This author's writing manages to capture me every time. She's an absolutely brilliant writer, and her stories in this series have had me flipping the pages. This book is the third in the Diplomat's Wife series. There were times my heart was in my throat as I couldn't read fast enough to find out what was going to happen.

Kitty is an American determined to do all she can for the Resistance, even divorcing her husband for the cause. She's brave and resilient, but she's also human. She is vulnerable, and we see all sides of her as if she were real. Her character is expertly crafted.

This is the last in the series, and we finally get to see the end of the war. As for how that looks like for Kitty, you will need to read the book. No spoilers here.

Long before then, the author takes the reader along with Kitty in the world of espionage. It's quite exciting as well as heartbreaking, especially realizing how close it comes to the truth of what took place during those dark years of the Second World War.

Honestly, I can't recommend this book enough.

The American Wife's Secret is a brilliantly written and pulse-pounding piece of World War 2 fiction.

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The third in this series and you can read it without reading the first two. I plan to go back and read the first two. This author was new to me. This story has some basis in facts, missions and people that happened during WWII. It’s a great reminder of what some spies endured or gave their lives for during this war. There’s intrigue, mystery, sorrow, betrayal, and joy woven into these pages. At times it had me on the edge of my seat. The primary settings are Istanbul and Vienna. This is my unbiased review of this ARC. If you enjoy novels set during WWII, I highly recommend.

This book ... it was an emotional journey. I'm a WWII reenactor and have read a lot on this era, from military to civilian to resistance, so I typically have high expectations when it comes to historical fiction set in the 1940s. Oftentimes, I'm disappointed because it's difficult to balance a dry subject (history) with an engaging story, but Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger did a terrific job with The American Wife's Secret. I haven't read the first two books of the series, but after this one, they're both on my TBR.

The author does a fantastic job of making the reader invested in the characters and their struggles - both personal and global. She managed to surprise me with some twists and turns, and I loved the very personal path she took with the characters.

As other reviewers commented, this is the third in a trilogy. I read it as a standalone and it holds up to being read alone, but I think to get the best experience, I would read them all in order.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review.

I just love this series! Kitty is a tough, beautiful character who does whatever it takes to save the people around her. You can truly feel her emotions and I couldn't put this book down!! I highly recommend this series!

Fabulous conclusion to a compelling World War II trilogy. All the tragedy and pathos of World War II in Europe is captured from a unique perspective. Excellent factual historical background underpins the series. Well defined characters. Can’t miss.

Courtesy of Netgalley and the author, I received the ARC of The American Wife's Secret, third book in Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger's WWIi series, The Diplomat's Wife. Based on historical facts, this well researched novel follows fictional characters Kitty and Edgar Ragatz as undercover agents fighting against the Nazi regime. Exemplifying the courage and persistence of all those who fought for an end to the war, while organizing clandestine meetings, judging who to trust, experiencing the brutality of the Gestapo, this story was a suspenseful page turner!

The American Wife's Secret by Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger is a historical fiction that gives a glimpse into the heroic roles the various agencies played during World War II. Especially of the spies who knew, brought evidence, faced Gestapo, but they were double crossed by the defectors and sometimes their bosses as well.

Set in 1943-1946 period, this novel is a third book in the series, but it can be read as standalone. Kitty, a woman agent, knows the dangers about being a spy. She is courageous, and though she is not onboard, she goes to Vienna, where she is involved in a mission that puts her in severe danger.

I enjoyed reading this book, though it is tough in a few spots. Kitty's anguish and her emotions broke my heart in so many places. Especially towards the end, a few scenes are so exceptional. Kitty's raw emotions just flew from the book. I am going to read the previous two books for sure.

Thank you, Bookouture, for this book.

