I was very impressed with the author's debut. In fact, <I>The Flatshare </I> can take full responsibility for my newly found love for romcoms. Which is why I was SO excited for this one. Sadly, it didn't live up to my expectations.

I think if you're planning on reading this you should keep in mind that this is much more chick-lit/general fiction and much less romance. The focus of the story is mostly on the two women, their relationship with each other and the struggles they're dealing with, rather than their romantic lives.
Also in the beginning the tragedy of losing a family member is mentioned. I personally wasn't prepared for that, given that the said tragedy has a huge affect on Leena's life. For some reason, I expected this to be a rom-com with a lighthearted tone. And it was a huge let down for me to see that it wasn't the case.

Normally when the book doesn't match my expectations, I'd be writing an angry review about misleading marketing. But in this case I don't think the book is misleading really. I mean the blurb doesn't really give the impression that it's a very romance-centric story. But I guess I expected to get something similar to <I> The Flatshare </I> here as well. I think that I would've enjoyed this much more if I was prepared for the tone, instead of expecting to read a lighthearted rom-com.

When Leena messes up a big work presentation she is given a 2 month sabbatical. Non too happy about it she turns to her newly single grandmother Eileen for comfort. Before you know it Leena and Eileen trade places. Leena moves to Yorkshire to look after Eileen’s house and life and Eileen moves to Leena’s shared London flat to search for love in the big city.


Though I didn’t think the premise was massively original, I really did love a lot of things about this book. O’Leary’s characterisation is, once again, completely flawless and it was Eileen that I completely fell in love with. This alone was enough to make me whizz through the pages : I couldn’t get enough of her! What I especially loved is how Eileen isn’t placed into an “old person” box. Some of her thoughts and actions really surprised me and made me rethink my expectations of how elderly ladies might behave. I hope I’m like Eileen when I’m in my late seventies!


I loved the humour and witticisms, which make the text such a joy to read, even when it deals with some less than joyful topics. And who doesn’t enjoy a good love story (or two?!).

When overachiever Leena Cotton is ordered to take a two-month sabbatical after blowing a big presentation at work, she escapes to her grandmother Eileen's house for some overdue rest. Eileen is newly single and about to turn eighty. She'd like a second chance at love, but her tiny Yorkshire village doesn't offer many eligible gentlemen.
Once Leena learns of Eileen's romantic predicament, she proposes a solution: a two-month swap. Eileen can live in London and look for love. Meanwhile Leena will look after everything in rural Yorkshire. But with gossiping neighbours and difficult family dynamics to navigate up north, and trendy London flatmates and online dating to contend with in the city, stepping into one another's shoes proves more difficult than either of them expected.

Firstly, a huge thanks to Quercus for sending me a copy of this book and secondly a huge thanks to Beth for providing me with a few hours escape in these testing times

The Switch is heart warming, poignant, funny, deals with grief and romantic and to be quite honest, it is exactly the sort of book that everyone probably wants to read right now. I loved this book. But after the flatshare, I knew I would. I cannot wait to read Beth’s next novel!

First of all congratulations and thank you to Beth for this amazing second novel. The Flatshare was one of my favourite books of 2019, so I was extremely excited to read The Switch and it certainly didn't disappoint.

The Switch follows the story of two members of the same family, both called Eileen Cotton. Grandma Eileen is a spritely 79 year old who lives in a sleepy Yorkshire Dales village and after her husband leaves her, feels there's just so much more she wants to see and do with her life. She's just not ready to spend the rest of her life alone, in a bed jacket crocheting blankets. Granddaughter Eileen, who we know as Leena, is a twenty something workaholic who lives in London and is given a mandated two month 'holiday' from work by her boss to recharge her batteries.

Cue Leena travelling back up North to the Yorkshire Dales Village where her Grandma and Mum live for some much needed R&R and to take a long overdue visit to see her family. During her visit, Leena finds out that Eileen is on the hunt for a new man and whilst it seems slim pickings in the Yorkshire Dales, Leena finds a much wider selection for her Grandma in London and so 'The Switch' plan is hatched.

