I love romcoms and anything Irish or British, but could not get into this book. Ill try to pick it up again.

The new fiction novel by Beth O’Leary was such a fun lighthearted read especially with a pandemic going on. I just recently started reading books through Netgalley and the synopsis sounded cute… kind of like The Holiday meets Freaky Friday.

After the death of her sister Leena is having trouble with work and is forced to go on a two month sabbatical. She takes the time to visit her grandmother Eileen who at 79 recently lost her husband to an affair. They both decide a change would be good and switch lives for two months. While Eileen goes to London in search of love, Leena stays behind in rural Yorkshire to fix her relationship with her mother that has become strained since the passing of her sister.

I knew this would be a romantic comedy when I started reading it and even though it was predictable I fell in love with the characters. Particularly Eileen. I loved that even though she was nervous about going to the big city she pushed on and was determined to have fun. She was spunky, bold, and never let anyone tell her what to do. What I loved was Beth O’Leary’s way of showing how much fun getting older can be and all the things you can get away with by being that “little old lady”.

I will say that even though the book jumped off quickly it took me a while to become invested in these characters. I listened to this book and the narrators really made this book for me. I loved listening to their voices and felt they added a lot to the characters. I also enjoyed the setting of the quaint countryside in this book. Now that I’ve finished, it’s time to go have a spot of tea and biscuits with a neighbor.

Overall I give this book 4 stars. Definitely pick this up if you loved the movie The Holiday. Beth O’Leary has also written another good book that I’ve heard great things about called The Flat Share. I will definitely be adding it to my TBR (to be read) stack.

A fun, lighthearted read for adults. Readers will fall in love with the characters and long for a visit to England’s countryside. This has the potential to be a series or at least other books about minor characters who intrigue the reader. What a fun book that helps you escape reality!

Thanks to @netgalley for this one— started it on audio but I’m so NOT an audiobook person! I grabbed it from the library and flew through the ending. ⁣
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It’s a cute and charming story of a grandmother and granddaughter switching cities when they’re both in need of some major life changes. It’s 100% predictable but in a fun and enjoyable way, and it even gave me some vibes of The Holiday (my faaaaave movie!). ⁣
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If you like quaint British stories with quirky characters and some heart-tugging moments, this is a story for you!⁣

In theory, I really liked this story idea. So much "The Holiday" vibes... I loved the idea of a romance with a grandma and a second chance at love and dating for her. And it was definitely cute.

I do think it was much sadder and serious than I had hoped, and it took me a looooong time to get through it. It could have been 100 pages shorter, or maybe a little less detail of every single character, thought, scenario, conversation, situation... there was SO much happening, so many characters, and not much excitement to not feel a little draggy.

The audio was a little rough for me. The screechy older voices were tough to listen too. It sounded like everyone had emphysema and way too shrill - like nails on a chalkboard. The grandmother sounded a bit like she was thirsty... I kept hearing dry mouth noises which kinda turned me off. And the faux "phone call" audio - is this technique necessary? Do we really need it? We don't hear a robotic voice when it's email or text, so why make everyone sound like they're in a tunnel, 10,000 miles away, talking with cotton in their mouth when they're on the phone?

I do think it was a fun story, there were a few parts where I laughed out loud, and some cute anecdotes from Grandma, but all around a bit too sad and serious than anticipated or that I typically like, and a bit overly detailed and dry.

This book was such a lovely surprise!
I don't often read contemporary but I gave this one a shot as it was available to me through NetGalley audio. I would recommend this on audio as I found the narrators enjoyable and like listening to good friends. That being said, I did buy this in actual book form for my non-audiobook -listening mom. I feel it's a great read in any form. :)
The Switch follows Eileen and Leena, a grandmother and a granddaughter, both reeling from the loss of Leena's sister and Eileen's granddaughter. We follow the two as they've become accustomed to their lives a year after Carla's death. Leena is living in London, doing her best to survive by avoiding her mother and speaking to her grandmother occasionally on the phone, but remaining buried in work.
Eileen is the picture of a warm grandmotherly type, who just wants the best for everyone and hosts all the family get-togethers. Eileen is one of those competent, caring women who could step into your life, immediately recognize what needs to be done and start to work on it. She proceeds in this fashion in the lives of everyone around her and I got the distinct feeling she elevates the lives of those lucky enough to be close to her.
Eileen and Leena make the switch with Leena moving to her grandmother's cozy home two hours away and Eileen moving into Leena's London flat. All goes as predicted with each woman attempting to navigate the new environment and bumbling along through the other woman's life and relationships but each flourishes in her own way. Leena learns some new self-truths and Eileen gets to explore living a life she dreamed about as a younger person but never got to pursue.
Overall, I loved this book for its warmth and genuine approach to loss. Avoidance is a common emotional response to pain. Leena's avoidance of the feelings related to her mother, in relationship to her sister felt authentic. I wish there had been some mention of attending therapy for grief and loss as this would have been beneficial to Leena but that's really the only concern I had with this book. I would recommend this to anyone needing a funny, cozy fall read. This one just hit the spot.

