I love Karen swan books so was excited to read this one and it certain!y didn't disappoint. I was hooked from the first page. This was the perfect summer read. The author has written about the charActers in such a way that you can get a true sense of what they are like and what they are feeling particularly the main character of bell the nanny the setting of the book sounds beautiful and idyllic. Highly recommend as the perfect holiday read if you like stories about love and families and the pain and heartache some people have to go through in their lives before they find happiness.

This is the first book I have read by Karen Swan but it won’t be the last.
I loved the Hidden beach, a story of secrets, tragedy, love and betrayal with plenty of intrigue and plot twists.
Set in Sweden this is the story of the mogert family as told through the eyes of their nanny Bell.
After loosing her fiancé to cancer, Bell finds herself a job looking after nine year old Linus and 3 year old twins Tilde and Elise for Max and Hanna.
But one day everything changes with a phone call for Mother Hanna to tell her her husband Emile has woken from his 7 year coma. (A coma he was never expected to wake from)
Having all ready moved on with new partner max and their twins. Hanna is caught between the 2 men in her life.
One desperate to keep her and the other desperate to win her back along with his son Linus.
Extremely rich heir Emile recovers better than anyone ever expected and when he demands Hanna sends Linus to stay with him or he will fight her for custody. Hanna has no choice but to give in to his demands, her only insistence is that Linus goes with the nanny Bell is that she can keep an eye on him and he has some familiarity.
Bell soon finds herself caught in the middle of the family drama and to her horror discovers Emile is the guy she had a one night stand with recently.
I highly recommend this book, it’s beautifully written and although it does get a little slow in parts it does pick up again. Defiantly worth reading. Thankyou net- galley for the advanced copy.

I read this ARC in exchange for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

I must admit I was initially drawn to the lush cover
Loved this
Emotionally charge and absolutely drawn in from the beginning
I had a wonderful time reading this, couldn't put down - it was wonderful

An emotionally charged, poignant and gripping story that I couldn't put down.
Even if it's a bit slow at times it's a great story with a cast of likable and interesting characters and a great and unusual setting.
I like the writ'er's storytelling and I highly appreciated this story.
It's highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Every summer I look forward to the new novel from Karen Swan, so was excited when my copy of The Hidden Beach dropped through my letter box. As always Karen Swan takes the reader to a stunning location and this time it is Stolckholm in Sweden. After the death of her fiancé Bell Appleshaw finds herself living in Stockholm and working as nanny for the Mogert family, looking after nine year old Linus and four year old twins Elise and Tilde. What seems to be the perfect family begins to fracture after a phone call for Hanna letting her know her husband has woken from a seven year coma. Hanna and partner Max face their family being torn apart as her husband, Emil, wants his family back and a relationship with his son. Over the summer it is Bell who tries to keep the family from falling apart, but as the family changed, secrets are revealed and Bell finds herself in the middle with her feelings compromised. This is a story of secrets, lies tragedy and betrayal set on the beautiful Islands of the archipelago of Sweden.

The Hidden Beach is one of those novels that just sweeps you on a journey that you don’t want to end. Karen Swan always chooses such wonderful locations for her books and she didn’t disappoint with her choice of Stockholm. Its not a place I have ever visited, but it is certainly on my list now. I never knew of Stockholm’s archipelago, apparently the largest in the Baltic Sea, but Karen Swan’s descriptive prose made it sound heavenly especially as there are is no Wifi or Televison, imagine all that peaceful reading time. The beautiful location, where the midsummer sun never sets, is the stage for a more darker story, of loss, grief and tragedy.

Most of the characters in this book have suffered loss at sometime that has a lasting effect on them. Bell was sailing around the world with her boyfriend when he became ill and died, which is why she finds herself living in Stockholm and working for the Mogert family. Since loosing her fiancé, she has closed herself of from love, spending long hours at work and spending the weekends with her friends, that is until she her summer on the islands where she meets a tall dark handsome stranger who has also suffered loss. Bell has to be my favourite character, she had such a natural way with the children, being like a second mother. She is also the one to try and help Hanna and Max navigate their way through the obstacles in front of them, putting the family before herself. As a reader I was heartbroken for the situation Hanna, Max and her husband Emil find themselves in. Hanna never thought her husband would recover, so she moved on with Max and now they have the perfect family. Even though Emil is painted in a bad light at first with his demands, again I really felt for his situation, realising he has missed out on seven years with his son and now calls someone else papa. The whole sitiuation is unbearable, but as plot progresses Karen Swan uses this to show how things are not always what they first seem, and that there are many different sides to a story and to people. The result is well rounded, three dimensional characters with many different sides to their personalities that make them more human.

