Hidden secrets in a beautiful Cornish setting are hard to resist - and Rachel Hore has conjured something special here - linking the past with the present in an evocative manner. Highly enjoyable

This book was fantastic. I love Rachel Hore- her writing is so beautifully crafted, the language choices, descriptive details and realistic characters all make this book a dream to read. I love the intrigue and the mystery. The writer carefully unravels the story in such a way that you’re hooked and can’t put the book down.

I've struggled with this book it just wasn't for me and I found myself skipping through the text and not really enjoying it to the extent I can't even remember what the story was all about.

The Hidden Years is a dual timeline story centred around a large country house called Silverwood, which is situated on the north bank of the river Helford, near Falmouth in Cornwall. In 1939, Imogen escorts two young boys back to their boarding school at Silverwood, which has relocated from Kent for the duration of the war, and ends up staying a while to cover for the Matron who had been taken to hospital and needed time to recuperate. This leads to her decision to train as a nurse in nearby Truro, and do her bit for the war effort. In 1966, disillusioned with her English Literature studies, Belle takes a gamble and goes to Cornwall for the summer with Gray, a musician she has only known for a week. He had visited the artists’ community at Silverwood the previous year, and wanted to return to focus on his songwriting.
The connection between Imogen and Belle is at the heart of the novel, but finding out why is a very slow process. Gray is familiar with the inhabitants of the house, and doesn’t join in much anyway, but Belle is well out of her comfort zone to begin with. They are an eccentric and not particularly likeable bunch, and the author captures really well the way Belle feels when she first arrives – disoriented, adrift and unsure, although she feels a tenuous connection to Silverwood that she can’t explain.
Initially, I found the wartime narrative more interesting, and the characters more sympathetic. I had not previously known how this area was affected by the war. Over the course of the summer, secrets from the past, that have been deliberately kept hidden, gradually come to light. The final reveal involves a lot of explaining that slows the narrative down. The historical detail has obviously been well researched, and the setting is almost a character in its own right. I particularly enjoyed the musical element of the narrative and wished I could have listened as well. I have read and enjoyed several of this author’s books in the past, and will definitely be on the lookout for her next one. Thanks to Simon & Schuster UK and NetGalley for a digital copy to review.

An interesting read at the time and I wanted to know how it ended, but the memory of it has not stayed in my memory for long.

Another triumph, The dual timeline was excellent and the house setting and time period was unique and something I really enjoyed discovering. There is always hope and sadness in her books and they are a joy to read.
Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

This book got 3.5 stars from me - it was mysterious but cosy and heartwarming read. With elements of romance it’s not something I’d usually pick up, but I really enjoyed the generational aspect and historical timeline from WW2 which parallels the 1960s.

I think that the author does a beautiful job at building up a landscape - Cornwall really comes alive in this book, and if it’s a place you particularly love I’d really recommend it. It’s a very lovely depiction of the county and really gives it a wonderful air of mystery and comfort. This was such an easy book to get sucked into, albeit I did guess the crooks of the plot from the get go (Imogen being Belle’s mother). The further details unveiled about Belle’s father and the identity of Mrs Kitto, though, I hadn’t figured out, and they were a welcome bit of intrigue and certainly moved the plot along toward the end.

I feel that the relationship between Gray and Belle could’ve been explored more - they never really faced any hardship or arguments, it just felt a little flat? Of course toward the end this became a little more sincere and their relationship seemed to flourish, but I’d have enjoyed a few more chapters on the time they spend together in London after the book ends. Certainly more room for development there.

Not one I’d usually read, but a comforting and relaxing read with enough intrigue to keep your interest, and very beautiful world building! Spirited characters who are all well developed, I think this is a really lovely autumn/winter read for the cosy and careful aspect of it.

A fascinating dual timeline historical novel. The two timelines weave in and out of each other making both parts of the story the whole. Heartwarming and truly compelling. I really enjoyed this book. It’s easy to sink into and let the story wash over you. Great read.

