WOW. I’ve been a fan of Robyn Harding for awhile. I love her writing style and the woman can spin a good mystery for sure. The Swap was her best book yet in my opinion.

All of the characters and their complicated relationships with each other were so well fleshed out. I particularly loved the relationship between Low and Freya: two deeply complicated and flawed individuals. The storyline was compelling enough that I finished it in less than a day.
4.5 stars, rounded up to 5. I will post a more in depth review on my Instagram and goodreads closer to pub date. Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this one early.

Women’s intense sisterhood to make them open minded to swap their husbands! I hooked you with this sentence, didn’t I?

This is an equation with multiple variables.

FREYA: is the center, short time actress, long time instagram influencer, blond, petite, cute, sexy.

Freya meets with Low( outcast teenage, short for Swallow, yes, she is living with polygamous, hippie family but her name comes from bird, stop blurting out wrong ideas!) Low falls in love with Freya.

Freya married with ex-hockey star Max. Of course Max loves her wife even though it’s one of the most painful experience to love Freya (you’re gonna understand what I mean during your reading.)

Freya befriends Jamie who is trying to get pregnant and lately became a victim of surrogate mother scam, opening a unique antique shop at the island. She attaches with Freya deeper than she thinks.

Of course Jamie’s nerd, sci-fi novels author husband Brian is attracted by Freya, She is easy going, friendly, genuine woman, isn’t she?

Everybody loves Freya… Everybody worships the ground she walks. If she becomes cult leader, they follow her without thinking a second as her brainwashed admirers.

As Freya becomes besties with Jamie, poor Low gets resentful and jealous to be left behind, delivering Freya those magical mushrooms for couples’ gathering night.

Two couples are ready to be stoned. (Because Freya told them it would be fun and no one could reject anything she offered, right?) And Jamie gets dizzy and passes out but when she opens her eyes, she finds Max climbs on her. Yes, she is in bed with Freya’s husband and Max tells her Jaime’s husband is also having sex with Freya. Welcome to the swingers’ world!

So Jamie climbs out the bed, running out from the room, going downstairs and finding the guest bedroom, stopping her husband before doing anything. NOPE! WRONG SPOILER! She doesn’t do anything to stop Max! And the next day, she thinks it was all dream because everybody acts like nothing has happened. A few days later, she gathers her strength to ask her husband if he had an affair with Freya and he says “no”! She must trust her husband, doesn’t she? But don’t worry, only one person knows the truth. Dear female Joe Goldberg a.k.a Low watched them outside during their special gathering!

Maybe the couples can forget everything and move on their lives. But where does Brian really go in the middle of the day? Why is Max’s face and body covered in bruises like he’s been abused? And why Freya keeps her pregnancy secret from Jamie?

I’m stopping here not to blurt out more about the secrets, schemes, lies and twists.
This book made me going back and forth between 3 and 4 stars. It was mysterious, fast pacing, entertaining!
And I like the author’s provocative approach to the marriage institution, infidelity, monogamy. This book questions dangerous territories as like: masochism, unhealthy relationship patterns, violence, abuse, narcissism, infertility, sociopathic behavior, social media voyeurism, obsession.

The pacing, the story’s progression, final twists, powerful ending are the strengths of the book.
But the characterization really failed me. I couldn’t get why all those people are deeply enchanted with the magic of Freya. I got Low’s crush part because she was young, inexperienced and neglected. She tried to find her place in the world and she struggles with her sexual awakening and her preferences. But those three adults acted like moron from the beginning and they were so easy to manipulate and deceive. I didn’t like any of them. I wanted to roll their hairs and hit their heads to the wall!

So at the end: I’m giving 3.5 stars and rounding them up to 4 because the author chose a hard subject and even though her characters deserved to get so many awards for being the worst despicable and brainless literature characters, I still enjoy the writing, thrilling revelations and satisfying ending.

I truly loved this book more than Arrangement and I plan to read more works of this author.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Gallery/Scout Press for sharing this one of the most anticipated ARCS in exchange my honest review.

This novel is told from multiple POVs, however, the most frequent narrators are Low, Freya, and Jamie. Low is finishing up her senior year in high school and is a social outcast. The poor girl literally has no friends. Freya and her husband Max have recently moved to the island to basically hide away from everyone. Max used to be a famous hockey player and Freya was a big-time social media influencer. Now they live in a gorgeous home in the woods and Freya has posted an advertisement for pottery classes. Then there are Jamie and Brian. Brian is a writer and Jamie has opened a small mercantile store in town. They are the newest residents who decided to pick up and move to the small coastal town in hopes that more peace and quiet would help them finally conceive. 

As the blurb states, Freya and Jamie become fast friends after Jamie and Brian move to town. Their husbands get along very well also. Everything is great until they decide to get high and as the title suggests, swap partners for the evening. As anyone could guess, the feelings and emotions that follow were anything but carefree and nonchalant. What seemed like a harmless night of fun ends up causing more issues than I dare to list. But this is only part of the novel.

