I have been getting my fill of Historical Fiction novels lately and I am loving it. And again this one didn't disappoint!

Two timelines, 1940's London and Present Day New York. Families, war and love. This is a tale that goes straight to the heart, it rendered me speechless and I just couldn't put it down as I wanted to see what happened and how the terrors of war affected this family.

The two timelines worked well, the story flowed easily and seamlessly, the emotions portrayed were strong and tugged at my heart, the choices made were heartbreaking. But life went on and so the story did too.

A captivating, well written book which I would recommend to anyone and everyone.

I found this book a little slow to get going, but once it did get into the story I really enjoyed it. I found it a twist on the normal wartime romance story, and following Ellie discovering her grandmother’s background and what happened to her was really interesting. Highly recommend, perfect escapism.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon for the chance to read The clockmaker's wife by Daisy Wood. This is another dual timeline books; 1940 England with Eleanor (Nell) and present day with Nell's granddaughter Ellie, who knows nothing about her grandmother -- this story will bring them together.
London, 1940. Britain is by bombed constantly forcing Nell Spelman to flee the capital with her young daughter – leaving behind her husband, Arthur, the clockmaker whose job is to keep Big Ben chiming. But Arthur disappears and Nell comes back to search for him and ends up getting far more than she bargains for.
New York, Present Day. Ellie knows nothing of her Mother's family; only that she has a half sister in England; and her mother died in the war. When Ellie discovers a beautiful watch that had once belonged to the grandmother she is named after she becomes determined to find out what happened to her. But as she pieces together the story of Nell's life she begins to wonder if the past is better left forgotten. The clockmaker's wife is a great mystery and I was held to the story throughout. While there was some inconsistencies with the story, it is fiction, so I just let the story flow. 31/2 stars rounded up to 4

Wood is a UK based author and this is her first adult fiction novel. It is an historical fiction set mostly in WWII London during the blitz, although some chapters are set in present day. We meet Nell whose husband Arthur works as a clockmaker and is one of three responsible for keeping Big Ben chiming. Eventually Nell gives in to her husband and goes to the country to stay with her parents to keep her and her young daughter safe, but when her husband is arrested and suspected of being a fascist, Nell returns to the city determined to save her husband. In present day Nell's granddaughter travels to London to learn more about her grandmother. This is a great recommendation for fans of the genre.

The Clockmaker's Wife by Daisy Wood is a World War 2 era tale of suspense. Nell Spellman and her baby daughter Alice are forced to flee London during the Blitz when their home is destroyed by a German bomb. Her husband stays behind to continue his work as part of the maintenance team at the Houses of Parliament whose job it is to keep Big Ben working. When he disappears Nell returns to the city where she uncovers a dark secret that ends in tragedy. Decades later her grand daughter Ellie finds her grandmother's watch and decides the time is right to return to England to learn more about her family where the secret will finally be fully revealed.
This was an interesting story, a little slow paced at times, but I enjoyed seeing an aspect of the war that I hadn't really heard about before. The dual timeline worked well, though I did prefer the parts of the story set in the past.
I read a review copy courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

London, 1940: After their house is destroyed in the Blitz, Nell Spelman flees to the countryside with her baby, Alice, leaving her husband, Arthur behind. Arthur has an important job to do – he is one of the men tasked with keeping the Great Clock at Westminster working and the famous Big Ben chiming.

New York, Present Day: When Ellie discovers a watch belonging to a grandmother she never met, she embarks on an investigation to find out more about her family’s past. When another discovery shocks her to the core, she begins to wonder whether she really wants to know the truth.

The first thing I would like to say about The Clockmaker’s Wife is how pleased I was that the blurb does not give away too much of the plot. Enough to grab my attention, I found myself instantly engrossed in the story, wondering where the author was going to take us. The World War Two setting opens up so many potential twists and turns and we definitely have many of them here!

