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.

I obviously love books so any time I see a book about books I want to read it immediately! This one has me hooked from the beginning.
I really loved how the FMC and MMC connected and got to know each other through passing notes in books. I do think it’s true that sometimes we can be more ourselves when we are talking to a stranger than someone who knows all our ups and downs.

I really liked how real this book was. Every character was flawed in some way. Erin, the FMC, wasn’t my favorite but I felt for her. She was dealing with a huge amount of grief on top of just being young and not knowing what she’s doing with her life. Her character was believable but still infuriating. She was very judgmental and unforgiving, even to herself. James also had some issues but I liked him. I think they both had pretty valid reasons for being the way they are and I’m glad they found some peace near the end.
I also have to add that all the side characters were really great. Cassie and Joel were my favs. I really loved the storylines with each of their parents too.

If you’re looking for a romcom this isn’t for you. There is romance but this is definitely more about grief, forgiveness, and finding yourself. I actually really enjoyed it.

3.5⭐️. 0🌶️

This is a story about grief, forgiveness and second chances. The characters were very human and in a lot of things I saw myself related to what they were going through.

Erin and James start to exchange annotated books without knowing that is one another. They have a past story where the relationship and friendship they had back in school didn’t ended up in the best terms. Erin lost her best friend and has lost the motivation to keep going on with her life. That is until one day she misplaced a book annotated by her and James finds it. From that day forward they started to exchange annotated books.

These help both of them to find a new meaning in life and to start working towards their dream job and to take a step back and realize that not everything is what it seems.

I love the aspect of them exchanging the annotated books with their thoughts, it was so cool I wish I had a bookish friend that I could do that with. I don’t write in my books but after reading this I might try and start annotating them.

James was my favorite character it seems that he did the most growing as a character. Erin was not my favorite I feel that by the end of the book she still has some more growing to do. Plus she was not a very good friend by the end of her best friend’s life she was not there when she needed her the most.

When Erin accidentally gives away her copy of To Kill A Mockingbird that holds a prized possession from her late friend who recently passed Erin is devastated. But when she discovers her book returned with new notes from another reader she is intrigued. Wanting to learn more about this other reader Erin and the other reader continue to exchange copies and notes of other literature classics. As Erin begins to fall for this Mystery Man she has been writing to she reconnects with an old high school acquaintance and they begin to work through their difficult past. Could Erin be falling for two different guys or is it really just the one?

With sensitive topics such as cancer, clinical depression and bullying this book can be emotional at times, but with the growing supportive relationship between the two confidants it has a sweet heart that makes it an enjoyable read!

I love books about books, so I went into The Book Swap expecting a romcom about two book lovers. It ended up being more serious, with heavy depictions of grief, loss, mental illness, bullying, and dysfunctional parenting. I had to shift my expectation and then did enjoy it overall. Though there is a romance component, it feels more about the individual journeys each character is on; it's a very slow burn and no steamy scenes are included. I liked the love for literature apparent in the characters and the interesting selection of the little free library as their matchmaker.

Reminded me of a cuter more British version of Meet me in the Margins. Loved the premise, it was more somber than I expected and it gave Emily Henry vibes

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

2.5 stars from me. I struggled with this one. I thought the F protagonist was absolutely horrid throughout the book!

I'm not going to lie I thought this was going to be a rom com based on the cover and even the description. I didn't realize I was going to be dealing with such a level of grief that the heroine is dealing with. And no the blurb only said recent tragedy that in of its self is to vague. And I'm generally a fan of enemies to more. This in the same bit that it was a romance was hate to slightly less hate. I think if it didn't look like like a rom com and was marketed more as women's fiction I would have come never liking it better.

I really wanted to like this book because it looked really promising but this one was a miss for me. It was really hard to follow at first, and I ended up re-reading a lot. Because of the slow plot I found myself getting distracted fairly often while reading. I also did not care for the main characters at all and they felt unlikable and immature. While this may have been a miss for me, others might enjoy it.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Graydon House and NetGalley for the gifted copy.

I went into this book expecting to love it. Unfortunately, it was a miss for me. The beginning was really slow pacing wise, and the characters weren't very likeable. I like a slow burn romance, but this was almost too slow. I did enjoy all the bookish references though. I went into this thinking it was going to be more of a rom-com and I think that's part of the reason I didn't love it- my expectations didn't align with what the book ended up being.

I imagined the story of the book as how people use dating app but through the book. So, cute! Many bookish may dream of it.

I enjoyed the book so much! It isn't t really light & romance but deep enough. The book isn't only about two birds that meet again and fall in love but about lives they live and make them as they now. The kind of book that I like: something deep but not too serious but can help me contemplate about life.

How main characters use books as their communication media by writing on margins encourages me to annotate my books with our hesitation and more bravely. Writing on the book we read doesn't mean we torture the book but it can be an expression our reading experiences—how we think of the book or how we react to the book.

