Crazy train amazing! Robyn Harding has become one of my all time favorite authors! Every single book I’ve read has me grasping the pages waiting to see what happens next! The Swap didn’t disappoint! It had all the flavor of crazy, who done it, suspense rolled into one! I always look forward to Robyn Harding’s books and can’t wait for the next one!

Awkward, teenage loner, Low, finds her life infinitely improved when she is befriended by beautiful, glamorous Freya, a social media influencer, married to Max, a gorgeous professional athlete, and living the perfect life. Low spends pretty much all of her time with Freya, thinking about Freya, and trying to find more ways to be around Freya.
But of course, nothing golden can stay, right? Freya begins spending time with Jamie, a sweet, bland, small business owner, who recently moved to the area with her husband, and Low’s jealousy is peaked. Isn’t she Freya’s best friend? Aren’t they basically soulmates? How is she going to get Jamie out of the picture and keep Freya for herself?
Similarly, Jamie and her husband, Brian, are also enthralled with Freya and Max, the more exciting and adventurous couple. In their quest to become married BFFs with Freya and Max, Jamie and Brian find themselves in a compromising situation that neither are equipped to handle and which ultimately blows up their lives.
Despite all the adoration from Jamie and Low, Freya’s perfect persona starts to crack, and little by little, the other women start seeing a different side to her - she’s manipulative, narcissistic and quite possibly dangerous; Freya seems prepared to rip anyone to shreds who crosses her the wrong way. So, why can’t Low and Jamie seem to stay away?
This is the second novel from Robyn Harding I’ve read, and I’m adding more to my TBR list. Her books are like a guilty pleasure that I don’t feel guilty about; they’re fun, quick, engaging reads.
Thanks to #netgalley for this ARC of #theswap.

This book had me intrigued from the get-go. What would happen if two sets of new parents learned their babies had been swapped for each other in the NICU? What if those parents all had unusual personality factors and one was truly twisted. What if the babies may have been conceived during a wild drug-fueled"swap night." Whzt if an impressionable but socially immature teenager was so involved she was manipulated maliciously by one of the parents. If so, you have the plot set-up for this domestic tangle that I couldn't put down. I believe it will top the charts. Dont miss it!

I had the privilege of reading this book before it was published and it was an amazing read. I went through such a range of emotion reading it from feeling sorry for some of the characters to wanted to yell at them. I loved the changing perspectives and I felt like it really gave good insight into the characters. The story follows the loner 18 y/o Low who is desperate for love and belonging that when newcomer Freya shows interest in her she immediately attaches herself to her and interstates herself into Freya’s life. Everything is great until Freya also befriends Jaimie. This story dives into the human psyche and how sometimes circumstances lead us into situations we need thought we would be on. Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this amazing book.

I felt like some details were missing from this book. I really wanted to know why this rural area was known for wife swapping. They mentioned it but never really got into details. Not bad exactly but an odd mix of characters. They kept describing a girl as having "a bushel of hair"??!

A twisty, unpredictable, scathing novel of the toxic collision of friendship, ambition, greed....The characterizations are a bit thin, but the pacing crackles and there are surprises aplenty for the reader.

I finished this book in one sitting, entranced by the uniqueness of Low's character and tight plotting. We have all known a "Freya" in our time, but not many of us have known a "Low" that will go to these lengths, which is what makes her viewpoint so compelling. This novel explores parasocial-adjacent relationships, the toxicity of social media, the heartbreak of infidelity and infertility, the lengths lonliness and self-righteousness will push a person to, and all within the framework of an intriguing and fast-paced plot.

I really enjoyed this book! Teenager Low becomes obsessed with her pottery class teacher, Freya. Low begins borderline stalking Freya & her husband Max, catching them in a few unsavory situations. Just when you think you know where the story is going, it turns in another direction. Highly recommend!

Another home run for Robyn Harding. As a huge fan of Robyn Harding I was thrilled to get a copy of The Swap, and I was not disappointed. Twisted, addictive story about a trio of friends and their narcissistic, toxic leader. Freya is a beautiful Instagram influencer who thinks the world of herself. Freya and her gorgeous former hockey star have their friend Jamie and her husband over to try some magic mushrooms and make the huge mistake of swapping partners. This mistake changes theIr lives. Enter an impressionable teenage girl from an unconventional background, who works for Jamie, but worships Freya and you have a twisted, fast paced story that is impossible to put down. Highly recommended.

