The London Restoration by Rachel McMillan was my first book by this author, and I listened to the audiobook. The narrator had a British accent, but she was easy to understand. Her reading pace allowed me to set the audio speed at 1.25x.
As World War II was ripping through Europe, Diana Foyle and Brent Summerville quickly married as Brent headed to the front leaving behind his career as a professor. Diana also leaves their house to join the work at Bletchley Park unbeknownst to her husband. With the war ending, can Brent and Diana rekindle their marriage? Upon her return home, Diana's secret life in intelligence threatens their marriage even more as she is asked to track a spy ring that is using churches to pass messages to one another. Can Diana solve this mystery, and will Brent accept her working as a spy? McMillan has crafted a multi-layer plot filled with romance, mystery, and danger that is great for fans of historical fiction and mysteries.

I enjoyed this romantic suspense novel. It takes place just after World War II has ended.
Diana and Brent Somerville married quickly, and both longed for the time when they could return to each other after the war.
However, things don’t go as planned. Both of them are carrying secrets that they cannot or will not share. As they begin life again, they are drawn together by a common love of London’s churches, and by the threat of a mysterious agent called Eternity. Diana and Brent must strive to save their marriage, the country, and the city of London that they love.
I requested this book through NetGalley and Thomas Nelson were kind enough to give me a copy of the audiobook to review.
I listened to the audiobook and thoroughly enjoyed it. I was happy to hear a British accent, and I felt that Hannah Curtis’ voice was a good fit for the character of Diana. I often listen to audiobooks at a higher speed. In this case, I set it to 1.75 speed and was still able to understand all of the words and most of her performance.
The main characters were complex. The author shows the difficulty that many people faced when they returned from the war. The book details how their experiences changed them and how they could learn to love again. Even the side characters were nuanced and interesting. I particularly enjoyed seeing the damaged churches of London through Diana’s eyes.
The book has a strong emphasis on relationship and I enjoyed reading a romantic suspense novel in which the main characters were already married. It gave a different dynamic to the story that I haven’t seen in other books.
The mystery plot is secondary to the characters and their relationships, but it was also intriguing and fun to follow.
Christian faith plays a part in this book. Firstly because the main characters are studying London’s churches, secondly because Brent is a Theology professor, but also in the background there is an undercurrent of faith as each wrestles with their beliefs and what they experienced during the war.

I cannot even begin to capture how much I enjoyed this rich historical fiction set in London, post-World War II. Rachel McMillan captures and expresses historical detail unlike any other. I learned so much about London’s Churches, artifacts and what rebuilding after the war may have looked like. Part of what made this even more enjoyable was the talented narrator, Hannah Curtis. Hannah’s soothing tones and voice fluctuations really captured the various characters and emotions being conveyed throughout the book. The characters have such a beautiful depth during such a traumatic time. The reader is invited to live and experience the personal lives of Diana and Brent living in the aftermath of giving everything to serve their country. Now, as the city is rebuilding, so is their love story. Breathtaking, moving, and gripping, I highly recommend this clean, historical fiction book. I received a complimentary copy of this audio book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own and freely given.

3/5 ⭐️
Okay so this was kinda good, but it got boring pretty fast. Maybe because I didn’t really feel attached to any of the characters

I adored reading The London Restoration. This book is a beautifully written historical fiction romance, between 2 lovers , Diana Foil and Brent Somerville. It is also a romance between these lovers and the churches (and the city of London.
Rachel McMillan brings the churches of London to life in the pages of this book. Her knowledge of their architecture and her love of London topography are clearly evident.

I listened to the audiobook of The London Restoration compliments of @netgalley and @Macmillanaudio. The book traces the lives of Diana and Brent Somerville. They meet (by chance) at Diana's favourite (#Wren) church. Because of the war, they decided to marry, despite having to go separate ways the next day. At least this way they had a reason to survive the war.

