Thank you Netgalley and Boldwood Books for this eCopy to review

I know I say I enjoy most books I read but I absolutely loved Walsh's The Forgotten Palace. I was completely swept up in Alice's adventures in the 1900s and Eloise's modern day investigations. It truly was a compulsive read and had me staying up far too late past midnight to finish it.

Alice is on a Grand Tour with her Aunt to escape her scandal and mend her broken heart. Time spent in the sunshine working the archaeological dig Knossos on Crete helps her do that as well as understanding how her behaviour hurt her own family and learning what true love is.

In the present day Eloise escapes to Crete following the death of her husband Josh, again the sunshine, good friends, and sorting through Josh's fathers historical research on the Minotaur and Minoans help her heal and realise that she deserves to be loved properly too.

I loved all the descriptions of places, clothes and people they are beautifully done and make you feel as though you are there with Alice and Eloise. Definitely, a new favourite author for me

1900
When unlucky in love Alice Webster embarks on a Grand Tour with her Aunt Agatha, she hopes she will be able to put the scandal of what has happened behind her. A journey to Crete and an archaeological dig at Knossos coupled with a chance encounter on a train changes her life forever.

Present Day
After attending the funeral of her husband, Eloise De’Ath heads off to Crete where she hopes she will be able to start a new life away from her less than hospitable in-laws. Looking through her late father-in-law’s research notes, she becomes fascinated by the diaries of a young woman, Alice, who was involved in the excavation to find the Minotaur’s labyrinth.

Having enjoyed all of Alexandra Walsh’s previous dual timeline books, I was pleased to have the opportunity to be part of the blog tour for her latest book The Forgotten Palace. Alexandra has the ability to transport you back to a historical era and totally immerse you in the views and sounds of the time. Here, we are not only taken back to the Victorian age with Alice, but also back to Ancient Crete and the Minotaur’s labyrinth.

The story started with a bang as we are introduced to Eloise who is preparing for her husband’s funeral. This scene was something straight out of a movie and left me wondering what had happened that made Eloise act in the way she did. As the story progresses, her past is revealed and you begin to realise exactly how strong she has been. This was dealt with in a sensitive way, even more so when we discover that the same thing has been happening to another character, a taboo that is not often discussed.

Alice was a character I had a lot of sympathy for. Manipulated by an older man yet facing the wrath of a puritan Victorian society who viewed women as the temptresses. The two women, over a century apart, were connected by their love of unsuitable men but also by a diary written by Alice that Eloise became fascinated by. Both of their stories were full of sadness yet hope at the same time.

Alexandra Walsh has become one of my go-to authors for historical/dual timeline fiction and I look forward to seeing where she takes us next!

Boldwood Books is a wonderful source of titles in a variety of genres. An added bonus is that they are very reasonably priced.

The Forgotten Palace is a novel that takes place in more than one time period. This earlier story takes place in 1900 and its second time line is the present day. There is also the character of Ariadne who lived in ancient times.

In one time line (1900), a young woman, Alice, wants to escape a scandal. When the opportunity to go on a Grand Tour is offered, she eagerly says yes. Interesting things happen on a train and Alice travels to Crete. This was a period of archaeological digs so much is going on there.

In the present day, Eloise, is thought of as a grieving widow; however, she is anything but. When she has the opportunity to travel to Crete, just like Alice, she is eager to go. What will happen when their stories intersect? And how will Ariadne have a role in the story? Read this one to find out.

Readers should know that this is a “timeslip” novel. If you are a fan of the genre, this will be an enjoyable read. The evocative settings and fascinating plot lines will have readers quickly turning the pages.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

WOW! This was a stunner of a read from start to finish. All the dropped hints, the many threads of this story, all woven together to create a beautiful tapestry of love, history, the power of women, and the weight of words. Walsh expertly wove together 3 timelines to blend a riveting story. Eloise "Lo", Alice, and Ariadne all captivated me with their lived experiences and the unjust ways that societies and cultures have pushed aside the power and weight of women over time. This is a perfect read for fans of Susanna Kearsley or Kate Morton, with blended timelines and overlapping stories all playing together. Marvelous read!

