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.

Thank you @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for my first advanced listening copy of The Switch!⁣
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Eileen is sick of being 79.⁣
Leena's tired of life in her twenties.⁣
Maybe it's time they swapped places...⁣
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This book went down as easily as this beer did! Such a cute, sweet story that is sure to make you smile. There are two narrators, one for Eileen and one for Leena. The phone calls are done in a unique way that I haven't heard in any other audio, too! ⁣
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Have you read or listened to this one? Have you used Netgalley's new audio option? ⁣

The Switch - Beth O’Leary

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review thanks to MacMillan Audio and Netgalley.

I choose this book as I had a lot of driving to do, and wanted a nice cheerful audiobook to pass the time.

When Leena has a bad experience at work and was told to take two weeks holiday, she travelled up to Yorkshire to see her grandmother. Eileen and Leena ‘swap lives’ for two months - they swap phones, laptops, houses and Leena is even left with Eileen’s list of village activities.

The story is told from the perspective of both characters, but the perspective change is very easy to follow. At first, I didn’t think I would enjoy the book as I didn’t feel I would be able to connect with with Eileen or the elderly residents of Hamleigh-in-Harksdale, but the characters are all just so loveable.

Rating: 4/5
This book is a slow romance that also touches on difficult topics such as cancer, depression and infidelity. It is well worth a read this summer.

This was so freaking cute aaah. I mainly downloaded the audiobook because I have heard only positive things about "The Flatshare" and although I haven't read the author's previous works I had high expectations and I cannot help but say this that FROM HERE ON I WILL READ ANYTHING O'LEARY WRITES.

O'Leary's writing feels like " snuggling inside a warm blanket with a hot cup of cocoa in a rainy winter day" and it not only gives you comfort but makes your heart flutter. I am not a fan of books where romance is the only plot, idk why but it's a thing. And The Switch delivered what I look for in a NA.

I personally share a very special bond with my grandmother and this book just made me reminisce all the fun times we shared in the past. I teared up at a few scenes because Eileen reminded me so much of my Grandma : from her zest for life to her eagerness in helping others, and everything that she did radiates positivity and I couldn't help but in awe of her.

DEFINITELY RECOMMENDED.

This was my first book by author Beth O'Leary, and I loved it! It was the perfect blend of humor, romance, adventure, friendship and family relationships.

Leena Cotton is a workaholic who is having a hard time coping after the death of her sister. She is ordered to take a sabbatical from work when her anxiety almost loses them a big client. Her grandmother, Eileen, is recently single after her husband left her for his dance instructor. Eileen wants to find romance again, but has limited options in her small Yorkshire village. Leena, who lives in London, offers to switch places with her grandmother. It will be a much-needed break for both of them.

Leena thinks it will be easy to take over her grandmother's duties in the village--serving on the Neighborhood Watch Committee, walking a dog for a friend, and planning the May Day celebration. She has also agreed to help look after her mom--Eileen's granddaughter--who is struggling to recover from her daughter's death. However Leena soon realizes that her grandmother actually has very big shoes to fill.

Meanwhile, Eileen gets herself set up on a dating site, makes friends with Leena's roommates, befriends a lonely elderly woman across the hall, and plans to set up the Silver Shoreditch Social Club.

I loved both Leena and Eileen, and enjoyed hearing the story from both points of view. Although there are some difficult topics in the book--cancer, depression, infidelity--there are also many moments of charm and humor. The story is really about the importance of community, family bonds, and overcoming adversity.

Both narrators were excellent. I would highly recommend the audiobook!

I really loved this book reading it through the first time. Mix it with Daisy Edgar-Jones narrating as Leena...and it is absolute perfection. I love her so much! While listening to this on audiobook, I actually caught additional pieces of the story. My favorite characters were still Grandma Eileen’s friends in Yorkshire, and I enjoyed hearing them come to life. I highly recommend listening to this one!⁣ Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this audiobook for my honest review.

I received a complimentary arc of this audiobook from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio in exchange for an unbiased review.

This was an extremely humorous and witty story which I found wonderfully narrated. The voice and inflection of the grandmother Eileen Cotton sounds authentic for a 79 years young woman! I enjoyed this audio version of the book.

Leena Cotton is tired workaholic who hasn’t taken a vacation or day off work in years. When she totally bombs a presentation she fears she’ll be fired. She never expected her boss Rebecca to mandate that she take a 2 month paid leave from work! Leena is flummoxed and overwhelmed as to how she will manage without work.

