Title: The Switch

Author: Beth O’Leary

Content Warnings: character death, cancer, sex, sexual jokes, infidelity, depression, anxiety

Rating: 4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Unspoilery Blurb
A year after the death of her sister, Leena has been dealing with the loss by overworking and not stopping in her crazy life in Shoreditch, London. When she begins to fall apart at work, she is forced to take time off for herself.

Leena’s grandma, Eileen, is tired of feeling old and has decided to start looking for a significant other after her tedious husband cheated on her months ago. The problem is that there are not very many good options in the small town where she lives.

When the two ladies decide to switch lives for two months, Leena takes time away from the city to relax in her grandmother’s house and Eileen tries her luck at dating and socializing in the big city. As the two navigate the world of nosy neighbors, friendly flatmates, and confusing romances, Leena and Eileen learn how taking chances can be good for both of them.

Unspoilery Review
This was a super cute book! I really enjoyed reading both the points of view, and I found the plot entertaining! This didn’t feel quite like a typical romantic comedy because of its quirks and fun storyline, and it was refreshing! I recommend this book to anyone looking for an easy, sweet read that deals with overcoming loss and taking care of oneself.

There were such great side characters in this book! I feel like I really got to know all the people in the countryside! It was fun to see them all interacting at the neighborhood watch meetings, and I had a great time planning the May Day festival with them as well! Arthur was the sweetest old man, and I loved getting to know Jackson and his dog, Hank! Leena’s friends in London were also amazing, and I loved getting to know Bee, Fitz, and Martha. They all had such great personalities, and they played such an important role in Eileen and Leena’s stories. It was also interesting to see Marian, Leena’s mother, and explore how she has dealt with the loss of one daughter and anger from the other.

Leena was clever and determined, but she has had a rough time since the death of her sister. I loved seeing Leena grow and overcome her grief in this novel through hard work, laughter, and friendship. It was entertaining to experience Leena meeting with all the elderly people in rural Yorkshire, and I loved watching her start to relax! Leena’s little love triangle between her boyfriend from London and her family friend in the country was well done and enjoyable to read!

Eileen was witty and crafty. She knew what she wanted, and she would do anything to make it happen. I loved getting to know Eileen better and see her really shine in London. She is such a sweet, outgoing elderly woman, and I loved that she had a wonderful adventure! It was so great to see Eileen interacting with all of Leena’s young friends and helping them through difficult times in their lives. Eileen had such a great time dating in London, and it was entertaining to see how everything changed by the end of the book.

I hope you all read and enjoy this entertaining and sweet book!

I am always having trouble liking romance novels, they usually feel so tacky, stereothypical, predictable with characters so unnatural and unrealistic. But then The Flat Share happened and I was surprised with how much I enjoyed it, so I just had to grab The Switch as soon as I saw it. And yes, it had the same endearing chatacteristics as The Flatshare: such sweetness, such warmth and fuzziness it leaves you with. The Switch mixes two perspectives and two lives, life of a grandmother and a granddaughter. They decide to switch their lives, their living spaces, friends and contacts to try to change their lives and come up with something new. It is a story generally about love, finding love in an older age, love that looks like love but isn't that at all. About grief and coping, wellbeeing, sickness and coming to terms with loss. About friendships, the comparison of living in the city and in the country. About family ties and love within a family. The characters are lively, lifelike, lovable, the plot is fast paced, interesting, fun and not lacking more meaningfull elements either. The audiobook is perfectly read by two actressess, well performed, showing the different perspectives in a dynamic way. In conclusion, Beth O'Leary is my go-to romance novel author.
Thank you @netgalley for providing this lovely audio book for review.

Reminiscent of the movie “The Holiday,” this novel is a dual-perspective of a young woman who has been through grief and her grandmother who also needs a change. They decide to switch places to get out of their respective ruts.

The narrators were each fantastic, and I really liked the choices made in terms of how phone calls sounded, etc. While I did like this more than The Flatshare, I still found the story fairly slow in pace and a little boring. However, I do think it has an audience and will recommend it for sure.