CW: Infidelity, betrayal, concentration camps, suicide, grief.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Thank you Bookouture for inviting me to be part of the Books on Tour for “The American Wife's Secret (The Diplomat's Wife Book 3)”
by Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger. I highly recommend reading the books in order. I did not, but it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the books.
Kitty is an American spy who is working in Vienna. Her husband is also on a dangerous mission and she does what she has to in order to save her husband.
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.
#TheAmericanWifesSecret #NetGalley #NetGalley #Bookouture #BooksOnTour #BookLove #BooksSetDuringWWII #Bookstagram #NewBook #ILoveBooks

A well-written book about the resistance movement in the Second World War. It's both intense and tragic with a courageous heroine at its center. However, I recommend reading the first two books in the series before reading this one, as the story will probably make more sense. The narrative was hard to follow at times with many characters and places that were only introduced briefly, and backstories that were not clearly defined. But I did thoroughly enjoy the tidbits of historical facts embedded in the narrative and recommend this series to lovers of historical fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the advance copy. This is my honest and voluntary review.

This is the third in The Diplomat’s Wife series, and I have loved them all. I highly recommend The American Wife, and An American Wife in Paris as well.
Kitty and Edgar’s story continues.

1944: Vienna

Kitty Larson has worked many years as an undercover agent for the British and now she is working for the Americans. The price she paid was heart-wrenching. The OSS sends Kitty to Vienna and she realizes her husband Edgar has been involved in a dangerous mission. Now her husbands life is on the line and she must do whatever it takes to protect him.

Another gripping novel by Lucyk-Berger. I hope she continues this series. She is another go-to new to me author this year and I look forward to more historical fiction novels by her.

Thank you Bookouture for this advanced copy

I loved the series and this final book is the best one! Living life on edge has taken its toll not only on Kitty but also on Edgar and on all of those they love and live around. The war is taking longer than expected and although the allies are going forward there's a lot to be done and Kitty's and Edgar's work is of utmost importance. There's a strong storyline, full of believable situations and emotions, it's fast-paced and well-written with just the correct balance among romance, espionage, and historical fiction.
I thank Ms. Lucyk-Berger for this ARC.

I thoroughly enjoyed the continuing saga of Kitty, Edgar and their friends who are caught in a most difficult time in history. Although this is a fictional account, it is representative of the life that many experienced during these turbulent years. The bravery and determination of the resistance fighters is quite admirable.

The action-packed plot of this book truly kept my interest throughout, and I did not want to put it down. I enjoyed the first book in this series, but I felt that this one really was more exciting and suspenseful. I loved how the author expertly wove in secrets and clues that only became apparent toward the end of the book. As this one ends on a major cliffhanger, I am anxiously awaiting the third installment!

I would highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys WWII fiction.

This is a well researched story that takes place during World War 2. Kitty finds a friend to occupy her time, while her husband is busy. When war breaks out, Kitty is caught between her Jewish best friend and her husband. This is a heartbreaking decision for Kitty. Is she willing to lose her husband or her best friend? The plot kept me reading long into the night. Definitely recommend. I received an advance copy of this book and this is my honest review.

The American Wife’s Secret is the third and final book in The Diplomat’s Wife series by Chrystyna Lucyk Berger.This new story picks up directly where book two left off with that very dramatic and shocking conclusion which left the reader with so many unanswered questions. I did find that the first chapter would probably have been confusing for those who hadn’t read the previous two books or if you weren’t familiar with intelligence during World War Two. Having finished the book it can be read as a standalone but being 100% honest to fully appreciate and understand what a fantastic, resilient and remarkable character Kitty Larson is I would recommend going back and starting with the first book, The American Wife.

I found the book as a whole took quite some time to get going and for things to come together and for pieces of the puzzle to fall into place. But once it did, my god, it became a complete page turner and I couldn’t read quick enough to discover what would happen and if I would get that ending I had so desperately wanted since book one. Yes, you need to have your full wits and concentration about you as you read as there is a lot of information given and characters presented but stick with it and the payoff is more than worth it.

