I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Ms O’Leary’s The Flatshare and her new romantic comedy is equally as charming and appealing.

Leena Cotton is still struggling to get over her younger sister’s death and she’s falling to pieces in her high-powered London job. Eileen Cotton, Leena’s grandmother, is feeling the smallness of her life in her Yorkshire village after her husband leaves her.

As you can guess by the title, Leena and Eileen switch their lives. Leena goes to live in Hamleigh, taking over Eileen’s projects and activities including membership of the Neighborhood Watch Committee, walking a dog, and organizing the May festival. Eileen moves into Lena’s apartment and starts online dating as well as getting involved in the lives of Lena’s friends and neighbors.

Both Lena and Eileen find a new lease of life in their new circumstances and, of course as this is a romance, they both find love but in an unexpected (though not to the reader/listener) place. There are some darker themes, dealing with grief, urban and rural loneliness, and even domestic abuse, but Ms O’Leary keeps a sure hand on the tone, expertly mixing dark and light.

The audiobook was a delight with Daisy Edgar-Jones taking the part of Leena and the iconic Alison Steadman performing as Eileen as the chapters switch between the two characters.

If warmhearted British romances are your cup of tea, as they often are mine, I thoroughly recommend The Switch.

Thanks to Flatiron and Netgalley for the digital audio review copy.

What an absolute delight of a book! I thoroughly enjoyed O'Leary's debut, The Flatshare, and I'm thrilled to report that her sophomore novel was equally delightful! The audio, with dual narrators, was just perfect and brought the characters to life. I adored both young, struggling Leena and her strong, wise grandmother Eileen. As with The Flatshare, there were some deep issues in this book; namely, the loss of Leena's sister to cancer. Grief is threatening to completely overwhelm Leena and she's forced to take a break from work to try and come to terms with it. But for Leena, work is her refuge. When she's struck with the crazy, brilliant idea for her and her grandmother to trade lives for two months, she soon wonders what the heck she was thinking!

Craziness, humor, heartache and plenty of life lessons ensue. I adored both Leena and Eileen, and Marianne, too. Their pain and grief was so palpable, but I loved how they worked through and ultimately accepted it. And of course the friendships and romances brought much humor and levity - not to mention joy! - to the stories. The ending was perfectly wonderful.

O'Leary has a wonderful voice that manages to balance real human pain with the humor and happiness we all seek. I will read everything she writes! So charming and exactly what I needed in my life during these challenging times.

A really lovely novel that looks at the habits we make and how hard they are to break, and also has a really sensitive take on grief and family relationships, while still being light-hearted and hilarious at times.
It is brought to life with the expert narration of Alison Steadman as Grandma Eileen and Daisy Edgar-Jones as granddaughter Leena, who on a whim decide to swap lives for two months, and take over each other's projects in
London and rural Yorkshire respectively. They brought a heart to this story which reminded me why I love audiobooks so much, as I find the story stays with me and is often more memorable when I've listened to it compared to reading it, maybe due to feeling more immersed in the setting.
The way the story is told in turns by the two main characters helps us dive into their lives and get to know them as individuals. I loved Eileen's success in making things happen in London and Leena solving conflicts at the village committee meetings and I was rooting for them both all the way.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Leena is overwhelmed with her life and her job living in London. A bad meeting leads her boss to give two months off paid.

Eileen is 79 and bored with her life and the romantic opportunities in the small town she lives in.

So the grandmother and granddaughter decide to switch places.

This book was nice. I felt like the writing and the humour was really great. I really liked Eileen’s romance. However, I found Leena’s romance really lacking and kind of underwhelming.

Thank you Netgalley Macmillan Audio and Beth O'Leary for gifting me a copy for this audiobook. This review is my own opinion.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 Stars
🔥 1/5 Steam Rating

What do you do when life gets a little bit too much? You trade lives with your Grandmother of course! I love the premise of this story. Leena has been forced to take a two month sabbatical from work and Eileen is newly single at the age of 79yr with no acceptable bachelors in the area. So for two month, they switch cities and find what they’ve been missing.

This is a sweet story about discovering what it really important in life and opening your eyes to what’s around you. I loved the relationship that grandmother & granddaughter had, but of course this wouldn’t be a good family story without some drama sprinkled in.

The only part about this book that threw me off was when it came to Grandma Eileen and her sex life. 🤣 It’s one of those things that’s uncomfortable to think about, yet you KNOW it’s a normal part of adult life so you appreciate that it’s brought up. Sex is a part of life but don’t worry, it’s very mild.

Romantic comedy that comes from the heart and captivates the reader. I love when offers offer a unique perspective.

O’Leary does it again! I loved Flatshare and was so excited to see a new novel. I always love the idea of switching lives and was thrilled to read this version.
Eileen Cotton the older was my favorite. What a cool, intrepid lady! A reminder that you’re never too old (or too young) to try something new!

I enjoyed both the narrators immensely.

