This is a slow burn drama about manipulation, jealousy, and desperation as three women's lives intersect in a small town in the Pacific northwest. What was expected to be a sassy couples night, starts a chain reaction that will impact more than just the two couples and have long lasting effects.

The story is initiated by a swapping of spouses one fateful night, but that event is short lived and plays a less pivotal role in the overall plot than I had expected. The story is quite the page turner but was much more of a drama than the thriller it is touted to be. Instead of the expected twists, we get a bird's eye view into the lives of a group of very messed up and, unfortunately, unlikable people. It felt like a guilty pleasure seeing their lives implode.

The story is told using several different POVs (with the menfolk's POVs offering little to the overall plot) but I was surprised we didn't get Freya's two cents. Her lack of POV made it hard to understand her narcissistic behaviours and I don't feel the reasons were clear about why Low and Jamie continued to be so besotted with her. Freya was clearly a toxic, nasty piece of work and I found it frustrating that, for some reason, with a few well-placed platitudes, people easily forgave her and allowed her to continue to treat them so abysmally.

This was a good escapist-type read about toxic relationships, but I was hoping for a bit more. Even though it didn't quite hit all the checks for me, I eagerly look forward to reading more from Robyn Harding in the future. For fans of suspense, I highly recommend Harding's The Arrangement.


Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to the publisher, Simon and Schuster Canada, for providing me with an advanced digital copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars!
Low has never fit in at her high school. Raised in an unconventional polyamourous household, she is ostracized after a few failed attempts at making friends and being perceived as “obsessed” and “a stalker”. One day, she notices a beautiful woman named Freya posting an ad for pottery classes. Low signs up and quickly shifts all of her attention to Freya. She becomes hyper focused on developing their relationship, no matter what the cost.

I DEVOURED this novel. It was so good. It has everything a thriller reader could ever want - suspense, obsession and if you guessed by the title...a spousal swap. The swap leads to things getting really complicated very quickly between Freya and her only other friend on the island. The multiple POVs were fascinating and I particularly enjoyed Low’s narration, it reminded me of You by Caroline Kepnes. It’s fast-paced and a real nail biter. Great twists and turns were bountiful, including a rapid and suspenseful climax. I really enjoyed this exceedingly entertaining thriller!

Manipulation and obsession are the forefront of The Swap.
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Robyn Harding's newest novel is filled with unique and most interesting characters.
Freya and husband Max, and Jamie and husband Brian, enjoy a night of spouse swapping. This is the tip of the unfolding of some great drama, including an eclectic local teenager named Low.
Nothing is off limits here - friendships, fertility, lust and layers of lies abound. Things take a turn for the dark and disturbing.
I was a bit on the fence about Harding's The Arrangement, but The Swap was an altogether enjoyable, quick read for those looking for a solid domestic drama/thriller. Recommended!
For release on June 23, 2020.

From the first chapter when we meet Low - a seventeen year old girl who has a most unconventional family life , to when we meet Freya, beautiful and wealthy - we are drawn right in. Thank you netgalley and @simonschusterca for this digital copy. This story had me captivated right from the start and it felt like I was hitting 'next' while binge watching Netflix. I just had to keep going.
Two couples and a night that goes too far leaves everyone dealing with secrets and so starts a web of lies. Little do they know that the night in question was witnessed by innocent Low.
This had me feeling all sorts of emotions for Jaime the BFF in this story as the subject of infertility is delicately dealt with. The husbands roles and parts in this story also had me feeling sympathetic towards both of them !
The ending came as a welcomed twist and I wouldn't have had it any other way. I am hard to please when it comes to ending but this one did NOT disappoint. If you are looking for a novel that will keep you up past your bedtime because you just HAVE to know what is going to happen next...then this is for you.
My very first Robyn Harding novel and it will NOT be my last. Available on Amazon now.