It was both fascinating, and heartbreaking at times, to actually listen Diana's and Brent's stories. and to hear about the devastation wrought upon London during the war (WW2), It was so painful for them to witness., and Macmillan does a great job describing this very difficult time in London's history, (although she makes it very clear in the book that London has been through so many painful times, so this gives Diana and Brent the hope they need to get through the war).

I loved listening to the #audiobook of #thelondonrestoration narrated by Hannah Curtis. Thank you @MacMillanaudo for the early audiobook for my honest review. #5stars!

Beautifully written and thoroughly researched, The London Restoration swept me into the months immediately following WWII (with glimpses into the war itself). Interested in restoring the churches of a war-torn London, Diana also wants to restore her marriage to Brent. I anguished over the missteps the couple made as they tried to find their way back to each other. PTSD, government secrets, and espionage complicate matters, making for some heart-stopping moments along the way. The story is a perfect blend of romance and suspense. Note: I listened to the audio version, and the narrator does a wonderful job.

Listening to this one on audio was such a delight! I'm a HUGE fan of McMilan and her writing voice! I'm often jealous of her vocabulary and how she manages to weave such profound detail into every single paragraph. The romantic tension between Diana and Brent is both angsty and poetic, as is her adoration for all things London. McMilan's passion for history is contagious and I now have several new places added to my travel bucket list. I hope this book receives MUCH high praise and accolades. This novel is a work of art. Highly recommend!

The London Restoration // by Rachel McMillan // narrated by Hannah Curtis

From the NetGalley description: "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."

Former wartime codebreaker Diana Somerville really just wants to go home to London with her beloved churches and be reunited with the husband she spent several years separated from. But when she finally returns from five weeks away due to a favor for a friend, her reunion with her husband, who spent the war at the European front as a stretcher-bearer, is not as she had hoped. With both of them holding on tightly to their secrets - one due to signing the Official Secrets Act and the other not ready to share the trauma - they are struggling to reconcile their former love for each other with the strained one they shared now. Add on top of that the lies that Diana has to spin to continue assisting her friend with the pursuit of a Russian agent named Eternity and you can imagine that restoring their love story will be just as complicated as restoring London's beautiful churches to their former glory.

I love novels that treat a setting almost like a character and that is what this one felt like. The churches in London were spoken off with so much love and dedication and they featured so prominently that they seemed to be a character themselves. You can tell that there was a lot of research that went into this book, which I really appreciated as I enjoy learning random facts during a good story. While the book did have dual timelines, it only went back to the past a couple of times but each time I felt that those chapters were well placed. It took me a couple of chapters to really get hooked on the story but after that, I listened as often as I could because I just had to know what would happen next. The ending was a little less dramatic than I was looking forward to but overall, I still really enjoyed the experience. I like the voice and narration of Hannah Curtis for this story as well because, to me, she represented the character of Diana well.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

The London Restoration is set right after the end of World War II. Diana worked as a codebreaker during the war, and she was involved in MI6's search for a Russian agent. Unfortunately, the war put a lot of strain on her marriage to Brent who is a theology professor at King's college. They were separated during the war, but she would like nothing more than to fix the cracks in her marriage caused by the war. I liked that this book had a unique angle to a war story. I liked that it happens in the aftermath of the war, but a lot of the current situation the characters face was rooted in the war itself. Diana was forced to keep secrets from her husband, and he suffered tremendously from his experiences on the frontlines. Love and secrets are at the heart of this story, and I think if you are a fan of historical fiction then you will find this one particularly enjoyable and unique from the rather large number of novels written about World War II.

A truly fabulous audio book. The narrator does an excellent job with the author's lyrical prose. I am truly a fan of books about spies and especially female spies and this story did not disappoint. This book is perfect for fans of The Alice Network and Miss Graham's Cold War Cook Book. Main character Diana has spent the war years at Bletchley decoding messages while her professor husband Brent has been off at the front. They married and Brent immediately shipped out, so even after 4 years of marriage they don't know each other and now their war time lives threaten to tear the barely there threads of the relationship. Diana is called up by former colleague Simon who is now MI6 to assist in finding a Russian spy using her vast knowledge of London's churches. Diana must use her decoding skills. Reluctantly Brent gets pulled in to help, concerned about Diana's life being in danger. This is more than a tale of espionage, there is a very sweet love story wrapped up there as well.
#TheLondonRestoration #NetGalley

