Leena, a 20-something overachiever, is good at her job. But she’s also burned out, and her boss has forced her to take a 2-month break. She goes to her grandmother Eileen’s house, and they find that Eileen could use a little shake-up as well.

So Leena stays in Eileen’s small English town, while Eileen goes to Leena’s London flat. Adventures, quirky characters, and a little romance ensues for both.

Put this in the lighthearted, charming, and delightfully cozy read category.

“Never been one for worse-case scenarios... when they happen, you cope.

And usually it’s the ones you never think of that get you so... why worry?”


— overall thoughts: 4.5 —

The plot reminds me of that movie with Jude Law and Cameron Diaz, “The Holiday” but make it a grandma and her granddaughter. Even the "city girl" and "country girl" aspect of The Switch is there.

However, it's actually not exactly a romance if that's what you're thinking. It's more about how to move on and just enjoy life for what it is. I know that's a broad idea but just trust me that it isn't focused on the romance aspect. It actually tackles some serious topics without making it heavy on the readers which made me that more interested. (I'm still whipped for Jackson though.)

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It still has that wholesome content and endearing quality that everyone needs a touch of right now. I went into this expecting the charming and lovable characters… and I wasn’t disappointed!! I actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would??

The plot doesn't go crazy but the characters were so fleshed out that it felt like they were my own grandma, my neighbors, friends, and all that.

Eileen (the grandma) has such a pure and dreamy (but still realistic) outlook on dating that I wish I had sometimes. While Leena... it was just so fun to watch her figure out how to navigate her grandma's life and learn how to just be in the moment. They were both so relatable in different ways... and I JUST WANT TO WRAP THE WHOLE CAST IN A BLANKET AND PROTECT THEM FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD!! (except ethan he can leave)

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Underlying themes of letting other people in to your life and placing yourself in their shoes was actually really well put out. I was surprised at the balanced themes without making it too heavy or too light.

I listened to the the audiobook for this one and the narrating voice for Eileen and Leena are separate people that sound exactly like how I would imagine them. special note: they’re british? I liked their accents is what I’m trying to say, I had a good listening experience.

I would see this book being picked up by people who would want a pleasant and wholesome (for the most part) story. And I would definitely recommend this if you are looking for one of those feel-good (albeit a bit stereotypical) stories to take a break from those wild fantasy rollercoasters, just like I did.

FORMAT READ: Audiobook (Recommended)
SIMILAR VIBES: What If It’s Us, The Sun is Also a Star, I'll Give You the Sun

The Switch by Beth O’Leary is utterly delightful.

The premise of The Switch--a twenty-something and her grandmother switching lives for two months--could have felt flat and uninspired in the wrong hands. And yet O’Leary has the Midas touch. Everything she touches turns to gold.

What starts out as a simple switch turns into a completely life-changing experience for both Leena and Eileen. Eileen explores the over-seventy dating scene and bonds with Leena’s flatmates and neighbors while Leena discovers the richness found in intergenerational relationships in a small Yorkshire town. And even that is an inadequate description.

Leena and Eileen are both such fleshed out characters, with their own unique personalities and struggles. I adored them both. The narration on the audiobook breathes life into the characters, making it very easy to keep the characters separate.. The book is light-hearted and serious in turns, the humor balancing the heavier issues of loss, grief, infidelity, and aging. The quirkiness of the characters is endearing, and you can’t help but root for both of their happy endings.

I loved that Eileen got her second chance at love, even at eighty. I loved watching Leena figure out how to cope and eventually grow in the face of her grief. Unlike The Flat Share, The Switch is not a romance. It’s contemporary fiction at its best. It’s about women--their grief, their anger, their strength, their resilience, their love and their passions.

Would I recommend this book? 100% yes. Would I recommend the audiobook? Also yes. Five freaking stars.

CW: cancer, death, grief, infidelity, domestic abuse

If cutesy, wholesome, and Hallmark is your thing, then you’ll love this one. Unfortunately it’s not really my thing in large doses, hence the middling rating.

I loved the charm and wit of The Flatshare but that was lacking for me in this story. And while I did enjoy Eileen’s sections, I didn’t care for Leena at all and didn’t feel invested in where her story took her. I also felt the Carla storyline was superfluous. We didn’t get to know her at all and that combined with my dislike of Leena made that plot line boring.

