This was a beautiful love story, but not in the traditional sense. It was a love story written for the city of London. From her time as a codebreaker in World War II to her time after the war, the whole story in one woman's love affair with the city of London. While the story was beautiful, I found it moved slowly in many places. I think the slow pace in certain places added to the quiet beauty of the storytelling. However, some areas seemed to drag on unnecessarily.

Lately I have been all about historical novels and novels about WWII. The London Restoration did not disappoint at all. Rachel McMillan did a magnificent job at describing post WWII London and the devastation to the historic churches throughout. Diana Somerville played an important role during the war as her husband Brent fought on the frontlines. Post was they each had secrets and have to learn how to be husband and wife once again. Diana must also carry on her secret life with the MI6. This book is fascinating and I learned so much about the history and architecture of the churches Diana visits throughout the book. Once you start you will not be able to put this book down. Thank you for the requested ARC and all opinions are my own.

3.75 stars

“Tea. For any insecurity she had about their reconciliation, three letters in a small word and she felt safe. And more tea.”

Following the end of the war, Diana Somerville, née Foyle, just wants to reunite with her husband, Brent. However, her friend requests that she help MI6 catch a Soviet agent named Eternity and find a file containing names of traitors. Diana’s husband has no idea that she worked at Bletchley Park breaking codes during the war. This expertise, along with her lifelong obsession and research into Christopher Wren’s restoration of London churches following the Great Fire, makes her the only individual who can help MI6 in this instance. It seems that Eternity has been using Wren churches as drop-off points.

Over the course of the novel, Diana searches for answers amidst the rubble of bombed churches. She is not only looking to crack Eternity’s code—she also wants to rebuild her connection with her husband. Both of them have wartime secrets that are keeping them apart.

This book gets all the points for having a plot crafted exactly for me. Soviet spies, female espionage, and historical architecture? Did McMillan have me in mind when coming up with the plot? I kept waffling between 3.5 and 4 stars because the execution was far from perfect at points. However, the plot is original and the prose is gorgeous. I couldn’t decide and cheated with 3.75.

“The scary thing about loud ideologies at a time when a country is broken is that the loudest and most assured ones dominate until they seem right, they seem conscionable.”

The romance aspect of this book was also very well done. Diana and Brent’s adorable love story is threaded through this novel in a beautiful way.

“Tea with you sounds...well, I don’t believe my Greek vocabulary extends that far.”

While some reviews have called Brent’s character into question, his views on marriage are progressive for the era. I cannot blame him for not wanting his spouse to embark on dangerous espionage missions. Diana would have probably felt the same if the tables were turned. Furthermore, Brent is clearly suffering from PTSD, which explains a lot of his behaviour.

Some reviews also slandered Diana for seeming ‘clueless’ and ‘inept.’ While Diana is not good at fitting the ‘traditional’ role of a housewife, that has no bearing on her intelligence. She is an incredibly smart character who fell in love, but wants to maintain her independence.

“Diana didn’t want to be pretty. She wanted to be a threat.”

That being said, the dialogue and plot lacked clarity at some points. The fact that my copy (sent to my Kindle from Netgalley) was clearly missing a few pages at some key points in the novel contributed to this. At other points, the dialogue made little sense. The pacing was also a little bit off (there was a lot of build-up to a very short climax).

On the other hand, I highlighted many beautiful quotes. I also learned so much about Christopher Wren and was motivated to do further research. The author mentions in the foreword that her Goodreads page has lists of further reading beyond her bibliography, which I am planning to check out very soon. The amount of research that clearly went into this text is astounding. I’m really upset that I cannot go explore all of the churches that play a role in this book.

When the dialogue is clear in this book, it is extremely clever. Who else would describe cracking Enigma like this?

“‘Do you know the myth of Sisyphus?’ Fisher had said her first day. ‘Who pushes the rock to the top of a hill only to have it fall to the bottom again?’ ‘’Yes.’ ‘Sort of what it feels like here.’”

