The Hidden Palace has two timelines and two heroines and both are convincingly written. I enjoyed the contrast of the two main settings, the green countryside of wartime Devon and the searing heat and deep shadows of Malta. The Mdina and unsavoury Strait Street were particularly well portrayed. The earlier section of the novel in Devon didn't feel as if the war was really affecting the locals and the book lost some pace in the middle. I felt the story was a fraction too long. Overall, The Hidden Palace is a thoroughly enjoyable read.

Florence has escaped the war in France and is starting a new life when she receives a request from her mother. Her mothers sister disappeared a number of years ago and she asks Florence to find her, it is believed she is in Malta so Florence heads to Malta to find Rosalie. As Florence searches we also get to hear Rosalies story, the two stories run along together.
This is a great sequel to the Daughters of War book and I would like to hear more of the sisters. As always Dinah Jeffries brings you on a journey through places and time. Her writing is always descriptive and her characters excellent
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for granting me an advance copy of this book

This was a fascinating story, partly in the first and second world wars and moving forwards. The descriptions of Malta during the wars was very interesting as a background. The loves and losses are well described, with empathy and connection.. The conclusion looks towards the future. A very satisfying read.

I hadn’t realised I had read the previous novel in the series ‘ Daughters of War’ when I began to read this book, I did not notice an similarities in the story or characters. That should have warned me.
I’m sorry to say I was underwhelmed by this book, as I was with the first. I have to be honest. I found the characters to be flat and unremarkable, and the situations they find themselves in are not convincing.
There are so many very long, descriptive passages which slow the narrative right down, and the frequent changes from Rosalie in 1925 in Malta, to Florence in the 1940s in England, have the same effect. I skim read to about 40% then completely lost interest, and didn’t pick the book up again.
I’m sure that many people will enjoy this book, but sadly it is not for me.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this book.

I have not read the first novel in this series however that didn’t matter too much.

This novel is told in two different times. One, in 1925 where Rosalie runs away from home. Arriving in Malta she goes on to be a dancer for a club. She has ambitions to make something of herself despite the difficult times.
Second timeline being in 1944 England where this woman Florence gets to visit her estranged mother whilst trying to escape the horrendous war in France and has had to leave behind her two sisters.

It is an interesting different novel to what I normally read however it is a light read but at the same time it has elements of sadness, grief and loss.

Within this novel you are taken on an emotional journey of courage and determination. Very compelling indeed. Also, this has a beautiful cover I thought I should mention as it does indeed take you to another land.

Thanks to Dinah and NetGalley for allowing me to read The Hidden Palace prior to the publication date.
Having read and enjoyed Daughters of War, the first book in the series, I was keen to read this book.
I enjoy Dinah’s style of writing. Her words paint beautiful pictures in a story which is sad, emotional and heart breaking at various stages.

In 1944, 22 year old Florence Baudin and Jack have escaped from Nazi occupied France and after an arduous and dangerous journey they arrive at Jack’s home in Devon. Florence undertakes the next stage in her journey to travel to her estranged mother, Claudette’s home in Gloucestershire.
Her reception is underwhelming, given that Claudette has not seen Florence or her sisters for 7 years.
Self-centred and sharp tongued, Claudette instructs Florence that she has to find her aunt Rosalie who disappeared from the family home in Paris in 1925. The only clue to Rosalie’s whereabouts is a letter sent many years ago which might suggest that she is in Malta.

The reader is taken back to 1925 to be introduced to 19 year old Rosalie, described as a wild child who loves to dance. Escaping from the strict family home, she makes her way to Malta where she changes her name to Riva Janvier and works in a night club in an unsavoury part of town.
Riva goes on to lead an “interesting” life.

In the aftermath of a war in which Malta was attacked by both Italy and Germany, will Florence be able
to trace Rosalie?
Will there be a happy ever after ending?

Another superb novel by this author. An engaging, absorbing story set towards the end of World War 2 with a host of characters. The life and loves of one family, distanced by a variety of circumstances, in their quest to unite. It’s a story of love, trust and determination on the part of Florence who is tasked by her mother to find her aunt. The novel takes the reader to the wonderful island of Malta and the fascinating and enchanting towns of Valletta and Mdina with descriptions of architectural beauty. Pure escapism page-turner.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers Harper Collins for this advance copy and I look forward to Dinah Jefferies’’ next novel, Night Train to Marrakesh.

I do love books that continue the story from an earlier book, but also can be read as a stand alone, and Dinah Jefferies has done this well with her second installment her new trilogy looking into the Baudin sisters, I am looking forward to number 3. We are taken from France, to Devon and then we end up in Malta and then back to Devon on a wonderful storyline that is Florence and her aunt and how family can come together to help each other, but still leave emotional wounds open to heal in the next book..

I wasn't sure if I would enjoy "The Hidden Palace" as much as I did "Daughters of War" (because, you know, France!), but it didn't take long for me to fall under Dinah Jefferies's spell. The writing, the ups and downs of the story, the settings (the exploration of Malta was intriguing, which surprised me), all top notch. I enjoyed getting to know Florence a little better and can't wait to see where book 3 takes us.

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.

The second novel of the trilogy continues the story of three sisters, two left in France and one who escapes over the Pyrenees to England and their mother at wars end. A search for a long lost aunt begins.

