The Book Swap
By Tessa Bickers
Narrated by Cameron Krugh Stone and Fran Burgoyne
4 ⭐️

I read this just at the right time. It’s been a rough week and this contemporary read let me escape into Erin and Jame’s London and home town. The power of books is celebrated from start to finish in their story. Mental health is a strong theme along with the power of proper communication (there’s miscommunication but not how it typically occurs and no 3rd act breakup to speak of). The audiobook has duel narrators for each POV. I enjoyed their performance just as much as I enjoyed the story. I recommend it. It’s not too heavy but not fluff either. For anyone whom might want to know: kiss only spice level and there’s like 2.

This audiobook is available on hoopla.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tessa Bickers, and Graydon House (Harlequin Trade Pub) for an eARC copy of this story.

ARC Review:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

During an impromptu cleaning spree, Erin accidentally donated her treasured copy of To Kill a Mockingbird to her local little library. Desperate to get the book back, she begins frequenting the destination in hopes it will one day reappear. To her surprise, the book turns up, along with notes in the margin. Intrigued by the comments, she replies. Will corresponding with a stranger through a secret book swap be the start of something special, or will it uncover unhealed trauma???

Tessa Bickers’ The Book Swap is a remarkable read!!!
Despite this being her debut novel, she managed to pen a complex story. Expertly weaving together the past and present through dual POVs, she demonstrates the importance of friendship, family, and finding one’s purpose.

If you consider yourself to be a bibliophile, this is a must read! Special thanks to Netgalley, Boldwood Books, and Tessa Buckers for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

The Book Swap is a sweet story about people coming together after working through the issues in their past. It’s set in both London and the town of Frome so the settings are delightful.

The reason for a lower rating is that the pace was very slow for me and there were A LOT of issues covered so at times the book felt very scattered.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing & NetGalley for an ARC of this book! This is my honest review.

The book was beautifully written. The author made careful word choices that were very impactful. Overall, the book was well written and I did really enjoy it.

"The Book Swap" is a heartwarming and enchanting tale of second chances, healing, and the power of literature. Following Erin Connolly, a woman struggling with grief after a personal tragedy, the novel explores how books and unexpected connections can guide us toward new beginnings.

When Erin accidentally donates her treasured, heavily annotated copy of "To Kill a Mockingbird"—a book she holds dear for its sentimental value—she’s devastated. But to her surprise, the book reappears at her local community library, now with fresh notes in the margins, along with an invitation to meet the mysterious person behind them. This sparks a unique, life-changing exchange between Erin and her pen pal, whose thoughts, reflections, and notes in the margins of classic novels like "Great Expectations", "Wuthering Heights", and "The Great Gatsby" help Erin begin to heal and move forward.

As Erin and her Mystery Man continue their written conversations, a deep and unexpected friendship forms, leading them to confront their shared pasts and their own emotional baggage. Along the way, they explore themes of forgiveness, self-discovery, and the joy of reading. Yet, when Erin’s past resurfaces in a way she wasn’t prepared for, she faces a crossroads, forced to reckon with old wounds and make choices that could shape her future.

With its references to beloved literary classics, "The Book Swap" is a celebration of books and the way they can connect us to others. The story delicately handles sensitive topics such as grief and forgiveness, while also offering a touching romance and a journey of personal growth. Fans of "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" and "The Rosie Project" will find much to love in this novel.

Charming and emotional, "The Book Swap" is a delightful read for book lovers and anyone seeking a story about life’s second chances. It’s a love letter to books, friendship, and the unexpected paths that lead us toward healing and new beginnings. Highly recommended.

The Book Swap is a heartfelt and charming story that unfolds through the lives of Erin and James, whose friendship has been fractured by the heartbreaking loss of a mutual friend. Their journey is both touching and filled with unexpected life challenges, making their characters even more relatable and complex.
At the center of their story is a little free library, a place that becomes a meaningful symbol and a source of shared joy. The concept of swapping books adds a lovely, bookish touch to the narrative, and the story is brimming with literary references. The witty banter and back-and-forth exchanges between Erin and James are fun to read, building a playful, emotional tension that’s as endearing as it is entertaining. And the ending? So incredibly cute!
Although the story had many adorable, lighthearted moments, it didn’t shy away from exploring the harder sides of Erin and James’ personalities.
The Book Swap is a cozy read filled with laughter, tears, and the satisfying journey of personal growth. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a heartwarming story with bookish vibes, but I’d suggest checking out the trigger warnings beforehand for any sensitive themes.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the gifted ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A huge thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

The premise is interesting and comforting... a second chance between best friends after the grief of losing another best friend? I love a good second chance romance, but unfortunately this didn't hit for me. The grief aspects were handled with reverence, but I would have loved more flashback scenes with Bonnie, the late FMC's best friend. She was my favorite and the character I found the most interesting, and I could have gotten to know her more. The FMC is not the most likable, but I appreciated her character growth.

