Meet Eileen Cotton, she is 79, her husband just left her for way younger dance teacher. She is so sick for being over 70, mainly because there aren’t many available men over 70, she can date. Eileen Cotton is also in her twenties, a successful working woman in busy London. She didn’t think that she needs to take a holiday until she ruins a big presentation at work and got ordered to take a sabbatical.

Sounds illogical, isn’t it? Bear with me, I’ll explain. (Don’t give up on me, the book, and the author because you will miss one hell of a fun ride.)

We have two Eileens, Eileen Cotton, 79, living in rural Yorkshire and her granddaughter Eileen Cotton, known as Leena so they are distinctive from each other, living in London. Are you with me now? Perfect!

When Leena went though a break down during an important presentation in relation to the project she is working on, her boss ordered her to take 2 months sabbatical. She worked so hard, she didn’t use her annual leave, she was simply not interested in taking a break, all she wants is to work. What is she supposed to do for 2 months? How is she going to survive 2 months without going to work every day? Sounds crazy to be that addicted to your work, isn’t it? Keep reading and you will find out her reason.

‘You are Leena Cotton, youngest senior consultant in the business, Selmount Consulting’s one-to-watch 2020’
Eileen is living in a small village called Hamleigh-in-Harksdale with her two black cats – Declan and Ant. The village is that small, it has only 3 streets – ‘Lower Lane, Middling Lane, and Peewit Street, which really ought to have been called Upper Lane, but there we are, that’s quirky village life for you.’ So you can imagine how tight are people living there and how well they know each other. Eileen is so deep into the day-to-day routine, she will give everything for a bit of change and along with that, she is so determined to find a man for her. Is there a moment more perfect for her granddaughter to call to let her know that she is coming to visit her?

When Leena suggests to swap their places and in the next two months Eileen to live in Leena’s apartment in London and Leena to look after her grandmom’s house and project, Eileen is a bit suspicious. But the idea grows fast in her with every minute. So it is decided. Eileen is going to London to try to find love via an online dating website and Leena is coming to Hamleigh to take her grandma’s place. Although, this swap is way harder for Leena than for Eileen. Why? A year ago Leena’s sister Carla died in this same village from cancer. Since then Leena buried herself deep into work so she can’t think of her and as some way to fight the grieve. She hasn’t spoken with her mother since Carla’s death, because Leena blames her mom for Carla’s death. But as for Eileen, she considers this 2 months swap as a good chance for her daughter and granddaughter to find their way back to each other and rebound.

‘You’re so sure about the world, Leena. But I’m not like that. You know the best way for you to heal, and you’ve been doing it: working hard, taking time away from me and your grandmother. I haven’t worked out how to heal. So I’m trying everything. That’s my way.’

I cried laughing. I even kind of want to move to this kind of small village, where everybody knows each other. It is so fun, so much fun. You can imagine how much comical situations a person, who just came to the village, can fall into.

Beth O’Leary did it again. She built one brilliant world you don’t want to exit from. It is fun and extraordinary, but at the same time, her characters are ordinary people like us. They are so real and three-dimensional, you want to befriend them and have them in your life. All the villagers are so quirky and funny and although they are old, you wish to have them as a friend because they are so young in their souls.

I literary can’t explain how much I loved this book. The Flatshare was one of my favourite books for 2019. I had the pleasure to meet Beth O’Leary and have a glance at her writing process and how she got inspired to write The Flatshare. She is just as lovely as her books, so no doubt why her books are so successful. They are warm and welcoming, a good friend for you to have. I can’t wait for this book to be published, so I can add it next to The Flatshare on my bookshelf because this is a book, you need to have in your house.

She did it again. Beth O’Leary wrote another bestseller which cover you are going to see a lot from now on because this is a book everybody will talk about.

‘I couldn’t have figured myself out if I’d not been someone else.’

'The Switch' was everything I needed it to be and more! I absolutely loved it! I went into this book with very high expectations after reading 'The Flatshare' last year and it most certainly did not disappoint. Both Eileens are my heroes and I just loved the way their stories ended. The perfect wholesome content for this scary time.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for the review copy!

