This book took me by surprise and didn't let up! As Erin's world is turned upside down by grief, she finds a new start in the most unexpected of ways, by accidentally falling into a book swap with a Mystery Man at a free little library. But when Mystery Man turns out to be a heartbreak from her past, she has to choose whether or not forgiveness is worth a shot at happily ever after.
This is NOT a cozy rom com, but instead a journey of grief, purpose, friendship, and reconciliation. Lovers of literary classics and You've Got Mail will love this read.
As a regular romance reader, this book was a slower start for me, but there is a lot of backstory building in it.
The story puts a lot of effort in revealing the characters' heartaches and struggles, and in doing so it makes the redemption in the end so much more powerful. I was boo-hooing all throughout this read.

I really tried to stay engaged with this book, but I just couldnt. It was a bit confusing jumping between the characters and I am sure it will all make sense eventually, but it just did not work for me. The work environment context was very relable, but that is where the train stopped for me.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I went into this book thinking it’d be a cute lil romcom between two people who love books; it was much more than that. It was very much so Lighthearted fun flirtation trope, but still cute.

This title was disappointing. I"m almost mad that the execution of the concept was done so poorly. Now, someone can't even do a similar story better. The characters were pretty one-dimensional. The female protagonist doesn't experience any growth. You have to wonder why the male protagonist is so in love with her. This was billed as a romance, but there was precious little of it. It was more of a drama/friendship story. I also think the integration of other stories was clunky. It didn't even seem like the author had read any of the books she referenced.

I liked the book overall. It was slow at first and took a while for me to be engaged in the book. I felt the two main characters were immature. James grew quicker while Erin took longer. That said the ending drew me in and it made me like the book. Was not a fan of how descriptive James’s bullying was in the book.

I wish I had realized this wasn't a fully light-hearted rom-com. There was a lot of grief discussion and heavier stuff covered than what I was anticipating so I hadn't gone into it in the right frame of mind for that. It was good, but just not what I was expecting.

I received an arc of 'The Book Swap," by Tessa Bickers and was ecstatic as the plot looked promising. Unfortunately, it wasn't what I thought. It was a very slow beginning and didn't seem to have any wow elements. It was on the shorter side, so I could finish in two sittings. It referenced literacy books and that part made me smile. It referenced a lot of grief/illness which I just wasn't in the mood to read. All in all, glad I read it, but wouldn't read again. However; I would read other books by this author. This just wasn't my cup of tea.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book.

It definitely started a bit slow & I 100% thought this was going to be a rom-com, but it’s certainly not that. It’s giving You’ve Got Mail except swap out the AOL part with physical books. Very slow burn second chance romance that also covers mental health, toxic work environments, grief and loss. It did sneak up on me a little & I found myself tearing up at the end, I just wish I knew it wasn't going to be just a cutesy little romance book.

The Book Swap by Tessa Bickers was a perfect rom-com! This did have its predictability, but it was creative, fun, and had me turning page after page. I would definitely recommend this to any book lover and any lover of romantic comedies!

Wow. This is one of those books that hit you in the feels. This isn't a fluffy romance - but definitely an emotional drama romance. Erin & James endure a lot - first at school then further on in their lives. Lots of heavy themes like mental illness, cancer, death, grieving processes etc. but both of them worked so hard to follow their passions and eventually make their way to each other.
Erin, finding a free little library in her neighborhood begins a book swap with "Mystery Man". In it they share thoughts on favorite lines from the books & ask questions to each other - things they have never told anyone. As time progresses they are thrust together in real life only in real life - they are not friends.
They have a history and it's not the best.
Erin had the tendency to act like a brat - but I go back to the her grieving that she never really came to terms with. And so I was rooting for her to find herself. To make her dreams come true.
And James - James overcame so much from school. He had his struggles too especially with his family life. But he also found his way and chose a life for himself that he was proud of.
I liked how while they were each inspired by the other - they found their passion and purpose and went after it on their own.
I loved this book! And for a debut author - I think it was great!

I was expecting a light-hearted rom com with a sweet meet cute. I WAS WRONG. this was HEAVY- as in I was in full tears every other chapter. Had I known that, I would have given this a 5 star. So if you go in expecting complete heartbreak, you will LOVE this. My biggest gripe is I felt a bit cheated in the epilogue.

I really wanted to enjoy this book, but I just couldn’t get into it. I found the main character too whiny and could not connect with her. I DNF’d the book about 10% in.

