REVIEW: The Book Swap

A book about the love of books? Count me in! There are many fun book references, including one of my favorites, Perks of Being a Wallflower. It was so fun to see all the nods to many classic books.

Going into The Book Swap, I thought this would be a light rom-com, but I was wrong. While the story has some romance, it tends to focus on grief, family trauma, bullying, and finding yourself. I like how the story slowly revealed details of their history throughout the book. It was fun discovering more about them as you read on. James seemed like a giant sweetheart that just has gone through so much in his life. Erin is a significant bookworm who can sometimes be pretty selfish but is clouded with her intense grief. The Book Swap is great for Slow Burn, Second Chance, and Friends To Lovers/Enemies to Lovers romance tropes.

There were a few things I wanted to have more of in The Book Swap. I wish there were more romance; the slow burn was too slow for my tastes. I also wished there were more in-person interactions with Erin and James now. It would have helped show their chemistry a bit more. I also really wanted an epilogue to find out where they were in the future. Some grudges and anger were stretched out of proportion. There were so many things they could have just discussed together to save time and heartbreak.

Overall, I still enjoyed The Book Swap. I love the alternating POVs, especially the different voices in the audiobook. This book gave me the warm fuzzies with all the book love; I just wished I would’ve gotten more of that feeling with the characters.

Thank you, Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Graydon House, for the free advanced copy for my honest review!

Not for me. It was hard to follow and didn’t find the characters chemistry to be super believable. I was intrigued by the plot and cover but it didn’t live up to what I was expecting.

I really was excited about this premise....

But did it deliver? Hmmm....Erin was awful. Very selfish. immature and self-centered.
James was sweet and props for a boy who reads.
I've read the books referenced in this book and I use my little community library. Let me tell you, no one communicates in the margins and the books are raided daily. So, that magically leaving a book in there for the specific person you want read it, is beyond a fantasy. That being said, it had a strong premise, but a miss for me in Erin. Who is tied to James and not in a good way.

I was not a fan of this book. The character’s both had faults from childhood traumas. Erin has played the victim throughout her life. When she’s confronted and made to realize it’s not always about her she still gets jealous of a friend being there for another one in need. James had it rough as a kid being bullied in school. He had made something of himself but is self sabotaging his life by having a fling with a girl that was one of the bullies in his past. He let his mother’s mental abuse also affect his day to day life. They were just two messed up people that shared a love of books. Thank you to NetGalley for this free advanced copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily

What a cute and tender book. Definitely a good book for fans of contemporary romance. I enjoyed reading this one. If you are fans of Emily Henry, Katherine Center or Jill Shalvis, you must read!

This is the book that set me on my beginning love of reading romance. So cute! The enemies to lovers trope is a trope for a reason, the journey and ending is worth the ride, and in this case absolutely precious. As an English major I appreciated every single literary reference and now have new dream goals for how someone would woo me with literature. Sigh. Thank you.

I wasn’t sure how I would feel about this book when I started it but I ended up really liking it. I will say, Erin’s character REALLY annoyed me. I liked her development at the end but she was so selfish. I adored James. I loved the whole concept of them writing notes and exchanging them. And I still loved his character even when I wanted to yell at him through the pages. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The character development was done well even though she annoyed me. Would recommend if you love literature and want a cute romance novel to touches on grief and the other struggles you encounter in life.

Loved the cover and the summary! I was drawn into the bookish theme and thought it would be a cute romance. The story was super slow and didn't keep my interest (slow burn). The characters were also unlike able and some of the themes were heavier than I thought the plot would be. Great premise and idea just not for me.

I started off not liking the story. The cover made me think it would be a light hearted beach read-wrong! There was a note at the beginning naming the issues that might be a problem for people, like mental illness, but of course I ignored it. oops.

The first chapter made me think the characters were much younger than they were. Why would a group of college students be such bullies, hadn't they grown up at all? Why did he just take it and not fight back or do anything about it? That was when I started to not like the story; I was frustrated that he wasn't fighting back so I didn't like the character.

I neglected to see the next chapter was a different name so it made no sense to me until I went back and checked. That's on me, not the book, but I didn't really like this character either. It was tempting to put it down and not pick it up again, but I did. I can't say I loved it, but it wasn't as bad as I had expected; no more than a bare 3 stars.

James had a lot on his plate working and helping his dad when the mom had her bipolar episodes. Erin had lost her best friend and was wallowing in misery 3 years later. These were not the 2 fun loving book lovers I expected from the cover.

Erin did decide to clean up her room and her life and accidently gave away her favorite book to a local free library. It had been annotated several times over as that is how Erin reads her books. When she got it back, someone else had appreciated her notes and suggested another book with some notes in the margins. It was a fun game really writing their feelings to a stranger, things they might not have allowed themselves to say out loud.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy. Honest opinions expressed here are my own and are freely given.

An ultimate second chance romance for book lovers. She is trying to move on after quitting her dream job that was slowly killing her. He is trying to ignore the existence he wanted to have and live the life he has. She leaves a bunch of books in a local little free library. He happens to pick one up and notice all the notes and commentary throughout. The friendship unfolds from there.
This book was fascinating and so much fun, seeing how all of the pieces were going to come together, to see how the past and present come together in pieces, and all the levels of forgiveness and friendship. With the added bookish excitement of an annotated analysis of the classics (don't worry, it's in passing). I love a good book that revolves around a library and books.

