I absolutely adored this book. I am usually not a fan of listening to stories of the elderly but Eileen will always and forever hold a very special place in my heart. Lena’s story was just as fantastic. The plot and dialogue felt natural and the setting and descriptions were immaculate. I look forward to picking up more from Beth O’Leary!

Thank you Netgalley & Macmillan Audio for this ARC Audiobook.
This was my first book by Beth O’Leary, I had heard The Flatshare was really good. So I jumped on this opportunity, I went in with preconceived notions that it’ll be something similar to the movie The Holiday with romance being and self discovery. This actually turned out to mostly be about self discovery and recovery. I might have enjoyed this audiobook way more if I wasn’t in the mental and emotional space I am right now. with losing someone very very important to me.
Audiobook review: the phone calls were very disappointing with the crackle and lower volume. They distracted me from the story and feel like I’m listening to a audiobook based in “older times”. Also, another negative for me was there seemed to be a longer then usually pause between chapters. This may be because since this is an ARC and the Netgalley App is new as well. Hopefully, this issue will be resolved with an app update. Thank you again for the ARC Netgalley & Macmillan Audio.

Eileen is close to eighty and newly single after her husband leaves her, she decides that she has every right to love and decides to find an ideal companion.

Meanwhile, Leena, Eileen’s overachieving granddaughter on a two month career sabbatical from London after a suffering from some personal trauma, comes to visit Yorkshire and sensing Eileen’s lack-of-eligible-bachelors-predicament offers to swap places with her for two months.

What ensues is a beautifully endearing story of love and friendships.

The story is wholesome and nourishing food for the soul.
It’s poignant, soulful, endearing and heartwarming and honestly a whole lot of other positive adjectives.

The mood of both tiny Yorkshire and busy London are excellently relayed and so are the strong bonds of friendships.

The story is quite predictable but that does not take anything away from the story itself plus it’s beautifully written and the audio very charmingly narrated!

Loved the total British vibe throughout the book.

I loved it even more than The Flatshare which I positively adored!

Ok I might still pick this up when it comes out, or try to get it from the library, but I couldn't finish the audiobook. The narrator just wasn't working for me. I loved her accent, but the swallowing sounds and other saliva noises were really distracting.
I'm sad the audiobook didn't work out, but the book might still be great! So this isn't a negative review.

his book was exactly what I needed to read during these uncertain times. But I have a feeling I’d love it no matter when I read it. It just made my heart happy. ⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I loved O’Leary’s debut- The Flatshare, for the way her writing balances sweet wit, charm and heart while also delving into more complex issues. Plus- she crafts characters that feel so human- like I could know them outside the pages of a book. While THE SWITCH is contemporary fiction, not romance, it still has all the components I’ve come to love.

This was a very light and wholesome read. I would categorise it as chick-lit but the characters were very well considered and had many different dimensions. I loved the character, Eileen. This book made me laugh and it was also nostalgic. There was something safe about this book, without being predictable. Whilst it’s not something I would use in class, it’s one I’ve already recommended to my friends and also bookstagram.

This book was funny, but will also tug at your heart strings. It's about Eileen, her daughter, Marsha and granddaughter, Leena.
Eileen and Lena decide to switch homes, and phones. Eileen gets into online dating and also tries her hand at matchmaking. Some of the things she gets into, oh my!
Lena is back home with her mother to help her through some hard times and she actually is the one who receives the help.
This is my second read by Beth O'Leary and I really like her writing. Check out "Flatshare" by her too.
I love stories set in London. Listening to the audio can really set the story for you with the narrator's accents. There was a narrator for Eileen and one for Leena. Eileen has an older friend Leticia, and the narrator cracks me up doing the voice for her!
Highly recommended!

This was a cute wholesome book. I listened to the book in one sitting. I enjoyed the Flatshare and knew I had to give this a try. If you are looking for a good lighthearted read this is it.

I loved EVERY SINGLE MINUTE of this delightful audio book, narrated by Alison Steadman and Daisy Edgar-Jones!

The Flat Share was a 5⭐️ book for me last year, so, I have been eager to read (or listen to) this latest offering by Beth O’Leary, and it did not disappoint!

In fact..I enjoyed it even more!

29 year old Leena Cotton has just been ordered to take a 2 month Sabbatical from work.

Her Grandmother, 79 years young Eileen, would like a second chance at love but she has known all of the eligible gentlemen in her tiny Yorkshire village forever.

The solution? Swap lives for 2 months!!

Leena moves into Eileen’s house, and Eileen moves into Leena’s Flat, with Leena’s roommates who help her to set up a “profile”, swipe right, and try “casual dating”!

This is contemporary fiction at its BEST!

It’s not a typical “romance” as the joy of this charming story is how the two women embrace their opportunity, and the people in their “temporary” lives, with wry and witty observations!

Their narratives alternate, and though I enjoyed both women, Eileen’s chapters were my favorite! I absolutely ADORED her! 💕

These are characters I already miss!

Available Aug, 8th, 2020- I highly recommend the Macmillan Audio!