Robyn Harding has done it again, I've loved all her previous books, so I had a feeling I would love the swap as well. Told from multiple points of view we follow two couples , one new to the island and the other have been living there for awhile. The island is infamous for the swingers that live there. One night and some magic mushrooms the couples decide to swap partners, or are rather manipulated to swap partners. Throw in a jealous teenager and a crazy mess the story becomes. Jealously, swingers, murder, a baby, abuse, lies, deception, sneaking around, secrets, manipulated, paternity issues and you can imagine that this is an intriguing, captivating read. Hooked right from the start.

Thank you Netgalley, Simon & Schuster Canada for this great read.
Robyn Harding is an automatic read author of mine and was thrilled when I was approved for her next book.
This is the story of obsession, regret, love, one night gone wrong and it’s aftermath.
Fast paced, well written with an unexpected ending.
Highly recommend. 4 stars

One night of fun, one night of passion, one night of swapping partners. It’s just one night, it won’t change anything. That’s what everyone thinks after one drug fuelled night of swapping, but life’s never that simple.

Freya is beautiful and loved and everything they’re not, why wouldn’t you want to be her best friend. That’s how Low and Jamie feel in her presence. A back and forth game of manipulative friendships between the women in the novel. And what about that fateful night and all of the secrets that stem from it?

Well written with enough to keep you interested throughout. Easy and quick chapters that keep you guessing. I could of done without the husbands perspectives in their chapters as they felt to be just filler and the woman could of told the story on their own. Awesome story and awesome book!

Robyn Harding is an automatic read author of mine, and this was one of my most anticipated reads of 2020! I was so excited to receive an eARC thanks to Netgalley and publishers. I'm not sure why I kept putting this one off, I regret not reading it right away.

I ended up giving this a 4.5 stars! The only reason why I docked a half-point was due to the fact that I found some of the characters (*cough* Freya) to be SO annoying.
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This book is told via multiple POV's mainly focusing on Low (high school student) and Jamie (shop owner) who are both obsessed with new girl Freya. The opening of the story focuses on Low and Freya's relationship until Jamie walks in and becomes equally obsessed with Freya. This story is so manipulating guys! I feel like Freya basically gets anything she wants, as soon as she tosses one of the ladies aside the other comes back running.

Just when you thought it couldn't get any crazier it did! I found myself turning pages constantly just to see how this messed up story ended! The ending caught me off guard, truly left me thinking WTF. Also, the whole swapping partners part of the plot was so messed up! I love a good juicy twist in the plot that just causes chaos!

I think if I could change one thing I would have loved to see a Freya POV. She's the only one we don't get to explore, and honestly, I just wished I knew what was going on in her twisted mind. Like girl, why did you do what you did!
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This book's pubdate is June 23rd, I urge you to pre-order/pick it up when it comes out!
*Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review - all opinions are my own.

The Swap is the story of how teenager, Low, comes to befriend Freya, a past instagram influencer. It is also the story of what happens when Freya and her friend Jamie swap husbands on a crazy night.

The Swap is a quick read - you'll zip through it to see how it all turns out. One detail I loved - Low was named Swallow (after the bird) by her parents - this tells you everything you need to know about her family and Low's life, it's perfect. Imagine growing up with the name Swallow.

It required a bit of work to suspend disbelief and get on board with the other character at the centre of the plot, Freya. I was puzzled by the charm Freya was able to work on everyone given how fairly transparently toxic a person she was. I do wish the characters had been more deeply drawn so the choices and plot turns hit harder. That said, if you're looking to escape reality for a bit and spend time on a drizzly island in the Pacific Northwest where some twisty things happen, definitely try this one.

Friendship is a wonderful thing - except for when it is not. Not when it is toxic and unhealthy. The three main characters in this book Freya, Jamie and Swallow “Low” all suffer from low self-esteem and are desperately seeking friendship on this little island in the Pacific Northwest. The book showed how low self-esteem, loneliness, isolation, and a need for companionship can make people easily overlook, forgive, excuse, or ignore when someone is mistreating them. It also shows how vapid, self-absorbed, and manipulative some can be.

Freya is toxic, narcissistic and absolutely wretched, yet at the same time, she’s charismatic and magnetizing. People adore her. But there is a high price to be her friend! Jamie and Low are befriended, discarded and played against each other for Freya’s attention and affection.