Kitty has been married to Edgar, an Austrian diplomat, for several years. He is currently working undercover making the Germans believe he is on their side. Whereas really he is gathering information in order to see the fall of Hitler and the Nazi’s. He is an incredible character but I always felt we never got enough of him in the books. Just as Kitty craves time with him, it never seems to materialise but that is the nature of the war and his role in it. Their separation only makes the scenes where they can briefly be together although under a shroud of danger, tension and suspicion although the more real and heartfelt. The love, devotion and connections they share just become all the more apparent and have you rooting for a happy ending for the pair.

Edgar flits in and out of this book and I desperately wanted things to turn out ok but for the vast majority of it Kitty is on her own working on her most important and crucial mission to date. I wanted her backbone and strength to be there for her but there is a much bigger game at play, and they need to be apart in order to hopefully be together for the long term.

Kitty really comes into her own in this book. She is put through the mill and plunges the depths to the lowest of lows. She is firmly trapped in the currents of war and throughout the book she is very much swimming against the tides and at any moment may drown. There are numerous twists and turns as she is tasked by the OSS-Office of Strategic Services, to once again return to Vienna where she will head up Resistance activities in the city which has been occupied by the Germans since the start of war. There is an awful lot that needs to be put in place before agents from other countries can come to the city and Kitty is the woman to do it. But with every turn, plan and manoeuvre there always seems to be those that are one step ahead of her and at no point can she trust anyone. That’s what I really enjoyed about the book. The author gave us information and when I read I take things as they are presented at face value but with this story you really shouldn’t. Not one character can be trusted it’s up to Kitty to weed out the good from the bad. The ones who are loyal and the ones you will do anything to betray her and the Resistance group she is working with.

No doubt about it Kitty is tested to her limits time and time again and her vulnerabilities and weaknesses are cleverly shown by the author. She is like a chameleon who regularly changes her appearances in order to work with and infiltrate the sectors of the Nazi party she would rather not know about. I loved that she was so dogged and determined that she would always do her best and never give up even when the worst fate befalls her as mentioned in the blurb. I do think the blurb gave a bit too much away as this occurred very much towards the later stages of the book and there wasn’t as much focus on this until the end stages. A different blurb would have added an element of mystery and surprise for readers. Instead, it was like you were waiting for this point to occur as you read from the beginning. Although I will say when this point was reached I felt the book really sprung into action and all the ground work that had been laid and which led to this juncture was more than worth it.

I did feel at certain times well before the climax and dramatics were reached that the plot did become a bit confusing and that there was an overload of information in terms of groups and technical operations. I understand there was a much bigger operation at work but for readers new to the series or even for those of us that have been with Kitty since the beginning a little refresher or explanation as to who groups were perhaps placed as a note at the beginning would have been helpful. Although, I did appreciate the authors end note explaining whether certain characters were real or fictional and what groups existed and did not.

All in all The American Wife’s Secret was a satisfying conclusion to Kitty’s story. That ending I didn’t see coming and it was brave of the author to go for it but in a way it does pave the path for another book. As the author herself mentions in her notes she has an idea for another story featuring Kitty but is their the appetite for it? Well, I certainly think that there is and will be looking forward to reading it if she chooses to go ahead and write it. Kitty and Edgar make so many sacrifices for each other and to see the end of the war and whether these are worth it or not you will have to read this terrifying yet gripping story with Kitty being a character you certainly won’t forget in a hurry.

This is such a great story. You will get a sense of what it was like during WWll. The horrors, the treatment of people trying to help. I love the characters in this story. This is the third and last book in the series. You will not be disappointed. The story comes to an end as the war ends. What will lie ahead for Kitty and Edgar. There is a lot to uncover. Some heartbreak, some things very hard to imagine. Such a great well written story. I highly recommend this book to everyone. I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Intense, heart pounding, suspenseful read so well written, the reader is the one in danger, the one running for his or her life, the one threatened with death. From the characters to the scenarios, this book will keep you wondering what will happen next, hoping for a happy ending but kept guessing. A WWll masterpiece!

