Another winner by Robyn Harding! Her latest tale spins a web of deceit among two married couples residing in the Pacific Northwest, along with the teenage neighbor who becomes obsessed with them. What happens when sex, betrayal, and obsession overlap? Read it and find out.

Low is an awkward teen who considers herself a loner. When she meets the beautiful and captivating Freya, she instantly becomes attached. Freya and her husband Max, an ex-hockey player, have just moved to town. Freya begins teaching pottery lessons to occupy her time, and before she knows it, Low is her best student. Low admires everything about Freya....her sexiness, independence, and worldliness. She assumes that although Freya is much older, they will form a close friendship. That is, until Jamie enters the picture.

Jamie and her husband Brian are also fairly new to town. When Jamie and Freya begin hanging out, Low is instantly jealous. How could Freya betray her like this? How can she get back in Freya's good graces?

While Low bemoans her fate, Freya and Jamie begin to grow even closer. Until one night when the two couples party a little too hard, and temptation rears it's ugly head. While Freya and Jamie make choices that have the potential to change their lives, Low witnesses the tawdry acts that occur that evening. And she tucks away their ugly secrets, ready to reveal them if she needs to.

As time goes on, Freya and Jamie's friendship begins to be torn apart by the acts of that night. Jealous obsession takes over, and an insidious secret is soon revealed. When a final violent act takes place, Low is forced to make some difficult choices....choices that will alter her life.

Great book! Super quick read....I knocked it out in one day. Harding had me hooked from page one, and did not disappoint in the least.

The Swap by Robyn Harding was a unique and unsettling novel about obsession, infidelity and what that can do to a marriage. Jamie and Brian are a young couple who have been struggling with fertility issues for many years. Their marriage has been floundering under the weight of expensive treatments, lost pregnancies and scheduled sex in their efforts to have a child of their own. Freya and Max are the perfect couple, beautiful, travel all over the world and wealthy from Max's former career as an ice hockey player. Freya takes Low, a local high school student under her wing when she starts giving her pottery lessons.

When, after an evening of using 'shrooms Freya suggests switching partners, Julia is fraught with guilt, although she keeps it to herself. Freya, who never thought it could happen, winds up pregnant. But whose child is it? Her husband's or Brian's? And why is Freya running so hot and cold, purging Jamie, then Low from her life, then welcoming them back in with open arms?

The Swap shows that you never quite know a person, no matter how close you think you are. Thank you to the author, Gallery Books and Netgalley for an ARC of this novel in return for my honest review.

Talk about a thriller! I just love Robyn Harding's books and this one is no exception. I was completely absorbed by this crazy story and read it in two sittings. It was very fast paced and edgy and kept me thinking even after I was done. What could possibly go wrong while swapping husbands after a drug induced night?! This is a guaranteed must read.

Wow, The Swap, was an amazing thriller! I read a lot of psychological thrillers, but this one takes the cake. Robyn Harding does it again, 5 stars!

A high school senior, Low, meets a beautiful young woman, Freya, that is new to her small town. She immediately feels a soul connection with her and forges an unlikely friendship. Freya is a social media celebrity and influencer that is married to a very attractive professional ex hockey player. What happens with Low becomes obsessive of her friendship with Freya? How well do you really know someone?

I absolutely loved The Arrangement and was really looking forward to reading Harding’s latest thriller. She definitely impressed me yet again and is becoming one of my favorite authors.

I loved this book! Very fast paced thriller!! This book was very exciting and I highly recommend it!!

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. This book is addictive and absolutely page turning from the very first page. This book is one of those books from the minute you sit down you will not get back up until you finish it. It has all kinds of crazy twists-obsession, bad relationships and lots of secrets. You will be shocked at the ending. Robyn has been added to my list of must read authors!

A definite page turner. Three women deeply intertwined in a manipulative game of jealousy and obsession. When a narcissist, a childless woman and an awkward teenager's paths cross, all hell breaks loose. Fast paced and told from different characters voices. Will definitely read more from this author.
Thanks Netgalley, Goodreads and the publishers for an advanced reading copy.

Would you and your partner enjoy an evening of partner-swopping and drugs. Perhaps. Not if you knew the consequences to the characters in the new Harding, novel , a follow up to the ‘Arrangement’ which I read earlier this year. Harding has developed a certain niche in domestic thrillers : over the top and over the norm people and plots pushing every social and moral norms. The central person is a magnetic, manipulative artist whose sensual self moves everyone she meets. Here, teenagers, married men and women fall under her spell wanting only to be loved by her, at the expense of all others. Even though you would never want to meet or be one of the people in the story, you keep reading as you are under her spell too.

