The London Restoration
The London Restoration is a elegant story filled with rich detail, history, and romance.
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.
The post-war story of Brent and Diana is a slow burn with a lot of vivid details and history. Both characters were fully developed as chapters rotated between their pre-war/WWII lives and their present day in 1945. I loved how both Brent and Diana were real people in a real marriage. They have their baggage from before the war and after the war. Brent is dealing with PTSD from his position as a stretcher bearer in the war, and Diana has changed due to her own experiences on the continent serving her country. Therefore, both Brent and Diana are not just trying to restore demolished churches, they are also trying to restore and build their marriage. It’s wonderful when an author is willing to tackle the real and difficult issues in their stories. I cannot imagine how hard it was for couples to come back together and just pretend that life is back to normal and to just “carry on” after years at war. McMillan is a true master of bringing the real insecurities and issues that relationships went through in post-war England.
As I read the story I was constantly impressed with the amount of research McMillan must have put into creating her setting and characters. I could see the architectural details in my mind as I traveled with the characters through so many remarkable and significant historical buildings. I also found myself further interested in Christopher Wren churches, and Googling as much as I could about them.
Overall, I truly enjoyed reading The London Restoration. The story was complex, but the plot flowed seamlessly, and was the perfect mix of romance, mystery and suspense.
Thank you Thomas Nelson publishing for sending me this advanced reader copy.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