This book was so interesting!  This was my 1st WWII historical fiction novel, and I can say I will definitely be reading more.  This is book #3 in the author's The Diplomat's Wife series but can be read as a standalone.  I will be going back to read 1 & 2😊

In 1944, Kitty Larsson, an American spy working with the OSS, is sent to Vienna, Austria on an important assignment.  She knows from past experiences that fighting  the Nazis comes with a price.  While trying to accomplish her mission, she learns her husband Edgar is also on a dangerous mission.  When the Gestapo discovers who she really is, they use her husband as leverage.  She knows she has to remain silent but also wants to save the man she loves.  How much is she willing to sacrifice?

This was a gripping read that I thoroughly enjoyed.  It was immersive and very well written.  You can tell the author did extensive research, and I definitely appreciated that.  The suspense was a page turner, and I was shocked by some of the outcomes.  I loved Kitty.  She was a strong, courageous female MC who went through some very intense situations.  There were some heartbreaking scenes, which are expected with a WWII historical fiction novel.  I would recommend this book, especially to historical fiction fans.  The author's notes are also a definite must-read.

Oh my goodness! I had to wait a few days before I could write this review. I was gobsmacked by the time I had absorbed the last word on the last page. The third book in The Diplomat’s Wife series, Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger has once again written an amazing story. Her gift with words is astounding. You will be pulled into the pages of the book from the first word and will be held on for a scary and thrilling ride to the very end. Kitty is such a wonderful character. Her strength and dedication are to be admired. You will experience Kitty’s struggles with exhaustion and not knowing who she can trust. But her determination to do the job asked of her will have you cheering her on as she experiences one trial after another. While the author shows what an outstanding individual Kitty is, she also allows you to see that she is human and second guesses herself over and over. Yet her resilience shines through. The author has done an amazing amount of research and demonstrates aspects of WWII that are not typically covered in historical fiction books of that time period.

Hang onto your seats as you are taken on a journey through multiple countries, meeting contacts who display a willingness to help defeat Hitler’s reign of terror, experience the horrors endured by those who are willing to sacrifice themselves in order to defeat Hitler, agonize with Kitty as she faces new challenges each day. This story is of heartbreak, love, courage, unpredictability, dedication, danger, grief, and loss. But throughout the pages, there is still the feeling of hope. And that’s what gets Kitty through the years, the months, the days, the minutes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookoutre for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

The American wife’s Secret is the last book in the Diplomat’s Wife series, and for me it is the best book of the series. When you start reading a series there’s always this nagging feeling that book two or three, or any following one, won’t be as good as the first one, this is not the case here, every following book is better than the previous one.
On this book we find that the war has taken its toll on Kitty, she is tired of it, but there’s still a lot more work to do. She’s also disillusioned with her husband, when she finally finds out that he is still alive, but also weary of the future, without knowing how to live a normal life with or without him, after the war, if they actually survive the war.
We find a more mature and experienced Kitty, working as a leader in Vienna resurrecting the O5 spy ring and making it harder for the Nazis to advance in their plans.
This books is the densest and hardest to read on the series because of the content in it, we read about the camps, about torture and death, but because of the way that Chrystyna writes, the mastery of her historical and physical places and her attention to details this is a book that is hard to put down even when reading the hard subjects described in it.
Because of all of her experiences Kitty has become a master spy, one that knows what can happened if a tiny mistake is made, and knows that discovery, torture and death are her constant companions, this makes reading this book so engrossing and will make your blood pressure go up following her activities. The ending of the book, I don’t want to give any spoilers but oh no! That was a heartache I wasn’t expecting.
I would love to read more about Kitty if in a future, hopefully not so distant, Chrystyna decides to write a follow up of the story.
This is a historical fiction series not to be missed.