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The Islander’s Daughter
A BRAND NEW beautiful, emotional, escapist read from Patricia Wilson that will enthral fans of Lucinda Riley and Dinah Jefferies. When Trisha receives a mysterious letter to her Liverpool home, it opens a decades’ old mystery, drawing her back into her family’s forgotten past, the horrors of war, and a small island off the coast of Greece…
Eighty years earlier, on the island of Milos, Dora is dreaming of a better life, free from the oppression of the occupying army and, closer to home, the brutal rule of her father, an infamous horse breeder.
Then a German cargo ship is bombed in the harbour, killing dozens of the men on board. The islanders trawl the waters for spoilage from the wreckage – finding among the debris a badly injured man, who may just hold the awful truth about what happened.
Dora soon finds this man under her care, and it changes her life forever, introducing her to the possibility of love and freedom for the first time… But Dora cannot know, as she nurses the stranger back to health, that her actions will have devastating consequences for her beloved island. Consequences that will last for generations…
Praise for Patricia
'One for the suitcase - whether real or imaginary. You'll feel you're in Greece as soon as you start reading' ― Frost Magazine, on Secrets of Santorini
'Full of raw emotion' ― Sunday Post, on Villa of Secrets
'This book would for me have been a perfect beach read. Instead it made a great lockdown read as I sat in my garden with a glass of rose, imagining I was on holiday' ― Fab After Fifty
'Packed with intrigue, danger and romance, Wilson's passion for the classics and an endless fascination with foraging into the vibrant corners of history, this is a poignant and beautifully written story best read on a sunlounger with a glass of chilled ouzo' ― Lancashire Telegraph, on Secrets of Santorini
'We race to the end with our hearts thumping. Full of local colour and tradition this is a little slow to start but certainly builds to unexpected conclusions. Terrific stuff' ― Love Reading, on Villa of Secrets
Eighty years earlier, on the island of Milos, Dora is dreaming of a better life, free from the oppression of the occupying army and, closer to home, the brutal rule of her father, an infamous horse breeder.
Then a German cargo ship is bombed in the harbour, killing dozens of the men on board. The islanders trawl the waters for spoilage from the wreckage – finding among the debris a badly injured man, who may just hold the awful truth about what happened.
Dora soon finds this man under her care, and it changes her life forever, introducing her to the possibility of love and freedom for the first time… But Dora cannot know, as she nurses the stranger back to health, that her actions will have devastating consequences for her beloved island. Consequences that will last for generations…
Praise for Patricia
'One for the suitcase - whether real or imaginary. You'll feel you're in Greece as soon as you start reading' ― Frost Magazine, on Secrets of Santorini
'Full of raw emotion' ― Sunday Post, on Villa of Secrets
'This book would for me have been a perfect beach read. Instead it made a great lockdown read as I sat in my garden with a glass of rose, imagining I was on holiday' ― Fab After Fifty
'Packed with intrigue, danger and romance, Wilson's passion for the classics and an endless fascination with foraging into the vibrant corners of history, this is a poignant and beautifully written story best read on a sunlounger with a glass of chilled ouzo' ― Lancashire Telegraph, on Secrets of Santorini
'We race to the end with our hearts thumping. Full of local colour and tradition this is a little slow to start but certainly builds to unexpected conclusions. Terrific stuff' ― Love Reading, on Villa of Secrets
308 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 6, 2026
About the author
Patricia M. Wilson
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 26, 2026
Enjoyed the story, but too many flowery descriptions
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
When Trisha receives a mysterious letter to her Liverpool home, it opens a decades' old mystery, drawing her back into her family's forgotten past, the horrors of war, and a small island of the coast of Greece....
Eighty years earlier, on the island of Milos, Dora is dreaming of a better life, free from the oppression of the occupying army and, closer to home, rule of her father, an infamous horse breeder. Then a German cargo ship is bombed in the harbour, killing dozens of men on board. The islanders trawl the waters for spillage from the wreckage - finding among the debris a badly injured man, who may just hold the awful truth about what happened. Dora soon finds this man under her care, and it changes her life forever, introducing her to the possibility of love and freedom for the first time....
This story has a dual timeline - set in Greece during the war - eighty years ago and the present day. Dora's life changes forever the day the ship her brother is aboard explodes. Dora's father is a cruel man. Her brother was aboard a ship that explodes as he and others tried to sabotage the war effort.