The Swap tells the story of "Low", a teenager on an isolated Pacific Northwestern island who becomes enamored with a pottery teacher, Freya. Freya's magnetic personality and gorgeous appearance cause Low to become desperate for connection, to the point that it becomes an obsession. The Swap simultaneously shares the story of Freya and her former professional hockey player husband and their relationship with another couple. One night, Freya proposes that the couples swap partners for one night of fun. Chaos ensues and Low is entangled in it all.

This was my first Robyn Harding book, and while the dramatic premise hooked me, the story itself fell a bit short. Freya and Low aren't likable characters, and while that normally doesn't bother me in a book, I found that in this case it was difficult to connect with anyone. You're frequently told how obsessed Low is with Freya, and I would have rather seen more examples of how this obsession was actually demonstrated in their relationship, or have some of the existing scenarios be drawn out further. The story is told from the point of view of all of the people in Freya's orbit, bit it seems unnecessary to have the perspective of some of those characters (particularly the husbands--having their angle doesn't seem to add much to the story). The middle sags a bit and I kept checking to see how far into the book I was to try and figure out what the real story line was and when it would start. The action does pick up in the last few chapters, tying everything up tidily at the end.

I've seen great reviews of this book, so it's possible that the style just wasn't for me. I might have to try another book by this author to see if it's a better fit!

Swallow, Low to her friends, is an outcast teen in desperate need of friendship. She is finishing high school and lives at home with her hippy, polygamous family. Low befriends Freya, a dysfunctional adult who recently moved to the area with her ex-hockey player husband. Low latches on to Freya and will not let go even when Freya tells her to leave, repeatedly. Low knows she does not mean it; Freya needs her.

Freya befriends another adult in town, Jamie. She and her husband become couple friends with Freya and her husband. At least until the night they went too far and swapped husbands. Jamie did not want to and her husband did not want to but Freya instigated the whole plot. Nothing is the same after but how do they move forward? Low, unknown to the group, saw the couples that night.

This is an extremely dysfunctional situation with dysfunctional people. It is hard to read sometimes, but was certainly entertaining. I enjoyed the writing, the revelations, and the satisfying ending.

Wow, not at all what I expected ........ I really enjoyed this book even though the main character Low is quite strange and vindictive she’s not all that bad...... some things I just didn’t see coming .....

3.5 stars.. Good story. Entertaining. However, a bit anticlimactic.. Wrapped up a little too neatly at the end.

I had a hard time connecting to this book, particularly because very few characters seem relatable or likable. With respect to Low, I felt like the author repeatedly tells the reader what to think about her. I lost count of how many times the text said something like "I was so lonely and I felt at home with Freya. Freya filled a hole for me." Etc. Instead of showing us through the story, Harding almost lectures us/beats us over the head with it, which makes the story and characterization less convincing, less genuine and organic. So when Low becomes insanely jealous about Freya's new friend, I could not relate to her. Meanwhile, Freya is extremely self centered, unlikable, and shallow. I suppose Jamie is okay, but by the time we get her perspective we are already weary and jaded...

Talk about your toxic relationships! Talk about a toxic person! OMG I could not put this book down.

POSSIBLE SPOILERS:

There are three women who the story revolve around Low (Swallow) Morrison who is in high school and lives with her hippie parents who believe in free love. Low is the oldest child of them.

Then you have Jamie, who is new to town and desperate to have a baby.

Lastly, you have Freya, who is a social media influenster, married to a hockey player and recently dealt with a scandal when a player that her husband injured during a came, killed himself.

Low becomes obessed with Freya, and everyone views their relationship as inappropriate. She's jealous of Jamie and Freya's friendship. Meanwhile, Jamie and Freya click and go out to lunch and have gotten together with their husbands. Then a night between the four of them changes everything.

There are twists and turns at every corner and while Low is a teenager with many problems, I couldn't help but sympathize for her as she struggled to find her place.

Its another great novel by Robyn Harding!

