I thoroughly enjoyed this cute read! I loved the grandmother and granddaughter dynamic as well as their switch of homes.

I struggled with this story a lot because I felt the blurb told me everything that was going to happen and there was no element of surprise. I also found the story to be very slow going and would lose interest as I listened.

As far as audio production goes I liked when the characters sound like they are actually on the phone. It made the exchange more realistic.

The Holiday: Family Edition, is a grandmother-granddaughter house swap. Eileen, the grandmother, is amazing. I loved her life perspective and strategies. I was surprised there wasn't more of the story with the grandmother and granddaughter living together in the grandmother's house since Leena, the granddaughter, could learn so much from her amazing grandmother. Leena is a hapless 20-something, and could really use some of Eileen's wisdom and experience.

Daisy Edgar-Jones and Alison Steadman both narrate beautifully.

This audiobook was provided as a loan from NetGalley.

This book is a fairly good escape read. There are a couple of heavier threads in the story that keeps it from completely satisfying that need though. I also found there were a few too many characters. I would rather have had less characters, to give the author a chance for more character development. That being said, I enjoyed the story and it was very good as an audio book. Having two narrators for the main protagonists was great.

3.5 stars

Thanks to #NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an ARC of #TheSwitch.

This is a delightful fun story of a grandmother and granddaughter who switch lives for 8 weeks, each needing a break from their own lives and the results of that. The way the grief over the granddaughter's sister's death was handled so well, I was tearing up at points as they each described the hole they felt and the way they did or did not deal with it. I really liked the dual narrator style of writing, and just loved the romance (from both of them) throughout. It's fairly unusual to have sex discussed for an older more elderly character, and it was closed door, but I loved both characters romances equally. The narrator's British accents were absolutely delightful and it was so good as an audiobook (minus the scenes of online dating written messages back and forth, that got a bit tedious in audio form!) The story held my attention, and I looked forward to listening to it during my commute to work.

Beth O'Leary's novel is over the top and requires some suspension of disbelief for the grinch inside of us, but it is heartwarming and that is the point. I listened to the audiobook, thanks to an ARC by the publishers and enjoyed the dual narrations by Daisy Edgar-Jones, a young British actress with another audiobook narration in her resumé, and Alison Steadman, a more established British actress with more roles and audiobook narrations under her belt.

They did a fantastic job bring Leena and her grandmother Eileen to life. Leena's adventures in her grandmother's Yorkshire village is a bit on the predicable side, but it still has the appeal of a [author:Sophie Kinsella|6160] romance.

The true star of the book, however, is Eileen. Like all the characters who first met Eileen in London, I fell in love with this almost octogenarian who was looking for love--and sex!--after her husband left her after many years of unhappy married life. Eileen is a force to be reckoned with. Used to being a community leader and organizer she is quick to identify those in need of companionship in her London community and sets out to do something about as she navigates a relationship app and the men who express interest in her. And yes, her happily-ever-after plot line was predictable as well, but I did not care after all of her adventures in London.

Such a wonderful journey of finding SELF again.
I had so much fun to listen to this book. It was truly inspirational. From the beginning I have loved both Leena and her grandmother Eileen.
After they lost Carla, Leena's younger sister, to a disease they weren't themselves. It's been as if they lost part of themselves to a griev.
When Leena had a panic attack at work she was given two month of sabbatical. She and Eileen decided to swap places for the whole time. Both of them met new wonderful people and discovered that as long as people who you love surround you, you can live anywhere.

I also want to say that both narrators did exceptionally great job.

