Member Reviews
This novel was definitely a page-turner. Loved the short chapters and cliff-hanger chapter endings. Loved the quirky main character (though at times this book felt more like a YA read). Very well-written. The plot didn't quite deliver on the title for me - story was way more focussed on the strange main character rather than the couple swap. The last 25% of the book was very predictable. I don't mind guessing a story's direction if there are still some surprises along the way. There were no surprises here. But all in all an entertaining read.
I found this book started out a little flat. I felt as though it was dragging on and it didn't give me just a small nibble of a clue about the secrets to keep my interest piqued. But once the story started to get juicy I sided back and forth between the sisters about who I wanted to believe and it kept me guessing as to what the secrets might be. I enjoy stories of mysteries and secrets and this book did not disappoint! This story had me in tears and then had me seething and hoping for justice to come swiftly and severely to the evil sister! I would definitely recommend this book... it was a delight to read!
I could not put this down! I loved the troubling, complex and obsessive characters Robyn Harding created. In the social media dominant world we're living in, I really enjoyed observing the balance of someone so off the grid like Low and someone so public facing and self obsessed like Freya. This book kept me guessing until the very end and had a really unique mix of thriller meets drama meets love story.
Break out the coffee and clear your schedule- this is a book that will take your attention away from all else!!!
This was my second Robyn Harding book, and I enjoyed it just as much as the first one I read- The Arrangement. Both books are excellent page turners, and I stayed up late into the night trying to finish this book just so I could know what happened.
The book highlights the complex relationship between Low, a teenage girl living in a small island town, as well as Freya and Jamie- both adult women who also live in the same town. Freya and her husband, who are both rich and beautiful, come to town and inspire obsession and envy. The stories of these women, and their husbands, are interwoven into a complex drama with a thrilling end.
The book is told from multiple viewpoints, which helps the story move at a good pace. All of the characters were flawed and complex, which made each of their perspectives intriguing. There were elements of each character I liked and disliked, which made the story real and kept my attention.
This is a good book for a dark domestic drama, with lots of twists and turns that I didn't expect. It is completely consistent with what I've come to expect from Robyn Harding, and absolutely lived up to the excitement of her last book.
I read this book in less than 2 days- it was that good. This is a great read for someone who likes reading both drama and psychological thrillers, and I think would be perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn or Ruth Ware.
I would highly recommend this book as dark and thrilling read, and look forward to more books from Robyn Harding in the future!!!
Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with an advanced copy to read and review.
I read the concept of this book and its not something that I read about very often so I was intrigued. The writing was very well done just like all of Robyn's other stories. I found the characters very compelling what I didn't like however was how each chapter was told though a different point of view it made it a little confusing to remember who was who especially where there were so many characters to begin with and with all of their relationships changing it made it even harder. There was a lot going on in this story right from the beginning
which made it very interesting. There were two couples Max and Freya along with Jame and Brian who become close friends. The couple are spending a lot of time together and one night they decide to take some drugs supplied to them by the teenager next door, Low. When Max comes into Jamie's room and says that they are doing a couple swap, Jamie is a little take aback and unsure. However after some persistence she goes with it. However the next morning she is shocked to realize that the other half of the couples never knew that this was taking place at all. Great read I loved all of the characters and the story itself had me on the edge of my seating talking about it to anyone and everyone who entered the room. While that seems like it would be the whole story that is actually just where the story starts. It is the aftermath that is the best part of this
story. It lets the reader see the hurt and confusion as well as the tension in all of their relationships and the distrust that the whole situation awoke. This book is full of excitement and thrilling twists. The characters themselves are all very solid and complex, and even the ones you dislike, you love to hate them. This is one book that even after it is released I will want to purchase and read again and again. Check out this book you won't be disappointed. The only suggestion I have to the readers of this book is to clear your schedule as you will not be able to put this book down once you start. This book was fantastic and I can't wait until it is for sale so I can add it to my collection and read it again and again.
An addictive, thrilling novel full of lies, deception, secrets, betrayal, and lots of drama! What isn't there to love about this type of recipe for a book. A perfect mix of thrills and chills to keep you hooked all the way through to the very twisted and shocking end!
Meet two married couples, Freya and Max, and Jamie and Brian. Then throw in the mix of awkward teenager Low (short for Swallow). Low is enamoured with Freya and they become quite close fast. Low attends pottery classes with Freya at Freya's studio in her house and they quickly become close. But Low soon learns that Freya's moods can go up and down quite quickly, and often without warning.
When Freya and Jamie meet they quickly become friend as well, and the two of them together with their husbands seem to really hit it off quite nicely as friends. Jamie too learns that Freya's moods can be up and down, but Jamie values her friendship enough to forgive her and try again and again to remain friends and gain Freya's acceptance.
But don't be fooled. There is more to these 5 main characters than meets the eye, and there will be so many shocking and disturbing secrets and betrayals that you will not see coming!
Be warned - you will LOVE this book!
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*** NOTE: Review will be posted on my book blog, bookstagram, Twitter, Amazon and other social media sites closer to pub date.
This book went basically where I thought it would go, but it didn't get there the way I thought it would. It was dark and a bit disturbing (the women are nuts!), but interesting and made for a "can't put down" read!
So this was teetering at a 4.75 stars for me up until the last sentence. I didn’t know if I was obsessed with it enough to give it a coveted five stars. However, that last line made me love it even more. Don’t go into this book expecting to like any of the characters. They’re all fucked up, they’re all hateful, they’re all unreliable, which made me love it even more. I’m hard to impress when it comes to thrillers, but man, I loved this. The lies, the faking, the betrayal, had me skipping through the pages so quickly that I lost track of time. In my opinion it was the perfect length too. Any longer and I think it could have lost the reader. Short and to the point! It was so fucked up but so awesome!!!