#arc
#netgalley
#thebookswap

This is a slow burn, not a lighthearted romance which is what I expected from the cover and summary. This is a debut novel so I have great hopes for future books, the writing is good, but it was the pace I struggled with.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the complementary digital copy.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6776560021

This was a DNF. The cover was cute and the description sounded interesting, but I couldn't get into the story or the characters.

thank you netgalley for the e-arc. i did not enjoy this one, i thought from the cover i was getting a cute lil romcom and it was not. it also was not well written and hard to keep going because of the pacing. the characters are awful and treat eachother even worse.

The premise of The Book Swap is truly delightful—a heartfelt story of two people reconnecting through classic books and a Little Free Library. The idea has so much potential for a sweet and charming narrative. I was sort of hoping for a modern day You've Got Mail vibe with a second-chance romance.. However, as much as I wanted to love this book, I found the rude behavior and the trauma and grief themes to be overwhelming, often overshadowing the lighthearted moments I was hoping for. I went into it expecting a rom-com, but the heavy focus on emotional pain made it difficult to find the levity I anticipated. Additionally, I struggled with the frequent point-of-view shifts, which felt disjointed and sometimes made it hard to stay connected to the characters. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to finish the book, but I appreciate the unique concept and know it will resonate with readers who are looking for a more emotionally intense story.

I really enjoyed this original story about two people communicating through writing in the margins of classic books to express themselves. Erin does not know who picked up her copy of To Kill A Mockingbird, and write next to her margin critiques. As their communication becomes regular, both Erin and James reveal a lot about their inner selves to each other. Erin is still trying to get over the grief of losing her best friend to cancer, while James deals with his bipolar mother. As the story begins to reveal their past connection, the reader roots for these two to find their way to each other and to their own paths. Recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

In The Book Swap, Erin accidentally donates her cherished copy of To Kill a Mockingbird—containing a personal note from her late best friend—to a local community library. When she returns for it, it’s gone, but soon reappears with notes in the margins from another reader, James, who’s back home caring for his mother. Through their shared love of books and these margin notes, they unknowingly form a bond.

This was a cozy, heartwarming read with a unique and charming premise. Perfect for book lovers who enjoy stories about second chances and connections made through literature.

When Erin finds out the mystery man she’s fallen for is the one person she swore never to forgive, she finds herself with a choice between love or memories.

Single POV
Second Chance
Pen Pals
Small Town
Friends from High School
Friends to Strangers to Lovers
Classic Literature
Cancer
Overcoming Grief
Set in England

Please do not let this cute cover fool you. This book is much less a romance than it is about overcoming grief and pain and finding your way back to the love of your life. I ached (in all the ways you hope a book will hit you) while reading this book.

Erin's life is in a bit of chaos, so she does a little Marie Kondo-ing of her belongings and drops off some books at a neighborhood free library. Unfortunately, she didn't notice that her favorite book was in the stack! When she goes back to try to find her beloved book, she discovers someone else has added their comments to her note-filled margins... and thus begins a correspondence that becomes a much-needed bright spot in her days.

This book follows a predictable arc, but does so in a fresh-feeling way. From the cover, I was expecting something in the vein of Emily Henry, and the author delivered while still feeling fresh and having her own voice. I love that in this digital age, she found a very believable way for two people to communicate through old-fashioned written word. The use of the free library was heartwarming, and the added details of the library being a memorial to a fellow book lover (Eileen) was touching. Erin is flawed, but likable. James is flawed, but likable. The supporting characters are interesting and relatable. I loved, loved, loved James's male best friend and their friendship--it was such a treat to see two men have real conversations and break through any toxic masculinity to find support and honesty with each other. Erin finding a way to create new friendships despite her lingering grief over losing a friend was believably paced and charming. The story was everything I'd hoped it would be, with more depth and heart than I anticipated. Warm fuzzies and food for thought, with a satisfying ending. Loved it!

This book was a stunning exploration of love, loss, forgiveness, and healing. I loved seeing both James and Erin grow as they navigated their past wounds and slowly opened their hearts again. Bickers weaves in plenty of nods to classical literature, perfect for book lovers who enjoy annotating. The lack of spice didn’t take away from the romance—it gave us a deeply sweet and meaningful journey of rediscovering love. 🌿 Be sure to check the trigger warnings, as several sensitive topics are covered. This heartfelt story about learning to forgive and move forward is one I highly recommend! 💌

Erin and James are both a little lost—working in unfulfilling jobs, feeling alone and somewhat disconnected from family and friends, and feeling unsure of what to do with their lives. They were best friends in school before they had a massive falling out, and now they haven't spoken in years—that is until they start corresponding in the margins of books that they leave for one another in the little free library in their neighborhood. You might enjoy this book if you like books about books or exploring topics of grief and loss.

<i>The Book Swap</i> wasn't what I was expecting at all, and I don't know if I would classify it as a romance. <spoiler>The two main characters barely interact in person until the last few pages of the novel, and when they do, it's brief and they don't <i>actually</i> communicate.</spoiler> While there was some character growth throughout the story, I never really grew to love the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Graydon House for the complementary digital copy. All opinions are my own.