Overview:
The House Swap follows the story of Cassie and James. Cassie is a writer living in a secluded island off the coast of Maine. James is a business man living in the heart of London. They meet each other through a house swapping website. Cassie is in need of moving to London for a few months to do research for her new book. And James is looking for a change of scenery after dealing with a bad break up. This is how they end up swapping each other's homes, James living in Casssie’s cute but run-down cottage, and Cassie living in Jame’s luxurious penthouse apartment. Except James didn’t know he was going to be sharing his new temporary home with 11 chickens and 3 alpacas, horrible wi-fi, and unusually friendly neighbors. While back in London Cassie has to deal with James’s crazy ex-girlfriend turning up at her door.

Overall Thoughts:
It took me a while to get invested in the story and the characters. At first, James was really cold, presumptuous, and in my opinion extremely rude. However, the more they talked on the phone the more friendly he became. I loved Cassie’s character from the very beginning, opposite to James she was very sociable, and friendly to everyone she met. I really enjoyed getting to know the side characters as well. I thought they added a lot to the story. Overall this was a nice, cute read. The premise reminded me of the movie “The Holiday”. I will say it was a little slow at the beginning, for the first half of the book you feel like nothing is really happening. I would recommend it if you’re looking for a quick light read. However, I didn’t find anything memorable about the overall story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy of this eARC in exchange of an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

I loved the premise of this book! I loved Cassie's character, but James wasn't my favorite...though I came around to him eventually. A super fun, lighthearted read!

DNF @30%

Just couldn't convince myself to keep reading. I found James completely annoying and arrogant and couldn't connect with Cassie.

This one was a struggle for me. I didn’t fall I love with about of the characters or like how the plot line was progressing. I wind up quoting about 60% into it

This is a light hearted, easy read and I really enjoyed it. It was a little predictable in places but there were storylines and moments that were unexpected so it wasn’t entirely predictable.
The main characters were likeable and well described in their chapters. Overall, I would recommend this for a summer read or if you want an enjoyable light hearted book.

The House Swap by Jo Lovett is a fun romantic comedy and my first book by this author. Cassie lives on an island off the coast of Maine, and she wants to go to London so she can research her next book. James lives in London in a luxurious apartment, and he needs to go to the United States for business, so they switch. James is not happy with her home with all the animals and friendly neighbors. I love the quirky people and situations in this book, they definitely had me laughing. I highly recommend this unique romance, and will reading more books by this author.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

1.5 stars

I struggled really hard with this book. There were several times when I wanted to stop reading. The only reason I finished it was because I felt that I could only review it honestly if I did. But this book was flat and boring.

The characters in this book were not engaging at all. The plot was all over the place. Character motivations seemed to change on a whim and lacked consistency. And honestly, the prose was just super underwhelming. No one in this book was interesting. Half star for the alpacas though, especially the one that missed its owner so much, she had to sing to him over the phone. That was one of very few shining moments in the book.

Actual rating: 2.5 stars

Let's start with what I enjoyed - Cassies house on the island with her alpacas and her chickens sounds like a dream. I want to be there. I also really enjoyed a lot of the secondary characters, they were well written and believable as characters.

However, I just didnt love this book. James really annoyed me, I felt like his character arc was unbelievable. I think my dislike of him also meant that I didn't believe or buy into the romance. It felt like it went from oh there's a bit of chemistry here to i love you really quickly and without anything changing.

I definitely think the first half of the book was much better than the second.

I received a free e-ARC of this book in return for an honest review. Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and Jo Lovett.

An enjoyable read.
This book follows James and Cassie when they both need a change of scenery and they end up exchanging houses. But as they are complete opposites this leads to conflict then friendship and then attraction. Whilst I enjoyed this book, it didn’t grab me and I’m not entirely sure why. But it was an enjoyable read and made me want to go to Canada!

This was a good read, but very predictable. It is hard to root for the character of James, as he is so nasty at the start of the book. It is testament to the writers talent that she creates people like James that make you so angry one minute and than feel sorry for the next. It is a nice read that will pass away a few days in lockdown.

There's a lot of descriptions and mentions of different things that I don't think adds anything to the story. I wished there's more of a character focus and development for both the main characters because all throughout they did not feel like real people to me and I did not feel connected to any of the characters at all.

