This book was.... fine. The communication via notes in books was cute and new. I just didn't find any of the characters very likable. Yes, they realized their flaws, but even after the realization it didn't seem like there was any sort of change. I don't know, I just didn't care for any of them. There was potential for all the parts of this book, the characters, the story, the drama, but it just didn't do it for me. Thank you to NetGalley and Graydon House for this ARC!

Okay, I adored this.
I adored the little free library. I adored how it took the entire book for them to overcome their communication issues. I loved how both of them grew in their relationships with their siblings and their parents. I appreciated the emphasis on friendship and how it can feel strange in the face of grief. I loved all of the references to classic novels. And did I mention how it took an entire book to grow? Nothing felt magical, everything felt real. Not just because I am an aspiring novelist slash girl working multiple part time jobs because it brings me more joy than any corporate job.

Some of my favorite quotes:
"I've left it to sit there in an unopened document on my laptop ever since. Better to keep it as one perfect chunk than try to finish it and fuck up the whole thing." CALL ME OUT TESSA BICKERS
"That's the great thing about books. They're there to teach you whatever you want to learn. They're for all of us." MOST PROBS READ THIS AS A ROMANCE BUT I READ IT AS A LIFE BLUEPRINT
"You can't have success without some failure, so stop being so afraid of it."
"A job doesn't mean anything. But love. A place to call home. A passion. That's life. That's living. The rest is just filler."

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Tessa Bickers for an eARC in exchange for my honest review. Sorry that this took me so long to review!

The Book Swap

Ohh my heart. This was a heavy but beautiful story.

Erin is struggling with depression as she quits her toxic job and still needs to work through the guilt and grief of losing her best friend to cancer. James is struggling in a job he doesn't love, giving up much of his life to help support his dad as a carer for his mom, who suffers from manic and depressive bipolar disorder episodes.

The mental health struggles in this book were accurately done and well represented, but at times hard to read. The love story was deep and moving through the pain the two of them worked through.

A beautiful story, but be mindful that this is not a lighthearted romance.

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc read. It was a cute story, but is a bit lacking in depth to me. The topics described in the summary drew my interest, but the topics seemed to be touched rather briefly to focus more on the romance than the deeper issues throughout. I did enjoy it, it was an easy read, but it seemed to drag a bit for me.

Erin Connolly is still grieving the death of her best friend three years earlier. She doesn't know how to move on. When she accidentally donates her favorite book to a little free library, she is desperate to get it back. When she does find it again, she finds that the person who had it added to her many margin notes and began a conversation with her.

James Parr found To Kill a Mockingbird and became intrigued by the person he names Margin Girl. He is dealing with a job at which he is successful but which he doesn't enjoy and a bipolar mother who often needs help. He has long had the dream of becoming a writer but had let everyday responsibilities with his work and family situation to derail his dreams.

Erin has recently quit her job when her controlling boss wouldn't let her attend her friend's memorial and is now trying to decide what her new future should be. She seems to be living in sweats and staying in bed. Only her walks to the little library to see if her pen pal has left more notes or recommended another book to share gets her out of her depressed state. Until a man looking for a book for his daughter hires Erin to help the girl prepare for her school exams.

Erin is gradually beginning a new career as a teacher and James is finally writing the book that he's wanted to write for years. But will their shared past with its shared hurts derail each of their new brighter futures?

This book delves deeply into themes of trauma and personal growth, focusing on Erin and James as they navigate grief and personal struggles. While the story is rich with references to classic literature and explores serious topics like bullying, family issues, and mental health, it may not resonate with everyone. The slow-burn romance and disjointed narrative can be challenging, and some readers might find the characters difficult to connect with. Despite these drawbacks, the novel’s exploration of healing and self-discovery offers a poignant, if somewhat heavy, reading experience. If you enjoy stories steeped in classic literary references and character-driven growth, this might be worth a read.

(3.5 Stars) Many thanks to Netgalley and htp_hive for an advanced copy. Below is my honest review. 