An architectural romance set against the tumultuous Second World War.
Brent and Diana Sommerville married just weeks before the war, and what should have been a happy reunion is marred by five weeks that Diana can’t tell him about. Flowing forwards and back in time this story follows Brent and Diana from the first sparks of romance, their marriage, their time apart, and the present, through trenches and churches.
Slow to start, this book builds gradually, as it dissects a marriage and the pieces slowly come together about who is the one dogging their every move. Remarkably well researched, with great attention to detail, this book does a great job of bringing that part of the war to light, highlighting the heroes who gave more than anyone will ever know.
The first half of the book sets up the second half well, and it all builds into a climactic suspense filled ending. Realistic characters give gravity to the situation, and I liked how it draws attention to the realities that many returned to after the war. It was a slow burn for me, I’m glad I kept pushing till the end.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The London Restoration by Rachel McMillan is a love story. A love story between Diana, a London architectural historian interested in the reconstruction of the churches damaged during the blitz in WW II, who served four years in England at the Government Code and Cipher School at Bletchley Park as a codebreaker and her husband, Professor of Theology Brent Somerville, a gifted artist who liked to sketch churches, and taught about the apostles—Paul and Peter and John, the letters to the Corinthians, “that lot,” who had his own secrets, crisis of faith, and war baggage to overcome. They had both changed dramatically since they’d rushed into marriage at the beginning of the war, and they were trying to find their way back to each other. She was still a notoriously bad cook and housekeeper with a terrible singing voice, but the war had fashioned her into her own woman who wanted to pursue goals her husband didn’t approve of. It is also about Diana’s “love affair” with Christopher Wren and the London churches he designed. The novel featured intrigue, a priceless Roman artifact, and spy craft to thwart Cold War enemies in a shadowy network called “Eternity.” The writing and the concept were very good, but I found myself wading through obsessively endless passages about churches and religion until, by the end, which was really the best part, I was skimming over the religious references and tedious church descriptions I thought distracted from the story. But if you like that type of thing you will probably love this book. It just wasn’t my cup of tea. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

In this mannered, 1950s-styled novel, a Bletchley Park alumna-turned-informal-spy and her husband, reunited after WWII, seek out a Soviet spy amidst the churches of London. The woman has poor communication skills, loves churches more than her husband, and is oblivious about many things, despite being called a person with great observation and pattern-finding skills; her husband is jealous, a chauvinist, and has poor communication skills; this is not a functional relationship and throughout I kept telling the woman to leave, but she didn't. There is a lot of pressing of hands and bodies before dramatic turning away from each other, all very 1940s novels kinds of things. The spy hunt also lacks drama or much interest, and of course the spy is found to be close to home for the protagonists.

What a charming read! Delightful beach reading. I really enjoyed this WWII romance.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for the eArc to read and review.

This novel really drops you into the story quickly. I really enjoyed the mystery and members of the British Secret Intelligence Service. The main characters were good and I enjoyed their story, there was romance and mystery in historical fiction which in my opinion usually leads to a great book. However, I also really enjoyed the research and history that went into creating this story and would recommend it to those who love history and London.
The writing is good and I would definitely like to check out more books by this author.

The cover art captured my attention. This novel is deep. One that you need to concentrate on reading. Well written. Highly researched. Thought provoking. Five stars.

I will be Giving a more detailed review closer to the book tour

From author Rachel McMillan comes a richly researched historical romance that takes place in post-World War II London and features a strong female lead.

Determined to save their marriage and the city they love, two people divided by World War II’s secrets rebuild their lives, their love, and their world.

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.

Featuring a timeless love story bolstered by flashbacks and the excavation of a priceless Roman artifact, The London Restoration is a richly atmospheric look at post-war London as two people changed by war rebuild amidst the city’s reconstruction.

#TheLondonRestoration

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

When I started reading this book, I felt as if I had skipped something and was already a couple chapters in. It was a bit disconcerting to be plunged into the middle of the action without being acquainted with the characters first. I settled into the book a couple chapters in, but I didn't really like the back and forth of the timeline from pre-war, midst of the war, and post-war scenes. It gelled together, but it was jarring for me as a reader. I didn't really like any of the main characters so it didn't make me care about their stories unfortunately. An ok read, but not a memorable one.