This provocative, somewhat dark and twisted story grabs you from the first page and keeps you guessing until the very end!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Before I started this book I only knew one thing – it was written by Robyn Harding. I was immediately hooked. This fast-paced thriller took you for a wild ride. It had obsessions, desire, toxic friendships & lies. Every time you start thinking this ride is sailing along Harding hits you with a shocking twist.

This is why I LOVE Robyn Harding! Hands down my favourite book of 2020.

The Swap by Robyn Harding

Synopsis: Low Morrison doesn’t fit into her hometown, part of it is because of her unique family situation. When Low notices a beautiful woman posting a flyer for pottery lessons, she enrolls. Upon entering the pottery studio, Low quickly falls under Freya’s spell. Freya is married to a former Hockey Player who got himself into trouble, and she use to be a social media influencer, the two bond over not fitting into the town they live in. Throughout the classes, the ladies form what Low assumed was unbreakable friendship. Until Jamie enters the picture, and becomes quick best friends with Freya, who pushes Low away. One night, after some recreational fun, Freya suggests swapping husbands. One night of fun results in 4 lives falling apart.

Review: Holy drama, my definition of a dumpster fire! I loved the POV swap between most of the main characters. Like all of Harding’s books, the writing is great, and it’s a quick read. I felt connected with Jaime, however, I didn’t feel very connected to any of the characters. I saw some of the swap coming however, I was shocked by the ending. The only reason I can’t rate this book any higher is the advertisement, it’s advertised as a suspenseful thriller and I just didn’t get those vibes. Overall, it’s a fast paced, drama filled, good read!

 

3.5/5

The Swap tells the story of Low, Jamie and Freya, three different women with very different lives, and how they intersect. After a night of partying, two best friends decide to swap partners for the night. What they thought would be a night of fun ends up resulting in a life-altering secret.

This was a quick read although I do feel like it ended up being more of a domestic thriller than I expected, and as such the story dragged on a bit before the action began.

I found the structure of the story a bit distracting, as it jumps between several different characters for the narration. Because the main story is focused on Low & Jamie, I think it would read better from their perspective only instead of including their husbands narration which I didn't feel added to the story. We didn't get narration from Freya at all, which I guess was to maintain the mystery, however I think it might have been interesting to see things from her perspective.

Overall I was satisfied with the ending (definitely not what I expected coming into it!) and look forward to reading more of Harding's books after enjoying The Party and Her Pretty Face.

Thanks to NetGalley & Simon and Schuster Canada for the chance to read an advanced copy!

Low Morrison is a nobody. She has no friends, she doesn't feel she fits into her polyamorous hippie family. Behind her camera lens is where she belongs. Until one day she sees the beautiful woman post a flyer on the bulletin board and an obsession is born.

Freya Light the former social media influencer is forced to live on a small island after her husbands hockey career was ruined and scandal erupted. Now she makes pottery and lives the quiet life but she's so lonely. That is until Low starts taking pottery lessons and soon she is unloading on her new friend and feeling uplifted by the adoration Low bestows upon her.

Jamie Vincent and her husband moved to the island for a slower and quieter pace in hopes of finally conceiving. Soon she is selling Freya's pottery and becomes quite enamored with her new friend.

Soon the couples start doing things together and after a night of partying, magic mushrooms and couple swapping things become blurred and maybe everything wasn't quite as innocent as everyone involved was led to believe. Now a teenage girl with nothing to lose may just lose it all when the tower of lies comes tumbling down.

But not everyone is as they seem and which woman feels she has been pushed way too far to the edge to be able to come back. When push comes to shove which one will push the hardest?

This book will have you perched on the edge of your seat, your body thrumming with anticipation while you wait out all the twists and turns that lead to the big finale and your mind tries to make sense of this twisted tale about the lengths a woman will go to preserve a friendship.

**ARC received through NetGalley. Voluntarily reviewed**

This is my first read by Robyn Harding. I was hooked from the very beginning. The writing is great. The whole book flows well and seamlessly which makes it hard to put down. The characters are developed and feel real. I was not expecting that ending. I really enjoyed the pottery aspect. This book was SO. GOOD. I can't say enough about it - just go read it if you haven't already!