In 1941 Diana and Brent Somerville were married the day before each left to serve their country. Diana is a code breaker at Bletchley Park. Brent is a stretcher bearer at the front. Four years later, the war has ended. They are reunited and need to renew their relationship. It doesn’t help that Diana did not come back immediately. She was gone for five weeks and Brent doesn’t know why. Brent resumes his professorship at
King’s College. He expects Diana to resume her doctoral program in architectural history with her passion for Wren churches. Each has secrets that they can’t or aren’t ready to share. Then Diana’s war work doesn’t end.

This booK is more reconciliation and rebuilding than spy story even though there was a lot of possibilities there. I like to be left on the edge of my seat. The narrator Hannah Curtis was good, but not great - not every voice was distinct. This book ends as if it’s a series. Would I continue the series? Yes. However, I’d like more suspense.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for the advance audio copy! I enjoyed this story. The narrator did a decent job with each character in the story.

This one left me a bit lost at times. There were so many different places and it left me a bit confused if I put the book down for more than a day before I was able to pick it up again. I found it realistic that both Diana and Brent would face barriers when the war ends, each trying to battle their own secrets and unable to communicate them.

The narration was great - good tone, easy to understand, and great spacing.

Overall, I liked the book and think it's great for someone with the time to sit down and read it within a few days, maybe on a vacation.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this and give my honest opinion.

This is a multi-time period novel that takes place during and just after WWII, set mostly in London. It involves Dianna Somerville, who is an Architectural historian and does a fascinating stint at Bletchley Park as a code breaker. Her husband, Brent Somerville, worked as a stretcher bearer in the trenches and was wounded. They met in a churchyard and were married during the war so that when the war is over, they have been married for over four years, but are still essentially newlyweds.

The characters of Dianna and Brent are perfectly developed. As a reader you feel their struggle to understand each other and make their marriage work. They have been married for several years, but they have been separated by the war. They both have secrets that are keeping them from fully trusting each other. It was refreshing to read the story about a couple actively trying and working on saving their marriage.

The mystery itself surrounding Eternity, the Russian agent, was not that difficult to figure out. This isn’t really a spy novel, however I especially enjoyed hearing about Dianna’s time working in Bletchley Park.

I think modern readers are going to have a hard time with the fact that Dianna is expected to be content with her new domestic life, burning roasts and tidying up around the flat. I admit I cringed a bit at the idea that someone with the intellect of a Bletchley Park codebreaker having to settle down to being a homemaker after the war. But those are just facts and essentially how it was in 1940’s. That’s just plain old good storytelling when the author makes you feel for her.

I appreciate that the Historical Notes were put in the beginning of the book instead of the end. It really helped navigate those first few chapters when facts and locations were important to understanding the story.
I recommend this book to readers who enjoy WWII historical fiction with a touch of romance and intrigue.

The narrator:
The narrator’s voice was very “posh” and was a little distracting for me. All of the characters: male, female, Austrian, British, etc. all sounded the same to me. At times it could be confusing because I couldn’t make out who was “speaking” so I would have to rewind to get the context.

A good narrator in my view fades away and you experience the book almost as a movie in your mind. That didn’t happen with this audio book--the narrator was at the forefront the entire time. I think the audio book would have been much more enjoyable with a better narrator.

3 stars for narration
4.5 stars for the story

This book was a book had a lyrical flow that had me looking up pictures of the bombed churches of London and admiring the resilience of the human spirit.
This book absorbed me into the tale, I really felt like I was there admiring the history and architecture of houses of worship while getting to see a love story that is fighting to weather the scars of war.
One thing that I absolutely adored was the deep love and devotion that the two main characters had for each other, even though they struggled with coming back and how the war had changed both of them, they were resolved to fight for each other.
I do not see that kind of stories much, with already married couples and it was a real treat.
I listened to the audiobook on this one and I am really glad I did, the narrator's accent helped me to feel more absorbed into this tale set mostly in London.
I think the only thing that I wished more for was a bit of a spiritual message woven into it. Theology and churches were discussed, yet it didn't seem to be a huge part of the character's personal life.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a historical glimpse into the time after WW2.
It has a touch of danger as well!
I recieved a copy of this book from the publisher through Netgally all opinions are completely my own.

