I thought this book was really good it kept me wanting to read on and finished the book quickly. It is an dual time where it goes back to the 1940’s onwards and the present day.

Ellie Roberts has inherited an cottage on Morwen Island from Patience Ellis who she just remembers vaguely from her childhood but she has to live in the cottage for a year. The cottage is in a state but Ellie can see potential at the end of the year will she sell it. We see Patience and her life as a child and what she went through all the years liked this part of the story.

It was an emotional book and we saw the ups and downs of the people who are involved in the book.

It is an well written book and certainly would recommend it.

This is a gorgeous dual timeline romance
So happy I read it now I've had the chance.
It shares the events during the war and now
And how they are linked with romance somehow.

A story filled with love and family, too,
A moving read I highly recommend to you.
Set on a remote Scilly Isle is where
Ellie learns of her past and finds people who care.

The inheritance of a cottage came as a surprise
But travelling to see it she comes to realise
That this is where she spent forgotten happy childhood days
And so many folk know her and her family ways.

There's plenty of family drama and history, too,
As events and characters are shared with you.
There's also mystery, danger and fun
All playing there part before the story is done.

A heartwarming, emotive read,
I really hope it is also a book that you need!
For my complementary copy of this book, I say thank you,
I throughly enjoyed reading it and this is my honest review.

This beautifully crafted novel has all the elements a reader requires - a run-down cottage on a windswept island;instructions to live there for a year to inherit; a handsome stranger and a boyfriend who dislikes the setting! When Ellie Roberts inherits a cottage that has seen better days on one of the Scily Islands she doesn't understand why Patience has left it to her and how she will cope far from her boyfriend in London. Luckily her job as a forensic accountant allows her to work online and as she settles into the place memories of her life there as a child return as well as the heartbreak of loosing her mum at such an early age. She realises that her pals in childhood remember her and her life when she came to stay with her mum the adopted child of the school teacher. Mystery surrounds another character in her adopted granny's life who was known as Dutch. Ellie is on a journey of discovery and also her heart is taken by the son of the pub though it takes a dramatic turn for anything to happen in her love life. A great story full of characters who live and work on the island.despite the challenges that brings.

This was a really lovely book, full of heart. I felt an empathy with Ellie from the start and the dual timeline with Patience worked really well . Highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishing house and the author for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

This was a lovely WWII dual timeline story. It tells us the story of Elowen and Patience. I loved snitch stories and the connection between the two from past to present. Kittiwake cottage is a place I would like to escape to and just listen to the sounds of nature with the sun in my face. I love the way this author wrote the story, it was enjoyable to read. I will definitely be on the lookout for more books by this author.

Potentially a good book, but I found it very muddling as it chopped and changed decades with the chapters. It was very hard to keep tracks on the characters and their relationships with each other.
I did like the story line and what it potentially trued to achieve

Filled with lost love, hope and family drama The Island of Lost Secrets takes you on a journey through time, life and loss.
Filled with beautiful scenery that may make you want to book a trip to Scilly, and characters that are so friendly and well written that they jump off the page. You can't help but be wrapped up in this story in a story.
Grab this book for a holiday read or a weekend at home, but grab the tissues too.

Traveling to a Scilly island, to a cottage left to her by Patience Ellis, Ellie does not understand the pull of this small cottage on her life. Meeting mysterious Branok Shore, they grow close but it will take the discovery of Patience's past that will answer all of Ellie's questions. Sensitively written and poignant writing.

I absolutely loved Secrets of the Cottage by the Sea. Author Rebecca Alexander took me completely off guard, her story washing over me and wrapping me in an embrace of secrets, forbidden love, and an island of people that I missed as soon as I turned the last page. This is a book that I’ll remember for its authentic characters and the island they live on.

Secrets of the Cottage by the Sea alternates between present day and the mid-twentieth century, starting in 1940. The narrators, Ellie and Patience, have two distinct and engaging voices that left no doubt as to which character was speaking. Patience, a child in 1940, gave this reader so much to admire. Her strength and resilience felt like a true representation of women who came of age during World War II. Her isolated upbringing on one of the small Scilly Isles off the coast of England was a reflection of the women who came before her. Ellie, shocked to find herself as Patience’s heir, travels to the home left to her and realizes that the cottage and the island are not as foreign to her as expected. Ellie’s journey of discovery reveals both a strength and connection that grounded her and returned things she thought lost to her.