Like the Flatshare, we get a dual narrative from Eileen and her granddaughter Leena. Eileen is sick of being 79 and dreams of a second chance love, while the Leena is tired of life fast paced and high pressured life in London. They decide to do a two month swap and what we see if the antics of both of them in their new homes - Eileen in London, Leena in rural Yorkshire. I think the multiple perspectives we get from Beths books, it keeps it really fun and fast paced and I love seeing the story from different angles.

Beth has this incredible ability to instantly transport you to a whole new world, where you feel you know the characters like friends and you become part of the story. from the very first chapter I knew I was to enjoy this one. I just love Beth’s writing - so easy going, but she gets right to the heart of the story and the characters.

Ultimately It’s a heartwarming story about the beautiful things that can happen when you get to know your neighbours and I don’t think there could be a better time for this book to enter the world!

I would like to thank netgalley and Quercus Books for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Another insightful, funny book from Beth O'Leary.

I really enjoyed the flatshare last year, and this is an entertaining second book. Leena swaps lives with her grandmother, allowing herself to remind with her mother and the village after her sister's death, and her grandmother to experience the life she nearly had in London. Both of the main characters were endearing, and both storylines interesting.

The Switch is a wonderful uplifting story about 79 year old Eileen Cotton and her Granddaughter Leena. Eileen and Leena decide to swap lives for two months. Leena goes to live in the Yorkshire Dales and Eileen throws herself into the hustle and bustle of London life. The Switch is a feel-good story that centres around family, friends and relationships. Beth O'Leary's second book is just as enjoyable as her first book, The Flatshare. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital copy.

Thank you to Quercus Books and NetGalley for a digital review copy - my thoughts are my own. 4.5 stars.

Having enjoyed reading The Flatshare recently, I was keen to read The Switch after reading the 'blurb'.

This book was an excellent escape from the current global pandemic, I was quickly hooked by the story. Eileen was my favourite character and I think all our lives would benefit from an Eileen.

The story includes some heartbreak - the loss of a daughter, sister, granddaughter has affected Marian, Leena and Eileen and their family dynamics. The story explores how they need to take time to talk to each other.

This book is uplifting and enjoyable, full of great characters and events. Grab a copy and enjoy the adventures of Eileen.

Beth O'Leary's second novel, The Switch, is the heart-warming story of two women, at different stages of their lives, trying to find the peace and happiness they're both seeking. Leena is in her twenties, and climbing her career ladder until she's forced to take time off after blowing a big presentation. She escapes to her grandmother, Eileen's house, and suggests that she and her grandmother swap homes for a few months. Leena needs a break and Eileen, newly single and looking for a second chance at love, wants to know what it's like to live in a bigger city. Both of them experience the ups and downs of romantic entanglement and both have to decide if what they're looking for might not be in the place they most expect to find it.

I really love this book. It wasn't quite what I was expecting, but it was so warm and friendly and cozy that it didn't really matter. It's the perfect book for cuddling up on the couch with a cup of tea and a blanket and losing yourself in Leena and Eileen's lives for a while.

Both characters were very likeable. Leena, representing the twenty-something, career-focused woman is easily relatable in her hopes and dreams, but also in he anxiety. She, and her family, have been through a lot and she has a strained relationship with her mother as a result. Her guiding force is Eileen, who holds the family together almost by sheer force a will. Her presence and advice is enough to temper Leena and the two compliment each other wonderfully.

By contrast to Leena, Eileen is a force of nature - she's lived in a small town her whole life and she's a huge part of the community there. By choosing to leave and spend time living in her granddaughters apartment in the city, she's making a choice for herself for a change, and she's determined to do it in style. I loved seeing how Eileen fit herself into the lives of Leena's roommates and friends and how she was not only a grandmotherly figure in their lives, but how she discovered herself in them, too.

