This book was just not for me. First of all, it was advertised as a RomCom but there was very little romance or comedy. It felt more like a book about me at mental health issues and unhealthy family dynamics. I did not like either of the main characters even after I realized the error of their ways. They didn’t interact enough for me to want them to be together.
The sentences were choppy and often didn’t flow together, and the plot would jump around too much from one paragraph to another making it difficult to follow. If I had not been given the book as an ARC, I would not have finished it. It was honestly pretty boring.
One of the positives of the books is it’s references to other books during the “book swap.” These sections were just too small to redeem the book in my eyes.

This book was not what I was expecting and a true never trust the cover situation. Was expecting romance and got triggering emotional turmoil. This was not the light hearted read I was hoping for!

I really liked this book by chapter 2, and by chapter 8 I was crying both happy and sad tears. The Book Swap really encompassed everything I love about reading, shoved it into applicable boxes for every life situation, and then made me nostalgic about every good book I’ve ever read. Their story really illustrates how impactful books are to the people who love them.

James and Erin are relatable and complex and full of happiness and grief and healing *AND* have fantastic taste in books. The twists and turns were there but also real—the entire time I felt like these situations and relationships were completely believable.

I got particularly teary when Perks of Being a Wallflower was brought up because that book was so special to me in high school, and I remember having the same teenage passion and articulation for the story that James, Bonnie, and Erin did. Mr. Carter also reminded me of my favorite English teacher, who did so much for me and made my hellish school-life bearable for a few years (I know all book lovers have one of these wonderful teachers!!).

Long story short; I’m not good with words, but I highly recommend this book to my fellow book lovers—it comes out in September and I’m so happy for you all to read it and love it too!!

I really thought by the cover that this was going to be a sweet little rom-com. I was so wrong. Our two main characters seem to be struggling in different ways, processing their personal traumas. I really enjoyed how this book represented mental illness and talked about hard things in a sweet way. I really enjoyed this one!

This was the first I read by this author. I was u see the impression by the cover that this would be a romance. Honestly it’s far from, there are most definitely triggers in this book. There should be warnings for these who have had to deal with bullying, and mental illness. I don’t think I’d recommend this to be honest. It’s not a very light hearted read..

Thank you Harlequin and Netgalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't love it, but I also didn't hate it either. I thought the beginning was very interesting, I felt like it had a really good start. I definitely thought the book was solely about romance but it's so much more to it. It talks about grief, mental illness, bullying, trauma, etc. The romance relationship for the FMC and the MMC was taking a bit too long and I really felt no connection with them by the end of the book. The FMC was holding on too long on a grudge and stuck in the past which I thought was a bit too childish for her age. Which I get it, that's her whole persona and all. It just got frustrating for me to understand her. Overall, it was an easy read.

First off, I would like to thank NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was very different from what I expected…I thought it would be a really fun lighthearted romcom read but I was so wrong. It touches on ideas of grief, bullying, mental illness, and it’s definitely not just a light and happy read.

I found it a bit hard to get through this book. There were just so many other side plots when I just wanted to know about all the book swaps and how their relationship progressed. It felt a little unnecessary to me to have so much happening on the side. I found myself confused at times, especially because of how certain important things just weren’t explained until much later on in the book. It just wasn’t really something I found myself enjoying and wanting to read on.

It’s not a bad book, it just wasn’t what I was expecting and I found it a bit unfocused for my liking.

Note: This review has been posted on Goodreads temporarily without a rating, as I am aware that certain publishers/authors do not want any ratings under 4 stars to be posted before the book is released.

I went into The Book Swap thinking it would be a cute romance book, but it covers some deep subject matter and the romance definitely felt like it was on the back burner. The first 25% just felt like the characters were trauma dumping, and I didn’t feel a connection to any of them. There are lots of literary references but they are all to classics that I haven’t read, however I can see how someone who has read them and enjoyed them, will appreciate it. Overall, I was disappointed because the premise of this book is SO good and was super intriguing to me, hence why I requested it, but unfortunately it just wasn’t excuted well in my opinion and ultimately just didn’t suit my reading tastes.

I think this is more a love letter to books and the growth and healing that can come from finding the right book at the right time than a romance. There were romantic elements and they were falling in love over their notes, but the romance was really secondary to the growth and healing both characters were experiencing. This book definitely made me want to read all the mentioned classics again or for the first time, and also made me want to start a free little library!

I received an uncorrected proof, and I've gotten those before but this was DEFINITELY uncorrected. Potentially format just a little more before sending these out. Every word starting with the letter "f" was split, and the paragraphs ran together.

The Book Swap, a debut novel by author Tessa Bickers. Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy to read.
I went into this novel expecting a romcom or at least a romance. The book was more of a look into the mental health and family issues of the two main characters. I didn't enjoy it. Our two main characters have little to no interaction for most of the book. It was well written but just not what I was expecting when I read the description of saw the cover.

