Leena Cotton is a problem solver. As a business consultant, she is at the top of her game. Until she has a major meltdown in a client presentation. Her boss looks at her record and sees that she hasn’t taken much personal time, and she orders her to take a 2-month sabbatical to get her head in a better place.

Eileen Cotton, Leena’s grandmother, is a 79-year-old, suddenly single woman. After her husband of decades ran off with a dancing teacher, Eileen finds herself alone again and ready for a new adventure.

When Leena goes to visit her grandmother to get sympathy for what happened at work, she finds her grandmother making a list of the all the single, age-appropriate men in her small village. Leena takes a look at the slim pickings there and sets her grandmother up for online dating. When the options nearby are still pretty thin, Leena has an idea—for the next two months, her grandmother can take her place in London and date men there, and Leena can stay in her grandmother’s cottage in Leeds and take over all her responsibilities.

Leena knows she can handle whatever her grandmother usually does, except maybe for one thing. Taking care of Leena’s mother. Leena has barely spoken to her since her sister died of cancer the year before. It had been a really difficult time for them both, and the very different ways they’ve dealt with their grief has isolated them further. But now, Leena has promised her grandmother she would check in on her mother, so she adds that to her list of things to do, along with the neighborhood watch and helping put on the village festival.

Meanwhile in London, Eileen struggles to overcome her fear of the big city and fights her loneliness to figure out what she needs to spice up her life. As she gets to know Leena’s roommates and best friend, and as her online dating profile starts to get some interest, Eileen remembers herself as a young woman, wanting to come to London and change the world.

As both women become acclimated to their new homes, they are forced to face their fears and feelings and everything that has been holding them back from tier true selves. But the weeks they spend in a new place brings them both back to their truest selves and help them finds new ways to serve their friends and neighbors.

The Switch is a charming novel about the things we lose along the way in life and how a journey to find ourselves can bring huge rewards and unexpected surprises. Beth O’Leary’s sophomore novel is a warm and wonderful celebration of life and all its small miracles.

I listened to the audio book of The Switch, which is narrated by Alison Steadman and Daisy Edgar-Jones as the voices of Eileen and Leena. The book goes back and forth between the two characters, and the narrators bring both stories to life with personality and charisma. Having two narrators makes it easy to fix yourself in the story of each character. When you hear Eileen, you know you’re back in London, and when you hear Leena’s voice, you find yourself back in Yorkshire. It’s a lovely way to experience this story, and I highly recommend it!

I really loved The Switch. I was so impressed with these women and how hard they work to better their lives as well as the lives of those around them. Watching them both find their centers again and reach out to those hurting around them was enchanting and inspiring, and I loved every word of this fun, soulful story.

A copy of the audiobook for The Switch was provided by Macmillan Audio through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Thank you Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for the Advance Listening Copy of The Switch in exchange for a review.

Content Warning: Emotional/Mental abuse.

I enjoyed listening to this book so much, that I kept coming up with excuses to continue listening - lengthening my walk, taking the long way home when I returned home from my weekly errand run. Not enough time for my audiobooks and podcasts sure makes me miss my commute (on the other hand, I'm loving the extra sleep, and extra non-work productivity hours).

The book is told in dual POV. There's Leena, a workaholic in her mid-to-late 20s, and then you have her grandmother, Eileen, who is 79 years old, and ready to start dating again. Loved how the narrators brought each of the characters to life.

It all begins with Leena, who has been struggling to stay afloat since the death of younger sister 18 months earlier, being forced to take an eight-week sabbatical, after a panic attack during an important work presentation. At a lost, she visits her grandmother that first weekend. Eileen is newly single after her husband runs off with a dance instructor earlier in the year, is ready to start dating again, but there are not that many age appropriate single guys in her small town/village. It is during Leena's visit to Eileen that they decide to completely switch lives for the next two months.

I absolutely loved Eileen, and found her to be refreshing. She seems to be fiery, active, and a go-getter. She's a busybody, but not an offensive one, just enough of one to get things done. She will not let any obstacles get in the way of her getting things done. I love her confidence to try new things.

The book is not only about changing lives and forming a new perspective, or even dealing with uncomfortable situations. It's about repairing the parent-child bond (in this case mother-daughter), finding (emotional) independence, letting go of grievances.

