To be honest, if I had read this book it would probably have gotten 4 stars from me. However, I listened to this story and the narrators were so amazing that an extra star was added to my review.

I absolutely loved the grandmother, 79 year old Eileen Cotton. I wish we could all have a grandma like her!

Throughout this story in which grandma from a Yorkshire village swaps lives with granddaughter Leena in London I cried and smiled as I was so touched by it. There are several laugh out loud moments, trust me, I got some strange looks laughing with my headphones on while doing chores around the house.

I like how it touches on what is most important in life, fast paced life and attending all sorts of parties in a big city is not the ideal life for everyone. Many people, myself included prefer a slower paced life with more green around us and surrounded by friends and/or family.

I have already been recommending this book and especially the audio version to friends and family.

This audiobook made me want to make a pot of tea and dream of all things British. The narrators were lovely. Perfectly cast in their roles and the story was just what I needed during a pandemic that has us stuck inside.. The story was heartwarming and delightful despite the fact that it had me sobbing real tears at the end. I highly recommend The Switch and now I am going to go check out the authors other books.

What a lovely book! I laughed, I cried and everything in-between. The story was fresh and the narration was perfect. I want more of the Cotton women!

CW: domestic abuse, dealing with grief

The Switch tells a story of two women, Eileen and Leena, who after their share of decide to switch places in hopes of finding themselves once again. This experience brings in a variety of emotions and realizations for Eileen and Leena.

Leena drowns herself in work after her sister dies. Burying herself in it, she becomes overloaded and loses herself. She was losing a grip on everything and when her work forced her into a two month sabbatical, she felt as if the world was going to unravel. Her grandmother, Eileen, encourages her to come stay with her in a quiet countryside where she can get away. Then comes the idea to switch. They would switch houses, technology and responsibilities. Leena is now part of Neighborhood Watch, dealing with a nosy neighbor, and more.

After her husbands infidelity, Eileen is struggling with the thought of starting over in her late 70s. But now in London, Eileen finds herself diving into a number of things. She starts up a social club for the elderly and sometimes forgotten folks of London, joins a dating site all the while helping Leena's friends (and trying to make sure that Leena and her mother are getting along and taking care of each other).

Throughout this book, the readers really get to learn more about Leena and Eileen. We see everything they can handle and how they've learned to handle the number of things that life throws at them. I loved getting to know these Cotton women and see them grow throughout the two months of switching lives.

The Switch is a book that I've already tossed at people, insisting that they read it. It's a heartwarming story that has romance, but really focuses on the growth of Eileen and Leena which is what I truly adored.

Such a heartwarming read. Following the death of her sister, and subsequently blowing a big work presentation, Leena whisks away from London to her grandmother's house in the countryside for a sabbatical.

Eileen, Leena's grandmother, is in her 80s and recently single. With Leena's arrival, they decide to swap lives for a bit- Eileen heads to London with Leena's phone and lives in Leena's flat there to try her hand at dating while Leena settles into her grandma's life in the countryside helping with her community initiatives.

The audiobook narration was fantastic! I loved the flip between Leena's and Eileen's voices. The accents are just lovely.

Is it really an adventure if you don’t make at least one rather ill-advised decision?

This story was so super duper cute! It was all about Family, forgiveness& fun

Eileen was the grandmother I wish I had! She was so full of life, with a take charge attitude. I loved Grandma taking the opportunity to go on an adventure, something she’d always wanted to do, as well as her budding friendship with Letitia, an overlooked neighbor in the building. Grandma’s reading and the tea bag formed “male genitals” which was a sign that “good things were coming her way”. I heard that 👏🏾 Too funny!

This was such a sweet, cozy, beautiful book. It tackles such important themes with ease! It just grips you. This is my first book by the author, although I must say, I’ve been meaning to read The Flatshare for a while…

I love this type of heartwarming books that make you think, and that take a look at life in a new light…

In this one, our two main characters, Leena and her grandmother Eileen change not only houses but lives. While Leena moves to the country side where she is supposed to rest and take time for herself, her granny Eileen moves to London to her flat where she takes to online dating.

There’s some amazing characters in this book, my personal favs being Eileen and Leena’s new fav neighbor!

This audiobook was amazingly well done, the voices fit the characters incredibly well and it made it even more enjoyable. With a lot of my time passing at work, audiobooks are my fav thing, since after a long day of work it tends to be difficult to grab and read a book. I listened this through in two ‘sittings’, and had the best of times – it was more than I expected, and I’m in LOVE with Eileen! She is an amazing character and the audiobook really did justice in bringing her to life.

I also tend to love books with a tiny community, in a more rural setting, and this book is no different. I loved rural Yorkshire and all the things going on in it, it’s the same feeling I have with Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls!