Eileen and Leena 'Switch' places for two months, which basically means they lead each others lives. Eileen goes down London to live it up in the big city and Leena swaps all her modern day comforts (including iPhone and lap top), goes to live in her grandma's cottage and run the local Neighbourhood Watch meetings!

I don't really want to go into too many more plot details as I fear I may spoil it for you...… you just need to read it for yourself!

This book was so lovely and heart warming, it gave me all the cosy feelings I like from these sort of feelgood books. Beth did a great job showcasing some really strong female lead characters and demonstrating that its never to late to change your life path, no matter what hand you get dealt in life. For me this book was all about family, friendship and following your heart.

As a Yorkshire lass myself I just loved the fact that this story was partly set in Yorkshire. Overall I gave The Switch a solid four stars, the last star was missing for me as I just found a few of the main story lines a little predictable (although this wasn't too big an issue) and I do still prefer the Flatshare! A really great book though which I highly recommend, especially if you enjoyed Beth's first book The Flatshare.

I'm looking forward to your third book now Beth!

Thanks to Quercus Books and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is Beth O'Leary's second book and I loved it just as much as The Flat Share. When 79 year old Eileen swaps lives with her twenty something niece Leena things don't go quite as either of them thought it would. But that may not end up being such a bad thing.

Eileen may be my favourite character. I really liked her story, it's unusual to see an older lady portrayed in such a lively way and I really liked her personality. Leena I also liked though I did find her more frustrating than Eileen but enjoyed her story just as much. I think both of the storylines really worked well both together and seperately and I especially liked how Leena's friends supported her grandmother and helped her navigate the moderness of London. I actually found Eileen's romances to be more believable than Leena's, perhaps because there was already something set up whereas Leena seemed to fall for someone and vice versa without the reader really getting to know him much. But it was a very minor thing for me and I just went with the story and enjoyed it immensely.

I really enjoyed this book. It is a perfect cosy read, all you need is a blanket, a cup of tea and this book and I think you have the ingredients for a perfect afternoon.

I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.

I absolutely adored Beth O'Leary's debut story about Tiffy and Leon, The Flatshare, which I have been recommending all year as "like your favourite Christmans movie.....but without the Christmas bit"! If you have read it, you will know exactly what I mean, and if you have not read it then I strongly suggest you do so as soon as possible - it is quite simply fabulous.

So, The Flatshare was going to be a hard act to follow and I will admit to being a little nervous about reading Beth O'Leary's much anticipated follow-up. Would I....could I....love it as much as her debut novel? Well, I really should not have worried, because The Switch is absolutely gorgeous - in fact, it is "like two of your favourite Christmas movies combined...without the Christmas"!!!

This time around, we are treated to not one, but two beautiful storylines - those of Leena and Eileen - women in completely different stages of life, but who are nonetheless more like each other than they realise.

Leena has always been so sure of herself and the direction her life is heading, so it comes as a bit of a shock to her when she cannot get over the death of her sister by throwing herself into the things that she has always taken in her stride. This time, work is not the answer and she is forced to acknowledge that she she has not been happy for quite a while. Moving to her grandmother's village, taking different responsibilities and connecting with new people make her recognise that she has lost herself over the last few months and she needs to confront the grief she has pushed deep inside her if she is going to move forward - and a big part of this is coming to terms with the anger she feels towards her mother.

Eileen has always been a force to be reckoned with, and yet, she allowed herself to stay in a loveless marriage that was well past its sell-by-date. She has been feeling for sometime that she needs a new man in her life, but the local choices are limited, and she is unable to go too far as leaving Marian in her fragile state seems quite out of the question. But Leena's swap idea gives her a chance to really make a difference to not only her own life, but to the lives of others too.

Both women find out such a lot about not only themselves, but each other, during their time in the other's shoes. They also both make a big difference to the people they meet in their new environments. There is joy and heartbreak, love and loss, laughter and tears and you find yourself rooting for so many of the people you meet in these pages.

