Cute summer read

This was a light, fun read, though with a few too many predictable moments. I did wonder how after 20 years of silence and anger they even thought of asking for a "massive favor" to swap homes.
I received an advance reader copy from Netgalley.

I probably won't be the first one to say this, and I'm probably not going to be the last either, but the concept of 'The Sister Swap' really intrigued me. Sounded familiar I have to admit, but still intrigued me nonetheless. 

Two sisters with two very different lifestyles. Meg is a workaholic who lives and breathes her job and, should you ever choose to cut her in half, she would no doubt have her job running through her like a stick of rock. Sarah however, hasn't worked since goodness knows when as she has been bringing up her children on her lonesome. But, now that her children are all grown up with lives of their own, Sarah has decided that she wants to do something for herself...by getting a job...in London....where she would need the help of a sister she hasn't spoken to in years.

The overall premise of 'The Sister Swap' was fun, witty and very enjoyable to read. However, there were parts of the book which I couldn't seem to quite get my head round. I mean, Sarah and Meg haven't spoken for many, many years and now they're suddenly calling each other up asking for a favour? Plus, why haven't they spoken for years? There are a lot of members of my family who I haven't spoken to for ever ten years, and the last thing I would do is phone them up asking for a favour. Personally, I couldn't work that bit out at all.

I did enjoy the fact that the two sisters were able to enjoy different lives in ways that they never would have dreamt about doing before the swap, especially as I was able to see different sides to Meg and Sarah's personalities. In no time at all, the sisters went from being stuck in rut and quite snobby, to being relatable and more open minded. Thus equalling a more likeable pair.

On their own, Meg and Sarah's stories were quite funny, electric, and often quite heart-warming, but put them together and I become confused as they really are chalk and cheese.

'The Sister Swap' is a heart-warming and thought-provoking read, and I did enjoy the witty one liners, especially from Meg. For me, however, the finer details of the storyline aren't as fine tuned as I would have hoped. That said, 'The Sister Swap' will be an ideal read to lose yourself in once the threatening thunderstorm hits later today!

Meg lives in London and runs her own modelling agency which means she if full on all of the time. Her sister lives in their old family home in the depths of the countryside with her two grown children. When Meg collapses at work, she is instructed to take 2 months off- much to her horror. The only place she can think to go is her sister’s. One small issue- they have not spoken for 15 years. By chance Sarah has been given a chance at her old job at an events company to cover maternity leave so the two sisters swap abodes and lives. This is one of those feel good reads that makes you smile. A townie ending up on her backside in a cowpat, a country girl feeling out of place in a busy city. Things we have all either done or been close to so can easily picture. The ups and downs of life where ever we reside. A wonderfully uplifting read

*I received this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
DNF @ 5%

It would be fair to say that I didn't truly give this book a chance. There are those books though that from the first page, first sentence even, I immediately feel vividly against a book. I know I'm no big fan of women's lit, but I was a big interested in starting this one, only to quickly decide I didn't want to waste my time.

Now, I'm not going to rate this. I believe the problem might just be that I don't like these kinds of books. I will have to give them up except for what people recommend me.

It's just... did we have to have that catcalling scene? Did we need to somewhat shame the main character for having one-night stands? And what kind of doctor says 'go on vacation' as if everyone has the money and time to do so... and then they listen... if her business is so important she could have ignored him and tried finding a way to delegate responsibilities so she could have less stress.

I couldn't believe it, I couldn't get into it, but I'm sure other people will be able to. This is more a problem with my tastes than the books.

A truly entertaining book! Family, careers and perhaps even a touch of romance ..

Two sisters, one with a home in the country, the other with a small flat in the capital and twenty years since they had any contact whatsoever. In the meantime Meg has built a successful business while Sarah has married, divorced and has raised her twins single-handed. Meg has never met the children although, with one of them about to head off to university, they are hardly children any more. And that's not the only thing which is going to change! Circumstances mean that Sarah is heading for the city and Meg needs a base in the country; just as she is about to phone Sarah, her mobile rings and it's Sarah calling her! They agree to swap homes for the next eight weeks. An arrangement which suits both, and with the moves imminent, neither of them has the time - or the desire - for an honest heart-to-heart about their past. Will Sarah be able to settle in the metropolis - and will Meg be bored in the countryside? And will they ever manage to just be honest with each other?

