⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This review is for The Hidden Beach by Karen Swan, which I listened to as an Audiobook through BorrowBox. I love Karen Swan's novels and I don't think there is one that I haven't enjoyed. I usually listen to a Karen Swan story rather than reading one - I'm not sure why, but I tend to download them and then become absorbed whilst pottering in the garden, doing housework or out walking with my dog, Freddie.
The Hidden Beach is set in Sweden, initially in Stockholm, and later in the archipelagos of the Swedish Coast. Bell (until I read the synopsis after I'd finished the book, I thought this would be written as Belle for some reason) is a nanny for a well-to-do family, looking after a young boy and twin girls. One morning, Bell receives a telephone call from Hanna, the children's mother, and from that moment on, no one's life is the same again.
The story takes place over the summer months, written mainly from Bell's perspective with the occasional view of another character, and momentary glances back in time, we discover how a seemingly solid and normal family can be anything but that, as we delve into their lives to discover what lies beneath.
As a side story, Bell has suffered heartbreak in the past and we join her on her journey as she learns to deal with the tragic events of her past and tries to learn to love again, to enjoy life and to be happy. With good friends by her side, encouraging her to move forwards, I found myself rooting for her and hoping she would make the correct choices.
I always enjoy the enthusiasm with which Karen Swan writes about life, love and laughter, along with sadness and despair. As a reader (or in this instance, a listener), I always find myself so involved with her characters and stories. The author's adeptness at descriptive writing will always find me 'in' her stories rather than just reading them.
Was there anything I disliked about the book? I'm not sure that there was, it turned out to be a proper feel-good story, so maybe, as with many of Karen Swan's novels, maybe I was left wanting a sequel.
If we ever get back to a beach again (for those reading this review in later years, I reviewed this in early 2021) then this would be a really enjoyable beach read. I would definitely recommend The Hidden Beach if you are a Karen Swan fan and if you haven't read any of her books before - well then - get reading!
I haven’t read this author before but I like books set in other countries and this review has captured my Imagination, I think I’ll give it a go.
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