This was a fun, light romp. Listening to the audiobook was great. The dual narration was fantastic. Both narrators gave such heartfelt, dramatic readings, the book came alive for me.

I loved everything about this book. The story was cute, possibly far fetched, but still lovey. The characters were so charming and endearing. I love the familial relationships that were written so beautifully even when they were strained. The narrators were perfection! They were perfectly cast for the book and their reading and delivery made this book even better. Loved it all so much. Beth O’Leary is such a gifted author with romance and relationships.

I absolutely loved this book.
I loved the humor, but honestly all the emotions. It was at times sad, but other times I was laughing out loud.
The character development from beginning to end was impressive, and I really enjoyed the side characters as well. O'leary really showcased community and family, as well as ones individualism and strength as a person. I would definitely recommend reading this one if you haven't already.

I absolutely adored The Flatshare, and was thrilled to see a new release by Beth O'Leary. She has an incredible talent for writing quirky characters and charming British humour - two things that make for a fun, absorbing contemporary romance.

The Switch started out a little slow for me, as it took me a while to get invested into the characters' lives. But once I got about 1/4 of the way through the story, I was hooked. I loved the concept of a grandmother and granddaughter switching lives, especially when the characters end up in "unconventional" situations, i.e. 79 year-old Eileen engaging in a whirlwind romance in London, and twenty-something Leena moving to a sleepy village where the talk of the town is a dog that's gotten loose.

Although both characters do have romantic relationships (which are equally fun in their own ways), my favourite part of the story was actually the relationship between Leena, Eilieen and Lena's mother/Eileen's daughter. If you are a fan of Beth O'Leary's writing, and enjoy small-town settings (think Stars Hollow - there was a character that I could not imagine as anyone other than Taylor Doose), this would be a great book to pick up! The audio version was fantastic. I loved the narrators for both Leena and Eileen, and thought they did an amazing job of portraying the characters.

The Switch provided the perfect escape from quarantining. When Leena and her grandmother need to escape, they switch places. Leena tackles small town life while her grandmother tackles internet dating. The audiobook was worth a listen and switched back and forth between two narrators to reflect both Leena and her grandmother's point of view.

The narration on this audiobook is fantastic. Daisy Edgar Jones and Alison Steadman bring life to the two main characters in such a wonderful way that I missed their voices when it was the other's turn to narrate. For example, when Daisy spoke for Alison's character.

Apart from the narration, I didn't find this book that enjoyable. I went into it wanting a nice contemporary romance, but there was a lot of drama in the beginning and then it was just slightly boring.

I was so happy to get this audiobook from NetGalley, and I immediately recognized one of the narrators – Daisy Edgar Jones played Marianne in Normal People on Hulu! I really loved the narrators – I thought they fit the characters perfectly. However, I found the story to be kind of boring; nothing really happened. There were also a lot of side/secondary characters that was initially a little difficult to keep track of on audio. I really wish there was more on the relationship between grandmother and granddaughter, but the stories were largely separate,

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Macmillan and NetGalley for providing me with the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This book is about the “switch” between a spry septuagenarian grandma ,Eileen and her twenty something granddaughter Leena.

Leena is the quintessential overachiever and workaholic but struggling with panic attacks and anxiety issues. Due to this predicament much to her dismay she gets a two month leave from work.

This paid leave from work paved way for Eileen and Leena to switch their homes from quaint village life to the fast paced city life and vice versa. The whole story is weaved around this switch which has a mix of romance and finding themselves in the midst of it all.

I really warmed up and instantly liked Eileen and her feisty demeanour, it was also quite interesting to read about her finding love and being a happy go lucky ,unbridled from the situations around her. Albeit, Leena didn’t quite connect with me and I wasn’t much invested with her part of the story.

I did not like the book as much as I had envisaged but I am looking forward to read more from the author.

2.5 rounded to 3 stars.

The audio version of this book was just not working for me. I struggled to follow along. The readers were very monotone. I have heard amazing things so I look forward to getting my hands on a hard copy so I can truly sit and indulge and give this the review it deserves.

