This book was super good. It was super original and I flew through it. It didn't feel like anything I've read in the past. Can't wait to read more from the author!!

The London Restoration by Rachel McMillan is my first book by this author, and I absolutely loved it. This is a completely different WWII novel than I’ve ever read, but that’s what made it so interesting! Danger, secrets, mystery, romance, and history...this novel has it all! You will fall effortlessly into post-war London, walking it’s ravaged streets with Brent and Diana and feeling the gut-wrenching devastation of the city, its churches, and its inhabitants.
Rachel McMillan does a brilliant job of layering the many facets of this story--everything from war secrets to breath-taking architecture--the depth of this story will astound you.
I loved Diana--her enthusiasm over her love of Wren churches, her pride in the woman she became during the war, and her determination to heal her marriage. I would love to see London’s churches through her eyes, especially since she could see beyond the devastation to a brighter future.
I listened to most of this story on audiobook, which I have to say I LOVED. The narrator’s voice was perfect and made the scenes and London come to life. It was difficult to turn it off when I arrived at my destination! I wanted to listen for hours!
Any fan of Christian historical fiction will appreciate the history of this book, and I believe you will love the characters and their tales of survival through the war and beyond. It is a unique and interesting read with never a dull moment!
I was given a copy of this book by the publisher with no expectation of a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Architectural Historian Diana Somerville has been a code breaker at Bletchley Park during World War II. There she has met some interesting people that have been working for the government, ones that she would have not met otherwise. Now, in the 1945 London, the war is over and Diana has been requested to do something more for her country. Alas, she cannot speak of it as she is bound by the Official Secrets Act she has signed. This engagement of hers, keeps her from open conversations with her husband Brent, that has now returned from his service. She cannot share this information, unless MI6 allows her to.

Brent Somerville, professor of theology at King’s College, went to world and was met with all its mighty and sorrow. He lost a friend and witness some very difficult situations. Now that he is back, he wants to spend his days with his wife and get over his own trauma. He hopes his aiding with her church consultation will bring them closer and help him understand why she was away for five weeks when he needed her the most.

The two of them start visiting churches looking for what can be repaired and how, while at the same time they have their own agenda. Diana needs to find as much information as she can, with respect to a Russian agent called Eternity, so she can do what she was asked for and get done with it and eventually have more time to devote to her husband. Brent seems so distant some times and she knows that she is partly responsible for that. not letting him in on everything that has happened in her life during the war. Another part is the war itself. Such events, as the World War II was, can change ones life for good. Both of them have been through experiences that have affected them greatly and Brent has been through some that don’t allow him to sleep peacefully. He is afraid he might hurt his beloved wife during one of his nightmares, so he prefers to sleep at the couch instead.

The book synopsis includes all the interesting part about the book, including MI6, Russian spies and covered work at a troublesome time. World War II always has great stories to tell or to inspire. It depends on the point of view. In this case, I felt that the author wanted to focus more on the social impact a war has and how it changes people. The focus point was how people can find each other after four years of separation because of war and come to think that this person that stands in front of them, the one that they fell in love with not that long ago, is something of a stranger. Which is a big truth, if I may say. The spying stuff was their just to spice things up and add to the background of Diana’s change.

Even so, I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook. The narrator did her best to create the atmosphere the author wanted, making it difficult to understand if this was about the restoration of London, or the restoration of Diana’s and Brent’s relationship.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the opportunity to listen and review this audiobook.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishing house and the author for the opportunity to listen to a complimentary advance reader copy of this audio book in return for review based upon my honest opinion.

I was really excited to listen to this book, The narrator did a good job reading the book and I found her voice very pleasant to listen to. As far as the book went, I found it was a very lovely book that told of the restoration of London after the war but mostly was a restoration of the relationship between the main characters Diana and her husband Brent. Not a lot happened in the book and I found it did drag it places, but overall it was still a good book.

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.

I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook, Hanna Curtis does an amazing job bring the characters to life. She had me drawn into the story from the beginning. It was a wonderful love story set in WWI full of rich historical detail.

I would highly recommend this book to lovers of Historical Fiction and thank Netgalley, Thomas Nelson and Rachel McMillan for gifting me a copy of the audiobook to listen to and review.

I enjoyed this novel itself (please find a link to my review here). https://www.netgalley.com/book/184790/review/215260

I also liked the audiobook. The narrator, if not actually British managed to sound British enough to convince this native. Her intonation and pronunciation were excellent. Sometimes, when American narrators try to read books set in Britain they just end up sounding awkward, clumsy and unnatural. Fake, basically. That wasn't the case with Hannah Curtis.

It was genuinely a pleasure to listen to. Not monotone nor boring, even for someone like me who has the habit of increasing the playback speed. She handles the male and female characters perfectly, as well as those from different backgrounds and nationalities.

As my first audiobook review on Netgalley, this makes me glad that they are now included on the catalog, and I hope Thomas Nelson/Zondervan will put more of them up in future. Using this narrator, preferably.