The story is told from Dora in the past and Trisha in the present day. The pace is steady, but it did take me a couple of chapters to get into this story. It's quite an emotional read. Along with twists we get romance and dangerous situations. There's also a beautiful Greek island. This is a well-written story and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Published 6th April 2026
I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #PatriciaWilson for my ARC of #TheIslandersDaughter in exchange for an honest review.
Eighty years earlier, on the island of Milos, Dora is dreaming of a better life, free from the oppression of the occupying army and, closer to home, rule of her father, an infamous horse breeder. Then a German cargo ship is bombed in the harbour, killing dozens of men on board. The islanders trawl the waters for spillage from the wreckage - finding among the debris a badly injured man, who may just hold the awful truth about what happened. Dora soon finds this man under her care, and it changes her life forever, introducing her to the possibility of love and freedom for the first time....
This story has a dual timeline - set in Greece during the war - eighty years ago and the present day. Dora's life changes forever the day the ship her brother is aboard explodes. Dora's father is a cruel man. Her brother was aboard a ship that explodes as he and others tried to sabotage the war effort.
The story is told from Dora in the past and Trisha in the present day. The pace is steady, but it did take me a couple of chapters to get into this story. It's quite an emotional read. Along with twists we get romance and dangerous situations. There's also a beautiful Greek island. This is a well-written story and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Published 6th April 2026
I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #PatriciaWilson for my ARC of #TheIslandersDaughter in exchange for an honest review.
April 7, 2026
What I love most about historical fiction is that I always find out something new and often that something is how events like WW2 had a ripple effect in places that you might consider remote and unaffected. This book takes us to a small Greek island – Milos. Where the war is having its own impact on the people and the community.
Dora lives in Milos – an island under German occupation. Her father is not a pleasant man and she survives both these battles by the love of her brother and his friend. But her brother cannot be happy on Milos and so escapes and inevitable tragedy strikes.
Now Dora is left on the island with just her friend Zoodow and a young man hurt in the destruction of a German ship near the island. Her father, scarred by his own distress and heartbreak, cannot seem to leave her to find her own way in life.
80 years later in Liverpool Trisha opens a letter than draws her back in this Greek story and her family’s forgotten history.
Like many stories set in the war this story is about resilience and courage. Dora is brave and fearless – despite the wrath she may face from her father. It is also a story about love and how even in war sometimes love can be found in unexpected places.
The story winds through many events and ups and downs in Dora’s journey and especially her relationship with Sebastian, the injured boatman.
Patricia does a good job of creating the feel of the island of Milos with its rugged coastline and rolling hills and farmland. Most of all this story this story reminds us of the stories of every day people during the war and the ripples it had on communities around the world. I look forward to more books by Patricia.
Dora lives in Milos – an island under German occupation. Her father is not a pleasant man and she survives both these battles by the love of her brother and his friend. But her brother cannot be happy on Milos and so escapes and inevitable tragedy strikes.
Now Dora is left on the island with just her friend Zoodow and a young man hurt in the destruction of a German ship near the island. Her father, scarred by his own distress and heartbreak, cannot seem to leave her to find her own way in life.
80 years later in Liverpool Trisha opens a letter than draws her back in this Greek story and her family’s forgotten history.
Like many stories set in the war this story is about resilience and courage. Dora is brave and fearless – despite the wrath she may face from her father. It is also a story about love and how even in war sometimes love can be found in unexpected places.
The story winds through many events and ups and downs in Dora’s journey and especially her relationship with Sebastian, the injured boatman.
Patricia does a good job of creating the feel of the island of Milos with its rugged coastline and rolling hills and farmland. Most of all this story this story reminds us of the stories of every day people during the war and the ripples it had on communities around the world. I look forward to more books by Patricia.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Emotional, heavy, and beautifully set in Greece I admit it—the cover and the Greek setting completely won me over. I was even willing to dive into another WWII story just to experience that location.
I usually need a palate cleanser after WWII novels because, even as historical fiction, they feel so heavy and real. You know that someone, somewhere, likely lived a life very similar to the one on the page. They can be hard and depressing, and The Islander’s Daughter was no exception.