TW – Depression, Cancer and Grief.

The follow up to Beth’s debut was JUST AS AMAZING. I can’t wait did more from her. This one again handles tough topics with grace, humour and love. I absolutely adored it!

I loved this book so much. It had me lol and grandma. If my grandma was like her I dunno what I would do.

Lovely! Loved the narrators and the format really worked in audio. I would say that the audio wasn't top quality, a little bit shrill, which meant I couldn't listen to it before bedtime - but that might be to do with file size uploads. I was hooked on the story and rooting for all of the characters. I do wonder if the references to 'oop north' , the north being rural and unconnected, could have been challenged a bit especially as being a northerner it get tiring being mocked for my accent in London!
All in all, a super lovely, uplifting romance for dark times.

THE SWITCH is another lovely book from Beth O'Leary. I appreciated it dealt with multiple generations, and I love how the characters build up a community around them. It reminded me a bit of the movie THE HOLIDAY, where two women start out feeling quite alone, but by the end, have a very full life where they are not only happy with the world around them, but with themselves, too. I especially liked LISTENING to this book. I'm not always an audio book person, but the people reading did a great job and their voices matched the characters as I imagined them. Would highly recommend.

This was such a fun book to listen to! I loved the different narrators--it helped me feel invested in the characters.

I was looking for an uplifting audiobook to listen to while sewing and I came across this book. I immediately fell in love with the characters and the story. I love how the chapters switch between the two main characters and how they got two different narrators so it’s so easy to know who you’re listening to if you miss the beginning. This is a perfect feel good story with twists and turns along the way. Would love to find out what happens next even though there was a great conclusion.

If you are in need of a distraction, this is the audiobook for you! A fun story of a granddaughter who has been given a leave of absence from her high powered job and needs a quiet place away from London to sort things out. Her grandmother suggests a trade of homes, as she is feeling like she is in the rut in her small town community. Each character finds herself out of her element, yet willing to go on an adventure with a change of perspective. A charming listen with the narratives providing the English accents - recommended for anyone looking for a little escape!

This book was so entertaining. Its sweet, funny, full of amazing friendships, a little sad at times, and just all and all an uplifting read that I think everyone can use right about now.

I listened to this book on audio and it was fantastic. Daisy Edgar-Jones and Alison Steadmad did an amazing job narrating this story. They made the characters come alive. I truly lost myself in this story.

Thank you for the free listen. I so enjoyed this book

This was my first Audio book every, and I loved it so much. The narrators described everything in such good details. This is a story of a 29 year old (Leena) and her grandmother a 79 year old (Eileen) who decided to swop life's for two months. This story is about the obstacles they had to face, the making of new friends and the journey they had and everything they learned about themselves in the process. Thank you very much Netgally and Beth O'Leary for this amazing read

Great character dynamics. I loved this being narrated by two different characters. It just added to my enjoyment of listening. This is a must read for anyone who wants to laugh out loud!!

The Switch is a nice re-telling of Freaky Friday but instead of mum & daughter we have Grandma & Granddaughter switching places. I listened to the audiobook and it was easy to follow. It is not the best book I've read in 2020 but it really is a lovely, "rosie" one for when you want to have a rest from Thrillers and True Crime.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced copy.

Leena Cotton has a panic attack in the middle of an important meeting. Instead of getting sacked her employer orders her to take a two month paid holiday. tory

Leena goes to visit her grandmother Eileen. It has been quite a while since Leena made this journey because she is avoiding her mother.

Leena and Eileen decide to swap lives. Leena will get a much needed rest and Eileen will get to experience life in London and maybe find a little romance.

What ensues is a story filled with friendship making, dicovering love, growing as a person in ways the characters did not expect, mourning, facing awful truths.

This story comes with all of the feelings. I quite enjoyed it. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this book in exchange for and honest review.

I really wanted to like this book, but the story was too unbelievable for me. The author is a great writer and the words flowed. It was the story line I couldn’t get on board with. I did like Eileen’s character the best.
I like the idea of the swap, but a lot was left unexplained. The reader doesn’t see Leena explaining the swap or that she was leaving for two months to her boyfriend Ethan or even to her flatmates. I would have liked to know what they thought about it. I can’t imagine the flatmates would agree so quickly with Leena’s grandma living with them. It’s not like they know her. I also thought it was unrealistic for Leena and her grandmother to switch devices. Some of the conversations between characters were unrealistic and abrupt as well. Leena’s mom lives near and Leena said she would look in on her, but she doesn’t call her for three weeks. I know she is not happy with her mom, but it seemed like too much time passed to make a phone call. There are several time jumps that made me pause, and too many scenarios happened off the page, jarring me once they were revealed as an afterthought.
The Flat Share by the same author got great reviews. I will check that one out.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.