In London, during WW2, Nell is happily married with a new baby girl. Even the Blitz isn't enough to ruin her time with her husband, Arthur, one of the clockmaker's who works on Big Ben. Arthur insists she take the baby to the country for safety while he remains in London as a clockmaker. However, when Arthur goes missing, she risks everything to find out what has happened to him. In the second timeline, Elle is living in New York, and discovers a watch from her grandmother, who she knows nothing about. Taking a chance on everything, she heads to London to find out what family secrets are out there.

I loved getting a chance to check out a talented debut author! The story was definitely intriguing, bringing in different aspects of WW2 and what was happening in Britain during that time. While British forces are often focused on in WW2 stories, the idea of what was happening in London during that same time isn't typically mentioned. Wood does a great job on her research for the book and I'm looking forward to what else she writes in the future!

The Clockmaker's Wife was a great WWII novel. It added a new element for me - incorporating The Big Ben in London. The dual plot lines weaved well together. For obvious reasons, the 1940 storyline was more interesting and I felt myself wanting more of Nell's story. This novel was a bit of a slow start, but began to pick up about halfway through. Nell was faced with difficult choices throughout the entire novel. She was heroic and courageous in seeking the truth regarding her husband. Loyal to him at every turn, it seemed to fuel her to uncover the truth. This novel provides you with everything - a bit of mystery/thriller, WWII historical fiction, and above all, strong female characters amongst their own love stories.

Unpacking the history of what victims endured throughout WWII is always intriguing to me. I love this, especially in historical fiction. So many stories heard is that a parent/grandparent will pass away, without having shared much of their history throughout the war. And the family is left to try and figure out the heart-wrenching history. To that end, I love the dual storyline that the present-day character seeks to uncover what happened. The second storyline was Ellie doing just so. I enjoyed learning of the pieces of her family history, and that she was able to gain some long lost family members along her journey.

Highly recommend if you love historical fiction - especially WWII - alongside a unique storyline.

Thank you to the author Daisy Wood, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Newlyweds Arthur and Nell Spelman live in London and during the Blitz. Arthur comes from a long line of clock makers, his parents are from Germany and he was born in England. He wants Nell and baby Alice to go stay with her parents in the country and she’s rather stubborn and won’t leave her husband. They spend their nights with Mrs. and Mr. Blackwell in their Anderson shelter in the backyard and their days extremely tired. One night in 1940 the German bombers are relentless, the next morning the Blackwell’s house is still standing and the Spelman’s has taken a direct hit. Her parents live in Oxfordshire, in an old rambling house and have five evacuees staying with them. Nell has no choice, she catches the first train to the country and leaves Arthur behind in London. He assures her he will be fine, he can find somewhere safe to sleep and he’s needed at work. Arthur works at the Palace of Westminster, he helps maintain the clocks and keeps Big Ben chiming.

One night Nell receives an odd call from Arthur, something is wrong and he’s been arrested? Desperate to find out what has happened to her law abiding husband, she travels to London, Nell uncovers a sinister plot and it involves a major attack on a London landmark.

The Clockmaker’s Wife has a dual timeline, it seamless goes between WW II and the present day. The story is really interesting, it has many twists and turns, and uncovers eighty year old secrets.

Alice is staying in a nursing home in Westchester County, she fell, broke her hip and she's starting the lose her memory. Ellie’s mother has always been very vague about her life in England as a child, she didn’t get on with her father's second wife, when she met American Jeff they married, moved to the states and she didn't stay in contact with her English relatives. Ellie discovers a beautiful watch that belonged to her grandmother Nell, she died during WW II and she wants to find out what happened to her? Arriving in England she meets her Aunt Gillian, she’s her mother Alice's younger half-sister and she doesn’t know what happened to Nell.

Ellie begins to delve into the past and what she discovers is absolutely intriguing, The Clockmaker’s Wife is a very unique historical fiction story, it’s different and in an exceptional way. I really enjoyed reading about the clocks, Nell moving to Oxfordshire, her relationship with the Pott’s children and how determined she was to help Arthur and what she did for her country in its time of need.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, absolutely brilliant and five big stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book.
The book takes place in 1940's and the present day. Ellie wants to find out about her grandmother and will go to great lengths to see what she can learn. She travels to London and meets with people who knew her grandmother and learns maybe more than she bargains for, affecting her life and others. Great book and characters.

