This is the first audio book I've read in years, since I used to listen to books on tape while commuting!
So there was some adjustments as I got used to it and it was slightly distracting to begin with. I'm not sure if this would have been my first choice for the story, such a highly anticipated read since I absolutely loved The Flatshare.
But once I settled in, it was mesmerizing! I adored the two narrators and I really escaped into the tale.
When London based, dedicated executive Lena Cotton screws up an important presentation at work, she is instructed to take a two month leave of absence.
She is aghast at having so much time on her hands.
She decides to visit her seventy nine year old grandmother Eileen, who lives in the small rural village of Yorkshire. Finally desiring companionship after a divorce many hears ago, Eileen is looking for love in her community, but there are not many suitable candidates.
Lena suggests a switch, Eileen can stay at her place in London, where there is a larger dating pool of gentlemen her age. And Lena can look after things locally for her grandma.
But things don't quite go as expected.
Charming, touching and enchanting, filled with humor and wit, it still manages to cover the important subjects of aging, loss, grief and domestic violence.
A wonderful follow up to her debut novel.
Thank you MacMillan Audio for the audio book via NetGalley.
4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 stars.

The Switch was an adorable and hopeful tale of two women looking to work through their issues with grief and love. The alterating narratives of Eileen and Leena Cotton pulled listeners right in. The audio is expertly narrated by Alison Steadman and Daisy Edgar-Jones. For fans of Jojo Moyes, Sophie Kinsella and the movie The Holiday. A true delight!

What an unexpecting and amazing book it was. The story was quite unique bridging 3 generations of women highlighting in a clever way aspects of aging people. I loved the way humor and emotion were combined resulting in enjoyable dialogues.

I listened to the audiobook and I strongly believe that the selected voices were really adding to the overall experience of enjoying a great audiobook. The voices were amable and sweet and the British accent was setting it off.

I got excited with this audiobook. I was looking forward to finish off work from the office so that I got to listen to the rest of the story.

I totally recommend this book either in written or auditory form.

"That’s the trouble with dating on the Internet, I suppose. There’s no way for anybody to hear your laugh or see the way your eyes go dreamy when you talk about something you love."

Last minute decision to binge read this as I received an audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. And boy, my mother keeps on looking at me every time I snicker while I stare at the ceiling with my headphone slapped across my head.

This is my first Beth O'Leary book as I haven't had the time to dive into her well-received debut novel, The Flatshare, but if I will base my judgment solely on this, I can say that I'll probably pick her debut before this year ends.

I think the first thing that made me so invested in this novel is the synopsis that screamed life swap between a small town grandmother (Eileen, 79) who was recently left by her husband, and a workaholic city woman (Leena, twenties) who suffered a burnout/breakdown during one of her presentation. If this doesn't piqued your interest, then this is not your cup of tea.

Also, Beth's writing style is just comforting and the audiobook narrators (with their British accent) definitely delivered the goods in the right spot. I can actually paint the scenes in my head as if I am watching the movie version.

Another great thing about this are the supporting characters - from Bee to Fitz to Martha and Yaz to Arnold to Jackson to Ethan to Ceci to Betsy and the Neighbourhood Watchers - each of them are uniquely developed and showered with creative backstories that's layered within the storyline without overshadowing the main premise that is the life swap between Eileen and Leena.

Romance-wise? Leena's was a bit meh at about 75% of the book until the twist happened while Eileen's definitely had the thunder all along from start to finish.

The attempt to shed light about mental health (Marian and Leena,) sexual orientation (Martha and Yaz,) and women abuse (Betsy and Cliff) were all laid out successfully without a hint of tokenism.

Lastly, this is such a fun romcom adult novel and all the small town antics plus the contrast against the big city camouflage is top notch.

RATING: 4stars

This is your pretty standard fun and rollicking chick lit, but the audio book narrators elevate it to an emotional and dramatic level that few such novels can attain.

For fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman and Normal People by Sally Rooney, this books will truly melt your heart.
Imagine Freaky Friday without the body switching- Beth O’Leary’s The Switch centers around Leena and Eileen, a granddaughter and grandmother respectively, who completely switch lives for two months. Leena is given a 2 month paid vacation at her job and Eileen, at 79 years old, has been fantasizing about dating again. When Leena ends up suggesting they switch apartments and phones, the novel evolves into a beautiful story where both characters discover things about themselves they never knew existed, but that make them who they really are.
Through alternating perspectives between Leena and Eileen, we get to meet the different characters in each of their lives and they all feel so real with so much personality, the background characters of this book really make the story more engaging and interesting.
I’m a sucker for a good grandma/granddaughter relationship and this 100% delivered.
Highly recommend for any readers who are looking for a dead that will just make them feel good and happy, especially during these times!