Unrelated to the content, but I’m not sure if it’s because it’s an ALC and the sound mixing is incomplete or if it’s the specific narrator, but every letter ‘S’ was like nails on a chalkboard. Less so with the Eileen narrator but it was still painful regardless of the audio speed... I usually listen at 1.75-2x speed and I slowed it all the way down to 1x speed and it still bothered me. I would not recommend the audiobook for this one despite my enjoyment of the accents.

The Switch was absolutely delightful. This book is about Leena, a young London woman, and her grandmother Eileen, switching homes for 6 weeks. Eileen wants an adventure and Leena needs a sabbatical from work in order to properly grieve the loss of her sister. Eileen is so funny and warm and wise and just so dang inspirational. I loved her so much. The relationships between the 3 generations of women in this book are wonderful. The friendships are moving and the romances are lovely too. The Switch made me laugh and cry and I am so glad that I read it when I did because it was just perfect.

The audio was absolutely perfect too. The two women who voiced Leena and Eileen did a fantastic job. I just can’t say enough good things about this book!

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan audio for the advance audio of this delightful book!

This book was cute and quirky. It is a novel that is set in England, and centers around a grandmother and granddaughter relationship. When granddaughter Leena needs to take some time off of work to compose herself she and her newly divorced grandmother, Eileen decide to switch places. Leena moves out to the country side while Eileen goes into downtown London. Each women finds something that they were missing, a longing that they didn't even know they needed. Healing takes place for one and the other finds that spice that was missing in her life.

I rather enjoyed this novel, it did start off slow, however when all the drama started it got rather juicy. I have to say that the grandmother Eileen was my favorite character. She is so loving and such a hoot for a 79 year old woman. There are many characters in this book that you get to know and love.

3.75/5 stars.

This audiobook was smooth, As an American it did take me a moment to get use to the English accent, but I did enjoy it!

Thank you for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I rather enjoyed this sweet story of a young woman who trades lives with her grandmother for a couple of months. The story was exactly what you expect it to be and there were no twists that you don't see coming, but sometimes that is exactly the story you need.

I enjoyed reading about Eileen and Leena. I felt that they were both realistic enough characters with flaws and I liked that neither one of them made decisions that you feel the need to constantly roll your eyes at. They were both intelligent women that made some mistakes, but reasonably so.

I listened to the audio version of this book narrated by Alison Steadman and Daisy Edgar-Jones. I felt that both narrators were excellent and fit the parts well. One bonus for audiobook fans - there are a few parts of the book that are meant to be phone conversations and the audio does a good job of making that clear and realistic with a sort of distance echo-ish sound.

This was my first book by Beth O'Leary and I really enjoyed it. I look forward to reading more of her work when I need a lighter easy read. 3.5★

The Switch is a fun, “feel good” read!

Leena and Eileen Cotton decide to swap! Leena is a 29-year-old, successful business consultant living in a posh, hipster neighborhood in London. She is a workaholic who rarely takes vacations. Following an embarrassing panic attack right in the middle of the customer meeting, Leena is forced to take two months leave from work in order to “to find herself”. Eileen, Leena’s grandmother, has lived in a tiny Yorkshire village her entire life. She is 79 and is a force of nature! Recently Eileen’s husband (inconceivably) ran off with a dance instructor. Eileen is determined to find love again, but the countryside does not have too many eligible gentlemen over the age of 70 to choose from. When Leena proposes to "switch” Eileen agrees to move to London in search of love, and a long postponed adventure while Leena moves to the village and takes over Eileen’s cottage, and her community projects.

The Switch is an adorable rom-com! I highly recommend it on audio. It’s a two-narrator audiobook. English TV actress Daisy Edgar-Jones narrates Leena’s parts. I don’t think Ms Edgar-Jones is a very experienced narrator, but her “not-always-very-smooths” performance adds charm to the listening experience. She sounds like a “normal" person who is just talking to you, and telling you her story rather than an actress who is performing. Fabulous Alison Steadman narrates Eileen’s parts and is amazing as always!

