The second book in the trilogy of a family that is torn apart by war.
Having managed to get to safety in England from France life looks as though it might be improving but just when things seem to be settling there is a new drama. Having been asked by her mother to go to Malta to track her missing sister how can you refuse? Descriptions of was torn Malta probably don't do the Island justice but the description of the Landscape and of the Silent City are wonderful. will all turn out for the best or are there more hearbreaks to come.

An great page turner by one of my favourite authors. It has secrets, betrayals and my favourite most of all courage.

A good read just not One for.e a was slow picking up plot but love her writing style it good book plot was ok I just could not get to plot I think I got to much going on around me I will try again later

Generally I'm a fan of historical fiction and I enjoy Dinah Jeffries writing, however I found this story very difficult to get immersed in, my own fault, I hadn't read the first book in the series which I think is essential - much was lost in reading it as a stand alone novel unfortunately. I'll have to go get the first book!

The book took part mainly in Malta with some chapters in southern England. The book followed one of the sisters in the first story and the aunt’s story pre-war. The book wasn’t as engaging as the first and felt a little impersonal. I couldn’t get into the story nor characters.

i read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

I love this author
and this is another wonderful, engrossing offering
Highly recommend

This one just didn’t grip me I’m afraid and I stopped after a few chapters but I love Dinah Jefferies so very happy to read what she writes next.

What a wonderful book full of interesting history about Malta.

Florence has escaped from France with Jack to Britain where she ends up staying in a cottage of his, she goes to see her Mother and she asks her to find her sister who went to Malta. We see Florence and Jack ending up in Malta will they find her Aunt. Florence’s sisters are still in France will she ever see them again.

The book is brilliantly written and enjoyed the journey that Florence took. It is very descriptive and you realise how the Maltese survived the War with all the attacks they took.

Would recommend this book.

This was a bit of a slow burner really. Two stories, Florence and Jacks’ and that of Florence’s aunt Rosalie/Riva on Malta pre and during WW2. The events of the story were ok, but it never really gripped me. It was only after I’d finished that I realised that the book was the second in a series so maybe if I’d read the first one I’d have been a bit more invested in the book. Thank you to #netgalley and #Harpercollins for the opportunity to read in exchange for my honest review.

A feast for the senses. Dinah Jefferies has a wonderful way of describing the sights smells, and tastes of a place that evoked it so vividly and beautifully. The Hidden Palace is book two in a triology that continues to follow the wartime experiences of Florence Baudin. In this novel, her estranged mother asks Florence to travel to Malta in search of her rebellious younger sibling who set off in the 1920s to Malta seeking excitement of a bohemian dancer in a club. Through the interspersed chapters on Rosalie in Malta, we are opened up to how war affected the Maltese. It is such an interesting perspective on war and female experiences in wartime. Deep secrets and lies are exposed in the past lives of the sisters in this heart- searing sequel. A superb read and cannot wait for the sumptuous delights of book 3 next year. #thehiddenpalace #dinahjefferies #netgalley #wartime #sisters #Malta #secrets #lies

I loved Daughters of War, the first book in this trilogy, so there was no way I could resist reading this second book. I wanted to find out what had happened to the three sisters.
This second book is a dual timeline featuring Florence the youngest sister, and Rosalie, their aunt who left Paris in 1923 for Malta.
I absolutely loved the Maltese storyline, maybe because I spent a week there on holiday back in the 90s, so some of the place names brought back happy memories. Malta came across as far more exotic compared to wartime England, where Florence was living in a cottage in the countryside.
Whilst Florence was in England she visited her mother Claudette, who was so unwelcoming to her. I felt so sorry for Florence as she really needed her mother to be sympathetic to what happened to her in the first book, but no, all she wanted was for Florence to go and find her estranged sister Rosalie in Malta. I was so angry at the way Claudette treated her daughter, but in a way it was good because it made Florence see what her mother was really like. Claudette obviously had some demons to lay to rest and wanted Florence to do it for her.
Unfortunately the war was still going on, so Florence would have to wait until the following year to be able to search Malta for her aunt Rosalie. Some of Florence’s storyline in England was in the winter months, so the descriptions of the countryside worked well with Florence’s mood, as she tried to work out her future with or without Jack, the SOE operative who got her out of France. I wasn’t too sure about Jack at all, but eventually warmed to him as the story unfolded and his past was revealed.
The mystery of Rosalie was fascinating. I enjoyed her story so much, from her stifling life in Paris to the excitement and danger of her life in Malta. I loved how her story and Florence’s came together as Florence finally made it to the island to look for her.
There is so much more to the story that I want to write about, but I’ve got to leave it there as I’m afraid I’m going to reveal too much and spoil it all for you.
Definitely recommended if you enjoyed the first book, or if you like historical fiction with a dual timeline.