The Switch by Beth O’Leary is a fun and interesting audiobook to listen to. The story is endearing with its multigenerational cast of characters who have a host of quirky personalities. As well, both narrators are engaging to listen to and really bring the story to life.

I have really been in the mood for some lighthearted reading right now and The Switch really fits the bill. While there are some issues that both Leena and Eileen are struggling with, there are so many warm and humorous aspects to the story that make this book really enjoyable. It is hard to pick a favourite, but hearing about Eileen’s experiences online dating are laugh-out-loud at times.

❀ EILEEN IS A FAVOURITE

Eileen is definitely a favourite character in the book as she quickly adapts to city life in her granddaughter’s apartment. The way she inspires the people in the building to come together and create a common space for gathering is admirable. She is a down-to-earth woman who seems to help everyone, even if it is sometimes a bit meddlesome.

❀ WELL-NARRATED AUDIOBOOK

The narration of this audiobook is also quite well-done. Having two narrators to give the perspectives of Leena and Eileen really gives depth to the characters. If you are familiar with the actresses, Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People) and Alison Steadman (Pride and Prejudice, Orphan Black), you are in for a real treat. Alison Steadman brings so much life to Eileen’s character and I couldn’t imagine reading this book any other way.

❀ ENJOYABLE CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

Fans of contemporary romance and multigenerational stories will really enjoy The Switch by Beth O’Leary. It is a heartfelt story that will bring out lots of emotions. I highly recommend this well-narrated audiobook.

A bright and breezy story if you want a light easy read. It’s predictable, however, the storyline of the switch was a fun idea.

Eileen is in her 70s and Leena, her granddaughter, is approaching her 30s. Both are in somewhat of a quandary in their lives, so why not “switch” them for a short break? Leena’s stressful and busy London life and Eileen’s tranquil Yorkshire Dales life couldn’t be more opposite and just what the other needs.

A tale of family tragedy, unfaithful men, finding happiness and lots of shenanigans from grandma! If I’m honest, I did feel a little uncomfortable reading about grandma’s love life, although, it was amusing in parts. Also loved that she called her cats Ant and Dec!

I did however, find both the narrators a bit irritating so think I would have enjoyed this more in print.

I really enjoyed the Flatshare by the same author, although this isn’t as good in my opinion.

OH MY GOSH!! I can't even stand how adorable this book was! Got a copy of the audiobook (Great audiobook btw.. loved the two narrators) via Netgalley, but I will be picking up a Hard Copy for my collection! This book has cemented Beth O'Leary as an auto-buy author for me! I loved the idea of this book and it lived up to my expectations! I love that Beth (first name basis lol) write multi-generational, I have forever hung out with "old" people #grannyatheart and love that they are represented in her books!

Loved the ending! Loved everything honestly!

Beth O'Leary wins our hearts all over again. After thoroughly enjoying The Flatshare, I was nervous that I would not enjoy her follow-up novel. But no worries, I really enjoyed it. The Switch is a perfect stay home, pandemic read.

Summary

Leena Cotton, an overworked overachiever, is forced to take a two-month sabbatical after bombing a big work presentation. She retreats to her grandmother Eileen's house for some overdue rest. Eileen, 79 years old and newly single/abandoned by her trash husband, would like a second chance at life and love, but her small Yorkshire village doesn't offer many qualified and age-appropriate gentlemen.

After learning of her grandmother's romantic goals, Leena proposes a solution: a two-month swap. Eileen will live in London in Leena's place and look for a bit of a romantic adventure. At the same time, Leena will take care of everything back home in her grandmother's community in Yorkshire Dales and the tiny village of Hamleigh-in-Harksdale.

Lenna navigates medaling and gossiping neighbors, tackles long avoided and complicated dynamics with her mother, and her long-neglected emotional health. Grandma Eileen lives her best (and steamy) life with Leena's trendy London flatmates and online dating.

Eileen and Leena learn some valuable lessons about life, love, and themselves.

