This book was super fun to listen to. I loved the authentic accents used and the fact that there were 2 narrators. The plot was unique and I laughed way more than once out loud, which was a little awkward since I was at work some of those times! I think that this was far more entertaining to listen to versus reading.

Beth O'Leary returns with another heartwarming and funny story that is enhanced by the excellent dual narration. The two voice actors really nail the characters with Leena's London business accent and Eileen's mature, yet humorous voice. The concept of altering a living situation to force personal change has been done before (even by O'Leary herself) and thus makes the plot somewhat predictable. What makes this story stand out is the focus on using the new scenario to find a way out of grief and into the rest of life. By stepping into each other's lives they "come back together again, not just to each other, but back to ourselves." Bonus: there's also a hunky small-town guy and room for surprise even in old relationships.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC. Unfortunately it was not for me. I had a really hard time connecting with the characters or caring about the plot. I thought the romances were really underdeveloped and the book may have benefited from a little bit of history or something to give us more of a connection to the characters. I liked that this book showed us an older person finding love but I didn’t feel the chemistry. I really didn’t care for either of Lenas love interests. Overall I just never cared about any of this book and I slogged through it so Beth O Leary may just not be the author for me. Also, why did they have to switch cell phones? Dumb.

SPOILERS AHEAD:
Lena and her grandma, Eileen, switch places. Eileen goes to live in the city (London) after her husband leaves her and Lena goes to her grandmas place in the country when she’s forced to take a 2 month break from work. They both get completely immersed in each other’s lives in a way that didn’t feel very realistic. Eileen gathers a bunch of people and starts a hangout for old people. She also has a sex only relationship with a guy she met online dating. Lena works on a May Day parade and meets a guy. She ends up staying in the country to be with him after her grandma finds out her long term boyfriend has been cheating. The grandma ends up with a guy back in the country that was her annoying neighbor.
There’s also the storyline involving lenas mom. She lives in the country and is not coping after the death of Lenas sister. There’s a lot of animosity between Lena and her mom because they don’t agree about her sisters treatment plan. They have a good confrontation scene that was somewhat emotional but could’ve been much more of prior development would’ve been better.

I absolutely LOVED this book, and the audio is A+. British accents and duel narrators--wonderful. This was the perfect light read that I needed right now.

Eileen "Leena" Cotton has a panic attack at work after overworking herself for years. She is forced to take a two month leave, and ends up "switching" lives with her grandmother--the other Eileen Cotton. Eileen in London and Leena in Henley. It's fairly predictable, but that doesn't take away from the joy of the book.

I have had the author's previous book, The Flatshare on my Kindle TBR for a while, and I'm definitely moving it to the top.

When a Grandmother and Granddaughter swap lives and homes for two months, one needing a break from their current life and from the stress and the other wanting to finally get a chance at the life she once wanted to live, they both get an adventure and uncover some part of themselves. The Switch came to me at the exact moment I needed it and was therefore exactly what I needed, cute, wholesome, and oh so fun!. Although it was definitely a light, romantic, contemporary, it went a little deeper with the characters and their backgrounds, however, still keeping to it's light-heartedness that I was really craving. This book does deal with heavy topics of love and loss and although there is absolutely romance within this book, I wouldn't say that those aren't the overall aspects of this book. 

I listened to the audiobook version of the book, thanks to the new NetGalley Audiobook Section, and I must say that I really liked how that narrators presented it. There are two different narrators for this book, one for Eileen and one for Leena. What they did well, which is something that audiobooks often don't do very well, is that the narrators voices were easily to distinguish between. This was needed, one because of the ages of the two characters, which just added and pulled me into the book and story so much easier. The performance felt more real, making the story and overall affect, one of my favourite audiobooks I have listened to in a while. Even down to how phone calls were performed. 

I've already put Beth O'Leary's Future release "The Road Trip" on my TBR list, ready for it's release new year!!

