This was a light read (listen), and fairly predictable, but I enjoyed it altogether. It was a whole Parent-Trap-lets-switch-places kind of story, and the characters had all kinds of revelations about themselves throughout the book. I enjoy Beth O'Leary books, and this one was true to her previous works. This book was funny, and I enjoyed the narrator variations.

I received an advanced audiobook copy of this via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this so much - this is exactly the type of book i enjoy reading/listening to!
the storyline was charming and delightful - there were many times it made me chuckle.
the characters were so likable - i would like to befriend any one of them - i liked how they grew and changed, and lived life to the fullest!
i would definitely recommend this book to family and friends !!

I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Macmillan Audio in exchange for an honest review.

I am not a big contemporary romance reader but I knew Beth O'Leary was an author I wanted to check out. I've heard nothing but good things about her and those good things are 100% justified. The Switch is the story of Leena, a young workaholic who swaps homes with her grandma Eileen when she is forced to take a break from her job. Meanwhile Eileen goes to live in London as she always wanted to do when she was young. The story is told in dual narrative, as is the audiobook. Leena's plot focuses on her working out what is really good for her, whilst Eileen's is about her relationships, both romantic and platonic.

I really loved how this book was written. There is a lot of humour, all of the characters are fleshed out and interesting, and the plot has a fair amount going on in it. This isn't just a fluffy romance (although the romances in this are very enjoyable and done well) and it has a lot of heart and a lot of good things to say. Like I said, I typically don't read this kind of fiction unless it has some super appealing aspect and I enjoyed every second of this book.

In terms of the audiobook, that is also done very well. There are two different narrators and that meant it was very easy to tell whose plotline we were following which is always appreciated. Both narrators did an excellent job of infusing their characters with personality, and they mostly did different voices for the other characters which was similarly appreciated. There were only two very minor criticisms from me. Firstly, Eileen's narrator does a very grating voice for one side character (Letitia) which made it a little unpleasant to listen to those parts. Secondly, Leena's actress does a voice at one point for a character talking over the phone, then drops that voice for some of the dialogue, then returns to it which was a bit distracting. These really are incredibly minor niggles though and both narrators did a truly amazing job.

Overall, I strongly recommend giving this book a try and the audiobook is a great way to do that. It is a lovely, heartwarming story with enchanting characters and a great sense of humour. The audiobook makes it so easy to follow the story and I found it was perfect to listen to while I was doing other things without feeling like I was missing out on crucial details. If you want a good summer read or just a well-written adult contemporary, you can't go wrong here.

Overall Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Review The Switch Audiobook

This book follows Lina and Eileen – grand daughter and grand mother – as they swap lives for two months. Lina needs a break from city life, and Eileen needs a bigger dating pool than her small Yorkshire Village will allow. They both throw themselves into the other person’s life, and end up finding there way back to themselves.

This book is gorgeous, and laugh out loud funny. At the same time it deals with serious topics, such as how to handle and heal from the death of a family member. The narration was brilliant, I especially appreciated Alison Steadman as Eileen, but perhaps this was because I found Eileen’s chapters somewhat more enjoyable. The only thing that was slightly confusing that the same person would read out both sides of a phone call, even between each other, which sometimes made it difficult to know who was saying what.

All in all this is a brilliant audiobook. Especially at the moment we could all do with something that makes us laugh and cry, you will be completely invested in the story. I’d recommend this to everyone!

I really struggled with this audiobook. One of the narrators was very hard to listen to. She keep making a weird sound with her mouth-like she has dry mouth or something. I just couldn’t get past it to listen anymore.
I will definitely pick up the book and read it that way. I feel like it is a good story, just couldn’t keep listening. Thank you for the chance to try to listen.

Impossible to listen to kept stopping and skipping and chapters then werent as listed. Very disappointed as was looking forward to audiobooks. What i listed to sounded good- narration was on point . Feel i cant give poor star rating as the issue was with audiobooks not the book

The Switch by Beth O'Leary has been on my TBR list in the year since I read The Flatshare, which I absolutely adored. While I liked the concept of this book, thought the narration was excellent, and found myself laughing at many of the characters, I was disappointed. It didn't have the same magical characterization as the other book, and to make up for that, it tried to be provocative in other ways. I didn't like this one, but I'm curious to see what Beth O'Leary comes up with in the future.