A charming story about a young woman and her grandmother and their plan to switch places for two months. Leena is on a forced leave of absence after bombing a major presentation at work. Leena’s grandmother, Eileen, is nearly 80, single and ready to mingle. Both feel a change of scenery would do them the world of good. Leena needs peace and tranquility and Eileen is looking to meet eligible men in the big city. Leena is also carrying a lot of resentment towards her mother over the death of her sister and Eileen is convinced that time together will help her daughter and granddaughter resolve those issues. Leena and Eileen both must navigate new surroundings to find their place and purpose.

This story was easy to follow, and I liked Leena and Eileen a great deal. Leena takes after her grandmother in many ways and I enjoyed their interactions. They adjust very well to their respective situations and appear to thrive in their new surroundings. The supporting characters gives the story more depth and a sense of camaraderie and family.

My Final Verdict: A book about grabbing life by the tail and hanging on, relationships, forgiveness and second chances will interest readers of several genres.

This is a new to me author. I really enjoyed this one. I found it to be a fun read and didn't want it to end. I loved the characters and also the writing style. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

This was such a fun book! It reminded me a bit of the movie "In Her Shoes", which I loved! This is the second book I read from Beth O'Leary and it did not disappoint. If you are looking for a fun book to read during this time, then this is the book for you. It is adorable,.

Synopsis: Leena Cotton lives a fast paced life in London where her job is her life. A panic attack at work leads her employer to force Leena to take a 2-month paid leave. She decides to go visit her grandmother who lives in a quaint town. A decision is made by Leena and her grandmother, Eileen to switch lives during this time.

Book review: I really enjoyed the back and forth chapters between Leena and Eileen. I also really enjoyed the experiences both ladies led during their switch. A very cute, predictable story.

Unfortunately, I never felt any emotion for Leena’s mom, which was a big part of both Leena and Eileen’s lives.

Audio review: I appreciated that the narrators were age appropriate. The voice of Eileen had a saliva noise during the recording, which made it very difficult to listen to at times. If I wasn’t invested in the story I would have stopped listening to this book due to the sound.

This is a lovely feel good book. I thoroughly enjoyed the plot and the different perspectives of both the leading female characters. This review is for the audiobook version narrated by Alison Steadman; Daisy Edgar-Jones. Both ladies did great. My only concern is that it was a bit annoying to hear saliva smacking pauses mainly from Alison Steadman but every so often from both too. It also seemed a bit odd when during their chapters they would mimic each other during their dialogues. I don't understand why they couldn't just both be speaking to each other as the book called for it. Overall it is just an okay audiobook. I imagine reading it would be more pleasurable.

4 stars as Women's Fiction
2 stars as a Romance

This book is not a Romance. It just isn't. It's a decent book as General Fiction, although its pace is extremely slow. There were very funny parts and the characters are extremely likable.

The look at grieving the loss of a family member was extremely well done as you get to see the different ways in which three generations of women move through their grief.

There is a slight romantic element which only surfaces in the last few chapters. So if you're here for some steam, this ain't it.

I listened to the Audiobook version of this book. The narrators were both VERY good, although at times the younger narrator spoke a bit too quickly.

I received a free Audio Book version of this title from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I'm thankful that I was able to listen to the <em>The Switch</em> by Beth O'Leary thanks to <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="http://netgalley.com" target="_blank">NetGalley</a>. This cozy read was just what I needed to escape and get away. <em>The Switch</em> was a fun exploration of the differences in the city and village life in England, told from two different generational points of view. The story follows a grandmother and a granddaughter as they wade through a challenging season of life. As they <em>switch </em>living arrangements and experience a little bit of each others' lives, they grow to learn more about each other and most importantly, themselves.</p>

<p>Allison Steadman, a prolific and well respected British actress, gives Ilene a warm and endearing voice as she navigates the big city life in London. Daisy Edgar-Jones, also an established actress, voices the vulnerable Lena as she pulls herself up from a low point in her life and experiences the country life in a tiny Yorkshire village. </p>

<p>I enjoyed O'Leary's breezy storytelling, she did a good job of juxtaposing the surprising similarities in the needs of both generations. Her detailed descriptions of life in the big city as well as the slower village life left me wanting more. I loved the descriptions of the town as Lena went for a jog to clear her mind. O'Leary makes it a point to note that there are (amazing) stories hiding behind each door, whether it's a flat or if it's a cottage in the village. Since this was an audio book, it felt like getting caught up with some old friends. This was the first book that I've read by <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.betholearyauthor.com/" target="_blank">Beth O'Leary</a> and I'm looking forward to reading her other books: <em>The Flatshare</em> and <em>The Road Trip.</em></p>
<p>I just reviewed The Switch by Beth O'Leary. #TheSwitch #NetGalley</p>

Cute enough - but a few too many characters for a reader to fully invest in the way it feels we're meant to. And the chemistry was never fully there for me. Out of all the charming works of a similar ilk, it's perplexing why this is the one chosen for the starry adaptation treatment. Shrug.

