Necessary disclosure: I am an avid supporter and cheerleader for little libraries everywhere. THE BOOK SWAP by Tessa Bickers was a delightful read describing how strangers connect through notes in the margins of classics -- revealing themselves as they are at heart. I believed in the growing relationship, absolutely embraced the challenges of becoming real from fantasies and impressions made at a safe distance, especially when being real on the page translates to being real in real life. I received a copy of this book and these are my own, unbiased thoughts

I loved this book so much!! I was hooked from the very beginning. The parallels between the main characters were an amazing touch to show the invisible string tying them together. I laughed, I cried. Erin and James were so perfectly imperfect by being raw and human. There were times I got angry at their choices and other times I cheered them on.

The parts of the book that went back into the past could have been formatted differently. In the beginning, it was hard to go from one moment in the present to the next in the past without any indication (even though that's how it works in real life). It was just hard to read at first.

This book was very grief-filled, but after the first couple of chapters, I adjusted easily to the plot. The romance was a slow burn. I liked the will they/won't they? and all the sweet moments in between.

I have a feeling this book will stay with me for a while.

I was delightfully surprised by The Book Swap! Although it’s advertised as a contemporary romance, I would say the romance isn’t necessarily the main plot point. The plot is heavily driven by Erin and James, each separately processing their own grief, loss, mental illnesses, and finding their respective passions. I adored the character development for James, he’s the star of this book and I think one of the most multidimensional MMCs I’ve had the pleasure of reading. Reading Erin’s character arc was satisfying and gave me so much hope for her future. The romance is very much a slow burn, so all my slow burn lovers out there - pick this book up! If you want quick gratification from a romantic story, The Book Swap definitely isn’t the choice for you, and that’s okay. I won’t lie, I expected to not enjoy this as much as I did due to some lackluster reviews, but thankfully, that wasn’t the case for me. The writing style, references, and story overall are incredibly British. I never considered that some stories originally written in the UK might go through a naturalization process before publishing in the US, but The Book Swap definitely didn’t go through said process. I didn’t mind how heavily British it was, I actually think it contributed to the storytelling, but I can see how some people would find the voice odd or disjointed, especially if they’re caught off guard. That being said, I think this was super cute, but I do wish we got an epilogue detailing Erin and James’s relationship a year or more after the ending.

Thank you to The Hive, NetGalley, and the author for sending me an early copy!

This book was so much more than I expected! I went into it thinking I was getting a romcom, but instead I read an exploration of grief, forgiveness, hope, friendship, and second chances. Just having lost someone to cancer, I will say the title, cover, and even description is deceiving and this did really catch me off guard; I would recommend editing the description to give a bit of warning of what you’re actually going to be reading. That said, the book is beautifully written, heartfelt, and an in depth view of all the emotions life unexpectedly throws at us.

Thank you for the opportunity to read! This will make an excellent pick for my book club.

The Book Swap is a heartfelt exploration of grief, second chances, and the magic of connecting through literature. Erin’s journey from tragedy to self-discovery through the written margins of beloved classics is both charming and poignant. The concept of building a relationship through books like To Kill a Mockingbird and Great Expectations is a book lover's dream come true. While some parts felt a little heavy with the themes of grief and loss, Tessa Bickers balances these well with moments of hope and connection.

The slow-burn romance between Erin and her mysterious pen pal is sweet, although the emotional weight of their pasts adds a complexity I wasn’t expecting. Fans of classic literature will enjoy the nods to iconic works, though the book occasionally feels more like a study of grief than the light romance the cover suggests. That said, it's a unique and beautiful story of love, forgiveness, and finding one’s way through loss.

If you're in the mood for something emotionally resonant with a bookish twist, The Book Swap is a great pick. Just prepare for a deeper story than the cover might imply.

had thought this was going to be super cute and a great romcom to refresh me between some darker fantasy books, but it actually talked about some tough topics. don't get me wrong, it was still a decent book, but the cover is a bit of a mislead. the description does touch on the subjects, however. it reminds me of a movie i watched a few years ago where they left each other notes in books for a while, and then they decided to meet. it was okay, but it was definitely not a super cutesy, light-hearted romcom book that i expected. there were fun times in the book, and i loved their unintentional matching costumes.

thank you very much to netgalley for an advanced copy of the book. ♡

Wow! Reading this book felt like watching a movie. It was so true of a romance novel while maintaining a freshness to the genre. I really loved the fact that the character's attachment to books is what brought them closer together and helped to unite and reunite them throughout the book. The vibes were so cozy and familiar. I highly recommend reading this book. I'm excited to see what other stories Bickers creates in the future!

The Book Swap by Tessa Bickers

I just finished reading this fantastic debut, and I really enjoyed it! The characters were so well-crafted—realistic, flawed, and relatable. It gave an honest look at grief, sacrifice, childhood trauma, and how we can be our own harshest critics, just as much as we judge others. I found myself really liking these characters and how naturally they fit together, which made the story all the more compelling. Huge bonus points for the amazing side characters, who can so easily make or break a book. And seriously, a book about a little free library!? What's not to love?

This is a story about second chances and new beginnings—a love letter to books and life.

Perfect for fans of Beth O'Leary and Mhairi McFarlane.

Thank you to Graydon House copy! This book is out now.

The Book Swap was an unexpected journey of a novel that is an enemies to lovers romance and so much more. It poetically deals with grief, loss, and finding your way again after profound tragedy.