This is an absolutely charming read. It's one of those novels which I just flew through; always something going on and story unfolds at quite a pace. With smooth, flowing writing, a great storyline and realistic characters with many foibles and quirks, this is a tremendously entertaining book and one I have completely appreciated. Some really crazy situations will have you giggling uncontrollably and the next touching scene will have you reaching for the tissues. Would I recommend it? Absolutely! This is my first Fiona Collins book but I can see me reading many more.

My thanks to publishers HQ Digital for approving my request via NetGalley. This is my honest, original and unbiased review.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher and am voluntarily reviewing it. Sarah is a woman at who is wondering is this all there is to life? Running after her 18-year-old twins. When is it going to be her turn again? She had a successful event coordinator career before having it to take care of her ungrateful sister Meg. She responds to an advert for her old job and keeps her fingers crossed she gets the job. Meanwhile, Meg after running as fast as she could from her sister and the country life at 18 to become a force to be reckoned with as an owner of a modelling agency in London. Meg faints and is told by her doctor under no certain terms is she to work for the next eight weeks and needs to go somewhere quiet like the country. Susan ends up getting her old job back in London and cannot leave the twins to their own devices for the next eight weeks, can she? Meg and Susan after no contact for several years contact each other desperate to live opposite of each other for the duration of eight weeks and turn their lives upside down and what they thought of each other after all these years! What a great story. I love reading stories about older women who are 40+. I cannot wait to read more books by this author.

A funny and emotional read about family, friendship and love and the importance of taking a break to reflect on where life is going. Highly recommended.

At the beginning we are set up that this would be about two sisters who apparently have not spoken for 20 years but all of a sudden they are willing to let bygones be bygones and swap homes!

That was not at all believable but I ignored it and ploughed on.

The rest of the book was pleasant enough. A romance for each of the sisters and then them realising that they do actually like each other.

Not my kind of book at all.

I real!y enjoyed this book about estranged sisters Meg and Sarah, it was a good story and a quick read.

I loved this book! I like the feeling of happiness surrounding the characters and how it is still possible for over 30's and 40's to find love and happiness. I am familiar with family feuds and know that it can stretch forever over something very simple. I also enjoyed the careers that the sisters started and felt part of it. This book was very well written and I look forward to reading more books by Fiona Collins.

Another light- hearted fun read about family bonds from Fiona Collins. . I recommend this book

While not a laugh out loud type of comedy, this was an enjoyable read with characters that drew me in. Displays the bonds that families have no matter how much time is spent apart.

A really fun book, and realistic. Although, it’s probably a romantic comedy of sorts But the best part for me was the growth and journey of the two sisters. Nice read.

Family relationships can be painful, difficult and most of all filled with misunderstandings.

Sarah was 26 and Meg was 16 when their parents died. The girls had a good relationship growing up. Now, Sarah had to leave her successful career as an event planner and return from London in order to take care of Meg. Meg became everything Sarah was not. She was drinking, sleeping around, stealing and generally being a pain. Sarah spent her time giving lectures and cleaning up the messes that Meg left everywhere. Neither one of them spoke about the pain of their loss.

When she was 18, Meg left without looking back. In the 20 years since then, the two sisters have had no relationship. Sarah was married and divorced, she had twins and Meg has had no interest in any of it. Meg worked hard and became the successful owner of a modeling agency in London and Sarah has had no interest in any of it.

Now, things have changed once again.

Sarah has been called by her old events agency to come fill a temporary opening. It comes out of the blue and she jumps on the opportunity. Meg has a major health issue which makes her doctor tell her she cannot work for at least 2 months and she must go somewhere to completely separate from the stress.

So the sisters connect with one another and switch homes. Meg will return to the family home where Sarah has been living to take a rest in the country. Sarah will move into Meg's sleek city apartment where she will be able to live while working for her short term assignment.

This was quite an interesting story.

Both sisters carry the same burden of being unable to trust and get close to people. Both sisters have led lives which kept them stuck in old attitudes which were not good for building relationships.

Now both sisters are learning that there are new ways to live a life. They find new paths to happiness.

Meg and Sarah do not start out being really warm and charming characters. But, they are teachable and soon become likable. The secondary characters are entertaining. The twins appear to be self involved teens but there are layers which appear and show them to be nice people on the way to adulthood.

The reader sees the differences between fast paced business in the big city and the slower pace of country living with a village filled with interesting characters. Both places have attractions and both places are perfect for finding new lives.

This is the first book I have read by Ms Collins. I have enjoyed her writing. There is humor and that along with a well developed plot keeps the action moving along. The character development is well defined. Everyone we meet is interesting and most of them are likable.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are my own.

