This is usually the type of book I love. Historical fiction with a tie to music or literature usually grabs my interest, unfortunately this one did not. I just didn't find the characters captivating and the storyline seemed convoluted and confusing. I only read about 20% before giving up. So sad, but I have way too many books on my "to read" list to bother to finish.

Another lovely, detailed historical romance from McMillan. It appears she writes historical settings effortlessly (I know it takes research!) but her writing is always spot on being not overly descriptive but just enough to really set the scene. The city of Vienna was beautifully described. Makes me want to travel! The way music was woven into this book was superb. That's hard to do in a novel! I would highly recommend for lovers of historical romance.

Rachel McMillan has done it again. In The Mozart Code made me feel like I was in post war Vienna. I’ve always loved Vienna you can’t be a classical music lover and not love Vienna I loved getting to know Sophie and Simon better and it was nice seeing Brent and Diana again.


Rachel just has a way of bringing cities to life, and The Mozart Code she brought Vienna to life making it a character alongside Simon and Sophie. Sophie’s strong and resourceful and handy with a gun, but she’s also stubborn and feminine as well. Simon knows this and it’s what he admires most about her. Plus, I just love nerdy heroes and Rachel writes them the best. He’s a hero who knows the heroine can slay her own dragons, but it doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to be there with her.


Don’t let the setting and time period fool you it’s primarily a love story with only a hint of mystery.





I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

The intriguing spying and the love of music all keep me so involved in the story. The twists and turns were surprising and kept me hook! And the love story...!

Beautifully written! This tender love story is woven seamlessly into a tale of intrigue set at the beginning of the Cold War. The author's love for the cities of Vienna and Prague is apparent in the prose that paints a vivid atmospheric backdrop of the post-war cities. With expert pacing, McMillan pens a captivating story that will keep the readers guessing as they flip the pages, wondering how the story will end, but wanting to savor every beautiful passage. With the secrets hidden in code and mysterious double-agents, Simon and Sophie will need to learn to trust one another as they fight a common enemy. The chemistry between the two practically sizzles off the page. I definitely think the world needs more Simon Barres. Definitely my favorite book by Ms. McMillan to date.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from the author/ publisher through Netgalley. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

A spy story set in Austria and Prague after WW2 was over. There were struggling factions fighting over who would take over the cities. It was also a time when the treasures that had been taken from Jews during the occupation were being sought by rightful owners and thieves alike. For Sophie, centered in music and artifacts and Simon, centered in chess, they each were hiding secrets about the work they were doing, just as they had during the war. They were both from wealthy, manipulating families. Mostly a dark tale with murder, mystery, secrets and constant danger for them all. Quite intricate the way the twists come together; makes you want to know how their lives will turn out.
I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
#TheMozartCode #NetGalley #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #WW2Fiction #fivestarbooks

The idea of post WWII spy story sounded like a great story to me. I struggled with getting into the story and found it to be overall underwhelming. I did finish it just to be able to give a fair review.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and Rachel McMillan for the book of spies, love and Mozart codes. Very fun to include Mozart history for the secret war codes. Intriguing characters, Sophie and Simon love blend of spies and their background was so enjoyable. Sophie’s love of Mozart was mosaic to the words. Very enjoyable novel!

Romance and intrigue, everything that is needed to keep one turning page after page. Historical fiction readers will enjoy this one.

Engaging story of espionage, romance, and music! This is the first book I’ve read by Rachel McMillan and it certainly won’t be the last. Like an intense game of chess, this book takes the reader on a rollercoaster of emotions as danger mounts and the romantic tension between the two main players increases.

The story takes place in Vienna after WWII with several factions vying for control. Spies and intrigue abound as each of the Allied forces tries to gain dominance. Mozart plays a key role where his music and the search for his death mask are underlying pawns in a new subtle Cold War.

