The Swap is a fast-paced domestic thriller that kept me riveted to the pages. If you’re looking for a summer read that will grab you, immerse you in the characters’ lives, and make you appreciate your own life, this book is sure to please.

This book had me from the very first page. I am always intrigued by people’s relationships, whether it’s friendship, romantic, marital, or familial, and The Swap touched on all of them. The one common word that comes to mind when I think about the relationships in this book is toxic. To each his/her own, whatever floats your boat, whatever makes you happy is what I believe, but if I’m being honest, I’m not really sure that any of these characters had a healthy relationship with anyone in this novel. With that being said, I was quite happy to live within the pages of their dysfunction. The characters were fascinating in all of their flawed glory.

The chapters alternated between the perspectives of four of the characters. These varying points of view added to my overall enjoyment of this novel, however, one character's perspective was not included, and that certainly added to the intrigue. The story moved ahead quickly without ever losing its momentum or my attention. I was always looking forward to diving back into this novel to find out what was going to happen to this intimate group of characters. Their lives were interwoven, manipulated, damaged, tested, and as a reader I felt like a voyeur bearing witness to it all as it transpired.

The Swap was an entertaining novel that I thoroughly enjoyed. Robyn Harding’s other books have found a home on my must-read list, and I’m looking forward to getting acquainted with more of her characters.

*4 Stars

Oh my gosh this was my second by Robyn Harding and another hit. This addictive read was everything i wanted from crazy obsessed people to swingers to so much more that I don't want to give it away. Her writing is very engaging and you will fly through this one just like her older books. I love that she is a local author from my neck of the woods and her books keep you coming back for more. Thriller suspense lovers will devour this one :)

Kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. The reader is left trying to figure out the mystery that surrounds all three characters and the way their lives intertwine and weave in and out of each other. Devoured the book in one day and it kept me wanting more.

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review. While I have a few of Robyn Harding's books on my shelves, this was my first novel of hers. This book gave me a lot of mixed feelings, for a few reasons. I wish I could give it 3.5 stars, but because the writing was god and the idea was original, I will be bumping it up to 4.

Jamie and Freya are unlikely friends. Freya and Low are even unlikelier friends. Freya is a hockey players wife, petite and beautiful, Jamie is a 'boring' wife who longs for a child, and Low is an outcast teenager looking for something to give her purpose. Low and Jamie have one thing in common - Freya. And she knows it. What happens when you mix Freya, Jamie, their husbands and a night of alcohol and drugs, while Low is a peeping Tom to the activities going on inside?

None of the characters in this book were likeable. Maybe Max, he had his moments, but he was also pretty weak. Freya was awful, Jamie was ridiculous, Low was creepy and Brian was annoying. Sometimes that works in a book and sometimes it doesn't for me, I need to connect with a character to fully invest in the story. It didn't really work for me here. I will be vague to avoid spoilers, but the way Jamie and her desperate desire to have a child was portrayed didn't sit well with me, nor did some of her decisions and actions regarding it. I found a few bits of the book repetitive, but the overall storyline was pretty unique and original, with great writing, so I was interested and eager to know what happens throughout the book. A whole lot of issues are tackled in this book, which I think took away from some of the story, it may have worked better to just focus on a few than try and cram them all into the same book. I am eager to read more of Harding's work and see if they worked a bit better for me. Overall, I would say check this out if you're into psychological thrillers that make your mind spin.

If you’re looking for a domestic thriller to read this summer, I highly suggest getting your hands on a copy of The Swap by Robyn Harding. She has easily become one of my favourite thriller writers and I was so excited to read this book. Needless to say, it did not disappoint!

The Swap follows the story of three dysfunctional woman. First we have Freya, a social media superstar, who is married to an infamous hockey player and getting tired of her new isolated island life. There’s her “best friend” Jamie, who desperately wants a child and will do almost anything to hold on to her friendship with Freya, even when things start to go a little (okay, a lot) sideways. And finally there’s Low (full name Swallow), who was raised by multiple parents in a polyamorous relationship, and is high-key obsessed with Freya.