If you look up "cozy" in a dictionary, I'm pretty confident you'll find this audio/book. Beth O;Leary is the queen of rom coms. .

I was excited to pick up the "The Switch" because the author's debut, "The Flatshare," was e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. As it turns out, this one is just as much of a gem for me. I think that's because this kind of a plot twist of two unlikely, dissimilar characters crossing paths, which is beginning to look like Beth O'Leary's trademark, works extremely well in the romantic comedy genre. In this book, Eileen and Leena - grandma and granddaughter - trade homes for two months in order to work out their own issues, which makes for a hilarious, heartwarming and poignant story.

At the same time, funny and cozy are not the only adjectives I would use for this book. Some of the major issues portrayed by O'Leary are ageism and feminism, which is really well done with the help of the two protagonists with their generational differences.

What's more, listening to the audiobook was definitely a hit for me. I loved the narrators who truly brought the story to life and made me laugh out loud while I was walking around in the park.

*Thank you to the Publisher for the free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Switch is Beth O’Leary’s sophomore novel and one I’ve been looking forward to. ‘The Flatshare’ was one of my favorite books last year so I had really high expectations for this. Though I didn’t love it quite as much as O’Leary’s debut, it was still a strong 4 star read that didn’t disappoint! 



Eileen is an almost 80 year old grandma from a small town, and her granddaughter Leena is a twenty something from London. After Leena is forced to take an extended break from work and Eileen can’t dine da date in her small Yorkshire village, they decide to swap lives for a while, or at least residences.

Leena struggles at first in Yorkshire. Being in a small village and trying to fit in takes a little time. Also, long distance relationships aren’t easy. Eileen takes to the city pretty well. Her dating apps, making friends with Leena’s neighbors and co-workers, and of course, meddling in her granddaughters life. 

Eileen was my favorite character in this book. I love older folks and every scene with her made me happy. It reminded me of my late grandma and I kept a smile on my face. I also liked Leena a lot. It was fun watching how they adapted to each other’s lives and group of friends etc.


This story was light on the romance, but heavy on the friendships, family dynamics, and heartwarming moments. Overall, I had so much fun listening to the audiobook (narrated flawlessly by Alison Steadman and Daisy Edgar-Jones) and highly recommend it!

I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook. The two narrators were spot on and the story was the perfect pandemic read. A very sweet, community and family focused story with a lovely ending.

I'm currently wiping tears from my eyes as I finish up this book. What an emotional ending! However, it would be silly of me to begin at the end, so let me head back to the opening of The Switch:

We meet a tired, burnt-out Leena Cotton, as she struggles to meet work expectations and experiences panic attacks due to the stress of living in high-stakes London and constantly being on-the-go since her sister's death.

In sweet, rural Yorkshire, Leena's grandmother, Eileen, is feeling stagnant in her later years, after a nasty divorce. She wants love and passion and something more than what she currently has.

They decide to swap lives. Not "Freaky Friday"-style, but truly move into each other's homes and even switch mobile phones. Leena is tossed into the quirky neighborhood watch, and I found myself bubbling over with laughter as she dealt with her grandmother's cranky, elderly friends. I also cackled many times as Eileen tried to dive into online dating and figuring out a smartphone. There were comical mishaps aplenty.

However, the real reason this book hooked me was because of the emotion. Yes, there's a beautiful, loving bond between grandmother and granddaughter. However, a lot of that strength is tied to their loss of Carla, Leena's sister, and the difficulty Leena has relating with her mother, Marian. O'Leary did an incredible job depicting life after loss, the mess of family relationships, truly working through grief, and more. I found myself tearing up more than once, and was really impacted by how well these themes were handled. Nothing felt sugar-coated.