I loved the fact that The Switch portrayed elderly people as incredibly sharp, funny, capable, and full of energy! The main takeaway is that we all can learn from each other. Young people should not make a charity case out of socializing with elderly neighbors and relatives. Oftentimes the older ladies and gents have energy levels on par or even greater than those of some of the "perpetually tired" millennials. They sure thing can teach the younger generation a lesson or two! Similarly, elderly folks should not scoff at the younger men and women. They too can gain a thing or two from spending time with the “kids” (and I am not talking just about the Internet and smartphone skilz;) Generally the younger folks are more straightforward, and open about their feelings. The older generation grew up during the times when sharing their thoughts and feelings was considered a weakness, and conflicts oftentimes were simply ignored. But sharing (NOT oversharing!) your true feelings is better for the relationships, and elderly people could benefit from learning how to be more open and honest with their family and friends.

Overall, if you are on the market for a “feel good” read – I highly recommend "The Switch"! It’s clever, funny, has a very positive LGBTQ presence, and normalizes romantic love, and sexual relationships among elderly. I will say that at the very end this book became a bit too sappy for me, and it certainly has a rather predictable, Hollywood style happy ending. Other than that it’s a perfect “feel good” rom-com!

I think The Switch is for you if you enjoyed Matchmaking for Beginners.

Triggers: infidelity, loss of a loved one to terminal illness
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Beth O'leary doesn't disappoint with this sweet tale of finding love, no matter your age. This book was easy to read, enjoyable and so sweet.

The Switch by Beth O'Leary was my first book by this author and unfortunately I was a little disappointed. The beginning started off strong but as it went on, it began to drag along and nothing really happened. A lot of detail about basically.. nothing. I do think that important topics were discussed such as grief, family, and relationships. I'm definitely going to check out O'Leary's previous book and give her another change. There are a few characters and moments that I really liked but overall, fell quite flat for me.

Thank you to Macmillan audio and Netgalley for the audiobook, it is always very much appreciated!

I absolutely loved Beth O'Leary's debut, The Flatshare, which I also listened to as an audiobook, so I was thrilled to get my hands on the audiobook for The Switch early. While The Flatshare was an emotional slow-burn romance, romantic relationships aren't the central focus of The Switch—this is a portrait of two women in moments of transition (professionally, romantically), of the relationship between grandmother and granddaughter, and of the complexities of family and grief. The audiobook is beautifully produced, and the narrators/voice actors well-chosen for their respective characters. Both added a great deal of personality and texture to the book, and kept me compelled throughout. The only thing I didn't enjoy were the phone call bits, in which dialogue spoken by the character on the other end of the line is muffled (to the point that it was actually difficult to understand at normal speed and a high volume setting)—there isn't too much of it, and I get the appeal of this kind of effect, but it didn't work for me in this case. I didn't enjoy The Switch quite as much as The Flatshare, but Beth O'Leary's character development and relationship-crafting are so strong that I know I'll be eager to pick up her future novels.

The Switch was a delight, a fun novel with excellent characters, especially the older ones. I listened to the audiobook, which is narrated by two actresses with distinct voices so I had no trouble figuring out which character was talking/narrating, and I also had no problem understanding the British accents. (Occasionally that can be an issue for me, with some British TV shows.)

The author made the people in the grandmother’s generation more “alive” in my imagination than the younger people. Having a focus on older women and men was a lovely change of pace. It seems so many novels (particularly any involving romance) revolve around people in their 20’s and/or 30s. I loved seeing Grandma Eileen flirt and have a sexual relationship during her London sojourn.

All was not “unicorns and rainbows” in this book, however. It deals straightforwardly with the repercussions of the death of a young family member from cancer, depression, infidelity, loneliness and other real-life issues. The three generations of women at the heart of this novel (Grandma Eileen, mom Marianne and granddaughter Leena) learn how to deal with these issues along the way.

It was fairly obvious who Leena would wind up with but I only partially guessed at who would wind up lighting up Eileen’s life, so kudos to Beth O’Leary for that delightful twist.

I haven’t read O’Leary’s earlier book, The Flatshare, but now I want to check that one out!

