I simply couldn't.. I tried, and I kept pushing, but the story was too bland for my taste. Leena's anxiety attacks were not believable: why would you screw a presentation in from of clients when you are so good at your job and so well regarded by management? Why would it be so difficult to take a two-month leave when your company requires you to take the annual leave you are entitled to? Then we have Eileen, Leena's 79 year old grandmother who asks her granddaughter to switch life with her. So she ends up living in London, in Leena's apartment and learn how to work Tinder and try to understand when men send women dick pics..

If you are looking for a lazy Sunday romance read, that might be a book you might want to pick up.

The audiobook was narrated by two actresses. I enjoyed the Leena's narration --it was cute, young, dynamic. Eileen's narration on the other hand was very hard to listen to.

Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for this audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received a copy of this audiobook from Netgalley. Thank you to the author, to the publisher and to Netgalley. This is the first book that I have read by Beth O'Leary and I really enjoyed it... It was a quick, light read, but I still felt a connection to the characters. The story was fun and fast paced.
I would recommend this book...perfect for reading on the airplane, on vacation or anytime you want a quick read

I received a free advance listening copy of this book from Macmillan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

The Switch is a charming story, reminiscent of The Holiday, in which Leena, 29-year-old management consultant in London, and Eileen, her 79-year-old grandmother in a Yorkshire village switch houses for two months. Although each character is dealing with grief and loss, the book also contains a number of laugh-out-loud moments as they navigate their newfound surroundings. The audio narrators enhanced my enjoyment of the story, reminding me of the setting, although I found that I needed some time for my ears to adjust to unfamiliar accents combined with the quick pacing. Once I got acclimated, I wanted to keep listening to find out what happened next. I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a delightful story about reinventing oneself and creating community.

I loved this.
If you are looking for an escape book this is one I would recommend.
Leena and her Grandmother Eileen swap lives after Leena is given a sabbatical from her job for 2 months.
Eileen leaves her Yorkshire life for fun in London and Leena takes on the role that Eileen left behind, both find they love their swapped lives but also miss parts of their old lives.
Eileen tried online dating while Leena has left her boyfriend in the City.
Do both women love their new lives and friends enough to make the swap a permanent one?
I think this worked really well as an audio with the text conversations and also the online conversations Eileen had on the dating sites.
For me this book was just as good if not better than the authors debut novel Flatshare.

Sweet, charming and feel-good in the best way... Sort of ‘The Holiday’ meets ‘Calendar girls’ meets ‘The Lido’ in a very British rom-com that’s less about the romance and much more about community and friendship....
I did an audio/print combo and enjoyed both very much.... Alison Steadman and Daisy Edgar-Jones are perfect on audio as grandma and granddaughter Eileen and Leena, who swap homes and lives, find themselves and a community to be a part of... and of course a little romance. I was drawn to Eileen’s story more, and find her quietly heroic and truly inspiring. I hope at eighty I am as feisty, adventurous and go-getting as her.
Thank you to both Flat Iron books and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this lovely book. And so happy to hear that both this one, and Beth O’Leary’s debut ‘The Flatshare’ are making it to the big screen... these stories are perfect for it.

This is another winner by Beth O'Leary! After listening to The Flatshare and loving it, I eagerly waited for the release of The Switch, another novel with an interesting premise. And it was just as good as I'd hoped it would be.

Twenty-nine year-old Leena from London decides to switch places with her 79-year-old grandma Eileen from a quaint village in Yorkshire. Leena is still mourning the death of her sister Carla and is overworked, and Eileen is ready for a bit of adventure in her life, although she does it more for her granddaughter and wonders what she is getting into.

Once again, O'Leary creates a wonderful cast of characters, both in London and in Yorkshire. I loved, loved the fact that this novel starred seniors (I work with seniors). As both Leena and Eileen share each other's lives, we get to see it through their different perspectives. Along with the characters, we get to appreciate the strength in the different age groups.

Oh, but I had some good laughs! This is British rom-com at its best. There was not one boring moment in the story as it alternated between Leena and Eileen's narration. Both Alison Steadman (who narrated Grandma Eilleen's part) and Daisy Edgar-Jones (who narrated Leena) were amazing! Their voices were spot on for their characters with good inflection and full of emotion, making this such a great listen. Steadman was able to get the men's voices well too. I was so impressed with her narration.

What I'm loving about Beth O'Leary's writing is that she tackles serious topics, in this case grief, anger, mother-daughter relationships, friendship and love of neighbor, all while telling a good story, mixing in some good romance, and making us crack up with laughter. I'm now a fan and look forward to seeing what lovely story she will regale us with next!

Content warning: F-words and religious expletives

The author has crafted an amusing enjoyable book. Much like “The Flatshare” this is a book that leaves you smiling. The story is entertaining the characters are funny, the situation the heroines find themselves in is unusual and interesting. Trading places with your grandmother poses a whole new set of problems. The audiobook was set at a good pace and having each heroine have their own voice was a nice touch. This was a good fun book!