This book is so bookish. I hope many bookish will like it. Because I like it so much! 😍

2/5 stars

eARC provided by NetGalley

This books cover is very very misleading. I thought this was going to be a cute book with a lot of reference with in to other books. It was not cute or fun at all. It was a very sad book. Its main themes are grief and loss. The FMC was just someone I could not support or like. They are "enemies" to lovers i think is the vibe we were going for but it was not done well in my mind. She as a thirty year old woman still hated a person she had not seen in over 10 years for something that he did when he was a teenager. Something he tried to apologize for and she was so selfish that she only saw her issues. The MMC I just truly felt bad for and wanted him to be happy. His life was sad and I feel like he his personal and family stories were well done! But the fact that they both supposedly pined for each other for this whole time was not believe to me. The best friends Bonnie is also a big part of the story but was really only done well when from the MMC POV. As the FMC was hallucinating her and like would be like "she was like this" and "she was like that". While we got flash backs and actually saw real interactions with the MMC. All in all the story is well written and I liked the writing just not the story it was telling.

The marketing seems off for this book. It was a much sadder story than most romance novels. Erin was a self absorbed character & I didn't care for her. I thought the conversations through the margins was sweet & thoughtful. It was okay just not the romance I expected.

This sweet book has a fun, if common, romance premise: two people find love through exchanging notes left in books. Erin Connolly, the main character, is healing from a recent heartbreak when she starts exchanging notes with a mysterious stranger. As they share their thoughts and feelings, Erin and the stranger form a deep connection.. However, a shocking revelation throws a wrench into their blossoming romance .

This book is a heartwarming story about second chances and the power of love. If you enjoy romance novels with a touch of mystery, then "The Book Swap" might be a good pick for you.

I tried to love this book as it was book related. I enjoyed parts of it but on other I don't remember reading. I may try to read it again at a later date, maybe I just wasn't in the right headspace.

I am very conflicted in how I feel about this book, and I feel it’s because this book tried to be two different stories that did not mesh well.

It started off very rom-com like before it turned into
a moving book about grief, loss, and overcoming hard truths about yourself and your life perspectives.

The romance aspect lacked - I did not feel the connection between the characters, and I wonder if it was the clunkiness of how the book exchange chapters were written. We would get Erin’s perspective of reading James’s words, and then we would get a chapter of James writing his commentary that we just read - so it felt choppy. It didn’t flow well. And I did not feel the chemistry between the two of them through the book swap/annotations.

The author DID do a fantastic job with each individual character’s growth. I genuinely enjoyed their separate journeys on learning how to navigate their flaws and become better people to themselves, as well as their family and friends. In this aspect, it was beautiful and emotional.
I actually feel like the book swap aspect took away from the above.

At the end of the day, I did enjoy this book as it emotionally moved me.

Thank you for giving me a chance to read!

I really enjoyed this book overall. It had an interesting plot line that had a good mix of some very real, complicated, human issues and more light-hearted positive aspects. I loved seeing the author address themes like grief and mental health, and it definitely felt very real and raw.
I also really loved the supporting characters! Cassie, Joel, Georgia, and Jordan were all fantastic and really brought a lot to the book.
The beginning of the book was a little slow for me, but it was definitely building up to a great ending! If readers stick with it through the slower parts (or are just fans of a slower-burn romance), it is definitely worth it in the end.

I liked the depth of this story and the sweetness of the notes left for each character. I didn’t expect this to be as heavy as it was but I really enjoyed it.

Tessa Bickers delivers a heartfelt romance for book lovers in *The Book Swap*, a charming tale of second chances, self-discovery, and a passion for reading. The story centers around *Erin Connolly*, struggling to heal after a recent tragedy. Erin longs to start living again but doesn't know where to begin. One day, she accidentally donates her most treasured possession—a deeply annotated copy of *To Kill a Mockingbird*—to a community library. The book contains a memento that Erin can't bear to lose.

To her surprise, the book reappears in the same library a week later, but with fresh, thoughtful notes in the margins. Along with it is an invitation inside a copy of *Great Expectations*, initiating a pen-pal relationship through the pages of classic novels. Erin and her mysterious pen pal share personal thoughts, emotional vulnerabilities, and a growing connection through these annotated books.

As the book swap deepens into a friendship, Erin slowly opens her heart to the possibility of more. However, she has no idea that her anonymous pen pal has a significant connection to her past—one tied to the pain she’s tried to leave behind. Now, faced with painful memories and an unexpected reunion, Erin must decide whether to embrace the future or remain stuck in the past.

Tropes
- Love of Books
- Second Chances
- Pen-Pal Romance
- Hidden Connections

If you enjoy books that celebrate literature and include romantic correspondence, like *The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society* by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows, or *84, Charing Cross Road* by Helene Hanff, *The Book Swap* will capture your heart. It’s perfect for fans of uplifting, feel-good stories with plenty of warmth and emotional depth.

The Book Swap is a moving love story that celebrates the magic of books, personal growth, and the power of connection. This novel is an uplifting, tender tribute to the importance of second chances and the unexpected ways love can find us, even in the most ordinary of places—like the margins of a book.