Review

The Switch is a funny and lovely tale about finding yourself and even romance at any age. Set in contrasting locations with related women in very different times of their lives, The Switch is whimsical while feeling plausible.

The Cotton women (Leena, her mother, and her grandmother) are still grieving the loss of her sister, a loss that has resulted in an estrangement with Leena's mother. Both Eileen and Leena are strong personalities and forces of nature in their community. These community leaders and organizers give us many pages of story to help find a little joy and peace during the crazy that is 2020.

O'Leary confirms she is a charming and witty storyteller whose humor I can vibe with. She crafts beautiful worlds that I now find that I love exploring. She isn't afraid of a non-traditional storyline or set of characters that you can't but help adore.

Comments on Narration for Audiobook Listeners

The voice actor did a solid job. The acting was neither annoying nor a distraction. The narrator was emotive, clear, and consistent. There was a quirky over the phone audio sound change when the characters would talk on the phone, which some might find annoying, but I actually like. Overall solid, and if your preference is for Audiobooks, I think you won't have any material issues or complaints with The Switch.

Steamy Rating

Since this technically falls under Romance in some categories, we should note the steam levels for the sex/intimacy scenes: They are mostly on the part of the grandmother, which is awesomely inclusive. No long and drawn out thirst bucket scenes, which I prefer because I don't vibe with literature that reads like porn. The steam makes sense and does not feel forcefully and endlessly inserted into the narrative.

The thing I loved most about the book was the fantastic simplicity of it all. And while that may sound strange, I think it's my favorite thing about the author in general. The writing flows so wonderfully and the characters are son natural and charming and had such great chemistry with each other.

The story follows Leena and Eileen, as they switch lives for two months. For Leena, a twenty-something dealing with the death of her sister, it's a chance to rest and reset her mind. For Eileen, Leena's 79-year-old grandmother, it's a chance to have one more adventure.

Last year, I read The Flat Share by Beth O'Leary and greatly enjoyed it and I am so glad I got to read this one as well. The author does a wonderful job of writing about mundane things in such an intriguing way.

I have to admit that while I loved both the characters, I liked Eileen much more than Leena. I preferred her POV and wished to spend more time with her. I actually would get a bit disappointed when we switched back to Leena.

That said, Leena's POV wasn't bad or anything. I loved her interactions with all the village people. I never would have thought that reading about the casual lives of elderly folks would be so entertaining.

Unfortunately, as I said, I didn't much love Leena's story the way I did Eileen. Near the end, it felt like Leena wasn't told that this was, for some odd reason,  marketed as a romance novel only realize it at the last second then promptly rush to have some sort of romantic moment with someone that should have remained her friend.

But, I digress.

The characters were generally wonderful.

And since I received this ARC as an audiobook, let me just tell you that I absolutely loved the narrators. I'm biased so I liked Eileen's narrator just a little bit more. But, don't get me wrong, both did a fantastic job at reading and I highly recommend listening to the audiobook.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. Not as much as the author's previous book, The Flat Share, but still a good read.

Leena's been forced to take a sabbatical from work after having a panic attack during an important presentation and goes to visit her grandmother Eileen. They then decide to switch lives for two months. Leena will take her grandmother's place in her Yorkshire village and Eileen will look for love and have an adventure in London.

This book is full of wonderful characters that are completely human. Beth O'Leary has a way of writing characters that make them feel so real, as the reader actually knows them. While there is romance it's not at the forefront of the novel. This book centers on Leena and Eileen's individual journeys of self-discovery, dealing with grief, gaining a new perspective, and being a better version of themselves. This book is emotional and made me feel all the feels, I laughed. I cried. I enjoyed this book immensely. I loved that it's written in dual perspectives because we really get inside Eileen and Leena's heads and experience the world that they're in.

I listened to the audiobook. The voice actors did an amazing job of bringing Eileen and Leena to life.

TW: loss of a loved one

Leena Cotton is a problem solver. As a business consultant, she is at the top of her game. Until she has a major meltdown in a client presentation. Her boss looks at her record and sees that she hasn’t taken much personal time, and she orders her to take a 2-month sabbatical to get her head in a better place.

