Whilst on holiday in Costa Rica I decided to pick this up. How fantastic it was to be immersed in jungle life in real life and in the story I was reading. Whilst the story was fun I found the romance unbelievable unfortunately.

tara and Alex seemed like the ideal couple although one rich and the other from a poor background. Tara believes Alex is going to ask her father for permission to marry his daughter but it all goes wrong when he actually uses her father to fund a project in Costa Rica, somewhere they hold very dear.
Ten years on Tara has returned to Costa Rica with a new boyfriend who seems to be the jealous type. Finding her friend Jed's son very poorly she sets out to help. This inevitably means running into Alex again..........can she trust him, will love be rekindled.
A good read and as usual with Karen Swan we find the ending no surprise it is the journey there that is interesting.

A great book from Karen Swan, she is a great story teller and I really enjoyed the plot of this one!

I have read a few books by this author and knew I wanted to read more so I was excited to get my hands on this one. Wow! What an adventure! The descriptions of the Costa Rican jungle made me feel like I was there and swept up in the adventure. This book had so many twists and turns and moments that I was unsure where it was headed. I didn’t absolutely love the characters but I was so enthralled by what was going on that I was happy with the ending. I can’t fully say I understood all the natural healing methods but a really enjoyable read.

I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide a review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.

Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.

However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x

This is the first book of this authors that I've read, but it won't be the last! This was a lovely summer romance with some tension and danger which increased the intensity which I did not expect! Don't overlook this author, I loved it a super easy read! Thank you to Netgalley and the publifir
n advanced copy in return fforn honest review.

Lovely feel good book to read. It was a joy to read. Lovely characters. Great plot. The book was charming. Very well written. I’d definitely recommend this book

The Secret Path is a must read over the summer months, it’s mesmerizing. I think this is my favourite book by Karen Swan, it just takes you straight to Costa Rica.

I adored the wild and untouched setting of Costa Rica and the descriptions of its beautiful jungles, particularly as it’s on my list of countries to visit. I could almost smell the damp earth and the scent of the flora, hear the sounds of the birds calling, the trees and leaves swaying, the hum of insects. It reminds me of the rainforests of far North Queensland - minus the sounds of monkeys! I have an amateur interest in anthropology so thoroughly enjoyed reading about local tribes (the Bribri), the Awa (indigenous doctor and spiritual guide) and the medicinal plants and leaves.

The book really swept me away and it felt like pure and utter escapism. You can’t really write a book about Costa Rica without touching on environment issues/ecology/biodiversity/deforestation/loss of habitats etc, but I appreciate this wasn’t done in a preaching manner, to not spoil the reason for choosing to read this book.

Highly recommend The Secret Path, i can even forgive some of the more slightly far fetched events as it was just an exquisite read. I can imagine it would make a great adaptation, i know they’re totally different styles, but a bit like the adaptation of The Beach.

With many thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the opportunity to read this ARC, in return for an honest and unbiased review.

I love Swan's writing and this was no exception.

Exquisite locations, engaging characters, enjoyable plot & brimming with emotions... What more could you possibly want?

This was a great read. Although I do like the front cover, I wasn't expecting it to be as easy of a read as it was, which was a pleasant surprise.

I loved the Costa Rican jungle setting for this book. I love a warm setting (anything to escape the dreary reality of the UK!) but these kind of books are usually set on beach resorts. I really enjoyed the more wild and untouched setting of this.

This book had some more serious themes than the average romance book (an ill child and an ever looming threat from the locals), which made it much less fluffy. Again, a change that I personally welcomed.

The only gripe I had with this book was that I did not like the male protagonist. His betrayal at the beginning and his lack of contact with the female protagonist for the past 10 years was too much for me to want to root for their reconciliation. I guess that I can acknowledge that in real life 10 years can be enough time for a person to change and for there to be enough 'water under the bridge' but in defence of Tara - I did not approve!

I love the way Karen Swan always manages to set the scene and takes you right to the place when the story is set - this time Costa Rica. This was a great read and would be a fab story to read on the beach this summer.

I thought the book was good certainly wasn’t your usual romantic book,

Tara and Alex at one point we’re engaged but something happened to change this and ten years later they meet in Costa Rica. They end up having to help a boy who is seriously ill. We see wha happens over the next few days to them. Tara has a boyfriend Rory on the island with her friends Holly & Dev.

The book certainly took some twists and you did wonder if things would work out for them.

This was a brilliant read and is being featured on my blog for my quick star reviews feature, which I have created on my blog so I can catch up with all the books I have read and therefore review.
See www.chellsandbooks.wordpress.com.

I absolutely loved this book, what a fantastic read from Karen Swan - thank you.
I read this is two sittings I just couldn't put it down. This the story of Tara and Alex and it wasn't your normal romance novel, it came with twists and turns and was a roller-coaster of a read.
Thank you.

This is Karen Swan at her best!

I totally understood Alex and his actions – when someone has a burning passion that is all consuming and has an amazing outcome for the collective (rather than the individual), they’ll plan anything to bring those ideas into reality. But of course, Alex didn’t plan on falling in love as part of that plan …

The betrayal motivates Tara which has a negative as well as positive side. Those walls are so high I wasn’t sure anyone would get passed them! It did feel as if she was settling for second best with Rory although it has to be said that relationships without the highs (and consequently the lows) do work. I thought the differences between them began to show as soon as they were out of their everyday routines.

This story is much more than the romance though.

I loved the underlying ecological theme which echoes real life. Tara’s quest through the Costa Rican jungle drew me in and Karen Swan’s writing had me right there, experiencing everything Tara did.

I also loved the clash between tribal and modern medicine. Just because we don’t understand something that isn’t tangible, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.

The pace, the connections between all the characters, the setting and the moral of listening to others and compromise made this story a winner for me.

A twisty, glamorous read', which I thoroughly enjoyed. I’m not a fan of romance novels and this is a completely different type of story than I expected. The characters are finely drawn and strong. The storyline is strong, stylish and compelling. I was gripped by the characters and once I got into the story I couldn’t put the book down. I really enjoyed this book and I’m really looking forward to reading more of Karen’s books in the future.

Another glamorous and entertaining read by Karen Swan, this has all the hallmarks of her other reads, including well off but still likeable characters, absorbing descriptions of glitzy locations and plenty of intrigue. With a secret baby plot and plenty of twists from the start, this is a roller-coaster of a read that I couldn’t put down and enjoyed through to the end.

Tara Tremain struggled so much after she realised that Alex had used her that she threw herself into work and only went through the motions of being in a relationship. Working hard as a consultant rather than taking the easy route and living off her parent's fortune. Her life is a series of long hours, headaches and not much else.

Her family used to vacation in Costa Rica, but since Alex now lives and works there she has not visited for many years. A conservation project to protect an area of rainforest is now due to be handed over to the Costa Rican government, a ceremony that means Tara will return to the area. She is hoping she won't bump into her ex.

This is a fabulous story and one that had me hooked. The story of Tara and Alex and their time together sounded idyllic, and the author managed to put a wonderful twist into their relationship, one that left Tara reeling. The author then fast forwards a few years, Tara her current boyfriend and others make the journey for a few relaxing days before the all-important ceremony. The author gave some wonderful descriptions of the area, the basic huts and I love the sound of being in an area with no phone signal.

While many believe that the conservation project is for the good of the country, there are some tensions surrounding it. The author gives a view of both sides of the fence and the problems that exist. While it may sound like paradise, the jungle is not safe. It's not just the animals you have to keep an eye out for the plants are just as dangerous. I loved the descriptions of the jungle areas and the author gave a wonderful image of being surrounded by the greenery and the non-stop sounds.

While this is a romance and contemporary fiction story, there is also a twist of mystery that emerges and this leads to some heart in the mouth moments for a couple of the characters. I loved the pacing of this book and also the various threads that had been woven into it.

A wonderful story that has romance, love, loss and hope. I would definitely recommend it.

Another great story by Katie Swan. Some excellent characters and a compelling storyline. The jungles of Costa Rica are brought to life with a very topical preservation subject.. All this together with an unlikely love story.. I couldn't put it down.

what a absolutely delightful book to read from page 1 to finish it was brill the story line and explicit detail of the forest gave a buzz to the story line one word brill