From the other reviews, I thought there would be a lot of introspection on Eli’s part about what it is to be a woman in the world and what women add to relationships that men do not. It was mostly thoughts about Elizabeth’s body for the first half. Eli didn’t figure out he should’ve thought of those things until Elizabeth told him to. I’m also not sure I really needed Elizabeth’s mother’s POV at the end.

I did find it interesting that Eli knew he wouldn’t be able to recognize himself because our perception of how we look is not reality since we only ever see ourselves in mirrors which inverse our image and photos which distort our image.

This is very much she’s Barbie and he’s just Ken. That was most apparent during Elizabeth’s sections. When Eli found Elizabeth, I had the realization that women could easily be men, but men could not survive being women.

ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! I was blown away by this book! The dual narration for the male and female characters was spot on and really helped to keep who was speaking straight, which is harder than you might think for a book like this! The initial setup of the story took some getting used to, but once I got what was actually happening, I thoroughly enjoyed the book! It felt very realistic with the way the couple handled the situation even with the unrealistic plot of the story. I would definitely recommend to anyone who likes fiction about body swapping and family relationships!

I absolutely loved this. It felt like a very fresh perspective on the much done body switch storyline. I especially appreciated how well learning acceptance was finessed into multiple scenarios without ever feeling preachy. Thank you to Harper Collins and NetGalley for the ARC

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Audio for the advanced copy of People Collide. Unfortunately, I didn't really enjoy this one. The description sounded really interesting, but I just didn't care for the characters at all and I never felt invested in what happened to them. I also did not enjoy the narration. I still think I'd like to read The Atmospherians, but People Collide just wasn't for me.

I'd like to preface this review by saying that I thought that the story idea and the premise behind the book were both original and thought provoking. That being said, I am going to give a brief and simple breakdown of why my rating was so low.

I'm going to be really honest in saying that I thought the author tried a bit too hard with this one. Too hard to be unique, to be edgy, and to have a shock factor.

My first issue with People Collide was that it felt like the story was drawn out when it didn't need to be. There were many things that were talked about(things said, things done) that had no real affect on the book(read, if those things were taken out it wouldn't change the story at all). The second, and probably most important, reason that I couldn't love this book was because of the characters. They were self-absorbed, angsty, and all together irredeemable. I tried everything in my power to give the characters second, third, and even forth chances, but my gods.... I don't think I liked anyone in this book.

I was very excited to read People Collide by Isle McElroy because I really enjoyed their first novel The Atmospherians. I quite enjoyed this novel too! It’s a really unique premise about a couple, Elizabeth and Eli, who switch bodies like in Freaky Friday. I loved the humour and the exploration of gender, sexuality and their relationship. The Bulgaria setting is really interesting. There was this line describing a purse that made me LOL - “a leather pouch the size of a globe”. There was a very specific reference that I loved- Eli describes a tv show, a sitcom about a pair of men who live with a woman and live above a pizza parlour. (Two Men, a Girl, and a Pizza Place!) I listened to the audiobook and I really appreciated the dual narrators Daniel Henning and Aida Reluzco. It was interesting how the perspectives would change, Eli would be telling his story in the present and Elizabeth would be describing the past and then in the final part it switches completely. At times it could get a little bit confusing as they’re thinking about the other person. I’d definitely be interested to continue reading more from this author.

Thank you to Harper Audio via NetGalley for my ALC!

What a journey this was! This book wastes no time getting to the heart of its exploration of how much we can really know and understand about each other. A married couple switches bodies early on in the book, allowing ample time to devote to each of their experiences being the other. Eli, in particular, was fascinating to hear from, and I enjoyed reading his poignant observations about not only gender and sexuality, but his realization of how much he didn’t really know or understand about Elizabeth. As for Elizabeth, I was left feeling confused about some of her choices but found her perspective compelling as well. The final POV was important to the story and interesting to explore the parent child relationship. This is a beautifully rendered study of how we identify with each other from the perspective of a wide variety of relationships.

What a fascinating concept!

Eli and Elizabeth both provide interesting narratives as they learn about themselves through the lens of their partner.

This is a heavily character driven story, so make sure to embrace the frustrations of Eli and the faults of Elizabeth. It will be worth it!

If you like dual POV novels, inner dialogue, and explorations of identity, gender, and relationships, this should go on your TBR!

People Collide by Isle McElroy is “a gender-bending, body-switching novel” and I instantly added it to my TBR. Eli and Elizabeth, a married couple, trade bodies. Instead of concentrating on switching back, the focus is on learning to exist and live in each other’s bodies. Unfortunately Elizabeth disappears with Eli’s body and Eli in Elizabeth’s body is left to pick up the pieces. Thought-provoking with hilarious lines scattered throughout. The last chapter encapsulates motherhood. Exquisite. The narrators, Daniel Henning and Aida Reluzco, are outstanding. I listened to the audiobook in two sittings. Thanks to Isle McElroy, Harper Audio and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy.

This book is smart, thoughtful, and incisive. I loved the way McElroy used a somewhat common speculative trope in such an innovative and evocative way. Eli and Elizabeth were nuanced characters whose interior lives continued to surprise me. And the last chapter hit was perfection. By moving into a different perspective, they were able to deepen and broaden the themes of the entire book. I loved it! This will absolutely be somewhere on my fall reading guide!