The Hidden Beach is one of the best books that Karen Swan has written. At it’s centre is a loving family whose life is fractured by tragedy and a little boy, Linus, you can’t help but love and want to protect. The emotions fall from the pages and into your heart as do the characters. The addition of potential romance for Bell and her relationship with her young Linus, bring light to this book. This is the perfect summer escapist read to get lost in, it really has it all; love, secrets, tragedy and memorable characters. So what are you waiting for, get clicking and be swept away this summer to the beautiful islands of Stockholm.

I loved the descriptive writing in this book- the descriptions of Stockholm and the archipelago transport you there (and make you look up travel options to go yourself). Alongside the beautiful scenery the story of the family Belle is working for unfolds with gentle drama, angst and confusion but with great resolution at the end.
Definitely a summer "while away the hours" read!

This absolutely gorgeous read has been the escape I have needed. I haven't been able to put this one down. I have adored it from start to finish and definitely need to read more by this author after this book.

Stockholm and the Archipelagos are the evocative settings for this family drama, which capture the Scandinavian ethos, so well. Bell, a nanny, takes a telephone call, intended for Hanna, with unexpected results.

Hanna’s husband awakens from a coma after several years. He has to come to terms with his family’s new situation. Told predominantly from Bell’s viewpoint, the reader gains a comprehensive view of the fallout and how it affects each family member.

This is a gentle, paced book with lots of description and detail. The characters are realistic, relatable and full of flaws. Some are likeable some not so much, but all add to the story.

It’s always an enjoyable experience to read this author’s books. They are full of insightful reflection and complexity which draws you into, another world.

I received a copy of this book from Pan Macmillan via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Some books just sing to you, this is one of those books. The description of a Swedish summer in the Archipelago sounds idyllic. I think the mark of a good book is when you get totally drawn in and feel like you’re right there beside them and this book certainly does that.

Bell is the nanny to Hanna and Max’s three children, Linus and twins Elise and Tilde. She loves her job often to the detriment to her personal life and loves the children, especially Linus, like they were her own. On a hectic morning trying to get the kids out to school Bell takes a phone call for Hanna that changes all their lives.

Bell is a lovely character, very likeable and her friends Kris, Tove and Mark all fit together nicely with her, you can see why they are all friends. I changed my opinion throughout the book of Hanna, Emil and even Max but I liked how they were written. All the characters are well written and realistic.

This book would make a wonderful film for the stunning scenery alone let alone the story!

This is one of those books for me, that when you finish you can’t just throw yourself into another book, you want to remain in this world for just a little longer ….

Thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the ARC

It took me a little while to get into the story but then I was hooked! The characters will stay with you, long after you have finished reading. Bell is the nanny and she is rather taken advantage of by her employer Hanna. Bell has a kind heart and loves the children she looks after. There is so much in this story, the description of the city and the islands for the summer retreat, really makes me want to visit there. Then, there are Bell’s exuberant friends and something that has happened in Bell’s past, from which she hasn’t fully recovered. I couldn’t take to Hanna, she was definitely ‘me first’, the way she handled her husband’s recovery with her son, Linus was shocking. There are flashbacks to provide the background to the present day. This has family relationships and all the joy and heartbreak that can bring, romance and a few surprises but definitely a happy ending. I went through a whole gamut of emotions reading this book! I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Gloriously delightful and utterly captivating are the words I would use to describe this beautiful book
It follows the lives of Bell a nanny in Stockholm and the family she works for Hanna,slim beautiful and a loving mama and an equally loving papa Max and the three children Linus, and his gorgeous twin sisters
All seems perfectly normal until one day Hannah insists Bell and Linus accompany her to see Linus father, Bell is shocked on the journey to find out Hannah is still married to Emil who is also Linus father and she has never told her son this. Another fact she forgot was Emil has been in a coma for 7 years ad has just rather unexpectedly woken up
Following this family as they navigate a new normal whist also navigating around their summer home on the archipelago is traumatic but also very beautiful

From internationally bestselling author Karen Swan comes The Hidden Beach, an addictive story of heartbreak, loyalty and hope, set in the historic city of Stockholm and along the beautiful archipelagos of the Swedish coast.

In the oldest part of Stockholm, Bell Everhurst is working as a nanny for an affluent family. Hanna and Max Mogert are parents to 7 year-old Linus, and 5-year old twins Ellinor and Tilde, and Bell has been with the family for over two years.

One early Spring morning, as she’s rushing out to take the children to school, she answers the phone – and everything changes. A woman from a clinic she’s never heard of asks her to pass on the message that Hanna’s husband is awake.

Bell is confused. She clearly just saw Max walking out of the house a few minutes earlier, but the woman mentioned Hanna by name . . .

When she gets hold of her employer, the truth is revealed: Hanna’s first husband fell into a coma seven years earlier, following an accident. But now he’s awake. And life is going to change for them all.



Thank you to Netgalley for a digital arc of this book in return for an honest review.



I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I look forward to Swan's books as I know they will take me to a foreign destination and allow me to feel like I am there with the main characters.