When Carla Cotton died (before the novel begins) she left her mother, sister, Leena, and grandmother, Eileen, in a world of grief. They’ve tried to move forward but aren’t having much success.

This is mainly Leena’s and Eileen’s story. As things play out Leena and Eileen decide to switch things up and change places. Leena will spend her sabbatical at her grandmother’s house in a village and Eileen will live in Leena’s London apartment. This might be the change they need to jumpstart their lives. I really enjoyed the spots these two found themselves in – some laugh out loud scenes. I know this: I want to be like Eileen when I’m her age! I loved her willingness to try new things while, at the same time, reconsider people who’d always been in her life.

Beth O’Leary wrote about serious and relatable subjects with a light touch and yet just enough weight. I think fans of Jenny Colgan and Jojo Moyes would enjoy The Switch. I loved listening to the audiobook (alternating between 1.5x and 1.75x speed). I was thoroughly entertained by the narration of Alison Steadman and Daisy Edgar-Jones. I thought their performances were spot on as they brought the characters (main and secondary) to life and made me cheer on Eileen, Leena and all the rest.

Leena and her grandmother Eileen swap places after Leena is forced to take a 2 month sabbatical from work and Eileen wants to move to London where there are more dating prospects. Both of their stories are equally surprising and interesting and it was a lovely storyline to follow on audio, especially with all the accents and voices of the additional characters added into the mix. I haven't read Beth O'Leary's other book, The Flatshare yet but after listening to the The Switch, I definitely will! Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advance copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I loved The Flatshare, Beth O'Leary's first book, so when I found out her second one was coming out I knew I had to read it. The book focuses on Leena and her grandmother Eileen. Leena is having a difficult time coping with her sister's recent death. Her job is on the line after she has a panic attack during a very important meeting, and her boss has her take 2 months of paid leave to sort herself out. Eileen's husband has recently left her for another woman. She's trying to navigate the dating world but realizes she knows everyone in her small town. Leena comes up with the great idea to switch lives for 2 months. Beth is so talented at writing from multiple perspectives. I was so engaged in both women's lives equally. I wanted to know how Leena was going to heal in a small town where everyone openly talks about her sister. I wanted Eileen to find love because she is such a powerhouse. There aren't a lot of books that have a strong older female lead and it was so refreshing. I couldn't recommend this book more. Beth is one of my favorite authors, and I can't wait for her next book! Thank you Netgalley for the free audiobook.

*E-Arc received from the publisher, via net gallery, in exchange for a honest review *

I've been wanting to read The switch since I read The Flat Share and fell in love with Beth O'Leary's writing and her witty story didn't fail to disappoint either.

This story follows Eileen and Leena, grandmother and Granddaughter as they switch lives after the loss of a dear family member. I love the flow through each POV and found myself loving both the characters. I find with multiple POV I tend to fall in love with a certain character more but with The Switch I love Eileen's witty banter and Leena's difficulty relinquishing control interesting. You will find yourself falling in love with the characters as they develop through the novel. I can't wait for Beth O'Leary's next book.

Only negative is that my audio book would skip chapters so got a bit confusing at points. I'm unsure if it was the app or a problem with my phone.

Thank you netgallery for the E-ARC, throughly enjoyed this one.

I was excited to read this book because the storyline sounded really cute. Leena, who lives in London, is upset after messing up a big work presentation and is asked to take a 2-month paid leave. Her grandma, Eileen, is recently single and hoping to find companionship again but feels that her small town has limited options. The two decide to switch houses because they feel Eileen will have a better chance finding love in the big city. Leena moves to her grandma's small town, takes over her grandma's many community responsibilities, encounters the quirky characters that live in the town, and faces the strained relationship with her mother. Eileen discovers online dating, befriends Leena's friends and neighbors in London, and builds a community of her own in the city.

I listened to the audiobook and it lived up to my expectations. It was a cute and engaging with likeable characters. I liked how it was more than just a romance and explored friend and family relationships as well. The book does tell the story from both Leena and Eileen's perspectives which kept the chapters relatively short and the story moving. The narrators were both great and easy to listen to.

Narrative from Alison Steadman and Daisy Edgar-Jones grabbed my attention for this audio book. I was really excited to listen to them read, however I am not enjoying it.
I am not a fan of the voices Alison Steadman is using for the other characters, they sound also comedic to me. While Daisy is narrating she is not throwing her voice, which does make it more pleasant to listen to.

I love listening to audio books as I am doing other things, but I just keep finding my mind wandering.

The story covers a range of important issues; grief, anxiety, mental health. But fir me, it’s not going deep enough.
The story line is a bit too cliché and just doesn’t hold my attention.

I was really hoping to love this, but I am disappointed.

