Great idea for a book and really well executed. A thoroughly good read. Highly recommended. .

**I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

The Change Room isn’t the type of book I usually reach for but the description piqued by interest and I’m glad I read it, I enjoyed it SO much.

Eliza is a wife, mother and business owner who is overwhelmed with all the duties that come along with those roles. She meets a women in a pool change room and embarks on an affair. Let me just say, I related to this book so well despite having nothing to relate to at all.

The book is beautifully written and being from Toronto, I enjoyed all the Toronto tidbits. The author does a great job and creating really well developed characters and settings. I appreciated how unfiltered the sex scenes were written, they were so sexy and raw. Give me that over flaming loins and heavy bosoms, any day. I liked how positively sex work and bisexuality were portrayed.

The end was such a let down, I kept thinking ‘am I missing something or is this really the end?’

Because the book dragged a bit in places and because of the ending, I give this book 3.5 stars.

I eyed this book for a while before requesting it for review. The cover kept drawing me back though something about the blurb had me worried that the story would either be too trite or too high brow. In the end I asked to read it because of the plot synopsis...I was intrigued!

I needn't have worried- I had no trouble relating to Eliza and fell into step with her chaotic life of motherhood, business and marriage. I followed her through her exercise plan, her moments that were just her own and was unsurprised at what felt like a natural first liaison with "the amazon" in the pool change room. The sexual nature of the story, though intense and explicit, does delve into a much more common set of problems faced in marriage and in many relationships. The lack of nurturing (physical or mental) will allow for discontent and eventual discord.

I wished that Eliza's trip to Greece had been given more than a passing glance- it felt as if it had more of an effect on her than the novel allowed and that it could have rounded out her character a bit more to have that part of her life more voice. I was also frustrated by Andrew's brother and parents (mostly mother)- they didn't do much for me or the plot except to add an element of tension in Andrew and Eliza's marriage and they filled me with something close to rage I'm afraid.

I easily accepted all the couple combinations though and felt that each of them was the right fit in their own way. Their meeting and merging was interesting and in the end I'm not convinced I was satisfied with the outcome for any of them- I suppose it couldn't end up perfectly for everyone in the end?

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for our review copy. All opinions are our own.

So i was not sure what i would think of this book and i wanted to try something new... boy was i ever disappointed. Not even half way thru the book i was bored out of my mind. I finished it out of respect and for an honest review. It was finally getting good and then it amped up more and then BAM.. book finished and i was frustrated. The beginning could have gone faster and the end further. I would like to have seen were this "relationship" could have gone.
I feel horrible for giving a bad review but it is what i think.

I really enjoyed this novel overall. I loved how the characters interacted.

Let's start with things to know about The Change Room:
1) Sex: there is a lot of it; and not just alluded to but described in beautiful detail
2) LGBT: we have wonderful lesbian characters
3) Sex trade: is a focal point, but seen in a practical, loving way
4) Adultery: is the main theme and focus
5) Ending: it just stops. Right at the moment where things were the most interesting!!
6) The main character is obsessed with having babies. To the point of utter annoyance to me (as someone whose mid-30s with no children and zero plans for any this was super frustrating).
7) There are rape and molestation flashbacks

The Change Room read quickly for me. Karen Connelly definitely knows how to write a compelling, forward moving story. At no point was I bored. This is not a traditional romance novel even though it has many descriptive sex scenes. It's really more of a literature piece.
Set in Canada, and with many references to my home town (Calgary) I loved the descriptions and settings used. <I>(Side note: I've lived in Alberta my whole life and never ever heard the 'Alberta curse' phrase she uses).</i>

It's obvious that Connelly either did a lot of research on Greece and political matters as all the political and socio-economic things happening in the world in this book happened in real life. I found this refreshing. While not necessarily relevant to our main story it lent credibility to the overall text and I'm sure an English literature professor could find a hundred ways it relates to the story.

