Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

I was so pleasantly surprised by this book. I wasn't sure what to expect going into it, but I really connected with the characters and their journeys. Erin and James are both going through such parallel situations while so far removed from each other. I found the character journeys of both main characters to be very interesting, the side characters were well developed, and the way they paralleled kept me hooked. It was a compulsively readable book while touching on the topic of grief in a way that doesn't weigh the reader down. I will be recommending this to friends once it is published!

This book was everything I love about reading. Through Erin and James love story , Tessa captures what it truly feels like to live, grieve and grow.

This book will have you crying , giggling, and screaming for the characters. I am definitely recommending this book to all my friends and family . ❤️❤️ I can’t wait for publication day so I can add this to my physical book collection ❤️

Favorite quote :
“ I know while I’m not okay at all, one day I will be and for the days I’m not , There’s always the sunshine”
A HUGE Thanks to Graydon House, an imprint of Harlequin Enterprises ULC, for providing an Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley.

This was a sweet debut novel by Tessa Bickers and made me fall in love with local lending libraries. 📚 The beginning of the story felt like I was going into a tenderhearted light romance, but I was wrong! Bickers delves into the themes of grief, loss of a loved one, betrayal, identity in work, and forgiveness all in one book. It was well done and I appreciated the dual points of view between Erin and James. Their conversations between the margins of famous and well loved literary classics was sweet and will make you want to annotate your next read.
“Don't you think books would go way closer to the edge of the page, if they didn't want us to write in them? I always think of the author, and how sad it must be to have someone read your words and then move on, as though they meant nothing. I can't do that. 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.” ♥️💙♥️💙📖

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC!

Definitely not a romantic comedy - bullying, depression, mental illness, grief, loneliness, and the repercussions through life dominate. Yep, some romance grows in there, personal growth, overcoming obstacles, but you have to work to get there.

⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⭑

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Tessa Bickers for the advanced copy.

Erin accidentally leaves her favorite book at a free little library and is devastated when she goes back and realizes someone else has taken it. Checking back, she finds it and brings it home with her. When looking for the postcard she had stuffed inside, she discovered someone else has added their own notes alongside hers in the margins and invites her to “meet him” in the margins of a different book, one that he’s left there.

It’s told through a dual POV, Erin (female main character) and James (male main character), and each is done well, providing details from the past and present from both of their perspectives.

This book was so much more than I anticipated! I was initially drawn in by the adorable concept of two strangers getting to know each other through the pages (and notes in the margins) of their favorite books.

But Tessa Bickers was able to weave in heavier topics, like grief and abandonment, to make this book deeper than just your typical enemies-to-lovers rom com.

Because it was a bit heavier, it made for a slower read, but I really enjoyed this book.

I was provided this copy by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review! Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing/Graydon House.

It took me awhile to get invested with the characters.. it was a bit confusing at first. I thought the novel was going to be about Erin’s best friends cancer diagnosis and death. Instead, the story develops into Erin and James helping each other through the cutest way! By exchanging an annotated classical book that Erin thinks she lost but magically reappears at the library for donated books. Hence, starts the book swapping process between the two. Once I was invested with the story James character definitely drew me in as he falls in love with his passion for writing again. I wanted to love this book because I love a good romcom, but it didn’t quite resonate with me. I did enjoy the book overall and it definitely got better the second half of the book! If you like a slow burn thought provoking book involving overcoming loss, and finding oneself this is right up your alley.

Wow! I thought this was going to be lighthearted and fun, but boy, was I wrong!

The idea of getting to know someone so deeply through books is a great premise and I was absolutely intrigued. I will say that this was the slowest slow burn I’ve ever read, however I enjoyed the alternating chapters between James and Erin where we got glimpses into their pasts and present. They were both enjoyable characters, even though I favored James and felt that Erin didn’t deserve him.

One thing I absolutely hated was the reason why Erin hated James and in turn, her mother. It was just so ridiculous and didn’t really have a lot of substance for me to believe she would turn her back on them so easily. It kind of made me hate Erin for a bit.

I loved Bonnie and her story and her part in James’ and Erin’s journey. I felt that was done beautifully. I cried and smiled and was surprised on how much this made me feel.

Overall, this was a great read and I really enjoyed it!

I love the way grief is portrayed in this book. Everything, from the mental illness to the suffering, is written so accurately. The details in this book are extravagant and the author pays attention to even the tiniest thing. All of the character interactions have deep meaning and you’ll understand it all at the end. The way that Erin’s growth over time was written was beautiful to me. I felt like I was there with her, growing and maturing. I’m glad there was a happy ending for James and Erin, although it felt a tad bit rushed. Overall this book was such a nice read and I flew through it in a matter of hours!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

Books about books (or bookstores) are always a hit or miss for me, and this one was a miss. The opening chapter, where Erin quits her job was engaging and set an expectation for a fun read, but pace of the book felt like it almost came to a halt in the subsequent chapters. I couldn't find anything to hook into, to keep me reading.

I thought this book was so cute!!! There were so many characters but they all had a place in the story and I loved how everything was brought together at the end.

I thought this sounded like it would be a very cute romance from the description, but unfortunately the romance is more of a subplot. The main story was much heavier than I anticipated and focuses on navigating through grief. I had trouble getting into the story and connecting with the FMC. While I loved the idea of the story, I didn’t quite connect with it.

"The Book Swap" delves into themes of grief and moving forward after tragedy, offering a slow-burning romance intertwined with nods to classic literature. The portrayal of Erin's relationship with her sister adds authenticity to the narrative. While not entirely meeting romance expectations, it's a poignant read that resonates with the healing power of literature. Though rated 3.8 stars, it's still a worthwhile journey, especially for those seeking emotional depth in storytelling. Appreciation to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing | Graydon House, and Tessa Bickers for the advanced copy.