Free ARC from Net Galley for me review

A tale as old as Genesis here as we always think if it LOOKS GOOD it must be good; never was and never will be. There is a good morality tale hearer, don't miss it!!

Eeny meeny miny mo, these besauches are crazy, yo...

In a contest for most dysfunctional we have Freya, the narcissistic Instablogger, Jamie, who after several disappointing attempts to become a mother has been pushed to the edge, and Swallow or "Low", a gangly 17 year old high school student and budding photographer who obsesses over Freya endlessly all while trying to manage her polyamorous family.

I was completely absorbed by this story from the first sentence and barely set this book down until I finished. One drug induced night of bad decisions and no one's life will ever be the same.

This was masterful.

Thank you to Robyn Harding, Gallery Books and NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was one gripping thriller! Filled with jealousy, revenge and plenty of drama. Low is not the average teenager. She is a loner, no friends, no hopes or dreams, living with her hippie parents. She meets Freya, beautiful, sexy, with a handsome husband and many followers as she is a media influencer. Low is attracted to Freya, mostly because she is everything Low is not and there is some sexual attraction there too. Low works a few hours in Jamie’s shop and with Jamie’s entrance comes the jealousy. Low wants an exclusive friendship with Freya but how far will she go to achieve it?
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was my first book from the author and man, was it a good first read! I love domestic thrillers! This is definitely unlike any I’ve ever read. If you like a book that keeps you on your toes, check this out! It comes out June 23rd!

Thank you @netgalley and @scoutpress for the ARC!

This is the second book I’ve read by Robyn Harding.
When I read “The Party”....I said the following at the start of my review....
“I might as well toss a coin! All ratings - thoughts - feelings - opinions - judgements could definitely unite together to chitchat this novel”. 1 star ratings - or 5 star ratings...Robyn Harding gives us books to CHAT ABOUT- to THINK ABOUT!

I DEFINITELY WANT TO DISCUSS THIS NOVEL WITH OTHER READERS!!!!!

BE CLEAR....I’m liking Robyn Harding VERY MUCH....
Her contemporary-life-issue-stories are like *addictive-superfoods* for my critically thinking-cerebral -brain! ( yet.... there were a couple of scenes I felt were totally ridiculous and unbelievable).
A few times our VERY INTERESTING characters were complete clueless jerks. Their stupidity was unreal.
Want me to share those scenes? Ha....too many spoilers would come flooding out of me if I did.

THIS BOOK CONTINUES TO ‘WEIGH HEAVY ON MY MIND....
AND....
I finished this novel couple of days ago......giving me more time to think about it ......almost obsessively competing for my attention with global update news on the coronavirus. ( with my own darn worries)

Tidbit thoughts - feelings - and excerpts: ( mixed in below)
FIRST....
.....Something to ponder: ( something ‘I’m’ pondering):
Would you be more concerned about your teenage daughter, (recently turned 18), hanging out with a married woman twice her age?—
or....
more concerned from potential problems (you yourself created), from raising your children in a household with multiple parents in an openly-known free-love-polyamorous-family - (children glimpsing home births of their younger siblings, to boot)?....
Would the multiple parents be hypocrites if they didn’t want their 18 year old daughter to get mixed up with the type of relationship they themselves were living?
How do loving responsible adults raise their kids to be moral responsible adults - when choosing a lifestyle that is not fully accepted by the majority of people?
And what are the risks & repercussions - TO THEM- if any - from children growing up in an alternative free-love-non-monogamous-environment? How are the children affected?

I know people who have raised children in these alternative type families. I ‘have’ wondered about the well being of the kids. Not saying it doesn’t work - just not sure it does, either. I know couples who engage in adult consented swinging - and poly relationships but their children don’t have a clue. (preferring to keep their adult sexual activities away from growing children).
Which is the better choice? To be honest with their kids - or not? Truthfully- I think it’s a delicate subject - and bless those who are successful at these types of families involving growing children.

ENOUGH PONDERING...moving on...
This novel gives us much to chew on
ONE OF THE BIGGEST MORALS OF THIS BOOK....
Ha....as in ‘duh’....
***If YOU ARE GOING TO WIFE SWAP, USE CONDOMS***

Back to our story ( or rather just getting started?/!
....Freya, Max, Jamie, and Brian
had shared an evening of the mushrooms and a couples’ swap.