Juxtaposed with the political intrigue is the tension filled romance between Simon and Sophie. Simon is the secret illegitimate son of Lady Barrington who fell in love over a chess game. He is resented by his “stepfather” who allowed Simon to take his name to prevent scandal. His brilliant mind and knack for chess earned him a role at Bletchley Park and Simon continues his covert work to further British interests after the war. His longtime friend Sophie whom he has secretly loved since their first meeting is also in Vienna, but her newest assignment has him questioning her loyalty and their relationship.

Lady Sophia Huntington from the time she was little was told love is a weakness. She holds close her grandmother’s pearls as a reminder. Playing the piano, especially Mozart, is near to her heart and she uses it as a shield. Her past war experience now has her working with Simon in a new role as Starling, a dealer and acquirer of rare relics. Her charge in Vienna is to acquire Mozart’s death mask. However, as she gets closer to finding the mask, she encounters men on all political sides who would kill to obtain it.

Sophie’s and Simon’s relationship is complicated to say the least. The story switches back and forth from their first meetings to their present day relationship. Both are crippled by their pasts. They agreed to a secret marriage of convenience to save Simon’s estate, but neither one is willing to admit there might be more to it. At times, I was frustrated with Sophie and her inability to express her feelings. The tension between these two is palpable and it’s obvious that they love each other.

In the end, I grew to appreciate their strong friendship/relationship that built into more. The villains were especially ruthless. I enjoyed the symbolism in the story and the suspense. To be honest, it took me awhile to get used to the style of writing. I received an advanced copy from NetGalley, but because of time constraints, I obtained the Audible audiobook version. I absolutely loved the audiobook! The narrator did a fantastic job of bringing each of the characters to life and I feel like this book especially was meant for audiobook listeners. It flowed so much better for me. I was not required to provide a positive review and am leaving this voluntarily. Content: closed door romance with some foreplay between a married couple, violence, torture.

I love historical fiction and I've read a lot of it, and sadly this isn't one I enjoyed. The amount of research that went into this novel is extensive and commendable, but on paper it was exhausting to chew through and distracted from the story. I kept waiting for the characters to come alive, but they were buried under so much historical dumping (not integral to the story) that I had a hard time getting to know them. I felt like this novel was a suitcase of ideas that needed to be unpacked and sorted. This is one opinion, and some readers might love this book. If you normally read historical, then give it a try. This is my first novel by this author, and I am now curious if her other book is written in the same way. I will give that one a try, and her next. Thank you to the author and publisher for the free copy of this book for an honest review.

Having read The London Restoration, I had high expectations for The Mozart Code, but have been sorely disappointed. I found it very difficult to get into, despite the added interest for me of the musical theme (as I am a music teacher.) The main characters of the previous book were only secondary in this, with only brief appearances. It was hard to warm to characters who treated killings so casually, & without spoiling the story it was difficult to believe someone could endure what she did & carry straight on without even any medical treatment. In fact the whole of the ending was less than credible. Also it did not read like a Christian book at all. Altogether a letdown, when I had been really looking forward to this book.
(On a positive note, having been reading so many wartime books it made a change for someone to be dealing with the immediate postwar years : life did not suddenly become a ‘bed of roses’ just because the War had ended.)

Part of a series:
This was a fairly enjoyable historical romantic suspense and this sequel would be best enjoyed if read as part of the series. It had been almost 2 years since I had read London Restoration, the first book in this duet, and I found myself floundering a bit trying to recall facts and gel with the characters once again. It also took me a bit to get into it as it was more of a history lesson to start with and unfortunately overall I found the writing style to be a bit dry. There was some quite good intrigue and suspense and I thought these aspects were more successful than the interpersonal side of things. The pace did pick up during the second half of the book and I found myself enjoying the latter part the best.
Simon and Sophie's relationship was a complicated one and they weren't without their problems. I guess I wished things had of blossomed and that they would have found happiness sooner.
Overall this book was heavy on historical details and facts and I would have preferred a less somber tone and a greater emphasis on the spiritual aspects.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