I've been seeing this book all over social media for a couple of months now. I was lucky enough to get my copy from netgalley and I simply loved it. Lighthearted and fun, but also at times so deep. 79 year old Eileen lives in the rural Yorkshire, and after her granddaughter, Leena, has a nervous breakdown at work and is forced to take a two month sabbatical, they switch places. Eileen moves to London to have some fun and find herself after her husband leaves her for the pilates instructor, and Leena, moves to Yorkshire, to have some time to calm down and live a simpler life. Adventure and self discovery follow with many funny moments, and equally as many poignant ones that teach these two women and those around them about life. I listened to this on audio and the English accents were a wonderful added bonus. I loved every minute!

Happy Pub Day!!! 🎉🎉
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy audio copy of #theswitchbook by #betholeary ., for an honest review. This was a 4 ⭐️ read for me.
Such a sweet read about a grandmother and grand daughter both at a turning point in their lives. They decide to switch lives, homes and even cell phones. Eileen and Leena need to make changes and decide how to move to forward in their lives.. I loved this story line so much. Such a great read during these crazy times. I found myself lost in this story, in the best possible way.

Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for the ALC of the delightful The Switch!
I absolutely loved this book! When Lena is forced to take a leave of absence from her London job, she ends up switching places with her Grandma, Eileen, in a sleepy Yorkshire village. Eileen finally gets to have a London adventure, and Lena finally has to deal with the grief of loosing her only sister.
The narrators were absolutely marvelous, totally embodying both Eileen and Lena. It’s a look at dealing with grief, being yourself, and leaning on your people.

“This swap isn’t just for my benefit you know.” The Switch by Beth O’Leary

3.5 stars. Been meaning to read the book but then the audiobook was granted to me by NetGalley so I decided to listen instead.

The story is about Leena and Eileen Cotton, granddaughter and grandma respectively, switch flats for about 2 months, taking a break from their own lives and stepping into the other’s for a while.

The story is nice and I like how their adventures planned out. Leena would get on my nerves sometimes, but she sorts herself out so all is well.

I love how the audiobook was narrated, especially when it’s Eileen’s POV. Sounds just like a grandma. 😁 Honestly I haven’t reached the credits, since I wanted to post this as soon as I was done. But the narrators did a great job with this book. Not sure how Yorkshire accents go but it’s still lovely to hear a British accent. Well, it’s set in UK so it just got to, right?

Thank you MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book! I enjoyed listening to it.

After enjoying reading The Flatshare recently by Beth O'Leary, I was delighted to be able to take up the opportunity to listen to The Switch. 

If you are thinking of reading this book and like audiobooks this is the way to go. I loved the characters, Leena and Eileen of course especially. Eileen - what a 79 year old! However there are other minor characters who fit in so well and make this book a delightful reading experience.

It is full of humor and fun, yet has its serious side in that Leena and Eileen are still deeply missing Leena's sister who died not so long ago. It has left a huge hole in their hearts. Taking up the challenge to live in each other's place for a while provides them with new experiences, new people and eventually new ways of seeing life.

The narrators absolutely do an excellent interpretation of the the two characters of Leena and Eileen. For me, they became those characters. Their pacing, expression and just the right emotional tone totally enhanced the story.

So looking forward to the next book by Beth O'Leary.

Thanks, #netgalley @macmillanaudio for a complimentary ALC of #theswitch
Opinions in this review are entirely my own.

3.5 Stars

Would you switch places with your grandmother?

Grandmother Eileen and granddaughter Leena, both dissatisfied with their lives for different reasons, impulsively decide to swap places for two months. Seventy-nine-year-old Eileen moves into Leena’s London flat and twenty-something Leena escapes to her grandmother’s small home in a tiny rural Yorkshire village. They even switch phones! Eileen experiments with online dating and easily makes friends with Leena’s young flatmates. Leena tries to fulfill her grandmother’s responsibilities on various committees and attempts to gain credibility with the community.

I always appreciate snappy writing! The Switch is engaging and the complications that the characters face are unique and not too predictable. The story is told from dual viewpoints and we follow two separate timelines in alternating chapters.

It’s refreshing to have characters that include a spunky mature lady! In fact, the grandmother has a wonderful positive attitude, is definitely a “people person,” and sees most of the romantic action in the story. I think, though, that she is portrayed as being too young for her age at points. Online dating and looking for romance at 79 might work better if she were 69. Climbing a tree at 79? Not very realistic. The grandmother has a more entertaining storyline and the Type A granddaughter who is forced into a two-month sabbatical from her job has a more realistic storyline in which she contemplates some thoughtful changes in her life. I appreciate that both characters are fearless and determined in their own ways.

