I took a risk on this book when I was burnt out on WWII books because it sounded unique and interesting, but sadly nope I’m still burnt out and just couldn’t get into it. But I wouldn’t judge the book based on my review cause I just honestly read way to many WWII books and now don’t enjoy them.

WWII history is some of the most consistently popular for readers and writers. Nazi Wives provides a unique perspective on a well trod subject.

These Nazi wives boggle the mind. Margaret Himmler, a WWI front line nurse who was so self-centered she couldn’t care about anyone’s suffering. Visiting Poland, she was offended by the appearance of the locals: “most of them don’t even look like human beings.”
Emmy Goering helped Jewish theater friends, but throughout the war, she ignored the general suffering in Germany and threw lavish parties. She benefited from the regime, so ignored its brutality.
Gerda Borman grew up in a rabidly Nazi home and married a hard-core Hitler devotee. Since she died the year after the war, we’ll never know if she would have endlessly defended him.
Ilse Hess was a total believer in the Nazi regime and Hitler. She liked to boss people, but lost her exalted spot when her husband flew off to England on his own peace mission.
Lina Heydrich could be as ruthless as her husband. Like Margaret, she was a snob.
Magda Goebbels idolized Hitler, and for him she put up with her philandering husband. She may have questioned Hitler’s philosophies, but that didn’t stop her from murdering her children and herself because she couldn’t envision living without him.
At least four of the husbands were unfaithful, but the wives had to put up with them to maintain their positions. Most of them didn’t get along with each other; Magda and Emmy competed, as did Margaret and Lina.
Considering the turmoil Germany experienced after WWI, it’s understandable that people would look for a deliverer, no matter how evil. These women’s refusal to admit after WWII how wrong Hitler (and they) were is incredible.

I was not sure what to expect from this book. I was pleasantly surprised as it was very interesting. I had read numerous stories of the main members of the Nazi Party, but never anything about their wives. This was a very well researched book. One really understood how women in the Nazi party were mere possessions. They were to cook, clean, and have lots of children. Other than that, their opinions did not count for much. Some of the women married to the more important Nazi’s had a little more freedom than the rest of the wives. When it is all said and done, the end of the book made me sad. Sad for all the innocent lives lost and sad for the people who really believed and gave everything to follow Hitler and all his promises.

Very intriguing and informative, i had no idea the unrealistic unexpectations these wives were made to live with! Crazy that none of them had any remorse for their actions or what their husbands did though that blew my mind! very well researched and written i look forward to more titles by Wyllie! Very descriptive!

First thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. I very much enjoyed this book. This is a subject that surprisingly hasn't been put together or really well researched before and the author did a great job of putting it together and following their lives chronologically. You will find yourself shaking your head thinking "that can't be true".....but it is.

The pictures were a great add as well. When I find myself Googling to look at more pictures of the locations as well as more pictures of the people in the story - I know I am truly engaged in a book. My fingers need a rest from all the Googling I did.

Terrific job and a must read not just for fans of WWII stories.

Despite the horrendous subject, it was a riveting read. Exploring the wives of Nazis is an intense read. These women were as ruthless as their husbands. Rather sickening they weren't subject to just punishment. Reading this made me think of females who support Trump. I know people don't like to compare anyone to Hitler but the parallels are there for all to see. Hitler didn't rise overnight and neither did Trumpism.

Although I like the premise of the book, the setup and organization needs work. I felt I was walking into the middle of a conversation with the beginning of the book giving little detail on thr women before being wives.

Absolutely riveting read.

I've read quite a bit on this period, but more so from the perspective of the victims of the holocaust.

Too often historically we've written the women behind these hate movements as passive actors, when they are ardent believers in their cause. Nazi Wives, from the rise of the reich to its fall charts a fascinating journey for the top of the SS elite's domestic lives and political involvement.

I was also taken aback by the watered down justice, that was handed out post war. Several of these women walked away with lives forever changed but a slap on the wrist receiving pensions? I'd had no idea, until reading this. Totally piqued my interest in reading further.

Written well, while dense its engaging and a compelling historical read.

World War II and the men who are a part of its history have been examined in countless fiction and non-fiction on books. But what about the wives of the Nazi elite? Subtitled “The Women at the Top of Hitler's Germany”, Nazi Wives is a well-researched and well-told reveal of the wives of these Nazi monsters. What would it have been like to be married or involved with Hitler, Goering, Himmler, Goebbels and others?

These women are horrifying, and their lives, beliefs and actions are hideous. The book is well-written, but the topic is so sickening I could barely finish it. No innocents here. Many of these women were so enthralled with Hitler, that they encouraged their husbands to get involved. Well before the rise of Nazism they hated the Jewish people and were open about their hatred.