Grandmother Eileen and granddaughter Leena swap their lives to help them heal from the death of Leena’s sister with Eileen moving to a Shoreditch flat with Leena’s flat mates and Leena taking residence in a small Yorkshire village and getting stuck in with the neighbourhood watch.
I read and thoroughly enjoyed The Flatshare last year so kept watch for more from Beth O’Leary. However, when The Switch was released, I wasn’t grabbed by the synopsis so didn’t pick it up at first.
I finally decided to listen to the audio and am pleased I did! Much like in The Flatshare, O’Leary gathers a charming cast of characters and writes about their lives with humour.
I warmed instantly to Leena and O’Leary realistically describes her grief related anxiety issues. Plus, she has a collection of nerdy Buffy t-shorten what’s not to like! But the star of the show is grandmother Eileen, who made me chuckle several times. She is caring, nosey, kind and interfering and I thoroughly enjoyed her adventures in London. The romance elements of the story only make up part of the plot (with Leena’s feeling a little shoehorned in - I didn’t quite invest in that) with the story also dealing with friendship, family and grief.
The performances for the audiobook narrators were superb; Leena’s chapters being read by Normal People’s Daisy Edgar Jones and Eileen’s by Gavin and Stacey’s Alison Steadman. They both brought life to the characters and were thoroughly entertaining.

I had high hopes for The Switch after recently reading Beth O’Leary’s prior book, The Flatshare. While I liked The Flatshare better, I still highly enjoyed The Switch - the story of a grandmother (Eileen Cotton) and her granddaughter (Leena Cotton) who are both in need of a change of scenery and swap homes for a couple of months. Eileen goes from a quiet, rural, close knit community to the hustle and bustle of London, and Leena takes a break from her high intensity life in the city for the more slow-paced existence that her grandmother lives.

I enjoyed the story of each character learning the ropes and acclimating to their new environments, each of them creating their own relationships with those in the other’s life. The story contained its fair share of fluff, but it also dealt with some deeper issues including how the characters process the loss of a loved one, and the isolation often experienced by the elderly. I was moved by the characters’ stories, but overall was left with positive and happy feelings at the end of the book.

My main, and not so significant, issue with the book was that I felt the story was predictable at times. Having said that, I certainly enjoyed the journey that O’Leary took us on as we experienced Eileen and Leena’s stories as they explored their new lives.

This book was so heartwarming and such a relaxing read. From the start I could sympathize with both characters. They were unique and lovable. The #audiobook was perfect for my busy two weeks. The two women reading do a wonderful job of capturing the mood and make the book come to life.

PSA: I didn’t agree with the authors normalization of urinary leakage (urinary incontinence) and increased night time urination (dysuria). It is not normal to experience leakage at ANY age. Waking during the night to urinate is not normal if you are under the age of 65, over the age of 65 it is normal to go 1-2x/night. If you are experiencing urinary incontinence (whether urge or stress) there are treatments available that don’t include medications or surgery – a lot of it is based on education and training your pelvic floor muscles. If you are experiencing leakage ask your primary care doctor about seeing a women’s health physical therapist who specializes in addressing incontinence (whether male or female).

#netgallery #theswitch #betholeary #recommendedreads goodreads #instareads #bookloversunite #mustreads #fiction #bookrecommendations #bookaddict #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #booksofinstagram #bookclub #booksbooksbooks #teabagsandbooks #readingwithJenna #womenshealthphysicaltherapy #womenshealth #pelvicfloormuscletraining #pelvicfloor #urinaryincontinence #olderadults #aging #publicserviceannouncements #physicaltherapy #bookreviews #london #england #summerreads

What a sweet story! I somehow loved this even more than The Flatshare, and I REALLY loved that one!

We follow duel perspectives. After Leena is pushed to brink at work in London and has a panic attack, she's put on sabbatical for three months. Eileen, Leena's grandmother, is yearning for romantic companionship that she can't find in rural Yorkshire. The two decide to essentially switch lives to get a better perspective on the things they need from their lives.

Eileen's perspective was probably my favorite just for how unexpected it was. It was so thrilling to see her start casually dating and make friends in the city. She was just so earnest and wholesome, and I loved seeing her story come to life. Her chapters made my laugh so much and smile so big that I couldn't give this book anything less than five stars.

