The London Restoration
Rachel McMillan

I just love reading about this era in my historical fiction reads. And Rachel McMillan did this book justice. This was an incredible read I really enjoyed!

This story was centered around post World War II London - the time of "restoration", and the main characters Diana Somerville and her husband Brent. Just as London was recovering from the devastating effects of the war, so were Diana and Brent. The mystery, secrets, espionage, and trying to put your life back together - a marriage, after the harrowing war was really quite the read.

McMillan transported me to the time with the rich detail and well-researched story. I learned a lot about the architectural history of one of my favorite cities to visit. This was a very exciting read for me because it had everything I wanted in a book. A historical fiction story with a touch of mystery and thrill. It was so beautifully written I really enjoyed this one. Well done Rachel McMillan, I am definitely a fan.

The London Restoration by Rachel McMillan was a good read. I enjoyed this historical fiction romance. It is not one to be missed. I give it four stars.

There were things I loved about the book: The setting and the characters; the romance between Diana and Brent; and the suspenseful storyline. I had a little bit of a problem keeping up with the “split time” back and forth of the story; and sometimes felt like all the description about the churches got in the way of the pace of the story. However, I’ll forgive those things because I really loved Diana and Brent as a couple.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Although many fictional books have been written about World War 2, this was one of the first books that I have read that discussed the recovery efforts. Putting things back together is often never as much fun as taking things apart. This was definitely true of the London churches that were destroyed during the War. Many of them were already on their second life as they had burned during the Great Fire of London. At that point, Christopher Wren was a key person in the process. Now part of the goal of reconstruction was to preserve his legacy. I think I bookmarked more pages in this book than in others because I wanted to be able to look up the churches that are mentioned. (Who knew that one London church tried to serve the media?) Determining which buildings needed repairs would have taken quite a bit of research.
This book is also about trying to restore relationships. Brent and Diana were married right before they started their war duties. They spent more time apart than together. Trying to figure out to connect again would have been trying. This book enlightened me even more to the sacrifices that were made because of the war.
Author Rachel McMillan also found a way to build intrigue into the story. Diana's position had involved encryption. The need to discover secrets did not end at the cease fire. While I did guess a few details, there were still some surprises in the connections of those who were pursuing to do harm and not good.
I really enjoyed this book, and I am glad that there will be a sequel. McMillan developed a great cast of characters who have more stories to tell. I was able to preview a copy of this book through NetGalley. A big thank you to that platform and to Thomas Nelson for allowing me to read this book. I greatly enjoyed it. All opinions expressed are my own and are under no obligation.

First there was Toronto then Vienna and Boston, and now in The London Restoration, Rachel McMillan immerses readers in post-World War II London and a love story interrupted by said war.

Diana and Brent Somerville have been separated by the war, and now that it’s over, they come back together as changed individuals. As they navigate their new relationship with their secrets and scars—both seen and unseen—they also must unravel a mystery centered around London’s Christopher Wren churches.

Impeccable research, excellent characterization, intriguing plot, and the theme of restoration woven through all of it made this a book I both savored and devoured. The history between Brent and Diana as well as their current situation add a refreshing twist to the typical historical romance genre, too.


Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

There is a rare convergence of characters, storyline, history, research, and talent that results in a pitch-perfect work of fiction. This is one. The London Restoration is a love story, the story of a new marriage put on hold by four years of war and a reunion disrupted by secrets and a five week delay. It is also a veritable love letter to London and it's churches, Thomas Wren's churches in particular.

Impeccable research, charmingly rambled by Diana Foyle in times of stress, helps to bring this story and the decimated churches of post-World War II London to life. With their meeting, courtship, one day marriage and wartime experiences, hers at Bletchley Park and his at the Front, are interspersed with Diana's post-war reunion with her husband Brent Somerville, this is a multi-layered story that unfolds around the pursuit of artifacts and Russian agents in the early days of the Cold War. Along with Brent and Diana's breathtaking romance, this is a tale of secrets, spies, academia, and the difficulties of restarting a marriage after four years when both have been irrevocably changed by their experiences.