The focus of Change Room is a married woman whom has two children, a content husband, and an 'average' life that many readers can likely relate to. But she's not really happy. Something is missing... in walks a gorgeous lady to the swimming pool one day and so begins an affair that changes everything in her life.

Overall this book is intriguing, handles the subject matter really well and intelligently sheds light into a number of situations and scenarios society doesn't like to talk about (see list above) . It's very realistic and handles all its sensitive subject matter quite well.

The reason for my 3-star review, given all these factors, is that just as the book feels like it's at a pinnacle moment that I'm dying to know how plays out, it ends!!!

Yes it's an ending where you know what's about to be said and can decide how it plays out for yourself. However I just wanted way more! Normally wanting more would leave me with a high review and excitement. But in this case I felt so invested in the characters and their situations that I can't believe it ended!

Maybe that's unfair... maybe there are tons of philosophical reasons why this ending is perfect. For me it was a huge let down and makes me frustrated as a whole with The Change Room and the investment of time I put into it. It's possible in a few days I'll feel differently but for right now it just felt like Connelly didn't want to decide how it ended and that feels cheap to me.

I would recommend this book for anyone that wants a different perspective on the sex trade, affairs, lesbianism and suburban family.

A middle-aged, middle-class Toronto mother, tired of the drudgery of work and caring for her young family, stumbles into an affair with a woman she meets at the pool. Fifty Shades for the literary set - unlike anything you have ever read before!

It was refreshing to read something different like The Change Room because it deals with a married woman having an affair with a woman. The book was well written just I didn't connect with Eliza.

Karen Connelly is an incredible writer. Just reading the first pages, as Eliza drops off her children and hurries to the pool, I could feel the swell of her desire to jump into the water and swim, forget everything else. The gratification at finally reaching her goal and the sensuality of her swimming – the blue of the water, the beam of sun breaking through the clouds, turning the water’s surface to glitter… I wished Connelly would stop right there. A poem in prose. Perfect in itself. I don’t regret that she continued beyond that.

I picked the Change Room up because I was intrigued by the premise. Sexually adventurous, Eliza’s upset she gets so little from her husband since having kids. He loves her, he adores her, but he’s not so interested in the physical part of their marriage. Frustrated and perpetually horny Eliza gives in to temptation and has an encounter with a mysterious woman in the pool change room. The one-off with Shar (“rhymes with star”) develops quickly into a full-blown affair and then… love. Guilt, lust, guilt, lust, Eliza doesn’t even consider giving up Shar, but that doesn’t stop her from feeling like the horrible traitorous wife that she is. She still loves her husband after all. Her heart has stretched to include Shar, not switched loyalties.

The Change Room follows Eliza’s near-perfect domestic life with her adoring husband and sons, including her frustrations about the never ending busy-ness of it. Her everyday life is life and I delighted to read about it. The book also switches from Eliza to her husband Andrew (who I love) to Shar, three imperfect people who all see the world differently.

The ending should be unsatisfying but I was weirdly ok with it. Absolutely unresolved, Connelly has left herself plenty of material for a sequel. What happens to Eliza and Shar? Eliza and Andrew? Whether she follows this book up or not is anyone’s guess but there are plenty of unanswered questions left; enough to fill a whole other book. The mysterious brother Martin would fit in to the other three’s shenanigans perfectly. Actually, he alone could have his own book based on the 50 final pages he turns up in.

I wanted to like this novel even though it is not the type of novel I would typically read, but I just couldn't really get into it.I found the dialogue really difficult to follow, and I also found that the story wasn't engaging enough which made it difficult for me to want to continue reading.

One redeeming factor is the fact that it is set in Toronto. It was nice to read a story that was set in my own city.

Review This novel is completely outside of what I normally read.

A sort of a twist on the “coming of age” story, Eliza, a middle-aged, married woman, finds herself in an adulterous affair with a woman (Shar) she meets at the pool. What starts in the change room soon takes over Eliza’s life as she battles between what she feels is right and what she feels in her heart.