So, I recently finished reading "The Book Swap," and let me tell you, it's unlike any contemporary romance I've read before. Picture this: Erin, still reeling from the loss of her best friend, accidentally puts her treasured copy of "To Kill a Mockingbird" into a Little Free Library. What follows is a delightful exchange of annotated novels between Erin and James, sparking a unique textual conversation.

Now, I'll admit, when I picked up this book, I was expecting a cozy rom-com filled with bookish banter and cute moments. But boy, was I in for a surprise! Instead of light-hearted fluff, "The Book Swap" dives headfirst into some heavy themes – think loss, grief, trauma, and even terminal illness. And while the romance between Erin and James is there, it's more of a slow burn than the main focus of the story.

One thing that left me wishing for more was the lack of an epilogue. I mean, come on, I needed closure on Erin and James' relationship! But hey, I guess that's just part of the charm, right?

Overall, "The Book Swap" isn't your typical feel-good romance. It's raw, it's emotional, and it might just catch you off guard if you're expecting a light read. But if you're a fan of contemporary literary fiction and don't mind diving into some real-life complexities, then this book is definitely worth checking out. Huge thanks to NetGalley & Harlequin for letting me dive into this intriguing read!

This was a really great book. I was expecting a cute little story about love but this book had way more depth than I was expecting. The story gets told in the POV of Erin and James. We start learning about each of their lives and the struggles and grief that they each go through.
I loved the aspect of the book swap through the little neighborhood library. I felt that with each time they swapped books, I was just as excited as they were when reading their notes to each other.
The storyline itself is very cute but there is more to the story than just a cute romance. I couldn't put this book down because I wanted to know what happened with their love story!
Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing. All opinions are my own.

DNF @ 50%.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First off I'm sorry. I really wanted to like this book. I thought the cover was super cute and I was intrigued by the synopsis, but once I started reading the book it started feeling like a chore.

To start, it felt like it took FOREVER to get to the actual "book swap" part of the story, and even longer to get to any semblance of romance. This book is less romance and more an explanation of grief and how to navigate through it.

I also just was so incredibly annoyed with Erin. Look, I understand navigating life following the death of your best friend may be difficult but what was more difficult for me was how she made her life intentionally miserable, and made the people around her miserable as well. In her grown adult age she needs to grow up.

James also was just a flat character in my opinion, but if I'm being honest I was kinda just trying to get through as much of the book before I DNF'd it.

I think this book could be good for some people, but personally this was just not my cup of tea. I went in expecting a romance and didn't get it.

Books about books may actually be my favorite genre. The Book Swap is a contemporary romance novel with with the exchanging of books and annotations as a major plot device.

Erin, grieving the loss of her best friend, accidentally puts her prized copy of "To Kill a Mockingbird" in a Little Free Library. So begins a pseudo-text message conversation between Erin and James via annotations in the margins of novels. (I loved the references to classic literature throughout the story, it made the former Literature student in me giddy.)

The cover and blurb of the book had me ready to jump into a cozy, light read rom-com between book lovers. Unfortunately, that wasn't quite what happened. The Book Swap dives into some pretty deep themes of loss, grief, trauma, and terminal illnesses. The romance is a *very* slow burn and wasn't as much of a focal point in the story as I had expected. In fact, I wish there was an epilogue to let us know how things were going with Erin and James, but that was not provided.

Because of my expectations of how the story would play out, I wasn't mentally prepared for the emotions that this book brought up. I worry this may be the case for other readers who are expecting a rom-com based off the cover and blurb. I don't often read contemporary literary fiction because of the 'too real' aspect of the storyline. I know many people love that vibe, and I think those are the people who would really enjoy this novel!

Thank you to NetGalley & Harlequin for allowing me to read and review this arc of The Book Swap!

"Sometimes people are going through something you can't relate to, and you just have to show up."

The Book Swap is a beautiful book about two estranged friends unknowingly reconnecting in the margins of classic literature found in a little free library. It is also a deeply important reminder that everyone has difficulties in life that you may have no idea about. This book dealt with some difficult topics, and certainly brought me to tears a time or two, and is a great story of forgiveness and following your hearts desire.

As someone who has a Little Free Library of her own, I immediately loved this concept. However, I DNFed at ~30% (chapter 9). I really could not connect with the FMC, Erin. The start was a little slow for my taste, and I felt like it was a bit heavier than it seemed based on the description.

This book was fantastic! The FMC could come off a tad bit self-absorbed in the beginning, but I feel like she eventually addressees these issues in therapy. The MMC is a touch self-sacrificing, but only thanks to the guilt he holds inside. The other characters are all pretty great, except for the flat mate. He just makes me think of Carl from Aqua Teen Hunger Force. The banter back & forth between the books between two unknown people, excellent. I love when the characters in a book are book lovers, it immediately enhances the story. This book is inspiring, emotional, and funny. I think it's simply a book on life and how everyone's goal life might look a little different, but we have to choose to focus on the right things. The friendships formed and the friendships restored are beautiful. I feel like The Book Swap covered a lot of ground and was truly just a lovely story. I think it gives similar vibes to Midnight Library or a TJ Klune book. It's just a book that feels good to read, but makes you do a little self reflection too.

I loved this story - it wasn’t a cutesy romance. Bickers wove classical novels into this story, showing that a love of reading and books can bring people together. 4.5 ⭐️
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6427368710

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