I like Karen Swan books - but this was not one of my favorites. The lead characters Alex and Tara I find very difficult to like and although there is a happy ending I just question the whole story - Sorry but would not recommend it.

Karen Swan is one of my favourite authors, so I was thrilled to receive an early copy of this book.
The Secret Path has two flawed but fascinating main characters. Alex, who admits he is prepared to do anything (no matter how morally reprehensible) if he believes it is the right thing to do, and Tara, who has always found it hard to trust anyone. The start of the story shows how Alex cruelly betrays Tara's trust, leaving her miserable and embittered. Skip forward ten years and Tara has worked hard to create a career for herself as a doctor, away from the influence of her loving family's toxic wealth. When her father invites her to his home in Costa Rica for a special event, her first instinct is to decline. Unwilling to hurt him, she decides to take her friends because she knows they will enjoy the holiday. Once there, the young son of an old friend becomes ill and Tara volunteers to trek through the jungle to find the cure. Unfortunately, the only person available to act as Tara's guide is her old enemy Alex...
Recommend ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tara and Will have not known each other long but they are madly in love and want to tell her family their news. But Tara is keeping secrets and when she makes a discovery.about Will it seems that their relationship is doomed.

I was completely engrossed by this book and couldn’t wait to see how it ended.
Great plot and fabulous setting. Lots of intrigue and guessing throughout makes it thoroughly enjoyable. Be warned once you pick it up you will not be able to put it down!

Thank you Netgalley

This was amazing, set in the Costa Rican jungle with romance and the jungle, and an insight into the culture. Overall this is highly recommended.

Karen Swan is an auto buy author for me and this book just confirmed why!
This is a perfect romance book in an exotic setting, with grit and depth. All the elements that I love and look for in a book.
I can't wait for her next book - a festive read.

I enjoyed this book by Karen Swan and thought her descriptions of the lush rainforests were transportational!
The pace really picked up about a third of the way through the novel and the characters were well developed - although I would have liked to see more of the protagonist's best friend and how she transitioned from wild child to doting mother.

Overall, an entertaining read with a great twist and interesting characters.

This is the first book I have had the pleasure to read by author Karen Swan and I absolutely loved it. Thank you NetGalley and Pan for the opportunity to read an advanced copy. The writing style of this particular author will have you hooked in straightaway if you enjoy romance novels with a difference. This story had a bit of grit, whilst rooting for the female protagonist you will also find yourself unable to put this book down. There is just the right amount of intrigue. The descriptions of Costa Rica were so detailed I could really imagine myself there. Pick this up for the perfect escape.

I have read and really enjoyed all of Karen Swan's previous books and had been saving this one so I could enjoy it over the Bank Holiday weekend as I know when I start one of Karen's books I can't put them down. I wasn't disappointed - what a fantastic read. I was whisked straight into Tara's story - the cruel betrayal by Alex and then forward 10 years to Costa Rica.
I loved the descriptions of the exotic Costa Rican rainforest - I could have almost been there feeling the heat of the sun, the humidity, the lush vegetation, exotic birds and animals and the pesky mosquito bites. Fantastic, compelling characters, intriguing storyline, plot twists and turns which kept me reading - 'just one more chapter'.
Highly recommended - I was blown away by this book. Perfect escapism.
I can't wait for Karen's next book.

Absolutely loved this book!! I could not put this down!
First of Karen's books that i'd read but it definitely won't be the last.

Everything about Tara's character appealed and the story unfolded in a magical way.

Potential spoilers!!

I didn't dislike the book, I liked the overall writing style and descriptions used, really made me fell like I was there, but the ending didn't feel right to me.

I found myself agreeing with Hollie at the beginning, and also Tara clearly doesn't trust Alex. All came to fruition at the end of part 1.

Part 2 was great, Tara was in the job she wanted living a great life, due to go on a wonderful holiday. The adventures whilst on holiday are exciting and nicely written, I really felt the ups and downs I should have.