Lushly illustrative, in many ways, of the works set in motion by Rosamund Pilcher, this sweeping cross-generational family saga follows the lives and loves of two key women: Florence Baudin, a naive yet sensible young woman (dealing with a horrific past), and her long-estranged aunt, Rosalie Delacroix, a glamorous and free-spirited run-away from the past.

Spanning the years leading up to and encompassing the claustrophobic and terrifying war years of WWII, the story splits between present-day Florence - gorgeously encased, for the most part, in a Devonshire “fairy tale cottage thatched and tucked into a cozy space between green-forested hills” (with the enigmatic and dashing Jack) - and Rosalie, two decades earlier, young and searching in the “the liquid shine of gold” buffing the limestone-ensconced fortresses on the island of Malta (a location near and dear to the heart of this reader).

As Florence, separated by war from her France-based sisters, Helene and Elise, reunites with her strangely-chilly mother, Claudette, she is unwillingly enlisted in the search for her aunt, - a search with an urgency of timing and accompanying circumstances both mysterious and confusing.

Battling her own growing and complicated feelings for her companion Jack, Florence’s journey, across the devastation of war-torn Europe and through the brambles of her own tangled heart, (complicated by family secrets, trauma and severance) tells a tale both engrossing and poignant.

As Rosalie’s path, equal parts mesmerizing and menacing, opens a door to a little-known aspect of Maltese history, her life shattering and blooming in the jasmine-scented courtyards of Mediterranean sunshine, is unclear how and if this story will resolve.

A fascinating and multi-layered read, this character-rich treat (the second in a series), worked well for this reader as a stand-alone novel.

A great big thank you to #NetGalley,the author and the publisher for an ARC of this book. All thoughts presented are my own.

This is the second book in Dinah Jefferies’ new World War II trilogy which began last year with Daughters of War. Although I think it’s always best to read a series in order if you can, I don’t think it would be a problem if you wanted to start with this book. People and events from the first book are alluded to, but are not essential to understanding the plot of this second novel.

Of the three Baudin sisters we met in Daughters of War, The Hidden Palace only focuses on one of them – the youngest sister, Florence, who has left occupied France for the safety of the English countryside. In England, Florence is reunited with her estranged mother, Claudette, who asks for her help in finding her sister Rosalie – Florence’s aunt – who ran away from home as a teenager and hasn’t been seen or heard from for years. Claudette believes that Rosalie may be in Malta, but with war still raging across Europe, no one is able to go there to look for her.

In an alternating storyline, we go back to the 1920s and follow Rosalie’s adventures when, after an argument with her father, she leaves home and finds work as a dancer in a nightclub in Malta. As the years go by, she builds a new life and identity for herself on the island, which makes Florence’s task much more difficult when, once the war is over, she is able to travel to Malta to begin her search. Accompanied by Jack, her friend who worked for the British Special Operations Executive during the war, Florence is determined to find her aunt – but will her aunt want to be found?

I enjoyed The Hidden Palace, although I missed the other two sisters from the first book, Hélène and Élise, who stay behind in France. Florence was not initially my favourite of the sisters so I wasn’t sure how I would feel about this book focusing mainly on her, but I did warm to her after a while – although I had mixed feelings about the development of her romance with Jack, knowing that he had originally been Hélène’s love interest. I also found the sections of the book set in England slightly lacking in atmosphere; you would hardly think the war was still taking place, as the lives of the characters seem largely unaffected and there’s no sense of any real hardship.

The chapters set in Malta were of much more interest to me, particularly as I have been to Malta and enjoyed revisiting, through Rosalie’s eyes, the vibrant streets of the capital Valletta and the peaceful stillness of Mdina, the ‘Silent City’. Malta was very badly hit during the war, due to its strategic importance as a base in the Mediterranean between Europe and North Africa, and it was the target of thousands of German and Italian air raids, making it one of the most heavily bombed places in the world. This is where Rosalie spends the war years, so as you can imagine, her story is a lot more dramatic than Florence’s in the Devon countryside!