It was so lovely to read a book full of wonderful characters of so many different ages in this book. Beth O'Leary writes them all so beautifully and acknowledges that even the older cast members can be interesting, capable and have a lot to offer in the way of friendship and advice to the younger ones, as well as vice versa, which was so refreshing. There are also a lot of touching moments here that recognise that loneliness can affect more than just the elderly members of society, and that developing a sense of community can be very rewarding for all concerned.

But this is also a book that encompasses so much more to pull the heart strings, along with lots of laughter. It is moving and heartwarming, and the kind of great big hug of a book that we all need at the moment. The Switch has worked its way right into my heart and has definitely earned a place on my for ever shelf - right next to The Flatshare. I can't wait to read whatever Beth O'Leary comes up with next!

The Switch is available to buy now, from your favourite book retailer, and I guarantee is it going to be every bit as big of a hit as The Flatshare - so get in there early!

I was a huge fan of Beth O'Leary's debut novel The Flatshare so I had such high hopes for this, her second novel. I was not disappointed. This is such a great story, when village dwelling grandmother Eileen and London based granddaughter Leena both hit difficult times in their lives they decide to swap lives for a while. Both are in need of what the other has so it seems like an obvious choice - they're not wrong. I loved the fact that both characters got such great storylines and the chance to develop so well. The book is gorgeous, I absolutely loved it.

What a delight, loved Leena and Eileen. Eileen is a force of nature and Leena is just lost after the death of her sister Carla. What starts out as a simple swap ultimately unfolds lots of layer - complexity of relationships, assumptions and misunderstandings!

A really fabulous read, 5*

Beth O'Leary has done it again! I had been wanting to read this ever since I read the smash hit that was The Flat Share and this did not disappoint at all! I loved it all. Both characters Eileen and Leena were both captivating and relate able! I could not out it down. It was definitely they uplifting read that I needed in these uncertain times. Thank you so much Netgalley.

This is a cutesy, feel-good read.

20-something Leena lives in London and is struggling following the death of her sister Carla. She is giving a two month paid break from work and visits her grandmother in the Yorkshire Dales.
Eileen, her 79 year old grandmother is also feeling the effects of her granddaughter Carla's death and the fact that her husband Wade ran off with a dance instructor.

Needing a bit of a change, they decide to swap lives. Leena will stay in the Yorkshire Dales for 8 weeks, taking on her grandmother's usual tasks of planning the village May Day fair and taking the minutes of the Neighborhood Watch meetings. Eileen will take the opportunity to have that adventure in London that she was going to have before settling down to marry Wade, even setting up an online dating profile.

It's a lovely story and they both realise just what they are missing from their own lives. All of the characters are wonderful and have their own backstories. It touches a little on grief and domestic abuse too but all in all, it is a nice read with a few funny moments in there too.

After reading Beth O'Leary's first book, The Flat Share and really enjoying it, I was practically counting down the days until The Switch came out.
And much like The Flat Share, this is just such a lovely read.
I'm a big fan of Beth's writing and how easily it allows you to get right into the story.
Both Leena and Eileen are such strong characters, despite what they may think and you truly feel like you know both of the two women like you would a friend by the end of it.
It was a also a unique concept with the two switching lives and the chapters being told from alternate perspectives.
It is rather predictable, in that as soon as the character of Jackson, for example, is introduced you know exactly how it's going to end.
When it came to rating this book, I'm not exactly sure why but I couldn't give it a 4.5 (which is what I gave The Flat Share) or a 5, even though it was an easy and enjoyable read. I would, however, definitely recommend this as a perfect piece of escapism.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My thanks to Quercus Books for granting my wish for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Switch’ by Beth O’Leary in exchange for an honest review.

Leena Cotton hasn’t been right since her sister, Carla, died from cancer. After botching a big presentation at work her boss orders her to take a two-month paid sabbatical. Leena is at first very resistant but is convinced by her friends to visit her grandmother, Eileen, who lives in a tiny village in the Yorkshire Dales.