This book started out a little heavy, with the emotional roller coaster of grief taking center stage, but it turned into a story of communication, trust, and the sweetness of love. Themes of romance, personal growth, and forgiveness are sprinkled throughout, and emotions run high. This is a light and easy bookish read to enjoy on the beach this summer.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Tessa Bickers, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC and give my honest opinion. Four stars!

The book had a lot of promise - friends from high school re-kindling, growing old, dealing with heavy life stuff…but the plot lacked and took a while to get there. Loved the literary references and idea of the book! I just reviewed The Book Swap by Tessa Bickers. #TheBookSwap #NetGalley

"'You know the last time we were here? When you couldn't even remember you had those book ideas at school. It make me sick. That you could forget it so easily.'"

'The Book Swap' is a breezy, women's literature novel that gives the feeling no unlike drowning in a tepid bath. The story focuses on Erin and James, who we learn for a variety of reasons stopped speaking to each other during school, which was a missed opportunity at romance. As fate would have it, they begin exchanging books with one another anonymously, which is about as romantic as your high school english literature class. There's simultaneously too much and not enough plot, and it never builds to any romantic tension, so instead it's just a wash of characters who feel half baked around our main couple.

What Bickers Delivers:
• Second Chance Romance with realistic trauma
• Mental health awareness, bipolar disorder is a major plot point for the novel
• Half baked, rushed ending that tells more than shows in the writing with weird timeskips

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of The Book Swap by Tessa Bickers.

By the synopsis I thought this book would be a little more lighthearted. It deals a lot with depression, death of a best friend, bipolar disorder, bullying and low self-esteem. I enjoyed the parts where Erin and James interacted in the margins of books. Being able to write your true feelings and thoughts without judgment was freeing for these characters. I loved James' devotion to his parents and his friends Joel's realization that money wasn't everything. The memories of being bullied were so hard to relive with James. The thought that kids could bet another kid up, spit on them and then pee on them is heartbreaking. I can't imagine living through that or having those memories live in your head.

I am giving this book a 3.5.

I loved the concept of this book for sure and loved the literary references. Parts of it were really good. But the plot was thin and boring, and characters not entirely likable. Some heavy stuff here. Oddly, my favorite "characters" was s ghost.
I received an ARC from netgalley in exchange for an honest review

I honestly could not finish this book. I tried forcing myself to get half way through but I think it was the tropes and how I was unable to connect with the main female character. Both characters were very messy in their life and relationships which I could go around because it is human and normal, but I was unable to get hooked into the storyline. I am sure this story is probably for some people, it just happens that I am not one of them.

thank you for the opportunity of providing my honest feedback.

i think this book was kind of boring, and it had a very slow beginning. at some points i even wanted to dnf.

if you’re a fan of slow burn romances, this book is for you. it was definitely slow burn. im talking the slowest burn ive ever read in a standalone book.

The Book Swap is a friends-to-enemies-to-secretly lovers tale of two book lovers who rediscover one another and their life's purpose through the pages of classic novels, like "Great Expectations," "Mansfield Park," To Kill a Mockingbird," and "Beloved."
❤️ Things I loved:
- Erin and James, the lead characters are super easy to root for. I enjoyed that the story was told from each of their perspectives
- The writer/passion for books love story focus - Writing in the margins of the books their thoughts and asking questions to one another. The whole "Eileen" community book stand - enjoyed this.
- Interwoven tales of family hardships (on both sides)
- The moral/lesson learned of the ability to grow and heal
- I liked the focus on James' friendship with his bestie. You don't always see male friendship take any sort of real estate in female-oriented romance books, (except Chloe Liese), but this did a solid job
😕 Things I liked less
- Grief was everywhere. I could have done with fewer dialogues between Erin and her dead friend in Erin's apartment. The first time you are introduced to Bonnie, Erin and James' friend, having a non-real conversation with Erin, it's a "gotcha" moment when you learn she's dead and it's akin to "The Sixth Sense" chills but after that, I was over it. Erin had plenty of people in her life to help her heal. Not sure talking to a dead person was needed and added any real value to the book, apart from showing that we need to live our life for ourselves, not for someone else's version of the ideal
- It's a small point but Erin's new best friend, Cassie getting together with James best friend. Not sure things need to be that tidy
- Erin's sister Georgia got on my nerves. Conversely, Eliot, James' brother - I felt that relationship more
- not enough romance in real life happening between Erin and James. Their whole relationship is clandestine and not physical - more cerebral and emotional. They only kiss in the last few pages. I could have done with them hooking up prior. That's my 2 cents.

Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for this ARC