I read this over the holiday weekend and absolutely loved it! The characters were so perfectly flawed and a joy to read. I went through so many emotions, right alongside them. There are alternating POVs and some glimpses into their pasts to help us understand how James and Erin got to where they are now. Friends turned enemies, turned secret book swappers, think You’ve Got Mail with books! There are so many great life lessons contained in the book as well as some heavy topics that the author includes in a content warning at the beginning. I don’t want to divulge too much, as it would ruin the book, but it really hits on parenthood, friendships, relationships, career choices.. just to name a few. It is a heartfelt book that I believe will resonate with so many readers. I am in disbelief that this is Tessa Bickers’ debut. I cannot wait to see what she has in store for us next!

A bookseller told me this was one of his favorite reads of 2024, so I thought I would request an ARC. Much thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing/Graydon House for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I went into The Book Swap expecting a cute, heartfelt, epistolary novel that takes place in the margins of books two people exchange at A Little Free Library. While The Book Swap does follow that basic premise, it’s heavier and less romantic that deals with themes of grief, loss, finding your true passion in life, and escaping in the pages of a book.

The book follows our FMC, Erin, and MMC, James, who used to be best friends in middle school (along with a girl named Bonnie) and had crushes on each other, but James does something that Erin can’t forgive. They never really speak to each other after that. Later in their late twenties, the pair begin (unknowingly) exchanging notes in novels with each other, and feelings develop. What will happen once they discover they’re really foes?

I struggled a bit with the second chance romance angle because the two of them never really were together to begin with, but maybe that’s just me. James was bullied quite brutally in the book and has a mother with bipolar disorder whose mania appears a lot. She blamed James for her disorder, and he really internalized it. I found that surprising as well because bipolar disorder is readily thought to be genetic, but childhood trauma has lasting effects. I felt bad for him.

Further complicating matters is that the best friend, Bonnie, has recently passed away from cancer. Erin really struggles to find herself. While I enjoyed her journey to get there, I was confused because she sees Bonnie as a ghost in her room and talks with her. I wanted clarification because this book isn’t paranormal or speculative fiction–is Erin imagining it? It didn’t work with the rest of the book, for me.

All in all, I didn’t love The Book Swap, but I didn’t dislike it either. The book does feature several classic works of literature that many readers will have read or enjoyed, and I loved the LFL aspect of writing notes in annotated books. I also really enjoyed the side characters and how they complemented Erin and James as they grew. The ending is a happy one (felt a little too convenient for me), but if you want to escape into the pages of some great books and get some banter and read about some heavy topics along the way, then this book may be for you.

I was really excited to receive this one due to the cover and the description. However I felt this book was very hard to get into, and once I did I really did not enjoy the characters. The story fell a little short and the characters were rude/hateful. I was expecting more of a comfort read.

Thank you for the arc!

This was not for me or it was my mood. Either way I struggled thru this. The writing had me confused at times and I just couldn’t follow along. It had hallmarky vibes which I was loving but I was bored and it was just not flowing properly for me to really enjoy it. Not gonna fault it too harshly and I may even try to read it again at some point.

Erin finally decided to quit her job. She knows she needs to do something new, she just has no idea what. When she accidentally donates her heavily annotated copy of To Kill a Mockingbird containing a memento she can’t be without to a local little community library, she’s devastated. She checks this little library daily. It is soon returned back to this little library and it is full of new comments. This opens up secret conversations with a mystery man!

Erin is a bit of a hot mess. She is still grief stricken and she has some issues she just can’t shake. Then there is James. He is struggling through life as well. His mother is bipolar and he blames himself for it. But, both of these characters struggle to come into their own. And they do it separately for the most part, or rather, they have no idea they have helped each other through their margin notes.

Parts of this book are brilliant! I loved the book references and the way they wrote notes to each other is adorable. This is very unique and creative. Then there are parts that are just a tad slow, the beginning especially.

This story is more than just a love story. It encompasses grief, heartbreak, bullying and family issues. So, it will definitely give you lots of emotions!

Need a wonderful romance with tons of book references…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

I’m sure this is a great debut but I just cannot get into it. Something about the writing style had me struggling and I was not drawn into the characters. Felt like way too much of a slow burn for me. DNF.

