Loved "Far and Away" by Amy Poeppel! A fun, internationally set novel, depicting different family dynamics, errors supported, and many misunderstandings. Entertaining and uplifting. Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

Rarely do I DNF a book if I get past 40% because I feel like I invested too much time to not see it through but life is too short and I’m trying to put down books I’m not liking. Sadly, I DNFed this book at 50%.

Everything just felt like too much in Far and Away. The characters all felt very cliched and surface level. The plot fell flat for me and there were so many aspects I found unbelievable that it annoyed me. I also found it to be pretty stressful. I felt completely unattached from all the characters and could care less what happened to them.

I think I’m in the minority so definitely give it a go if you want. I will still try her other books in the future, I’m hoping this was the only dud as she has been on my TBR for a while but this is my first by her.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc.

This was such a quirky and fun read. This is a book with a lot of various characters but they’re all so entertaining. I really enjoyed following along each family and their different dynamics. I liked the idea of how moving across the world kind of helps them all figure life out. Was it a bit far fetched? Yes 😂 but it was a fun time. I really liked the happy ending 🥰Recommended if you’re looking for a light summer-y read.

Some of the plot points are a little far fetched but it was a cute book and fun to ping pong back and forth between Berlin and Dallas.

Having never read Amy Poeppel's previous books, I was excited to read Far and Away. Two women thrust into an unusual switch, changing homes across the world. A mistake made by Lucy's son and job change by Greta's husband flipped their lives upside down. However, things work out and provide for a happy ending.

Two women. Two continents. Two completely different lives—and yet, so many relatable moments.
This was a witty, thoughtful, and FIVE STAR read that had me thinking about what it means to be a wife, a mom, a woman working full time trying to juggle it all.
As someone raising Gen Z young ladies, I found myself smiling at the chaos, cringing at the honesty, and nodding at the generational tug-of-war we all seem to be navigating no matter how “with it” I feel I am!

Lucy is raising three kids in Dallas while her husband is off simulating life on Mars in a New Mexico desert.
Greta is in Berlin, trying to find balance as her only daughter studies abroad.

The two women agree—through a few brief messages—to swap homes for a year, each craving change without fully understanding what they’ve signed up for.
Lucy arrives in Berlin to a one-bedroom apartment filled with priceless art and zero space for her twins and college-bound son.
Greta arrives in Dallas to a massive, overly automated smart home… complete with three cats, two dogs, and a guinea pig she was definitely not warned about.
Suffice it to say, chaos ensues, growth unfolds, and both families find unexpected love and joy along the way.

Thank you NetGalley, Amy Poeppel, and Atria Books for the opportunity to read this heartfelt and hilarious novel in exchange for a review.
*this one is out now!

This was a quick and fun read with all the feels. Lots of LOL moments. Good writing. Loved the characters !

I loved this book from Amy Poeppel. I don't know how she so expertly weaves multiple storylines together but she is masterful at it. Like The Sweet Spot and Musical Chairs before it, Far and Away is brimming with complex but immensely lovable characters that I find myself missing after the final page.

Just an utterly delightful story. For fans of The Holiday and any of your favorite rom-coms. I would also compare it a little to Lula Dean in just the way community and family come together. Each of the characters is so unique and vibrant. I mean Otto is just perfection.

I loved the way the story unfolds, with varying perspectives and voices.

This is a wonderful story about family, both the one that you’re born into and found family. About following your gut and also not being afraid of a challenge. Just perfect.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced copy for my feedback.

This extremely readable, un-put-downable book made me laugh out loud (literally!) and smile at the sweetness by turns. I love the characters. There’s a huge cast with multiple POVs, but they are all distinct and easy to tell apart.

In Dallas, TX, Lucy is holding her family together while her husband spends six months in a Mars simulation. With a son graduating high school, twins ready for summer, a new job in hotel design, and a house full of pets her days are full. Suddenly she gets news that brings her world crashing down and leaves her desperate to get away. In Berlin, Germany, Greta’s husband has suddenly announced that rather than moving to New York with their daughter, he’s taken a job in Texas and wants to move immediately. The two meet over Instagram and arrange to swap houses for the summer. What follows is a hilarious and heartfelt adventure for both women and their families.

So many parts had me laughing. When the smart house started playing Goodbye Earl on repeat and Greta couldn’t turn it off and just lived with it for 24 hours. When her husband discovered Costco. When Lucy’s husband came home to a house full of strangers. But ultimately this book is about connection. Between family and those that become family. The sweetness of opening your heart to others, despite the cultural differences.

Thank you to @Netgalley and @atriabooks for the chance to review this ARC. I’m definitely buying a copy of this one for my shelf.

Thank you to Net Galley and Atria Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This was a very cute and quirky story about two families who swap houses and the culture shock involving this situation. There were moments in the book that were a little silly, but all in all this was an interesting story and a fun read.