But I also really felt for Leena in trying to get adjusted to small-town life and taking up her grandmother's responsibilities. I also love her personality and that she's just a genuinely lovely person trying to get through the trauma of losing her sister and repairing her relationship with her mother. If I had one critique though, it'd be that I didn't find it necessary for Leena to have a boyfriend at the start of the book. I would've loved to see her form a natural connection with Jackson without her having a boyfriend being the conflict that holds them back.

Otherwise, I absolutely loved this one! So glad I picked this one up when I did as I definitely needed a change in pace.

The major reason why I am giving the audio format of this book 5 shiny stars is because of the narrators Daisy Edgar-Jones and Alison Steadman. If I had opted to read this book instead, I would not have liked it all that much but these two English actors (one of them also has an OBE) brought the book and the main characters, Lena Cotton and her grandmother Eileen Cotton (plus all the other interesting, funny, quirky supporting characters--both young and old) to life! I absolutely enjoyed listening to both of them! Not one dull moment!

My thanks to NetGalley, the author Beth O'Leary and the publisher MacMillan Audio for the audio ARC. This is the second audio book I have listened to from NetGalley.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

“I think you should know,' he says. 'I like you. Like I shouldn't. That sort of like.”
Lena has a busy life and stressful job in London. She is still reeling from the loss of her sister. As a result if her unprocessed grief she isn't performing at work as well as she knows she should. After her work forces her to go on a month long sabbatical she goes to visit her grandmother Eileen out in the country. Eileen is a 79 year old woman who wants to find someone to spend the rest of her life with, but the over familiar faces in her small town don't seem very promising. After little to no consideration, Lena proposes that she and her grandmother swap lives for a month.


This felt like the movie The Holiday, but with a little grandmother instead of a depressed middle aged woman. I really enjoyed Eileen's character. I loved watching the contrast between her practicality and the impracticality of her dreams. I wish this book had been more about her than Lena. Her character was more compelling and in some ways even more relatable for me? Am I just a 79 year old woman trapped in a tired 29 year old body??? DON'T ANSWER THAT!


Lena's personality felt a little less thought through. After finishing The Switch I felt like I knew next to nothing about who she was as a person. Her type A attributes and refusal to process grief seemed the most central parts of her characterization but they did a better job keeping me out rather than keeping me connected to her story and emotional journey. I was left wondering if she even grew at all? Lena disappointed on the character front, but I felt the fun story and Eileen's character helped me enjoy this novel more than I would have otherwise!

I listened to this on audiobook and I loved the narration here. I am always looking for audiobooks that add more to the experience of the book than I would have gotten from reading it in hardcover and this was absolutely the case for The Switch!!!

⭐⭐⭐/5 Stars


Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Publishing for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

Wow, where do I even begin? This book was so heartwarming and incredible. Beth O’Leary is an extremely talented writer! I listened to this book on audiobook, and I loved it so much that I went ahead and ordered the paperback version before I even finished it because I know I will be reading it again.

Leena and Eileen have very different storylines, but the combination of their plots made me so happy. I wish Eileen would be my best friend!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good rom com or anyone who loves Gilmore Girls. It was one of the best books I’ve read all year!

This one was just pure fun! Lena and her grandmother both have the same name but they are at different places in their lives. Lena suffers a panic attack at work and they insist she take a paid two month vacation and she ends up going to the country to her grandmother's. Meanwhile her grandmum feels in a rut after her husband leaves and with all her work around town. She talks Lena into switching lives/locations with her. She goes to London and stays at her flat. Both have a bit of a surprise, learning there is more out there to life than what they had been living. It was great for both of them to let go and learn to live. I definitely recommend this one! I enjoyed this one in audio and the narrators were superb!

**Received this ARC in audio form from the publisher for review from NetGalley**

A wonderful cute,sweet,funny,emotional and romantic story.
Follow the switch of Leena(granddaughter)and Eileen (grandmother) as they switch their lives for a month one to the country the other to the city..
Enjoyed getting to know theirs lives and friends and how they worked everything out.
Voluntarily reviewed

I received an advanced audiobook copy from the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.