The people Ellie meets on her journey made me yearn for a simpler life, where no one was a stranger, and all gathered together for a drink in the evening. There’s so much connection between these characters that I couldn’t help but want to be a part of their lives. This is where Secrets of the Cottage by the Sea really shines. The people of this small island that are suspicious at first and then welcoming of Ellie give the novel so much warmth that you want to spend your time with them. This is the type of storytelling that draws me back time and again to a novel.

Thanks to Bookouture for an early copy of this book in exchange for honest feedback.

A heartfelt dual timeline romance, set on a remote Scilly isle.

When Elowen "Ellie" Roberts learns she is the beneficiary of a will, she's stunned to find out she has to live in a remote cottage for one year before she can inherit it. Despite objections from her father, along with her own reservations, she's determined to meet the terms of the will. During her time at the property, she uncovers secrets from the past and discovers her connection with Patience Ellis, the woman to who the cottage belonged.

Patience Ellis was a force to be reckoned with and a woman determined to live her life as she saw fit. She made mistakes, yet managed to find workable solutions to her problems. She was a risk taker but somehow juggled her life on the remote island she called home.

Set in the present and beginning during WWII, the narrative tells the fascinating story of how these women are connected. It reveals secrets and family deceit but also, the overwhelming pull the island has on them. The historical aspects are both intriguing and heart-wrenching, as we learn about young Patience's "Patsy's" life and the impact the war had on herself and her family. Eighty years later, Ellie realises the rundown cottage is more than a renovation project.

The author is new to me and I'm impressed by how smooth the narrative is as it alternates between the past and the present. The descriptions of the island and the life there conjure up images of how life exists both then and now. It creates both heartbreaking emotions yet is also injected with humour. A true reflection of how life is, with its ups and downs. Ellie and Patsy are endearing characters, surrounded by an equally warm, and friendly cast and community. Collectively, they create a delightful page-turner, set against a stunning backdrop.

Overall, this novel comes highly recommended.

***arc received courtesy of Bookouture via NetGalley***

I really do love historical fiction books and I'm also becoming quite fond of book tours. When Bookouture specifically reached out and asked me if I'd like to review The Island of Lost Secrets by Rebecca Alexander, one look at the description told me that it was a definite yes.

Besides historical fiction, I also really enjoy dual timeline books, especially trying to figure out the link between the past and the present, and Patience and Ellie's stories were no exception to this. Each chapter ties the two women together as the author reveals bits and pieces of the past and Patience's story to Ellie.

I really enjoyed the format of this book as well. Each chapter is on the shorter side and every one trades off between the two women's stories. It really makes for a page turner, as you find out just one more fact about Patience (or Ellie), then the story flips back to the other character. Because of this, I had trouble putting the book down, which made it all that much more enjoyable. It's so much easier to say "just one more chapter" as you're moving through the story.

The Island of Lost Secrets is definitely and enjoyable read. While the initial premise of Patience's story begins with World War 2, I wouldn't call it a WW2 novel. There is so much more to it than just the part that takes place during the war and it's definitely a story not to miss.

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Ellie Roberts is lucky enough to inherit a cottage on the remote Isle of Scilly. Come to find out it belonged to Patience Ellis whom she had never known. So why was the cottage left to Ellie? She travels to the remote island to see if she can find out some answers to so many questions. She doesn’t waste any time, as soon as she arrives on the island she begins her search. She finds the cottage and she immediately feels very familiar with her surroundings. She feels as if she had been there before. Ellie soon meets Branok Shore and he thinks he can help Ellie find some answers to her questions. Ellie searches for answers about her past, but she soon begins to wonder about Branok’s past on the island. With their budding friendship, she must stay focused on why she is there, but Branok doesn’t make it easy. Ellie and Branok find an old dresser of Patience’s, when they pry the drawers open they find it’s filled with letters that were written during World War II. Ellie reads the letters and so many answers about her past are made known.

This is the first book I have read written by this author and I truly enjoyed it. I really liked her writing style and the flow of the story was captivating. The storyline completely captivated me. I couldn’t put this book down, and really enjoyed the characters. I felt a connection with the characters, and I felt emotionally invested in their lives. This dial timeline was fascinating and I was intrigued by the time slip back to World War II. I really enjoyed this wonderfully written, captivating, and gorgeous, must read story and I highly recommend it.

Thank you Rebecca Alexander for such a wonderful and enjoyable read. Although this is the first book of yours that I have read, I look forward to reading more of your stories.

My first novel by this author and I will be sure to keep an eye open for the next. Secrets of the Cottage by the Sea is told over two timelines: 1940 onwards and present day. I love being able to find the back story this way and Rebecca really drew me in; the descriptions of the island were glorious and the people so believable and welcoming: I want to visit Morwan now! I loved this.