While the title and cover of the book suggest that a couple’s swap is front and center in this story, it’s really only a minor event that leads to something much bigger. Freya and Jamie do swap husbands one night, but it wasn’t exactly a consenting event, and only leads to further turmoil.

Instead, the story focuses more on themes of obsession, manipulation, and abuse. No one in this book is innocent, and every character is subconsciously fighting for the title of “the absolute worst human.” None of them are likable, which is weird to say, but made the story that much more addictive. In a way it’s like watching reality TV, because you’re hooked and want to see just how far everyone will go to get what they want, regardless of the cost.

Each chapter is told from a different perspective, and there are a handful told by Max and Brian as well (Freya and Jamie’s husbands, respectively). They added another side to the story but didn’t exactly make anything more clear.

The Swap was a little different from Robyn Harding’s last book when it came to overall structure. Many thrillers begin with a death and then backtrack and explain how or why that event occurred. However, this one doesn’t give anything away at the start, so you find yourself gripping the book and relentlessly flipping pages in order to find out what the hell is going on. It’s a slow-burn thriller, but a fast-paced read.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was wildly entertaining and kept me guessing until the very end. I had no idea what was coming, and the characters constantly surprised me. I kept thinking “this has to be it, what else could they possibly do to each other?” and then was surprised when they pulled their next set of moves out. The Swap would make for a great beach read (if you’re able to leave your house!), or the perfect book to curl up with over a long weekend.

If you’re in the mood for even more books by Robyn Harding, be sure to check out The Arrangement and Her Pretty Face.

Thank you to the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, for an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley. The Swap comes out on June 23, 2020 and can be purchased wherever books are sold.

4.5/ 5 stars

Wow. This book was not what I was expecting at all. This was such an amazing psychological thriller!

The Swap is my second book by this author. It is a psychological thriller. The book has a bunch of 1st person POVs. But the main two narrators are Low (female 18) and Jamie (female adult).

The book takes place on an island in the Pacific Northwest.

Interestingly the main character is neither of the narrators. The main focus of this story is Freya. She makes pottery. And is married to a disgraced professional hockey player. She was such a fascinating character.

This story is about a psychopath. And it is about obsession. I absolutely love books that feature stalkers or that have someone obsessed with another character. So I was completely hooked right from the start.

Basically there are two couples (Freya and Max) and (Jamie and Brian). And then there is Low. Most chapters are from Jamie and Low's POVs. But there are some chapters from Max and Brian's POVs.

Jamie owns a store that sells Freya's pottery.

I liked that I was not sure what would happen in this book. And I liked that I had no idea how it would end. And wow what an ending. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. So many complex characters. And such a crazy story.

Unfortunately, this book just couldn't keep my attention as it should. I did read it all and unfortunately, I was just disappointed with the ending too.

The Swap is a story about female relationships with twists and turns that surprise you until the end. Freya comes into town to escape from her husbands’s past and meets Low who is also trying to escape her current situation. Jamie is also struggling and develops a relationship with Freya. The lives of these women intertwine and they become forever linked. I recommend this book to those who enjoy thrillers!

Robyn Harding is an auto-read author for me, so I was excited to get my hands on an eARC of The Swap. Set on an island in the Pacific Northwest, The Swap revolves around Freya, a captivating woman who recently moved to the island with her husband Max. While Freya is at the center of the story, she is not one of the perspectives we follow. Instead, the story is primarily written from the perspective of Low (a teenager who becomes obsessed with Freya) and Jamie (a woman desperate to have a child who Freya befriends), with occasional chapters from Max and Brian’s (Jamie’s husband) perspective. The two adult couples become fast friends, but none of them could predict the turmoil that would be caused when Freya suggests swapping partners for one night.

The Swap was compulsively readable and fun. Freya is such a dislikable person and I just wanted to scream at all the other characters for putting up with her (not that they were much better). And I didn’t see the end coming, which I always appreciate in a thriller. If you haven’t read any of Harding’s books, you’re missing out!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with an eARC of The Swap in exchange for an honest review.