Eileen Cotton, Leena’s grandmother, is a 79-year-old, suddenly single woman. After her husband of decades ran off with a dancing teacher, Eileen finds herself alone again and ready for a new adventure.

When Leena goes to visit her grandmother to get sympathy for what happened at work, she finds her grandmother making a list of the all the single, age-appropriate men in her small village. Leena takes a look at the slim pickings there and sets her grandmother up for online dating. When the options nearby are still pretty thin, Leena has an idea—for the next two months, her grandmother can take her place in London and date men there, and Leena can stay in her grandmother’s cottage in Leeds and take over all her responsibilities.

Leena knows she can handle whatever her grandmother usually does, except maybe for one thing. Taking care of Leena’s mother. Leena has barely spoken to her since her sister died of cancer the year before. It had been a really difficult time for them both, and the very different ways they’ve dealt with their grief has isolated them further. But now, Leena has promised her grandmother she would check in on her mother, so she adds that to her list of things to do, along with the neighborhood watch and helping put on the village festival.

Meanwhile in London, Eileen struggles to overcome her fear of the big city and fights her loneliness to figure out what she needs to spice up her life. As she gets to know Leena’s roommates and best friend, and as her online dating profile starts to get some interest, Eileen remembers herself as a young woman, wanting to come to London and change the world.

As both women become acclimated to their new homes, they are forced to face their fears and feelings and everything that has been holding them back from tier true selves. But the weeks they spend in a new place brings them both back to their truest selves and help them finds new ways to serve their friends and neighbors.

The Switch is a charming novel about the things we lose along the way in life and how a journey to find ourselves can bring huge rewards and unexpected surprises. Beth O’Leary’s sophomore novel is a warm and wonderful celebration of life and all its small miracles.

I listened to the audio book of The Switch, which is narrated by Alison Steadman and Daisy Edgar-Jones as the voices of Eileen and Leena. The book goes back and forth between the two characters, and the narrators bring both stories to life with personality and charisma. Having two narrators makes it easy to fix yourself in the story of each character. When you hear Eileen, you know you’re back in London, and when you hear Leena’s voice, you find yourself back in Yorkshire. It’s a lovely way to experience this story, and I highly recommend it!

I really loved The Switch. I was so impressed with these women and how hard they work to better their lives as well as the lives of those around them. Watching them both find their centers again and reach out to those hurting around them was enchanting and inspiring, and I loved every word of this fun, soulful story.

A copy of the audiobook for The Switch was provided by Macmillan Audio through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Thank you Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for the Advance Listening Copy of The Switch in exchange for a review.

Content Warning: Emotional/Mental abuse.

I enjoyed listening to this book so much, that I kept coming up with excuses to continue listening - lengthening my walk, taking the long way home when I returned home from my weekly errand run. Not enough time for my audiobooks and podcasts sure makes me miss my commute (on the other hand, I'm loving the extra sleep, and extra non-work productivity hours).

The book is told in dual POV. There's Leena, a workaholic in her mid-to-late 20s, and then you have her grandmother, Eileen, who is 79 years old, and ready to start dating again. Loved how the narrators brought each of the characters to life.

It all begins with Leena, who has been struggling to stay afloat since the death of younger sister 18 months earlier, being forced to take an eight-week sabbatical, after a panic attack during an important work presentation. At a lost, she visits her grandmother that first weekend. Eileen is newly single after her husband runs off with a dance instructor earlier in the year, is ready to start dating again, but there are not that many age appropriate single guys in her small town/village. It is during Leena's visit to Eileen that they decide to completely switch lives for the next two months.

I absolutely loved Eileen, and found her to be refreshing. She seems to be fiery, active, and a go-getter. She's a busybody, but not an offensive one, just enough of one to get things done. She will not let any obstacles get in the way of her getting things done. I love her confidence to try new things.

The book is not only about changing lives and forming a new perspective, or even dealing with uncomfortable situations. It's about repairing the parent-child bond (in this case mother-daughter), finding (emotional) independence, letting go of grievances.