The romantic relationships that develop and unfold in the story are wonderful. Both Leena and Eileen have their own set of expectations that are constantly being challenged by the most unlikely of sources. There's love and heartbreak and love again and the whole thing was just beautifully told.

It was a great pleasure to read The Switch and I look forward to Beth O'Leary's future books. (Now excuse me as I go off to read The Flatshare!)

I absolutely adored Beth O’Leary’s debut novel, “The Flatshare”, so I was very much excited to hear she was publishing a new novel in 2020.
The Switch is the story of grandmother Eileen and granddaughter Leena, swapping lives for two whole months. 79-year-old Eileen in the fast-paced city of London looking for love, having-a-mental-breakdown Leena in the countryside, dealing with family issues and quite some interesting neighbours.
In this narrative, Beth O’Leary show us how a change to the status quo can bring wonderful results. It’s about getting out of your comfort zone and reinventing yourself.
I was expecting a fun and light-hearted story and while it certainly delivers that at times, it also goes to very heavy, hard-hitting moments and conversations. The subject of grief, for instances, it’s explored throughout the whole novel since it’s such a central part in both of these characters’ lives.
What amazed me the most, I guess, as a 27-year-old, is that we really don’t give enough credit and validation to the old people around us. It’s a worldwide problem. We are too busy being young and busy and we forget about those who had amazing adventures or still have some dreams of their own that they would like to accomplish, and maybe they need a hand to do so, and we’ll never know if we never ask. And oh boy, does this book have some amazing, inspiring, lovable amount of these characters.
I’m also a fan of the point that is made about living in the city/ in the countryside. I’ve done both, I love both, and there’s advantages and disadvantages for both and none of those options is less valid than the other. And yes, London is so exciting, but deep down I long for the quiet of the countryside. That sense of peace you get when faced with green hills and fresh air.
It’s a kind, thoughtful and fun narrative that left me aching to hug my grandmothers. I’m also sure you’ll find something you’ll relate to, just like I did. It is, after all, a story about family, about love, about living.

A really pleasant, gentle novel perfect for those of us looking for a bit of comfort and escapism! It's full of lovely characters, little bumps in the road and the inevitable will-they-wont-they.

This book is a brilliant feel-good book that you'll enjoy getting lost in.

Following a panic attack during an important presentation at work, Leena Cotton is told to take a two month paid holiday. Leena's grandmother, Eileen Cotton, has recently been left by her cheating husband and is now looking to find love at 79. Leena and Eileen decide to switch places with Eileen living in Leena's flat with her flatmates in London whilst Leena moves to a sleepy village in Yorkshire and takes over all of Eileen's important duties including planning the May Day Fayre and chairing the Neighbourhood Watch.

This is the first book from O'Leary that I have read and it definitely did not disappoint. It had a lot more depth than I expected including the positive portrayal of women in their seventies as being sexual.

I initially was unsure about the dual perspective which switches every chapter but the chapters were a good length so it was easy to keep track of the two storylines and was a brilliant narrative device when the two ladies' stories converged.

If you are looking for something to read to forget about the world for a few days, this is exactly the right book.

I loved everything about this, it's just lush. I'm trying to be kind to myself during this crisis, it is definitely harder to concentrate than usual so I'm picking books from my TBR that I'm pretty sure I'll enjoy. I enjoyed this even more than I anticipated and flew through it.
Leena, her mum, and Eileen, her granny, are grieving her sister's death and all dealing with it very differently. Leena has been working too much and pushing her feelings aside, until it all gets too much and she's put on sabbatical. Eileen and Leena come up with a plan to switch lives for two months so Leena can rest and Eileen can have an always longed for adventure in London. The result is pure magic – heartwarming, funny and uplifting.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my gosh! Where do I start? It is funny, feisty & full of heart seriously don't miss it!

Full disclosure, I was really worried this book wouldn't meet the lofty heights I hold The Flatshare to (best read of 2019! to be reread & treasured on my forever shelf!) but I am over the moon to report those worries were unfounded and The Switch completely blew me away and now holds the title of my best 2020 read so far!