The book methodically describes their lives- the Parisian high fashions they wore during the war, their wild parties, infidelities, their many homes filled with stolen art and servants who were slaves, their joy at seeing Hitler’s power. Of many sad moments, two especially stuck with me. One woman’s young son died in an accident. He was buried in his Hitler Youth uniform. Then there was Magda Goebbels, the so-called “First Lady of the Reich”. At the end of the war in Hitler’s bunker, she poisoned her SIX children before she and her husband committed suicide.

Many of the wives survived the war. None of the wives were innocent. None of them were duped. They were all passionate about Hitler and the Nazis.

Well-written. But a deeply troubling book. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this advance review copy. This is my honest review.

Nazi Wives by James Wylie is a fascinating look into the untold histories, lives, and even thought processes of the spouses to some of the most infamous and heinous masterminds and criminals that were a part of the Nazi regime.

Clearly, the author went above and beyond with his research outlying not only how the couples met, but their respective ideologies and how those shaped their interactions. It was most interesting to see how those ideals molded and changed to external factors as well as internal.

Despite it all, I still am unable to conjure up any sympathy for these women, alright maybe for the young children who had no hope. Yes, these women were surrounded by an unimaginable and seismic shift, and yes propaganda filled the air, but each still had the possibility of a mind of their own, and chose to go down the path they chose despite the risks and negative effects. I still am disgusted by their choices, even though I was riveted to learn more about them.

Excellent book.

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.

Much has been written about the leaders of Nazi Germany. Much less has been produced about their wives and families. This book takes a closer look at the wives/mistresses of Hitler, Himmler, Goebbels, Hess, Borman, Heydrich and Goering. While many of those women cried "ignorance" after the war and when the foul deeds of their husbands were revealed, this book shows that these women were committed Nazis. They benefitted from the proximity to Hitler and they were early admirers.

In a time when wives were supposed to be "seen and not heard" except for Ilse Hess, these were powerful women. However, only Magda Goebbels and Eva Braun chose to follow Hitler to the bitter end. The post-war life was not kind to these women. One must wonder if they ever had regrets about their devotion to Hitler.

I wish some space had been devoted to the less fanatical Nazi wives...Von Ribbentrop's wife is mentioned briefly as is Albert Speer's wife. I would think they would have a somewhat different story to tell as would the wives of the generals. Still, the book was interesting.

This is such an interesting read and not one that you ever really think about. It was tough to read but it is so fascinating.

I rated this book 4-1/4 stars! Through out history, we are taught about are the famous (or infamous??) six Nazi officials who ran the war ... following the directions of their charismatic leader, Adolf Hitler! Who you don't know are the women behind the men! This book highlights the women and their complex and diversified personalities ...their complete and total acceptance of Hitler's ideology and where they put their blind faith in his "cult like' teachings! These women chose to be blinded with what was happening around them in exchange for a rich and affluent lifestyle. ...the upper crust of society in Nazi Germany. I highly recommend this well researched novel on a subject that is not well known!

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest and unbiased review of this novel.

I have read many books on WWII and the Holocaust, but this was my first read dedicated to the wives and other women in the lives of the Nazi Inner Circle. I really enjoyed reading more about them and what they lived through as the wife of a Nazi. I had heard a good bit about Magda Goebbels and prior to this book, but the others were more illusive to me from my past readings. Anyone who is interested in WWII and learning more about those who were more or less, behind the scenes should read this book. I am giving this a solid 4 star review. Thank you to Netgalley, James Wyllie and the publisher for my opportunity to read this in exchange for a honest review.

I've read extensively on this period of history, but this book offers a different slant, and the author's thorough research was really enlightening. The wives and mistresses of the Nazi hierarchy are interesting in their own right. How much did each woman know? Did they support the horrifying acts committed by their husbands? Or were they just pleased with the power and money and chose to look the other way, claiming ignorance? Recommended for anyone interested in women's history or the study of World War II. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Nazi Wives is a refreshing book to dive into because Wyllie provides the reader with a different view of a disturbing story. As the author points out, many of us have heard of Nazism through the lens of the S.S. and Hitler's henchmen. We've been exposed to the horrors of the Holocaust, exploring various texts that reveal troubling truths about concentration camps. However, few of us manage to learn about the wives behind the men who carried out Hitler's orders.

James Wyllie unveils each of the wives who stood beside and behind the leading men in Nazi Germany. Through a collection of chilling portraits, he takes us back and forth between the women and educates the readers on the matters of the heart that drove them to have such staunch resolve. As Wyllie takes us through these various life stories, you will find yourself inexplicably drawn to the Nazi Wives- even empathizing with them at times, though the complexities of their loyalties to their husbands and Hitler led them to exhibit behavior no less atrocious than the Nazi officers themselves.

Well written and well researched. A fascinating look at the women of the SS elite. An interesting history lesson which doesn’t to focus on the camps as much as the women who stood behind the men who created and ran the Nazi Party.