This was an excellent follow up book to Daughters of war. Although mainly, focusing on Florence, it tell the story of the girls in present day which in this case is at the end of WW2, but also tells the story of the girls Aunt in Malta, starting in the 20s and taking the story to their present day. An excellent read.

1925. Among the ancient honey-coloured walls of the tiny island of Malta, strangers slip into the shadows and anyone can buy a new name. Rosalie Delacroix flees Paris for a dancer’s job in the bohemian clubs deep in its winding streets.

A sister with a secret

Excellent read, I love Dinah Jefferies way of writing. She tells a great story which is very atmospheric. There are many different lines followed through the story which keep you intrigued. I could not put the book down and read it in a couple of days. You almost feel you are living the tale with the characters. A family story of loss, heartache and love.
I do wish it is not so long until the next instalment.

Dinah Jefferies can surely write stories that will keep you turning pages like this one.
A fascinating, poignant, and compelling story set in wonderful Malta and featuring a cast of interesting characters.
Excellent storyteller, a well plotted story, great characters.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

After Daughters of War, I was eager to discover its sequel, the Hidden Palace, and this new historical fiction by Dinah Jefferies is a great read.
Florence has left France through the Pyrenees with the help of Jack and is now in the UK. She is reunited with her mother Claudette after all these years and has a chance to talk about the past she discovered prior to leaving France . But Claudette also wants to find her sister Rosalie and she asks Florence to look for her. This leads Florence to Malta, where most of the novel is set. Florence explores what may have happened to her aunt, her own expectations, her relationships and the course of her life changes deeply.
Dinah Jefferies always has this amazing way to create an atmosphere for her novels and it is always an immersive experience to read them. It certainly is the case here in Malta. We travel to the Malta of the twenties, when Rosalie arrived and during the second world war. We enjoy the beauty of the island, the history and sights, and the delightful food. But we also see the other side of the coin, the uncomfortable topic of human trafficking. And the strong characters in the story also give us a sense of what it might have felt to live in Malta in those times and how, there too, many lives were lost or changed forever by the war.
A great story of determination and strength, loss and grief, love and family, passion and talent, forgiveness and hope.

A wonderful novel, 2nd in a series but it works well as a stand alone book. You will go in search of the other one though!! The story cracks along at a good pace, not quite unputdownable but I was keen to get back to the book every day.
Characters are realistic, the background of wartimes makes you realise how easy we have it now. I lived in Malta as a child in the 60’s and was taken back there through the very descriptive and real narrative.

Another Dinah Jeffries book that doesn’t disappoint!

Thank you to the author, publishers and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Loved this book poor Florence and Riva. Story told from the viewpoint of Florence on her quest to find her Aunt Riva and the trials and heartache she faces on the way. From the viewpoint of Riva her escape from austere parents and living her dream before war begins and she faces her own heartache. Both are strong women who fight for those they love I cannot wait for the next installment.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ERC in return for an honest review .

This is the 2nd book in the trilogy, and mainly focuses on Florence.

Following Florence's escape from France with Jack, they finally arrive in Devon.

Florence visits her mother and asks her the truth about her father... Claudette is particularly sharp and pays very little interest on Florence, however she has a request for Florence to find her long lost sister Rosalie.

Rosalie left Paris at 19 in 1925 after a major falling out with her parents, and leaves Paris and heads to Malta where she becomes a dancer and lover of Bobby Beresford.

The book follows the tentative love of Florence and Jack, and Rosalie's life until the end of WWII.

At the end of the war when it is safe, Florence and Jack visit Malta in search of her aunt ....

A great story and I guess we will have to wait until the final book to see how the sisters reconcile their differences.

I read this book having received a review copy from NetGalley. I enjoyed this book ... the more so as I got into it and started to learn more about the island of Malta during the second world war. It certainly made me want to read more about Malta, both during the war and prior to the war, to see how much of what was discussed in this book was reflective of real life.
It wasn't until I got to the very end of the book that I realised that this was the second of a trilogy. It was certainly a good standalone read, but I did wonder whether I might have enjoyed it more if I had read the previous book (having said that there were lots of references to events that had clearly been covered in the previous book so it might actually have been better to not have events re-told that I'd already read about).
I was attracted to this book initially as a fan of dual time line historical fiction and this book was certainly a good example of its genre. Why am I giving it 4* instead of 5* then? There was just something about the way the book was written that annoyed me at times - little ways of wording things, slight grammatical issues which niggled. Some of the characters also felt a little two-dimensional. I don't think that would put me off reading more of Dinah Jeffries books though and would recommend this to other readers who enjoy historical fiction.

A gripping and emotional story of courage and determination in adversity. Strong characters, a tightly-written plot and the settings of Paris and Malta make this a great read, especially if you've already read Daughters of War. Even if you haven't, the main points of the previous book are re-iterated in this one. The story centres on two main characters: Rosalie, one of the three sisters from Daughters of War, and Florence, who is Rosalie's niece. Florence is sent to Malta towards the end of WWII to try and find Rosalie, who ran away to Malta in the 1920s and changed her name. I've been to Malta and seen the bullet holes in its ancient walls. This story might spur you to visit this beautiful island. Looking forward to the final book of the trilogy.