This unfortunately just was not for me! I ended up dnfing because I just felt very confused and like we were jumping around a lot and not getting explanation for some things! I think that the premise of this has a lot of potential and wouldn’t discourage anyone from reading it just wasn’t for me!!

This was such a cute book! I loved that it was not just a sweet little romance, facilitated by a little free library, but it also touched on grief, friendships, forgiveness, family issues, etc. I really didn’t know what to expect with this book, but somehow still got so much more than expected!

Erin has recently lost her best friend. She knows she needs to keep on living. Erin accidentally donates her favorite book to the local free library. A week later her favorite book shows back up in the free library with notes added to the margins and an invitation to Great Expectations. Erin forms pen pals with a mystery reader. They swap books and share notes about their favorite books. This book was so good. Both characters face hardships in their own lives but form a friendship through books and find themselves again as adults.

In The Book Swap we follow Erin as she navigates her life in the wake of the death of her best friend, and James who is struggling helping his father with his mother’s mental health issues. When Erin trying to turn over a new leaf brings a bunch of books to a Tiny community library, she later discovers that she’s mistakenly donated one of her favorite books that has one of the last gifts she received from her deceased best friend in it. James returning home from a long stay with his parents find the book and connects with the annotations in it and decides to annotate back to Erin along with leaving a book for her. The two bond through book all the while not knowing that they share a painful past.

Really enjoyed this one and its examination of grief, and trauma. Both James and Erin have a lot of stuff going on and watching them navigate it was very compelling and worth the read.

This was not the lighthearted romcom I expected. The story follows two strangers who swap books and form a connection, but it takes a more emotional and sad turn as their struggles come to light. While the writing was good and the characters were well-developed, the tone was heavier than I anticipated. It’s a touching story, but if you’re looking for a fun romance, this might not be the right pick.

“Books teach us, and I want to make sure I'm learning everything they're offering. I write in the margins to remember the book. To keep the words in my heart.”

The Book Swap by Tessa Bickers is a second-chance romance. Although this book is categorized as a romance, there was very little romance. If anything, it was just depressing. There are lots of heavy topics discussed, so be sure to check TWs before jumping in.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Well I thought this was gonna be a funny little rom com. A nice second chance romance with some miscommunication. Well it ripped my fricking heart out. The Book Swap had romance, grief, figuring out what you want to do for the rest of your life, mental health, and the ability to make me cry both sad and happy tears. Just pick it up...if I keep typing I'll cry again.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers!
Loved this story of Erin and James, and how a difficult past can still become a hopeful future. I definitely made a reading list of all the books they exchanged-some old favorites, and some that I’ve always meant to read!

Unfortunately, I went in with high expectations because I was enticed by the plot, but I found myself forcing myself to get through it. The characters were not likable, I was not invested in their story, and I could not relate to them, especially Erin. It was funny because I liked the side characters more! It was slow, quite boring, and again, the beginning was SO SLOW. This is the slowest of burns I've ever experienced. It was not memorable at all, but maybe I'm just picky. I'm sure other slow burn lovers might appreciate it more than I did.

Erin and James were friend in high school and then their friendship fell apart. Little did they know they would be brought back together layer in life by books. The Book Swap was such a good book with literary references, a little romance, great friends and family, and a great backstory. I loved the Book Swap and the characters in it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Very enjoyable. The main characters were working through some significant things and it was a unique twist to see literature pulled into the process of growth and healing. I loved the premise of the book and appreciated how well the characters were developed.

DNF @ 10%. Honestly i was just so bored. I could’ve kept going with the audio because the premise sounded ok but the audiobook narration just isn’t my fav.

Title: The Book Swap
Author: Tessa Bickers
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 2.00
Pub Date: September 3, 2024

I received a complimentary eARC from Harlequin Trade Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted

T H R E E • W O R D S

Cozy • Cheesy • Frustrating

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Still reeling from a recent tragedy, Erin Connolly knows she needs to start living, but has no idea how. When she accidentally donates her favorite book—a heavily annotated copy of To Kill a Mockingbird containing a memento she can’t be without—to a local little community library, she’s devastated. But then the book turns up a week later, back in the library with fresh notes in the margins, along with an invitation in a copy of Great Expectations to meet her newfound pen pal.

A life-changing conversation, written only in the margins of beloved classic books, begins between Erin and her Mystery Man. Following each other through the pages of their favorite novels as the book exchange continues, they both begin to open up, falling into a friendship…and maybe something more.

But Erin and her pen pal have a shared history that neither of them has guessed. Faced with painful reminders of the past—and the one person she swore never to forgive—Erin finds herself at a crossroads. One that could change her life forever.