Low is obsessed with Freya. I mean, obsessed with a capital O with Freya's beauty, talent, and so on. Low has been sort of ambiguous about her sexuality and sexual preferences, but once meeting Freya, it becomes very clear that Freya is what she wants, in whatever context that she can have her. So this needy, flighty, self-centered woman that is years older than Low, decides to befriend Low and confide in her about her life. All of this is well and good until Low notices that Freya has started spending more time with Jamie, and then that's when the crazy really starts to rear its ugly head. 

So yes, this is about two couples deciding to switch things up for the night, thus having to deal with the aftermath. But this is also a journey into the minds of three women as things start to slowly unravel in their lives. It's about obsession, jealousy, sneakiness, vindictiveness, and much more. If I were to label any of the characters as likable or relatable, I guess my thoughts would immediately go to Jamie. Max and Brian weren't awful but neither really impressed me either. As far as Low and Freya, I will just let you read for yourself and see if you find any ways to sympathize/empathize with either character or if they just creep you out. 

The Swap is a fantastic, edge-of-your-seat read. I'm not exactly sure I agree with its labels of mystery, thriller, etc. but it will absolutely keep you guessing. If you love books that are like a train wreck happening slowly over a few hours, then this is your next read! The writing was amazing, intelligent, and Harding truly brought each of these unique characters to life. 

*Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery/Scout Press for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I truly enjoyed this dark, twisted thriller from Robyn Harding, an author I keep hearing good things about. If all of her novels are as good as this one, I’m definitely interested in picking up more books by her. The title of the novel gives you the main plot point from which the entire novel really grows. While swapping spouses may sound fun, this book shows it can take a dark turn. I loved how well the characters were written. They were described so fully that this read more like a movie playing out in my head. I could easily see this being optioned for a film later on. It’s incredibly strong and even though the story takes a breath here and there, you will find yourself marveling at the twists up to the very end. Overall, an excellent read.

This story starts out with a character that seems to be socially awkward. She is needy and wants to be accepted for herself. She is befriended by a woman who in the beginning seems to accept her and be her friend. The friendship turns toxic and spirals out of control.

The Swap
by Robyn Harding
Gallery Books
Gallery/Scout Press
Mystery & Thrillers , Women's Fiction

This book kept my attention! Will recommend this to our thriller readers.
Thanks to Gallery Books and Net Galley for the ARC.

The swap is an awesome domestic “thriller” a lot like B. A. Paris new book, the dilemma. It just wasn’t a thriller but I absolutely the book anyway! This is one I’m glad to own a copy of!!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Robyn Harding has another winner! I was intrigued with her 2019 book, "The Arrangement."

Now, in 2020, she's given us "The Swap". Again, it has twists and turns you don't see coming. The characters, and there are only six, are well crafted. At different times, I liked and loathed all of them . . . . . except the baby. Robyn takes us down roads we think are familiar, only to slam on the brakes and take us on a detour to who knows where.

The story of "The Swap" is not a new one. The way Harding tells it makes the theme fresh and exciting.

A night of drinking and drugs leads to two married women swapping their husbands for the night. What could go wrong? Told from multiple points of view the story weaves a tale that you are never really sure what tale is the true one. It's a captivating thriller that kept me turning the pages. One I would recommend you read by the pool or at the beach.

Thank you to Netgalley and Galley Scout Books for the review copy for my honest opinion.

The lady can write!!!!!!!!

Ms. Harding has done it again. A riveting suspenseful story designed to keep you glued to your seat. Ten stars to this author in all categories--writing, plot, characters. Why did the book have to end?

Highly highly recommend,

3.5/5 Although this is being hyped as a thriller, I found it more like a family drama where everyone comes with a ton of baggage. I didn't particularly find anything shocking or surprising, but I did think most of the characters were a little odd/off. None of them really felt like real people. They all seemed to only have interactions with one or two other people in their lives and they made decisions that didn't seem normal at all. It was an easy and entertaining book though, so there's that.

If you enjoy dark, twisted thrillers, then "The Swap" is the book for you! Robyn Harding crafts a spellbinding tale of seduction, paranoia, and deceit. As you read, your idea of the "bad guy" will change with each chapter. I wouldn't say this is a fun book to read, but it will definitely keep your attention!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

As far as Robyn Harding's upcoming novel The Swap is concerned, no one’s talking about a BOOK swap, that’s for sure!!

Low is a lonely high school senior who is either ostracized or ignored by her peers. Living on a small island in the Pacific Northwest with her polyamorous parents and their lovers, she keeps hoping something better will come along and take her away from her boring life.

And then she meets Freya, a beautiful, ethereal blonde offering pottery classes to anyone interested. Low jumps at the chance to spend time with this woman, whom it turns out is married to a handsome former pro hockey player. They spend a lot of time together and Low feels seen, feels appreciated for the first time. Freya tells Low she's the only person who understands her, tells her how special she is to her.