Eileen is about to turn eighty and is newly single. Yet she’s quite keen to try again. However, Haleigh-in-Harksdale doesn’t have many eligible older gentlemen. Leena proposes that they do a two-month life swap. Eileen can live in London at Leena’s flat and look for love in the capital while Leena will stay in Yorkshire and manage Eileen’s various local projects. Naturally along the way there are plenty of amusing incidents for both women.

Leena’s mum, (Eileen’s daughter), Marian, also lives in the village and the visit allows Leena to address some issues between them. Clearly all three women are dealing with their grief following Carla’s death in various ways.

This was a delightful comedy-drama that proved an excellent follow up ‘The Flatshare’. Its themes are a bit more serious given their recent bereavement though there were still plenty of light-hearted moments. There was even some romance.

The premise of a London high-flyer coming to a small, insular community and shaking things up is a familiar trope, though unlike with Agatha Raisin here there was no murders to solve.

I enjoyed it very much and read it in a single day. It was a funny and uplifting read. It’s sure to be another best seller for O’Leary and I look forward to her future projects.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

First off I finished reading this during the early hours of publication day and slept with a happy heart. I loved The Flatshare so when The Switch was announced it was one of my must reads for April. As soon as I was introduced to Eileen and Leena I was hooked on their stories.

I loved the dual narrative in The Flatshare and just like that in The Switch at the end of each characters chapter your itching to know more which means you keep turning those pages.

Leena – From the off I liked her but I wanted to know more about her and her story. It’s weird as until the Coronavirus hit us I had never really struggled with anxiety until now and seeing Leena deflate made me want to know what made her tick. I loved the stark contrast between London life and rural countryside. I’m a London girl but I can wholeheartedly appreciate the quiet of a town.

Eileen – I love how Eileen is 79 but has so much life in her. I truly loved her sense of humour and her determination, she’s a woman to be reckoned with one who doesn’t take no for an answer.

It’s heartwarming to read a story where the seniors are also living life. There were a few laughs as I can safely say I’ve not had those sort of conversations with my Nan’s although neither of them are here today for me to enjoy those sort of chats. I must say she did have me thinking about my Nan June and how she’s given the women in my family some of her spirit, and that made me smile.

When I read Leena is too young to be stuck and Eileen is too old to start over I knew that just like Beth’s debut that The Switch would turn that sentiment on its head and create a gorgeous book and I wasn’t wrong. It was nice to see both females finding friendships with the opposite generations and seeing how that changed both their outlooks on life and on people. The experience that came as a bit of fun at the start helped both ladies realise their worth and what truly matters in life.

There were so many lovingly supportive characters that made this story what it is and as ever there were a few that I disliked but they got their karma ha.

The Switch is the perfect escapism during these testing times it’s also a novel that makes you realise that each and everyone of us should step out of our comfort zone from time to time and reach for the stars.

I honestly didn’t think Beth O’Leary could top her last book, The Flatshare, which I just absolutely loved, but somehow she managed it! The Switch is truly wonderful and it was such a joy to read. The premise is great – basically a young woman and her grandma essentially swap lives for a couple of months. This quirky situation comes about for a few reasons, some of which are heartbreaking and some of which are much more humorous and the results make for an fantastically enjoyable read.

What O’Leary manages to do so supremely well is create characters and a world that the reader completely falls in love with. Both the main characters, Leena and Eileen, are equally fun to read about and I kind of fell in love with both of them – by the end of the book I really didn’t want to let them go. I adored that the focus was just as much on the elderly Eileen as on her granddaughter. It demonstrated the vitality and fire that many pensioners definitely possess and I wish there were more books featuring the older population in this way. The relationship between Leena and Eileen is perfectly pitched and felt so real and beautiful. The characters in both London and rural Yorkshire are deliciously quirky, hilarious and I actually found myself charmed by pretty much all of them. There is a great deal of fabulous humour in The Switch but at it’s heart it is actually about loss, grief and family, both the one we are born into and the one we make for ourselves. It is a sensitively written and genuine feeling read that I think no one could fail to be moved by.