There were also the fantastic romantic elements that had me squealing for joy, but I didn't feel like they completely ruled this book, which I actually ended up appreciating more than expected. There was some appropriate cheesiness, but overall, this book was like a warm mug of coffee: comforting and energizing. It made me want to hug my mom and move to the country.

Props to O'Leary for knocking another one out of the park!

First off, Daisy Edgar-Jones being one of the narrators is one of the best 'castings' ever! This book was a feel-good, find your happiness, don't be afraid of adventures book. In an unlikely switch, these two characters, at different stages of their lives, swap living situations and, of course, find their mojo, happiness, what's important to them. The intricate lives of each character individually and their relationship with one another is something that everyone can relate to. This book resonated with me on so many levels and has made me question my own path, making sure that each day is filled with something that brings joy to me and not everything is out of necessity.

This is the second book by Beth O'Leary that I've read and I look forward to seeing what else she produces. Also, if she has any other books besides the two I've read, I will definitely be picking them up. I hope this book becomes a film (with Daisy playing the same character)!

I was provided with the audiobook by the publisher via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

The story takes the reader through a series of events that happen when a grandmother and her granddaughter switch their lives. This is a very character driven story that takes us through the grief, the confusion and the courage it takes to deal when life gives you a hard blow. Eileen Cotton is a lovable character and was my favorite in the story.

The audiobook is narrated by Alison Steadman and Daisy Edgar-Jones. They did a splendid job in portraying the character's emotions accurately. But, this in itself felt as a drawback for me as I'm a fast reader. Those who enjoy audiobooks would definitely like this one. It's just not for me.

As for the plot, it was engaging, fun, sweet, and a heart-warming story with witty humor. The initial few chapters were a bit of a drag but the story picks the pace afterwards. Enjoyed getting to know Eileen, Leena, Marian, Arnold, Betsy, Bee, Fitz and the reclusive Letitia. I would definitely recommend it to readers who want a quick, fun read.

My first NetGalley audiobook! And it was such a joy. I tend to find Women's Fiction to be quite hit or miss, as without a romance or mystery or overall purpose (other than finding oneself) to fuel the story, some can be rather boring. However, I LOVED this story. Lena (granddaughter) and Eileen (grandmother) decide to switch lives for a few months, with Lena taking over her grandmother's house and projects (like the May Day festival and neighborhood watch) in a quite part of England, and Eileen trying out online dating in London.

The book alternates perspectives, switching between Lena and Eileen, and each uses a different narrator in the audiobook, which I love. Having two separate narrators really makes the story come alive and immerse the listener better in the worlds of each character. I originally found the grandmother's voice slightly grating, but it grew on me over time. Lena's narrator seemed slightly, well, weak, for the supposed high-powered, no-nonsense businesswoman she was supposed to be in London. However, neither of these casting choices hindered the wonderful telling of the story. Each narrator was a wonderful actress and conveyed the emotion splendidly. I will say that there were quite a few phone calls in the book, and the person on the other end of the line was sometimes so quiet it was hard to hear. But I loved the effect of making them sound like they were actually on the phone.

As far as plot goes, this book was a pure joy. There were tangible goals (overcome the grief of a relative's passing, successfully celebrate May Day, find a boyfriend) and a set timeline for the life swap that gave this story a purpose. Of course, there were tidbits of romance, which I loved. The supporting cast of characters--Lena's friends, coworkers, and roommates in London and Eileen's nosy neighbors in Hamley--really gave this book life, and I loved seeing how they handled Lena and Eileen's "life swap" (or switch, rather). The bit about trading phones and computers was absolutely absurd--who in their right mind would do that--but after the initial happening, I got over it. I would definitely recommend this book (and audiobook).

Thank you to NetGalley for this free audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I don't usually swear, but I can't help myself. This book was fecking brilliant!! I have never wanted to listen to an audiobook more than watch Netflix, and yet this week, I found myself doing just that! The narrators were sensational, and the comedy made me miss being in Britain! Ah, good ole British humor for the win! I laughed out loud so many times that people started looking at me quizzically. I still chuckle every time I think of Letitia and those tea leaves. HEHE

The Switch centers on a grandmother/granddaughter duo, Eileen and Leena, who both need a change. In the cusps of grief and forced to take a two month holiday, Leena has no idea how to cope without having work to occupy her mind; meanwhile, a few hundred miles away, Eileen longs for adventure and romance outside her small town in Yorkshire. During a visit with her grandma, Leena suggests that the two switch places, taking on the responsibilities and life of the other. Fascinated by the idea, Eileen agrees and wastes no time making a list.