It is absolutely perfect! O'Leary weaves another fabulous totally unique tale that sweeps you up into the lives of Eileen & Leena, the whole cast of characters are superb! - they have real substance and will no doubt find a way into your heart, even grumpy old Arnold! (& a couple will find their way into your bad books).

I laughed, I cried and above all, I was left feeling uplifted with that warm fuzzy glow inside wondering if it was too soon to reread it. The Switch is going right next to The Flatshare on my treasure forever shelf. I cannot wait to see what O'Leary comes up with next! ....how long do we have to wait for book 3?

Honestly, if there is only one book you read this year make sure it is this one! It envelops you into a community you didn't know you needed to be part of, it will steal your heart and stay will you long after the last page.

Thanks to Quercus & Netgalley for sending me this in exchange for an open and honest review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Loved this book.

It follows Leena and her grandmother Eileen. As they swap places, and Leena heads to Yorkshire while Eileen is in London, they both get to experience a completely different way of life and make new friends.

I like how it is told from each of their points of view, and some great characters too, especially the old folk of the village!

This is a real feel-good book, which I enjoyed very much. We are introduced to Leena and her grandmother, Eileen, aged 79 who is not what you might expect of a 79-year old grandmother! As the title suggests they switch lives, for 2 months. The characters explore their new friendships and with that comes the accompanying issues their friends encounter, the characters are introduced gradually and deceived in detail individually, I never lost track of who was who. I loved the slower pace of life Leena felt when she switched and felt myself being on that journey too, reading along. This is a fun, thoughtful, engaging book which is the perfect read for when you want to switch off from your own life a little. The ending is perfect and did not disappoint.

I had heard so much about Beth’s book flatshare and was really excited to get the opportunity to read The Switch. What a truly gorgeous and uplifting story. As all our lives are fully of anxiety at the moment this book was the perfect choice for me to get away from my feelings and get back to my love of reading.

Eileen Cotton is not a typical 79 year old! Her husband Wade has left her after years together but instead of wallowing in self pity she decides to embark on a new life. Hopefully one where she will find happiness, fulfilment and maybe even love . Eileen lives in Hamleigh-in-Harksdake a small village where everyone knows each other’s business and her chances of fulfilling her plans are limited.

Lena her granddaughter lives in London . Along with other members of her family she is struggling to cope with the grief of losing her sister and when she finds it difficult to cope in her demanding job her boss forces her into a sabbatical for two months .

Lena visits her grandmother and with the two woman facing different challenges they decide to swap their lives and homes for two months in the attempt to find their true selves.

As the story unfolds Eileen settles into life in the capital in a way unimaginable to her before. She joins online dating, and begins to juggle admirers in an alarming rate. She befriends Leena's flatmates and goes on adventures.

Leena fills her grandmothers shoes by joining the local neighbourhood watch committee where she connects with villagers of all ages and finds contentment in the slower pace of life. Reconnecting with her mother and coming to terms with her grief in a way only the small community her knew her sister so well could help with.

This book is bursting with adorable characters. I loved Eileen , a brave strong older lady. I personally had a special relationship with my granny and her wisdom and strength was something I admired. To have such a wonderful older main character was fantastic. The difficult topic of grief was portrayed in a insightful manner. We all walk our own paths in coping and this was beautifully explored. The sense of community is something which is sometimes overlooked nowadays but it’s strength and importance definitely resounded in this book.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for my chance to read this book which got my reading reignited. Thank you to Beth O’Leary for such a enjoyable read I’ve been well and truly Eileened .