This is a beautiful story about love, family, grief, trauma, anxiety, friendship, betrayal, and community.
The story is told from the perspective of - Eileen (grandmother) and Leena Cotton (granddaughter). 29-year-old Leena Cotton is very successful in her career but for after the death of her sister, she started working day and night to cope up with the loss. Which resulted in 2 months forced Sabbatical from work. Whereas Eileen at age of 79, recently got divorced. She is looking for a second chance in love. Eileen is trying to start dating again but believes that there are not many options available in the town.

"Grandma... what if we swapped? What if I came up and looked after all your projects and you had my flat in Shore ditch and I stayed here?"

They switch houses and routines for two months. Leena move to the town and Eileen moved to London. Leena takes over Eileen’s many activities in the village; Eileen in search of love discovers internet dating in London for the first time which was entertaining. These 2 months in each other’s life changed them in a good way.

The part which touched me the most in the book is about loss and grieve. How people feel when they lose someone very close to them. How they deal and cope up with loss and how life changes for them.

I love all the characters especially Eileen. I recommend this book to those who are in women fiction. It is a light-hearted book with a great story.

As far as the narration is concerned Alison Steadman and Daisy Edgar-Jones narrated the story so wonderfully. I enjoyed both of these narrators and will be looking for other audiobooks they have narrated.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for providing The Switch in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved this one <3

The Switch is a story of grandma and her granddaughter, who switch their homes for a time. Leena, the granddaughter goes to live in rural Yorkshire, to the little town where everybody knows each other. Aileen, the grandma goes to enjoy her life and try the dating scene in London.

It was o lovely :) I adored the grandmother's story from the first few sentences and after a few chapters, I started to love Leena's story arch too. It was really funny with some laugh out loud moments, and just a very precious story. Ideal for summer, or when you just want to feel good.

I really enjoyed the audiobook and narrators were excellent.

What a charming, endearing, delightful book! I am a fan of stories of people switching places, getting out of their rut and chasing their dreams. And this book took a slight twist on this, when 25-year-old Leena decides to swap homes, lives and daily duties with her 79-year-old grandmother Eileen. Leena leaves the high stress life of London, her eclectic group of friends, her lukewarm boyfriend, and her high-stress life, and moves to the small village that she grew up in, where everyone knows everyone else. And Eileen leaves the comfort of her home, predictable routines and nosy neighbours to shake up her days in London, and maybe find a new romantic interest. The shenanigans that ensue for both women are funny and delightful. But don't go into this book thinking that you won't encounter some deeper topics and emotions.

I loved Eileen's spunk, and willingness to grab a situation and make it her own. And the mix of neighbors from her village had me ready to pack my bags for rural England. The narrators, Daisy Edgar-Jones and Alison Steadman, added another layer to this story, bringing these characters to life, and convincing me of the emotions and predicaments, keeping it believable and fun. O'Leary's prose is smooth and relatable, and provided me with the perfect summer read. Highly recommend for those readers who enjoy supportive families, nosy but loveable neighbours, and a bit of love and romance on the side.

I thought this audiobook would be a modern retelling of Freaky Friday based on the title. As I settled in to listen I was pleasantly surprised that it was not. It’s a modern romantic dramedy set in London as well as it’s countryside. The narration is superb and I didn’t feel a female narrator took anything away when portraying the male characters. The story does not drag and there is a lot going on from beginning to end but its easy to follow. The story is told from two vantage points, Lena who is a young career twenty something with her life all planned out but suddenly has hit some bumps in the road. Then theirs Lena’s 70 year old Grandmother Eileen who lives in the countryside and has been left by her husband and is exploring online dating as a way to find love again. The relationship between the two is closer than mother and daughter and during a weekend visit they decide to switch lives. Lena, a workaholic, has been offered an 8 week paid sabbatical after a failed work presentation. The time in the country will allow her to take personal assessment and get a much needed break. Eileen sees this as an opportunity to step out of her comfort zone and dive deep into the dating casual dating.
There are quite a few characters in the story which are part of Lena and Eileen’s life. The background for each was sufficient to get invested in the characters. None of them seemed excessive. The story unfolded in an orderly mannerly. There were moments that were moments that were funny as well as sad (dealing with the sister’s illness and death and grief). All in all this is a well rounded book and a highly recommended read.