This is the first book that I have read or listened to by this author and I enjoyed it. The narrator did a good job and I could hear slight variations between certain characters’ voices as she read, which helped me follow along. The narrator also had a very pretty British accent, which set the stage nicely for this novel.

The story is a slow build and jumps back and forth through time. Sometimes the story is post war, which is definitely the main story line. In this time line, the reader follows along as Brent and Diana attempt to rebuild their lives as a married couple again after the war. To complicate matters, Diana is involved in some pretty dangerous activities and there are many secrets, which leads to frustration for Brent. And Brent brings his own complications to the marriage, as he is dealing with the aftermath of wartime trauma and injuries. Both Brent and Diana work throughout the novel to find a new normal. I really liked Brent and Diana and hoped for the best for them. It was clear that they truly loved each other, even though both had changed because of their experiences.

In the pre-war scenes, the reader gets to see the original courtship between Diana and Brent, which was sweet. And there were a few scenes that took place during the war years, where the reader learns what life was like for both Brent and Diana when they were apart for so many years.

I really enjoyed each scenario and the pace of this novel felt very much like watching the television series, Foyle’s War. Not that the plots are the same, they aren’t, but I am referring to the tone of mystery and uncertainty in the midst of war and rebuilding.

I received a complimentary copy of this audio book. All opinions are my own.

The London Restoration was one of the hardest audiobooks I've ever gotten through. I can see that there are a lot of positive reviews about this novel, but, unfortunately, this book and I did not connect. The combination of having the historical note at the beginning, seemingly giving away the entire storyline, and the difficulty deciphering between the two points of view due to having one narrative, made it very difficult to enjoy. In my opinion, the storyline focused more on the events that happened during the war rather than the restoration of London, which was utterly disappointing. I wanted to learn about what happened to the churches after the war, not hear this "romance" story of a husband and wife who were separated by the war. I understand that hearing their backstory helped set up the present, but the flashbacks were so sporadic that I spent most of the chapters figuring out if I were listening to the past or present. I really wanted to like this book, maybe I would have enjoyed it more as an ebook rather than audio, but it just wasn't my cup of tea.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this audio for me to review. All the thoughts are my own.*

I am not sure how to classify this book. Historical fiction, romance, women's fiction (whatever that means), maybe all, regardless, the book is an elegant, well researched story of the immediate post-WWII London. It is also a story of deep love between two people separated by the war trying to rebuild their lives once the war is over. Moreover, it is a thriller, and a mystery setting the stage for the Cold War. The details and descriptions of the churches come alive throughout the book. I liked when the story goes back from 1945 to the years during the war. Unfortunately, there is something missing in the flashbacks. I wish more information was provided. However, it does not take away from the story, where architecture, math, Christopher Wren churches, Mozart's music, religion classes, and spying intermingle to create a complex plot. The pace of the book is slow at times, which is perhaps the main negative. It is not a a five star book, but I feel it is worthy a very strong four stars. Audiobook courtesy of Thomas Nelson through NetGalley.

I’ll make this short since as you can see, I did not enjoy this book. The unfortunate part of this book that stood out me within the first quarter of the book was the sexism that occurred between the two main characters who are married. I realize this is a historical fiction, but I’ve read historical fictions where the woman can be strong and independent and not need to prove herself to her significant other. I honestly wanted Diana to leave her husband the entire book. Such an unhealthy relationship. My only other issue with this book was the fact you have to know about the church in order to understand 40% of this book. Much of the book was spent talking about parts of the architecture of a church and so forth.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for access to this title to listen to and review.

I loved that this book took place after the end of World War 2, with some flashback to the war. The main characters, Diana and Brent, were relatable for the most part. I did find they kept rehashing the same conversation often without actually changing anything and that was a bit frustrating. The story was pretty good and made me go off on a research tangent for Wren churches. What I like the most was how the author moved these people from the war but showed how they changed. I find a lot of WW2 fiction ends at the war and this was a unique perspective to see what happens next.

As an audio book it was nice to listen to. The narrator was pleasant and easy to listen to.

Almost all of the WWII fiction I've read focuses on women during the war, and this was the first that focused on *after* the war. McMilian does a fantastic job of showing that while the war was over, it wasn't truly over, and that there was no going back. Never is.
For Diana, this was even more complicated as she married just before starting a job where she had to sign the Official Secrets Act, and cannot share with her new husband one of the most formative experiences of her life. However messy that might be, it is compounded by his PTSD, and the intersection of their love of churches with post-war espionage and competing ideologies. The presumptive love-triangle is also fun ;)

I loved the unique take on a post-war spy novel.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book. I'll be posting my review on Goodreads and Amazon

The London Restoration by Rachel McMillan 4 stars
Narrated by Hannah Curtis

This is my first audiobook from netgalley. I really enjoyed the narrator. I can feel the tension and the emotions of the characters. I love #historicalfiction but so far this is different from what I have read before. This happened after WWII and to a married couple trying to save their marriage.

Brent and Diana are in love but the war has changed them. They have seen and experienced horrible things. It makes me think back of all the families after all the wars in history. It was hard for everyone. Food was scarce and they had to make do with what they had. Make a new normal.