Erin Connolly needs a life reset. After a personal heartbreak and professional upheaval, she takes it upon herself to “Marie Kondo” her flat - donating unused clothes and bringing books to her local little free library. But when she realizes that she accidentally donated her beloved (and heavily annotated) copy of To Kill a Mockingbird. She returns over and over to the little free library, hoping someone will return it. To her surprise, someone does—but with a twist. The mystery person has added comments to hers and invites her to continue their conversation in the margins of Great Expectations. Thus begins a life-altering relationship, sharing raw and personal details neither has ever shared before, but Erin and the mystery man aren’t the strangers they think they are; in fact, he is the one person she’s sworn to hate forever.

I thought this would be a fun, lighthearted book. It, in fact, deals with some weighty issues related to shame, loss, illness, and other things (DM me if you want more details). I enjoyed the love story that unfolded in the margins of the books and liked the subplot between James and Joel, where they explore why men often struggle to share their feelings in friendships and how they can hold each other accountable to do better. There were, however, times when I found Erin hard to root for, and there were several situations that were set up as binary choices where I felt like there were options that were less so. But, if you love books about books, this one is an ode to classics, modern must-reads, and everything in between (Great Expectations, On the Road, Perks of Being a Wallflower, etc).

Wow. So much Wow. 💗😭💗 Tessa Bickers hit all of my feels with her new book, The Book Swap. Every. Single. Emotion. I am still wiping away tears, having just finished the book. It is That good!

As an adult, Erin Connolly quit her career in journalism that was bringing her no joy because of her abusive boss. She decided to then continue to remove the other things in her life that are bringing her no joy. She stumbled upon a little lending library in London right after accidentally “no joying” a treasured keepsake of hers into it, and when she realizes her mistake, she tries to get it back, only to realize that it might be gone forever.

A few days later, her stalking of this little library produced pay-dirt: whoever had borrowed her beloved book had returned it with more margin notes and a few questions. Erin was over the moon and quickly noticed that another book had been left with notes in the margins for Her this time.

This swapping that began so innocently would have been the ultimate meet-cute, except that unbeknownst to either swapper, they had a rough past already, which ended in a life-altering betrayal. What will become of this new and delicate flirtation?

Thank you SO much to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing’s Graydon House for this wonderful (“sigma”?) ARC!!!

I absolutely adored this read! This book had so much heart and emotion. It was a roller coaster ride and I am so glad I was given the chance to read it! I really appreciated the honest look at grief and the complicated way it can affect so many parts of your life. My only complaint was that I needed MORE and I think there certainly could be more in this world!! The side characters were just as important and developed!

Wooh. This was not at all what I was expecting, but honestly I am so glad, because it was so good!
I went into this one expecting a light hearted, fun rom-com centered around a little free library, which I was super excited about being a LFL steward myself. This book was so much more, and in the best of ways.

I was not prepared for the emotional roller coaster that this book took me on. There is so much going on with our MCs, Erin and James. The heaviness of their grief, trauma, loss, and just feeling a bit lost in life was written so well. I laughed, I cried, I felt like chucking the book a few times. It was a trip for sure.

I absolutely loved the way Erin and James find their way to each other through their book annotations. It was such a sweet and unique take on a second chance romance. Watching them fall in love through the pages of each book and the way they yearned for each other long before they even knew who they were writing to was heartwarming and so fun to follow.

Bravo on an awesome debut novel! Can’t wait to see what’s next for the author!

What a debut !

I am extremely biased and should most certainly not be trusted to write this review considering I have a huuuuge passion for books about books.

Tessa Bickers' first novel is such an easy read. You are not able to put that book down once you have picked it up. It's addictive!

The author is able to talk about romance, grief, forgiveness, friendship and family with an amazing depth and a right-on-point development.

The romance is... believable. In a lot of books, the romance can seem too perfect to be true, but this is not the case when it comes to Erin and James. Their romance is troubled and chaotic, but somehow it still works.
However, this positive point is also a negative one. The miscommunication in this story reaches the unbearable level. I know that if they were excellent communicators there would simply be no book at all, but TO THIS POINT ? C'mon, guys, just SAY SOMETHING.

Other than this tiny little negative point, I honestly do not think I have anything bad to say about this book. Tessa's writing is smooth and beautiful. It reflects her love for literature.

The book itself is a love letter to books and I love that.

AMAZING !