But when Freya meets Jamie, a woman closer to her in age, the two hit it off, leaving a jealous Low to seethe on the sidelines. Jamie and her husband have moved to the island to recover from the anguish of not being able to have a baby.

One wild night when the two couples are enjoying some illegal substances, Freya proposes swapping spouses. They don’t plan to speak about it again—and everything goes off the rails from there.

Harding throws in some good twists so I’ll leave my plot summary here. Suffice it to say there’s all the betrayal, double crossing, manipulation, and melodrama you’d expect, and even some you don’t. She is great at keeping you hooked!!

NetGalley, Gallery Books, and Scout Press gave me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!

The book publishes June 23.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. Freya moves into town and manipulates her way into the lives of Jamie and Low (Swallow). She also tricks Jamie and her husband into swinging for the night. This book was weird and not sure I could recommend it. #theswap #robynharding

Low (short for Swallow, the name given to her by her hippie parents) is a lonely, isolated teen who meets Freya when she signs up for her pottery class outside of school. Wait, let me back up just a bit. Low sees Freya come into the school to hang up a flyer for her pottery classes and falls hard core girl crushing on the beautiful, glamorous Freya. So Low signs up. Good or bad., Well, as far as Low's decision to take the pottery class and become friends with Freya.... I will leave you to decide but I had to keep reading this addicting, mind spinning book.

Their friendship develops, which is kind of interesting because they are two main characters that are hard to actually like. Relate to them, at times? Yes, I can relate to them at times as I think they represent some of our (humanity's) worst traits: our selfishness and insecurities. They are much easier to hate/dislike that to relate to, which I think is part of the points that Robyn Harding is making in The Swap. Holding these characters out in front of us like mirrors into our souls: our selfish deeds and thoughtless words wrapped up in societal manners. Hmmm... That is making me think way too hard, could write a long paper on this part of the book and how it got me to reflect on the shallowness of social media and superficial friendships.

But...I digress from the plot... so here you go... (back to The Swap)

When Freya befriends someone new to town, it makes Low feel threatened and jealous. Jamie and her husband seem really nice. One night, there's a fancy smancy swap between Freya, Jamie and their two husbands... and Low finds out. Which is not good news at all. The remaining part of the story is intense and easy to imagine.

Writing is impeccable as well as addictive! I would love to read part two of this book though. There was plenty of closure, but it would be interesting to see where the characters were say in 5 or 10 years after some time had passed. Told from different perspectives, which really helped see the character's motivation.

Definitely highly recommend this one!

Thank you to NetGalley, Robyn Harding and Gallery Press for this temporary digital advance review copy of The Swap for me to read and enjoy. As always, my opinions are my own.

This was an easy read, finished it in a day. I didn't love the characters but I don't think I was supposed to! Twisted but I think I expected something even darker, which is probably my fault. I predict this will be a hit this summer!

The Swap is the third book that I have read by Robyn Harding. Like The Party and The Arrangement, it did not disappoint. Fast paced and drama filled, The Swap captures readers and keeps them guessing from beginning to end. Definitely recommend!

This was a fun read book. An interesting mixture of plots and subplots keeps the reader interested. Along with an interesting ending. This is a book which I would recommend to others.

For those of you that have been following my books for a while, you might know that my favorite author is Robyn Harding. She’s the author of The Party, Her Pretty Face, and I RAVED about last year’s, The Arrangement. Once again, I was fortunate enough to receive an advanced copy of her latest book, The Swap. Let me be the first to tell you that Robyn has done it AGAIN!!! I’m not even sure which I loved more...The Swap or The Arrangement!!
Here’s the plot:
Low is a high school senior who signs up for pottery classes taught by the glamorous and “perfect” Freya. Low quickly falls under her spell, almost becoming obsessed with Freya. Low will do just about anything for Freya…and Freya is well aware of this and pretty much takes full advantage of Low. Low is young and probably unsure about her sexuality, so these feelings for Freya teeter between friendship and love/infatuation.
Jamie, a young 30 something woman, also walks into Freya’s pottery studio and becomes fast friends with Freya. Jamie and her husband have desperately tried for years to have a child of their own, but unfortunately have not had any success.
One night the friends and their husbands get together for a night of fun (leaving Low in the dust). One thing leads to another and things really get out of hand, changing their lives forever. (I won’t spoil it for you here!!) What will come of all of this and how will Low be sure that Freya is hers forever??
The book is told through several character points of view and it just flows together so nicely. With each view of the story, the reader is really able to really see and hear all the characters take on the events happening throughout the book.
I loved this book from the very first sentence! Just when I think Robyn Harding can’t outdo herself, she does it again!

Overall, I thought this was good. Not great, but good. The first half of the book was SO well done, but then the second half lost momentum for me. I felt like there was a huge build up for the plot, but then not a lot really happened. It was like the first half was plot driven, then the second half was character driven - there was just a big disconnect. However, I loved the setting and I loved how the author wrote about an alternative lifestyle (i.e. polyamorous). It was an interesting perspective. This would make a good book club read. 3.5/5 stars.