Book Synopsis:
An island of secrets. A runaway. And a promise…
A rebellious daughter
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
1944. Running from the brutality of war in France, Florence Baudin faces a new life. But her estranged mother makes a desperate request: to find her vanished sister, who went missing years before.
A rift over generations
Betrayals and secrets, lies and silence hang between the sisters. A faded last letter from Rosalie is Florence’s only clue, the war an immovable barrier – and time is running out…
My Review:
The Hidden Palace is a thoroughly absorbing, captivating book that I really enjoyed.
Firstly I really loved being back with Florence and Jack as it was great to continue their story with them. I also found it very intriguing to meet Florence’s absent mum and to learn more about Jack who was always a bit of a mystery in the previous books.
The author’s vivid descriptions of Wartime England and Malta were very vivid. I felt completely transported to both places almost like I was actually there watching everything unfold. I didn’t know much about Malta and it’s history so I really enjoyed learning more about it. It was quite poignant to realise what ordinary citizens went through and how much they suffered, particularly as I don’t think I’d have been able to do it.
Overall, as you can probably tell, I loved this book and look forward to reading the next book in the series. The two timelines complement each other nicely and there always seemed to be something happening to keep my interest. I didn’t actually have a favourite timeline which is unusual for me but I liked that as it meant I could relax and just be swept away by the story.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Harper Collins for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Dinah was born in Malaysia and moved to England at the age of nine.
As a teenager she missed the heat of Malaysia, which left her with a kind of restlessness that led to quite an unusual life. She studied Fashion Design and went to live in Tuscany where she worked as an au-pair for an Italian countess. There was even a time when Dinah lived with a rock band in a ‘hippie’ commune in Suffolk.
Although Dinah and her husband spent five wonderful years living in a small 16th Century village in Northern Andalusia, she’s happy to say they now live close to her family in Gloucestershire along with two crazy Maine Coon cats.
Over The Rainbow Blog 