The Book Swap, a debut novel by author Tessa Bickers. Thank you Netgalley for an ARC.

From the cover and the blurb I went into this book expecting a rom-com meets Jane Austen and other classics. However, it is more so a mixture of slight romance with heavy subject matters; please check the trigger warnings before reading.

The fmc, Erin, loses a book that was annotated and very special to her. Erin is also navigating the loss of her best friend. The mmc, James, finds Erin’s special book and writes his own annotations on the margins. They then continue interacting via the margins of beloved classics novels.

James and Erin both have their own respective issues and are figuring out their paths towards healing. The romance is very slow burn. I would say the book focuses more on navigating grief and trauma than romance (but when it’s there it’s very cheesy and rom-com)

Overall, this wasn’t a bad book at all. For a debut novel, it was written well! My only real critique would be that the blurb isn’t as accurate as the true plot.

Thank you, NetGalley + Harlequin Trade Publishing for the chance to read & review this ARC!

a 3.5 star read for me. a debut from Bickers, this book was more than just a breezy love story. it gave a window into two flawed humans processing their own grief & loss on a journey to becoming the kind of people that could be healthy in their own relationships with themselves/others.

some things that weren’t my favorite - the slow burn was burning, but in a way that was too slow in moments. at times I had difficulty connecting with the main characters or just didn’t like them

some things I really adored - the dual POV, the literary classic references, the neighborhood library, the depth of the themes of friendship/family, the letters.

Thank you netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I went into this expecting a romance, but I feel that this book is more about the process of grief and finding oneself, with a subplot of romance. This is an emotional read, for sure. It wasn't what I was expecting but I still enjoyed it.

3/5 ⭐

let me start off by saying I had high hopes for this book! after finishing it, I definitely have mixed feelings. because the first half was not good, but the second half was AMAZING!

erin is still grieving the lost of her best friend while trying to find her place in the world. james similarly is coping with his own sense of loss and struggle while figuring out his life too. but what they don’t expect is a little library in between their neighborhoods where they start swapping books after leaving notes in the margins. and what begins as just notes on the books quickly turns into getting to know one another more deeply through the pages of these books.

they both share broken hearts, but with the help of their third wheel, they’re able to not only find a way back to each other but also figure out the directions of their lives and mend their family relationships too!

hugeee thank you to Harlequin Publishing and NetGalley for this arc of The Book Swap!

Publication date is Sept 3rd, 2024📖

I really liked the premise! It was a super cute romance. I wish there was more time with the actual romance, however, what they did have was very sweet. The side characters are all fleshed out, but all super villainous when I don’t know if the author meant for that? I felt it made me root really hard for the main characters cause they had such awful people surrounding them! I read it in a day cause I couldn’t put it down!

3.5/5 stars

"The Book Swap" is a heartwarming story that also tackles heavy topics. While I enjoyed the overall story, I wished there was more emphasis on the conversations between the characters happening in the actual annotations of the books. It would have added a unique and immersive element to the reading experience if they got to know each other more through their annotations as opposed to using the books to ask questions in the back. Despite this, the book still managed to captivate me with its emotional depth.

This book was so beautiful! The idea of a romance though book swapping at a free little library ❤️

Tropes: second chance romance, secret identity, first love, emotional scars, Lack of communication.

I devoured this book when I finally started it, I loved the characters, I loved the premise of the book, I loved the growth she was finally able to make. My heart broke several times and some things hit way to close to home 😭

Lovely book highly recommend.

This book had be crying on the plane! I was not expecting it to be so poignant and sweet. Erin the FMC is relatable and real; her reactions to things sometimes felt out of proportion but in the end she had such a great arc. Erin's sister was one of my favorite characters and I was not expecting it. James similarly to Erin you just wanted to be ok but he needed to shake off the past and the preconceived notions he had in his head for his life! I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy and put it on my shelf.

It's a book about books and so much more. Yes, please! I loved the concept of this story. The characters face a lot of scenarios throughout, and I enjoyed getting to know them. It had just the right pace. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

The Book Swap is more than just a book about books. The main characters, Erin and James, are unknowingly swapping books with each other through a Little Free Library. Their main form of communication is through the margins in the books they’re swapping, but their past issues may get in the way of their budding romance.

The Book Swap tackles tough issues like trauma, bullying, mental illness, loss and grief, difficult family relationships, and facing the consequences of the choices you make, all while sprinkling in a little bit of romance. The author handled these tough issues so well and intertwining James and Erin’s slow burn friends to enemies to lovers romance into these issues was the cherry on top. The book features very well written, well rounded characters who are full of depth that you will fall in love with instantly. This is definitely one I will be recommending to everyone!

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for allowing me to review this ARC!