The swapping of lives lends itself to many entertaining circumstances including the grandmother growing accustomed to a smartphone and an online dating website and the granddaughter experiencing small-town life, quirky characters, and committee politics. I think both storylines are compelling and they intersect briefly at the beginning and end.

Poignant themes include friendship, grief, second chances, romance, granddaughter/grandmother relationship, mental health, and difficult domestic issues.

If you’re looking for a light and entertaining women’s fiction read, this could be a great read for you. Recommended for fans of rom-com, light romance, and HEA. The Switch makes an ideal vacation, weekend, or escapist read. Book clubs looking for lighter fiction might enjoy this story.

Content Considerations: an incidence of spousal abuse intervention with a secondary character, grief over the loss of a family member

Leena leads a busy life in the city with all her efforts directed towards her job...until her employer insists she take a two month paid vacation. Leena’s grandmother, Eileen, leads a busy life in the country but wants to find love...something she might have better luck finding in the big city. So, Leena and Eileen switch residences and whimsical adventures ensue!


-Setting: Yorkshire and London
-Narration: There are two wonderful narrators. One for Leena. One for Eileen.
-Language Warning: This is an enchanting story. However, it does include curse words.

Title: The Switch
Author: Beth O'Leary
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Narrated By: Alison Steadman & Daisy Edgar Hies
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: 5
Review:

"The Switch" by Beth O'Leary

My Speculation:

I loved this idea that this author gives so well to the readers the switching of the daughter [Leena] and the 79-year-old grandmother [Eileen]! Also, there was the mother that will be of interest in this read. The story was one sweet, fun, and charming storyline read that touched a little on the more substantial topic like sadness and grief, community, and family. Some quirky characters in a small town community setting that will keep one's interest in the read. Be ready for a little bit of romance where each of the women will begin to take charge of their own life. How will this all turn out? Well, this is where I say you will have to pick up "The Switch" to find out.

I enjoyed the flow of the read as these two narrators did an excellent job with there deliverance of the story making it quite enjoyable to listen. Would I recommend it? YES!

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy of this book!

The Switch is about Leena, a young woman living in London who's burned out and struggling with severe anxiety, and her grandmother Eileen who is 79, newly single, and a little bored with her life in the English countryside. Leena and Eileen decide to switch lives and homes for two months, à la the movie 'The Holiday', to see if they'll benefit from a change of scenery.
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The themes explored in the book were far more serious than the description would have you believe – grief, anxiety, abuse, etc. But they were handled very well and the book still didn't feel heavy. I loved all the characters, from Leena and Eileen to their wacky neighbors, to the men in their lives. I felt like I knew them all. Although the plot felt a little slow in the first third, it soon picked up. This is the rare book that I think will be enjoyed by both those who like character-driven stories and those who prefer a focus on plot. And because it has some serious plot points in it, I think even non-romance readers would enjoy it.⁠
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And a note about the audiobook – I am not normally an audiobook lover (I don't feel like I have great auditory processing skills), but I LOVED listening to this book on audio. It was read by British actors Alison Steadman and Daisy-Edgar Jones (you may recognize her voice from Normal People where she played Marianne!) and they did a fantastic job. I could have listened to them talk forever. So if you're looking to branch out into audiobooks, this is a great one to start with!⁠"

I'll also be posting a review of this book on my blog, HopefulHanna.com, on August 31st, 2020. At that point it can be found at https://hopefulhanna.com/read-in-august-2020. good

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for providing the audiobook for this book.
i loved the story , i went into it very hesitant since i didn't like the Flatshare very much.
it turned out awesome . i loved the premises of this book where they actually switch lives.
very heartwarming read.

I was very excited about this book when I found the audiobook on offer in Netgalley. It’s one that had been on my radar, but that I had been waffling on (the ever present dilemma- can I justify the cost of this, or do I just wait until I can get it from the library/ a bookish bud?). I am so, so glad I got it. This was a sweet, charming read with the best type of ridiculously meddlesome characters and small-town-community charm. I found myself falling in love with the characters… well, most of them- even when I was pretty sure I was supposed to hate them. Ethan was the only character I couldn’t love and that was mostly because he was one of the few characters O’Leary didn’t give redeeming qualities to. It was fairly obvious that he used Leena at work, and that he didn’t treat her as well as he could have. Jackson was sweet and cute… patient. I like how he accepted Leena, but didn’t ever try to make things easy for her.