The narration, however, is delightful. Appreciate two narrators varied in age, just like our two protagonists.

Leena is doing great in her profession life until she isn’t. After having a panic attack during an important meeting she finds herself being forced to take a 2 month vacation. It’s been a rough couple of years her grandmother Eileen would like Leena to switch places, Leena moving to her grandmothers rural home in Yorkshire o find peace while Eileen goes to London to look for love. Leena finds herself in a little town where everyone knows everyone and where she finds herself unable to fit in like she had hoped.

While trying to take on the roles left by her grandmother, Leena finds herself surrounded by people who knew and loved her sister. This is something that she was struggling with, and being surrounded by people who loved her and speak freely about her hurts. But not as much as the fractured relationship she has with her mother. A relationship Eileen is determined to fix by forcing Lina to exchange places.

Being away from her everyday life, Lina struggles to find her place in the tiny town. While Eileen takes London on with a vengeance, determined to find herself a companion while in town. Everything is going extremely well for Eileen until she sees Lina struggling to fit in. It’s then, that she struggles deciding if she should just go back and relieve Lina of their agreement. But she doesn’t know if doing that will do more bad then good.

Will Lina and Eileen both find the peace, love and forgiveness they both need? Or will they just go back to living life knowing they aren’t truly at peace with their everyday lives?

This book was intriguing, funny, witty, and a feel-good listen. The narrators, Daisy Edgar-Jones and Alison Steadman, were perfectly cast and made the book very enjoyable.
My thanks to Net Galley, the publisher and author for allowing me to listen to an advance recording in exchange for an honest review.

I adored this audiobook!

Leena lives in London and is forced to take 2 months off work and is unsure what to do. Leena and her grandmother Eileen decide to switch lives - Leena going to the country and Eileen going to London.

This book was intriguing, funny, witty, and a feel-good listen. The narrators, Daisy Edgar-Jones and Alison Steadman, were perfectly cast and made the book so enjoyable. They really brought Leena and Eileen to life!

I highly recommend this book and will be buying a copy for my grandma!

When Leena is forced to take a two-month sabbatical from work she head's to her grandmother, Eileen's house in the country for some rest and relaxation. Eileen is 79 and recently divorced. She wants to find love, but doesn't think she can in her small town. Leena and Eileen decide to swap houses for the two months so Eileen has a chance at love and Leena has a chance at some down time.

I always like stories that include swapping houses, and I thought this one was done really well. The fact that it was a grandmother/granddaughter swap is original to me. I loved how feisty Eileen is, and at 79 starting a new dating life was definitely an adventure. She was definitely my favorite character. I liked how both Leena and Eileen interacted with the people in each other's lives in totally different ways and created something out of their living situation.

I listened to the audiobook which I would highly recommend. Both narrators did and excellent job. This is set in England so they do have British accents in case that is something that you don't like, but I really enjoyed it.

If you're looking for a cute read that isn't too serious, you should check this one out. There are some serious parts, but mostly, it was a fun story.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Switch by Beth O’Leary

This lovely little gem of a book is a dual perspective story, alternating between Leena, late twenties-something corporate workaholic and her 79 year-old grandmother Eileen. After both experiencing major loss and subsequent grief, both women are looking for a change, a chance to experience life a little differently for a while. They exchange homes, and lifestyles, for 2 months, and we follow along with “The Switch”.

I absolutely loved the premise. I thought it was cute, quirky, and charming. There’s a lovable cast of characters, feisty seniors, and adorable, although predictable romances. Eileen was definitely my favourite narrator, and her sense of humour was refreshing.

I listened to this on audiobook, I really enjoyed having a separate voice actor for each of the two narrators. It was a book easily followed on audio, and lighthearted enough that I could follow along with the story without getting distracted while completing other tasks.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book for those looking for a charming book covering second-chances, grief, and friendship in unlikely places. Yes, there’s a big cheese factor, but if you’re into that, I think you’d really enjoy it for what it is.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for access to an e-audiobook copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

This audiobook is about a family who lost one of their members. The sister, Lena, and mother, MaryAnn, are floundering in their grief, and the grandmother, Ilene, has become stagnant in her routines. After a meltdown during a work presentation Lena is placed on mandatory leave and decides she needs a change of scenery. She visits her grandmother and during their weekend together they form a plan to switch lives. They learn a lot about each other and about themselves.

I was drawn in from the beginning. I could really connect to the characters. And they did and said things that actual humans might do.

The narrators were spot on. I could easily imagine them in my mind as the characters they represented.

I admit that I increased the speed to x1.25 because it was just a bit to slow of a cadence (especially while listening during running sessions).

I would definitely recommend this book to mature teens and adults.