I truly enjoyed this book. Simply put, this book has an entirely refreshing premise that completely shakes up the romance genre! I loved the layered ways that the author helps us get into the minds of the characters who are stuck in each other's bodies, which only further complicates the inner workings of the characters.

At first, it was really hard to follow who was actually speaking post-body swap, but eventually it clicked. In some ways, this book felt like a light read, but there were many moments that felt steeped in traumatic memories, so I can't really call it light. BUT, I can say that the book is beautifully written! Worth a read for sure.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book!

I really liked the idea of the body swapping, it's the sole reason I read this book. Unfortunately, I didn't really like the characters so I lost interest in the story. I finished it, but it felt more like I had to make myself than I wanted to read it.

An interesting premise for a British romcom that has one couple on their way to a wedding getting struck by lightning only to find themselves suddenly in one another's bodies and unable to switch back. Forced to take part in the wedding activities posing as the other, secrets are revealed and they learn more about themselves as both a couple and individuals. This was cute and overall a light-hearted read. Would definitely recommend for fans of magical realism stories and authors like Beth O'Leary and it was also good on audio. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Steam level: closed door/kissing only

A rom com mixed with Freaky Friday sounded like a really fun concept. And it was just that. This book was a case of cool concept, okay execution for me. There were some funny parts and it was entertaining enough that I can see its appeal though, especially if you're looking for something light.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

I really thought I’d enjoy this because the couple swap seems like such a fun idea. I thought there would be more of the characters exploring what it was like to be each other but it was mostly just drama about their past that they don’t share with each other until they absolutely have to. As others have said, I doubt this couple would truly make it.

To me it felt like reading an episode of The Jersey shore which is just not my style. It has very few redeeming qualities but I did manage to finish it.

This was a fun twist on Freaky Friday and started out with a lot of potential. I enjoyed it, but not as much as I thought I was going to. I found myself not connected to either characters or their relationship- so I wasn't invested in them being together. It was interesting finding out about the MMC's past though. I enjoyed it but probably wouldn't reread.

I found that this book was a quick read because of the relatively short chapters, and the concept was unique and interesting. The only issues I had with this book is that sometimes the time jumps can be a little hard to follow. The way the reader gets to know about Flynn and Amy’s pasts is through flashbacks, which can at times make things slightly confusing. I also had a few issues with how much these characters fell into such stereotypical gender roles. I feel like a lot of the humor kind of relied on that aspect which made it a bit of a miss for me. Overall it was a fun read that I recommend others try out.

This is a quick read because the chapters are short, but the jumps mixed with short chapters didn't allow me to get connected to either timeline.

I was so excited to read this book by Cesca Major because I have been a fan of hers ever since reading "Maybe, Next Time." Although, I don't think I typically enjoy the Fantasy genre Cesca has a way of pulling the reader in with just enough romance and enough compelling plot lines that make the reader really think about life and complex issues. This book makes you pause and truly think about life, relationships, what it means to listen, what it means to be heard, and what ti takes for a relationship to be successful by truly putting yourself in the other person's shoes both figuratively and in this case literally. Definitely a must read.

This book had so much potential—who doesn’t love a Freaky Friday twist? I was ready to enjoy it, but honestly, Amy (the FMC) made it hard for me to fully get on board.

Flynn and Amy have been together for two years, but something’s been off lately. On their way to Amy’s sister’s wedding, a thunderstorm and freak lightning strike cause them to swap bodies. Now, they’re stuck in each other’s shoes—literally—for the weekend.

Both had their flaws. Flynn was secretive, sure, but Amy’s constant negativity and unfair assumptions about him were hard to overlook. She judged him harshly for things beyond his control, like where he went to school, without even trying to understand his side. Her character growth felt too little, too late to change my opinion.

Flynn, on the other hand, was much more redeemable. He owned up to his mistakes and really tried to make things right, even when he messed up.

The writing itself was easy to follow, and the occasional cheesy moments added some charm. Overall, it was an okay read, but Amy’s character definitely brought the rating down for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow!