This book is super interesting. The atmosphere is just so on point, very noire and it's so easy to envision as like a film. In all honesty, I can't say I completely understood the plot, or why people would be looking for art and how that related to the beginnings of the cold war. Perhaps it's simply a bit of history I'm unfamiliar with. I liked the flashbacks explaining how Sophie and Simon got where they are. The sacrifices they made for each other, and the consequences of those, are a bit heart breaking. But here's the thing, happily ever afters are still fraught with troubles of their own, and choices have repercussions, mature writer's don't shy from those realities. Very well executed, I could have used a bit more clarity on people's motives, but a solid 4.5 in my opinion. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I had quite enjoyed Rachel McMillan’s The London Restoration when I read it last year (review here) so was looking forward to The Mozart Code, which was published earlier this month. I really liked the historical aspect of the novel and the tense storyline kept me reading.

Here’s the book’s description:
Lady Sophia Huntington Villiers is no stranger to intrigue, as her work with Alan Turing’s Bombe Machines at Bletchley Park during the war attests. Now, as part of Simon Barre’s covert team in post-war Vienna, she uses her inimitable charm and code name Starling to infiltrate the world of relics: uncovering vital information that could tilt the stakes of the mounting Cold War. When several influential men charge her with finding the death mask of Mozart, Sophie wonders if there is more than the composer’s legacy at stake and finds herself drawn to potential answers in Prague.
Simon Barrington, the illegitimate heir of one of Sussex’s oldest estates, used the previous war to hide his insecurities about his past. Now, he uses his high breeding to gain access to all four allied quarters of the ruined city in an attempt to slow the fall of the Iron Curtain. He has been in love with Sophie Villiers since the moment he met her, and a marriage of convenience to save Simon’s estate has always kept her close. Until now, when Sophie’s mysterious client in Prague forces him to wonder if her allegiance to him—and their cause—is in question. Torn between his loyalty to his cause and his heart, Simon seeks answers about Sophie only to learn that everything he thought he knew about his involvement in both wars is based on a lie.
The post-World War II world is quite fascinating. A new kind of war is on its way when millions of people are still trying to recover from the last one. It’s a different type of war, though, one that people like Simon can excel at. He’s extremely intelligent and uses his brain and upbringing to help uncover spy rings and stay many steps ahead of the people he’s hunting. Simon also used that intelligence during WWII and worked at Bletchley Park but, at the time of the war, no one knew what was happening there and many people would have assumed the men not off fighting in the “real” battles were cowards and not doing their part. It took years for details to come out and I have a feeling we’ll never really know what happened in places like Bletchley – the Official Secrets Act was a powerful thing.

Unfortunately, I had a few problems with this story. Brent and Diana, from The London Restoration, were in this novel but they didn’t really have a good reason for being included. If you had picked up The Mozart Code without reading the companion novel, you’d wonder what on earth this couple was doing there and why they were so important to Simon and Sophie. I mean, I did read their book and I still couldn’t recall the exact relationships between the four and why they were all together. Like with the other book, the flashbacks didn’t always work for me, nor did the hints about the characters’ past. Sophie briefly worked for the Special Operations Executive and it was hinted at but by the time more details were revealed, I didn’t really care anymore and didn’t really see why it mattered. And their work at Bletchley Park was referenced often but not enough for me to know why I needed to know the small pieces of info McMillan was telling me. It was just like I was missing A LOT of information and details and the characters suffered because of it.

Even though I had a few issues, the action in this story was pretty addictive. I was on the edge of my seat and I didn’t know how all the characters were going to make it through unscathed. It reminded me of how I felt while reading The Rose Code by Kate Quinn. The spying, the intrigue, the mystery! I was into it.