The best way I can describe The Switch is to say that whilst reading it, I had a smile on my face pretty much all the way through. It is a book that fills you with warmth and joy which is the perfect book for right now. There is a lot going on in the world at the moment, most of which is pretty scary but I promise you this book will provide a small break from the realities of life and will put a smile on your face. I can’t fault it in any way – thoroughly recommend.

When NetGalley granted my wish for The Switch, I was deliriously excited as I adored The Flatshare and couldn’t wait to immerse myself in another wonderfully crafted story by Beth O’Leary.

Thankfully I was not disappointed! This is a very different story to The Flatshare and concentrated more on familial love rather than romance (don’t worry though, there is still some romance in there).

The Cotton women have experienced a terrible loss and each of them is dealing with it in their own way.

Eileen is 79 years old and after finding herself suddenly single, she is looking to start dating again. But the dating options in her small Yorkshire village are slim to say the least.
Leena is tired. Having just been ordered by her boss to take a two month sabbatical, Leena finds herself retreating to her grandmother’s house in Yorkshire for some rest and relaxation.
When Eileen and Leena decide to do a life swap, neither of them really knows what to expect. Eileen moves to London and begins looking for love, whereas Leena is left looking after all her grandmother’s responsibilities in the village.

What follows is a hilarious and heartbreaking story of grief, friendship, love and community spirit.

Beth has created two strong, empowering women who inspire others to be courageous and to follow their dreams. The story is told from both women’s points of view and this gives us a real insight into their characters and personalities. I loved them both but I have to admit a soft spot for Eileen - what a legend!

Being a proud Yorkshire lass, the setting felt very real and authentic, and left me feeling all warm and fuzzy 🥰

Superb writing, wonderful storylines, amazing characters and a fantastic setting - what more could I ask for!

Highly recommend you read all of Beth’s books if you haven’t already.

Now when will we get book three....

5 wonderful ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher (Quercus) for providing a copy of the book for review. All opinions are my own and provided willingly.

From London to Yorkshire, 20-something Leena Cotton is given a sabbatical and switches places with her 79-year-old grandmother. Eileen Cotton has been left by her husband, and heads to London to relive the life she missed out on.

I just finished The Flatshare and was very keen to get into this one, but it fell short for me. The story was predictable, the actions of characters unbelievable, and their dialogue too scripted and similar. It was a similar recipe to The Flatshare, featuring a relationship that was bound to end, a second-place story that was actually more interesting than the primary story (brother wrongfully imprisoned and abusive relationships vs recently deceased sister/daughter/granddaughter, tense mother-daughter relationships, and profound grief), and meddling colleagues. It was an easy, if not eye-rolling read, and I enjoyed most of it in a very light-hearted way.

Thank you to the author, Beth O’Leary, and publisher Quercus books for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

An amazingly beautiful uplifting book, the kind that can turn your bad mood into a smile. This was an emotional book, there are happy tears and sad, but the overall feeling is one of hope, new beginnings, love and happiness. I adored Eileen so much, all the characters are well written and fleshed out, but Eileen was just something very special I loved her so much. This a great read and definitely one for these times to make you smile.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Reading this book was like reading Spring; when the world starts to bloom and become brighter after the bleakness of Winter. It makes you feel like there’s hope and light in the world. Something that is desperately needed in these crazy and uncertain times. Witty, uplifting, warm, tender, joyous and utterly consuming, I flew through it in under a day, staying up into the wee hours, unable to stop reading until I got to the end.

The Switch was one of my most eagerly-anticipated books of 2020, so when I received an ARC from Quercus I was giddy with excitement. It has sat in my pile of ARCs taunting me and calling my name ever since, so I was bursting with excitement when I finally got the chance to pick it up. Thankfully, it more than lived up to the hype.

It is a story about self-discovery, adventure, family and the search for love. The Cotton family are still trying to heal from a tragedy that has torn them apart and the life swap proves the perfect opportunity to heal old wounds and face their aching loss. The author expertly and sensitively tapped into the intricacies of grief, loss, family and relationships, not shying away from the raw and angry aspects that are part of the process.