This story is do lovely and perfect to curl up with on an Autumnal evening. Set on Morwen island and narrated through a dual timeline, the island and it's inhabitants will envelop you with their lives. The characters are well developed and likeable. The story will tug at your heart strings.

A emotional, heart wrenching and heartwarming novel that will touch your heart in so many ways.
Two sisters and the sacrifices they had to decide to make…..what courage they had to find within themselves.
The historical aspect was well researched by the author.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

What a lovely read...set in the present WW11,

I wasn't quite sure where the book was set, but guessing the Sciliy Isles.

Patience an elderly spinster leaves Ellie her cottage on the island on the condition she lives in it for a year.

Patience lives t home with her parents and brothers and sister during the war. One night her father a fisherman, brings home a young lad he rescued while out fishing when another of the islands boats is sunk by the Germans. The lad, pretends to be Dutch, and has lost his memory.

The book follows the lives of both Patience and Dutch as the lad became known.

Ellie's mother died when she was quite young, and the book untangles the web of deceit that has laced her life.

"The Island of Lost Secrets" is set in a fictitious Scilly Isles and includes two timelines; one present day and one moving forward from 1940. When Ellie inherits a property on the island of Morwen she believes that a condition of the bequest is that she must live there for a year before her inheritance is finally signed over to her. As Ellie re-acquaints herself with the island she starts to remember people from her visits there as a child.

The historic strand is the story of Patience who made the bequest to Ellie. Although it is obvious fairly early on who is related to who, the story is still interesting as it sheds light on the goings on in remote communities. Patience is a strong character, which is lucky considering what she goes through in her long life. An enjoyable yarn.

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

This book was a really enjoyable read - I loved hopping between the different time periods and got really drawn into the book, not wanting to put it down.

Have you ever had a few moments to yourself watching the clouds or sitting near a river bank and watching the flow of water or just counting stars in the night sky? Not that I have experienced it much but it gives a feeling of serenity and sublime peace to think about. Rebecca Alexander’s The Island Of Lost Secrets is one of those books that make you crave for such tranquility.

Welcome to Morwen Island, all of you. Welcome to the story of Patience and Elowen and the Kittiwake Cottage!

I have always loved dual-time narratives, but most times it is always the past that holds my interest rather than the story in the present, but Rebecca Aleander’s writing is such that both timelines are utterly captivating. The story of Patience and a lone young boy Dutch saved from the seas during WWII and then the story of Elowen finding herself on the Island and her love with Bran holds the readers' interest magnificently. The island and its inhabitants and the whole lot of lovely characters residing there feel like our own. The reading experience was so immersive that I wanted Morwen Island to be somewhere nearby where I can walk around and experience the island in all its glory.

Essentially about secrets that are made and the repercussions that may affect generations to come, The Island Of Lost Secrets also explores relationships and friendships. For starters, Patience is a grandmother every kid would love to have around and as a teacher probably the world’s best. Then there is the sweet and loving romance between Patience and Dutch so touching and heart-warming, and everyone on the Island is kind of aware of the truth but ignores it for the sake of the warm friendly relationship they all seem to share. Elowen arrives on the island to rediscover her roots but as she settles back down to the place which was her childhood home, she realizes slowly the kind of hold the place has on her and her innermost desire to call Kittiwake cottage her home.

Grab a blanket and curl around on your favorite sofa and just be transported to Morwen Island.

Delightful beyond words!

Many thanks to Net Galley, Bookouture, and the author for a chance to read and review this book. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.

This review is published on my blog https://rainnbooks.com/, Goodreads, Amazon India, Book Bub, Medium.com, Facebook, and Twitter.

The Island of Lost Secrets by Rebecca Alexander

A world war, the stigma of living a certain kind of manner, and hardships that come with life both personal and those that are external make finding your own way difficult.

This story balances the past and the present with sympathy and secrets. Located in a coastal village in North Devon, island life is about scraping together a living by fishing and relying on seasonal tourists. Many homes scattered on the hillsides are closed during the winter until their tenants return with the warmth and sunshine.

As Elowen investigates the secrets of her life which were hidden from her after she was taken from the island of her young childhood, she learns about her grandmother and Kittiwake Cottage, about Dutch whom the islanders hid his true identity, and about the people who lived and then left their memories and secrets.

Morwen Island is enshrouded with the past that entwines with the present. Here you are invited to delve into the secrets that began during a world war and soared into the future.