The epilogue however, I just don't feel Tara and Alex should have been together, he completely betrayed her and it's one thing to keep loving your first love but to actively take them back when there was no real redemption is absurd in my opinion. If it wasn't for this ending it would have been great.

Another beautifully written book in fabulous locations. Karen’s books always make me want to travel. Great characters and plot that made me keep reading!! Thank you for letting me review this book.

The Secret Path by @swannywrites

I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the latest Karen Swan and it didn’t disappoint me……

A Costa Rican jungle adventure that was so realistic it had me actually itching with insect bites 🕷🌳

SYNOPSIS…… At only twenty, Tara Tremain has everything: she’s a trainee doctor, engaged to the man of her dreams – Alex, a passionate American biology student. But just when life seems perfect, Alex betrays her in the worst way possible.

Ten years later, she’s moved on – with a successful career, good friends and a man who loves her. But when she’s pulled back into her wealthy family’s orbit for a party in the heart of Costa Rica, she’s flung into a crisis: a child is desperately ill and the only treatment is several days’ trek away, deep in the jungle.

There's only one person who can help - but can she trust the man who broke her heart?

Such a fabulous read, if you are a fan of Karen Swan then I think you’ll love this latest one…. If you haven’t tried this author before then she normally brings out a summer and a Christmas book. Well worth a try!!!!

It’s a strong ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an advance copy of this book. I love
Karen Swan books and this didn't disappoint. A great story, great staycation reading

What more could I ask for, a really good story set in my favourite Country in the world. I loved that a good part of the story was set in Costa Rica and it brought back wonderful memories. The plot was very well written and executed with likeable characters All in all a great read, recommended wholeheartedly.

Loved this book. A lot of action going on and a great ending. Good descriptions of Costa Rica as well.

A good Romance book with a few unexpected twists & turns especially amid the Jungle of Costa Rica. The pressure of educated White people thinking that they know far better than the Indigenous Peoples , in particular the tribe that Jed's wife comes from the Birbri who live in the Mountains of the Cordillera de Talomanca, where people believe in the Power of Plants & Spirits to heal, in the opposite thoughts of western medicine . It is a book full of Passion, Power & many of the ecological & environmental issues we are fighting today in order to save our Planet .#FB, #Instagram, #Goodreads, #NetGalley, #Amazon.co.uk , #<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/c566f42be23a0e25d120e78a3454e2d427c4beee" width="80" height="80" alt="50 Book Reviews" title="50 Book Reviews"/>, #<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/ef856e6ce35e6d2d729539aa1808a5fb4326a415" width="80" height="80" alt="Reviews Published" title="Reviews Published"/>, #<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/aa60c7e77cc330186f26ea1f647542df8af8326a" width="80" height="80" alt="Professional Reader" title="Professional Reader"/>.

3.5 STARS Karen Swan is an auto-read author for me and The Secret Path contained all of the things I usually love in her books - a stunning location, complicated characters, a bit of romance but a plot outside of the romance as well. However, The Secret Path fell a bit short for me.

I didn't connect to any of the characters in particular and found it to be a really slow start, followed by a packed ending where a bit too much was going on all at once! It was sort of clunky compared to some of her other books and I wasn't really rooting for the characters like I normally do.

I'll certainly continue reading Karen Swan's new releases, but this one unfortunately won't be making my favorites list!

I enjoyed this!

A really great read. A fantastic story that grips you from the beginning,set mostly in the rainforest in Costa Rico with lots of action that will make you want to keep reading the story. Tara and Alex journey is a bumpy one but they are inevitably drawn together again even after he had betrayed her ten years earlier- it’s a fun read.

I loved the setting for this book, but I felt the story dragged somewhat and the characters lacked…. character. I’m not sure what genre it is, possibly some romance in there, but it lacked any kind of excitement and I had to work hard to keep reading to the end.