I liked that McMillan brought up how difficult it was to adjust to the new normal and how some people, like Simon and Sophie, wished the war was still going on. Not literally, of course, they’re not monsters. But there was a purpose to doing war work which was especially potent for women. After years of doing their bit, people were expected to get back to normal. I can’t imagine what that would have been like. (Actually, maybe we can imagine it after the last two years we’ve had…) I don’t blame Sophie for wishing something more was happening because I would have hated to have been working for a purpose for years and then all of a sudden be unable to simply because I’m a woman and the men were back and I was no longer needed.

Read The Mozart Code for the mystery and intrigue and riveting historical details. Rachel McMillan is a talented writer and I’ll still be checking out what she writes next, even if I had a few issues with her latest.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Thomas Nelson, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

4.5 Stars

If you asked me to name one author who is an avid reader and encourages and promotes other authors, my answer would come without much thought. Rachel McMillan is a self-proclaimed book gusher. She is also an author—one that I’ve followed since her first Herringford and Watts series book—who is an auto-buy for me.

In The Mozart Code, McMillan combines the world of espionage, artifacts, romance (including a marriage of convenience), Vienna and Prague while taking readers on Sophie and Simon’s journey of uncovering their true feelings for each other.

There are a lot of World War II stories but not many, at least that I’ve read, dealing with life after the war. McMillan gives us snapshots of pre-war and post-war life for her characters (and by the way, readers will enjoy some more time with Brent and Diana from The London Restoration) as well.

My favorite parts of this book are the romance built on friendship and the familial relationships both Sophie and Simon have with their families—different in several respects, but both strain against the expectations of their circumstances.

McMillan’s detailed descriptions put me right in the cities with her characters, the action scenes had me on the edge of my seat, and the romance (my favorite part of any book) was everything I expected it to be. In short, The Mozart Code was worth the wait.

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.

A very well written post WWII novel. Good plot and character dynamics.. I recommend this book. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance ebook. This is my unbiased review.

Set immediately after WW2, The Mozart Code is set in Prague & Vienna at a time when the allies were still wary of the Russians and their increasing stronghold on Eastern Europe.

Sophie (Lady Sophia Hartington-Villiers) is of noble birth but craving independence rather than the “suitable marriage” that her parents are encouraging. Simon Barrington is the younger son, though probably not legitimately, of an Earl and very much the black-sheep of the family. Sophie has established a reputation as a trustworthy, prestigious, yet somewhat elusive locator of stolen art work and antiques which she acquires for her contacts, whilst Simon is working undercover to expose a lethal double agent named Eternity.
The story starts slowly, but gives the reader much needed information on Sophie & Simon’s backgrounds and their relationship. The latter half of the book is when the pace and tension pick up and we have a complex plot including espionage, family secrets, priceless artifacts, agents, double agents, communism, upper class privilege & birthrights, chess, architecture and so much more – all skilfully woven together with a musical thread the weaves in & out of the pages in such a way that makes me want to go & find a recording of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 17 in G major, KV453 – the Starling Concerto.
Sophie & Simon’s relationship permeates throughout but it is not the romance you might expect – I really liked the way that it was portrayed as mature rather than the youthful passion we so often get, with the relationship changing and evolving as they shared experiences together and came to new understandings of themselves as individuals and of each other.
The ending was well done, in that it tied up some ends but left just enough undone that they could be picked up again in future if needed. I also appreciated how the characters were scarred by their experiences, yet able to grow and make a new normal.

The book is incredibly well-researched and there are some authors notes to help the reader determine fact from fiction. The Mozart Code is very much a companion piece to The London Restoration, featuring some of the same characters, but it’s not a sequel and you don’t need to have read The London Restoration before reading this.

Disclosure: I received an advance reader copy of this book free via NetGalley. Whilst thanks go to the author & publisher for the opportunity to read it, all opinions are my own & my review is left voluntarily.

I really enjoyed this engaging story of spies, intrigue, mysteries, and romance! You won't want to miss this one!

I received an ARC through Netgalley and all opinions are my own.

Engaging, captivating story of love, loss and WWII. Loved it and would highly recommend! Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read it early.