In addition to the churches Diana loves and among all of the romance, misunderstandings, danger, and intrigue, it is first meetings that stand out as some of the pivotal moments. When Brent first sees Diana, when Diana meets Sophia Villiers, when Brent meets Simon Barre.

To say that this was a much anticipated book would be an understatement. I had very high expectations, which were exceeded. This is a story to reread, savor, and anticipate reading again. This first reading, however, also leaves me anxiously anticipating Villiers and Simon's story as well as thinking I might need Rachel McMillan's travel book Dream, Plan, and Go to plan a someday tour of Wren churches.

I read a complimentary digital copy of this book through NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book is set during post World War II in London. Diana and Brent have been separated by the war for four years and both are suffering from physical and/or emotional problems. They find themselves, due to Diana's previous work as a codebreaker, trying to help her old boss solve a new problem that may affect the world again while also trying to piece their marriage back together.

I loved finding out about the city and especially the churches of London particularly those designed by Christopher Wren. The war left the majority nearly totally demolished. The role they played in the suspense, along with the classical music, was quite interesting.

I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline, but found it hard to follow the shift in time back and forth on occasion. But, overall, this new-to-me author did a very good job.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

What a beautiful book was this.

This is my first book by this author and definitely not the las one.

I love books setting in this time(WW11) or after and this author portrays a beautiful description of some of the churches and cities but what really caught me was the way she make us the readers get in the life’s and struggles of this couple.

Diana and Brent were separate for four years and those years left some scars, emotional and physical that is going to challenge their love and marriage.

The War may damage some architectural in this cities, and take the life’s of so many people, or sending many more with terrible wounds and emotional health nightmares, like the ones of Brent, but if there’s is something we learn is to fight for those we love and even when everything looks suspicious and mysterious I can be more happy for the strong and trusting of this brave couple.

This book has been a delightful to read, I wish I can do it without pauses but my work got in between and it took me so many days to finally finished. I encourage if you get your hands on this to read it when you have the time without pausing to much, I’m sure you would enjoy even more that way.

Happy reading.

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for the advanced copy, I voluntarily give my honest review.

Intrigue and the beginnings of the Cold War era!

A compelling, even stunning marriage of ex Bletchley Park personnel, the aftermath of the second World War and the political jockeying of new world powers and their race for intelligence.
Told through the eyes of an unusual woman and her equally unusual husband.
Their initial meeting and love is like a fairy story, scarred by real life, and searching for a way to readjust.
Diana Somerville, an architectural historian whose passion is churches particularly those designed by Wren, was a codebreaker at Bletchley. Now she's being drawn into the post war intelligence service with the hunt for a Russian agent, Eternity by MI6.
A chance meeting between Brent Somerville and Diana in a churchyard was really love at first sight. Brett, a theology professor at Kings college saw out the war as a stretcher bearer. They had married before he shipped out to the European Theater. Injured, he returns to England to find that Diana has mysteriously journeyed to Vienna.
Their story hinges around these factors and more as Diana struggles to search for the spy Eternity. A search Brent is not going to let her take on her own. Not that he knows what the challenge or the stakes a. He just wants to protect his wife.
Will the scars on their war torn relationship rule or will their love reblossom?
A fascinating and different take on the interplay during the emerging Cold War era, especially with the inclusion of church architecture as part of the pieces of the puzzle. I did wonder about who Eternity might be, but that really wasn't confirmed until near to the end.
Some great twists and turns with a cast of interesting characters as we are plunged between the now and then of Diana and Brett's wartime experiences.

A Thomas Nelson ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

A time-slip novel set during and post WW2 London. It follows the meeting and marriage of Diana & Brent before their involvement in the war. Then goes into Diana's involvement as a code breaker at Bletchley Park while Brent goes off to the front immediately following their wedding.
In the post war times, it follows Diana & Brent trying to live together when they're 2 completely different people, all the while Diana is helping to track down spies.
The story deals with 2 people trying find their lives together after being apart due to horrific conditions while never having truly learned to be together before the events. I usually enjoy time slip stories but this one I found a bit confusing with the jumping back and forth as I was never completely sure what was being felt with when.
Note: I recieved an advanced copy of this book and all opinions are my own.