Although this is told in two time frames, it was the chapters set during World War Two that were the strongest for me as this was where the core of the plot took place. All aspects of the war were covered from the Blitz to evacuation, rationing to the changing role of women. There is a huge element of mystery and intrigue making up the focus for both time frames which was exciting and at times, highly emotive.

The Clockmaker’s Wife is a well-written piece of historical fiction which kept me gripped right until the end and I will definitely be looking out for more books by this author.

This is a short, quick read set during :"the Blitz" of London in the second world war. This is a dual time-line novel, beginning in 1940 London with Nell and Arthur who have been married a little over a year and a half when they lose everything during the blitz. Their home is destroyed leaving them with no place to live so Nell takes baby Alice and goes to her parents in the country, leaving Arthur in London to continue his work. Arthur is one of 3 men who are clock-makers and whose job entails making sure that Big Ben is running smoothly and on time.
After several weeks at her parents house in the country Nell receives a brief but troubling phone call from Arthur. Sensing that he is in trouble she hitches a ride into London with her parent's neighbor Lord Winthrop, whom she begins to suspect may be up to something.
In the present we have Ellie, who is Alice's daughter. Alice is in a nursing home because of a broken hip. Ellie realizes she knows next to nothing about her grandparents and Alice's life in London before coming to America. She sets out to find out, booking a flight during the upcoming holidays to London, intending on meeting her mother's half-sister Gillian and learning about the family.
The premise for this book is good, and the book itself was a very quick read. But the characters lacked substance to me. Nell was awful, whining and worrying about a baby stroller more than she worried about the baby itself. She seemed to focused on Arthur and what he thought and wanted and not focused at all on her own child. Ellie was just as bad, saying she loves her mother, Alice, but in the same breath talking about how Alice was a hippie and led a care-free, whimsical life, like that was something to be ashamed of. She is worried about her shop not making money, but she books a flight on impulsively during the holidays to London, going off blind if you ask me. Where did the money come from for this? And rents an apartment, not a hotel or motel room for a few weeks. And the romance with her friend's brother was to contrived, it did not belong in the plot nor was it necessary.
As I said, good premise, but I couldn't connect to the main characters at all. I found them one-dimensional and kind of irritating really. But it is a quick, easy read and the story does get better after the half-way mark, leaving only a few far-fetched scenes to deal with.
I have to go with 3 stars, take it or leave it, nothing super special, but nothing super awful either!
Thank you to the publishers at Avon Books UK and NetGalley for the free ARC of this novel, I am leaving my honest review in return.

The Clockmaker's Wife by Daisy Wood is a split time novel involving three generations of women in one family. A captivating tale of love, war and heroism - but ultimately of strong, brave women. The Clockmaker's Wife is Daisy Wood's debut novel and it is a truly impressive debut.

This story lends itself well to the split time genre as clues found in the contemporary story set the stage for the WWII story. Combining the horrors of the blitz and the famed English stiff upper lip, The Clockmaker's Wife provides an excellent look at the interplay of loyalty to family versus loyalty to country. The episodes set in London during the Blitz are poignant and harrowing at the same time, imagining what so many lived through at a time of great national crisis when many lost loved ones, homes and even their own lives. This is an emotional but rewarding read and an excellent addition to the burgeoning genre of WWII historical novels.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a dial time line so it was interesting. The storyline kept me intrigued and wanting to know more. The characters were all different and l do recommend it to be read.

The Clockmaker's Wife by Daisy Wood is a split time novel involving three generations of women in one family. WW II London during the blitz figures heavily into the story causing the main character and her baby daughter to be evacuated to her parent's home. Her husband, the clockmaker, stays behind caring for the clock in the Palace of Westminster often referred to as Big Ben. In contemporary times, the main character's granddaughter is trying to discover the truth about the grandmother she never knew. This story lends itself well to the split time genre as clues found in the contemporary story set the stage for the WW II story.