We learn that she is most likely using work as a coping mechanism for the other personal stressors in her life. Her sister Carla died a year ago from cancer and she had been angry and estranged from her mother since that time. She believes more could’ve been done to save her sister. Fortunately, she does has a close work colleague with whom she had been discussing starting their own consulting firm. Bea is her sounding board and voice of reason while struggling herself to make sense of life as a single mother.

Leena lives in the fast paced city of London with her flat mate: Martha who is very pregnant waiting for her parent to return from her business trip and Fitz who always seems to be between jobs. They encourage her to use the time off to relax and regroup. Her boyfriend Ethan is just as much of a workaholic for the same company. They rarely spend time together mostly on weekends when he isn’t busy on a work project.

Leena calls her grandmother Eileen who lives in the quaint Clearwater cottage in Hendley where she grew up. She decides it’s been long overdue for a visit to her grandmothers house. She is hesitant being close to her mother who her grandmother has been helping out since they lost Carla. While there her grandmother who is recently reinventing her own life since her husband Wade decided to leave to be with a woman half his age. She confesses to a Leena how he had held her back from some dreams she had of experiencing London.

Leena suggests that they switch living arrangements for the 2 months of her leave from work. To keep her busy, Eileen provides Leena with a notebook of all her responsibilities and daily routine which involve helping her neighbors. Leena learns to discover that her grandmother is an extremely active and staunch advocate in her community. It takes her some time and many follies as she maneuvers her way around.

In London, Eileen is thriller and then overwhelmed with the stress and impersonal nature of living in the city. She is initially disheartened to discover mostly young neighbors with no time or fear of interacting. Having 2 cats back at home, Eileen becomes concerned when she finds a cat wondering around the flat. She immediately approached the neighbor with whom she believes the cat belongs.

Eileen is pleasantly surprised when Leticia invites her in for a chat. Her flat is filled with magnificent antiques although the woman looks dreadful. Eileen discovers that Leticia has lived there over 30 years and had never had a neighbor visit. She lives alone and both she and Eileen enjoy some laughs together and agree to visit again.

While Leena is discovering that the older people in her grandmother’s community may be opinionated she develops a soft spot for them. She actually enjoys taking over for her grandmother and her many responsibilities. Such as participating in the neighborhood watch meetings which is mostly a social time for the community.

There are many laugh out loud moments as both Eileen and Leena each try to adapt to their unfamiliar surroundings. Both of them find a purpose and sense of self engrossing themselves in their new communities with desires to improve the lives and join people together.

Along the way each may dabble a bit with romantic situations which are new and unexpected. Eileen especially finds that she can feel free to engage in satisfying relationships after so many years with Wade. She loves discovering the woman within who always wanted to experience life.

Leena learns that family is an important source of support and that reconciling with her mother, Marianne, a healing experience. Learning to accept their differences in their perspective as well as find new ground. Relationships between family and friends are important and should be nurtured and valued.

This is a delightful story of love, self awareness, grieving, family and resilience.

Thank you so much for this ARC!

What a sweet book! I am very new to audio books but absolutely loved the story as told by these two great narrators! While it was a bit predictable (and very The Holiday-ish), it was still endearing and fun to listen along to. I looked forward to getting into my car, the longer the ride, the better!

Also, there is something to be said about life lessons found in books actually spoken out, so much more impactful and feels like you are getting real advice from a friend.

First impression:
With brilliant narration by two of the stars of Normal People, The Switch is an excellent follow up to O’Leary’s debut. The Flatshare was one of my absolute favorite books of 2019. This Switch has a similar tone, style and themes of love and family.

Beth O’Leary has a special talent for infusing quirky, cute plots with deeper themes without weighing her stories down. In The Switch, Leena Cotton proposes trading homes with her grandmother Eileen for two months in the hope that the change of scenery will help them both—Leena is recovering from a disastrous presentation at work, and Eileen is moving on after her ex-husband’s departure.

Their adjustments to city life and country life—including adventures in online dating in London (for grandmother Eileen) and joining the neighborhood watch/festival planning committee (for Leena)—are told with humor and heart, especially in the audiobook. The two narrators matched the personalities (and accents!) of the characters perfectly, and they nailed the book’s balance of levity and gravity. The Switch starts with a charming premise and ends up tackling grief, loneliness, and love, without ever losing its charm.

It makes me very sad I did not love this book as much as everyone else did. The Switch is a fun, breezy read, but very predictable from the get-go. It just wasn't what I was anticipating. I definitely will be reading more O'Leary books in the future!

*Thank you to NetGalley for my gifted audio of this book. All opinions are my own.*