The novel has a satisfactory ending, but not everything is fully resolved, so I’m looking forward to finding out what happens in the final part of the trilogy, Night Train to Marrakech.

It's 1944 and Florence Baudin and her friend Jack Jackson have escaped occupied France and arrive in the sleepy Devon village where Jack has a country cottage. Although the immediate danger of war is behind them for Florence's sisters, Hélène and Élise, who are still in France, the war is an ever present danger. When Florence plucks up the courage to visit her mother, Claudette, who is now also living in England, she is given the almost impossible task of tracing her mother's sister Rosalie who hasn't been see since she ran away from home in 1925.

What then follows is an intriguing dual time story which is told from the perspective of both Florence and Rosalie. Each have a fascinating story to tell, especially Rosalie whose life on the tiny island of Malta is filled with intrigue, passion and danger. Both time elements flow beautifully with neither one taking centre stage but allowing both Florence and Rosalie their time in the spotlight. I especially enjoyed the wonderful description of life on Malta, a tiny island whose inhabitants showed such bravery and whose winding streets were filled with so much intrigue. Throughout the story the author gets the balance perfectly pitched between family drama, dangers of war and the intrigues of the heart.

Whilst The Hidden Palace follows on from The Daughters of War, which is the first book in this series, it can be read enjoyably as a standalone story but for greater insight into Florence's relationship with her mother and sisters, and the way that Jack Jackson fits into the story, it would be interesting to read from the beginning. That there is to be another book in the series, released in 2023, is indeed good news for fans of this talented author's work. I look forward to picking up the story again in Night Train to Marrakech.

The Hidden Palace is the second book in the Daughters of War series by Dinah Jefferies and having only recently read book number one the plot and characters were very much fresh in my mind. But if you are new to this series this can easily be read as a standalone as plenty of background information to the previous story is provided. But it doesn’t give any too many of the finer details which is a good thing. The plot picks up more or less from where the first instalment left off and yes the many questions I had by the time I reached the final word of Daughters of War were answered but only over time. Characters who I previously felt didn’t get enough focus now came into their own and even more of the background to the three sisters Helene, Florence and Elise was revealed and their mother Claudette finally featured and shared her heartbreak. I found the book to be a very good read overall and I loved how it focused on a different sister whilst at the same bringing the reader back to the past to uncover another of the family’s secrets.

We reunite with the characters just after Florence and Jack have arrived in England in 1944 having survived the treacherous journey from France and across the Pyrenees mountains. The specific reasons for Florence having to leave her sisters and her beloved house in the Dordogne region I won’t go into here for those that may have not yet read book one. Florence suffered unimaginable trauma and when a devastating secret becomes known to her she was faced with no other choice but to leave the place she loved so much. Through their journey Jack and Florence have become much closer but she knows she can’t thread in the footsteps of Helene whom it was clear had more than just a friendly affection for Jack. But the pair went through so much on their journey and she feels he understands her. Yet Jack is secretive too and when it is revealed that he too has suffered I was very surprised as there had been no illusion to it before. But they share a common bond and as Florence adjusts to her new life in England at Meadowbrook, Jack’s home, she wonders what direction her life path will now take especially as victory in the war seems to be more than just a far flung ray of hope in the distance, as it had been for so long.

I felt Florence was a vastly different character from the one I had read of before. The air of innocence about her was completely gone and not having her sisters being so reliant on her to provide for the household through her garden meant that she has to change and focus her mind on other things. She can begin to come into her own. The relationship all of the sisters had with their mother Claudette was strained and I was glad to see this was explored in much more detail. I desperately wanted to know what made Claudette so cold and to not have the loving mother daughter relationship so many of us were privileged to have. Florence travels to the Cotswolds to try and break down the barrier her mother has surrounded herself with. She won’t speak to Florence about certain things but she reveals she is desperate to find her sister who disappeared from Paris many years ago.