This book was no different and I am now desperate to visit Sweden! She makes each location sound so inviting and this one is no different. I could easy see myself on the sand or on the boat in the book.



There are lots of themes running through this book, deception, love, forgiveness, friendship and secrets.



I certainly feel that this and The Christmas Party are definitely the best writing that the author has done and will look forward to see what she produces next.

Brilliant summer read set in Sweden.
Belle is a nanny to a happy family with three children. Life is great until she takes a phone call which has far reaching consequences for all the family including herself.
It is a story of love ,lies and deception and about how far someone will go to get the things they want.
It is a real feel good read

If you’re looking for a Summer read full of love, intrigue, pain, drama, adventure and a beautiful setting then this is the book for you. I haven’t heard of the Archipelago islands before but boy do I want to go there! I’ve always thought of Sweden as a cold country. I’ve read most of Karen Swan’s Christmas novels but this is my first Summer one, and I’m certainly going to read her other ones. Her settings are always well researched and you just can’t help but feel you are there living and feeling it with the characters too. The story made me think deeply about how I would feel if I’d woken from a coma and found my loved one had moved on and my children grown up without me. I liked all the characters, especially Bell and her friends. Thank you to Pan Macmillan for letting me read and review this book.

The Hidden Beach, set in beautiful Sweden, tells of tragedy, heartbreak and hope. Emil lost 7 years of his life in a coma following a terrible accident. Against all the odds he woke up to find that the family he had before had moved on without him. Can he find happiness with the right person. Will his son ever trust and love him. He has to face many things and accept the truth if he is ever to find true happiness.

Loss, Love, and Testing Times... Definite Should Read This Summer

Stockholm March 2013, what was thought to be the end, but....

Fast forward, Stockholm December 2019, Bell is working as a nanny for Max and Hanna, who have three children. One manic morning for all, Bell answers the families phone before running Linus to school, thinking it's a wrong number due to the nature of the message left for Hanna... the news from this message definitely puts the cat among the pigeons, as they say.

Fast Forward another six months, June 2020 summer holidays, Bell, Hanna and the children travel to Summer Isle for the holidays. Whilst here Bell meets Emil.
Mainly written in the present, but also areas where they reminisce on how life was before.

This book is told over two parts, the majority from Bells perspective, at times Emil's. A whole range of emotions going on for each of the main characters, when will the rollercoaster end...

Another great read from Karen Swan.

Thank you netgalley for this advanced copy. I was so excited to read this book. It sounded great. Sadly, I couldn’t get into it at all. I gave up very early. Sad because it has so many gold reviews but I just didn’t find anything that drew me in

As usual in my reviews, I will not rehash the plot (plenty of other reviews like that out there if that's what you're looking for - but why bother to read a book when someone's told you the plot?!)

Karen Swan is excellent at describing locations and atmospheres, and I enjoyed the Swedish setting of this book, and the descriptions of island life during the summer season. I would love to go there! There are some lovely warm characters, such as Kris and Tove, who leap off the page and bring a lively element to proceedings; other characters such as Emil and Nina are harder to like (though I took to them in the end).

The plot has multiple strands and viewpoints, and is good on the whole - though I found the description of a 3-year old writing their name in the sand with a stick rather far-fetched! I liked the way certain elements were echoed, providing links between characters who on the surface of it were very different.

This is an enjoyable read, perfect for summer. I will happily read more from this author.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own!

Bell is happy in her work as nanny to a happy family One day a phone call changes everything. The family life is totally disrupted and Bell accompanies one of the children, Linus , to meet and become acquainted with the father he cannot remember. Well written and displaying the characters well, a very enjoyable read.

Bell is an English nanny working for Hanna and Max, a professional couple with three children who live in Stockholm. When she answers the phone one morning, Bell finds out Hanna's husband has just woken from being in a coma. Except she thought Max was Hanna's husband. What is going on?

The answer is that Hanna is married to Emil, a seriously rich man who is also the father of Hanna's son, Linus. Hanna's past and present collide, and Bell's heart is also thrown into the mix.

Set in Sweden, in particular on the archipelago of islands near Stockholm, this story has a narrative that flashes back to before Emil's accident and also weaves in Bell's own back story as she struggles to come to terms with the loss of her fiance.

I particularly enjoyed the setting of the story and the way that the characters interacted felt realistic on the whole. What also helped was having the distraction of Bell's friends, Kris and Tove, who always have her best interests at heart. Emil's sister, Nina, isn't immediately likeable but my opinion of her improved as events unfolded.

As events move towards a conclusion, the atmosphere becomes suitably charged and intense. The ending is possibly a little contrived but also enables the loose ends of the plot to be tied up.

On the whole, a satisfying read and an author I will probably return to.

I was sent an advance review copy of this book by Pan Macmillan, in return for an honest appraisal.