This story was exactly what I look for in a book - fantastic relationships, fun romances and awesome family dynamics. Eileen Cotton was a delight. I loved everything about her and would absolutely read more of her story. Leena had remarkable growth and navigation through her grief. The romances were lovely, but I would definitely have enjoyed more exploration of the new relationships at the end of the story. Overall this was a lovely book.

This was a sweet audiobook. I love listening to this from Leena and Eileen as they swap places to live. I liked how they try to make the best of the change. Overall a cute story with a fun cast of characters.

I really enjoyed listening to this book, Having a narrator for the granddaughter and another for the grandmother really made it more vivid. Generally I like books/movies where there is a life swap, but this book really stood out. The grandmother was so fun and full of life, I’d enjoy more stories of her.

This was a great audiobook. Very talented narration added much to the experience of The Switch.. 79 year old Eileen has recently been abandoned by her husband Wade. Eileen begins to reflect on her life before her marriage. Eileen longs to enjoy a fulfilling life in spite of everything that's happened. Her granddaughter, Leena, is experiencing troubles of her own. After a panic attack at work she is forced to take some time off- spending it her grandmother. After comparing recent life events. Leena has the wild idea that the two should switch lives for a bit. .
O'Leary's writing style is humorous and witty, she creates characters that are endearing.
Highly recommend. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to review this audiobook!

I’ve read some mixed reviews of The Switch, Beth O’Leary’s second novel. I loved it, but I can understand that if you go into reading this one expecting The Flatshare part 2, you might be disappointed. This is a very different book, although I feel like the similarities in tone and humor make it clear I’m reading an author who is fast becoming one of my favorites (her next one is about a road trip and I’m so excited!).

Leena is having trouble getting her high-powered career back on track after the death of her sister, and her Grandmother Eileen is trying to find love in her small town after her husband left her for a dance instructor, but the pickings are slim. When Leena has a panic attack in front of a major client, her boss insists she take a 2-month sabbatical. She can’t imagine how she’ll spend the time. Her boyfriend is a workaholic and she can’t bear to focus on the business she and her best friend had planned on starting. On a visit to her grandmother’s, Leena finds Eileen’s list of perspective suitors and has an idea. They should switch places. Leena stay’s in the country to heal and repair the rift in her relationship with her mother, and Eileen goes to London where there are tons of eligible bachelors. Each only agrees because they think the other one needs the switch.

This book is a beautiful celebration of family and life and, yes, there is romance, and I loved both love interests, but, unlike The Flatshare, it’s not the central theme. There are a ton of fun characters in both places that add a lot of spice to the story, but ultimately this book is about Leena and Eileen’s journey to heal, them learning what they need to let go, and learning that sometimes home really is where the heart is.

Thank you so much to @netgalley , @flatiron_books , and the author for the ALC of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. I loved the audio. Both narrators were fantastic (Leena is voiced by Daisy Edgar-Jones from Hulu’s Normal People!) and having their voices guide me through the story enriched the journey so much for me. This one comes out August 18, and I think if you’re looking for a beautiful story celebrating family, you’ll love this one.

Very cute! My first audio book...ever! I must say I did hesitate for a hot second because I wasn't sure if I would like an audio book. Everyone kept saying how amazing this one was and I must agree. It did take me a bit of getting used to at first but once I did...I loved it!

What was not to like about this book?! The Switch..guess what it is about? Yesss! You are right, it is the classic switch. Except this time, it is totally charming, sweet and entertaining. Leena has struggled with the death of her sister. She copes by working..constantly. She has no life other than work. When she is forced to "take a vacation," well she is not a happy camper! What is she going to do with herself for two months? Switch places with her grandmother, that is what she is going to do.

Enter Grandma Eileen...79 years young and looking for fun! She recently got rid of her cheating loser of a husband and is ready to move on. Yesss! Eileen is literally signing up on dating sites. She is such a funny, entertaining character, I truly loved her. You go Eileen! She was rocking those sites! I can't tell you how many times I laughed or gasped when something funny came out of her mouth! I loved Eileen- she was the best part of the story for me! Thanks Jayme for suggesting this one!