.... Jamie and Brian weren’t handling their evening of promiscuous non-monogamous social activity very well.
It wasn’t the first time jealousies, guilt, and insecurities, had created tension and resentment, between them.
Brian blamed Jamie for being the instigator of the ‘couples’ swap’—and she blamed him for ruining her friendship with Freya.
Their marriage was at risk.

....Low’s friendship with Freya was odd, complexed, profound, and eternal.
At age 17, Low’s sexuality remained undefined. She had on occasions, had questions and both boys and girls.
.... “I might have been biromantic asexual. Or maybe I was a bisexual late bloomer”.
There is no pressure to label herself. She was raised in a progressive community, in an unconventional family.
She was taught to have an open mind. Her middle-aged polyamorous parents led by example.
Her parents consented shenanigans worked for everyone but Low.
The other people, sex partners, were considerate of everybody’s feelings…warm and affectionate to the kids.

....It wasn’t uncommon for couples to swap partners on the island. “Hawking Shuffle, or the island way”.

....Some people in the community called Low’s family freaky free love hippies. But Low’s parents were not ashamed of who they were.

....At home, Low felt like an afterthought. At school, she was a pariah. At Freya’s pottery studio, she was everything.
Best friend, parent, and crush all wrapped up in one worldly glamorous package.

....Freya was much older than Low— but she felt close to her. She had been lonely and depressed in this small town. She missed living in New York City. But, Low came along.....and Freya felt lighter and happier.

....Low’s romantic feelings may have been ambiguous, but the first time she saw Max, Freya’s tall, fit, handsome masculine husband, she was decidedly hetero..with sexual arousal feelings brewing.
As the story unfolds....Low’s lustful desires evolved. Not sure her maturity evolves....but an obsession towards Freya grows deeper.

.... Jamie Vincent owned a gift store in town. Retail was new to her, and she opened her shop during the fall when the tourist season was down. moving to the island was supposed to be a fresh start… leaving behind a stressful career in marketing.
Her husband Brian, had recently sold a series of young adult novels and was eager to leave his teaching job and write full-time.
Jamie and Brian were just getting over a major loss -
Jamie knew she needed counseling.... but moving and starting a new life seemed more important.
Jamie thought that once she got settled in Hawking, she would seek out mental health services— but there wasn’t a lot to be found in the small town where everyone knew each other.
Freya walked into Jamie’s shop one day - lifting Jamie out of her depressed funk.....
and a friendship began.

On again - off again friendships.....
....Freya and Low ( the tall teenager)
....Freya and Jamie ( same age friend)
....Low ( short for Swallow), and Jamie were both competing for Freya’s friendship
....crazy complex friendships - disrespect for boundaries - betrayals - jealousies- conniving backstabbing relationships rise to the surface.

....Freya and her husband Max both had a scandalous history before they even came to the island.
....Max Beausoleil was a once famous NHL hockey player - ( you’ll learn why he was asked to leave the team and wonder how it affects his marriage and future life)
....Freya always loved to be adored. She craved it. She was beautiful and effervescent- and once a social media celebrity and influencer...before moving to the island with her husband, Max
She could also be a manipulative, selfish, and wicked human being

.....FANTASTIC CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT (doesn’t mean these characters are people you’d ever want to be friends with)

....POTENTIALLY GREAT PLOT.....but in my opinion .....there were too many added ingredients - competing for flavor-highlights from each other.

....A couple of OBVIOUS scenes that just were NOT AT ALL BELIEVABLE....
For example.... I could never see an adult married man asking a 17 year old girl if she thought his eight-month pregnant wife was ready to have a baby. Really? The stupidity of the question was just silly!
There were a few times ( mostly all taking place in the last part of the novel)....that just became absurd —-
THAT SAID.....
THE DELICIOUSNESS & ABSURDITIES combined were page turning addictive.

Crappy silly ending ( where was the editor?)....I would have gladly helped Robyn with a better ending....lol ( I know, I’m full of beeswax)....
BUT.....THE BEST THING GOING FOR THIS BOOK????
.....It was a HUGE SUCCESS in taking my mind off of scary - frightening- worried concerns during these coronavirus unsettling days!
Sooo many books I keep dropping- I can’t seem to focus as easily with every book put in front of me since this global horrific virus outbreak....
But “The Swap” did the trick....