I don't feel like this lives up to expectations from enjoying the Flat Share. The dialogue and humor felt rather forced. I had a hard time investing in the plot. The narration of the audiobook was good except for the fact that there were a lot of mouth noises (for example swallowing) and to get past this I had to increase the playback speed to 2x. Usually I speed up audiobooks because the narration is painfully slow, not the case here. I found the pace pretty enjoyable, I just found my self very aware of the narrators saliva in the beginning. Weird, I know. I did love the fact that there were multiple narrators, which makes multiple POV stories easier to follow when consuming via audio.

This book is so funny, but at the same time so deep and heart warming! This was my first experience with audio book and I really loved, because Daisy and Alis9n are such good narrators! Beth O'Leary really just wrote a comfort story with love, friendship and, above all, the notion that we dont know everything in life.

Leena Cotton is a young overachiever woman who has a panic attack during a very important presentation, so she is forced to take a couple of months off of work. Leena's grandmother, Eileen, has recently divorced and is looking for new romantic adventures, but there are only a few men in her small rural town. That is how they decide that it would be a good idea for them to swap. Leena moves to her grandmother's house and takes all of her projects, while Eileen moves to her grandaughter's flat in London and dates a handsome actor that she meets through a dating app. This situation brings them several challenges and adventures, but it also makes them discover hidden elements of themselves and motivates them to face their feelings regarding the last moments and death of Carla, Leena's sister. This story is heartwarming and easy to read.

The narration: I wanted to listen to this audiobook while I was working on my cross-stitch and the story was simple enough for me to do both activities at the same time (English is not my first language, so there are some books that require my full attention). I think that the narration was very good, as there was a narrator for the chapters that showed Leena's perspective and a different narrator for the ones that were written from Eileen's point of view. The pace was also appropriate for every moment and the intonation made that some situations were funnier than if I had read them. The only thing that was a little weird was when the narrators had to make sounds or onomatopoeias.

What I liked: I really enjoyed how the author portrayed Eileen because senior citizens are usually ignored or depicted in stereotypical ways. She was a vibrant and strong older woman who was not afraid of trying new things at 79, and I believe that is true for so many women of similar ages, so it is great to see them represented in a book like this one. It was also interesting that this story explores the emotional consequences of grief. The way that Leena had to release her feelings and deal with her need for mourning for Carla's death (which actually had repercussions in her job and her relationship with her boyfriend and her mom) was one of the strongest parts of the book. Also, this story was a little cheesy and some problems were suddenly solved in such a simple way that it was actually uplifting and heartwarming. I adored the love stories because they were based on good chemistry and self-discovery, and they were not absurdly complicated.

What I did not like: Some parts of the introduction of the story were slow, for example, the first meeting of the Neighbourhood Watch Committee. Also, there are some topics that could have been explored further but were treated only superficially, like domestic violence, mental health issues, cheating, and catfishing.

(I want to thank NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and the author for this ARC, which I received in exchange for an honest review.)

Received this audiobook from NetGalley for free in exchange for honest review.

I -adore- this book. It has such a lighthearted and cheeky theme throughout the whole book. When I started the book I was expecting more of a freaky Friday vibe but that wasn’t it at all. I couldn’t get enough. The ladies chosen for the audiobook narration could not have been more perfect. I am now reading the other book she has written. I do quite love her style of writing. Look forward to seeing more of her works.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. It was just the kind of lighthearted read I needed. I fell in love with the characters and was a little sad when the book was over. Yes, not al of it was light and airy. There were some serious parts. But, I laughed and I cried.

I did this in audiobook and really enjoyed the narrators. They were great at emoting and changing the voices for the various characters.

3.5 stars. Three words to describe this story: cute, light and enjoyable. The storyline was somewhat predictable but it was still fun to see how everything unfolded. Eileen is one cool grandma, gotta love her. Narration for the audiobook was great for Eileen and only good enough for Leena. #netgalley #TheSwitch

This is my first audio book. I didn't like the cussing. I liked how Leena and Bea interacted. I liked the dialogue. I was curious to see what would happen to Leena. I loved the characters. I liked that Eileen wanted to get out of her town and date

Thanks to Libro.fm and Macmillan audio for the free audiobook and Flatiron Books for the e-galley. All opinions are my own.
This book was delightful. I love the idea of Lena and her grandma switching places. I think this would be so much fun. Each woman has an adventure in the new to to them city, but they also are forced to take the time to work on issues that have been previously bothering them.
I liked how the author explored grief in this book. Each character had been impacted deeply by it, yet they acted in completely different ways due to the grief trauma. There are also mom-daughter issues present within both generations. They were explored thoughtfully and with depth.
This book is also fun. The characters are unique and quirky. The love interests are charming. The friendships genuine. If you're looking for a feel good book with depth and emotions - pick this one up.
The narrators of the book were perfection. I loved each characters narrator and felt that they added so much aliveness to the characters.