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for a chance to listen to this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Why I Requested This: I read O’Leary’s first book for a video project in January and enjoyed it enough to want to give her a second shot. Especially since this one sounded more up my alley plot wise.

Pros:
There is a good balance between the emotional tones in the story.
The two protagonists have distinct voices and listening to the audiobook made their stories more enjoyable to follow along.

Cons:
There are a lot of side plots. I know we are following two characters in two places, but there are too many side-line plots going on to be enjoyable.
I’m not sure how exactly to word this point, but there was some kind of joy missing from this for me. The story was just fine to me, but I never felt overwhelming happy to be reading it.

Overall: Despite all the things that could be going right for it, my enjoyment went left for the few things that I didn’t like.

This was a fun story of a grandmother and granddaughter switching lives. The two narrators did a great job portraying their characters.

The book was fun and fast paced. There was the perfect mix of love interests and drama. I feel like the other did a great job describing the hot mess of the granddaughter and the meddling of the grandmother. At the same time they were both successful in the life swap.

I would definitely recommend this book to people who enjoy novels like this. I will also be going back to read the authors first book Flatshare.

This is not my typical genre, but thanks to netgalley I had the audio available so I gave it a shot. It wasn’t too bad. Kinda corny in parts and maybe a tad too long for my liking, but a cute little story about an over worked woman and her not-so-elderly grandma who decide to switch houses for 2 months and adjust to being in the other person’s life and shoes. I enjoyed Eileen but Leena was a tad annoying lol. Overall, not a bad way to pass the day. Review also found on good reads.

This book is hilarious! I absolutely want to grow up to be Grandma Eileen who at 79 years old doesn't mince words and enjoys her love life to it's fullest. Make no mistake, this book deals with some rather gut wrenching issues such as the death of a loved one, grief, losing oneself, anxiety and more, but it is wrapped into witty banter, funny interactions albeit at times humiliating antics and fabulous interactions amongst the cast of characters. The characters are a variety of elderly and young, but make no mistake they are all young at heart! More than one character will find themselves truly becoming the person they have wanted to be and this book really drives home the idea that you are never to old to become the person you want to be! I have never read anything by this author before, but I certainly will be looking for more from her in the future. The narrators do an excellent job of bringing already well developed characters to life and enhancing each one's personality.

Thank you, NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and Flatiron Books, for sending me the audiobook of The Switch by Beth O'Leary in exchange for my honest review.

I have yet to read The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary, so don't ask me why I decided to pick this one up when I knew nothing about it. Maybe I was craving a fluffy romance, maybe it was all the pre-publication hype, I just know that, even after having The Flatshare on my wishlist list for months, I decided to read this and I'm GLAD.

As I said, I knew absolutely nothing about this book going in, and I must say it took me by surprise. The Switch is definitely a romance, but that's not nearly the main point of the story. We follow two POVs, Leena and Eileen Cotton, a granddaughter/grandmother duo that puts every other relationship like that to shame. The book is set a few months after Leena's sister, Carla, passed away. In the midst of all that pain and a now complicated relationship with her grieving mother, she starts having a few troubles at work, which leads to her boss giving her a paid two-month leave so she can get her feelings sorted.

That's when, after a weekend visit to her grandmother's, she has the brilliant idea that they switch lives. Eileen's husband left, and she's on the hunt to finding a new romance, while Leena desperately needs a change. They will trade lives for the entirety of Leena's eight-week leave of work. Her grandmother will move to her flat in London and try online dating, and she will move to her grandmother's house in Yorkshire and step in to care for her depressed mother and do all the work Eileen usually does for the community.

I don't even know where to begin talking about this book, I loved it that much. First, we have the characters, all fascinating and incredible people that you can't help but fall in love with. But the highlight of this story is definitely Eileen. She's charismatic, hilarious, and a joy to follow. There's also the premise of older people finding love again, and I have never read anything remotely about that, which is a shame. Even though I loved Leena's chapters, there was something about Eileen's Londoner life that won my heart. I adored that this normalised older people finding love again and following their youthful dreams. We need more of that in mainstream media. Also, seeing her inspire Leena's twenty-something-year-old friends made me want a grandmother just like her.