The Clockmaker’s Wife by Daisy Wood is a beautiful story about the power of love. We travel with Nell through the trials and tribulations of saving her husband and her country. We learn that often a “heroic deed” is simply what must be done. While trying to prove her husband’s innocence, Nell is called upon to face danger and enemies intent on doing great harm to her country. We also travel with Nell’s granddaughter, Ellie, as she sets out to learn about her past and to eventually prove that Nell was indeed a hero. She also learns that often friendship is the best basis for love. Through their adventures, both ladies discover that love is enduring and can often be surprising.

I love family mystery stories. Ellie goes sleuthing about her maternal grandmother in London. She meets up with extended relatives as she delves into WWII history and family lore. The narrative bounces between WWII and modern day. I thought the dual time approach worked well. I enjoyed the family history aspect as well as the WWII history. I loved the Big Ben angle the most. It's a satisfying read.

A Big Ben story

This novel skillfully navigates across two timelines: 1940 &2021. Set mostly in London when Britain was gripped by the terror of the Blitz. The story chronicles the fight of one woman (Nell) to save Big Ben from destruction after her husband (Arthur) a clock master responsible for Big Ben was taken prisoner. The present day comes in alternate chapters and explores granddaughter’s (Ellie) search for answers that no one in her family could provide, hoping everything will come clear once she meets relatives in the UK.

The timelines worked well in this novel. It is easy to situate who is talking and where we are. Although I admit to have taken a little bit of time not mixing Nell and Ellie, the two main characters. Although pretty consistent, the tempo is rather slow all through and what is particularly well done is how Ms. Wood vividly paints the scenes so they can be clearly printed in our mind. Not surprising that I preferred Nell’s story to Ellie’s, it is by far more interesting after all WW11 stories have captivated me for many years.

The secret war story behind Arthur and Nell is really what this novel is all about and what kept me turning the page. It is a poignant one that injects in drops some twists to keep us intrigued. Since the German of the time did not have the technology to hit key building this is a highly imaginative story but it is well said and presented.

I was given the opportunity to read this ARC from Avon Books UK via Netgalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

After the initial pages, I found myself not connecting with the story or characters, so I decided to pass on this book. Did not finish

Interesting read but one I found myself setting aside for other books. The two time periods made for good breaks to read other books.

A dual-timeline plot switching between present-day and 1940 London during The Blitz. That part of the book was done well, and I enjoyed the overall arc of the story. But I found the dialogue to be clunky and the romance plotline of the modern-day story to be melodramatic. Also, she went all the way to London to find out about her family history without so much as a Google search first? That's where you would start. And even in the story, like the second she got there, her friend back home had quickly checked a genealogy website and found out some information for her. As if the author realized that she had overlooked that simple and important point but didn't want to re-write or something.

This book brings to life a time when emotions were high and hidden during WWII with the common folks. Many that survived were unable to talk about it afterwards to avoid reliving these treacherous times.

An elderly mother said to her daughter, "When I was growing up, nobody expected to be happy -- you just had to get on with things and make the best of them. After the war, we were grateful to be alive."

Prayer kept people going in the book. It gave them hope. Every evening in London at 9:00, Big Ben alerted people that it was time to pray for peace. It was the Great Clock at the Palace of Westminster. It was what they relied upon to keep going one more day.

But this isn't just a book about the war. It is two love stories with two timelines.

Ellie is in her late 30s in the present time and while she's had a successful career with good friends, she never has been able to make a love relationship work. She is the daughter of Alice who is in a nursing home with memory relapses and health issues. Her mother reveals to her the location of a hidden box with keepsakes in her home. Of course, it peaks Elli's curiosity when she discovers the treasures which sends her on a trip to London to search for more clues about her ancestors.