Erin is still mourning the loss of her best friend, Bonnie, who died tragically from cancer. Unable to move on, she persists in a job she hates and sub-par hookups with her roommate until her accidental donation of her favorite book, To Kill a Mockingbird, to a free library propels her into positive action. Erin is particularly devastated by the book's loss because it contains a treasured postcard from Bonnie. She is both relieved and intrigued when her copy of To Kill a Mockingbird shows up a week later in the free library, postcard inside, and fresh notes in the book's margins, responding to her own annotations inside the novel.

Erin and the "Mystery Man" that wrote the margin notes thus begin an unlikely friendship trading margin notes inside beloved classics including Great Expectations, The Great Gatsby, and Middlemarch. Literary analysis also gives way to more personal questions as Erin and the mysterious margin writer share musings about their hopes and dreams for the future and spark a potential new romance.

Just as Erin begins to feel that she is making forward progress, a startling realization about the "Mystery Man" threatens to upend everything that she believed to be true.

The Book Swap is a love letter to the transformational act of reading, the power of free libraries, and the hope of new beginnings. Do not miss this intriguing and special romance.

After a series of unfortunate events, Erin finds she’s accidentally dropped her favorite book off at the community library. She’s in a panic, returning to the library repeatedly until it finally shows up again. Only now, the margins aren’t just filled with her annotations; someone has responded!
So begins the You’ve Got Mail-esque second chance love story of Erin and James finding themselves, each other, and healing in the margins of their favorite books.
This book was an emotional rollercoaster so bring your handkerchief.

I was drawn to this book because of the cover and my love of little free libraries. Sadly, this book was a slog to get through. It took me more than two months to finish. I typically finish a book in a few days. The story felt disjointed and I never felt a connection to the characters. Erin was a bit selfish and insufferable at times. I also felt like the plot of writing in the margins has been done before. I’m sure many readers will enjoy this book, but it just wasn’t for me.

I had a rollercoaster of emotions with this story! At times it was very sweet and entertaining and other times I was really struggling to finish it. It took me a really long time to finish this book and that makes me kind of sad. Erin and James had a beautiful love story but I think at times it felt disjointed and was very easy to put down and not go back to until like a month later. The dialogue could be very fun at times! Overall I am glad I read this book but it dragged at parts. 2.75/5 (3 stars rounded up)

Thank you NetGalley and Grayson House for an ARC of this book! This book was published September 3, 2024.

First of all I love reading books about books and this story was very good. The character were likable and the this book was a cozy read for me. I definitely will read more books from this author.

The Book Swap by Tessa Bickers
Thank you NetGalley & Harlequin Trade Publishing for the free ebook ARC!
Review published on Instagram on 9/6/24

Books about books are one of my favorite things. And I love books with deep, complex characters and relationships. I also really love when an author highlights the intense, beautiful connection between female friends and this book delivers on all of the above. I found both of the main characters, Erin & James, to be likable and interesting and was just rooting for them so much. I laughed and cried and really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to someone looking for a contemporary romance with deep characters and a beautiful story.

Imagine I’m on a remote beautiful beach on vacation and picking this book up based on the cover. I expected a fun light read, but what I got was so much more!

This was a heavy read but so well written. It did take me a minute to figure out if I wanted to continue. I am so glad I did! At the end, I felt so much it made me cry. That never happens!!! The gift of a writer is when the reader feels all the things and is physically moved. The writing style felt genuine. I look forward to more books by this author.

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of this wonderful book. The opinions expressed are truly my own.

"The Book Swap" mixes themes of friendship, family, personal growth, and romance with a love of literature. Note I put romance last, because this is definitely low-spice and slow-burn romance, so if you're looking for hot and heavy dramatics, this is not the book to find that! The premise was super fun if you like books and written correspondence. Honestly I haven't even read most of the books referenced and I (1) still enjoyed the commentary and (2) am actually inspired to pick up some classics I've never read. The characters were well-developed, and I appreciated (as I usually do) that they were working through some of their own personal issues.

I really love the concept of this book- I don't think I've read another one like it! Now, I'm not one to annotate my books, but I do love the idea of finding annotations someone else wrote and falling in love with that person! Here's hoping the next time I go to the library there's a man whose annotated my next read! Beautifully written and such an original story!

I’m so grateful to have received this book as an ARC! It was so fun to read and watch the characters develop over the course of the book. I loved the use of the library as the primary communication and rekindling of Erin & James.

This book was different from what I thought it would be. The cover gives off very cute romance read. This was so much more. Erin and James reconnect in such a unique cute way and it seems to be what they both needed while working out their own personal issues. Very emotional and deals with topics like loss and mental illness.

Thank you to NetGalley and Graydon Publishing for providing the ARC.

This one hit me hard in my feelings right from the beginning.

Erin and James are two former friends who had a horrible falling out and haven't spoken to each other since. This books focuses on how the path to forgiveness isn't linear - sometimes it's crooked and curled upon itself, so tangled that it's hard to see the other person's side. Erin is slow to forgive, queen of holding grudges as a result of her parental situation. James is desperate for her to understand that it wasn't about her. Meanwhile, they're both on a path of discovering themselves and what that journey means to them individually.

This book was devastating in parts and so uplifting in others. I cried so much right from the beginning and it never quite let up. Bickers' prose really shines - it is poignant and evocative. I quickly devoured every word and found myself wanting more. Erin and James are flawed and complicated characters, but never once did I feel like they got annoying or anything. Their lack of communication made sense, and their journey back to each other made sense, even as they were trying to understand themselves along the way.

Excellent read.