I have recently discovered that when it comes to historical fiction novels, those set during or around WWII tend to be my absolute favorites, so when I read the description of The London Restoration I was immediately drawn in. I must admit when I started reading it though, it wasn't an immediate intrigue for me. It is a slow moving novel all the way through the end... while in the end I found myself enjoying that slower pace, it did take me a bit longer to really get into the story to start. But the intrigue, and little sense of mystery didn't take too long to draw me in.

I loved that this story wasn't just a story of rebuilding a city and the churches that Diana so loved, but also a story of rebuilding a life that has been altered by war. Being a military spouse, I appreciated this story for that aspect... while there are certainly many differences from these time periods, that readjustment period is still very much a real issues that military families face.

What I loved most about this story is the sheer amount of research that went into it. While I admit, I'm not the biggest history buff, I do appreciate the authenticity this lends to the story. It's absolutely beautifully written, and one that fans of historical fiction are sure to enjoy.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley for consideration. All thoughts are 100% my own.

This is a love story not only about a man and woman, but about London and its churches. The author's loving descriptions of these demonstrate the importance of them to her. These two love stories take place during the war and the author brilliantly describes the time period. This is a great read!

After the war in London, Diana and Brent reunite and try to get back to their relationship as a young married couple, but find it difficult. Brent was at the front and Diana worked at Bletchley Park. They both saw and heard things they cannot talk about. But what they do have in comm9n is their love of churches, in particular, Christopher Wren churches. Under the guise of researching these churches for restoration, Diana is also looking for a Soviet agent.

Ahhhhh, what a satisfying book!
There are only a few authors I will make an exception to my "no historical novels" rule, and McMillan is one of those. Her incorporation of historical details in her books are what make them stand above the rest in the genre. I was utterly fascinated with the architectural history and the information about Wren and the churches.
Yet, the strengths of this book also lie with the romance between the husband and wife, separated by secrets, wounds, and other ravages of war, yet ultimately finding redemption.
Add to all of this intrigue, spies, and more secrets and I was held captive by this lovely novel throughout.
I listened to part of this on audio and switched to the print version midway through so I could give opinions on both. The narrator has a lovely voice and although I did speed up the speech her narration was clear and heartfelt. If you like historical fiction with wonderful detail, you will not be disappointed by this novel, but even if you don't, the romantic suspense will pull you in and keep you invested in the outcome.

The London Restoration by Rachel McMillan is unlike any WWII historical fiction I have read before. It combines espionage, romance and a heartfelt look at the destruction and reconstruction of the many churches bombed during the war.

Diana and Brent are married at the start of WWII but by 1945 have not seen each other in four years. He is a stretcher bearer facing enormous danger to save his fellow soldiers. She, unbeknownst to him, is a code breaker for England. When the war is over and Brent comes home injured and a broken man suffering PTSD he expects Diana to be waiting for him but it's another 5 weeks before she turns up.

Diana is secretly working with spy agents to head off the new threat to England that will become the Cold War against communism. Having been sworn to secrecy she cannot share her activities with her husband. Thus begins a destruction of a marriage due to war and the absence of being present and truthful and nothing but scars hidden and displayed to deal with everyday.

England is also dealing with the destruction of property. The historical churches are in ruins. Diana in her old life was an historical architect and Brent a theology professor. As they try to reconstruct these historic places of worship, heal the country they treasure and restore themselves and their relationship we are witness to a beautifully detailed written novel.

I fell in love with Brent, amazed by Diana's bravery and was in awe of London's determination to salvage their history the war tried to erase. There is much going on in this story and I often felt overwhelmed by events and emotions but I was never bored. In the midst of guns, bombs, spies, misunderstandings and distrust there is a love story for the ages.