And the initial romance between the two MCs felt a little rocky when it would flashback and describe it. When I read the synopsis, I pictured this great lost love. But I didn't feel that by the end of the book. Also, this is among slowest of slow burns. If you are wanting some heat to your book, this is not it. (and coincidentally, if you are not, this is a great pick!)

I smiled, but I did not swoon. I would absolutely read this author again, but going in knowing some things.

4/5 ⭐️

This story between Erin and James was wonderful. The heartbreaking loss of a mutual friend and James just wanting to win Erin’s friendship back was so good. There were so many more problems that came up within their lives and it helped connect to the characters on a whole other level.

I loved the premise of swapping books at a free library and it made me so happy.

This book was so good and so cute! I loved all the bookish feels! The banter and back and forth was so good! I got kinda lost on the storyline between the passed best friend, the MMC, and FMC but I still really enjoyed the overall story! And the ending was SO freaking cute! Would recommend!

When I saw that The Book Swap was based around a little free library, I knew it was one I had to pick up. I dove in eagerly and found it wasn’t quite what I was expecting.

This book is filled with many wonderful book references, lots of classic, but some not. It definitely gives readers multiple avenues to connect and relate. It had its funny moments too. I was laughing out loud at a few things!

I really wasn’t prepared for how heavy this book was going to be. A huge portion of it focused on grief and loss, as well as mental health. As much as I still would have read the book, had I known these elements were so big, I would have maybe chosen another time to read it.

This book tugged on my heartstrings and had me sobbing at points. I don’t think it’s a book to go into lightly.

I had a love/hate relationship with the female MC. There were many layers to this character and a lot of her actions and justifications annoyed me. In the end I did see some things from her point of view, though that didn’t make it any less annoying in the moment. I did love her growth though. From beginning to end the transformation is visible and a great thing to watch unfold.
To be fair, the male MC had his moments too. Not saying he was flawless by any means.

Would I recommend this book? Yeah, I would, but I would also highly recommend checking out the trigger warnings too!

Thank you to Harper Collins for the gifted eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Tessa Bickers's debut novel "The Book Swap" is packaged with a cover that makes it seem like another light and fluffy romcom, but I was pleasantly surprised to find a story with much more substance. The story centers around two thirty-somethings who exchange notes within the margins of books in a little library and the lives that they lead outside of their mysterious, sweet, and candid literary rendezvouses.

I was initially interested in the book because I do love stories that center around people who love books, and the idea of a plot built around that and references to some of my favorite books was very appealing. Using the little library as the central setting for the "meet cute" in this story was a different twist and interesting, as these are a common sight in many communities.

I liked that the characters were flawed and multi-faceted in ways that felt genuine and not forced. For instance, no one was clumsy or awkward as a character flaw. No one was described drop-dead gorgeous. The characters came off as very normal people navigating everyday issues and situations like family drama, grief, questioning career choices, infidelity, divorce, dissatisfaction with one's level of success achieved, balancing passion with financial stability, navigating friends' pregnancies. In particular, I liked reading about how both main characters were navigating dissatisfaction in their careers and looking for ways to pursue their passions, in spite of the fear that comes with it.

There are some darker themes in the book, particularly around the supporting characters. One of the aspects of the book that I appreciated was that not all of the conflict is resolved in a neat, happy way in the end. It felt more realistic and relatable that way.

Those looking for spice or sap won't find a lot of it in this book, which I found refreshing. In fact, it was a rather slow build and really didn't place the main characters together much. It almost felt a bit like "Sleepless in Seattle" or "You've Got Mail" where the romance is happening in a detached way, and the story really revolves more about the characters' lives and evolution.

There were a few elements that I found a bit distracting. One was that the female lead often imagines her deceased best friend being in the room with her, having full and real conversations. It seemed a bit unnecessary, and I was never sure whether that should be concerning or just a strange plot device. For being very central to the story, that character got very little development in flashbacks beyond just the catalyst event, and I wish we would have gotten more development to help us to understand why the friendship was so meaningful and what had been lost in her death. There are also a quite a few characters- siblings and their families, best friends, romantic partners, parents, coworkers, bosses, etc. For a book this size, it was a bit of a bloated cast that perhaps could have been edited or slimmed down. I found myself needing to flip back or forward to remember who some of the people were.