I loved this book for many reasons but most of all because the feelings were so real. The ending was kind of cheesy, but sometimes you need cheesy. And at times even the grumpy people were too perfect, but again, sometimes you need a happy place full of happy people. Life is hard and losing someone you love to cancer is the hardest. I really felt that, I lived that, it was awful. So I really connected to the pain and anger expressed by the main character. The audiobook was also very good.

All in all I recommend it for a happy but sad book that has a little bit of romance, a little bit of humor, and a lot of tears (some happy, some sad).

I’ve had this on my TBR since I read The Flatshare three months ago. Luckily, I found an audio ARC on NetGalley which was impossible to resist.

Ordered to take a two-month sabbatical after blowing a big presentation at work, Leena escapes to her grandmother Eileen's house for some overdue rest. Newly single and pushing eighty, Eileen would like a second chance at love. But her tiny Yorkshire village doesn't offer many eligible gentlemen... So Leena proposes a solution: a two-month swap. Eileen can live in London and look for love, while Leena will stay in Yorkshire and look after Eileen’s sweet cottage and garden; her idyllic, quiet village; and her little neighbourhood projects.

With a rabble of unruly old age pensioners to contend with, as well as the annoyingly perfect, and distractingly handsome, local schoolteacher, Leena learns that switching lives isn't straightforward. Meanwhile, Eileen is a huge hit in London with her new neighbours and is learning all about casual dating and swiping right. But is her perfect match nearer than she first thought?

On the surface, The Switch is about finding yourself and discovering love but as you get involved, you realise it delves deeper: exploring old age and communities among the elderly; dealing with loss and the immeasurable grief that follows, and unlikely friendships.

The juxtaposition of city life with country living and ambitious Londoners with cantankerous Yorkshire residents keeps you guffawing till the end. The characters are so delightful I want to run off to the Yorkshire Dales to befriend them.

Humourous, witty, full of hope and heart, this will wrap you in its warmth making it difficult to let go.

This audio ARC courtesy of Netgalley and Macmillan Audio.

Totally and completely predictable but heartwarming with great strong female characters. Even though you know exactly what is going to happen, I really enjoyed getting to know Eileen and Leena and the supporting cast of characters. Would definitely recommend this light and cute read. Also, wonderful narration.

Thank you @netgalley for the audiobook arc.

This was such a fun read. On the surface, it’s about two women who are bored of their lives. On a deeper level, it’s about love and healing and learning to find yourself. I really loved the characters and the story, and the little twists in the story were very entertaining. The narrators were excellent; the only thing I found jarring was how the volume changed when characters had phone conversation. The slow burn love triangle was delightful, and this was overall a good read.

Switching places isn't a new plot but O'Leary puts a fresh spin on it in this novel. The cover implies a light hearted story of two women finding out who they are. There are plenty of delightful moments yet this story dives deep into the hurts that have touched the Collins women. Leena was bright and driven yet also warm and enchanting. Eileen was the grandmother I hope to be when I have adult grandchildren. The supporting cast of characters was also done so well. With two separate settings, it would be easy to just have a few for locale. But there was a full cast that added such richness to the story. We saw their trials and triumphs as the Collins women fought for theirs. It could have been confusing or shallow or superficial -but it wasn't.
I enjoyed the story so, so much! (And that declaration of love scene at the end - that was good)
I did listen to the audio version for this book. I don't normally "do audiobooks" because I find it easy for my mind to wander and I usually end up leaving the room and missing major chunks. I wanted to try one and Netgalley just added this option to their catalogue.

I did have to restart the book because in the first chapter, I started talking to my husband and walked out of the room. After that, I made a point to listen while I could at least be working on something while I sat, like a puzzle. That kept my mind focused enough to not wander but I was still able to concentrate on the story. As a listener, I appreciated that there were two narrators: one for Leena and one for Eileen. It made it very easy to keep track of which story we were following. I don't know if this is typical for these these types of books - I certainly hope it is. The narrators chosen were perfect as well. They definitely fit their age, and personality. I know that I made time to sit and listen to this book because I was so invested in what was going to happen.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the review copy of this audiobook. The premise of The Switch by Beth O’Leary is so intriguing to me - two people switch lives for two months. With the movie The Holiday, this isn’t necessarily a new premise, but Beth O’Leary added a new spin. Eileen is almost 80 years old and was just left by her husband. Her granddaughter, Leena is feeling the stress of her job and still reeling from the death of her sister.