This novel was the best and so what I needed right now! It was a funny, romantic comedy that dealt with really hard grief type situations in a great fluffy way, and I don't mean that in a bad way. This novel helped show ways that people need to work through their grief and troubled situations and realize that everyone is different.

The idea of this story was the BEST and so damn cute! Think the movie The Holiday and it's even better!!! I would absolutely watch this BBC miniseries if someone decided to make it into a show! Leena has a panic attack at work and her bosses tell her she needs to take a break and she is given a two month paid leave, and this workaholic has no idea how to take that break...so she runs over to her grandmother Eileen's house for some comfort. Eileen is also at a new place in her life, she is about to turn 80 years old and newly single when her husband of many decades left her for a younger woman, but her wonderful cozy town does not seem to have a lot to offer for her. Eileen and Leena decide that they need to switch lives and oh does the adventure ensue! This was so wonderful and heart warming and just plain beautiful. This is a book that I would absolutely return to if I was having a bad day and it would just lift me up. SO WONDERFUL!!

I loved Beth O’Leary’s first book The Flatshare SO much. Especially on audio. I couldn’t get enough of the characters and I’m still jealous of people who get to read it for the first time. So, needless to say I was giddy with delight when I found out The Switch was coming.

This book is told from both Leena Cotton and her grandmother Eileen’s points of view. Leena lives in London and works non-stop (partly as a coping mechanism after the death of her sister) until she gets so stressed and run-down that her boss forces her to take time off. Eileen lives in a little village in Yorkshire and frankly, she’s a bit sick of her life. In particular, her romantic prospects are looking a bit thin in the tiny town she lives in. The two decide to switch lives and each take a break from their own. Leena goes to live in her grandmother’s house and her grandmother takes up Leena’s room in the rented London flat (roommates and all).

The Switch does have a healthy dose of romance, but so much more as well. There is grief, healing, family drama, community, friendship, and a lot of rediscovery. And it seems Leena and Eilleen aren’t the only ones working out what they really want out of life, their attitude and can-do spirit seem to rub off on everyone they meet.

It took me a little longer to fall in love with the characters in The Switch than it did while reading The Flatshare, but I definitely got there. And while I didn’t think The Switch had quite as much wonderfully-dry British humor it certainly had some good laugh-out-loud moments. I’ll also admit to letting out a sob or two towards the end as well. It was all-round a delightful book.

The audiobook is just over 10 hours at 1x speed, but I felt like it flew by because I was so wrapped up in the story. It is narrated by Alison Steadman and Daisy Edgar-Jones and I thought both of them did a brilliant job at bringing all the characters to life.

This story was brilliantly written!
And the cutesy story about grandma and granddaughter. With so much about loss and dealing with grief.
Also grandmother (some of them) are the best!
Also the audio book experience was the best. So go listen to the book you will enjoy it!

This audiobook was an easy listen. Leena is a workaholic who has a panic attack during a presentation and is forced to take a sabbatical for her health. Leena and her grandmother decide to switch places for the duration of Leena's time off. Leena goes back to her small hometown while her grandmother, Eileen, heads to London to find love. I was a tad bit iffy on following a 79 year old trying to find love but I loved Eileen so, so much! She was hilarious with her sassy personality. It was so much fun watching her try online dating and trying to navigate the busy city. Leena was also a lot of fun to follow. She did all the small town fairs and all the small things that come with small town living.

Honestly this book was a bit of a shock for me. Like I said, I was worried about one of the leading ladies being a grandmother but I want both characters as friends. They felt like friends! They felt like the type of people I want to know.

The narration for the audiobook was perfect in every way. They made the characters really come alive!

I haven't read the authors first book but I have just purchased it and I can't wait to read. I am very excited! I love her writing.