💭 T H O U G H T S

Little Free Libraries are one of those little glimmers in my life, so when I first read the synopsis for The Book Swap it was an easy add to my TBR. I absolutely adore the idea of becoming pen-pals and sharing a love of books through a LFL. My expectations was that it would be a lighthearted romance centered around books, yet I definitely wouldn't classify it as a romance.

Exploring themes of grief, mental illness, abandonment, and bullying, I thought the book started out decently, solidly setting the stage, however, the further along I got the more removed I became. The characters weren't all that likeable and read a lot younger than they actually were. The writing style felt clunky and kept me at a distance despite some deeper themes. As the story progresses, the book swapping plays a smaller and smaller role, which was disappointing.

Overall, The Book Club was a major letdown. It was such a good idea, yet I didn't enjoy how it all came together, which is interesting given it contains a lot of themes I typically like. It's quite possible it tried doing and tackling way too many topics, which ended up causing a disconnect with me as a reader. Sadly, I don't think I this author's books are for me and this isn't a book I'd see myself recommending.

📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• books about books
• miscommunication

⚠️ CW: abandonment, bullying, mental illness, death, grief, cancer, terminal illness, vomit, chronic illness, emotional abuse, pregnancy, infidelity, cursing, suicidal thoughts, sexual content

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"Sometimes just one small achievement is enough. Just making it through the day is enough."

"Sometimes people are going through things you can't relate to. And you just have to show up."

The novel follows Erin, a woman still grieving the loss of her best friend. Struggling to move forward, Erin is faced with the loss of her favorite book, a treasured possession filled with her friend’s annotations and final words to her. This loss sets her on a journey of rediscovery, though she is unaware that the book’s next chapter is about to be written by someone completely unexpected.

When James finds the book in a local community library, the story takes a surprising turn. He begins to write messages back to the person who left the notes behind, sparking an anonymous exchange between the two. Through these intimate words in the margins, Erin and James form a deep connection, unaware of each other’s identities. What begins as a simple, anonymous conversation soon becomes a life-changing experience for both of them.

The emotional core of this novel lies in the shared history that Erin and James unknowingly have. Their relationship, once shattered by unforgiveness, becomes a pivotal point in their journey toward healing. When Erin finally uncovers James's identity, the revelation forces her to confront her past and the pain that has kept her from moving on. The question then becomes: can she forgive him and allow herself the chance to love again?

The author expertly blends themes of grief, love, and redemption, showing that sometimes the road to healing can be found in the most unexpected of places. The premise of the book exchange, in which two strangers unknowingly share their most intimate thoughts, is a unique and deeply moving concept that will resonate with readers who have ever felt the sting of loss or the need to reconnect with others.

This is a cute story about Erin and James. They both have a lot going on in their own lives and you get to watch them grow through it.. Tessa did a great job conveying this journey that they are on until they find each other again.

I really enjoyed this book. I read it while listening to the audiobook as well. It is very endearing. The idea of exchanging notes and feedback on your love of books with someone at a local little neighborhood library was so clever. It makes me want to run out and leave one of my own and try it. I loved how they shared their opinions of books and their love of books while also sharing themselves in each book they read. It would be a wonderful way to have a pen pal and book club in one. This book also shares the struggles of losing someone and grieving that great loss. It shows the struggles of finding your path in the world, while repairing friendships and families and finding love. I just loved this. I will definitely be adding Tessa Bickers to my list of authors to read everything they ever do. I highly recommend, and if you like audiobooks, it was fantastic as well.

At first this reminded me of another story of two people who fall for each other solely based on notes exchanged through the stories donated to a little library. While both presented romance with a bit of mystery, this one also touched on the dynamics or families, friendships and the trauma of losing someone close to you. With much of the history being somewhat emotional this is a very uplifting book that reminds us there are at least two sides to every story and to follow your dreams no matter wherever they may lead you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Graydon House for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from me!

I am split on how I feel about The Book Swap. The trope sounded really cute but it was very hard for me to get through.
The story follows Erin, who accidentally donates her heavily annotated copy of To Kill a Mockingbird (containing a irreplacable note) to a little free library. Luckily the next week she finds the book returned with the note AND extra annotations. This starts a back and forth between book buddies through classic literature, which was fun and cute. Where I personally got lost was all of the backstories and background characters. There was so much going on outside their story and back and forth in time that it was really hard for me to finish. I believe the book would have been a much better read for me if the story was based more around just the two main characters and their relationship with each other. I understand why Bonnie was included but I feel that it took away from the love story.

I mean…come on. Of course I was going to love this! I love romance: I love books. This book is a match made in heaven for me.