3.5

The message that resonated with me after reading this book is that there is beauty in brokenness. The story takes place mostly in London after WWII. The city itself was bombed extensively during the war and is in the process of being rebuilt. Diana and Brent Somerville both served in WWII in unique ways and bear the physical and emotional scars from their service. Throughout the book, there is much description of how both cities and relationships are rebuilt in this new post-war world.

I struggled with the first part of this book because I am not very familiar with church architecture or the churches of London. This is clearly a passion of McMillan's and I truly appreciate that. It would have been helpful to have a map of London and perhaps a glossary of architecture-related terms.

Overall, I found the story itself interesting with espionage and intrigue throughout. I also loved seeing the healing in the relationship between Brent and Diana.

Thanks to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson-Fiction and Rachel McMillan for my copy of The London Restoration.

London 1945, Diana Somerville's has been working during WW II at Bletchley Park as a code breaker, she hasn’t seen her husband Brent four years and he thinks she’s been working as a translator. Brent Somerville left his new bride to be a stretcher bearer during the war it’s a very dangerous job, in fact it’s actually safer to be in the army and he’s wounded towards the end of the war. When he’s sent home from hospital he assumed Diana will be at their flat waiting for him and it’s not the case at all. She arrived home five weeks later; she’s been working in Vienna with agent Simon Barre and Brent has no idea why? Diana can’t tell her husband anything about her work during or after the war as she’s signed the Official Secrets Act and after the war ended the biggest threat to England was believed to be communism, the secret service think there is a Russian cell infiltrating the country and they need Diana's help to find the leader.

Brent Somerville is a professor of theology at King's College, he’s battling to live and work as a civilian again after the things he experienced during the war, and he lost a finger and has terrible scars. He assumed he and Diana would start doing the things they had planned to do after the war ended, live in domestic bliss and start a family. Instead like many couples separated by WW II they found it hard to live together, no intimacy and their war time experiences have changed them. Brent starts following his wife when she visits churches at night as he’s worried about her safety and he’s trying to find out what she’s up to!

I really enjoyed reading The London Restoration; its plot is full of mystery, secrets, spies, double agents and members of British Secret Intelligence Service. What I loved about the book was the main characters; Diana is an intelligent woman, who’s torn between helping her country and being with her wounded husband while he recuperates in hospital. Brent is a Professor; he loves his wife Diana, but he’s scared to sleep in the same bed as her as he has terrible nightmares and he’s also very self conscious about his injuries. Of course, after WW II ended it created a lot of issues with relationships; it was very hard for couples to live together after being apart for so many years and the insecurities and vulnerabilities of people in these situations were highlighted and included in the plot of this book. Also included in the story is information about London’s beautiful old churches, many were severely damaged during the war and they play an important role in the story.
Well done Rachel McMillan I gave The London Restoration five stars and I highly recommend this book.

Rebuilding is key to this intriguing story of a failing marriage, a war-torn city, and the hunt for a Russian spy in London 1945.

Diana Somerville, a Bletchley code-breaker during the conflict, is an expert on London churches. She is enlisted by MI6 to help catch the Ruskie agent named Eternity, as her knowledge of Wren-built structures is critical to finding him.

But her husband, a stretcher bearer during the war, knows nothing of Diana’s work. When he was sent home badly injured, she was inexplicably away. When she returns, she can’t tell him why she was absent because of the Official Secrets Act she signed. The effect is a marriage as damaged as London.

Can they repair their relationship? Will British intelligence catch the spy in time? Is hope, both for the couple and the city, possible?

THE LONDON RESTORATION is a compelling read set during a momentous time, sure to please lovers of romance and historical fiction alike.

4 of 5 Stars

Pub Date 18 Aug 2020

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

#TheLondonRestoration #NetGalley

Thank you netgalley and Thomas Nelson publishing for access to this arc. Despite a beautiful cover and intriguing blurb, I'm afraid this one just isn't for me. The pace is slow, the action is confusing, and the writing at times clunky. I lost count of the number of times I read sentences only to stop and ask myself - "what on earth does that even mean?" DNF

The London Restoration by Rachel McMillan is a stunning read. I was immediately hooked by the storyline and felt transported to 1945 London. What a time that must have been — the destruction, the rationing, the rebuilding of lives that had been devastated by WWII. My heart ached for the characters in this book. I found that I related to Brent and Diana’s struggle to find their way back to one another as a married couple after four years of separation. The feelings they experience as they attempt to navigate a “new normal” are relatable and realistic. And, I love that I am leaving this story filled with hope. Life can really do a number on us all. We may feel down and out, but God always makes a way for us in the end. We just have to trust the journey. The London Restoration is a superb story of reconciliation; one that should not be missed.