Lucy is looking to get out of Dallas with her children, while her husband is on a practice mission. Greta and Otto live in Germany, Otto has accepted a short term position in Dallas. Thanks to one social media post, Lucy and Greta agree to swap houses.

What a fun read! This was my first book by this author and it won’t be my last. I loved all these characters, the situations they find themselves in, and their transformations. They are so well written, you can see yourself being friends with them. The author did a wonderful job of slowly intertwining their stories. This story is full of laughs, so much heart and a perfect ending.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.

Amy Poeppel is back with another delightful, funny (at times laugh out loud funny) and heartfelt novel with a cast of charming characters. Dallas native Lucy is having a rough time-her son Jack was expelled from school for a timely misunderstanding that has gone viral and puts the family in the spotlight, her husband is away for 6 months on a secret mission without any contact so far and her young CEO bosses are...fairly demanding. Across the ocean in Berlin, art collector Greta and her physician husband Otto are planning on a year's sabbatical in NYC-until Otto's boss cuts his funding. Goodbye NYC apartment and the opportunity to spend time with their daughter this summer who will be in the city completing an internship. In an unusual moment of whim, Otto agrees to a Dallas University's offer to bring his research there for a year and join their medical team-in the next couple of days. Greta, frantic, and not prepared to move to Dallas (let alone spend the time in a Holiday Inn Express), enlists her younger sister's help and posts a house swap on Instagram. Bettina, Greta's sister, posts it to her socials and her old friend from college Lucy happens to see it. Thinking it's the answer to her family's pariah status this summer and an opportunity for Jack to start fresh for awhile, she jumps on the chance and the family pack in a matter of hours and head to the airport. Otto adapts to Dallas life like a native Texan while Greta struggles with being homesick, her mother's potential affair with a much younger man, and trying to understand how to operate Lucy's smart house. Told in alternating city chapters and perspectives, Poeppel highlights how the things we love most are far and away the people in our lives. There is character growth, some difficult realizations and plenty of smiles along the way. This is a great summer read or a book for anytime you need a little escape filled with hope. Pick this one up today.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Far and Away has cemented Amy Poeppel as an author I’ll read every new release from. Once again, she creates a sprawling cast of vivid, distinct characters. I found myself rooting for every single one of them, but especially the two main characters: Lucy and Greta. The story alternates its focus between them each chapter, and I always wanted to keep reading to see what was happening in parallel on the other side of the world.

I’ll be recommending this book to:
-fans of Beth O’Leary or Katherine Center
-anyone seeking a new beach read
-lovers of the golden-age rom-coms, when even the side characters were perfectly developed

I am a huge fan of Amy Poeppel, ever since reading Musical Chairs. Far and Away sounded so great I chose it for my book club to read. It is another gem which everyone enjoyed. Amy is such a good storyteller creating characters and scenarios that truly entertain. You will enjoy the multiple locations and adventures of Far and Away.

Thank you Atria books and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Amy Poeppel is quickly becoming an auto-read author for me. I love her quirky characters and alway have a rollicking good time! Strongly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Emily Bestler Books for the advanced reader copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for this ARC. Greta and Lucy are both at stressful times in their lives. Berlin based Greta’s husband takes a position in Texas, while Texas based Lucy’s husband is “stationed” on Mars for NASA training. The idea of a sight unseen house swap similar to the movie The Holiday, was enticing for me but I found it fell flat. I couldn’t maintain interest in either main character unfortunately.

I joyed this story of two women who end yo swapping homes in Dallas and Berlin. Admittedly I was a little distracted as I read this book while traveling, but I was still able to follow the dual POV and keep up with the side characters. I laughed at Lucy’s bad German translations and felt real sympathy for the family following the oldest so ‘s misunderstanding at school. Otto and Greta’s relationship perplexed me at times, but it seemed to all work out for the best in the end. Overall this was a happy story that worked its way through some difficult moments.

Far and Away is a perfect book to add to your beach bag. The story of a home exchange between Berlin and Dallas reveals cultural differences and multigenerational attitudes in a most entertaining fashion. It will appeal to women of any age looking for a fun easygoing book.

In Dallas, on the eve of her eldest son’s high school graduation, Lucy is devastated to find out that a scandal has happened and her son is not going to graduate. On the other side of the world in Berlin, Greta is astounded to find out that her husband has taken a job in Texas without any input from Greta. In a strange chain of events, these two women decide to do a house swap situation as Lucy is trying to outrun her problems and Greta is just trying to keep her marriage afloat. The result is a dual point of view fish out of water situation in which chaos definitely ensues for both women.

I thought this was a super cute entertaining read. I enjoyed the dual POVs, and appreciated the growth of both of the main characters. Sometimes the pacing was a bit lacking and it felt a bit contrived, but what brought this book together was the third act and how all the characters intertwined. I loved the ending, which left me feeling very content. Definitely recommend it if you enjoy a light and fun read that involves some strong women who are doing what is best for their families. 3.75/5 Stars.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for an advanced reading copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.