Not long after arriving into her new life in London, Eileen is quickly swept away by a torrid love affair with an actor she meets online. She also begins planning how to better the lives of Leena's friends and neighbors. Leena, on the other hand, is doing her best to keep her mind occupied on her grandmother's duties while trying to be civil with her mother, whom she hasn't had a proper conversation with since her sister's passing.

This witty, romantic, emotional, hysterical, heart-warming novel will take you by complete surprise. Everything about it will pull you in deeper, consuming your thoughts until you're unable to stop listening. I thought it would be strange to read about a seventy-nine-year-old having a romantic relationship, but it was fabulous! I've never been more investing in an audiobook like this one. If it's not the humor that will get you, it's the author's incredible ability to wrap loss and heartbreak into an endearing story about the love of family.

After listening to The Switch, I have officially added Beth O'Leary's other novels to my list! Honestly, if I didn't have deadlines on other audiobooks, I'd already have restarted this one! Sensational!

Do you like feel-good type books?

If so, the Switch is the book for you! Check out our blog for a more in-depth and spoiler-free review. Link in bio.

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

Beth O'Leary has a very gentle writing style making her books so easy to read. One of the many things I loved about this book is that romance was not the only theme. There are also themes of forgiveness, grieving, infidelity, domestic abuse, and moving on woven throughout the book and that added so much depth to the book.

The Switch is such a sweet and charming book. You come to love the main characters as well as their friends and family and want to read more about all of them. Overall, a warm and uplifting book that has solidified my decision to buy every book by @betholearyauthor.

(Also, many thanks to @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for providing me with an audiobook in exchange for an honest review).

Fantastic dual narrative from Beth O’Leary, author of The Flatshare. Lena Cotton is grappling with her grief over her sister’s death from cancer and finds that pushing through at her job isn’t working anymore. When she’s forced into a two-month leave after blowing a big presentation, she switches places with the grandmother she’s named after, Eileen. Eileen’s looking for love after divorce and thinks she’ll have better luck in London. They both learn about themselves by stepping into each other’s lives, and bring something new to the communities they become a part of. Some parts were predictable but the journey was fun, nevertheless. I loved them both, but especially the older Eileen.

Flatshare was such a cute, heartwarming story that when I had the opportunity to listen to this audiobook for free on Netgalley, I decided to read this book, even if the synopsis didn’t sound so interesting. Anyway, in romantic novels, the plot is rarely mattered…
But in the end, I felt that it was a pity to read it. It wasn’t a bad book, but it neither was a good one, too. Because it was an audiobook, I wasn't so bored, I always did something while I listened to it. The synopsis wasn’t exciting, but in the end, its whole story was nothing special, too. The story gave me nothing, and even the end was predictable ... Maybe if I would be 80, I could earn some courage, but I am just 25… I have to admit I was disturbed by Eileen’s perspective. I don’t like to read from the perspective of older people because they’re simply far away from me, I can’t understand their problems. Going to London at the age of 80 and setting up clubs because of her boredom, just can’t interest me. Everyone does what they want with their lives, only I don't care about these things ...
But Leena’s perspective was also so boring so it couldn’t save the book either.
The narration was okay. Both perspectives had separate narrators, neither of them was outstanding. In audiobooks, I’m used to narrators changing their voices for different characters, and here I don’t think it happened. I never knew, our character with whom was talking to, and I was so confused, and after I finished the book, I was thinking about it, and I didn’t think the narrators changed their voices. But I may be wrong. But the phone calls were very annoying. They added those phoning effects, and I could barely understand what they were trying to say.
The book was not terrible, it was ok, but I’m not sure I’ll think about it anymore.