Thank you Netgalley

Apologies for the delay in reviewing, this took a couple of attempts to get going for me

Once I was invested in the story I enjoyed learning Belle, Imogen, Ned and Oliver, plus the Silverwood estate

The Hidden Years by Rachel Hore is a story of loss, love and discovery. Talented musician Gray Robinson persuades Belle to abandon her university studies and follow him to Silverwood, home to an artistic community on the Cornish coast, Belle agrees, not realising how much she'll discover about herself that summer.
I loved the developing relationship between Belle and Gray, but also the story behind Silverwood.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"The Hidden Years" by Rachel Hore is a captivating historical mystery with dual timelines. Hore's storytelling weaves a rich and engaging narrative that keeps readers enthralled throughout.

A charming narrative that shifts between 1960s and WWII, set against the alluring backdrop of Cornwall.
It introduces us to two young women, Belle and Imogen and shows us how their lives collide.
A captivating and emotive tale, with intriguing characters and full of secrets, loss and betrayal.
Perfect reading for rainy autumn nights
Thanks @rachel.hore, @simonschusteruk & @netgalley for the eARC

When the past meets the present. Belle discovers her life is not all she thought it was. Meeting musician Gray towards the end of her first year at university in 1966, Belle takes off with him and spends the summer in a commune in a big old house in Cornwall - Silverwood. She feels strangely drawn to the house, especially when she realises a photo she found of herself as a baby with an unknown woman was taken on a local beach. Elderly neighbour, Mrs Kitto, takes a liking to Belle and tells her a long story of a young woman who worked and lived at Sliverwood when it was a school during the war. But what is the link? And who is the old woman? Belle discovers a talent for singing as part of Gray's band, and this confuses her when trying to plan for the future. She knows this summer is an interlude. When her father appears towards the end of summer, she is even more confused. What a story to unravel - I became very invested in both Imogen and Belle's tales. A good read. #netgalley #thehiddenyears

The Hidden Years by Rachel Hore

The Hidden Years is a tender-hearted and bitter sweet tale about how life can take unexpected turns. In fact John Lennon was right, life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans. She also explores how patterns emerge in life: we might find ourselves unconsciously choosing a path that repeats a pattern or takes us to somewhere that has a hidden importance in our lives. Belle has done something very impulsive. From the moment she met Gray they had a connection and now he’s invited her to Silverwood, a mansion next to the Helford River, where a group of his friends are living a different life. They are a creative collective, living as self-sufficiently as possible but dependent on the kindness of the house’s owner. Luckily he’s very fond of his nephew Arlo, one of the residents at Silverwood. As she leaves university and misses her exams for this uncertain life she has no idea that Silverwood holds secrets and some of them are quite close to home.

The author tells her story through a dual timeline; Belle’s story set in the 1960’s and then Imogen’s story, a young woman who visits Cornwall in the 1940’s. Imogen has been working for an agency that secures placements for young women who work with children. It’s mid- WW2 and Imogen is tasked with taking two young brothers down to Silverwood, a boy’s boarding school in beautiful and relatively safe surroundings. She soon finds out that life can change in an instant when she’s asked to temporarily for the school’s Matron who has fallen ill. Imogen takes the booking and finds she loves working with the young boys in the sick bay, feeling unwell and far from home. So, when she’s offered the chance to stay on she decides to take a chance and loves her work. She also makes friends with one of the teachers, Ned. They explore Cornwall on their days off and as the war comes ever closer Imogen makes the huge choice to serve her country, by training in nursing at a hospital in Truro. A bomb narrowly missing the school pushes her to use the skills she’s gained for the war effort. Meanwhile in the 1960’s Belle settles into life at Silverwood with Gray’s friends, trying to help out where she can and joining in with meditation sessions where the incense is more than a bit potent. She’s drawn naturally to Mrs Kitto, a lady of her parent’s generation who lives in a cottage on the estate. She’s slightly taken aback by Belle, because she reminds her of someone she once knew. Their afternoon visits become story sessions as Mrs Kitto tells Belle about a woman she used to know, back in the war.

