Something was missing for me. I don't know what it was but I wasn't invested in the story. I think I just didn't vibe with the main character and the timelines were a little hard to keep up with.
I can see how others would enjoy this book though.

Tessa Bickers’ The Book Swap is a poignant look at grief and the small acts of kindness that can change our perspectives. Through the stories and lessons found in classic literature, the main characters in The Book Swap help each other find themselves again as they each go through dark periods in their lives, all while remaining anonymous. Bickers writes a love story from the margins of exchanged books, but tells the stories of the characters’ individual journeys to growth and acceptance straight on the page. I loved that this wasn’t just a romance, but a tale of friendship and mourning and what it means to continue on even after unknowable tragedy. Fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid, Emily Henry, and Kara Gnodde will love this debut novel from Tessa Bickers.

A sweet romance tucked into an emotional ride! Laughter and lots of tears are guaranteed! I do highly recommend that you have a new box of tissues handy as you'll need them as the characters work through their fears of abandonment, fear of not being good enough or having enough security and more while also trying to find a bath to love, happiness and comfort. Witty banter, fantastic characters. and a plot that will draw you and keep you entertained and engrossed for hours. This author wove an extremely compelling story that had me completely attached to her characters and an overwhelming need to find out what happened next. I will definitely be looking for more books from this author as the romance was great, but the story of each individual character was so incredibly compelling that I was invested in each one!

The Book Swap by Tessa Bickers wasn't quite what I expected—it’s not really a romance, but a story wrapped in themes of trauma, grief, and loss. While the book had strong emotional depth and was written well, it leaned into heavier, sadder topics rather than a heartwarming love story.

If you’re looking for a feel-good romance, this might not hit the spot. However, if you're into stories that explore the emotional weight of life's hardships, this could be for you! The cover and category are a little misleading, but it’s still a good read if you're ready for something reflective.

I like the idea of the book, but I wasn't too hooked on the story. I will recommend it because I believe everybody should have their own opinion, and I might even help someone find their new favorite book!

I thought this was gonna be a cute little rom com…..yall I was so bored it made my head hurt.
The characters were so awful and did not have any redeeming qualities.

Tessa Bickers’ The Book Swap is engaging, with a unique and interesting plot. Its relatable characters and thoughtful exploration and writing make it a great read!

The story follows Erin, a book lover feeling uninspired and still greiving. By accident, she loses her book and begins exchanging notes with James. As they keep talking, Erin and James' connection deepens, even though they’ve never met in person. The mystery surrounding James identity keeps Erin on her toes, while the influence of their book discussions pushes her to confront her fears and make changes in her life. James, though initially mysterious, is a well-developed character with his own struggles. The emotions of the characters really shone through and felt relatable to the reader.

Overall, The Swap is a charming read that will appeal to fans of contemporary fiction and book lovers alike. With its relatable characters, thoughtful themes, and love for literature at its heart, it’s an enjoyable story about the power of books to connect us and transform our lives. I really enjoyed this read and it was a definite 4 stars!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc.

First, thank you to Harlequin for the e-arc in exchange of my honest review.
This book has potential, unf fortunately, this is a DNF for me at 58%.
I honestly struggle to connect with main the character and try to actually find ways to get into their manner of thinking and reasoning. The dialogues are sometimes repeated and jumps all over and it makes it harder to follow. The writing is decent and the plot is okay, I would not easily set the work of the author to the side quickly because the next one might be really good.

A boom about books. Yes please a book lovers dream! Loved this romance! Highly recommend!! Loved the male and female main characters

I really liked the swapping of books via a little free library and the notes written in the margins. I thought this was going to be a cute bookish romance but it really wasn’t as there was hardly any romantic angle between the two MCs in my opinion. I found myself not really connecting to Erin and just wanted more. I think James’s heart was in the right place but he certainly was a little loss. I liked that it was dual POV so that helped but the abrupt flashbacks were a little confusing at times.


Thank you publishers and netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback

Unfortunately, this didn't work for me. I tried to read it at least three different times and it was really boring. I'm pretty bummed because it sounded great.

Thank you to NetGalley for an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

DNF. Not gonna try anymore, it was making me feel like going on a slump and I didn’t want that. I tried, but it was so confusing, the characters were not well described and Bonnie you didn’t even knew at first what was for the mc

I absolutely loved this story however please be aware that it dives deep into grief, life after the loss of a loved one to cancer, mental health, career and financial pressures, and most importantly being yourself. It’s beautiful and the characters are interesting. Your heart will be breaking and mending all at once.

# The Book Swap
# 10/9/2024 ~ 10/10/2024
# 4.5 / 5.0

unfortunately, this was a miss for me. this book was very boring, with an exceptionally slow start. also, the cover is very misleading as this is not a romcom at all

thank you netgalley and harlequin trade publishing for the arc.

I heard about this book in one of my FB groups. It's not my typical genre, but I love visiting Little Libraries and loved that premise and decided to take a chance on it. I'm glad I did because I loved the book! I did struggle with both the MMC and FMC at times. They were both very selfish and had a hard time thinking about other people, but it seems they were both able to get it together in the end. I would recommend this for a cute, light read.

As a school librarian who loves romance, The Book Swap by Tessa Bickers was such a fun read! The premise was cute and refreshing, and I really enjoyed the way the characters connected through their shared love of books by annotating them.

The chemistry between the main characters was strong, but I wish their relationship had a little more time to develop. Even so, their banter was fun, and the slow-burn romance was totally worth it in the end.

I loved how Bickers worked in literary references naturally, which any book lover will appreciate. The side characters, though, could’ve used a bit more depth—I would’ve liked to see them play a bigger role in the story.

Overall, The Book Swap is a charming, bookish romance that’s perfect for anyone who enjoys serendipitous connections and the magic of reading. Four stars!

Approaching this as an ode to book lovers I had very high expectations. Sadly, not all of them were met. The dual POVs and timeline jumps were quite confusing and took me out of the story. Also I was expecting more of a romance from this but it seemed secondary. I did appreciate it tackling deeper issues like grief, etc, but I guess this just wasn't what I was expecting.

Perfect for fans of “Gilmore Girls”! This book was SO good! I found this book to also be the perfect fall read. Get a comfy blanket and a hot drink and cozy up to these characters. As a book lover (Huge surprise right?) and a To Kill A Mockingbird lover this book hit all the marks! A fun and light read that will keep you interested until the very end.

The Book Swap was emotional and romantic, with a great plot. I was not ready to feel as hooked as I did with this story, but this slow burn romance really clutched to my heart. This book held many things:

- Small town
- Real characters with flaws
- Emotion
- Grief and loss
- Pen pals

While I didn't realize the book would be so emotional, it was a beautiful depiction of loss and moving on with life, while reconciling with the past. It isn't the most typical romance, but really shows the reality of life and how it isn't all pink and roses, but a series of both heartbreaking and beautiful events that make you, you.

Important to know going in: The description and book cover makes it seem like this is a RomCom. It's not, and the romance isn't a major focus of the book, though it is one of the major plot points.

It's more of a novel of finding oneself through grief. Erin and James used to be friends. They lost that friendship and find a way back to each other by the end. They are both dealing with the grief of losing their best friend Bonnie, who passed away 3 years ago. They are also both dealing with family issues. Erin has a troubled relationship with her mom and stepdad, and James is helping to care for his mother with severe mental health issues. They both come together again through a shared love of books as penpals through a shared community bookshelf.

I enjoyed seeing both of their journeys play out. I just wanted to see more of their romance, as that's what I was expecting. If you go in realizing it's not really a romance, it's a very lovely story.