A highly entertaining story of obsession. Interesting characters. Like how we see the story from every character's point of view.

My Rating: 4.5/5 stars ✨
I loved this book! It was reminiscent of Gone Girl and Apple TV’s Servant while remaining unique and fast paced. The Swap follows two couples leading up to and follow a seemingly unplanned couples swap. Through the different narratives of those involved, we slowly learn the true nature of that fateful night and its implications. This book with definitely keep you on your toes and flipping pages until the very end! I absolutely recommend adding this book to your summer TBR!

A special thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The cruelty of adolescence has inflicted itself on Low Morrison. It doesn't help that she has hippie polyamorous parents, a name that becomes a suggestive punchline, and that she's unusually tall.

At her high school, Low sees a magnetically beautiful woman post a flier for pottery lessons. Intrigued, Low signs up for one of Freya Light's classes where she completely falls under Freya's spell. Freya, a former social media influencer, basks in the attention that she craves and has been missing.

But then Freya crosses a line when she starts telling Low her darkest secrets and deepest desires. Freya and her husband, Max, moved to escape a scandal that not only ruined Max's professional hockey career, but hers as well. Low mistakes the oversharing as friendship—she becomes even more enamoured with Freya and is dangerously teetering on obsession.

Jamie Vincent and her husband, Brian, have moved to the island to start a family. Her friendship with Freya makes Low feel threatened. The couples get together one night to do magic mushroom and the evening ends in a partner swap. But what they don't know is that Low saw everything that happened in the glass house and she's not afraid to use it to her advantage.

As events spiral out of control, Harding delivers a thrilling tale about how toxic relationships can be.

The Swap is a deep dive into obsession, desire, and jealousy. But be careful, this book has some teeth and will sink them into its reader. Harding's writing is sharp, evocative, and riveting.

The narrative shifts among the main characters with the exception of Freya which only adds to her appeal and perceived perfection. But what hides behind the celestial exterior is a dangerous darkness. Robyn's character development is nothing short of flawless. Her cast are insidious and electric, both likeable and loathsome.

It is hard to resist the allure of a Robyn Harding book. In this novel, she expertly builds tension and resentment through venomous relationships. Prepare to be shocked and consumed—this is an absolute must-read that will be one of the best books of the summer.

Congratulations, Robyn on another remarkable work.

Loved The Swap so much!! Huge Robyn Harding fan and will read everything that comes out now! This was a great story of obsession, stalkers, and cults. This may be one of my favourite thrillers that has a cult in it so far. Such great plot twists and some that I didn't see coming. Highly recommend!

This isn’t a story about swapping partners...or not really.

This is a story about the desire to be needed and wanted by others at the heart of it but plays out in jealousy and obsession. When 17 year old Low becomes enamoured by Freya, a former social media influencer and artist, she thinks she has finally lost her outcast reputation. They begin spending time together and Freya teaches Low the art of pottery and treats her like the adult she wants to be.

When Freya becomes friends with Jamie, the store owner who carries her pottery pieces, and Low begins to be less a part of Freya’s life, she doesn’t take it well. Jamie and Freya become fast friends and spend their time on forest walks, coffee dates and lunches sharing their life stories and wishes and wants. They discover that their husbands enjoy each other’s company as much as Freya and Jamie do and the four arrange some couples time together. Low hangs on to the edges of this structure and vows to find her entitled place once again.

Oh yeah and there is a bunch of twists and turns and debauchery going on! Nothing is a simple as it seems but I don’t want to give any of the story away. I read it in one day which doesn’t happen often for me and couldn’t put it down. Mark your calendars for June 23, 2020 when this book drops. You’ll want to get your hands on it.

Thanks to @netgalley and @simonschusterca for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected Pub Date; June 23, 2020
Robyn Harding returns with “The Swap”, a crazy and deeply disturbing story of swapping mates, obsession and desperation like no other.
Low (short for Swallow) Morrison is the oldest daughter of hippie parents who live a polyamorous life on a small plot of land with their partners. Needless to say, she’s used to being judged and ridiculed, even in her sexually-liberal small town. When Low meets Freya, a former model and Insta influencer who runs her own pottery studio, she immediately signs up for pottery lessons, falling quickly and dangerously under Freya’s spell. Low has finally found the kindred spirit she has been waiting for- until Jamie comes to town.
Jamie is desperate for a baby, and after many years of trying, she has just about given up. When she meets Freya, the two also quickly become fast friends and soon Freya and her husband, and Jamie and her husband are at a party, doing mushrooms, and swapping partners.
Jamie is embarrassed and jealous, and Freya is desperate for the sole attention of Freya once again. The lengths both women go to to ensure Freya remains theirs, and only theirs, is the start (and end) of something neither of them would ever expect.
This novel is not for the faint of heart. Each and every character is dangerously twisted and even a little psychopathic, all of them have deep, dark and scary-as-hell skeletons that plague them. Combine that with the free-love practices of most of them, and you can’t help but be pulled in. Although the believability of the plot leaves something to be desired (if there is a small town out there with that many psychopaths, and that many free-love touting citizens—outside of Derry, Maine, that is--- than I don’t know that I’d like to visit) it is still one hell of a ride.
None of the characters are likable, and yet, all of them are. Low garners the reader sympathy right off the bat, a young woman desperate for a normal life and yet living the exact opposite. Jamie is a married woman who wants a child more than anything, and will go to great lengths to get one. Freya, on the other hand, is psychopathic right from the beginning, leaving broken hearts and manipulated souls wherever she goes. She would make a great cult leader.
This book was entertaining as hell and I loved every ounce of crazy. The twists and turns were expected and thrilling, and the ending brings about a satisfying, yet twisted, conclusion.
Harding delivers a knock-out, psychopathic punch with “The Swap” and I recommend it to those who are looking for insight into how the other half (the crazy, partner-swapping, free-loving other half) lives.