I yelled at the characters, “JERKS”....OUT LOUD, *JERKS*.....but, I was involved - FULLY ENGAGED AND HOOKED.....judging and evaluating like a naughty- happy- critical reader....
Oh.....it was maddeningly at times.....BUT.....heavenly!!!

GREAT DISCUSSION PICK...

Thank you to Netgalley, Gallery Books, and Robyn Harding ( wishing everyone well - healthy - and safe)

Honest question - if given the opportunity, would you spouse swap with your friend?! I know this happens a LOT and the swinger/sex cult societies are prevalent, but honestly ... this blows my mind! And what happens when it all starts spiralling out of control and it severely impacts the future of your friendship(s) and marriages! Not sure one night of fun (consensual or not - you'll need to read to see why I mentioned this) is worth all that risk.

Robyn has.done.it.AGAIN! I honestly don't know how authors can continue to churn out AMAZING books that get better each time, but she never disappoints. I've been a Harding fan for a while now and it never ceases to amaze me how she creates the most unique story lines that are so detailed, well written and extremely anxiety inducing! She also makes me super grateful that I don't lead the lives of her main characters because, as a reader, I feel like guzzling a bottle of wine just to dull my senses (in the best way possible).

I really appreciated how Harding constructed each of the 3 main female characters - they all had flaws, struggled with mental illness (whether it was their upbringing, decisions they made the past, who they married or their inability to achieve their goals) and the raw disappoint of not being accepted by others for their true selves. What I also enjoyed is the fact that for once, the female is written as the physically abusive one in a story. Without giving away too much of the plot - while this topic is sensitive - it felt like a breath of fresh air as males are typically written this way, It was interesting to see how Max dealt with Freya's physical and verbal attacks. I really felt terrible for him the second half of the book when her true colors were revealed.

And let me just say ... what a GENIUS (I mean, GENIUS) "method of death" in this one. It packs a PUNCH and it is so ironically fitting that you must read for that if nothing else.

Thank you, Robyn and Netgalley for this stunner. A must read psychological thriller from me!

Very interesting premise. Especially with the rise of social media and seeing how what people appear like, isn't always how they are in real life.

Definitely not my usual genre',but once started,couldn't put it
down.
The story takes place in a small,town that is mostly supported by tourists in the summer.
Two young couples find their way there, to start their lives over.
One was trying to leave a terrible tragedy behind.
They became friends and eventually swapped partners for one evening.
The one woman who didn't want to become a mother at all,became pregnant.
The other woman was full of envy,because she desperately wanted a child.
And unbeknownst to them,someone else was there that night and saw it all.
For a lonely.teenager like Low,who had no friends and was involved with both women,one more than the other,this was a desperate time for her.
This story is full of twists and turns and a very satisfactory read.
Thank you to Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review and to Robyn Harding for writing such an enjoyable book.

This was an excellent drama/thriller that kept me on my toes the whole time. Exquisite character development and tons of surprises make it an entertaining and insightful read.

5 stars! A former social media star and her professional hockey player husband “swap” partners for a night with Jamie and Brian— an average middle class couple. What could or go wrong? Then there’s Low the introvert with no friends but an interest in art and photography. A fast read with enough tension, twists, and turns. Highly recommend! Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a wildly disturbing psychological book. From Low and Jaimie obsession with Freya to Freya abuse of her own husband, it touched all tenets of abuse. Well written but very hard to read as beautiful was simply a facade for emotionally detached.

Robyn Harding loves to write twisty, dark, domestic suspense stories about taboo subjects. The themes highlight her character's forbidden indulgences, and makes you feel slightly naughty for reading about them. This book, The Swap, is about spouse-swapping, and the devastation that it causes is as awful and squirm-inducing as you'd expect it to be.

All of the characters are unlikeable and I despised all of them, but the story is un-put-downable... which is why it's a fantastic book. All of them made very bad decisions and there were so many times that I thought, "No! You DIDN'T JUST DO THAT." or "Why do you let her treat you like that!?"

The most vile character of them all is Freya, who manipulates everyone as a pawn in the game that's in her head. She uses everyone in her life to her advantage. She is superficial, selfish, conceited, and exerts devious influence especially for her own advantage.

This book is about sociopaths, narcissists, betrayal, grief, toxic friendships, motherhood, voyeurism, obsession, stalking, polyamory, self-esteem, loneliness, and marriage. It's twisty, unpredictable, and the ending caught me by surprise. This is my favorite of Robyn Harding's books so far, and one of the best domestic suspense stories that I've read in a while. I highly recommend it.