Taking place just before, during and after World War II, “The London Restoration” tells the story of Diana and Brent Somerville, both who served during the war — he as a stretcher bearer eventually wounded, and she who used her intelligence and decryption skills at the infamous Bletchley Park to search for hidden messages from the enemy.
When a favor for a friend delays her return home after the war, the couple has to learn how to reclaim their relationship that had barely started before the war, while each holds on to their own secrets and demons. And when Brent gets pulled into Diana’s secret post-war mission that involves her code breaking skills and her deep love for London’s churches, they must learn to open up and trust each other while also protecting each other.
McMillan takes a deep dive into Europe’s, and especially London’s, historical churches with Diana’s fascination with the divine buildings. She also does a great job of presenting what the secret code breakers of Bletchley Park went through, and reveals the very real horrors of the war — both on the people and on the cities themselves.
“The London Restoration” is not only a lovely historical WWII tale, but it also deals with historic relics and has a mysterious espionage spin to it. So fans of both historical fiction novels as well as spy stories will enjoy this book.
Told in an almost introspective tone, this story also deals with some deep themes, like the concept of being marred but similar, broken yet recognizable; loving beyond the scars; and seeking fulfillment.
Five stars out of five.
Thomas Nelson provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review