Hungarian version:

A Flatshare (Ágybérlő) olyan aranyos, szívmelengető történet volt, hogy amikor lehetőségem adódott a Netgalley-n ingyen meghallgatni ezt a hangoskönyvet, úgy döntöttem, belevágok ebbe a könyvbe is, még ha a fülszöveg nem is fogott meg annyira. Amúgy is egy romantikus történetnek ritkán a jó alapsztori a lényege…
De végül kár volt belekezdeni, mert most úgy érzem, hogy jó pár órát elvett az életemből a könyv, amikor olyan könyvet is olvashattam volna, ami érdekel. Ne értsétek úgy, hogy rossz könyv volt, hanem hogy semmilyen nem volt. Ha nem hangoskönyv lett volna, szétuntam volna az agyam, de így, míg más dolgokat csináltam, elment. Már a fülszöveg sem volt izgalmas, de végül a teljes sztori sem lett. Semmit nem adott a történet, és még a vége is kiszámítható volt... Talán, ha 80 éves lennék, lehet bátorságot adna, de így 25 évesen? És itt érkeztem el ahhoz a ponthoz, hogy bevalljam, engem zavart Eileen szemszöge. Alapból nem szeretek öregebbek szemszögéből olvasni, mert egyszerűen távol állnak tőlem, nem tudom megérteni a problémáikat. Az, hogy 80 évesen elmegy Londonba bepasizni és unalmában klubokat alapít, egyszerűen nem tud érdekelni. Mindenki csinálja, amit szeretne az életével, csak engem ezek a dolgok nem érdekelnek... Majd ötven év múlva lehet másképp lesz...
De Leena szemszöge is olyan unalmas volt, így ez sem tudta megmenteni a könyvet.
A narráció okés volt. Mindkét nézőpontnak volt külön narrátora, egyiket sem éreztem kiemelkedőnek. Hangoskönyveknél megszoktam, hogy a narrátorok egy-egy karakternél elváltoztatják a hangjukat, és itt nem hiszem, hogy ez megtörtént. Sosem tudtam, hogy ki beszél vele, és össze voltam zavarodva, és miután befejeztem, akkor jutott eszembe, hogy szerintem ez itt nem volt. De lehet, hogy tévedek. De, ami biztos volt, és rettentően idegesített, az a telefonálás volt. Berakták azt a telefonálás effektet, lehalkították a beszédet, és alig tudtam kiérteni, hogy mit akar mondani.
A könyv egy „egynek elment” olvasmány volt, de hogy gondolni sem fogok többet rá, az is biztos.

I didn’t think it was possible to love this book as much as I loved The Flatshare, but I ended up loving it even more. O’Leary’s characters are so charming you can’t help but fall in love. She creates people that you wish you knew in real life. They’re well-rounded, complex and completely lovable. Eileen Cotton and her granddaughter are 100% goals. Each time I’ve finished an O’Leary book I’ve wished I could start it all over again because I loved it so much. Also, I’m super picky about narrators but these narrators were completely perfect! The audio production made the book even more enjoyable. Go do yourself a favor and get a copy of this book!

The Switch was adorable and fun and important story! I didn't enjoy it right from the beginning tho, and listening to the audiobook had me distracted a lot. But it was so good. I loved Eileen's and Leena's narrators and their voices! It was so fresh and heart-warming and full of realistic thoughts + emotions. Eileen was so fun, I swear. Full of pump and energy at 79, she was a highlight of this story, no doubt. Lenna was much more practical and worrisome, but you can see how she grows thought-out the story. All of the characters have phenomenal character growths, and that is something really wonderful!

This is more of a family story that is equal parts fun and sad. It is a story of finding yourself and accepting your mistakes, your whole self and giving yourself time to heal. It was so wholesome and had a nice realistic portrayal of everything. I liked the romance too, it was lightweight and fun and just heartwarming.

The Switch is a beautiful book and has a lovely ending. The writing is exquisite, and I like how the author throws in important themes of self-acceptance, infidelity etc along. It is lovely and I really enjoyed listening to it!!