We know Robyn Harding tends to push the envelope with writing some gutsy and unconventional subjects. In her latest, The Swap, the title speaks for itself– she goes into spouse swapping for her plot!

In this dark and twisted read, two couples have a little too much to drink and smoke one night and things go too far and what starts off as consensual fun among friends, turns into an explosive night that will forever change their lives. But that’s just the tip of the ice berg on this thrilling story …

The story is told in multiple POVs, of the couples (Freya, Max, Jamie and Brian) and that of a high school girl, Low Morrison, who gets tangled in the adults loves... and secrets. This story was more than just a partner swap, it explores the depth of obsession, secrets and lies and the lengths people with go to in order to keep their secrets buried. You also see how far someone can go to get approval of those they idol.

The Swap was a total binge read. I had to keep going to see what was going to happen next and who was really telling the truth. It has a cast of well-developed characters that I honestly grew to hate at some points but that’s what the author wants!

The ending had its good and bad in my mind. There was closure but was it realistic? not so much but it still worked. Other than that it’s a good compulsive summer read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for a DRC of this novel in exchange for an honest review,

This is a psychological thriller told from multiple POVs and explores a lot of interesting topics such as polyamory, partner swapping, domestic abuse, dysfunctional friendships, obsessive behaviours, twisted characters ... and so much more .

It’s a slow burner but hard to put down at he same time as you really want to know where this story is going. The ending was surprising and yes quite satisfying .

Highly recommend this book to those who enjoy this genre,

4.5 stars

Another incredible book by one of my auto-buy authors! Robyn Harding doesn't hesitate to tackle some of the uncomfortable topics, and The Swap includes a partner-swapping incident between two consenting couples.... or were all parties consenting? But if you are attracted to this book based solely on the premise of partner swapping, you may be disappointed. Because this book is about so much more! This book delves into all of the aspects of toxic relationships and friendships, obsessions that women have about themselves and other women, the lies that we will tell to appear "better", and the lengths that we will go to for the people that we idolize.

This book is written from multiple POVs, with short, engaging chapters, and a fast pace that will keep you flipping pages to find out what the heck is going to happen next. These characters are not particularly likable, but they are so real and believable that you can almost overlook the flaws and really bad behavior. Low's character will remind you of all your adolescent insecurities, Freya will have you thinking about all the manipulative people in your life, and Jamie will pull at your heart strings, at least for a bit. Already excited for the next Harding novel to drop!

Abso-freaking-lutely fantastic! The Swap is the chosen book in August for my 1600 online book group and I cannot wait to pump it up! I was riveted from the first page to the end! Robyn is truly a top-notch writer and I have no doubt about the success of this book! Thank you for the advanced copy!

This is the newest release by the successful Canadian author of 'The Arrangement', 'Her Pretty Face' and 'The Party'. This one is also a domestic thriller (suspense, but not a lot of blood and guts). The story features Low, who is an older teenager that lives with her 'hippy', polyamorous parents on a island in the Pacific northwest. She becomes fascinated and then obsessed with Freya. Freya is new to town, the wife of an former NHL player and is beautiful, cool and totally self assured. Low signs up for pottery classes with Freya to get close to her. Later when Freya makes a new friend of Jaime, Low becomes very jealous. This obsession becomes all encompassing changing lives forever. This is a fun and entertaining thriller. It would be a great recommendation for fans of the genre.

This book was WILD. I read it in just over a day. High school senior Low becomes infatuated with former Instagram celeb Freya when she starts taking pottery lessons from her. Freya and her husband Max have a wild night on ‘shrooms with another couple, Jamie and Brian. What ensues is a fast-paced tale of jealousy, obsession, toxic relationships, adultery, secrets, betrayal, and more. Definitely my favourite thriller by Harding (I’ve also read The Party and The Arrangement). Five stars! Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for my copy of this book.

Thank you Simon & Schuster Canada for providing an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. The Swap publishes June 23, 2020.