This book is historical fiction at its best filled with trepidation, thrilling action, educational insights, and romance.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Author's notes are often found at the end of historical novels providing information that separates fact and fiction. I love that in The London Restoration that information precedes the story. The information is fairly lengthy and quite detailed, but I encourage readers to take the time to read it before jumping into the tale of Diana and Brent Somerville, the churches of London that they love, and the spies that meet there. Set following the end of World War II, there is a concern that a new type of war is just around the corner. While the book took me a bit to get into, I was so happy to have continued reading, as this ended up being a five star story. I am grateful to have received a copy from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

#London Restoration# is a historical fiction novel by Rachel McMillan. This book takes place during post World War II in 1945 in London.. Diana Somerville is the main character. She is an architectural historian . She is also a codebreaker at Bletchley Park . She has studied and enjoyed the churches in London for years. After all the bombing and turmoil of World War II , the churches have a lot of damage. She is heart broken to see the damage and hopes to get the churches restored. After the war there is so much change and it is hard to get everything back to where it was before. The themes in the story are: lying, treason, honesty vs dishonesty, secrets, post traumatic stress,, change in the world and in the characters, romance.. This book is well written. . This book gives the reader insight into what life was like after World War II. This book was given to me by the publisher, author and netgalley for review purposes only. The opinions are my own. Thank you to the publisher, netgalley, author for allowing me to read and review this book.

The London Restoration is a elegant story filled with rich detail, history, and romance.

London, Fall 1945. Architectural historian Diana Somerville's experience as a codebreaker at Bletchley Park and her knowledge of London's churches intersect in MI6's pursuit of a Russian agent named Eternity. Diana wants nothing more than to begin again with her husband Brent after their separation during the war, but her signing of the Official Secrets Act keeps him at a distance.

Brent Somerville, professor of theology at King's College, hopes aiding his wife with her church consultations will help him better understand why she disappeared when he needed her most. But he must find a way to reconcile his traumatic experiences as a stretcher bearer on the European front with her obvious lies about her wartime activities and whereabouts.

The post-war story of Brent and Diana is a slow burn with a lot of vivid details and history. Both characters were fully developed as chapters rotated between their pre-war/WWII lives and their present day in 1945. I loved how both Brent and Diana were real people in a real marriage. They have their baggage from before the war and after the war. Brent is dealing with PTSD from his position as a stretcher bearer in the war, and Diana has changed due to her own experiences on the continent serving her country. Therefore, both Brent and Diana are not just trying to restore demolished churches, they are also trying to restore and build their marriage. It’s wonderful when an author is willing to tackle the real and difficult issues in their stories. I cannot imagine how hard it was for couples to come back together and just pretend that life is back to normal and to just “carry on” after years at war. McMillan is a true master of bringing the real insecurities and issues that relationships went through in post-war England.

As I read the story I was constantly impressed with the amount of research McMillan must have put into creating her setting and characters. I could see the architectural details in my mind as I traveled with the characters through so many remarkable and significant historical buildings. I also found myself further interested in Christopher Wren churches, and Googling as much as I could about them.

Overall, I truly enjoyed reading The London Restoration. The story was complex, but the plot flowed seamlessly, and was the perfect mix of romance, mystery and suspense.

Thank you Thomas Nelson publishing for sending me this advanced reader copy.

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

The London Restoration setting is after WWII. It is a period where buildings, and in this case churches are being reconstructed and people united. Brent and Diana, are reunited after 4 years of being involved in the war. They are virtual strangers, each bringing secrets and baggage. So both lives and buildings parallel each other as they are sorted out and rebuilt.

It is obvious that lots of research have gone into creating this book. But, unfortunately, it didn’t capture my attention at the start and continued to feel a bit hard to engage in. This time, it wasn’t totally my cup of tea. But that's not to say it isn't a good book and worth picking up.

I’m rating it 3.5 but I round up.

I love the forward for this novel and that it's set in a unique time period: just after WWII has ended. The history of churches was fascinating. And the cover...stunning.

The London Restoration features a married couple for its hero and heroine. Diana and Brent were married just before Brent left for war and then separated for several years. They both changed during the years of separation and it's a challenge for them to settle into a new normal when they are reunited. It's a nice change to have the main characters already married. Completely plausible that there would be struggles following years of separation.

As they work to rebuild their marriage, there is also a mystery to solve. This part of the novel didn't pull me in. The switching between time periods was also a bit difficult to follow.