Combining the horrors of the blitz and the famed English stiff upper lip,The Clockmaker's Wife provides an excellent look at the interplay of loyalty to family versus loyalty to country. The strife that can exist between children and step-mothers and siblings plays into the story as well. All in all, an excellent addition to the burgeoning genre of WW II historical novels.

I received a complementary copy of The Clockmaker's Wife from NetGalley.

Nell's husband, Arthur Spelman, is a clockmaker, whose job involves keeping Big Ben chiming. As London suffers during the Blitz, Nell and baby daughter Alice move to her parents' home in Oxfordshire; however, Arthur is arrested, drawing Nell back to London to discover what is going on. This places her in danger due to the activities of English fascists.

Many years later, Alice's daughter, Ellie, is in London, searching for the truth about her grandmother and how she died, and what she finds is a remarkable story of courage and tenacity.

I enjoyed the dual time narrative between wartime London and modern-day America and London/Oxfordshire. The description of Big Ben and its role during World War Two is evocative, and Nell's determination to clear her husband's name shines through. The prickly (at first) relationship with Gillian, Ellie's step-aunt, adds another layer to the story, and there is a romance thrown in as well.

The episodes set in London during the Blitz are poignant and harrowing at the same time, imagining what so many lived through at a time of great national crisis when many lost loved ones and homes, even their own lives.

This is an emotional but rewarding read, and I look forward to more books by Daisy Wood.

I was sent an advance review copy of this book by Avon Books UK, in return for an honest appraisal.

I don’t normally enjoy books as much when they jump between time zones, however I persevered with this book and I’m glad I did.

The first time zone change revealed the destiny for the main character from the opening section. This intriqued me, how did she end up with this outcome - I certainly didn’t expect that! On one hand I was happy that I haven’t invested too much emotion on this person but knew there must be a saga ahead as I was so early on in the book! I now placed my emotional attachment with the current day character who luckily got the answers that she wanted and the conclusion.

The writing style and pace of the book suited my reading habits well and I enjoyed reading a book that I would not normally chosen. I will certainly look out for books by this author in future.

"War's coming, isn't it? You want me to see the city before everything changes."

Beginning in London in 1939, and set primarily in 1940 and the present day, The Clockmaker's Wife is a captivating tale of love, war and heroism - but ultimately of strong, brave women.

As the blitz rages through London, Nell Spelman and her infant daughter Alice must flee the capital, whilst her husband, Arthur, remains behind as the clockmaker is needed to keep Big Ben chiming.

But when Arthur makes a frantic call to Nell, she rushes back to London to find her husband, leading her to much darker events than she could have anticipated.

Meanwhile, in present day New York, Ellie begins a search for her family history, leading her to London as she tries to discover the mystery of the grandmother that she never knew.

The Clockmaker's Wife is a thoroughly enjoyable tale of historic fiction. It captures the beauty of London, the devastation of war, the spirit of those who lived through the Blitz, wrapped up in a story of mystery and bravery.

The character's are well written, particularly the females. Nell, Ellie, Alice, Hetta, Gillian, Brenda; each showed bravery in their own way, as well as their strength, and some scenes did bring a tear to my eye. That being said, Arthur and Dan were also likeable characters, and I couldn't help but want the best for them.

The Clockmaker's Wife is Daisy Wood's debut novel. And it's a truly impressive debut; I look forward to seeing what else she will bring us in the future. A highly recommended read - five stars!

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Arthur and Nell live in London in the late 1930s. Arthur is the clockmaker, or rather, the man who keeps Big Ben working. Both of them are newly married and very happy.

In 1940, their home is bombed during the Blitz and Nell goes to her parents' place with her baby, Alice. She expects Arthur to join her there for Christmas but receives a cryptic phone call from Arthur following which he is jailed, shortly after.

Nell goes back to London to unravel the events that caused Arthur's arrest and clear his name.

In 2020 New York, Ellie is dissatisfied with her life. Her best friend has become a mother and she is ever-increasingly busy nowadays. Ellie's shop isn't doing too well, either. Her mother, Alice, is in a hospital and Ellie suspects Alice is slowly losing her memory.