I fell in love with Beth O’Leary’s marvellous storytelling when I read her debut novel, The Flatshare, last year. With The Switch she has solidified her place as one of my favourite authors. Her writing is exquisite, smooth and affecting, the honeyed words making the world around you vanish so all that exists is the world she’s created.

Leena and Eillen are fantastic characters. I loved them both but I was smitten with Eileen from the moment she appeared in the book. Feisty, fearless, kind and hilarious, she’s a force to be reckoned with and is now one of my favourite female characters of all time. I loved her sweet and close relationship with Leena, which reminded me of the relationship I have with my Nan, how she made everyone better versions of themselves and is always thinking of others. As well as fantastic narrators, the author created a rich, varied cast of characters that radiated from the page, bringing the communities she created to life and immersing me in their world.

The Switch is an absolute gem. A delightful, lingering and enthralling read, I can’t recommend it highly enough. When I turned the final page, there was a sadness that it was over and I wished I could go back and experience it for the first time all over again. Eileen is such a loveable and delightful character that I challenge anyone not to adore her and get ‘Eileened’. I know I did. It is the perfect book to brighten your day during these strange times and will be one of my top books this year for sure. BUY IT NOW.

I’m going to start this review by saying that this book is wonderfully captivating, and although I usually read predominantly fantasy, I feel that no matter what genre you usually read, I would recommend this book to everyone. This book took me through such a range of emotions, and I was so blown away by it! I also had not read The Flatshare before reading The Switch (now remedied) so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I loved every minute of it, and if you loved The Flatshare, you will definitely love this!

This book was funny, sweet, witty, charming, heartbreaking and totally relatable. Eileen and Leena are fantastic characters, and we go through such a rollercoaster of emotions and adventures with them. They're both having a hard time with things in their current lives, due to grief and overwhelming pressures in their job or community. Leena has anxiety, which is covered in a way that feels natural and realistic, her anxiety is part of her but it does not define her. She’s strong and capable, and learns to cope with her new level of normal, which was something that really struck a chord with me. There is a contrast between Leena and Eileen as they seem opposites in some ways, but similarities are there too. Being Grandmother and Granddaughter there are clear family ties, though they spend little of the book in each other’s company. They had such distinct personalities, and I found myself racing to find out if their plans and lives would end up the way I hoped. Eileen is such a force of nature, and doesn’t let life hold her back I think we could all benefit from bringing a little more of her attitude into our own lives! Leena is driven, hardworking and so strong, despite feeling like she’s falling apart, and her journey through this book was wonderful to read.

There were some beautiful commentaries on grief in The Switch, as well as anxiety, being enough as you are, and doing things that make you happy. It definitely seemed to have a theme of never feeling like it's too late to change something about your life, and finding happiness. It was a really beautiful and thought provoking commentary on modern day life, and connections with other people. In Eileen’s village in Yorkshire everyone knows each other (and everyone else’s business), but in London, there is such a disconnect between Leena and her neighbours. It was a really stark contrast, and the sense of community made such a difference in the real heart of this book.

The tone of the book was chatty, engaging and it felt like you were really pulled into the story. There was such warmth contained in these pages. I connected to the characters really easily, and the writing was absolutely brilliant. I ended up wishing I was friends with most of the characters, and I feel that creates a more impactful reading experience. The characters go through a lot of extremely difficult situations, and we follow them through these stages, but it is written in such a way that this doesn’t overwhelm the book, and it still managed to be light-hearted and funny despite making me cry a lot!

Beth O’Leary’s writing is beautiful, emotive and funny, and managed tis whilst tackling some difficult subjects. I am now a firm fan, and can’t wait to read what she writes next!

I thought this was a unique concept for a story since I'd never read something like this before. I loved reading from both Eileen's and Leena's perspectives and following both their journeys. I thought this was a heartwarming story and it's just the book you need during difficult times. I would recommend this to anyone who needs a good, easy read.