Rachel McMillan brings the reader back to post-war London and describes Wren's churches in lovely detail. The churches almost become another character in the novel, as they are a plot device and the main character's obsession. Hannah Curtis is a good narrator, but not the best I've ever heard by any means. This title switches timelines from post-WWII to during the war and back, and I find that type of narrative especially hard to follow in audio format. I almost wish there had been a different narrator for the different timelines so it would be easier to follow.

This is billed as Christian fiction, but aside from Brent being a theologian the Christian angle is slim. Diana is not a very religious person. The physical relationship between Diana and Brent is described tamely, but after they are married of course. The book focuses on their relationship a lot more than I expected -- I thought I was getting a spy story, but got a story about a marriage with some elements of war operations.

My biggest gripe about the book is how Diana is expected to be a homemaker even though she clearly has no abilities to suggest she would be successful. Brent says he "loves her for her mind" but still laments her inability to keep house and prepare a decent meal. He delays going home to eat another burnt dinner, and says he may starve when she goes back to school. Like the man can't make a sandwich on his own! It really bothered me during the reading as it comes up several times.

I would recommend this title to fans of Christian romance who are looking for something different. Give to people who enjoy stories about marriage and making it work. Those who like post-WWII fiction and enjoy the architecture of London and Christopher Wren may find something to enjoy here. Readers who like a fast-paced story of espionage should look elsewhere.

Unfortunately due to the netgalley audio book app not working I am not able to continue to listen to this book, however what I have heard (which is only 1 hour of start, stop repeat) I am really enjoying it so I'm actually going to purchase it on audible or from the library when it's released. For the simple reason I want to continue to listen to it I'm giving it a rating of 3 and once I fully listen to it will give it an honest review on good reads and my FB book club

The London Restoration by Rachel McMillian was a well researched and enjoyable historical fiction read.

McMillan takes such pride in her research that the first 15-20 minutes of the audiobook go over her research; what is true, what is fiction, and where they blend together in this story. I enjoyed that this note was at the beginning of the story and not at the end. I like it at the beginning because it helps me to focus and understand parts of the story deeper than I would reading it at the end. The story reminded me a lot of the Imitation Game with the science, math, and code breaking aspects. I also found the detail to the cathedrals so amazing and unique to this story. I truly enjoyed the overall story and the historical aspect. The part I had a bit of an issue with were the characters.

I found I struggled to connect with the characters. While I cared about their work, I struggled to find interest in their love story. I think part of this may be due to the audiobook I listened to, narrated by Hannah Curtis. I found the narrator's voice pleasant, but the voices were not distinct enough between the various characters. So, at times I struggled to know who was talking or in a scene. I found while she spoke what emotion was going on, I could not feel it in her voice.

If you are into World War II London and the history that surrounds it. I do recommend this story, but I think I would have liked this a little more if I had read it versus listening.

3.5 Stars for Narration
4 Stars for the Story

I received an advanced audiobook review copy from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. All opinions are 100% my own.

Received this from Net Gallery. I was given about 30 minutes of the audio book to listen to and then answer a few questions. I did fill that out and sent it off. I would either like to read or listen to the whole audio on this book as it seems like a very good story from "Rachel McMillan".

This is a historical fiction. I DNF this audiobook at 54%. I do not love the narrator of the audiobook, but what really made me DNF it was the writing style of the book and I did not feel the characters where developed. At 50% I should feel something feel the character and I did not. I also did not feel the book was going anywhere. I was very bored with this book. I hate giving bad reviews when I get ARCs, but one thing I always say is I am going to give 100% honest reviews. I receive an e-audiobook of this book from Netgalley.