I love how immersive Amy Poeppel’s novels are—the settings and characters are beautifully detailed and pull me in as a reader from the first page. Far and Away is just as delightful, and I loved spending time with Lucy and Greta in Dallas and Berlin. Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC. Would recommend 100%!

Amy Poeppel’s Far and Away is a charming, funny, and heartfelt novel about family, second chances, and discovering what home really means. The story follows Lucy, a mom juggling chaos after her son Jack—an MIT hopeful—gets suspended the day before graduation for a dumb stunt. With her husband unreachable and life feeling out of control, she stumbles upon a creative solution: a house swap with a German family. Otto, a German professor, has just landed his dream job in the U.S., leaving his home unexpectedly available—perfect timing for Lucy’s fresh start.

This novel is packed with humor, but it also has deeply touching moments that make it more than just a light read. The characters are so well developed that you can’t help but fall in love with them, and by the end, you won’t want to say goodbye. It’s a fun, heartwarming reminder that sometimes, you have to move far away to truly appreciate where you came from.. As a Texan, I really enjoyed this book. 4.5 Stars

Wow this was just a hug in a book! Far and Away was like the Holiday meets Love Actually where a house swap creates a lot of chaos and a lot of joy. The book follows multiple characters and delivers on the classic HEA. I could not stop reading this book, which had me gripped from page 1. I think my only complaint is that the end felt a tiny bit rushed. Otherwise thoroughly enjoyed and found myself squealing as things fell into place.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Amy Poeppel has an amazing knack for creating flawed yet endearing characters that really draw you in and continue to grow on you as the story unfolds!

As someone who spent several years living in Germany, I found this story incredibly relatable and full of nostalgia.

I do have one little complaint: the entire plot centers around the trouble Jack finds himself in at school, and it feels a bit too minor for the drama that unfolds. With his reputation, I think a kid like him would have gotten the benefit of the doubt, so I wish it had been a different incident that kicked off the events.

That being said, I absolutely loved how everything played out!

I’ve been a fan of Amy Poeppel's work from the very beginning, and she has never let me down. “Far and Away” is no exception—it's simply delightful!

4.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for sending me the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I haven't yet met an Amy Poeppel book that I haven't loved. Her books are quirky and fun, and this was no exception-- this book follows the lives of two families who have never met who decide (on a whim) to switch residences for the summer/year/an undetermined amount of time -- from Dallas, TX to Berlin, Germany (and vice versa). This story follows Greta in Texas and Lucy in Berlin and a whole cast of characters related to each of them, and the drama surrounding their quick exits. No notes- just a very enjoyable little book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Far and Away is basically a house swap situation. Greta's husband has an opportunity to work in the United State (and isn't happy with his work situation in Germany) and Lucy's son got himself in deep trouble with his high school on the day before graduation. (The neighborhood, school, parents, teens were basically all melting down and Lucy's son Jack wasn't divulging the details of what happened and why.)

I loved how these two house swap stories were interwoven. Great characters. Fun story. Not super deep, but very creative and very enjoyable. Between 4 and 5 stars, rounding up. Even though it is nearly 400 pages, once I got started ... I couldn't stop and finished in a couple days ... so closer to 5 for me than 4. :)

Amy Poeppel has been on my list, I've heard a lot about her book The Sweet Spot and haven't quite gotten around to reading it yet. When Far and Away became an opportunity to request on NetGalley, I was so happy that the publishers approved my request! Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books. 400 pages, June 10, 2025 publication date.

Just finished devouring this book, and I’m immediately searching for the author’s backlist!

Lucy and Greta in a bout of great impulsivity decide to swap homes for the summer, and adventure ensues! I found myself cheering for the side cast of characters as much as the two main ones.

The author fantastically switches between characters and locations, and gives great depth to each of the cast of characters.

Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for the advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review!

When Greta & Lucy hastily agreed to a house swap, they had no idea what a life changing experience it would be. Who would they rely on when dealing with unexpected challenges halfway across the world? Would they ever be able to go home?

In Far and Away, Amy Poeppel introduces us to likable characters who are dealing with misunderstandings and disappointments, but are determined to make things right - for themselves and each other. The multiple points of view are beautifully woven together and give the story dimension. I enjoyed this book and didn’t want to put it down until I knew how it would end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.

Far and Away brought me a lot of laughs on a day when I really needed a fun and unusual story! I loved this story of a house swap involving an elegant Berlin apartment filled with antiques and a modern Texas mansion—and the people who make this very hasty exchange. Lucy and Greta both have reasons for needing to find a new place very quickly, and the challenges they face dealing with new lives and old problems becomes a heart-warming and funny story. This was a quick and delightful read with a very satisfying ending. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to provide an honest review.

This is my second Amy Poeppel book, and I'm so impressed! I can't wait to continue reading her other work.

When Greta and Lucy decide to swap houses (internationally at that!), a summer of misunderstandings, new-found freedoms, and making connections in unexpected places ensues. Throw in Mars, 6 pets, and the Texas heat for good measure. Poeppel writes with such humor and soul, and it's hard not to love every single character--flaws included. Somehow she makes what could be quite a ridiculous plot sound realistic and heartwarming. I love the adventures she's able to take the reader on, and the way the locations in her books really are a character themselves.

4.5 stars for a beautiful, hilarious romp!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for the ARC! This title will be published on June 10, 2025.

I really enjoyed reading this book, it had that humor element that I was looking for and was engaged with what was happening. Amy Poeppel was able to create a strong story and was engaged in with the characters. I'm glad everything worked overall and was able to tell a story that I was hooked from the first page.