I enjoyed both sections of this lovely story. Often with dual timelines the novel suffers because one is much stronger than the other. Here I thought the author got the balance just about right. Since Imogen’s story is set during WW2 there’s obviously heightened drama and the decisions made can be life and death. However I think the differences in the timelines complimented each other. The difference in moral expectations and behaviour is huge. There’s also a difference in how the different generations make choices, creating a huge gap like the one between Belle and her parents. The fact that she leaves uni with her lover and is clearly living with him at Silverwood is difficult for her parents to understand and would have been unthinkable in the 1940’s when they were Belle’s age. It would be understandable to think that the 1960’s characters have it so much easier compared with their parents. Yet I could empathise with Belle, in fact without WW2 her generation wouldn’t have the freedom to make choices in the same way. Her father has high expectations for her and he wants her to buckle down and make life choices. After all, his generation had to lay their heart on the line with often very little understanding of the person they were making promises to. Belle’s not quite ready to make a choice. Should Belle follow duty, when she could be an idealist and follow her heart? Singing with Gray’s folk band The Witchers comes very naturally to her when she’s got over her nerves. There are so many opportunities, how do you know which is the right path?

Imogen is doing her duty in her working life, but her heart is torn. She has a best friend in Ned. They love the same things, they’re comfortable together and have a similar outlook in life. She knows he’s starting to feel more for her than friendship, but also teaching at Silverwood is the rather enigmatic Oliver Dalton and there’s an immediate frisson between them. Although they don’t spend any time together, the pull towards him is hard to resist. When they finally do get a chance to spend time together during her work in Truro, could their spark develop into something more lasting? I found myself rooting for Ned, because he’s so kind and supportive. I thought they’d make a great team. There’s no denying her attraction to Oliver, but he’s more of a closed book and I felt life with him might be more turbulent. Which way would she choose?

I know this area of Cornwall well and it was very easy to imagine myself there as the author explores the scenery. The area was a Mecca for artists in the 1960’s and I loved the ideas that the Silverwood residents had for the place. It’s ripe to be an artistic retreat, offering creative and self- care workshops such as meditation. It’s such a now idea that I wanted to do it myself. I thought it was interesting how Belle reacted to these ideas, making decisions about which parts she’s supports and which isn’t for her. She’s intervened with one resident’s treatment of her son and calls an ambulance rather than watching her continue with homeopathic medicines and see the boy suffer, or perhaps die. That takes bravery and faith in her own convictions. When her family turn up in Cornwall will she get the space she needs to work out what’s best for her. As to Mrs Kitto, how does her story connect to Belle and what impact will this wartime story have on her choice? The historical detail shone through and seeing through Imogen’s eyes the arrival of the American soldiers, the preparations along the Cornish coastline for the D-Day landings and the bombing of Truro really does bring it alive. There’s a realisation that we’re all the product of our experiences and trauma can take a long time to heal, even several generations. I thought this was such such a bittersweet ending and it left me feeling a bit autumnal, sort of melancholy but glad for the experiences both women had.

I really enjoy Rachel’s books, she manages to create believable and memorable characters who become friends who are missed when the novel ends.
Her settings always seem to be places where you would want to visit and the houses where you would want to live.
The Hidden Years did not disappoint.
Two women, two stories bound together by Silverton in Cornwall.
This is a mystery romance which evokes a sense of time and place….beautiful.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐
The Hidden Years
by Rachel Hore

I was drawn to this story because of it's Cornish setting and dual timeline. It's two female protagonists are trying to do something different with their lives, Imogen in 1939 who is charged with accompanying two little boys by train to their displaced school in Cornwall and Belle in 1966 who has decided to forego her final college exam to run away with a folk singer that she has become obsessed with.

Imogen has decided to challenge herself with a nursing career, staving off marriage until the last possible moment, but war has brought many challenges, and also changed conventions and expectations for women.

Belle finds herself in a seemingly idyllic commune, but cracks appear, and again, conventions and gender roles are in flux.

These two women have a connection that forms the central theme of this book.

I enjoyed this story for the most part, I loved being in the wartime nursing scene, which brings back so many stories my mother regaled us with as children.

I wasn't as interested in the 60s element. Belle came across as such a dopey groupie, infatuated with a dysfunctional musso who was happy to lose himself in his music while the women folk did all he heavy lifting. Or the surly (paedo) artist who was all "do as I say, not as I do", or the control freak who would go to any lengths to enforce her vision, even placing her own son at risk.

Which confounds me about the neatly tied up ending.

Lots of potential in this story for exploring dynamics; family, found family, unrequited love, crushes, first love, second chance love. For me, it was the really interesting questions that weren't addressed in the flurry to pair everyone up by the end.

However the sense of place is outstanding.