I am the most impressed by how realistic McMillan portrays the struggles Brent and Diana experience as a married couple who have gone through trauma in the early days of their marriage. When they first are a couple, it seems like nothing can come between them. Their love is so passionate and so big. It’s unfathomable that they would ever feel differently. But then Hitler comes with his bombs and murder and hate, and their lives are irrevocably changed. When the war ends and things go back to normal, Brent and Diana struggle. How does one just go back to normal after experiencing something as awful as Hitler and his war machine? What does normal even mean? Both Brent and Diana have been blown away by the four years they spent desperately and separately trying to survive the war, and are now completely different people than when they first married. Feelings are different. Things are awkward. How do they get back to where they once were as a couple when they don’t even know how to do that as individuals? Is there a way to reconcile their experiences in the war, the traumas they experienced, and still follow the dreams they had for their marriage before the war? To see how Brent and Diana navigate these difficult questions, you will just have to read this beautiful novel. But as a married woman of many, many years, I can say their journey is poignant, relatable, and so very, very true to life. In fact, it is their journey as a married couple in a crazy awful time that filled me with the most hope.

The London Restoration is more than just a good story. It forces the reader to wrestle with things like change — change in feelings, change in time, change in self, change in relationships — and it illustrates that grace and forgiveness and understanding cover a multitude of frustrations and confusions and misunderstandings. It also shows that in the end, it really all does boil down to love — all seven of the Greek forms! The London Restoration is a must-read novel that I highly recommend. If you are a fan of sophisticated historical romances that include a little mystery and intrigue, and timely themes, then this is definitely the book for you!

I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the publisher, Thomas Nelson, via NetGalley. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I'd requested this title because I was expecting a mystery, but it's much more a problematic-marriage title, which isn't something I enjoy. I suspect there's a solid readership out there for it, but it doesn't include me. Three stars because the quality of the writing is good, even if the book didn't do much for me.

This "London Restoration" by Rachel McMillan was a fantastic unusual historical fiction story. The research that went into this book impressed me so very much. The characters, they surround all of what happens after WWII, their lives apart and together is a heatfilled, and a emotional story that you will know both of them so well! Grab some tissues,I had to! Miss Rachel she really put a lot into writing this book and I see this book going far. Wait till you read it,you will see what I mean about the relationship between this husband and wife,their love and can they really get back together or do they learn something new and is that love strong enough!

The author's love for London, architecture and music is apparent in this tribute to Wren's churches in London. Interwoven throughout is the love story of a couple who married and were separated by war. Unlike many stories, this one centers around their post-war relationship as they come to grips with their roles as husband and wife. Like many couples, Diana and Brent bear the scars and secrets of war. I loved the symbolism of rebuilding, that of the treasured churches and that of relationships. McMillan's plot addresses the beginning of the Cold War, the one that was fought with intellect and spies, not the armies on the battlefields. Beautifully written love story that tugs at the heart!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are mine.

This book was fun, engaging, suspenseful, and mysterious! I thought that the pacing was great, and the characters really kept me engaged.
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The war is over, except for people like Diana. She is working hard to try and uncover a spy ring in London that could lead to a dangerous Cold War that is looming with the Soviets. While using her knowledge of Christopher Wren and churches to try to uncover the secrets and codes, she is also trying to get back to normal life with her husband, Brent, who was a stretcher bearer in the war and has returned home injured.
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I thought it was cool how Diana used her education to track down spies and decipher codes. The author portrayed her as an awkward academic, which is what drew her to her husband. He is a professor at King's College before and after the war and you can tell that they are very suited for each other. I also really appreciated how he supported her studies and encouraged her to go back to school, even though she is torn between going back and continuing her work chasing spies! This is a really fun WW2 era novel that kept me engaged throughout the whole book!