I really enjoyed this fish out of water, grieving the death of a loved one, finding yourself, a little bit of a love story. The audiobook narrated by Daisy Edgar-Jones and Alison Steadman is fantastic. I really loved both narrators and their voices stayed in my head long after I was finished listening. They were the perfect readers for this book. I think both characters Eileen and Lena, journeys of self discovery were very well written and their situations were very relatable in this character driven novel. They felt very authentic to me. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wanted to start to listen to audiobook fiction. It was my favorite listen so far.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley & Macmillan Audio for providing me with a copy of The Switch in exchange for an honest review!

The Switch is one of those times where I really wish Goodreads would give me a half-star option. 3-Stars seems too low, however, 4-stars seems too high.

Thoughts on the Audio: YASSSSSSS. Both narrators truly made these characters come to life & I found their voices to be incredibly soothing. 10/10 recommend listening to The Switch.

Thoughts on the Book/Plot/etc.: The Switch was just fine. I loved the idea of having an eldery-protagonist looking for another chance at love. It was absolutely precious & also, in general, both protagonists are amazing & I absolutely love them. I also love all of the relationships (both romantic & platonic) that developed through the course of The Switch.

I think what really brings The Switch down for me is that it felt too long. There were too many times where I felt the plot kinda went stagnant & I couldn't help but wonder what the point was.

In the end, I didn't dislike this book whatsoever & truly do recommend it for lovers of chick-lit & romance.

The Switch is about a career-driven young woman, Leena, who struggles with her sister’s death and is forced on a two-month sabbatical. She and her 79-year-old grandmother Eileen decide to switch apartments, technology, and social circles. Eileen moves to Leena’s London flat, and Leena goes back to Yorkshire to face her past.

This delightful story is made even more so by the narration of Allison Steadman (Granny) and Daisy Edgar-Jones (Leela). The story’s alternative perspectives structure lends itself to this charming younger/older duet who aren’t afraid to experiment with their vocal and inflection ranges. The narrators hilariously imitate the friends in their circles, convincingly describe frustration with the other’s technology, and the sound effects of the telephone exchanges add to the audible experience. Their vocal cadences, however, vary considerably. On the Leela chapters, I listened at 1.25x and on Granny’s 1.5.

While the story is fast-paced, funny, and has several made-for-tv moments, it also addresses important elder issues like sexuality, domestic abuse, mobility constraints, and isolation.

Four and a half stars for this entertaining and thought-provoking story. It was a thoroughly enjoyable listening experience and I’ve put author Beth O’Leary’s debut novel, The Flatshare, on the top of my TBR and have made a mental note to keep an eye out for other books narrated by Steadman and Edgar-Jones. Thank you to NetGalley for advanced access to the audible book in exchange for an honest review.

I received a reviewer copy of the audiobook The Switch by Beth O'Leary from Macmillan Audio from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What It’s About: Lena is mourning the death of her sister or rather she is working nonstop to avoid getting stuck in grief for her sister. Then one day, it all bubbles it up and she has an anxiety attack in the middle of a critical pitch. Her boss tells her she must take a two month sabbatical. Hopeless and feeling untethered, Lena visits her grandmother in Yorkshire. Her grandmother is newly single after her grandfather left and is looking to find companionship but she knows every single person in her village. The two women decide to swap lives for two months to overcome grief and find love, respectively.

What I Loved: Oh my god, I loved this book so much! I loved the idea of these two switching lives. I'm a sucker for stories where younger people interact with senior citizens and join their community. I also love tough older women taking on the world. This book has it all. I was just so happy reading this book this is the up-lit at its best. It put a smile on my face and I loved watching the characters grow and I loved that despite the fact that there are romance plots. It's more about personal growth, grieving, and being part of a community and supported.

What I didn’t like so much: I can't really think of much, sometimes this book felt a bit overfilled with characters.

Audio Specific Review: Daisy Edgar-Jones is a brilliant narrator and she does a phenomenal job here. I loved the narration and found it well done. My only complaint is that I really didn't like the phone calls being staticy.

Who Should Read It: People who love up-lit. People who love books with spunky senior citizens. People who love books with strong elderly characters.

General Summary: Granddaughter and Grandmother swap lives and the result is delightful.

The Switch by Beth O’Leary
4.5/5

This novel was like a cozy hug, and just what I needed. I really enjoyed the premise of the novel, and in execution it turned out to be just what I had hoped.

Leena is forced to take a two-month sabbatical after a work presentation goes awry. Her grandmother, Eileen is recently single and navigating the dating world again. The two decide to switch places, Leena goes to live in her grandmother’s tiny Yorkshire village and Eileen goes to live in her granddaughter’s London flat.

When listening to the audiobook, I mostly listened to 2x speed, but that is normal for me. I thought that the narrator for Leena was wonderful. However, there were times when the narrator for Eileen bothered me a bit - not sure if it was due to bad audio or background noises or what. Overall, I enjoyed listening to the audiobook for this story.

I personally liked Eileen’s story line more than Leena’s. While they both go on a bit of a journey of self-discovery, Eileen seemed to be more fun and adventurous, even at age 80! Overall, I think that this was a great, cute, cozy novel of self-discovery and family, which I highly recommend.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook!