Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.49 AVERAGE
3.49 AVERAGE
I really enjoyed this richly layered historical fiction novel. It has all of the elements I want to see in a book of this genre: vividly written characters, rich historical detail, an interesting plot, and complexity in how all of it is woven together. I think so many readers, like me, want to see more of the psychological and emotional affects of war on the characters in our fiction, not just nonstop action during the war years alone.
I loved these characters. They’re the kind you think about for weeks afterwards. And I had never really thought about how the damage to the churches would have been so immense during the war, and the author incorporated the damage from the war so nicely into the plot and symbolism.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
I loved these characters. They’re the kind you think about for weeks afterwards. And I had never really thought about how the damage to the churches would have been so immense during the war, and the author incorporated the damage from the war so nicely into the plot and symbolism.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
adventurous
informative
mysterious
The London Restoration is a WWII historical fiction focusing on a couple who have both returned from war to their home in London. The characters are trying to come back together after the war separated and changed each other in very fundamental ways.
This is a beautiful story about two people who love each other but no longer know each other as war tore their lives apart. The London Restoration is a love story at first glance, but at its core is a spy mystery with some seriously unexpected twists.
I loved the characters and the setting immensely, and really enjoyed the writing style, though I did feel like the beginning part of the book was a slow build. I tend to think this a lot in the spy genre, though, because almost all plots based on secret government work require a lot of secrecy and development.
Would easily recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction. Fun to read and kept me engaged.
This is a beautiful story about two people who love each other but no longer know each other as war tore their lives apart. The London Restoration is a love story at first glance, but at its core is a spy mystery with some seriously unexpected twists.
I loved the characters and the setting immensely, and really enjoyed the writing style, though I did feel like the beginning part of the book was a slow build. I tend to think this a lot in the spy genre, though, because almost all plots based on secret government work require a lot of secrecy and development.
Would easily recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction. Fun to read and kept me engaged.
The grayest of gray books. Started out really interesting and then it just fell flat and became the most monotonous, boring book I have ever read. This is the first book that I have ever read and didn’t care how it ended. I was 70 pages from the last page wondering when it would just be over.
I really did not enjoy this book. It took effort to finish through to the end, but I kept wondering if it would turn into something worthwhile. (It did not.) When I would describe it to other people, it would sound very interesting - but I’d open it again and find myself simply slogging through.
There was nothing for me to grasp onto. I never felt close to the characters, their marriage issues did not intrigue me, and the spy plot was not suspenseful. As the book went on, I started to doubt that the plot even made sense or was realistic.
I can believe that this would be a great book for someone else.
There was nothing for me to grasp onto. I never felt close to the characters, their marriage issues did not intrigue me, and the spy plot was not suspenseful. As the book went on, I started to doubt that the plot even made sense or was realistic.
I can believe that this would be a great book for someone else.
Such a good book! Loved this read and learning more about Christopher Wren, post-WWII restoration efforts, and the time between WWII and the Cold War. There were some poignant lines that could apply just as easily to today as the 1940s. Fascinating time period.
I also loved the inclusion of "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square," and how it was as much a love song to a city as between two people. That's just what I felt about this book and London!
I also loved the inclusion of "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square," and how it was as much a love song to a city as between two people. That's just what I felt about this book and London!
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.
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 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.
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 liked the romance but the mystery was a bit too confusing and weak.
It took me a while to get into this book. If I was rating it on the last quarter of the book, I’d give it 4.5 stars. At the end, I was fully engaged in the plot.
The history of the churches was very interesting, and I liked the idea behind the plot. A husband and wife hiding secrets from the war.
Unfortunately, I didn’t really like Brent. I wanted to, and he got better at the end, but I don’t know... he was confusing to me. His incessant distrust of Diana despite her trying her hardest.
I liked Diana, although I quickly became tired of reading about how she had such a good figure. I got the picture the first time.
There were so many flashbacks, starting almost at the beginning of the book that I had a hard time keeping up. I’m not entirely sure why the book didn’t just start at an earlier point. There were so many secrets that we didn’t find out until the end, that I didn’t know why I should care about what was happening for most of the book.
Overall, it was okay. The ending was great. But I had to push myself to get to it.
The history of the churches was very interesting, and I liked the idea behind the plot. A husband and wife hiding secrets from the war.
Unfortunately, I didn’t really like Brent. I wanted to, and he got better at the end, but I don’t know... he was confusing to me. His incessant distrust of Diana despite her trying her hardest.
I liked Diana, although I quickly became tired of reading about how she had such a good figure. I got the picture the first time.
There were so many flashbacks, starting almost at the beginning of the book that I had a hard time keeping up. I’m not entirely sure why the book didn’t just start at an earlier point. There were so many secrets that we didn’t find out until the end, that I didn’t know why I should care about what was happening for most of the book.
Overall, it was okay. The ending was great. But I had to push myself to get to it.