This is my fourth Robyn Harding novel and once again a 5 star rating!! Her writing is so addictive, I already want more ...
The Swap is SO DAMN GOOD! Had me hooked from the first page! So SCANDALOUS! The characters, Freya, Jamie and Swallow aka "Low" are such a phenomenal combo! So well developed! I could have kept reading about these women ... I need this insane book made into a movie or TV series!! The storyline is all kinds of CRAZY!
Husband swapping, boozy - hallucinogenic dinner parties, mad obsessions, polyamorous relationships and stalking .... if this book isn't on your radar it should be!! It comes out June 23rd
Huge thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for my review copy!!
Thank you to NetGalley, Robyn Harding and Simon & Schuster Canada for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.
I adore Harding’s writing and I was so pleased to be able to read this one before it came out! I love how Harding can take something that happens in the world that no one talks about, and turns into an amazing thriller that keeps you up reading all night! This novel is amazing, I couldn’t stop reading and I had no idea where this entire story was going, but I loved every moment! The twists were huge, shocking and I loved the way the whole thing ended! Definitely another one I would recommend from Harding! Such an amazing story!
Out June 23rd!
I've read other books by Robyn Harding and enjoyed the twisty nature of this story and the characters. I'm not sure what I was expecting but the ending surprised me. Great story overall
This book was very long winded. I knew from the first chapter that I was in trouble - usually Harding's writing is spot on, but this one just felt overly long and boring.
The Swap is all about secrets, lies, scheming, obsession, betrayal and then there is always the twists that catch you by surprise.
What more could I the reader want ?
None of the characters are likeable but that makes you want to read on somehow.
I am not going to give anything away, tempting though, suffice to say The Swap is worth the read!
Thanks to NetGalley , Simon and Schuster Canada , Simon and Schuster Mystery, Thrillers for the opportunity to read The Swap!!
The Swap is not the first book that I've read by the incomparable Robyn Harding and it certainly won't be the last! I was drawn in by this story of a lonely teenager and the woman that she looked up to from the first page.
Low doesn't quite fit in. With her strange family and her awkward appearance she isn't who you would expect to be popular, and she certainly isn't. When the glamorous but narcissistic Freya takes Low under her wing, so begins an obsession that holds Low firmly in its grasp. When Low witnesses details to a night that all parties wish to forget as soon as possible, she gains a power that she doesn't entirely know how to yield.
Well-written and captivating, this is one of Harding's best. The characters were fully developed and I could relate to all of them in one way or another. The story fully consumed me. The ending, while somewhat surprising, also wasn't that far-fetched, nor was it the highlight of the book. The highlight truly was the relationship between all of the characters and how they revolved around the manipulative Freya. This is a must-read for fans of domestic suspense.
A character-driven domestic thriller perfect for contemporary book clubs. I was gripped from the very beginning, and found it hard to put down. It's mysterious and creepy without losing the dishy, gossipy hook. The story is told from 5 perspectives: Low, an awkward teenager with an eye for photography. Freya, her adult pottery teacher and sexy Instagram influencer. Freya's husband Max, a professional hockey player with a troubled past. Jamie, a slightly uptight store owner who becomes Freya's on-again-off-again best friend. And her husband, Brian, a YA novelist struggling to finish his latest novel.
One night, high on mushrooms, the two couples swap partners, and it ruins everything. Jealousy, secrets, and obsession abound.
This is one of those books where you aren't really "cheering" for any one character. You might find yourself relating to all of them in one way or another, but never really liking them. Harding's ability to write 5 fully realized and intriguing characters is this books greatest strength. The plot and pacing is great, with small twists propelling us forward all the way through. While it begins with the tone of general fiction, it gradually morphs its way into true psychological thriller.
Really enjoyable, well done novel.
Robyn Harding writes these incredible psychological thrillers and I couldn’t put this one down. It follows centers on teenage Low who is ‘friends’ with her pottery teacher, Freya and Jamie, a new resident in their small island town.
As Jamie and Freya’s relationship develops, Low becomes increasingly jealous until one night when she discovers a secret the two women are hiding. Over the next few months, Freya uses her newfound information to take her obsession with Freya to a whole new level, and to play games with both women’s emotions and lives.
The book was easy to read and I the ending was satisfying. Great read! Thank you to the publisher for sharing.
This was a fabulous read! I was on edge trying to figure out what was going to happen and who would be the key players through the whole story. Told through multiple lenses, this a story about obsession and how far people will go when they feel desperate!
Great character development and plot! Highly recommended for all thriller fans.
* I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review
Coming from a hippie family, Low Morrison doesn’t fit in. When she meets famous influencer and local pottery studio owner, Freya, Low is starstruck and finally happy to have a friend she can share her secrets with. When Jamie, another island resident, comes into the picture, Low’s friendship with Freya is threatened. After a night of “swinging” between Freya, Jamie, and their partners, the consequences of their actions threaten their friendships and change their lives forever.
This book was not at all what I expected—a different kind of thriller, but one you have to keep reading until the end. It was interesting to read the ever-changing dynamics between Low, Freya, and Jamie throughout the book. To be honest the start was a little slow for me, but once I grew more attached to the characters, I couldn’t put it down. For fans of Lisa Jewell.
4/5 stars
It’s a small town island with a huge secret. This story has many delicious elements of Single white Female and The Couple Next Door. This isn’t your average swap party. It is a juicy weekend read on a Tuesday. I can’t wait to explore more of Robyn Harding's library.