Thank you to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for this ALC of Beth Leary’s “The Switch.”

Still reeling from her sister’s death, Leena breaks down at her high profile London job and is ordered to take a 2 month sabbatical. Meanwhile her 79 year grandmother, Eileen, wants out of her small countryside town and longs for an adventure. So they decide to switch lives.
Both Leena and Eileen encounter more than they bargained for: self discovery, unexpected friendships, new hobbies and passions, love, and they each learn how to heal their grieving family.

You’ll love all the British phrases and you’ll love the narrators. “The Switch” was a delight!


This review will be posted on my blog and Instagram on August 18.

I feel like this was lacking a lot that I couldn’t put my finger on. The idea is insanely appealing, especially in this day and age. I feel like both women went with a goal of bettering themselves. But did that happen? I don’t really think so. Sure, they got out of bad situations and decided how the course of their life will change, but the root of their problems are still there.

Leena is still as work obsessed as ever, and Eileen still likes to be in charge and take over every space she comes to. And sure, those aren’t necessarily bad things, but the whole point of Leena’s sabbatical was to take a break and sort out her overworking tendencies.

Overall I’d say it was a good book. There was a lot I enjoyed. However, the characters felt a bit stiff and the plot felt like it could have done with a bit more to enhance the ladies lives. If you are looking for a quick and easy book to escape into someone else’s life for a time being, this could be the one you are looking for.

First off I want to thank NetGalley for a chance to review this audio version of The Switch by Beth O'Leary.

I am currently DNF'ing this audio, I will be picking up a physical copy of the book because I just cannot get into this piece as an audiobook.

The sound quality is a bit off. Some parts of the book are pitched extremely high and others are so low you cannot hear it, even with the volume turned all the way up. I feel like a physical copy would suit me better this time.

This was a charming British book. I really enjoyed this audiobook. it switched between a quirky English village and London. I enjoyed the village bits the best. The one thing I didn't like about the audiobook was when the phone calls had a special effect on them that made them sound like phone calls. It was jarring.

This audiobook was lovely to listen to. Eileen is 79 and her and her grand-daughter Lena decide to swap lives. Lena slows right down and gets involved with Yorkshire village life and Eileen finds her sensual side in London and decides to find love. I liked the two different voices for each character. I think a good audiobook can really bring a story to life and this one did just that. An easy warm listen.

I love the team narrators !!!!The narrators were okay for this book i was not mesmerized, the best thing was the distinct voices for the granddaughter and grandmother as it made it sooo easy to follow the storylines. good take on issues of being alone and finding the right life partner and balance.

If you’re looking for something light and fun to read, Beth O’Leary’s The Switch would be perfect for you! I had been seeing her debut book, The Flatshare, all over bookstagram and had always wanted to see what the hype was all about; so, I was really happy when I got an audiobook ARC from Netgalley!

There really isn’t anything I can say about the plot that hasn’t been mentioned in the synopsis. It was pretty much all there: Leena and her grandmother, Eileen, switched lives for a couple of months and they learned a lot of things about themselves. It’s a classic feel-good book that would make a great feel-good movie that you would watch a thousand times while eating a pint of ice cream every time you need a pick-me-up. It’s just so dang charming!

Daisy Edgar-Jones and Alison Steadman both did an amazing job with the audiobook as Leena and Eileen, respectively. You could really tell a lot about their personalities from the first time they were introduced. Leena was obviously stressed out and on the verge of a panic attack, and Eileen’s good-humored nature shone through. It is amazing narrators like them that always gets me hooked to audiobooks.

The lack of heavy conflict in the story made listening to The Switch such an easy feat. I managed to finish it in less than 2 days – just in time to be included in my July reads! Leena’s story was entertaining to listen to, especially the unlikely friendships she made in Hamleigh. Eileen’s, however, was the more exciting of the two! At her age, it was really fun to see her date around and be confused among three (3!) men. It was also nice that she managed to leave a lasting mark to her London friends, no matter how brief their time together was.

There were some serious elements like grief, relationship breakdown, and even marital issues, but they are all essential to the growth of all the characters involved. I loved how things panned out and how conflicts were resolved. It’s an amazing book and everyone should read it. And I really mean everyone!