This was my first Robyn Harding novel, but I've seen friends reading her books for a while. I'm so grateful I got to read an advanced copy of this book, because I have instantly become a Robyn Harding fan.

The story takes place in the Pacific Northwest United States and it centres around two couples and a young teenage girl. Low, a highschool senior, has never fit in with her peers. She's awkard, intense... different. One day she sees a beautiful blonde twenty-something advertising pottery lessons on her high school bulletin board. Freya is an instagram-famous hockey wife who recently moved to the island from LA after her husband Max's career ended in flames. Freya is gorgeous but manipulative she quickly has Low devoted to her. Finally there is Jamie and Brian, the nice normal couple who become "couple friends" with Freya and Max. After one crazy night of drugs and secrets, all the dysfunction begins to seep out and unravel. The four adults are embroiled in a scandal and at the centre of it is obsessive, lonely Low... and she's not going anywhere.

From the first chapter of this book I was hooked and I read it in 24 hours. Freya was awful and despicable and I was so addicted to finding out what her evil manipulative mind would do next. The ending was climactic and pure insanity, just how I like my psychological thrillers. If you're looking for a great freaky page turner with a cast of screwed up characters, definitely pick this up when it publishes on June 23rd! Its the perfect summer poolside thriller!

As far as thrillers go, this books is perfect - it has a unique plot, great setting, plenty of twists and chapters that kept me reading through a rainy Canadian long weekend.
Relationships collide and contort in Harding's novel - a former celebrity couple trying to start over, a lonely, gawky teenager, and a couple looking for a fresh start all get caught up in an evening's hedonistic debauchery. The consequences have devastating effects and soon secrets become power as the characters struggle to overcome their own shortcomings and desires for friendship.
I loved the shifting perspectives, and I really loved that Harding did not rely on the overused unreliable narrator mechanism to give her book tension. Initially, I felt that I could have used more character development, but as the novel progressed, that feeling subsided.
Hands down the best thriller I have read this year - I will be recommending this to all of my friends!
Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery/Scout Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If I were to try and squeeze "The Swap" into one image in my mind, I would describe it as layers upon layers of neatly defined, vibrant lines flowing together, apart, together in a constantly twisting maze. But that image isn't right, because none of the characters in "The Swap" are one-dimensional. Each one is beautifully crafted, their individual and connected situations suited perfectly to their complicated, broken personalities. Ms Harding had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish, braced for the surprise(s) I knew had to eventually come, captivated by the story's switching directions and consequences. Highly recommend.

Wow wow wow. What an exciting book! The characters were amazing and they all came together to make an incredible cast of characters. The author blew me away with the storyline and the twists in the book. I loved how the book began with the narration and not a dialogue between characters. I was fascinated with Low and Freya’s characters. Their characters balanced each other out nicely. The book sailed along and I didn’t want to put it down. I needed to know what was going to happen although in the back of my mind I already knew. I have read a couple of other books by this author and this one is the same caliber of book, High excitement and so much suspense. I can’t say much about the book as I don’t want to post any spoilers. If you like a fast moving story with unique and dangerous characters than this book is for you. I would like that thank NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for the opportunity to read this book.

Obsession is a major theme in this book. Freya is the central character. She wants to be adored by the masses. She is done with her ex hockey player husband whose past mistakes have landed her here on this island. Low and Jamie come into Freya's life wanting to be fawned over by her. She makes them feel something deep within themselves that they never knew was there. They want to be this woman's besti, sister, or take whatever they can get from her. Freya doesn't hesitate in giving them what they want.

Having read The Party and Her Pretty Face, I was happy to see this new book from Robyn Harding and couldn't wait to get my hands on it I enjoyed reading this and at times I found myself annoyed and angry at the characters. Low, Freya and Jamie bugged me to no end but I did feel sorry for them at different times. Based on that I feel the author did a good job of developing their characters. In terms of a decent thriller to read this Summer, this one should be near the top of your list. It will have you thinking and shaking your head all the way through.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publishing company and the author for this digital ARC copy in return for an honest review.