Alice's parents are Nell and Arthur. It was her father that maintained Big Ben in the 1940s with two other clockmakers. Nell disappointed her father by falling for Arthur - a German and he was half Jewish. Yet, her love was incredibly strong putting her in challenging positions.

This historical fiction gives the reader a glimpse of ordinary people during the war struggling each day. Women for the first time stepped out of their traditional roles to help out giving them a greater sense of freedom. The images and characters were well developed in my mind and I enjoyed learning more about this time period.

My thanks to Daisy Wood, Harper Collins Publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy to be released on July 8, 2021.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Avon Publishers for this advanced ebook copy to read, review and comment on.

This read reveals the hidden elements of those who, after trauma of any description and in particular war and violence remake themselves. Like Ellie in 2021 it seems the next or second generation are more apt to look into the past, a longing to know their history.

Nell in 1940 initially emerges as a clingy, bit of a wet blanket of a young woman clearly unable to accept the violence and destruction that England is heading for. However, when she receives a disjointed phone call from her husband her change in personality is remarkable with bravery, determination and guts she tackles the problem head on.

Nell (Eleanor) Spelman has only one wish in her life, to be with her husband, Arthur and new baby Alice but the war,1940 and the constant blitzing of England by the Nazis has brought this undone. With it becoming too dangerous to live in London and their home bombed, Arthur insists that Nell with Alice return to her childhood home for safety. Here, the small family has been further extended with children from other war affected areas of England. One child in particular, Brenda, will come to play a part in Nell's life and one, as an old lady will help to answer many questions for present day Ellie in her pursuit of the history of Nell, a grandmother she never knew.

Forward to December 2021, Alice now in her eighties is in care after a fall, Ellie is concerned about her ever increasing memory loss and she remembers very little about her mother to relate to Ellie. Alice's mother Nell was killed in the blitz and even after years of letters from her half sister in London, Gillian, there has been very little light shed about Nell. Arthur, Ellie's grandfather, remarried and Mavis, according to Alice, was always jealous of Arthur's love for his first wife.

After a Thanksgiving lunch with her best friend Beth and family, driving Ellie to her mother's home, Beth and her go in search of the hat box referred to by Alice earlier in the day. Along with an additional hidden box the treasures revealed are enough for Ellie to decide to go to England to look for her lost family.

It's a rocky start with Aunt Gillian but Ellie along with Beth's brother Dan joining her in London makes headway with her Aunt where she reveals some of her own mother's terrible secrets to her. After more sleuthing, Ellie now sadly believes that her grandmother had been a fascist. Dan and her head off to the countryside where the family home had been hoping to better clarify things. Finally they end up at the home of Brenda, now aged but still very alert. Here, Brenda who has done her own investigations into the death of Nell puts Ellie on the right track with finally the truth of Nell's heroic death being revealed.

What a wonderful book!
My thanks to Avon Publishing and Net Galley for the ARC of THE CLOCKMAKER'S WIFE.
Spellbinding! A time-slip story with such wonderful and realistic characters.. Historical fiction is becoming a fast favourite and this book is very well done. This is a moving and beautifully written book, and I fully recommend it to all lovers of good storytelling. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ From me.

A really enjoyable dual timeline slice of historical fiction which alternates between Blitz ravaged World War Two London and the present day.

The story centres around a mystery concerning the sacrifice of the eponymous Clockmaker’s Wife who is the mother of dementia sufferer, Alice in present day America. Alice’s memories of her mother are sketchy and aspects of her childhood seem disjointed so her daughter, Ellie embarks on a journey to London to piece together her mother’s family history. In doing so Ellie discovers a story brimming with love, derring-do and injustice which enables her to forge new relationships and recast existing ones in the light of everything she unearths. This is an really pleasant, undemanding yet engaging read. Thank you to Netgalley for the advance review copy.

I throughly enjoyed this book. The story line was intriguing and kept me in suspense till the end,as I had to find out what happened. I would highly recommend this book.

Thank you to the publisher for offering me an advance copy on Netgalley to review.

This is historical fiction with a dual timeline going between two generations. Nell in wartime Britain, and Nell’s daughter Alice, and granddaughter Ellie.