I read Beth O'Leary's debut -The Flatshare - and really enjoyed it. The way she had the characters talk to differentiate them was a little on the odd side, but I did not mind.
This book blew that book out of the water for me. Eileen and Leena were truly so different and both so intriguing. Eileen I think captured my heart and will with anyone else who reads! It was so enjoyable that all of the characters were really flushed out.
I just felt all the things reading this book, but mostly I had a big smile on my face the majority of the time.

I wholeheartedly adored this book! After reading and loving The Flat Share I knew I wanted to read this book as well so when I saw it was available as an audiobook on NetGalley I jumped at the chance to get to read it. Also, the fact that it was narrated by the absolute ICON that is Alison Steadman and Normal People's Daisy Edgar-Jones really sold it to me! I love when audiobooks have multiple perspectives narrated by different actors as I feel like it adds a lot to the story that you don't always get from a single narrator. This was just so charmingly Beth O'Leary and I loved this one just as much - if not more than I loved The Flat Share. I loved all of the characters and this was such a fun read but it also deals with very serious topics as well such as death, grief and abuse but all rolled up in a charming little tale of love, friendship and family. It gave me major Hallmark Christmas movie vibes as in I kind of knew how it was going to end right at the start but it was so fun and sweet and it was nice just to do life with the characters. I couldn't recommend this book enough!

Rating: 3 stars
Recommend? For lovers of Sophie Kinsella books

[Thank you to NetGalley and the author for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review]

I enjoyed listening this cute story about two women, a grandmother and granddaughter, who switch places. The story was a little slow but very sweet, with just the right amount of serious issues and character growth. It reminded me of Sophie Kinsella, although with a bigger focus on family than romance.

I also thought the audiobook was well done. The dual perspectives are voiced by two different actresses; the granddaughter is played by Daisy Edgar-Jones, who played Marianne in normal people, and it was fun to hear the recognizable voice.

The story was interesting the different age groups with similar and different problems. How at any age one can be lonely and not know what to do. I love the team narrators !!!!The narrators were okay for this book, the best thing was the distinct voices for the grand daughter and grandmother as it made it sooo easy to follow the storylines. Overall a good story to read.

The Switch by Beth O'Leary is a charming, sweet book filled with fun antics and growth as Leena and her grandmother, Eileen decide to switch places. Living in each other's homes during Leena's two month leave of absence from work is a big change for both of them. Touching moment, sweet romances and moments of grief and change touch their lives. There are times where the book is a bit predictable, but the humor and sweetness are very enjoyable.

The narrative style presented by Alison Steadman and Daisy Edgar-Jones are perfect - exactly who I would have chose for this book. The accents are perfect, and Eileen's voice is absolutely adorable: she is the perfect grandma everyone wants as their own!! Out standing narration throughout the book from both actors really kept me interested and engaged! Well done, and I would gladly listen to either Steadman or Edgar-Jones again without hesitation!!

I requested a temporary advance review copy to listen to and enjoy from NetGalley. As always, my opinions are my own.

I loved this book. Really enjoyed everything about it. It did not begin that way. I started this audiobook and early on stopped listening thinking it was not for me. I loved the idea and the editors description, but somewhere between chapters 2 and 3 thought “wow, this is ridiculous”. Additionally I never thought I could really dislike a grandma and yet I wasn't a big fan of Grandma Eileen. As I was given the privilege of listening to an advanced copy of this book I picked it back up a few days later. I am so glad I did. I am not sure what I was thinking early on. I truly adored this book. Pretty much everything about it. The writing is wonderful, the toggling back and forth of chapters between Eileen and Leena, the many other people they all interact with and well, just about everything. Leena is been “forced” into taking a two month sabbatical from her job due to perceived burnout. She lives to work so is at wits end. She is very angry at her mother, still suffering and not quite mourning the loss of her sister and is in a relationship that she believes to be really good. Grandma Eileen is fabulous, if you can get past her overt pushiness. She is concerned about her daughter and grand-daughters relationship, their personal emotional well beings and knows she needs to do something major. She suggests, and by suggest I mean forces Leena into a two month change of lives. Apartments, responsibilities and even cell phones! I mean who in the world would consider switching cell phones regardless of all else they switch up. And so begins their individual adventures. Eileen is a take no prisoners kind of woman. She forces Leena out of her comfort zone which in turn helps an entire community, makes friend with and changes the lives of all of Leena’s neighbors, catches and kicks Leena’s boyfriends behind, learns to use dating apps and is generally a blast. Pushy, but a blast. Leena, who is mostly coasting through life, working hard and accepting being emotionally numb so she can push away the pain. Their journeys filled with adventure, new relationships, mending of old relationships, discovery of who they are, who they want to be and learning what they really want out of life. The narration of the audiobook was wonderful. Truly draws you in/ I highly recommend this book and if you have a moment very early on thinking this is not for you, do yourself a favor and give it another shot. You won’t be sorry. I certainly wasn’t and look forward to what is next from Beth O’Leary.