Not gonna lie, I almost did not finish this book. But I am so glad I did! Once I hit the 18% mark, I was hooked and had an impossibly difficult time putting it down. I loved how Erin and James reconnected through the margins of books, not realizing who the other was. I loved how much they came to realize how important their imperfect families meant to them and the growth they made through their careers in this story. I have always said it’s better to have a job you love that makes you happy than a job you don’t enjoy and makes you rich. The author nailed so many important aspects in life that we don’t appreciate in today’s world. I look forward to reading more Tessa!

I really could not get into this book no matter what I did which is disappointing because the plot did look promising and exciting :( will be giving it another try soon

Im going to be honest, with the slow start of book, i wasn't sure if I was going to finish this book. I'm glad I stuck it out as I ended up really enjoying it. I really enjoyed James characters but had a little bit harder time connecting with Erin. I felt she was very self centered the majority of the book, im glad she finally was able to figure herself out.

4 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Book Swap made me laugh, and left me contemplating life's many mysteries. Definitely a must read for anyone who values the magic of books! This was a new to me author and I really enjoyed their work!

This book shows the author's true love of books. I was intrigued by the concept of this book and it lived up to my expectations. It takes pen pals to a new level, and although my book lover's heart cringes at writing in books, especially classics, I loved it. It was funny, emotional, heartbreaking, and moving at times. I wish there was more about their life together at the end but overall I really enjoyed it.

2.5⭐️ As much as I wanted to, I could not get into this book. It was slow and honestly just kind of boring. Also felt like the giant thing was a miscommunication trope which is my least favorite. And for being over 30 the main characters were very childish - grow up already. Hate read the last 30% to just finish it.

I want you to know that I tried. I really did try to make it through this book and give it a fair shot. If a book isn't for me there is usually something valuable in the experience. Even, if it is just by refining my tastes by allowing me to pinpoint what I don't enjoy. I wish that could have been the experience I had here.

I wish the summary of this book had been more honest. I wish that there had been some sort of warning as to how heavy the topics were. I wouldn't have picked it up otherwise. Their lives were so heavy that I couldn't even really enjoy the Book Swap conceit. It brought me back to all my worst moments and I wish that I had known a little bit more what to expect.

And now I feel like everyone has lost. I had to DNF.

I truly hope this book finds its audience.

Things this book dealt with that I wish I had known before:
Cancer, Bullying, Parental Infidelity, Trauma, Bipolar Disorder, Being a parental caretaker


Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC. This review contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

4.5⭐️
What a journey this book was! It was so unlike other stories that I’ve read, but I really loved it!
The twists and turns, reveal after reveal, and bits of the past sprinkled in with the present were so interesting and kept me hooked the entire time I was reading.

Both main characters, Erin and James, are facing career challenges, family struggles, grief, and the past in so many different ways. They connect through books, sharing notes in the margins and personal thoughts through a book swap in a little library box.
I loved the feeling as the reader knowing who each mystery writer/book swapper was and having so much more backstory on each of the characters as it kept me guessing what the reactions and reveals would bring.
The bridge of the past and present was done really well. It was not switching back and forth between times, but did include several memory scenes which gave great insight into how the characters had gotten to where they were.

I loved the connection between Erin and James. Sharing their thoughts in the books allowed them to open up in a way that they probably wouldn’t have had they known exactly who they were talking to.
I really enjoyed the conversations that each of them had with important people in their lives to work through struggles they faces, resentment they felt, and just how much we got to see them grow.

There were bits and pieces of each of them and their lives that I could relate to that made the book even better to me.

Thank you Net Galley , thank you Graydon House and thank you Tessa Bickers for this ARC.
Rating: 3.5 stars, roud to 4 stars on Goodreads.
I really enjoy angsty stories where there´s a lot of tension between the characters and this one was not the exception.
I´ve found James and Erin stories a bit sorrowful, but that made me sympathized with them (specially James). But I must say that, I found the storyline a little bit demanding to follow with all the sporadic flashbacks.
And finally, what I enjoyed the most were all the book references and how beatufully James and Erin found comfort through the notes they left to each other in their beloved classic novels.

Thank you Graydon House, HTP, and The Hive for the gifted copy of this book!