A dual timeline based around Arthur Evans’ archaeological digs at Knossos on Crete, this book has an incredible sense of place, time and history. The heat and the dust from the excavations rise up from the page as the Victorian characters scrape in the earth and wash dirt from shards of pot.
In 1900 Alice departs on a grand tour of Europe accompanying her aunt and young nephews. She is heartbroken and in terrible disgrace, so her kindly family have sent her away to recover. In the present day timeline Eloise leaves for Crete on the day of her husband’s funeral wearing a red dress and red shoes. It’s clear she is glad he has gone – but why?
The book is packed full of history, myth, and dreams, with italicised sections which could be either of the latter, almost making it a triple timeline. But having read Alexandra Walsh’s other books I was not expecting this to be a simple love story and it is anything but.
A final word: don’t let the cast list at the front put you off – it really isn’t needed as all the main characters are so memorable.

An intriguing story involving Greek legends and a time slip between three women but unfortunately a bit too over descriptive for me

I visited Crete and went to the Palace of Knossos over 40 years ago, so this book evoked all sorts of memories. The discoveries at Knossos were eclipsed by Howard Carter's in the Valley of the Kings, but this was arguably just as important as very little was known about the Minoans.

This is a dual time line novel set in 1900 ( the time of the original dig) and the present day, and focusing on two women. The story is beautifully written and weaves in issues of abuse, misogyny and re-incarnation, amongst other things. This is an interesting and thought provoking novel which is well worthwhile reading.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this book.

Two women’s lives separated by 100 years, but connected by dreams of a labyrinth

The novel opens in modern day London, with young widow Eloise attending her husband’s funeral. It soon becomes clear that all was not well with her marriage, nor with Eloise’s relationship with her late husband’s family and friends. She exits the funeral with a spectacular gesture, and immediately leaves for the island of Crete where she has inherited a house and where she hopes to heal from the ordeal of her husband’s death. In the next chapter, the reader meets Alice Webster in the year 1900, locked in her bedroom by her family after they intervened in her scandalous attempt to elope with an unsuitable gentleman. Alice’s reputation is in ruins, her family in an uproar, and she is heartbroken. When her recently widowed Aunt Agatha proposes that Alice join her and her two young sons for a tour of Europe, Alice jumps at the opportunity to put distance between herself and the scandal as well as to distract herself from her heartbreak. A chance meeting with another British family sets them on a course to visit Crete.
These two women are from very different times, but both fleeing heartache and scandal, find solace in a home on the island of Crete. Alice is fascinated by the legend of the Minotaur and the labyrinth which have long been thought to have been in Knossos which is near to the house where she is staying. She becomes involved in the archaeological dig happening there, and finds connections between what she is experiencing and the dreams she has long had of a young woman in a subterranean passage. She keeps both a journal of her dreams and of her life in Crete. When Eloise arrives later, she discovers Alice’s journals, and finds that her own dreams mirror those of Alice. Who is the woman in the passage? Is it Ariadne, sister of the Minotaur and whose love for Theseus betrayed her brother? Is the legend passed down through the ages an accurate reflection of what truly happened? How and why are these two women connected both to one another and to the woman in their dreams?
The Forgotten Palace is a vivid and engrossing tale of women and love and betrayal. For lovers of mythology, the mystery of the labyrinth provides a fascinating backdrop to the gradually unfolding tale. I found it hard to put down; I was drawn to both Eloise and Alice and wanted to learn their full stories. By the novel’s end, we learn each of the women’s secrets and hope that they are able to overcome their betrayals in order to love again. Fans of Diana Gabaldon and Daphne du Maurier would enjoy The Forgotten Palace, as would anyone who loves a bit of history, a bit of suspense, and female characters who discover their own voices and strengths. I enjoyed this read a great deal, and thank NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the advanced reader’s copy.

This was so good. It was beautifully written and I was entrantsed with this story and I couldn't put it down. I absolutely loved this. This book was so good I forgot that I was reading.
I just reviewed The Forgotten Palace by Alexandra Walsh. #TheForgottenPalace #NetGalley
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I read through this novel in one sitting. I love time slip novels and so I really enjoyed this one. Set in Victorian times and in modern times. The characters of Eloise and Alice are really well drawn and the historical research is impeccable. Highly recommended.