I initially chose this book because a Canadian author wrote it. I am making a serious effort this year to #readthenorth. So, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I I read this novel easily over the course of a few sittings; I found myself completely engaged in Eliza’s world.

However, this one left me feeling conflicted. I don’t know if I loved this novel or if I hated.

I felt an instant connection to the Eliza character. Something about her was so realistic and she truly was well developed. One thing I liked about her was her banter; she was funny and smart. A few things she said had me smirking with delight. She seemed to be modelled after an “every woman” type of character. She works hard, loves her family but, for whatever reason, finds herself with discontent. For whatever reason, Eliza kept reminding me of the protagonist from Kate Chopin’s The Awakening.

I struggled in the middle of the novel because, as much as I enjoyed the character development of Eliza, I didn’t find myself interested in Shar. Not even a little. I’m not sure if I was supposed to be shocked by her sexual experience and feel as if she was an edgy, breath of fresh air into Eliza’s life. But I didn’t. In fact, she kind of bored me.

By the end, I was even more conflicted as I loved the general storyline but hated the abrupt ending.

Regardless of my mixed feels regarding the actual content of the book, I must applaud Connelly for her writing style. As mentioned, she kept me engaged and wondering how this would play out. I also must applaud her on tackling such subject matter; this novel does portray sexually explicit material but I never found it to be “in your face” or too much. Instead, it was very authentic.

I also felt like the story screamed a prominent and glaring message about the fluidity of sexuality. Eliza does not identify as straight or gay or bisexual. She identifies as Eliza. I felt like this message was very important, especially in today's society.

Overall, I enjoyed this one as a break from my regular reading and would not hesitate to read another novel by this author.

A Damn Fine Read
This book was so far outside my usual fare that I was disconcerted at first. If you are prudish, this book is not for you. On the other hand, if you like a damn fine read, are not put off by explicit sex (tastefully done) involving two women, then you may greatly enjoy this book. I did!

I just read a number of whiny reviews which made me wonder if their authors read the same book I did. Karen Connelly is an award-winning superb writer who has won the leading Canadian award for non-fiction and awards for her poetry. The latter explains the somewhat lyrical and poetic language that the author employs to describe the frustration and boredom of a well-to-do urban woman who runs her own business(florist), takes care of her children and lives a "normal"life with her well-adjusted husband Andrew.

But something is missing. And then one day after swimming at the neighborhood pool Eliza encounters an"Amazon" named Shar in the change room at the pool. Their encounter is electrifying. And as they become better acquainted they become embroiled in a torrid affair. Shar is a somewhat mysterious character whose back story is slowly revealed to us as the novel unfolds. The descriptions of the sexual encounters between Eliza and Shar practically burn holes in the pages. I learned a few things about the female anatomy that I had not fully appreciated before.

A thoroughly enjoyable novel! Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy.

Tantalizing, smouldering and very raw -this novel was an eye opener into a world that is so rarely explored in literature.

I read this a few weeks ago and am still unsure about how I feel about it.

There is cheating in this, she cheats on her husband with another woman. Something about Eliza really got to me. She was portrayed as being this perfect woman, she is super successful at everything she does. She comes off as kind of a snob with their friends. The story moved along and there was passion, but was left kind of wondering at the end.

I'm torn with rating this book. I thought the story was ok (2 stars) - it dragged a little and the ending left me frustrated. However, the writing was really strong (4 stars). I think 3 stars is still a little high - so I'm going with a 2.5 star review.

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.

Eliza is a middle-aged woman; wife, mother, small-business owner who seems to have everything except for a thriving sex life with her husband.

Andrew is her mathematician husband; wonderful father, loyal son and brother, considerate husband who isn't as interested in sex as he used to be. His new priority is their young sons and simply getting on with life. A bad back doesn't help matters either.

Shar, a woman in her mid-thirties. Happily single, ready to mingle and attracted to Eliza. They meet in the change room after a morning swim, and things start to unravel.

