Beth O’Leary always creates a fun and engaging story for her audience. A story for the books! I really enjoyed this read and everything else O’Leary writes.

a feel-good story! the switching-lives trope is always a fun one, and i enjoyed seeing how the characters discovered more about themselves with a change of scenery.

I liked the story but wasn't a fan of the actual audio/narrator. I would try to read a physical.copy of this one and will maybe pick up more from her in the future to try again.

First book I have read by this author, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Well written and gripping, I owuld highly recommend this.

Hey everyone! I just finished reading The Switch by Beth O'Leary, and I have to say, it’s such a delightful and heartwarming read. Let me tell you all about it! The story follows Leena and her grandmother Eileen. Leena is this super driven, overachiever who’s ordered to take a two-month break after a big work mishap. She heads to her grandma Eileen’s house in Yorkshire for some much-needed rest. Meanwhile, Eileen, who’s almost eighty and newly single, is looking for a second chance at love but finds her tiny village lacking in eligible gentlemen. Here’s where it gets interesting – they decide to swap lives for two months! Eileen moves to London to find love, while Leena takes over her grandma’s responsibilities in the village. It’s such a quirky and fun premise, and it leads to some hilarious and touching moments.
Beth O'Leary does an amazing job with the world-building. The contrast between the bustling city life in London and the cozy, tight-knit community in Yorkshire is so well done. You really get a sense of both places and how they shape the characters’ experiences.
The characters are just so lovable. Eileen is feisty and full of life, and her adventures in London are both funny and inspiring. Leena’s journey in the village is equally charming, as she navigates gossiping neighbors, family dynamics, and even a distractingly handsome school teacher.
What I love most about this book is its warmth and humor. It’s the kind of story that makes you smile and feel all fuzzy inside. It’s about family, second chances, and finding happiness in unexpected places. If you’re looking for a feel-good read that’s perfect for a cozy day in, The Switch is definitely the book for you. Trust me, you’ll be grinning from ear to ear!

The Switch by Beth O'Leary is such a cute, feel-good story, and the audiobook version is awesome! It’s about Leena, a workaholic in her 30s, and her grandmother Eileen, who’s in her 70s and feeling stuck in her small town. They decide to swap lives for a bit, Leena goes to the countryside and takes over Eileen’s life, while Eileen heads to London to live Leena’s hectic, big-city life.

The narrators did a fantastic job bringing the characters to life. Leena and Eileen’s voices were so different, but both of them were super easy to connect with. Eileen, especially, is hilarious and sweet, and her adventures in London are so fun to listen to.

What I loved most was how the book wasn’t just about the funny swap, it’s also about finding yourself, making new connections, and seeing life from a totally different perspective. There’s some romance, but it’s not the main focus. It’s more about personal growth and family, which I really liked.

This book was such fun! Eileen and Leena were such fun characters and I loved the Yorkshire village setting. The narrators were easy to understand, even at a faster speed. Great listen!

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced reading copy of The Switch by Beth O’Leary. I can't wait to start this book.

Leena lives in London and after her sister passing from cancer she is struggling to cope with life. Leena is barely speaking with her mother and is putting all her effort into her demanding and fast-paced work environment in order to avoid life. Leena has a long overdue mental breakdown which leads her boss to giving her a two month paid leave of absence.

As this is taking place Eileen, Leena’s grandmother and namesake, is celebrating the four month anniversary of her husband leaving her for a younger woman. Eileen finds she isn’t heartbroken over her husband leaving and she feels like trying her hand at dating again but feels like her dating pool isn’t to her standards.

Eileen and Leena decide to swap homes, lives, and even mobile phones. Leena has agreed to stay at Eileen’s village community home in Hamleigh and keep an eye on her mother and look after Eileen’s various projects. Eileen has agreed to the freedom of staying in London with Leena’s flatmates.

Both women have a drive to fix the world and improve the lives of those around them.

This novel is primarily about two women rediscovering themselves after loss. This story is as much about grief as it is about starting over and building friendships.

Beth O'Leary is hit or miss for me and this was a hit. I really enjoyed the openness about grief and characters of varying ages. Delightful.

I really thought I would love this book, but unfortunately it didn't work for me. I thought that the premise sounded so interesting but unfortunately the execution of the story didn't work for me. I did find the characters enjoyable, but I wasn't personally invested in their relationship. I do plan to read more from this author though because I do enjoy her writing style.

This is a huggable book. I dont know what it is about an elderly character if it reminds us of our grandparents and we seek that nostalgia or if they are just humbled from a longer life but I love it in a story.

This may be my second favourite O’Leary and the audio narration really brought this story to life.

Highly Recommend.

I didn't think I would find this book that interesting when I first read the synopsis. But this was such a pleasant surprise! There was so much heart and adventure in this story! I loved the intergenerational themes of the novel and the characters' willingness to experience new things! The narrators were also fantastic!

I have decided that Beth O'Leary is not really for me. I have tried several of her books and find myself a little bored. This one was no different unfortunately. Although the narrators were great, and I'm sure there is a large audience who will love them, I just do not. 2 1/2 stars rounded up. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for allowing me to listen in return for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

4 STARS

I loved this one. The narration was great and this story was a delightful read!

The Switch is a charming, sweet and entertaining read!
I loved the audiobook, the narrators were fantastic and I feel like the embodied their characters perfectly,
if you love Beth's other books, I highly recommend listening to this one!

This was a DNF for me.

I have found overtime that I just don't connect with Beth's writing and her storytelling style.

I didn't mind the narration overall and the set up was cute.

Loved the characters of Eileen and Leena. I liked the premise of the book, it was an uplifting thoughtful read and how relationships through difficult times can have glimmers of hope.

What a cute premise, with Lena and Ellen swapping places. I just didn't connect as much with the characters as I had hoped I would. That's okay thought it was probably me! Loved all of the British content and locales, this is like a warm hug to me!

Leena is at work doing a presentation when she basically has a nervous breakdown. It's brought on by the fact she's been working like a maniac to avoid the grief of having recently lost her sister to cancer.

Her grandmother, Eileen, lives in a tiny hamlet near Marian, Leena's mother. Yes, there are three generations of women in this story, although Marian is a bit of a backseat character.

When Leena is forced to take a couple months off with pay, she and her grandmother switch houses. Eileen moves to Leena's shared apartment in London, where she sets about turning the residents of the building into a real community. She dates a sexy rich guy and has a blast. Leena, meanwhile, heals and learns to navigate the politics of the hamlet and becomes friends with and useful to the members of the community.

It was great to read about an older woman (Eileen is 79) living an empowered life.

Overall, I enjoyed the story, although the romance angle was too contrived, and there wasn't any real heat between the players. I think this book could have done better as straight fiction without the romantic angle, but it was still good.

My very first audio book and I can confidently said I loved it, was a beautiful sweet telling of a love story with a difference. The characters were so well written I felt like I knew them it was like watching a movie in my head. Perfect for any romance lover