Publication date: 18th October 2023
Thanks to #netgalley and #simonschusteruk for the egalley

#bookreview #irishbookstagram #thehiddenyears
#rachelhore #historicalfiction
#romance #wartimeromance

This dual timeline historical fiction is set during and shortly after World War II, and in the swinging sixties, centred around a glamorous old house in Cornwall.

I love the connection that Belle has instantly with musician Gray, although I found it shocking that she would immediately drop out of university with very little consideration and head with Gray to an artists’ commune, Silverwood, located in an old large house in a beautiful location in Cornwall. At first they seem like an unlikely combination but as the story progresses, it becomes clear that there is more that connects them, than separates them.

Imogen’s story begins in 1939 at the big old house, when she delivers two evacuees to a boarding school for boys which has been forced to relocate from Kent to Cornwall, and ends up standing in for the school matron, which ultimately leads to her training to become a nurse.

How the timelines are interwoven and delicately linked becomes apparent as the stories progress, when Mrs Kitto who lives in a cottage in the grounds of Silverwood shares Imogen’s story with Belle.

As so often happens with a story set in a beautiful and familiar location, the Cornish location takes on a life of its own, with the local towns and other locations changing between the decades. I adored the descriptions of the internal architecture of Silverwood, especially the quirks of the library and study. The connection to the preparation for D-Day and the changes brought by the staging points for the US military forces really gave the location more depth and made me want to investigate the Cornish coastline very soon.

I love dual timeline historical fiction, and I felt the flow between the two timelines was expertly done with precision. Both storylines had been beautifully woven together in such a way that the connection between the two timelines was carefully reached at the end of the book.

The Hidden Years by Rachel Hore is a compelling story of love, loss, regret and secrets that will have you completely entranced.

This is one of the best books I’ve read in years. It was completely engaging from start to finish. Chapters alternate between the 1960s and WW2, telling two intertwined stories. I heartily recommend this book.

I’ve read several books by this author and she really succeeds in bringing to life past times, often, as in this case, the years of World War 2.
In this book we are treated to two time frames, the 1960s when Belle Johnson is at university and the 1940s , when Imogen Lockwood is living in Cornwall and learning to navigate the difficult times she is living in.
Belle meets Grey one evening, when his band is playing in a local pub and she is immediately attracted to him. When he suggests she spends the Summer with him at an artistic commune in Cornwall by the name of Silverwood, she decides to miss her final exam and go with.
Whilst there she meets a multitude of characters living a free and unrestrained life, very 1960s, but is not quite sure if it’s what she wants going forward. Of one thing she is certain, that she is madly in love with Gray and his music.
Meanwhile she meets a local widow who tells her the story of Imogen and her two suitors in the the war years, one of whom goes off to fight.
Belle is fascinated by the story but is not sure why the woman is so keen to tell her about Imogen’s life.
I thought this was a very well researched war time story with an interesting side to it in that it examined how soldiers were affected once they returned home. They couldn’t forget what they had seen but nor could they share it with their loved ones which made for a difficult existence.
When I think back to older relatives who fought in the war this was indeed the case- what happened to them was never discussed. The sadness of those left behind was also well portrayed- not knowing if you would ever see your loved one again must have been heartbreaking and difficult to bear.
I really liked the character of Imogen, she was brave and kind, trying to do the right thing for everyone.
Belle was also brave with the courage to stand up for what she believed in, despite her young age.
The use of the dual time frame served to break the tension and made the reader eager to get to the next part of the story, particularly in the case of Imogen’s life.
I particularly loved the descriptions of Cornwall- I felt like the setting of Silverwood and its location was almost another character in the novel.
This was definitely a book which I immediately connected with and which I found difficult to put down.
I would certainly recommend it, particularly to readers who enjoy books set in World War 2 which are well written and researched.
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for my advance copy.

The Hidden Years is a duel time novel set in the 1960’s and during the Second World War. When Belle leaves her university studies and moves to Cornwall with her new boyfriend Gray she finds it difficult to settle into the commune of artistic people housed in an impressive Manor House.
During the war, Imogen trains to be a nurse but previously had worked at a prep school housed in the same building Belle currently lives in.
What are the links between the two women and the old house called Silverwood?
I enjoyed this book as I do with all Rachel Hore novels. It is full of twists and characters you can’t help but become invested in.