Told through alternating perspectives, however, predominately by Eliza, this is a story of sex and love (if explicit sex isn't your thing, this book will make you uncomfortable); it's a story about trying to keep your secrets and lies from hurting everyone, while your jealousies and guilt start to slowly drive you a little mad.

The writing is pretty incredible; Karen Connelly is able to create such distinct characters: Eliza is almost frantic in her desire for sex, obsessive in her personality. Andrew isn't an obtuse husband, but he certainly is content with his lot in life and isn't ready or willing to change the status quo. Shar is self-centred, selfish, highly opinionated and not concerned with collateral damage.

"The Change Room" is certainly more sexually graphic than I thought it would be when I started reading. My issue with the book is that it almost tried to tie too many social stories together; The Arab Spring, Greece and its campaign to leave the EU, Syrian refugees, the sex trade (sex workers, rape, consent, queer sex worker, etc.), sexual experimentation, social norms, history lessons in the difference between Persians and Arabs... so many things thrown in more as filler. I really think that it's a story about a woman who is coming to terms with her desire for one person and her love for her family unit. Eliza will likely come across as selfish and isn't always a likeable character, but I think that is perhaps the point.

If you enjoyed the book Fates and Furies then I think you'll enjoy this one too: complex emotions, messy relationships and unsympathetic characters.

Still worth the read.

2.5 stars. I didn’t dislike The Change Room because it deals with a married woman having an affair with another woman. That’s actually what interested me about The Change Room. But I couldn’t get into The Change Room because it felt like one hot draggy mess, with some occasional positive relief. Here are my messy thoughts:

-The central character Eliza was the most unappealing aspect of the book. I think I’m done with books dealing with urban upper middle class women who feel trapped in their busy lives of work, children and marriage. Eliza’s complaints felt too familiar, and too whiny. They are legitimate in their own way, but my sympathy for such complaints feels close to exhausted. A novel dealing with this theme better be pretty original, otherwise I can feel myself tuning out.
-Oddly, the saving grace in the book – the reason for the half star rounding up to 3 stars – is Eliza’s lover Shar. Now, Shar is one interesting character, and I wish the book had focused more on her. With Shar, Connelly has created a female character who defies stereotypes and who’s personality is really appealing.
-The other characters felt uni-dimensional.
- The story ends with a dinner party scene that promised to make up for some of the book’s earlier frustration, and then – whoosh – the scene got deflated with a ridiculous coincidence and revelation.
-The Toronto setting right in my neighbourhood was a bonus, but the author trotted out a Quebecois woman who was too close to being a stereotype for my enjoyment.
-There is a ton of explicit sex. Again, this in itself wasn’t a reason I disliked The Change Room. But it didn’t make me like the book any better because I felt manipulated – as though I was meant to be shocked.

I don’t know. I wish I liked it better. I think I should have stopped reading. I hate dissing a Canadian book. But there you go. This one didn’t really work for me. It may work better for others. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.

I really enjoyed this novel overall. I loved how the characters interacted and I could relate to many of the issues experienced. I also found it an intriguing twist focusing on two women having an affair. The story did drag a little at times with almost too much angst by Eliza over her situation and it was difficult to follow the timeline. And of course the ending! I wanted more. I wanted to see how this would all play out.

I received a copy of this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of this story sounded good. It wasn't the type of book that I would usually read but it sounded interesting and it was highly praised. But it didn't grab my interest and I couldn't even finish it. I wasn't engaged and I had no interest in the characters.

The Change Room Review
A special thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
So HOT I felt like I was cheating on MY husband! Fast paced, smart, and steamy. I loved the Canadian setting.
My one complaint is her dialogue attributions are a little thin. I spent too much time going back to figure out who said what, especially when two women were in conversation.
I will definitely read more from Karen Connelly!

This author pays exquisite attention to detail and it captures all of your senses in multiple scenes within the story. The problem for me is that I was unable to connect with the characters. I can not even tell you specifically why this happened, just that there was a disconnect for me.