Nell is killed during the Blitz and her granddaughter travels to modern day London to try to uncover the mystery of her death.

What unfolds is a clever plot believably set in the London Blitz. I have read many novels set in this time but this one really brought it alive and at times I was terrified for Nell and Alice.

I am looking forward to reading more by this author.

An emotional view of life in London during WWII. Heroism comes in many forms and this story highlights the courage, danger and sacrifice of those who fought a war in their own way, as individuals attempting to do the right thing without apparent concern for their own safety. I enjoyed this story very much and thank you NetGalley for my copy.

The Clockmaker’s Wife begins in 1940 during the Blitz. The story begins with the story of Arthur and Nell as he gives her the inside tour of Big Ben and clock tower at the Palace of Westminster. The love story quickly changes as they are in the middle of London during the Blitz and Nell is forced to leave Arthur in order to keep their daughter safe. Nell hears from Arthur as he is being arrested for unknown reasons. She is desperate to find him and leaves Alice with her family and goes back to London to search for him.
The story moves back to present day where Nell’s granddaughter has found a box with Nell’s hat, watch and a fascist material. Ellie leaves for London to find out who her grandmother was.
The story starts off strong. It switches from 1940 to the present with great description of historical events. The middle of the book seemed to randomly go back and forth between time periods. At times, I struggled because I felt that it would take too long to go back to the other story then I would have to readjust to the new time period. About the time I was connecting to Nell, it would change to Ellie and it gave a feeling of disconnect.
Overall, I enjoyed the story. Daisy Wood’s descriptions brought the story to life. The details of the clock tower made me feel I was walking with them. The historic content was intriguing and led me to look into the Blitz, the refugee children and fascism during the war. I highly recommend “The Clockmakers Wife.
Thank you to NetGalley and to Avon Publishing for a copy of "The Clockmakers Wife" by Daisy Wood, in return for an honest review

This is an excellent historical story, told in dual timelines of 1941, during WW2 and the London Blitz, and 2021 in New York and London. The narrative transitions smoothly between the two timelines.
Ellie lives in New York, and realises that she is slowly losing her mother Alice to dementia. She has many questions about her family that her mother is unable to answer. When she finds a beautiful gold watch which had belonged to her English grandmother Eleanor, it causes Ellie to travel to London to find out what she can about her grandparents.
The story of Nell (Eleanor) and her sweetheart/ husband clockmaker Arthur is captivating. Part of Arthur’s job is maintaining the clock that is part of Big Ben, which is a hugely important icon to everyone in Britain, and particularly Londoners during the war years.
With baby Alice, Nell is forced to flee London, leaving Arthur behind, to live in safety with her parents in the country, after their London home is destroyed by an air strike. Their life in the country, whilst safe, is shared by a number of disparate evacuee children, billeted with Nell’s parents. Nell helps to care for them, until she hears that Arthur is in trouble. She immediately sets off for London, leaving baby Alice safe with her grandmother Rose.
Nell’s time alone in war-torn London is a remarkable part of the story, and could have been a novel in its own right. She is unswerving and single minded in her resolve to find out what has happened to Arthur, and to help him. The story of Nell’s bravery and courage are breathtaking and heartbreaking in equal measure.
In 2021, with the help of Alice’s half sister Gillian in London, Ellie is able to unravel the details of her grandmother’s incredible past, and bring it all home to Alice in NY whilst she is still able to understand it.
This is a moving and beautifully written book, and I fully recommend it to lovers of good storytelling.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this title.

This was a beautiful story which centered around WWII in London, England. I personally havent read many WWII historical fictions centered in England during this time period so it was refreshing to read about the vivid description of London during that time.

This was a dual timeline story that took place in 1940’s and in 2020. I loved Nell because She was a strong woman and how she does everything she can to protect her child Alice.

This story is filled with so much excitemnt and well told. I am not going to tell you any more as I do not want to spoil the read for you.

Thank you to avon books uk and to netgalley for allowing me to read this book.

My thoughts and opinions are my own