Well, I seem to have been well and truly ‘Eileened’. This was the perfect lockdown read for me. Funny, moving, romantic and uplifting all at once. One year on from the death of her sister Carla, Leena is treading water. She’s still living down in London, still doing the same job and is still with the same boyfriend, Ethan. She lives in the same flatshare in Shoreditch with her friends Fitz and Martha. She and her best friend Bee have talked about setting up her own business, but she’s still waiting for the right time. She’s still not talking to her mother either; since Carla died their relationship has been very strained. In fact, the best relationship Leena has is with her namesake, her grandmother Eileen. Eileen still lives in Leena’s home village and is a force to be reckoned with; she organises village events, coordinates the Neighbourhood Watch scheme and knows everything going on in the surrounding Dales villages. So, when Leena makes mistakes at work and is asked to take a sabbatical, Bee thinks Eileen is the best person to get her back on track and she is packed off to stay for a few days.

Despite being incredibly busy, Eileen also needs a change. She has been supporting her daughter who has had several breakdowns since Carla’s death. They call them ‘wobbles’ but it has been a far more serious depression than Leena knows. Eileen feels a bit jaded and would like to meet a man and have an adventure. They come up with the idea of a switch. Leena could move back to the Dales and take over her grandmother’s life, while Eileen moves in with Martha and Fitz down in London. Leena will be able to use her organisational skills to manage the annual village festival. Meanwhile, Fitz will help Eileen set up a dating profile online and she will get to feel the excitement of living in a city. What could possibly go wrong?

I fell in love with Eileen straight away, she’s ballsy and packed full of energy. She’s also incredibly loving and generous. Despite going through her own grieving process she has been supporting her daughter and granddaughter, as well as trying to cope with the tension between them. Eileen is a ‘fixer’ at heart too, she won’t let anyone go unnoticed or be ignored. Not only does she make friends with Fitz and Martha, she also wants to meet and befriend Bee. Here she really does start meddling in order to help Bee out with her own dating dilemmas. She wants to make use of the communal space in the block of flats and comes up with the idea of social club for Shoreditch’s elderly residents. She soon gets everyone on board, except for one resident who is worried about strangers coming in and out. Eileen visits her in person and answers each of her concerns, eventually getting her involved too. She befriends Letitia, whose flat is full of incredible antiques, and won’t let her be a recluse. I love how Eileen never judges anyone. Despite what I might have expected of someone her age, she accepts everyone’s sexuality and way of living. When she meets a man who offers her a no-strings affair while she’s in London, she doesn’t dismiss it. She accepts his offer and sees it as an adventure. The group help Eileen too, by advising on some wardrobe updates (culottes are back) and giving her an insight into a younger generation. Despite all this excitement, she surprises herself by chatting to Arnold, her neighbour back home who also has an online dating profile. She’s always seen him as a grumpy old man, and they’ve always had a prickly relationship. Will they get on any better online?

Leena also starts a tentative truce with Arnold. He’s typically grumpy at first but she perseveres and finds herself popping over for mid-morning coffee. The many committees Leena has to attend on Eileen’s behalf don’t go according to plan at first, not helped by a first impression of her losing one member’s dog. Leena remembers Jackson from school and he is now a primary school teacher with a rather unruly dog. When Leena loses him the whole village is out looking and he’s found wrecking a neighbour’s garden. Not everyone is as forgiving as Jackson. They’re also not keen on new ideas, however well researched and organised. Leena finds that her event planning skills need something extra, local knowledge and know-how. Leena’s relationship with her Mum is at best frostily polite, but things take a bad turn when they have a screaming match in the street. It seems that Marian supported Carla’s choice to stop treatment, whereas Leena felt there were more options and tried to push her sister into fighting on. For Leena, this is the first time she has met an obstacle she can’t climb over. Marian failed Carla, then failed Leena by being so caught up in her own grief she stopped being a Mum. Eileen worries that instead of their proximity forcing them to work through their differences, it has made things even worse. It becomes clear that Marian has been so fragile, Eileen has feared she might commit suicide. Can they get past this, or are they destined to remain estranged forever?