I love Fiona Collins' novels. They're witty, fun and exciting so I couldn't wait to read this one. The cover immediately intrigued me - I love the bright colours, the clearly obvious depiction of the two sisters who live very different lives. It's a different style of novel to which I would usually read and that to me is a breath of fresh air.

This novel was no less enjoyable than Fiona's other works, so therefore I couldn't give it any less than 4 star. It was heartwarming and quite emotional at parts, when we learn why the two sisters didn't talk in such a long time - I couldn't imagine not talking to my sister!

I also love the huge contrast between the two settings, Meg - who lives and breathes work and the city life, and Sarah - who lives in the country. It's good to see both sides of the story. I think that's what makes it most interesting! Thank you to the publisher for a chance to read this novel via Netgalley, which I have reviewed honestly.

The Sister Swap by Fiona Collins
Source: Netgalley
My Rating: 4/5 stars

Meg has spent the past twenty odd years working herself right into a heart attack waiting to happen. She came to London as an angry yet motivated 18-year-old and has since built a successful modelling agency. She has worked long hours, been more than hands-on, and earned a reputation for top-notch models whose back she always has no matter the time, day, or situation. All that hard work and dedication has led to high blood pressure and doctor’s orders to leave London and all the stress behind for a minimum of two months.

Meg’s only choice, if she doesn’t want to drop dead from a heart attack, is to prevail upon her estranged sister for a room in her old family home. Since the death of their parents and two tumultuous years of Meg being raised by her older sister, the girls have rarely spoken to one another. In fact, there is a great deal of hurt and resentment that has kept the once-close sisters apart, and calling her sister is comparable to dental work without anesthesia.

As it turns out, Meg’s sister, Sarah, also needs a place to stay. After 20 years of living in the country and raising her twins, Sarah impulsively applied for her old job as an event planner. Sarah never suspected she would actually get the job, so when she does, it’s a scramble to get packed, notify the twins, and find a place to live for the duration of the eight-week contract. Contacting Meg isn’t high on her list of fun things, but needs must and Sarah is determined to reclaim even a small bit of the life she once had.

SWAP . . . . .

With Sarah now in Meg’s London flat, and Meg back home in the country, things are going to get quite interesting. Meg hasn’t even considered country life for 20 years so getting back into the swing of things and reducing her stress levels is going to take some work. On the flip side, Sarah is once again lost in the hustle and bustle of city life and with just a few missteps, she’s back in the swing of things in no time flat. As both women are getting reacquainted with their former selves, they also have to consider their respective futures. The first step is reaching out to one another and correcting the mistakes they have made in their relationship. The second step is going to be just as complicated. Do the sisters want to make their swap temporary or permanent? Of course, life can’t be simple, so each sister has to navigate a number of questions and obstacles before making an informed decision. What's more, they have to face some hard truths about themselves, their respective pasts, and what they are learning about one another from the people who have known them the best and most intimately over the past twenty years. Making up and going home is hard to do, but often, the effort is well worth it.

The Bottom Line: I will admit having a very hard time liking Meg at the beginning of this read. Her backstory and her attitude toward Sarah is quite off-putting and it isn’t until life knocks her down a few pegs that I grew to like her. Sarah is rather likeable from the beginning which makes rooting for her and her success so very easy. This read is, ultimately, a feel-good story about family, the trials and tribulations of life, and how two sisters, a set of twins, and two romantic interests come together to create a better life for themselves and one another. While there isn’t anything emotionally overwhelming or ground-breaking here, there is a solid read with some funny moments, some tender moments, and some downright feel good moments. For fans of light family drama and HEAs, this one may well be worth your time and energy.

This was quite an enjoyable read. I wouldn't say it was the best comedy of the year but it was amusing at points and the story moved along well.

Character wise the girls could be a bit irritating but the idea for the story was enough to keep me reading. I would definitely read more from this author.

Ms  Collins has a brilliantly funny writing style, and though there were some more sombre issues in the story, most of it was light-hearted and downright chucklesome. I especially loved the nude model scene and the author's description of him. Brilliant! 

Loved every page.

This was a fun read. The characters made you lol and the story was very entertaining throughout. Would love to read more from this author

Review: The title and blurb had me interested in reading this book. It is a little predictable but a really easy laugh out loud read. Defiantly on if you're in need of some light relief. I enjoyed it. Short and sweet review.