Eileen (Grandma) was spectacular. I was completely charmed by her caring nature, her projects, her ability to connect people. When I grow up, I want to be Eileen Cotton. The romances for her were mostly messy, which makes sense considering where the author is wanting to go. I like that she and Arthur began to respect each other more when they had some space- though the neighborhood war was fantastic.

This cast of characters- from the fabulous London set to the geriatric misfits- were well developed and charming. It’s hard to let them go, honestly, and I have often thought that that was the best indication of a successful book. It was well written with a good flow to the story despite it being divided into two narratives. Often when more than one voice is showcased it can get choppy, even messy in parts. There wasn’t any of that here. For me, this was a four star book.

⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
On the Adult Content Scale there is language, some sexual content (though relatively mild), and drinking. Trigger alert- there is an abusive relationship with one of the side characters. I would give it a three.


I was lucky enough to receive an audioARC (is that what we’re calling it?) from Netgalley and MacMillan Audio in exchange for an honest review. My Thanks!

Cute story. Loved the concept of switching. I did not enjoy the audio simply because the netgalley app keeps stopping for no reason as you listen. Also the narrator for the grandma was aggregating with her saliva noises. Otherwise I really enjoyed it.

Really enjoyed this book. Loved the narration alternating between Lina and her grandma. Good storyline and lovable characters. A very easy read. Highly recommended

This book was really cute. It reminded me of my relationship with my grandma. I loved that . It was quirky, and fun but it was a little on the dull side for me. The narrator was awesome though. I loved the sound and expression in the voices.

The Switch is a sweet, charming book about coming into your own and learning to accept help from others.

Leena is an overachieving London workaholic who, when forced to take a vacation, switches houses with her grandmother Eileen in a tiny Yorkshire village. This gives Leena a chance to fix her poor relationship with her mom, and Eileen a chance to try out London dating life.

Though there is some romance in the book, it's mainly about each woman learning to take charge of her own life. I loved both main characters and their friends and neighbors. Eileen would definitely make my list of characters I'd invite over for dinner a party, with her fearlessness and sassiness. I listened to this on audiobook, and they had a different narrator for Eileen and Leena. Both of whom had British accents, which made for some enjoyable listening.

The story is like a walk outside on a sunny day. There's no rush to get anywhere, but I enjoyed the path it took. Recommended for fans of Marisa de los Santos, cozy realistic fiction, and anyone who wants to escape to the British countryside with an eccentric cast of characters.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy of this book!

I would like to start off by saying thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Aaudio for gifting me this audiobook in exchange for an honesty review!
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Leena Cotten is over worked and in desperate need of some time off. After blowing a big presentation at work, her boss forces her to take a two-month sabbatical. Leona uses this time to go visit her Grandmother in the her tiny Yorkshire village. Eileen Cotten on the other hand is 79 and newly single and looking for some fun. Unfortunately her village doesn’t seem to have very many eligible men.

When Lenna learns of her Grandmother’s problem she suggests an idea. A two-month switch. Leena will stay in Yorkshire and look after all the little projects her Grandmother does, and Eileen will move into Leena’s flat in London and learn all about online dating from her new flatmates.

This was such a cute and fun book. Beth O’Leary writes characters so well! I fell in love with Eileen the moment I met her. She sounds like such a sweet woman but also very hip and fun for being 79!

The little village of Yorkshire sounded perfect and I couldn’t help picturing myself roaming the rural streets and attending all the small town functions.

Overall I LOVED the story but I was not a fan of the audiobook. I would have preferred to read this one in hard copy. All the “s” sounds were very harsh and I did not care for the “telephone” effect that was added onto the dialogue anytime someone was hearing it through a phone. It was difficult to hear. I’m still giving this 4 stars though because it was such a fun, summer read!

What a delightful audiobook! I loved the narration and the storyline. Cute characters, funny situations, and a bit of sadness and grief—I can't decide if I enjoyed the grandmother or granddaughter more.

This is my second audio from Beth O'Leary and I'm quickly becoming a fan of her writing.

This wasn't my favorite by the author but none the less a super cute story!

What I liked:
- How well the characters were developed!
- I love the concept of the "switch" between the grandmother and granddaughter!
- The slow burn love story for both the granddaughter and granddaughter!

What I didn't like as much:
- That Leena was portrayed as a weak woman who couldn't handle her work.
- Leena and Oliver's relationship or lack their of? I wasn't sure how this constituted as a relationship?