When Leena is sent on a two month sabbatical from work, the two decide to switch places. This new spin on a classic trading places trope adds a family element and a lot of heart to the narrative. The novel is told alternatively through the point of view of Leena and Eileen.

The audio narration has two wonderful British actresses voicing the roles. Alison Steadman narrates Eileen’s chapters, while Daisy Edgar-Jones narrates the chapters from Leena’s point-of-view. The flow between the chapters is smooth and each actress does a wonderful job of encapsulating her character.

I highly recommend this book in any format, but it was especially enjoyable as an audiobook! Enjoy!

A lighthearted but warm story based on a fun premise. Very enjoyable, and the performances in the audio book are excellent. Very evocative of the Yorkshire Dales and London. I did wonder if the author knew much about older women's (and men's) sexuality but perhaps she wanted the fantasy. My slight quibble was with the quality of the recording, which seemed a little tinny with a few slips by the narrators. Maybe that will be fixed in the final product.

This was a sweet story about a young woman and her grandmother swapping lives for two months. It was enjoyable and humorous, and the characters were likable, but at times I found myself getting a little bored with the dialogue. I have to say, though, that I found Eileen to be quite a cool lady and got a kick out of her dating experiences.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the review copy.

I adored listening to The Switch and fell in love with main characters Lena and her grandmother Eileen! When Lena finds herself given mandatory time off after a debacle at her London office and Eileen realizes there are very few dating prospects in her small Yorkshire village, they agree to switch lives. Full of laughs and endearing moments, these two make a difference in their new communities and learn a lot about themselves in the process. I loved the narrators for both main characters and found the added production in the audiobook really enhanced the experience. I’m so glad I listened to this book!

I enjoyed this 2 POV narration that is spot on. The narrators of the novel are perfect for the two generations of women in the story – their voices sound their age! I could not stop listening as the storytelling just drew me in. I loved The Flatshare and I am enjoying The Switch just as much. Beth O’Leary has done it again in that she has created a relevant story for today’s times that is so different to the other stories out there. I highly recommend this audiobook.

The audio on The Switch was very good (although it was quite slow - I listened to it on 2x because I think 1x would have put me to sleep but that's personal preference and easily adjusted). There are two narrators, one for the younger Leena and the other for grandma Eileen. Both narrators were excellent and depicted their characters well. One of the other cool things about this on audio is when they were describing phone calls, the caller on the other end of the phone sounded farther away, similar to how someone on the phone would sound.

While the audio was excellent, the story did drag a bit. This is a very character-driven story with not a ton of action or plot. Essentially the summary is what happens: Leena and Eileen switch places for two months. Leena is in London and having a panic attack at work and forced into a two month holiday. Eileen had always wanted to live in London and explore the city and the life and the two simply switch. Eileen moves in with Leena's flatmates and Leena moves into Eileen's cottage in a little neighborhood with older people.

The romance in this book is predictable, but that's ok. This book was a cute, feel-good story, but nothing that will stick with me for awhile.

The titled switch in The Switch is between a grandmother and her granddaughter after they both realize they need a shakeup in their lives. Leena Cotton, the granddaughter, has been stressed out with work and the grief over her sister's death. Eileen the grandmother, is newly divorced, almost eighty years old, and wants to see what a new city life might have to offer. The two switch residences and their lives change as they reconnect to who they are and want to be. Beth O'Leary does a great job with character development. She makes the women endearing and relatable. The women have fun new experiences and tasks for them to show their talents. They explore new friendships and goals. All in all the story is light and fun.

*Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for providing an audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review*

This was a really cute and emotional read. I think I had just been hoping for more romance, and instead there was a big focus on grief and loss that I hadn’t been expecting. I’m also not a huge fan of when a main heroine already has a boyfriend and it takes her 80% of the book to realize he’s a douche, and then immediately jump into the arms of another man who had been standing there practically waiting for her to come to her senses.

However, I will say I LOVED the representation of an elderly woman dating and engaging in a sexual fling. About time there was some age representation like that. I just went in expecting this to be more of a fun romp, but it was instead quite hard-hitting, which I’m sure many will love.

This was such a charming book to listen, I'm sad that it's over. The book centers around Leena and her grandmother Eileen, who have both experienced loss and grief recently in their lives. To work through their losses, they decide to switch places for a while, with Leena moving to her grandmother's tiny village to try to repair her relationship with her mother while grieving the loss of her sister, and Eileen moving to the city. While the book has plenty of laugh out loud moments, it also gets to the heart of grief and loss, and the mental trauma both can have on a person.