On a whim, Ellie decides to travel to London to see what she can find about her grandmother, Nell. Alice has no recollection of her mother because she died when Alice was still a baby. Ellie wants to give her mother something about her parents before she loses her memory altogether.

The premise is quite gripping and the dual storyline is a nice idea. However, I couldn't connect with the characters.

Ellie seems to resent her mother's presence yet she says she loves her. She also comes across as self-absorbed and childish many times. Even the epilogue has her complaining about Lucy. Ellie lands in London without the teeniest amount of research. Everyone else does everything for her. Couldn't she just Google stuff? How do you go to a new place and meet new people without knowing anything about them? Ellie also says that her shop is not doing well and consequently, she hasn't got much money. Yet, she manages to travel to London during Christmas without any pangs. The romance with Dan seemed forced and unnecessary. It was entirely expendable and we don't even get to know Dan all that well

If Ellie seemed childish, Nell was no better, especially in the beginning. She actually frets about a stroller her neighbours kindly give her when there are bombings all around. All she seems to care about is Arthur. Even if she desperately wants to smoke, she worries that Arthur won't like it. Her character later improves and she has a good character arc from precocious new wife to hardened woman.

I liked the side characters best. Brenda, Hetta, and Gillian were good. Max and Nathan were cute too. I am on the fence about Alice, though.

3 stars.

I really enjoyed this fascinating book, a dual time-line which I,love. I raced through this book as I wanted to find out what happened in the end. It did not disappoint it was a great ending. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

This story alternates between London in 1940 and New York in the present. In London in 1940, the bombings have begun , everyone fears what Hitler and his army has planned, and Nell Spelman is forced to flee the city with her baby after their home is bombed. She has to leave her husband behind, because he has the important job of keeping Big Ben chiming. When he disappears, she returns to London to try to uncover what happened to him, putting her own life in peril. In the present day, Ellie discovers a watch belonging to a grandmother she never knew and decides to go to London and find out more about her ancestors.
I have to admit it took me a long time to get into this book. I was probably halfway through it before I started enjoying it. Once I did, it was a good story, though.

THE CLOCKMAKER'S WIFE By Daisy Wood
Historical fiction
400 pages

In this book we have Nell Spielman, a young wife and mother. Her husband Arthur is one of the men in charge of the clock Big Ben in London, England.  They are deliriously happy but the world is at war and they get separated.  Nell goes to her mother's house a few cities away to escape the bombings and keep her daughter safe. Arthur stays to do his job. Nell finds out that Arthur has disappeared and goes back to London to find him. Fast forward 80 yrs ago to Nell's granddaughter Ellie. Ellie's mother's Alice is getting memory loss and Ellie knows nothing about her family history and wants to find out what happened to her grandmother before its too late. What she finds out is amazing, terrifying, and wonderful at the same time.

This is my first Daisy Wood book and now I've got to read more by her!!!!!!!  I loved this book!!!!!!!!  The courage of her characters amazed me. Her style of writing is awesome and a delight to read. I highly recommend this book to all historical fiction fans.

Great Read 👀

Told over two different times periods, from Nell during 1939/40 and Ellie in present day. Ellie's Mother is in declining health, and starts looking into what happened to her grandmother to endeavor to find unanswered questions for her Mum, but early searches makes her question whether she's doing the right thing.... only time will tell.

Historical fiction is not a genre I'd often choose, as I'm quite particular with this type of story, this is blend between past and present and will keep you gripped from the beginning to the end. Nell from the start shows a great strength of character, with a love for her family endeavor to put them first no matter the risks. A definite should read.

Love how Daisy Wood winds these two timelines together. Finding what happened to her grandparents was an adventure I enjoyed reading about.

I love stories where you read about a connection between the past and present! I also just adore historical fiction, so I liked it twice as much! I really liked this book!!