Going in, I had no idea what this was gonna be about. I knew Robyn Harding was the author, and that was enough for me. Then I started reading. To keep it short and sweet, we have three women, two husbands, one pottery studio, and a whole mess of drama. I want so badly to spoil it for you with lots of exclamation marks, but instead will let you get that dose of drama all on your own. But I will say this, whatever you think it's about - if you go in blind like me - you will not be expecting what really happens.

And to top it off, I read it in one day. That's a little unusual for me, unless the book is short. But I hurried through The Swap, because, dang it, I had to know what was going to happen. And it did not disappoint.

The Swap publishes 6.23.2020.

5/5 Stars

I love how Robyn Harding writes and I am so happy I was able to read another great novel by Robyn! Seriously the characters in this will make you not want to stop reading. Great plot!

What the fresh hell did I just read because that was AMAZING!
I knew this book was HOT from the reviews and when my wish was granted I jumped around singing "OMG I GOT IT I GOT IT!"
This book had it all - twists, turns, characters to root for and characters to despise. These people are messed up! But it makes for an awesome story! It was so well written that I could picture this scenic little village town with its cute little knick knack store and a glass house on a hill overlooking the water. It was so detailed.
If you have this in your TBR, read it!!! It comes out June 23! All the stars!
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for granting my wish!!!!!!!

REVIEW: The Swap - 4 stars! This book was one of the weirdest, juiciest, most disturbing, most scandalous, most addictive books I’ve read in a WHILE. There’s husband swapping, stalking, obsession, & more all while somehow still giving you these cozy island vibes.
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Synopsis: Low is an awkward, friendless 17 year old girl. From the moment she lays eyes on the beautiful Freya (an ex social media star, new to the Island & twice Low’s age), the obsession begins. She signs up for Freya’s pottery classes &, after spending days on end in the studio with her, Low starts to feel like she has a special place in Freya’s life. Until Jamie moves to the Island. Jamie & her husband quickly become couple friends with Freya & her husband, causing Low to feel left out (& also really pissing her off). Like Low, Jamie is infatuated with Freya’s beauty & charm. When the couples decide to swap partners one night & Low finds out, the “harmless” fling turns their lives upside down.
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Normally I prefer one POV, but the alternating perspectives in this book were PERFECT. Each character brought something totally unique (& disturbing) to the table. Another thing I lovvved was how it felt like the characters were talking TO you (sometimes even saying things like, “but I’ve already told you this,” & “later, people would say I was obsessed”, etc) it just made it extra creepy!
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:These characters were super well developed, but I wanted a little more insight into why Low was the way she was. Her feeling like an outcast from her family & peers played a role, but I wanted a bit more background. Same with Freya, I would have loved to read a chapter from her POV!
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This is one of those devour-in-one-sitting type books. It comes out June 23rd & y’all HAVE to read it. Thank you @netgalley for providing me an early copy in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for this ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Low Morrison lives on an island with her non-traditional family. She's a senior in high school who just doesn't fit in or connect with anyone until she meets Freya. Freya Light is a pottery teacher and former social media influencer who is married to a former pro-hockey player, Max. Freya and Max had an incident in their past that has led them to their life on this island. Freya and Low seem drawn to each other quickly and they open up to one another. Low is mesmerized by Freya and doesn't want to lose any of her time and attention.

Jamie and Brian Vincent moved to the island for a fresh start. Jamie left behind a stressful marketing career to open her own gift shop. Brian writes a series of YA fantasy novels. They are desperately trying to get pregnant because having a baby is their biggest dream. Jamie and Freya become friends quickly and discuss their marriages and views on monogamy. Brian and Jamie have been together since college and are happy but Jamie mentions that she thought she would have dated and had a lot more fun in college before she met Brian.

As the couples begin a friendship, Low starts to feel left out and jealous so she is always watching and trying to figure out a way back in. Then, one fateful night changes everything. When the two couples are high on mushrooms, they make a choice that has major effects long after that night is over. Their actions will have consequences as the five of them are bound together in a twisted web.

This book was great. I read it quickly because I had to see how it would all end. It's not as scary or dark as many of the thrillers I read but there's an element of something being not quite right from the beginning. I'm amazed at all of the characters' fascination with Freya that borders on obsession for some. The characters are very richly detailed and you feel like you want to warn them from making bad decisions. This is a great warning that one decision could alter the whole outcome of your life. Great, quick read that throws in some surprises. Available June 23rd.