It was interesting that Eileen and Leena are both similar in their approach to life, but by switching have still made differences to those around them. Leena thinks she has been spending time with Arnold and her Gran’s best friend Betty, because they’re isolated and lonely. There’s a point in the novel where she realises that they’re becoming friends in their own right and she looks forward to spending time with them. I particularly enjoyed how she realises that Betty’s husband might be abusive and controlling. Betty is very nervous when her husband phones to ask about his tea and when Leena pops round unexpectedly. It’s something all the friends have been aware of, but they’ve been too scared to tackle it. Leena has nothing to lose, she’s only there for a short time, so she tells Betty that she doesn’t have to live like this. She also offers a bed, if ever she should need it day or night. In London, Eileen talks to Martha about her relationship with Yaz and worries that she’s still over in the US, rather than with her pregnant partner. However, she is quick to accept that this generation does things differently. She’s not so hands off with Bee though, taking her on a blind date with a young man from Yorkshire who she thinks will fit the bill. Both learn how important their support networks are, despite having generational differences, the bonds run just as deep.

Eileen learns that as an independent woman she can choose whether a romantic relationship is for life, as it would have been when she was young, or just for a season. She most definitely has an adventure, but will it be so transformative that she makes long term changes to her life? For Leena the experience shows her she could choose to live at a different pace. In this small village, where she and Carla grew up, people talk about her sister quite naturally and it helps. Here she can’t avoid her grief and has to slowly work through it, alongside others who loved and miss Carla too. If she were to stay, there are so many things to think about: her relationship with Ethan; her friendship and possible business plans with Bee; whether to go back to her flat and her job. Could a tall, handsome primary school teacher feature in those plans? This book is light and uplifting, despite visiting some tough themes with Betty’s story and the loss of Carla. I found myself wondering what life changes I could make and Inexplicably ended up clearing out the wardrobe! The characters are eccentric but very lovable, especially grandmother and granddaughter. It gives a great message for these trying times - life is short, and if you’re not happy, you have the power to make changes. Happiness and peace can be found whether you’re in Thailand on a yoga retreat, in Shoreditch or in a picturesque little village in the Yorkshire Dales. It’s within all of us to choose it.

Will be on my blog on publication day.

Thoroughly enjoyed this, another slightly unusual concept with wonderful characters and a fantastic feel good vibe throughout. There were some sensitive issues that were dealt with in a compassionate way and I really like the positivity and hope that emanates.

She’s done it again. Beth O’Leary’s The Flat Share was my book of 2019 but I think The Switch is even better – which, as I gave the first five stars, is going to make rating it interesting.
I started reading it just as UK Lockdown kicked in and it was the perfect escape – in fact, maybe Boris should have sent a copy of this to every household instead of his letter?
It has the perfect mix of engaging plot, eclectic characters and brilliant writing which adds up to a tale that is emotional, funny and full of heart.
It was with some trepidation that I started this book; The Flat Share was so good, I felt there was no way Beth could match it but she goes beyond that.
Both Leena and Eileen come alive on the pages and I love how they embrace the switch – and how it plays out for both of them.
Beth writes with such warmth and humour but also highlights some important issues such as loneliness and emotional abuse.
The ending was so satisfying, it left me with a big smile on my face. It was so uplifting and exactly what I needed.

I absolutely adored The Flat Share so was very eager to read this once approved on NetGalley. Especially given these scary Covid times I was ready for something feel good. Honestly I found it very slow to start and around 30% in I almost gave up. I decided to keep going and am glad I did. The story evolved to see Leena and her grandmother Eileen swap their city and country lives to get each other out of a rut. It was enjoyable to see just how alike their characters were and how tenacious both were in their given situations. A lovely fluffy feel good read.

After reading the flat share last year, I knew I wanted to read this book, even before reading the synopsis and I was not disappointed. At first I thought that the death of one of the protagonists sister may have been mentioned a few too many times deterring from the story, when in fact, after reading for longer it added an important extra dynamic to the story.

The interactions between granddaughter and grandmother was lovely and often reminded me of autumn by Ali Smith, another book that I adore. It perfectly balanced hard hitting topics with light humour to provide a thoroughly entertaining read, that I will live to listen to as an audiobook on its release.