Thank You to NetGalley, the Publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for a candid review!!

This was a lovely listen. It's half a Hallmark movie (and it even references those in the text) style story (big city woman goes to the country and discovers the joy of neighborliness, community, etc.) and half a later in life coming of age (grandmother on her own learns to find love, believe in herself, etc.). I love how clearly the author demonstrates that the same traits in people can manifest in different ways depending on the environment. The book also deals well with grief and the importance of not just expecting people to understand you're there to help -- that sometimes you need to be explicit about what you'll do.

My only real quibble is that the dual narrators, while both skilled, had very different takes on the voices so it was a little jarring to hear them do each other's voices in the alternating chapters. Also, the beginning the phone conversations with a little crackle and lower volume was a bit annoying since I usually listen to audiobook while I drive and the suddenly lowered volume usually meant I needed to rewind. And, of course, the last thing I want to do while driving is turn my attention to fiddling with an audiobook.

This is exactly the heartwarming, wholesome book I was truly hoping for, and exactly the right book to take people's minds of the world right now. With charming three-dimensional characters and a delightful storyline, I was smiling the entire time. Not quite up to par with O'Leary's The Flatshare, but definitely recommend if you're looking for a bit of an escape.

Thank you for the Advance Audio Copy:?.. Very fun listen. The narrators did a wonderful job narrating this story! Author did a great job creating her characters. At first I didn't want to like Leena but had to remember people grieve in their own way... Highly recommend this listen. Thanks again to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this eARC
I enjoyed listening to this story and once again Beth O’Leary did not disappoint with her story telling although I did not enjoy this as much as her previous novel. The characters were relatable and likeable. And the relationship between Leena and Eileen was interesting given their opposing personalities, particularly given that Leena was the grand daughter and introvert whereas Eileen was the grandmother and extrovert. The slower pace of the story did at times feel a bit too slow for me but overall a good book.

After missing Gerite and Leon from her first novel The Flat Share I devoured this just as quickly! A wonderful way with words. Can’t wait till her next!

Having loved The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary, I was delighted to have the chance to listen to The Switch. Told in alternating viewpoint between grandmother Eileen and granddaughter Leena, this charming tale, reminiscent of The Holiday, whisks readers to bustling London and bucolic Yorkshire as these two trade lives. This book explores themes of friendship, independence, grief, and love - both familial and romantic, which can blossom at any age.

The experience of reading this book was amplified by narrators Alison Steadman and Daisy Edgar-Jones. I’m an Anglophile and a sucker for accents, so it really brought the characters to life for me.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

I really enjoyed this story, it had such a unique premise and full of quirky characters. I loved the grandma Eileen, her storyline was fun from start to finish. The book did take me a while to get into though. I thought it started slow, but as the two got used to their new lives and all of the characters were introduced it became more fun to read.

The narrators were great, and their different voices really added to the story. I would recommend this to someone who wants a good light-hearted read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this audiobook! It was a fun one.

This book is so good. Beth makes you love the characters and are rooting for them the make the right decisions...even when you know they aren’t. Love the relationship between Grandmother and Granddaughter!

What a delightful read! Honestly, the clever and unique premises that Beth O’Leary dreams up for her books are just... delightful!

I loved this little switcheroo, the small town feel but also the big city insight, the mild and adorable romance. It was lots of fun.

And the audiobook is fabulous with its dual narrators! And the British accents of course. 😉

"The Switch" by Beth O'Leary is a novel about Leena and Eileen, a grandmother and granddaughter that both need a switch to jumpstart their lives. With a previous family tragedy hanging heavy in the air, young professional Leena is overloaded at work and about to have a breakdown. She is given a forced paid vacation by her job and she decides to switch homes with her grandmother and spend some time in the small town of Hamleigh. Her grandmother will come and stay in London and try her hand at online dating since she is divorced. Will switching places help these two women to reconnect and sort out their lives?

This audiobook was an adorable, fun and fast read! The main characters were both likeable, but the grandmother Aileen stole the show! Her storyline was interesting, entertaining and quite funny at times. I loved the online dating sections and the messages sent between parties. Another highlight of the book were the dynamic familial relationships which were moving and emotional. Between the three generations of women, the dialogue and sentiment was strong and will leave a lasting impression on readers.

The voice actors did a wonderful job with this production. Eileen's voice was wonderful, warm and rich. I enjoyed her portion of the book the most. However, Leticia's voice (accent) was hard to listen to and made me dislike the character even though this surely was not the intended impact. I wish that Leticia would have had a different tone/voice. Also to note, the different sections of the book are clearly understood since the voice actors switch during the different points of view. As a listener, I appreciated this.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a highly anticipated read for me after adoring Beth O'Leary's Flatshare and the anticipation did not disappoint!

What I loved in The Switch was the relationship between Eileen (age 79) and her granddaughter Leena (age 29) when they decide to swap lives for awhile. It was especially satisfying to see a journey with an older and younger woman navigating family, friendships, and love.

Funny, lighthearted but also sad at times, I would predict The Switch to be the newest Beach Read!