This novel was definitely a page-turner. Loved the short chapters and cliff-hanger chapter endings. Loved the quirky main character (though at times this book felt more like a YA read). Very well-written. The plot didn't quite deliver on the title for me - story was way more focussed on the strange main character rather than the couple swap. The last 25% of the book was very predictable. I don't mind guessing a story's direction if there are still some surprises along the way. There were no surprises here. But all in all an entertaining read.

I found this book started out a little flat. I felt as though it was dragging on and it didn't give me just a small nibble of a clue about the secrets to keep my interest piqued. But once the story started to get juicy I sided back and forth between the sisters about who I wanted to believe and it kept me guessing as to what the secrets might be. I enjoy stories of mysteries and secrets and this book did not disappoint! This story had me in tears and then had me seething and hoping for justice to come swiftly and severely to the evil sister! I would definitely recommend this book... it was a delight to read!

I could not put this down! I loved the troubling, complex and obsessive characters Robyn Harding created. In the social media dominant world we're living in, I really enjoyed observing the balance of someone so off the grid like Low and someone so public facing and self obsessed like Freya. This book kept me guessing until the very end and had a really unique mix of thriller meets drama meets love story.

Break out the coffee and clear your schedule- this is a book that will take your attention away from all else!!!

This was my second Robyn Harding book, and I enjoyed it just as much as the first one I read- The Arrangement. Both books are excellent page turners, and I stayed up late into the night trying to finish this book just so I could know what happened.

The book highlights the complex relationship between Low, a teenage girl living in a small island town, as well as Freya and Jamie- both adult women who also live in the same town. Freya and her husband, who are both rich and beautiful, come to town and inspire obsession and envy. The stories of these women, and their husbands, are interwoven into a complex drama with a thrilling end.

The book is told from multiple viewpoints, which helps the story move at a good pace. All of the characters were flawed and complex, which made each of their perspectives intriguing. There were elements of each character I liked and disliked, which made the story real and kept my attention.

This is a good book for a dark domestic drama, with lots of twists and turns that I didn't expect. It is completely consistent with what I've come to expect from Robyn Harding, and absolutely lived up to the excitement of her last book.

I read this book in less than 2 days- it was that good. This is a great read for someone who likes reading both drama and psychological thrillers, and I think would be perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn or Ruth Ware.

I would highly recommend this book as dark and thrilling read, and look forward to more books from Robyn Harding in the future!!!

Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with an advanced copy to read and review.

I read the concept of this book and its not something that I read about very often so I was intrigued. The writing was very well done just like all of Robyn's other stories. I found the characters very compelling what I didn't like however was how each chapter was told though a different point of view it made it a little confusing to remember who was who especially where there were so many characters to begin with and with all of their relationships changing it made it even harder. There was a lot going on in this story right from the beginning
which made it very interesting. There were two couples Max and Freya along with Jame and Brian who become close friends. The couple are spending a lot of time together and one night they decide to take some drugs supplied to them by the teenager next door, Low. When Max comes into Jamie's room and says that they are doing a couple swap, Jamie is a little take aback and unsure. However after some persistence she goes with it. However the next morning she is shocked to realize that the other half of the couples never knew that this was taking place at all. Great read I loved all of the characters and the story itself had me on the edge of my seating talking about it to anyone and everyone who entered the room. While that seems like it would be the whole story that is actually just where the story starts. It is the aftermath that is the best part of this
story. It lets the reader see the hurt and confusion as well as the tension in all of their relationships and the distrust that the whole situation awoke. This book is full of excitement and thrilling twists. The characters themselves are all very solid and complex, and even the ones you dislike, you love to hate them. This is one book that even after it is released I will want to purchase and read again and again. Check out this book you won't be disappointed. The only suggestion I have to the readers of this book is to clear your schedule as you will not be able to put this book down once you start. This book was fantastic and I can't wait until it is for sale so I can add it to my collection and read it again and again.