Seeing Leena try to win over her grandmother's elderly friends and try to fit into the village was also incredible. Seen as they're a very tightknit community, how they reacted to this big town outsider made for great banter and loving relationships. Another highlight was the connection between the two main characters. You see how much they're alike and care for each other, and just how important a granddaughter/grandmother bond can be.

Don't let this fluffy description fool you though, this book deals with some heavier topics, but it does so in a brilliant way. How grief can devastate a family, the multiple forms of coping with the loss of a loved one, and how that impacts every dynamic between the family and the community they live in. We see how each character heals differently, and the reconnection of the relationship between Leena and her mother. And as a precaution, there's a slight trigger warning for an abusive relationship. It's not a major plot point, and there's nothing graphic about it, but it does show up and I feel like it's important to mention.

All in all, I adored this book. I wasn't familiar with Beth O'Leary's writing, but The Flatshare just got bumped to the top of my TBR, although I don't think I'll love it just as much as this one. The story was predictable in the best way, and I listened to most of it in one day, because I simply couldn't stop. The narrators were also fantastic. I wasn't crazy about the wet-mouth noises but, after a while and listening to it on 2x speed (as I usually do), I got used to it.

I gave this book 4/5 ⭐️. I feel like these characters, and this story will stay with me for a while, and I highly recommend this if you're looking for a wholesome family-centred read. Also, I saw someone comparing the idea of this book to the film The Holiday, and I totally agree, which is a win, because that is one of my all-time favourite films.

Beth O’Leary will now be an auto buy author for me. I listened to, and loved, The Flatshare so I jumped at the chance to listen to The Switch and it did not disappoint!

Did you watch the 2006 movie, The Holiday? Well, The Switch gave me major The Holiday vibes and I adored both. They both had predictable endings, but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment at all.

The Switch is told from two perspectives: Granddaughter Leena and Grandmother Eileen. Leena is a 20 something Londoner who still struggles with the loss of her sister, Carla, and is forced to take two months paid holiday. Something most people would love, but it left Leena reeling since she buried herself in her work. 79-year-old Eileen lives in Yorkshire and has had a lot on her plate as well. Her husband left her, and she’s been taking care of her daughter since her granddaughter, Carla, passed away. they end up swapping lives, and it was absolutely brilliantly done.



Leena had to try to fill her grandma’s big shoes. Just because she’s almost 80, does not mean she lives a slow-paced, relaxing lifestyle lol. She’s one busy woman, and reminds me a lot of my own grandmother at that age. Hearing about Eileen transforming lives in London was just fantastic. I love stories with inter-generational friendships, we can learn so much from each other. Character development is huge for me, and I was happy with not only the main characters development, but also side characters.

While this story was full of humor and positivity, it also covered some difficult topics, especially grief and the impact it can have on a family. O’leary handled it so beautifully.

Daisy Edgar-Jones and Alison Steadman brought the characters to life with the narrations, brought out the warmth of Leena and Eileen.

I think this would be a great book for anyone who needs a lighter read, if you liked her book The Flatshare, and/or if you liked the movie The Holiday.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC and opportunity to share my thoughts on this delightful book!

The Switch was a really lovely character driven story that has Leena, who has an apartment in London, swapping living situations with her recently divorced grandmother Eileen, who has a house in Leena's small hometown. Both women need a change. Leena is on a forced sabbatical after a panic attack at her high powered job and Eileen is ready to find another love and the dating prospects are dismal at home. The book alternates between the two woman's adventures.

What makes the story fun is that both of the ladies have amazing friends who support the switchees which allows both woman to hit the ground running in their new temporary lives. It is fun to see Eileen dating and also connecting people in Leena's building - she has a real knack for meddling - and it is just as fun to see Leena taking up Eileen's responsibilities - and also making things better for Eileen's friends and neighbors. And both ladies are extremely likable.

I had the opportunity to do this book in audio and both readers did a very nice job. I really liked this story.


Audio ARC courtesy of the publisher via Netgalley.

I really did try to finish the entire audiobook because the story drew me in immediately, but the narration of this book was horrible and I quit after 6 chapters. There were so many wet mouth noises that it made me ill to listen. I look forward to picking up a physical copy, but I cannot recommend the audio book. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for access to this audiobook!