* I want to start by thanking the author and publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. super cute,

Lucy and Greta swap homes for a year; what could be a fish-out-of-water story becomes a dual POV fishes-out-of-water story. Greta's husband Otto is taking a position in Dallas, temporarily, and they list their small Berlin apartment for a home swap saying "perfect for someone in need of an escape." Lucy and her kids fit the bill. Her husband, Mason, is unreachable and out on assignment from NASA, is he on Mars? Jack has been expelled from high school the day before graduation and his dreams of going to MIT are crumbling. Lucy's parents live in a small home on their property, and Greta meets them and takes care of the cats. Otto gets into living in the US more than Greta.

This was a fun read, easy to examine and fun mis-translations. Lucy has twin girls who are written almost perfectly, I only wish we had gotten more of the twins. Her son Jack was treated so unfairly it seemed almost impossible for his life to be ruined so thoroughly over a misunderstanding. Everything, naturally, works out for the best, and that really is the lesson. That sometimes we need to move an ocean away to see ourselves clearly. Although I found Lucy a bit boring, the interweaving storylines kept things interesting.

This is best read on kindle so that you can translate the German phrases and sentences. I shelved it as women's book club fiction, it is contemporary and lighthearted. Easy to read this is very accessible to many readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for the ARC. Book to be published June 10, 2025.

⭐️ rating: 4+

As with the last novel I read by this author, this was such a feel good read!! The premise of an international housing swap got my attention immediately and did not disappoint. There is quite an array of characters to keep up with, but the main characters felt well-rounded and interesting except for Otto, whose personality fell flat for me. I found the ending to be predictable but sweet. I will definitely be reading the rest of Poeppel’s books!!

I received a copy of this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. #NetGalley #LilReads

Far and Away by Amy Poeppel is an original and captivating story. The house swap premise is charming and hooked me right from the start. There were plenty of thought-provoking moments as well, with complex and diverse characters, which made for a lively and sometimes chaotic read.

The story follows two very different women, Lucy and Greta. Lucy, who lives in Texas, is holding down the fort while her husband is away for six months in a NASA Biosphere. Greta, on the other hand, lives in a flat in Berlin, and her husband just accepted a short-term job in Texas. When they connect for a house swap, the adventure begins.

The narrative flips back and forth between the two locations, diving into the personal dramas of each character. It's a touching and funny journey, and the ending is fantastic tying everything together beautifully. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

This was my first Amy Poeppel book and I LOVED it! I was thoroughly entertained the whole time and fell in love with all the characters. It was also a very heartwarming story.

4.5 rating. I loved “Small Admissions” and “Limelight.” When Amy Poeppel writes novels, she invests in her characters and locales. When I started “Far and Away,” I wasn’t sure I was going to get involved in the story. At first, I thought I was reading a take on the movie, “The Holiday.” Two seemingly wealthy women swap homes and cities. However, suddenly the book took off. I did have to suspend my disbelief a bit, because I don’t think either of the main characters would have swapped homes, but who cares? I loved the characters, the descriptions of the cities and local color, and the humor, of course! I love books that have interesting characters. Books don’t have to be profound or impart some sort of life lesson. Sometimes, I just want to sit down, read about other people and escape. I very much enjoyed this book!! Thank you Netgalley!

Amy Poeppel does not disappoint!

This book was funny, had me chuckling out loud at times. The maim characters were well-developed and relatable. The side characters were delightful, and I was rooting for all of them. There are a lit if characters, like in other Amy Poeppel book, but I think it adds to the relatable-ness of the book: there are competing people and desires that make for a variety of problems.

I loved #FarandAway and pictured Dallas, Berlin and New York, all the places in this book. It made me want to travel more reading up about the characters and their lives. I was happy with the characters and how the end with the epilogue played out. I will now be reading all of Amy Poeppel"s books. Thank you to #netgalley for this arc!! I absolutely loved reading this book and all the characters as they went through some ups and downs in their adventures!

Far and Away is a heartwarming story of two families who swap homes - one in Dallas, and the other in Berlin. The families have little in common, and at first it seems that this swap is not going to work for either family. Greta and Otto move from their native Berlin to Dallas in the summer heat for a last-minute job opportunity for Otto. They swap homes with Lucy and her children, who are seeking an escape from an unfortunate situation that her son is going through. Lucy and family move from a large, modern home in Dallas to a small, elegant apartment filled with antiques in an upscale neighborhood in Berlin. When both families arrive, they have a hard time settling in, and it seems that both are not happy with their situations. But as time goes on, each family finds their way in their new home, making friends and enjoying the sights of their new cities. The two women who initiate the home exchange, Greta and Lucy, are initially uncertain that they can get along, and that they made a good decision by doing this home swap. As time goes on, they open up to each other and end up helping each other with various job and family challenges. The two families become close, and things change for both of the families. After the home swap, their lives change in many big and small ways.

I loved how Amy Poeppel slowly brought these two families together, and showed how each family acclimated to their new homes. She built meaningful connections between the characters, and gradually revealed the struggles and issues each character was facing. Her characters and the story as a whole were well-developed and multifaceted. We learn about the characters' past, present, and their future in a lovely epilogue. Poeppel does a masterful job of capturing the essence of each place where the families live, and also authentically shows how the families adjust to their new settings.

This book was an unexpected surprise, and I really loved it. The author creates a complex, fascinating story and ties everything together with resolution for all by the end of the book. I highly recommend Far and Away, and I can't wait to read Amy Poeppel's other work.

Thank you to Atria/Emily Bestler Books, Amy Poeppel and NetGalley for an advance reader's copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.