I enjoyed this house swap story with girls from very different lives colliding. It's been a bit since I read the story, but what remains with me still is how skillfully the two lives were woven together. I loved how well the author jumped from one point of view to the other, helping both sides struggles be seen so clearly.

I liked this book a lot, and I think that tweens will as well. The premise has a great hook, kind of The Parent Trap meets The Holiday. But the story behind the premise is heartwarming and very likable. A solid recommendation.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me access to the free advanced digital copy of this book.

Loved this book! I loved getting to know the characters and their families. It was a very charming story.
This felt like a book version of The Parent Trap and The Holiday and I loved it!
I read this in one day and was left wanting more.

A likeable, if slight, story based on several past stories. Enjoyed the differentiation between the different main characters and some of the more challenging aspects raised in their telling of their tales.

The House Swap is a cozy, charming middle grade book about family (history & secrets), new friendships, and navigating parental divorce. Reminiscent of the beloved movie, The Holiday, this middle grade book is perfect for anyone looking for a feel-good reading experience with a touch of history, family drama, and characters you can root for.

This was such a fun middle grade story! I loved the nods to The Parent Trap and the similarities to The Holiday. I thought this was a phenomenal novel about two different girls in different places in their families. Both dealing with very real feelings.

This was a story about family history, friendship and family. It discusses feelings from a parent's divorce and near-death experiences. It was a good and short read.

A fun parent-trap for the modern day. I think kids will enjoy this. I wish it was a little better with character development but I doubt kids will notice that.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

2.5* I loved the cover, the idea of a modern retelling of the Parent Trap, the little English village and the small bits of genealogical research but I just didn't connect with the characters and would definitely consider it upper middle grade for content and language.

Fun, but nothing outstanding - and the plot is almost nonexistent, even though the reader is treated to an engaging crescendo. As a judge on the Best Books committee here, I just don't see it as list material, although it's a solid story with strong character development.

After someone told me that House Swap by Yvette Clark had a connection to The Parent Trap, my all-time favorite movie*, I was all in. As I read it and discovered the references to Bletchley Park, one of the most inspiring places I've ever visited, I was thrilled. That aside, I would have loved House Swap anyway for its touching story of two 11-year-olds who couldn't be more different. When their families swap homes for a few weeks one summer, Southern Californian Sage and England's Allie find commonality by helping each other learn to be honest with their parents. It's a beautifully crafted page-turner with believable, engaging characters, including a dog and cat with real personalities. Oh, and after you read it, go watch The Parent Trap (either version) and check out the amazing real-life story of what happened at Bletchley Park (bletchleypark.org.uk), the once top-secret home of the World War Two Codebreakers.

*I even named the setting in Summer of L.U.C.K., my middle grade debut, after the camp in the Hayley Mills version

3.5 stars = Good+

This is a fun family and friendship story. I liked how the author set things up so that the two girls could become friends in addition to the house swap. It gives a satisfying connection to the girls and the families. Both families experience conflict and growth, as do the two main characters. There are some good discussion/reflection topics covered here - this could be a good read aloud or a book group selection.

I finished this book in two sittings because I didn't want to put it down! It's an absolute delight of a story that lives up to the fun and hopefulness of both the comp titles (The House Swap and The Parent Trap.) I would highly recommend this fun read to kids and grownups alike. It's a warm hug of a book that also felt like something that could really happen. I can't wait to see more stories from Yvette Clark!

Yvette Clark brings us two characters middle-grade readers will love! Allie is from a small village in England. She is a middle child with an older brother and younger sister. Allie lives in a cute, old cottage and has a chicken coup in her backyard. Sage is an only child and lives in a California beach town. The families have agreed to exchange houses on a house-swapping website, but each family experiences some bumps along the way. The girls are not supposed to meet, but when Allie and her mom are delayed in leaving, the girls meet and have some adventures in the English countryside.

What I liked most about this story is the way Yvette Clark writes her characters. The girls are very relatable to any young girl. Allie feels invisible as a middle child, while Sage feels her family is falling apart because her parents are separating. Both are very relatable experiences for young girls. I am certain this book will be a hit! I give it 4.5/5 stars.

Allie and Sage actually spend some time in the same house due to Allie’s dog being ill right as they’re supposed to leave on their trip. Sage and her mother arrive to find Allie and her mom still in the house, waiting for news about their dog from the vet. I liked that the two girls became friends before the true house swap part of the story happens. That way they stay connected through the rest of the story, which I thought was cool.

Each girl has something she’s been holding back. For Allie, it’s her feelings about being the invisible middle child. For Sage, it’s worries about her parents splitting up. As the girls get to know one another, they give each other the perspective that only a good friend can. Though the advice isn’t always exactly right, the spirit in which it’s given is love and support.

This is a sweet story. If you’ve read GLITTER GETS EVERYWHERE, you’ll know to expect some funny moments and quirky characters. (Mrs. Armstrong was my favorite.) I thought this story wasn’t as emotionally heavy as GLITTER, but it also deals with sadness and grief. I definitely felt THE PARENT TRAP vibes and THE HOLIDAY vibes, too.

All in all, I thought this was a sweet, heartfelt story about two girls learning to speak up about difficult things. I think readers who love books by Kate Messner or Claire Swinarski will love this one.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own. This review will post to my blog on 2/21/23.

This was my first exposure to Yvette Clark (now I'm off to read Glitter Gets Everywhere), and I absolutely loved The House Swap. The story moves quickly, alternating points of view with Sage and Allie, as they deal with neighborhood bullies, sibling relationships, and potential news of a divorce. The book is fun and quirky with lots of hi-jinks, heart, and a bit of World War 2 history.

Reasons why you should read The House Swap:
ONE, Allie is very funny, and TWO, she doesn’t let hardly anything get past her as a spy, combined with THREE, Sage is willing to do anything to have a happy family, including take drastic measures to get her Dad and Mom to be happy together, plus the fact that FOUR, you will get to read about the most delightful town in England, which has FIVE, an appearance of Bletchley Park, which housed a top secret team of codebreakers during WWII.

Content Considerations: Divorce is displayed as a good thing in this book, in my opinion the book did not show enough work on the parents’ part to save their marriage.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are expressly my own.

Love the Parent Trap and The Holiday so this book was right up my alley. Both of the girls were written at their age level which I really liked because the author didn't age them up in their behavior which I find a lot do. They were a little self-absorbed and didn't think things through clearly, which perfectly fits their age range. I will be going back to read this author's debut novel and look forward to seeing her works in the future. I think this is a book that will help young girls relate to themselves and their families. They can get advice for dealing with their conflict and feelings while also, reading a great story. This book will find a great home in all middle school library's.


Thank you net galley for the chance to read this amazing book.

Heartwarming middle grade book about two families who agree to swap houses for a summer holiday. One family lives in a lovely, old, cosy British home in small village that feels cramped and quaint. The other family is from the California cost, with a large, modern home that feels both impersonal and luxurious at the same time. What different worlds the two girls come from. The moms and the girls end up meeting and spending time together in England. A full complement of middle grade worries and woes. Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a preview copy.