The Story
The book follows dual timelines with Trisha and Dora, though the bulk of the narrative focuses on Dora. We see her on the cusp of womanhood just as the war reaches its climax, torn between her childhood friend and the Austrian soldier she nurses back to health on her island of Milos.
My Experience
As a reader who generally prefers escaping into a book, I found parts of this story very difficult to get through. It wasn't an "easy" read for me and definitely pulled on the heartstrings. However, for those who appreciate raw, emotional historical fiction and stories of the Greek resistance, this is one you shouldn't miss.
3.5 bones from Herb and me. 🦴🦴🦴½
I usually need a palate cleanser after WWII novels because, even as historical fiction, they feel so heavy and real. You know that someone, somewhere, likely lived a life very similar to the one on the page. They can be hard and depressing, and The Islander’s Daughter was no exception.
The Story
The book follows dual timelines with Trisha and Dora, though the bulk of the narrative focuses on Dora. We see her on the cusp of womanhood just as the war reaches its climax, torn between her childhood friend and the Austrian soldier she nurses back to health on her island of Milos.
My Experience
As a reader who generally prefers escaping into a book, I found parts of this story very difficult to get through. It wasn't an "easy" read for me and definitely pulled on the heartstrings. However, for those who appreciate raw, emotional historical fiction and stories of the Greek resistance, this is one you shouldn't miss.
3.5 bones from Herb and me. 🦴🦴🦴½
April 7, 2026
'The Islander's Daughter' is a tragic, heart-wrenching story set amongst the events of World War II. I would say this is set between the past and the present, however there are very few chapters set in the present and I honestly do not think these were needed. They did not add anything to the plot and just seemed to bookend the book. I do not think anything would have been lost had this just been set during the war.
This aside, once the plot got going, I found it to be a slow burn yet gripping read. There was something about the slow pace and detail of events that drew me in and I was quite hooked by the plot. There is a lot of darkness, sadness and tragedy throughout this book which at times was overwhelming but there was also the beauty of love and hope. The characters were perfect for the story and we feel for all of them in one way or another.
This was a heart-wrenching yet beautiful read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an advance copy.
This aside, once the plot got going, I found it to be a slow burn yet gripping read. There was something about the slow pace and detail of events that drew me in and I was quite hooked by the plot. There is a lot of darkness, sadness and tragedy throughout this book which at times was overwhelming but there was also the beauty of love and hope. The characters were perfect for the story and we feel for all of them in one way or another.
This was a heart-wrenching yet beautiful read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an advance copy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is dual time story, although most of it is set in Greece in World War 2. Dora is dreaming of a better life, as her father is cruel and overbearing. Her brother and his best friend are her favourite companions. Her brother ends up on a ship that explodes through his and others sabotage to upset the German war effort. There are reprisals, and fifteen men are shot. But there is a twist to the story, as one of those men was a mistaken identity. And Dora’s story is complex too, after nursing an injured spy back to health, she is torn, and her father wants her to marry, and the upshot is rather horrible. Illicit love, yearnings, danger and loyalty all come into this atmospheric novel. This is the first book I have read from this author, but I hope to read more. Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for providing this story for my enjoyment.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I love history almost as much as I love Greece, so this book ticked two important boxes for me. Set on the island of Milos during the Occupation we learn about Dora's life at the hands of her father. She can either do her duty and marry the man her father has chosen for her or risk everything and follow her heart. Either choice will have severe repercussions, not just for Dora but for the inhabitants of the island.
This is not a dual timeline as such, since the contemporary action is only at the beginning and end of the book, which means the historical aspect is uninterrupted. I would, however, have liked to know more about Trisha, as to be honest, I was so engrossed in the historical story that by the end I had almost forgotten who she was.
An engaging read, perfect for lovers of history and of Greece.
This is not a dual timeline as such, since the contemporary action is only at the beginning and end of the book, which means the historical aspect is uninterrupted. I would, however, have liked to know more about Trisha, as to be honest, I was so engrossed in the historical story that by the end I had almost forgotten who she was.
An engaging read, perfect for lovers of history and of Greece.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
An incredibly moving but very sad story.
Set in Greece during WWII the story is a tangle of emotions, call to duty, and long fast loyalty.
Unrequited love is a major theme in the story as well as extreme sacrifice.
I teared up for parts of the book because the emotions were so overwhelming.
