves a good romance, good action and a KICKASS story!
erissa_lestrange's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
annidt's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
halffast's review
4.0
A woman trying to flee East Berlin is kidnapped by a dangerous Stasi officer and forced to live with him and work for him as his secretary. She makes plans to betray him and escape while he grows more and more obsessed with her, but she has to get closer to him in order to discover his secrets.
I enjoyed this dark romance a lot. It was set in a time period and location that definitely does not scream "ideal circumstances for a romance novel." I learned a lot about post-WWII Germany and Eastern/Western Berlin. The Stasi (secret police) are always hunting for traitors, and civilians don't feel safe trusting each other. Definitely a setting filled with tension and paranoia.
This book is a very literal interpretation of enemies-to-lovers so Evony, the heroine, had a lot of challenges to overcome as she learns more about Volker, the hero. Volker has these moments of uncharacteristic kindness and tenderness towards Evony and other people he knows, which is hard for her to reconcile against his cold, brutal and ruthless Stasi officer persona. This is a slow-burn romance and there is lots of steamy buildup.
I really liked the moment near the end when the shit hits the fan and Volker realizes that Evony's life is in danger. It ultimately comes down to a choice between (spoilers)
As a side note -- some readers might be sensitive to the fact that the hero has ties to Nazi Germany (he was a soldier for the Reich when he was younger), though he hates the SS (Hitler's top/elite Nazi officers). I thought his character had just enough redeeming qualities to make me root for him, though they felt a smidge obligatory due to his "evil" career.
I enjoyed this dark romance a lot. It was set in a time period and location that definitely does not scream "ideal circumstances for a romance novel." I learned a lot about post-WWII Germany and Eastern/Western Berlin. The Stasi (secret police) are always hunting for traitors, and civilians don't feel safe trusting each other. Definitely a setting filled with tension and paranoia.
This book is a very literal interpretation of enemies-to-lovers so Evony, the heroine, had a lot of challenges to overcome as she learns more about Volker, the hero. Volker has these moments of uncharacteristic kindness and tenderness towards Evony and other people he knows, which is hard for her to reconcile against his cold, brutal and ruthless Stasi officer persona. This is a slow-burn romance and there is lots of steamy buildup.
I really liked the moment near the end when the shit hits the fan and Volker realizes that Evony's life is in danger. It ultimately comes down to a choice between (spoilers)
Spoiler
the woman he loves and the country he loves. He pulls out all the stops to save her and help them both escape Germany. I also loved when Volker praises Evony for her strength and calls her his Valkyrie.As a side note -- some readers might be sensitive to the fact that the hero has ties to Nazi Germany (he was a soldier for the Reich when he was younger), though he hates the SS (Hitler's top/elite Nazi officers). I thought his character had just enough redeeming qualities to make me root for him, though they felt a smidge obligatory due to his "evil" career.
trickyclouds's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
martine3's review
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Gun violence
Moderate: War and Pregnancy