The Switch by Beth O’Leary

Having absolutely adored The Flatshare, Beth’s debut novel I had been excitedly waiting to read The Switch. The premise of The Switch is very endearing, Eileen an older lady looking for love after being cheated on by her ex-husband, and her granddaughter Leena who needs a break after almost wearing herself to the ground, swap lives. Eileen moves to London in search of some fun and possibly love, and Leena moves to a Yorkshire village to fill her grandmothers’ boots, taking on all of Eileen’s obligations in the village. Throughout the story, there is a sad undertone, that represents the loss of Carla, Eileen’s granddaughter and Leena’s sister to cancer, the reason for Leena’s crazy work ethic and burn out.

This is a sweet contemporary novel, that alternates between Eileen and Leena’s point of view, which I found added depth to the overall novel, and I actually loved reading from an older perspective. I don’t read many books with that option.

I would recommend to people to enjoy contemporary with a touch of melancholy. The Switch wasn’t the happiest of rom coms, which I know of a lot of people were expecting from this book. It gets a 3.5-star rating from me.

I listened to this book via NetGalley's new audio book option and really enjoyed it. I almost finished the entire book in one day.

It's a fresh take on people trading places and stepping into the other's lives for 2 months. The narrators are very good. The characters are likeable, especially Grandma Eileen. She had me smiling from the start of her first narration and all the way to the end. How she dealt with her adventures in the big and intimidating world of London made me smile, and even laugh a little at times. I want her to be my grandma! Leena's relatable to me with her struggles in coming to terms with her sister's passing and her troubled relationship with her mom. I enjoyed the relationships that Eileen built with Leena's flatmates and building residents as well as the connections that Leena started to form through taking on her grandma's busy schedule in her place.

The synopsis tells you what the story is basically about but it doesn't talk about the relationships formed, nurtured, healed. It is definitely not a book for YA readers. More of an adult womens fiction.

#womensfiction#britishwomensfiction#netgalleyaudiobooks

This book is so sweet and I love the story of an older woman seeking romance. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing both the younger and older perspective narrated out.

I got about 1/4 way through the book on audio but jept having technical difficulties with the Netgalley app to listen. It did not save my spot & kept skipping around. I am intrigued enough that I will definitely read the book when I can accesss it properly.

I found this book to be a great read. The story was unique and easy to follow. A great book to listen to if you are wanting to get away.

The Flatshare was one of my favourite reads last year, it’s one I always mention when someone asks me for a book recommendation.

I’m here to say I enjoyed The Switch just as much - it’s feel good fiction at its best. I am a huge fan of Daisy-Edgar Jones (how cannot I not be after that magnificent performance in Normal People) and I think she did a great job narrating Leena's POV. Alison Steadman (I remember her so well as Mrs Bennett in the 1995 BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice) also does a fabulous job as Eileen - she really delivers on Eileen's dry sense of humour.

The Switch feels like a warm bath - soothing and relaxing. It’s full of great down to earth characters and amusing observations. Beth O’Leary’s writing really stands out from the crowd and I absolutely love it.

The book alternates between the POVs of 79-year-old Eileen and her granddaughter Leena. Both need a change of scene and society after Eileen’s husband Wade leaves her for a dance instructor and overachieving Leena is forced to take mandatory leave after she blows a presentation at work. They agree to swap flats for a few months. Eileen takes up residence in Leena’s Shoreditch (London) flat, Leena moves into Eileen’s flat in the Yorkshire Dales. It’s all very The Holiday.

The star of the book for me was Eileen - I’d love to be friends with her. I loved reading about her online dating escapades and was moved by the way she was always focused on helping the people around her. Leena was on an emotional journey of her own - one that was really relatable and I felt really invested in.I was rooting for her all the way. O’Leary has created two memorable female characters with two very distinct voices and I’m here for it.

The only thing I’ll say is that I would have liked it to be a bit heavier on the romance - but overall this book is an absolute winner for me. I enjoyed the audio as much as I enjoyed the book.

After falling head over heels for The Flatshare last year, this was quite possibly my most anticipated book of 2020. I am so, so happy to report that this completely lived up to my expectations and that I absolutely adored it. Beth O'Leary has a way of writing characters that feel so completely REAL and true to life and I think I can now confidently call her a favorite author. My only real complaint about this one is that I feel like the romantic relationships weren't quite as flushed out as I would have liked them to be, but I also recognize that they were not intended to be the main aspect of the story so it would make sense that they would pale in comparison to the relationships between Eileen and Leena and Marian. Also-- I listened to this one partly via audiobook (thank you, NetGalley & Macmillan Audio!), and it too was SO well done. The voice actors were incredible and really brought Eileen and Leena to life in the BEST way. Honestly, y'all, this book was just an absolute delight and I can guarantee that I will be re-reading it for years to come. I highly, highly recommend.

TW: cancer, death of a loved one, severe grief/depression