❥ Thank you for the free book and ARC, Harlequin Trade Publishing, Graydon House Books, The Hive, and NetGalley.

As a little free library steward, as soon as I saw this cover and read the synopsis, I had to read the book! So, I was over the moon to be selected to receive a book to share in my little free library as well as a copy to keep.

This is a book for book lovers. It is an emotional and heartfelt story. It contained more depth than I had expected, which I appreciated. However, please check the trigger warnings. The romance facet was good. And I adored all of the literary references, including Wuthering Heights, Mansfield Park, and The Great Gatsby.

n the fog of the aftermath of her best friend's death, Erin accidentally puts her much loved and marked up copy of To Kill a Mockingbird in a Little Free Library. She is pleased when the book shows back up, and whoever has read it has responded to her notes and asked questions of her own. This starts a pen pal relationship through books delivered in the Little Free Library.

As someone who has a Little Free Library of her own (read more about it here), I loved the library at the center of this story. Erin and her mysterious pen pal alternate perspectives in this book and we get to see them moving in circles around each other toward the inevitable meeting.

A great easy read for all of the book and Little Free Library lovers out there. Also, if you love a book packed with mentions of other books you can then read, this one is great.

I absolutely adored this book! It was so much more than a romance, filled with such real and emotional conflicts. I think both of the main characters are lovable and are trying their best in life even with all of the bad hands they have been dealt. I found the characters and their relationships to be so complex and expertly written. Things were revealed in such an interesting way and though it is short, I found all of the different plot lines ended perfectly and without rushing. Check your trigger warnings as this book looks like a rom com but has a lot of heavy topics. If you love an emotional romance, this one is for you!

Thanks to the Publisher and Net Galley for the chance to read this book. I was drawn by the title and cover. I am a Little Free Library steward and gravitate towards stories with them at the center. This book makes the lfl the setting for an actual love story to begin. As a reader, I adored all the exchange of books and opinions and tie ins. Although, I personally cannot write in books, I do enjoy this part of the story line. A story of looking at your past and readjusting your thoughts opinions and stories you tell yourself.

DNF at 24%

I could not get into this. I think the ghost aspect of Erin talking to Bonnie just killed it for me.

"The Book Swap” is a delightful and heartwarming novel that beautifully blends romance and literary passion. The story revolves around Erin and James, two individuals who bond over their love for books through an anonymous book exchange at a local community library. They leave notes in the margins of their favorite books, sharing their thoughts and gradually revealing their deepest selves.

Bickers’ writing is both charming and insightful, capturing the essence of how literature can connect people in profound ways. The plot follows a classic rom-com structure, but it’s the depth of the characters and their emotional journeys that truly stand out. Erin and James’ relationship is a testament to the healing power of books and the importance of second chances.

The novel also tackles sensitive topics with a deft hand, making it more than just a simple love story. It’s an exploration of grief, forgiveness, and the transformative power of literature. I found myself rooting for the characters and feeling seen and understood through their experiences.

“The Book Swap” is a must-read for book lovers and romantics alike. It’s a celebration of the written word and the connections it can forge. It will leave you with a warm and satisfied feeling.

First things first - this is not a “cute rom-com.” There may be moments of levity, but this book is full of very heavy, difficult topics at every turn. There was a moment I thought to myself, well this couldn’t get any sadder, could it? I was enthralled however, with the concept of trading books and notes with someone through the margins of books in a little free library. I enjoyed these portions of the book the most. I will say I don’t find Erin particularly likable, and her decision making was questionable. She held grudges and took advantage of others (especially her sister) so it was hard to root for her. James was significantly easier to root for and in that respect they didn’t feel evenly matched. Overall I enjoyed the read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.

The cover threw me off. I didn’t expect the characters to be so rude, nor did I expect the book to cover heavier topics.
Perhaps the problem isn’t the story but the cover.

I just had a hard time following along. I just couldn't connect with the book or the characters. I almost DNF but i pushed myself to finish hoping it would get better. There was too much going on with the time jumps and left me wondering what was going on. This is not a rom com but about two people who have struggled with grief and trauma
Thank You to NetGalley, Tessa Bickers, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for giving me access to an e-Arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.