An addictive, thrilling novel full of lies, deception, secrets, betrayal, and lots of drama! What isn't there to love about this type of recipe for a book. A perfect mix of thrills and chills to keep you hooked all the way through to the very twisted and shocking end!

Meet two married couples, Freya and Max, and Jamie and Brian. Then throw in the mix of awkward teenager Low (short for Swallow). Low is enamoured with Freya and they become quite close fast. Low attends pottery classes with Freya at Freya's studio in her house and they quickly become close. But Low soon learns that Freya's moods can go up and down quite quickly, and often without warning.

When Freya and Jamie meet they quickly become friend as well, and the two of them together with their husbands seem to really hit it off quite nicely as friends. Jamie too learns that Freya's moods can be up and down, but Jamie values her friendship enough to forgive her and try again and again to remain friends and gain Freya's acceptance.

But don't be fooled. There is more to these 5 main characters than meets the eye, and there will be so many shocking and disturbing secrets and betrayals that you will not see coming!

Be warned - you will LOVE this book!

……..

*** NOTE: Review will be posted on my book blog, bookstagram, Twitter, Amazon and other social media sites closer to pub date.

This book went basically where I thought it would go, but it didn't get there the way I thought it would. It was dark and a bit disturbing (the women are nuts!), but interesting and made for a "can't put down" read!

So this was teetering at a 4.75 stars for me up until the last sentence. I didn’t know if I was obsessed with it enough to give it a coveted five stars. However, that last line made me love it even more. Don’t go into this book expecting to like any of the characters. They’re all fucked up, they’re all hateful, they’re all unreliable, which made me love it even more. I’m hard to impress when it comes to thrillers, but man, I loved this. The lies, the faking, the betrayal, had me skipping through the pages so quickly that I lost track of time. In my opinion it was the perfect length too. Any longer and I think it could have lost the reader. Short and to the point! It was so fucked up but so awesome!!!

This is my fourth Robyn Harding novel and once again a 5 star rating!! Her writing is so addictive, I already want more ...

The Swap is SO DAMN GOOD! Had me hooked from the first page! So SCANDALOUS! The characters, Freya, Jamie and Swallow aka "Low" are such a phenomenal combo! So well developed! I could have kept reading about these women ... I need this insane book made into a movie or TV series!! The storyline is all kinds of CRAZY!

Husband swapping, boozy - hallucinogenic dinner parties, mad obsessions, polyamorous relationships and stalking .... if this book isn't on your radar it should be!! It comes out June 23rd

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for my review copy!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Robyn Harding and Simon & Schuster Canada for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

I adore Harding’s writing and I was so pleased to be able to read this one before it came out! I love how Harding can take something that happens in the world that no one talks about, and turns into an amazing thriller that keeps you up reading all night! This novel is amazing, I couldn’t stop reading and I had no idea where this entire story was going, but I loved every moment! The twists were huge, shocking and I loved the way the whole thing ended! Definitely another one I would recommend from Harding! Such an amazing story!

Out June 23rd!

I've read other books by Robyn Harding and enjoyed the twisty nature of this story and the characters. I'm not sure what I was expecting but the ending surprised me. Great story overall

This book was very long winded. I knew from the first chapter that I was in trouble - usually Harding's writing is spot on, but this one just felt overly long and boring.

The Swap is all about secrets, lies, scheming, obsession, betrayal and then there is always the twists that catch you by surprise.

What more could I the reader want ?

None of the characters are likeable but that makes you want to read on somehow.

I am not going to give anything away, tempting though, suffice to say The Swap is worth the read!

Thanks to NetGalley , Simon and Schuster Canada , Simon and Schuster Mystery, Thrillers for the opportunity to read The Swap!!

The Swap is not the first book that I've read by the incomparable Robyn Harding and it certainly won't be the last! I was drawn in by this story of a lonely teenager and the woman that she looked up to from the first page.

Low doesn't quite fit in. With her strange family and her awkward appearance she isn't who you would expect to be popular, and she certainly isn't. When the glamorous but narcissistic Freya takes Low under her wing, so begins an obsession that holds Low firmly in its grasp. When Low witnesses details to a night that all parties wish to forget as soon as possible, she gains a power that she doesn't entirely know how to yield.

Well-written and captivating, this is one of Harding's best. The characters were fully developed and I could relate to all of them in one way or another. The story fully consumed me. The ending, while somewhat surprising, also wasn't that far-fetched, nor was it the highlight of the book. The highlight truly was the relationship between all of the characters and how they revolved around the manipulative Freya. This is a must-read for fans of domestic suspense.