I fiercely and wholeheartedly adore this book. When I finished I almost (okay I did) had tears in my eyes...the happy ones where you feel like you’ve just been given a very beautiful and unexpected gift.

The Switch is a story about two women, a grandmother and her granddaughter, who trade spaces for a time and learn to find themselves again. Does it sound a lot like the movie The Holiday? What that movie succeeds in, this one does in spades. It was hilariously charming, quaint, brilliantly English and I soaked up every last second of it.

Eileen Cotton is adorable, and basically the star of this book. I cannot tell you the amount of times I smiled and laughed and can I just adopt her already as my fictional grandma because that would be fantastic. I loved getting a romance from her point of view as an older woman. It was fresh and lovely and everything I could have hoped for.

Ninas romance is completely adorable too. And I’ll never be over one scene in particular. Swoon city.

To know how good The Switch is, is to love it. I will be thrusting this book into everyone’s hands. Hands down one of my favorite audiobooks of the year. LISTEN TO IT. It’s brilliant.

This book was a real treat. Following the death of her sister, Lena is failing at work. After a catastrophic meeting, she is placed on forced sabbatical and agrees to trade places with her grandmother, living in a small town and struggling to find herself after a sudden divorce. I loved the intergenerational dynamic and the overall growth of both characters. The dual narrators allowed the reader (listener) to explore both how the characters saw themselves and how they were seen by each other - and they were rarely the same. The narration was excellent, with varied tonality and both readers were exceptional. Would highly recommend!

The audiobook was so good and the performances weren't the problem. The book was just so boring and predictable. This is a harsh statement but it's so true. I tried getting into this story because the premise sounds amazing and I'm a huge fan of the flatshare but the sophomore slump was real. So many people loved it so this is an unpopular opinion.

A sweet & endearing read — I was hoping I would love this as much as I loved The Flatshare , but this one didn’t quite do it for me. I loved the premise and characters so much, but wish it was a bit less predictable.

I loved the narrators and overall production of the audiobook. I recommend!!

I adored this book! Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced listening copy. What a refreshing and light read about loss, family and changing your life for the better by Switching up our routines. I absolutely adored the older female lead character Ilene and that her story is just as much the focus as her granddaughter Lena is. Well done, Beth O'Leary.

The Switch was my first book by Beth O'Leary and I will definitely find her debut novel, The Flatshare, next! In The Switch, two women, grandmother and granddaughter, both still grieving a tragic loss, agree switch living situations for two months so grandmother can have a city adventure in London and granddaughter can take some time in grandmother's rural village to rest and regroup after a professional setback. The story includes lovely, entertaining, peripheral characters who add so much to the story. I highly recommend the audiobook version of this book audiobook, exceptionally narrated by Alison Steadman and Daisy Edgar-Jones as granddaughter and grandmother, respectively. Both narrators were able to distinguish the voices of other characters with whom they interacted with wit, subtle dialect changes, and appropriate emotion. The use of slightly altered volume and clarity during telephone conversations to demonstrate the dialogue of the character on the end of the line was quite clever, well-executed, and added to the enjoyment of the reading experience.

I highly recommend this charming book, and urge you to consider the audiobook version to enrich your experience. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook, which in no way influenced my review.

I listened to the audiobook version which has two brilliant narrators and they really made the story come alive. I thought the story was super. Yes, it is "UpLit" in genre and therefore will not satisfy the thriller/crime seekers, but it is a lovely story, told with realistic and gutsy characters.