Tantalising teasers had been ever so briefly mentioned regarding Rosalie in book one and she was a character I desperately wanted to know more about. Claudette reveals she received a letter some years ago saying Rosalie needed help. Florence is tasked with going to Malta to find her. That’s if she is there at all. All she has to go on is a charm bracelet and that Rosalie has flaming red hair. I’ll admit as soon as Rosalie’s story started to have more prominence the book definitely picked up the pace. Up until that point I found it to be very descriptive with not much happening. For me Rosalie’s story was stronger than Florence’s although things for Florence did take several turns towards the end of the book. Florence is torn between a rock and a hard place. She desperately wants to wants to go and find Rosalie but war prevents her from doing that up to a point but also with her mother continuing to be so cold and aloof should she even bother? Things developed for Florence in England and she grows in strength as a person but yet guilt does eat away at her too. By the end of the book I felt there was still a lot more in store for her.

Rosalie was by far the best character, I couldn’t get enough of her. 1925 and a scandal sees her disappearing from Paris, from the family who constrained her and wished for her just to marry and bear children. But Rosalie was free spirited and just wanted to be a dancer. She is trapped by expectation but was brave to escape when given the chance even if it was not in the best of circumstances. She has strong viewpoints and I admired how she always stuck to her principals especially when she discovers some shady and underhand things going on in Malta which is where she ventures to when her parents turn their back on her. I thought it was brilliant the way the author raised an issue which is still very much prevalent today as you forget that things like this have existed for a very long time. It showed Rosalie’s tenacity and strength to fight for what she believes in as injustices to others are being served.

She has spirit and daring, is strong and wilful and always stands up for what she believes in. I enjoyed reading of her transition to Malta and although I could sense deep down that leaving Paris in the way and on the terms that she did was not what she truly wanted she knew that to be independent and follow her dreams she had to forge her own path without the support of her family. I enjoyed how Rosalie’s story developed and could see echoes of it with Florence’s too. Things for Rosalie are not all smooth sailing and romance, danger, secrets and tragedy all feature for her amidst the street of Valetta. But will she be reunited with her family? Will Florence succeed in her task?

The Hidden Palace was an enjoyable read which has moved the overall story along very well. I did think for the author not to be able to travel to Malta whilst writing this book due to Covid meant that some of the descriptions of this unique island didn’t spring to life as much as I would have wanted to. It’s not the authors fault but you could tell that she had to draw on research from at home rather than on terra firma but really that’s only a minor issue that I picked up on and it didn’t detract too much from my overall enjoyment of the story. Many secrets and lies are exposed through the book and some are resolved but yet the way the book ended has provided plenty of substance and issues to deal with for the final instalment - Night Train to Marrakech.

Again things were left on a cliff hanger when it comes to the sisters’ relationship and I was sad to leave them go once more knowing I will have a longer wait to see what happens next. But the title for book number three has my interest piqued. I’m interested to see which sister the story will focus on and how does Marrakech fit into the overall plot because it certainly hasn’t been previously mentioned. I assume another intriguing journey is ahead but for whom I’m not sure but I will certainly be back to read the conclusion of what has been a compelling read with many strands which so far have woven together perfectly. Historical fiction fans and of course like me long time fans of Dinah Jefferies will love every moment of this book. I’m just sad to leave Florence and co behind but I’ll be ready and waiting come August 2023 to discover lots more from the Baudin sisters.

What a brilliant sequel! I really enjoyed Daughters of War and I was intrigued to see what happened in this book and it did not disappoint. I thought the dual timeline was done so well and I was so invested in Rosalie’s story.
It was such a beautiful book and made me so emotional. I loved all the scenes in Malta and, as always, Dinah Jefferies writes the settings so well! I really enjoyed this book and am excited for the third instalment and will be waiting impatiently!

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins UK for this E-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I read and loved the first book in the Daughters of War series last year, so was excited to have the opportunity to read this second book.. And it proved to be another engaging read, evocative and emotional.

In Daughters of War we meet 3 sisters and this book focuses on the youngest Florence. She leaves behind her sisters in France and moves to England where she reunited with her mother, who asks her to track down her long lost sister Rosalie.

Told in dual timelines we follow Florence in 1944 as she tries to track down Rosalie in Malta - and then go back to 1925 as Rosalie’s story unfolds.

Malta is vividly described and I enjoyed finding out more about the devastating impact the war had on the island. With two interesting women at its heart, it’s a story that sweeps you up and makes for a thoroughly enjoyable read. I look forward to the third book in the series.