Star Rating: 2.5

Low has grown up in a very non-traditional family, as a result she's been an outcast her whole life, that is until the she befriends Freya. Freya is a beautiful former social-media influencer who recently moved to Hawking with her husband both looking for a fresh start. Jamie and Brain are also new to the island, and looking to focus on something other than their inability to become parents.

At it's core The Swap is dark psychological thriller steeped in obsession and manipulation. It's filled with twisted relationships, jealousy, and scheming. It's a definite page-turner, however, the story is way too far-fetched making it all a little unbelievable for me. Harding does a fantastic job at developing characters the reader will dislike, but I l prefer being able to connect with characters and that definitely wasn't the case here. The ending was all a little too dramatic for me as well.

If you're looking for a suspenseful page-turner that packs a twisted, psychological punch than you'll probably enjoy this one. Unfortunately it just wasn't for me, and I can't see it sticking with me, or recommending it to anyone beyond that point.

Content Warnings: adoption, infertility, drug use, overdose, polygamy, open relationship, infidelity, domestic violence, sociopathy

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love Robyn Harding’s writing. Her storylines and her characters are so well written. I honestly did not like any of these characters. I didn’t find redeeming qualities about any of them. Just a testament of how well she writes her characters.

Each chapter is told by a different POV. The story moves along quickly. It was a train wreck and I needed to be there for every second of it.

This wasn’t my favorite of Harding’s books, but I would still recommend it to anyone who likes psychological thrillers. 3.5 stars.

Going into The Swap, I thought I was absolutely going to love it. I really enjoyed The Arrangement and the premise of this one sounded really intriguing as well. For some reason though, I couldn't get into it. Freya is a former Instagram influencer, she is beautiful, and everyone is obsessed with her. Low, an outcast in her small town, sees Freya one day and instantly becomes obsessed. Jamie, a lonely woman, meets Freya for a business deal and also becomes obsessed. Freya, loves the attention but treats the two like trash and almost plays them against one another?
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The narrative was told through 4 POVs, we probably could have down without two of them, and Freya's POV would have been interesting to read. At times, I was super hooked, but other times it was just too much back and forth for me. I found myself really struggling with trying to connect to any of these characters as well. I don't know, I was really expecting myself to love this one.

Last year I listened to the audio of Robyn Harding's The Arrangement and quite enjoyed myself. It was a nice mix of mystery, psychological thriller that kept me on my toes the whole way through. This, The Swap, her new book releases on the 23rd of June.

The Swap is a book about obsession taking place on an island off the Pacific Northwest. Told from the point of view of both Low and Jaime, with the majority being from Low. I got to know her more than the others, it confirmed her obsessive behavior but not really the why, what made Freya so enticing to these women was lost on me. She was mean, manipulative and I would have loved to see glimpses of Freya's thoughts, just for balance and maybe some insight into what made her so special. For that reason, I did struggle to connect with these women. There were also snippets from the men, and again I would have loved more but then again this is the women's story.

Labeled as a thriller it was more of a slow burn story that lacked the 'I gotta sit and read, feed yourself family' feel that usually accompanies that label. Don't get me wrong, the author made me want to keep reading to see what was going on but it wasn't dark and twisty that makes up a good thriller. This book took a couple of twists and turns I didn't expect, while at times a little predictable.

I still consider myself a new Robyn Harding fan and will continue to search out her backlist.

My thanks to the publisher for an advanced digital arc (via Netgalley) in exchange for an honest review.

Every so often, I like to read a book where all of the characters are totally insane. No one is of sound mind of this book, and honestly that's what makes it an addicting read. I binged this one within 24 hours because I just needed to know where this madness was going!

I've read The Arrangement by Robyn Harding last year, and she does write great psychological suspenses with interesting premises. It's not a typical thriller which I can appreciate. This one gets three stars from me because it was bingeable and has a unique premise. It isn't one that would be at the top of my list to recommend, and I don't think it's one that will stick with me long after reading it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review