4.5 Stars rounded up

Going into this book I was definitely expecting a light hearted romance, and this is not that. What it is rather, is a love story that explores loss, grief, friendship, family, mental health, and past mistakes. There is self reflection and introspection needed to get our main characters where they need to be, both in their various relationships and in their lives.

I love books about books so I knew this would be one I would enjoy. The way the main characters connected via passing books back and forth in a LFL was so cute. I liked the characters, both main and side. I have to say I did find Erin (FMC) to be unlikeable at times. She was a bit self involved and jumped to conclusions without hearing people out, but don’t we all know people like this? It is reality that there are some people who just can’t see past themselves and their own lives, in general, or in response to grief and trauma. Navigating relationships is a part of life and it was a large focus of this book, which I found so relatable.

I love seeing mental health rep in books and I loved that we got to see this from the perspective of the caretaking family members. The impact mental health disorders can have often times extends beyond the individual. The impact on the family and friends is not often explored in books and I commend the author for making taking that on here.

The Book Swap by Tessa Bickers is a layered, multifaceted tale of grief, resilience, forgiveness, and the power of connection through literature. Bickers deftly balances realistic portrayals of difficult topics such as bullying and death while still allowing hope to shine through. Perfect for fans of Love, Holly by Emily Stone and The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary.

This story was absolutely beautiful! It definitely dives into some heavy material, but was overall a great and different approach to a romance book. I loved the idea of Erin and James finding each other once more through the margins in a book and being able to help one another in tough times. Definitely a slow burn but it was worth it. This book was heartwarming and tear jerking all in one. I would have loved to see more of Erin and James in an epilogue but unfortunately there was not one.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this e-ARC! I voluntarily read this book, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a slow burn second chance kinda love! It was cute but I felt more could have been done in the book and the ending was predictable. I had a good time reading it though!

𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ★★★★☆
𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞: zero
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: Tessa Bickers
𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 336
𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: September 3, 2024

“𝒩𝑜𝓃𝑒 𝑜𝒻 𝓊𝓈 𝓀𝓃𝑜𝓌 𝒽𝑜𝓌 𝓉𝑜 𝒽𝒶𝓃𝒹𝓁𝑒 𝓈𝑜𝓂𝑒𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓌𝑒’𝓋𝑒 𝓃𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝒷𝑒𝑒𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝓇𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽 𝒷𝑒𝒻𝑜𝓇𝑒. 𝒜𝓁𝓁 𝓌𝑒 𝒸𝒶𝓃 𝒹𝑜 𝒾𝓈 𝓁𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓃 𝒻𝓇𝑜𝓂 𝒾𝓉. 𝒰𝓈𝑒 𝒾𝓉 𝓉𝑜 𝒷𝑒𝓉𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝑜𝓊𝓇𝓈𝑒𝓁𝓋𝑒𝓈.”

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭
📖 𝙼𝚢𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛
📖 𝚂𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎
📖 𝚂𝚎𝚕𝚏 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚌𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢
📖 𝚁𝚎𝚍𝚎𝚖𝚙𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚊𝚛𝚌
📖 𝙿𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝚐𝚛𝚘𝚠𝚝𝚑

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬
ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ ᴏꜰ ᴀ ʟᴏᴠᴇᴅ ᴏɴᴇ, ᴠᴇʀʙᴀʟ ᴀʙᴜꜱᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴀ ᴘᴀʀᴇɴᴛ, ʙʀɪᴇꜰ ᴍᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ꜱᴜɪᴄɪᴅᴀʟ ɪᴅᴇᴀᴛɪᴏɴ, ᴅᴇᴘʀᴇꜱꜱɪᴏɴ.

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬. When I first started this book, I had a strong dislike for the main characters, James and Erin. Here were two people that could be amazing, but they were letting traumas from their past hold them back and tear them down. Granted, the traumas were intense, so I did my best to give them a pass. However, as they begin to open up to one another through messages written in the margins of books, I quickly realized that this was intentional.

𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐭𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫, it gave James and Erin the courage to open up about things they had never talked about before, and that helped them gain insight into their own lives. Ultimately, they both come to realize that their pasts could have a more positive effect on their lives - instead of just a negative - and this drives them to accomplish their dreams. Their relationship is almost ruined when they realize the person they thought was a stranger was actually… not. (Their pasts intertwine in a very messy way). They grew apart, but after time had passed, they ultimately get the chance to grow together, and they stop letting their past hold them back.