James and Cassie have opposite personalities, and live in opposite sides of the world; he, a business man with a troubled past obsessed with neatness and very closed-off from his emotions lives in the heart of London while she, a writer with a caring motherly spirit, lives in a beautiful secluded island near Boston. They swap houses for different reasons, but they both go through a journey of self discovery in their new environment, one that will turn them into what the other needs.

I loved the concept of this (reminded me of the movie The Holiday) and while there were plenty of things I adored about this book, there were a few that left me feeling slightly bereft throughout and the end of it.

What I loved:
- The character development: We get great backstories for both main characters which explains many of their current wants, so that was great! On both sides, their inner conflicts are resolved separately, and that was amazing for them to move forward together. So props for that!
- Their communication: There was really no miscommunication trope and I love how they were very open at all times about what they felt. James specially has such a great growth and becomes really in-tune with his emotions, and I loved that.
- The treatment of IVF/miscarriage: It was very well done and gave us a good intel on what Cassie experienced throughout her past.
- The friendships: I love that in both London and the island, these characters form long-lasting friendships with really unique and interesting characters. It makes their journey more believable.
- The surprise/twist in the story: Made me read the last 30% of the book in one sitting. Really loved it.
- The "I love you"'s. They flowed beautifully and truly helped the reader understand what was and wasn't the problem.


What I think could've been better:
- The pace of the book: This was my biggest issue with the book. Since the story is supposed to happen throughout the span of about 7 months-ish, we get bits and pieces of James and Cassie's conversations and special events where they interact. Sometimes it felt as though we were shown a scene, only for it to be cut off out of the blue. Things weren't really explored, only mentioned, so it didn't allow me to fully get inside their heads.
- The chemistry: It got really better in the second half of the book, but I would've liked to see more sparks flying in the first half. Even anger can be a powerful emotion for two rivals-to-lovers. Also, their first kiss and them sleeping together could've had more heat (not even smut - btw, this is a smutless book!), but just more passion. Even from fingers grazing, looks shared from moment one. Those slowly build the chemistry up!
- Dina liking James: There really was no need for Dina to like James, and it made the story all the more awkward at some points. Their clashing wants was enough of a conflict for the story to carry through.
- The dialogue: A few times, it felt stiff and robotic, but it was something that got a bit better by the end.

Overall, a cute love story with great characters that any fans of Sally Thorne or Sarah Hogle will love!

I was in the mood for a lighter read. This did do its job in that regard. An easy read just to sit and pass the time. Without having to pay too much attention or think too much.

The story itself did feel a little underwhelming. Part of me expected a cute romance I could get behind. However James was unlikeable at the beginning that I wasn’t rooting for them to end up together.

I always expect some insta love in books like this. Here it is set over multiple months. But since they pass weeks at a time I just didn’t see the chemistry between them.

The “twist” that ended up being part of the reason they end up together was predictable. But I also don’t know if I like it or not. I didn’t like how long it took her to tell him though.

James family history was sad. I can see why he was the way he was. But I still disliked him. Even at the end I still didn’t care for him.

I will say I loved the choice of animals. Bit different to a dog or cat.

I requested this because, from what I read, I thought it was going to be similar to the movie The Holiday (which it sort of was).
I enjoyed the book as a whole, it was fun to read, the kind of book you read to take your mind off things (I read it during the course of a few boring lessons (don't tell my teachers)). The ending was satisfying and cute.
However, the whole plot was super predictable, even the conflict and the resolution, which were resolved too easily. (view spoiler) I also didn't really care for the characters. They were okay.
The most annoying thing was that 80% of the book, there was tension and then when they finally kiss and all that, it was super anti-climactic... I wanted more. The conversation about IVF and miscarriages was something I haven't read in books before, which I can understand is something several people unfortunately experience and can be important for those who have experienced this, but I am probably not the market audience for it since I'm 21 and didn't really care for that plot point.
Overall, it was a meh read.