I do love reading books/manga where the main characters swap bodies though and my last read - If I Were You by Cesca Major had a similar premise where the MCs Amy and Flynn end up switching bodies after a fight. And they need to make it to Amy's sister's wedding and get through the weekend without making a huge mess of things.⁣
⁣
Though Flynn and Amy have been dating for two years, there's a lot of miscommunication(or actually no communication regarding certain things) that has left them in a weird place where Amy is contemplating breaking up while Flynn wants to move in together and propose later. Their meet-cute was adorable but their personalities started clashing after a while and it doesn't help that they weren't too forthcoming about each other's pasts(which was very weird considering the fact that they'd been dating each other for so long but okay). We switch between the past and present - and it was pretty nice to see things from both of their perspectives. ⁣
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But things get more chaotic and messy after the body-switch because they have zero coordination with each other😅😂 I guess that's supposed to be the highlight but it was a bit frustrating to see them do that constantly 😂 Individually both Amy and Flynn go through a lot of character development and learn to see things from each other's perspectives but I was a bit miffed that it took them so long to figure things out and just talk it out. The book gets a bit serious at times(like it wasn't as funny as I'd been expecting it to be) but I did end up liking most of the secondary characters(with the exception of Tanya - I don't think she deserves forgiveness). I did enjoy reading this one but I think I was also left wondering whether they could have worked it out if they had never switched bodies in the first place?🤔

So much fun. The body-switch trope worked and gave all the feels. My only critique is I would have liked more story post-body switch back to normal.

This story was really light hearted and funny. I enjoy romance books with a magical element, so this was right up my alley! I thought the storyline was unique, and the plot was fast paced. I really enjoyed reading about the characters, Amy and Flynn.
Overall this was an enjoyable story, that I would recommend.

Cute idea - a freaky friday love story - but it just missed the mark for me. Execution just didnt work well. Arc from netgalley.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
I thought this was a delightfully funny romance that gave me "Freaky Friday" vibes, but instead of a mother and daughter switching places, it was a romantic couple. I like how this book truly shows that you can''t really experience what goes through a persons head unless you are literally walking in their shoes. Just like Cesca Major's last book, this book is a beautiful and thought provoking look at what it is like to be in love.

I definitely recommend this book.

Many thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

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This was such a good book! I love the swapping bodies and how they navigate this wedding in their significant others body. It was funny and introspective. The flashback stories were good, and overall the pacing was good and entertaining to read

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

On the way to Amy's sister’s extravagant wedding, she and her boyfriend Flynn have a massive argument during a thunderstorm. Lightning strikes, and in Freaky Friday fashion, they swap bodies, forcing them to experience the wedding weekend as each other. As they navigate exes, secrets, and wedding chaos, their relationship is tested. While the body swap is a humorous twist, I wanted them to break up so badly! They weren’t a good fit at all and knew absolutely nothing about each other. LIKE NOTHING. The wedding antics were fun at times, and I enjoyed how their relationships with family members evolved over the story. But yeah, Amy and Flynn were better off as friends (if even that.)

The idea behind this book was really interesting! It didn’t play out quite how I expected and felt a little lackluster by the end. The bulk of the story wasn’t bad and actually enjoyed some of the heart of the characters. The backstories and memories went prettt deep at times and that was nice to see.

3.5stars—IF I WERE YOU by Cesca Major is a contemporary, adult, body-swap, romance story line focusing on Flynn Waller and Amy Norman.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Flynn and Amy) using present day and memories from the past, IF I WERE YOU focuses on the embattled relationship between our story line couple. Amy’s sister is getting married, and our couple is struggling with their own relationship but a sudden rain storm and flash of light results in a body swap between our story line couple. Having to attend the weekend activities in one another’s bodies, secrets are revealed, misunderstanding and miscommunication threaten the breakdown of their floundering relationship.

The world building follows the struggle of two people caught in an unimaginable situation but a situation that reveals a lifetime of secrets and regrets. Flynn is hoping for a future, Amy is battling between head and heart, reconsidering her relationship with our story line hero.

The secondary and supporting characters include Amy’s sister Laura and her fiance Jay, as well as Amy and Laura’s mother Trish, and her husband Geoffrey, Flynn’s ex Tanya and her boyfriend Eddie.

IF I WERE YOU is a story with a little bit of everything: drama, heart break, humor and fantasy. The premise is entertaining and intriguing but often confusing as the reader had to remember the Amy/Flynn / Flynn/Amy dynamic. The characters are colorful and desperate. There is little to no romance as throughout most of the story line the embattled couple are not themselves, and the world around them is not what they expected.


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At the start of this novel, Amy and Flynn have been dating for two years but they definitely have communication issues and are not on the same page. On the way to Amy’s sister’s wedding, they get hit by lightning and swap bodies! We then see how they are going to navigate the weekend, plus flashback chapters both to their relationship before the weekend, and to their lives before that.

I had mixed feelings about this one - Amy and Flynn were kind of annoying (especially Amy), and the miscommunication was kind of out of control. But that being said, it was an enjoyable and easy to read book and I was invested in what was going to happen. And despite the light touch with which the book was written, it actually was a somewhat deeper book than I expected as both characters had some tough stuff in their backgrounds. I did not like this quite as much as Cesca Major’s prior book Maybe Next Time, but still enjoyed it enough that I would definitely keep reading her books

3.75 stars