I really enjoyed this book, and I think that fans of classic books and slower-paced romantic comedies like the ones I mentioned would also enjoy it. Looking forward to future books from this author.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced read.

I had to DNF this at 20%. I just couldn't get into the book or care about the characters fully. The writing style was off for me. There was a lot of repetitive words in a short amount of paragraphs (flat, for example).

What to expect:
📚grief over death of a friend
📚Little Free Library visits
📚making connections through notes in the margins
📚references to the classics (i.e. To Kill a Mocking Bird, Jane Austen, etc.)
📚set in England
📚swoony book dedication
📚dual POV

This was more "women's fiction" than romance than I expected, but I still fully enjoyed it! There were many heavy topics discussed throughout the full book. Erin quits her toxic job and is on a journey moving on from past guilt, parental abandonment, betrayal, and self-discovery with a new career. Meanwhile James is also on a journey of self-discovery, while overcoming childhood trauma, managing life with a parent with bipolar disorder, and learning to be more open and vulnerable with loved ones. I would have loved a little more romance, but the book dedication did melt my heart so it was enough closure. CWs listed below, stop reading here if you think those are spoilers. But be prepared for a heavy read if you choose not to review.

I love how the past and present wear connected. This was a book filled with beautiful literary references to tell a beautiful story between two people who thought they were strangers. I love the second chance romance trope. Would definitely recommend.

Grieving and forgiveness are strong themes of this story. Forgiveness of both oneself and others. There's also joy and growth. I love how Erin and her Mystery Man are able to use books and writing to each other in the margins to connect and see other perspectives. I also loved the dual POV. Along with the fun of the book exchange, we get to see what real life looks like for each of them - and how hard it can be even when we want it to be something different and are actively trying to get there. It's a great book to tGrieving and forgiveness are strong themes of this story. Forgiveness of both oneself and others. There's also joy and growth. I love how Erin and her Mystery Man are able to use books and writing to each other in the margins to connect and see other perspectives. I also loved the dual POV. Along with the fun of the book exchange, we get to see what real life looks like for each of them - and how hard it can be even when we want it to be something different and are actively trying to get there. It's a great book to discuss.

Thanks to the publisher for sharing a copy. All opinions are my own.alk about!

Does a fast Omri. I enjoyed the characters in the story. The romance, so sweet and satisfying. I love how the book was centered on a book swap between the characters, and they really got a sense of who they were without seeing face-to-face. The Author did a great Bible found family, but also included a heartwarming romance.

I'm so glad I didn't listen to the negative reviews and read this for myself!

While this book is not the cute romance it portrays itself as, the story is still amazing! At it's core its a book about growth, the challenges of being an adult and navigating the complications of life (aging/sick parents, death of friends, sibling relationships beyond childhood).

I ADORED Erin and James' stories and how they intertwined. It was also a beautiful story of how two friends dealt and navigated the death of a close friend so differently and how that ultimately affected their adult view of relationships.

The "book swap" aspect of the book was so sweet. It was giving off the same vibes as the movie "serendipty" (although the premise of the book swap was different).

I think this book was a great read that just needs a newly updated synopsis to portray the book in the most accurate light so that it finds the right readers. :)

"You've Got Mail" but with books.

Tessa Bickers debut novel, "The Book Swap", is a delightful book about falling in love through books for people who love books.

Erin Connolly's life has been rocked by tragedy. As she's trying to cope, she accidentally leaves her treasured, annotated copy of "To Kill A Mockingbird" in a free library. Desperate to get it back, she returns to the library to find it has been returned and new notations have been added by a Mystery Man. The Mystery Man invites her to meet him in the pages of another book which he has left behind. And so the conversation begins. Erin and the Mystery Man exchanging books and building a relationship in the margins. Then comes the question, do they leave this in the margins or do they reveal themselves and embrace the risk that comes with it.

"The Book Swap" was a creative take on the "You've Got Mail" concept in making the books the medium for the conversation. Once I got into the characters stories, I could not put this one down. Great for fans of Mhairi McFarlane, Beth O'Leary, Abby Jimenez, Katherine Center, and Sally Thorne.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for allowing me to read this book prior to publication.

This was very cute! I really enjoyed the premise of the book and loved the second chance romance aspect. I feel like my main issue was how cheesy it was and that the FMC was a little too selfish (yes, that was discussed later but I wish it was earlier)

Not the romcom I expected but i enjoyed it nonetheless. I loved the notes in the books I think that was the sweetest.

Thank you for the arc netgalley