This one just didn’t do it for me. For most of the book our two main characters weren’t together in person. While, I enjoyed the witty banter over the phone, I also just want the two people who are supposed to fall in love to spend time together. This felt more like a book about two people with separate lives, in different countries, still managing to fall in love than it did an actual romance.
My other main issue with this book was the conflict between the two main characters: Cassie desperately wants a baby whereas James doesn’t want any children. I feel that this is actually a fairly common issue between couples and I would’ve liked this to be explored more *spoilers* instead of Cassie somehow ending up pregnant after spending one weekend with James and then James deciding he does want to settle down and have a child or two simply because Cassie got pregnant.
The only saving grace was the characters: I really enjoyed Cassie, but the supporting characters were so wonderful!
This was a well written book, but it wasn’t a believable romance for me.

This is a lovely light hearted read, I have never read a book by Jo Lovett but I will be reading more of her books in the future. He needs to escape, she needs an adventure! It is a lovely romance and really shows the characters growth as the story progresses. it is about 2 people, James and Cassie, that need to leave their old lives behind, Cassie living in a little island home off the coast of Maine and James living in London, they couldn't be anymore different and they start as enemies (maybe a too strong a word to use) and eventually turn to lovers. This book is a slow burn and I did want to give up at the start, basically because I didn't like James as a character but I really am pleased that I gave the story chance to develop Thank you to NetGalley fot this opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

This book was ok. I liked the idea of this though it took a bit of time to continue reading towards the end.

This was a three star rating.

Thank you Netgalley and publishers for giving me the chance to read and review this.

This book was such a delight! Cassie is a wonderfully quirky character, and James starts out as a real pill but transforms over the course of the book to be a great guy. I was curious how the house swap premise would work, but Lovett pulled it off really well. The characters' connection felt real, even from across the ocean. I also loved the contrasting settings of London vs an island off Maine.

I do think the "surprising discovery" will turn some people off -- it's a small twist on a trope many people don't like, but the foundation is laid well and I liked how it was handled. A heartwarming story I powered through!

This is definitely a super Hilarious, Rom-Com that I have read in a long time!!
I loved the chemistry between the characters! The author does not miss one beat with these characters! She has them so well developed that they just mesh and they could be your nosy next door neighbor or your chatty Kathy person!
Cassie & James who swap houses across the continent are the exact opposites and their homes and friends reflect that very thing.
Just wait to you read all of these madcap adventures the two end up getting into and they meet in person more than once!

I definitely would recommend this book because I would rate this book ten stars if I could! I laughed out loud that my husband was shocked a book got me laughing!

I received a free advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.

If like me you’ve watched The Holiday more times than you are prepared to admit to, then you are going to fall head over heels in love with Jo Lovett’s irresistible romantic read, The House Swap.

When Cassie and James meet on a home-swapping website, it feels like the stars have aligned for them. With his last relationship having ended acrimoniously, James realises that he needs to get out of London – fast! When he spots Cassie’s cosy but ramshackle beachside cottage in Maine, it seems like the answer to all of his prayers – although when he gets to her beautiful island home, he is stunned when he finds himself sharing his new digs with eleven chickens, three alpacas and neighbours who wouldn’t know boundaries if they hit them straight in the face! Life on the island is as far removed from his life in Holland Park as it is possible to get – and he certainly isn’t backwards in coming forwards when it comes to voicing his complaints to Cassie!

Cassie has made herself at home in James’ luxurious Central London penthouse – and she clearly is not the only one! Cassie is less than impressed when she finds James’s ex waltzing through the front door wondering where her former beau has disappeared off to! As the insults and complaints begin to fly between Cassie and James, so does the sexual tension! However, with the time to swap back fast approaching, they quickly realise that they are not quite ready to give each other up just yet!

But when Cassie makes a startling discovery, the two of them begin to wonder whether they’ve got the courage to admit the truth about their feelings for one another. Or whether they are about to let their insecurities get in the way of a love that could last a lifetime…

A delightful romantic comedy that is simply terrific, The House Swap is a joyous romp sprinkled with humour, charm and plenty of heart. Cassie and James are two brilliant characters readers will warm to and fall for. Their banter is delicious, the chemistry between them red-hot and their romance will leave readers with a great big smile on their face.

Heart-warming, hilarious and feel-good, romantic comedy fans will certainly not want to miss Jo Lovett’s The House Swap.