Escape to the depths of rural Devon and then onto the magic that is Malta in this story of seeking the truth and discovery.
A well crafted second instalment of the daughters of war trilogy giving an insight into wartime Malta and some of the seedier aspects of life there.
Florence is in search of her aunt , who fled to Malta to escape her disapproving parents, her story is by far the best but if the book for me.

Daughters of War had me excited about what was to become of the three Baudin sisters in the future, so I couldn’t wait to get back into this fictional world.

The Hidden Palace takes us through two timelines. Florence in England during 1944 and Rosalie in Malta from 1925.

Even though I thought it might be coming, I was so disappointed in Florence. It made me realise just how much I identified with and felt an emotional connection with Hélène (these characters feel very real to me).

I felt uncomfortable at Florence’s choices and to be honest, didn’t like her much in this story. There are glimpses of Florence’s character from the first story but not enough for me to warm to her.

Remember that reading is subjective, and you will highly likely feel totally different!

It does make for great conflict in the story 🙂

I enjoyed the history in Florence’s timeline. We saw war in France in the first book and now we get to experience the end of the war in a village in England. This timeline has a slower pace until a deadline hits.

Such a contrast to Malta in 1925!

Rosalie’s timeline is amazing. From the beginning there is danger and vulnerability. I felt so much tension!

I’ve come to expect both deep loss, sorrow and the strongest of connections with Dinah Jefferies writing and Rosalie’s timeline does not disappoint.

I won’t go into details (no spoilers!) but this is where I felt the most happiness and the deepest pain. And shed the most tears.

Rosalie is a fabulous character, getting involved in something she believes in and confronting those responsible. Ruffling feathers. Putting herself at risk.

I’m excited to see what role (if any) she is going to play in the sister’s lives.

The settings for both timelines give such a sense of place. It’s easy to experience the cultures and feel like you’re living there. Sights, sounds, smells, touch. All your senses come alive.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Hidden Palace.

I would recommend you read the first book (Daughters of War) before this sequel.

It sets the foundation of what’s to come and gives you an insight into the three sisters characters and why they make the decisions that they do. And you would be missing out on an amazing story!

The Hidden Palace highlights how difficult it can be to navigate familial relationships. Sometimes you need to put yourself first. And trust that those relationships can be repaired before it’s too late.

Moving forward, I’m eager to find out where we will find Hélène, Elise and Florence in the final story of the trilogy.

My mum and my aunt have been telling me for years how wonderful an author Dinah Jefferies is, so I was thrilled to be able to read her latest novel – The Hidden Palace. I love historical fiction and dual timelines, so this sounded just my kind of book. This is the second book in a trilogy, but I didn’t feel confused at all by starting with Book 2.
Chapter One begins in England in August 1944. Florence and Jack are on a train heading for Exeter. Jack’s father Lionel picks them up and takes them to his Devonshire cottage. It is clear they have had some adventures overseas in the War and are now exhausted, dirty and injured.
Florence Baudin is French and has had to leave her older sisters (Helene and Elise) there. Her mother Claudette lives in Gloucestershire though, so she goes to stay with her. Almost as soon as she arrives, her mothers says she has a request – she wants Florence to find out what happened to Rosalie (Claudette’s sister) who ran away from Paris twenty years before and might be in Malta.
Time shifts to 1925 in Paris when we join Rosalie Delacroix and find out more about her story. She then changes her name and moves to Malta. The section of the book about Rosalie felt much faster-paced and I was interested in her journey and liked her straight away.
We move between the two women and different times. This novel has a lot of family secrets to uncover, spread across the decades and several countries. We have the background of politics and the War as the world changes. Not many of the characters are very warm or likeable. Claudette, for example, is quite horrible, as are Rosalie’s (/Claudette’s) parents. Gladys and her duck are wonderful though!
I did find some of the descriptions to be a bit long, especially of the gardens, the weather and the area around them. I felt it sometimes slowed the book down, when I would have preferred a slightly faster pace at times. The chapters were the right length for me though.
If you are looking for a story which is expansive, complex, descriptive and thoughtful, a story which takes in lots of different times and settings, this is for you. If you’re a fan of Rachel Hore, Victoria Hislop and Santa Montefiore, I’m sure you’ll love Dinah Jefferies too.