I really enjoyed the listening to this delightful audio book. The narrator was wonderful and a joy to listen to. I love a British accent- I really wish I had one! This was such a fun listen! Many thanks to Macmillan Audio for this ARC!

This was a very nice surprise of a book. I'll be honest, I went into this like I like to go into most of the books I read: completely blind, without even having read the synopsis. And thank goodness I did that because it was incredible to discover the story of the two Eileen Cotton's as I went along. It was a journey and it felt like I was <i>right there</i> on the side.

Thanks to Netgalley I got to listen to the audiobook but all my opinions on it are 100% my own (like always). This audiobook was a nice addition to this book. It's narrated by 2 different people: an older women for Eileen's chapters and a younger one for Leena's chapters. And they are both in-cre-di-ble!! They brought these characters to life so well. The narration was very fluid, whether you listened to it on normal speed or double speed as I usually like to listen to audiobooks. Both narrators' pronunciations were clear as day in both speeds which made listening to the audiobook very easy and pleasant. I'm very particular with audiobook narrators because some just go overboard with the acting and it makes a perfectly nice book sound horrible. This one was a 10 out of 5 stars for me though. I can't stop thinking about both narrators and now I want to listen to other audiobooks they've narrated, if this is not their first.
If you have the chance, I totally recommend this audiobook. Even if you already have the book, listening to it alongside makes the experience even better.

Now onto the book itself. THIS WAS SO GOOD OMG!!!!!! It was my first Beth O'Leary book but now I'll definitely pick up Flatshare, which has been on my tbr since it came out (why didn't I read it sooner?????). Every single character made my heart warm. Everyone has their role, no character is meaningless and that made me really connect with this story. I love character driven stories and this was <i>just</i> what I needed. The perfect summer, autumn, winter and spring book that will make you root for everyone's story. And oh, grandma Eileen, you are a wild thing and I love to see it 🤭🤭

I LOVED this book! I read both this and O’Leary’s Flatshare this month, and I feel like she is gifted in really digging into the characters’ motivations. I loved how beautifully written Eileen was as she found her second life. It was so satisfying! The premise of this book was delightful, and dealt generously with heavy topics (mourning and loss) without feeling heavy-handed. I’m a huge fan.

I love Beth O'Leary and this audio narration is terrific! Sweet and moving romantic arcs in England. RTC.

I already owned a physical copy of The Switch which I hadn’t read yet, so I jumped at the possibility to receive the audiobook from Netgalley as well. I adore it when I can combine listening and reading to a book and mix it up a bit.

Since I loved Beth O’Leary’s debut novel, The Flatshare, I couldn’t wait to dive right into her new story. I have to say that it was exactly the type of lovely story that I was expecting. A granddaughter who has a mental breakdown at work and a grandmother who is ready for a bit more adventure after her husband has left her for someone else decide to siwtch houses for several weeks so they can get away from their own lives for a bit. Hilarity and grief ensue when the two ladies get sucked into their new worlds.

I loved reading from the two perspectives of the two ladies, though the older Eileen was probably my favourite. I just fell in love with her and the way she looks at life. She’s just so excited and open-minded about everything and everyone she comes across.

When it comes to the audiobook I was a little underwhelmed. There were two different reading voices, and I have to admit that I found Eileen’s quite difficult to listen to. Additionally, the Netgalley Shelf app that I was using to play the audio definitely still needs some work. The recording got stuck every few minutes and I got fed up with it after a few chapters to be honest. I know that has nothing to do with the book itself, but it did affect my pleasure in reading the book.

The Switch by Beth O’Leary warmed my heart. It was such a pleasant audiobook to listen to. Can you imagine switching places with your grandmother for a couple of months? That’s exactly what happened to Leena and her 79-year-old grandmother, Eileen. And what an absolute delight it was! The characters were all adorable, the storyline was extremely entertaining, and the narration was phenomenal. I loved listening to Eileen and Leena bring this charming story to life. I’m not gonna lie, Eileen was definitely my favorite. She made me miss my late grandma Helen like crazy! I thought of her quite often while I was listening. This is a fun story that I’m sure a lot you will enjoy. Be sure to check it out on release day - August 18th!