I like that Brent and Diana have their own POV. It’s amazing that their love never faded and that they both want to work on their marriage. It’s cute as they reminisce about their first encounter. I like the church architectural references, music, conspiracy theory, code breaking and thrill that this book has to offer. It’s a book worth reading, interesting, educational and a clean read.

Thank you #netgalley and #thomasnelson for the free copy in exchange for an honest review,.

The London Restoration
By Rachel McMillan

Diana Somerville's war didn't end when the British troops returned home. She wants nothing more than to restart the life she had just started with her husband Brent Somerville before the war took him to the continent. Her work during the war has her bound to keep secrets from her husband - he thought she spent her days translating messages but it was so much more than that. She is bound to not speak about her true work due to her signing of the Official Secrets Act. And secrets are now between them.

Brent wanted nothing more than to come home to his wife and his professorship at King's College. But something is off with his marriage - first, when he came home Diana wasn't in London, in fact, she wasn't even in England. And then he knows she is keeping secrets from him - a favor for a friend is all the reason she gives for her absence. And then there are his secrets. He is determined to protect her from his wartime memories, to keep his wounds hidden from sight, to keep her from witnessing his nightmares night after night.

With a growing list of things to keep them apart only their love seems to be tying them together. But love, that, like London, has had its walls damaged is in a precarious position. Is the foundation upon which it built strong enough to handle the rebuilding needed? As Diana studies the churches of London that she has so come love, she works on plans to help in their rebuilding and restoration. With Brent at her side as she works on a project near to her heart, she can only hope that this will bridge the divide that the war has created.

The London Restoration is more than a world rebuilding after the devastation of war, it is a world on the brink of another war. A war of ideology and manipulation - a cold war. But can a war be one fought only in the shadows and dark corners? When Diana and Brent discover a priceless religious artifact among the rubble they are drawn further into this secret war. But a war of ideology is no safer than the one just fought for those who find themselves on the frontline. This is something for which Diana was never trained and one in which she and Brent could very easily find themselves victim to.

The London Restoration is a multi-faceted story that is both personal and historical. Rachel McMillan does an excellent job capturing the reader's attention, I for one read the book over a weekend and was reluctant to put it down when other matters demanded my attention. The story is set in 1938 - 1946 with the story told in a nonlinear fashion but each time change is clearly marked at the beginning of that chapter. I personally like having the story unfold so that key moments in the backstory are slowly revealed adding greater depth to the story as it progresses.

I have to admit I fell in love with this cover. That red hat, London in the golden glow of sunlight - it is a perfect attention grabber all but begging me to pick it up and peek inside. And I am not sorry for a single moment spent between the covers getting to know these characters.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations other than that I offer my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

** I have also obtained the audio version of this book and it is narrated by Hannah Curtis. It is an excellent presentation if you prefer to listen to your book rather than read it. At 11 hours and 47 minutes, it is a length that is perfect for housework, commutes, or just a quiet afternoon to relax with.

First, I’d like to thank NetGalley, Thomas Nelson and Rachel McMillan for my copy (audiobook) of The London Restoration. I also want to praise Hannah Curtis for her narration of the novel!

I enjoyed The London Restoration, but mostly because of the well-researched history and architecture. Being interested in both, I did like this book, but I’m not sure if people who don’t share this interest will. The story itself was a bit slow (the plot was fine, but because it unfolded so slowly, it became a bit boring), and though I liked the characters from the start, they lacked development. Still, 3,5 stars!

I was so excited when I was approved for my first NetGalley Audiobook. The description of this book sounded amazing and the cover is simply stunning. I THOUGHT I would LOVE this book. London is my all-time favourite city to visit. I love everything about it....but it was not to be.

I so dislike rating books low but I have to give my honest opinion. The story was promising. I couldn't wait to hear Brent and Diana's story. They met before the war and married. Brent was sent off to war and Diana was recruited at Bletchley Park. They are reunited after the war and the story goes back and forth plus there is some mysterious espionage happenings.

I feel this was more of a character analysis of a marriage/relationship than a mystery. I just quite simply found it dull as not much happened. It was a very slow moving story and very descriptive. I do however feel that for some people this book would be a 4 star rating. The writing is good and very detailed especially around the Christopher Wren churches of London. It is just not my kind of story. I pushed myself to the 50% point but could not go on any longer.

I'd like to kindly thank NetGalley and Thomas Nelson with granting me access to this Advanced Audiobook.

*4,5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a copy of the audiobook.
I had to take a few days after finishing this to process my thoughts because this was quite a journey.
This book was a pleasant surprise for me. I love books with a WWII setting, however, this one takes place in the post-WWII setting, when we're watching the "restoration".
I really enjoyed the narrator of this book, and how I was compelled to keep reading this book, which may have been related to the story itself. It all worked perfectly for me.
I highly recommend this book!

I found this one to be just ok. It wasn't something I just couldn't stop listening to but it was entertaining.

This was my first book by this author, It was pretty enjoyable. I would give this book a 3.5 star rating! It was a pretty Quick and easy to follow along with.