Zoodow is a huge hero in the story and my heart ached for him because he gave up something selflessly so the person he loved could live the life he had dreamed about with that person.
Personally I rewrote the ending in my head so Zoodow had a happier ending.
Thanks Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the advance read.
Set in Greece during WWII the story is a tangle of emotions, call to duty, and long fast loyalty.
Unrequited love is a major theme in the story as well as extreme sacrifice.
I teared up for parts of the book because the emotions were so overwhelming.
Zoodow is a huge hero in the story and my heart ached for him because he gave up something selflessly so the person he loved could live the life he had dreamed about with that person.
Personally I rewrote the ending in my head so Zoodow had a happier ending.
Thanks Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the advance read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A well written dual timeline story set in war time Greece and in modern times. A war exists in the family home between an overbearing cruel father and his daughter. Her life changes when her brother is on board a ship that explodes and reprisals follow. This book offers romance, danger, loyalty all against the beautiful backdrop of Greece. I enjoyed reading it. Thank you netgalley, boldwood books and Patricia Wilson for the advance copy in exchange for this freely given review.
March 28, 2026
The storyline is good and the characters are likeable. Dora finds herself caught in a love triangle between her oldest best friend and her brother. Tragedy strikes the island of Milos and her family, leading to a life-changing experience she never anticipated.
My only minor complaint is that I struggled to visualise the island and the stud farm. However, the positives outweigh this: the themes of love forgiveness and selflessness are powerful. Overall, it’s a wonderful story.
My only minor complaint is that I struggled to visualise the island and the stud farm. However, the positives outweigh this: the themes of love forgiveness and selflessness are powerful. Overall, it’s a wonderful story.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Islander's Daughter by Patricia M. Wilson ⭐⭐⭐⭐
An emotional dual timeline between world war 2 and Dora's war with her father.
Dora must decide to follow her father's marriage arrangement or risk everything to follow her heart , marry for love. What would you do?
A definite read for anyone that loves a good historical romance. Remember it's a dual timeline.
Pre-order your copy today for an April 7th release date.
An emotional dual timeline between world war 2 and Dora's war with her father.
Dora must decide to follow her father's marriage arrangement or risk everything to follow her heart , marry for love. What would you do?
A definite read for anyone that loves a good historical romance. Remember it's a dual timeline.
Pre-order your copy today for an April 7th release date.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Gorgeously interesting dual-perspective historical fiction featuring two awesome main characters, one in the present, Trisha from Liverpool, and one in the past, Dora from Milos. These two perspectives weave together really well and work really effectively. The plotline is great, too. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I received a free copy of, The Islander's Daughter, by Patricia Wilson, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book is mostly set in the 1940's in Greece. World War 2 was such a hard time to live in, you didnt know who to trust, who was the real enemy.
May 16, 2026
The Islander’s Daughter
Very well written. The writer keeps the reader on edge throughout her novel. A true page turner, waiting for the next chapter. I recommend this novel to everyone.
Very well written. The writer keeps the reader on edge throughout her novel. A true page turner, waiting for the next chapter. I recommend this novel to everyone.
March 10, 2026
Perfect for a cozy beach read with its romance, danger, twists and turns. This story draws you to the island of Greece with all its color and beauty.
May 24, 2026
Happy Sad and heartfelt.
So different to the usual love stories but I could not and did not want to put it down. Loved it.
So different to the usual love stories but I could not and did not want to put it down. Loved it.
May 13, 2026
another stunning read
As always, as soon as you start a Patricia Wilson book, you are transported to Greece, and you lose yourself in her wonderful writing. The perfect book 😊
As always, as soon as you start a Patricia Wilson book, you are transported to Greece, and you lose yourself in her wonderful writing. The perfect book 😊
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This story was told with dual timelines. It does spend more time in the past than present.
Dora is dreaming of a better life after the war. One night a German cargo ship is bombed and an injured man is brought to her care.
I thought this story started a little slow and really took me acouple chapters to really get interested in it. It was full of sadness, hope and joy. I couldn’t put it down!
Dora is dreaming of a better life after the war. One night a German cargo ship is bombed and an injured man is brought to her care.
I thought this story started a little slow and really took me acouple chapters to really get interested in it. It was full of sadness, hope and joy. I couldn’t put it down!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews