‘THE SECRET PATH’ BY KAREN SWAN

When I’m not writing those wonderful reviews of mine I work in a hospital. I have been at it for quite some time now: thirty plus years. And when I’m not working, I read a lot. That is, I used to read a lot. Because all my time is now spent taking care of sick people, thanks mostly to that damned global pandemic of ours. Anyway, to make a long story short, I barely read nowadays and when I do I invest on authors that I love. Case in point: Karen Swan.

 

I have been following her career for quite some time. Though I have yet to read her entire back list, I always enjoy her stories of beautiful people and the gorgeous locations she puts them in. Her latest, THE SECRET PATH (Paperbacks available now in Canada from Macmillan), follows that same recipe to a T, but contrary to her other novels, it has failed to capture me totally. No fault to her, I must say. It’s just that I prefer not to read about anything involving medicine and such. Yes, I should have glanced at the synopsis before requesting the novel on NetGalley. Color me crazy, but I just prefer avoiding reading any summery when it involves a fave author of mine. So forgive me Ms. Swan if I’m not that keen over your latest. I’m sure you understand where I’m coming from and I’m also sure that other readers will enjoy it better than I did. But I promise to be back when the itch beckons again which will probably happen in the next months or so since I have the holiday novel with your name on it to look forward to.

 

In the meantime here’s the synopsis I did ignore for THE SECRET PATH:

 

‘In Costa Rica, amid startling white beaches and hot, dense rainforests, the luxurious world of the super-rich butts up against something darker, something sinister. . .

Tara Tremain has worked hard to leave the controlling grasp of her extremely affluent family far behind. With her own career in medicine, she doesn’t need the Tremains’ expectations weighing her down any more. But pulled back into the family’s orbit one last time for an unmissable party in the jungles of Costa Rica, she finds herself flung into action: a local boy is desperately ill and she must trek for days into the jungle to save his life.

What Tara could never have predicted is that the one person who can help her in this impossible journey is Alex Carter, the man who destroyed her life ten years ago . . .’

 

 Until next post—Martin 

 

 

 

‘TOGETHER BY CHRISTMAS’ BY KAREN SWAN

 

The thing I like most about prolific Karen Swan is her ability to write intriguing protagonists in different settings. Take her latest heroine, Lee, in the captivating TOGETHER BY CHRISTMAS by Pan McMillan. She is a Pulitzer prize-winning war correspondent photographer now living in Amsterdam with her son Jasper. I’ve never visited Amsterdam. Now it’s as if I’m there. Five years have gone by since Lee’s grueling assignment in ravaged Syria (haven’t been there either but I think I’ll pass) which gave her PTSD, though she does her best to hide it. Besides taking care of her kid, preparing for her latest showing of her sought-after pictures and sleeping with some of her male subjects when she happens to shoot them for a popular magazine, nothing really sets her motor going, until she finds a book in the basket of her bicycle with a note inside that will eventually change the course of her life.

I actually managed to read this wonderful novel despite being in the middle of a move. All my books are already packed, so hurray for my Kindle and Karen Swan. I love how the story just grabs you and stays intriguing all the way through. I really connected with the heroine and I so wanted her to succeed despite her hardships. I admit I’ve never been too keen on political issues but I did find the topic rewarding in this case. Writing about Syria and everything around it made sense for the protagonist to be pushed on a brick of a nervous breakdown, if I can call it that. But luckily she does find the strength to pull through. I hope I did not spoil things too much but it really is just a smidge of what this novel is about. You’ll be too caught up in the plot to care anyway. 

I’m so glad to be back on the Karen Swan wagon after missing a couple of her recent books from her impressive backlist but I plan to pick them up as soon as we get settled in. In the meantime I think I’ll re-read this one. So go on, get yourself a copy of TOGETHER BY CHRISTMAS and see what an impressive Holiday read this turns out to be. And don’t get fooled by the light-hearted look of the cover. The story definitely goes deeper than meets the eye.

 

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.

 

Until next post—Martin 

 

 

 

‘THE SPANISH PROMISE’ BY KAREN SWAN

I’ve got to hand it to prolific writer Karen Swan for always delivering the goods. I don’t know how she does it—well, maybe I do a little, read on—but in her latest one, THE SPANISH PROMISE (2019, Pan Macmillan), she again succeeds in capturing her readers with an encompassing tale of Spanish ancestry and the after affect of secrets long forgotten. Or are they really? You don’t have to be Nostradamus to know exactly where this one is headed. We all know that towards the end the truth will finally be revealed and in effect set every one free. There’s a gimmick to these types of read. Take a smart but clueless when it comes to love heroine and put her in an unfavorable situation, most preferably overseas, and watch her crumble then flourish as she finally confronts whatever she has to confront. It’s the rule of the game in romantic sagas, and believe you me this one is no different.

If I sound a bit like a know-it-all I apologize. I have nothing but good will regarding these reads. They help me escape from whatever gets my goat, and I’m always grateful for that, especially when a title like THE SPANISH PROMISE hits my Kindle. The central character is what you call a lovable mess. She is good at her job (a wealth counsellor. In other words, she helps people deal with a sudden load of cash) but when it comes to her own personal life, well, everything is in chaos. She’s about to get married to a guy she does not really fancy. The one she so very much digs does not want anything to do with her (even after a hot session of lovemaking, I might add). But most importantly, she keeps finding herself caught in vulnerable, if not embarrassing, positions that only make things worse for her.

Thank goodness her personal predicaments are only half of the plot since everything else is greatly focused on a rich man’s will. This guy has a big secret to share and in no time do the flashbacks involving another heroine, one that is as feisty as she is beautiful, are on the go. To say that these parallel lives are equally strong would be a false statement on my part. Truth be told, I much preferred those remembrance parts than any of those present-day plights involving all. Call it a far more original tale perhaps, who knows. But I found myself turning the pages even more quickly whenever flashbacks beckoned.

Still, everything in THE SPANISH PROMISE is top shape, from the tight narrative to the Spanish setting, not to mention the romantic liaisons that keep the story moving along. If not only for those, there are enough of twists and turns to satisfy any jaded reader who might be looking for something extra. Karen Swan has got another best-seller in her hands.

THE SPANISH PROMISE is available in Canada wherever books are sold. The rest of the world will have to wait until July 11 to get their hands on a copy. My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

Until next post—Martin 

‘THE GREEK ESCAPE’ BY KAREN SWAN

I don’t know how prolific Karen Swan does it but again she managed to win me over with her latest, THE GREEK ESCAPE. I got the chance to get myself an advanced reading copy (thanks to the publishers at Pan Macmillan and the folks of Net Galley) and let me just say that if you’re a Karen Swan devotee you won’t be disappointed. Her heroine this time is a London gal—running away to New York City from a toxic relationship—who must replace a much-loved colleague at a luxury concierge company (they provide, well, luxury, to the well-to-dos) who fell victim to a hit and run. At first everything seems to be honky-dory, if not a little hectic, as our little British go-getter makes it all happen for her friend’s benefit. But when out of nowhere comes a sixth client, a hunky one at that, who asks for the impossible (finding a specific secluded getaway in the Greek Islands) she soon ends up being way over her head, not to mention in danger, as what she is led to believe is far from being the truth.    

I always feel that I do little justice to any novel I try to summarize, and THE GREEK ESCAPE is no different. The novel is so much more than this little synopsis of mine and so much more than what the industry would simply call a romantic suspenser. It’s glitz and glam, it’s a whodunit, it’s a love story, just like many of the author’s later novels. I won’t lie, those early ones where more up my alley with the many problems of the rich. The story in this one however still never lets up as our spunky heroine plunges deeper and deeper into the nitty-gritty of things which may have dire consequences to her mind and heart. She is a likeable one, that central character—as many in her entourage; even some of her foes. That’s one of the author’s strength, to render flesh-liked anyone of her cast. Put them in fabulous clothes and set them off in exotic locations and you have an exciting page-turner worthy of a revisit. Yes, some of those plot twists are obviously expected but their overall resolutions are mighty clever. I tell you, the pages just fly by once again at the hands of Karen Swan, and if champagne and caviar are still a pre-requisite in between nail-biting suspense then I’m more than happy to continue to follow her career wherever it leads to. 

THE GREEK ESCAPE is now available in Canadian stores only. The rest of you will have to wait a little longer—next July 12 to be exact.

Until next post—Martin 

‘THE ROME AFFAIR’ BY KAREN SWAN

 

If I could quit my day job and spend the rest of my life reading and reviewing I would die a very happy man. So many titles are coming my way that I always wonder how I’m ever going to keep up but I always do—somehow finding the time and energy. This week’s author is no stranger to Sleaze Factor, having been discussed in past entries. Her work has always managed to put a smile on my face as her latest does. THE ROME AFFAIR (PGC Books/Macmillan) is what it’s called and I’m going to review it for you guys, the publishers and NetGalley.   

 

After being released from her job as a tour guide in Rome, former trained barrister and now blogger extraordinaire Francesca Hackett accepts to collaborate on the memoirs of her next door neighbor who happens to be a famed socialite. What starts out as an easy gig soon turns out to be more than she’s bargained for as she uncovers secrets from a past that could easily alternate the present. That’s about all I can say of this scintillating gem. As a rule I just prefer not to give away too much. 

To say that I had fun with this one would be an understatement. The truth of the matter is I had a blast. I devoured the whole thing in about two days. Ms. Swann delivers a riveting tale of secrets and sins in which her well-defined characters go at it with sheer efficiency, and her use of a split-narrative makes for an even bigger treat. I was highly rooting for the main heroine to find her way as I was as much involved with the socialite/princess’ past life, which BTW, is far from being mundane. In fact, I was so intrigued by it that nothing else came to matter. If you’re already a Karen Swan’s devotee you’ll definitely be caught up in the swirl of this character’s charade. If you’re still a newbie then grabbing this fine piece of commercial fiction will make you turn the pages just as fast.

 

THE ROME AFFAIR is now available in Canadian stores. The digital or print edition will be available everywhere else on June 13th.

 

 

Until next post—Martin

 

‘THE PARIS SECRET’ BY KAREN SWAN

 

I was in a used bookstore one winter day not too long ago when I first set eyes on one of Karen Swan’s earlier work. The book was called PLAYERS and since it was on sale I said to myself what the heck and purchased myself a copy.  I immediately started reading it on the way home and suffice to say we gelled the book and I, to the point of finishing it up in about two days. From then on I was on a quest for anything I could get from this author.  Took me a while but I finally did it—as achieving my mission of reading each and every one of these newly-acquired gems ASAP, thank you very much.   

You could say that her newest, THE PARIS SECRET, is no different.  I immediately got into it the minute I received it from NetGalley and its publishers Pan MacMillan.  Again, the author swooned me over with her tale of hidden artifacts and the people who suffer because of them.   The focus this time is on a female fine-art agent who’s on a mission of tracking down the owner of a long-ago discovered painting, amongst other gems, in a long-ago abandoned Parisian apartment and which could bring big bucks to her aristocratic clients.  Problem is they’d rather keep it all under the rug, which of course does not bode well with our heroine.  For the next few hundred pages you’ll discover what it takes to make these people tick and to what degree our protagonist is ready to go to finally unearth the truth behind this hidden treasure—which, FYI, is as fetching as the many twists and turns and cliff-hangers the novel offers.  You’ll probably even read THE PARIS SECRET in one sitting just to get to the denouement involving WW2 and the secret that could destroy a family. 

Not only is the narrative fresh and exciting, the characters are well-drawn. The plot, which is inspired somewhat by a true account, is inventive in spite of the topic (missing art pieces) having been done excessively.  If I have to find a weak spot I would say that the romance between the two leads, as palpable as it ends up being, is very predictable. But it’s a smidge compared to the enjoyment I felt reading this novel.  The author has never failed to surprise me and of course I will continue to be overjoyed whenever she has a new book out. Hats off, Miss Swan.

 

 

Until next post—Martin