"The Book Swap" by Tessa Bickers is a charming and heartwarming novel that celebrates the magic of books and the connections they create. The story revolves around two strangers, Emily and James, who unknowingly exchange books through a mysterious book swap service. As they read each other's chosen titles, they begin to uncover hidden aspects of their own lives and form an unexpected bond.

Bickers' writing is both engaging and evocative, bringing the characters to life with vivid detail and emotional depth. Emily and James are wonderfully relatable, each grappling with personal struggles that make their journey of self-discovery all the more poignant.

The plot is well-paced, with just the right mix of humor, romance, and introspection. The way the author weaves together the characters' stories through the books they read is both clever and touching, highlighting the transformative power of literature.

Overall, "The Book Swap" is a delightful read that will resonate with book lovers and romantics alike. It’s a testament to the idea that sometimes, the right book can change your life. I'd give it a glowing 4.5 out of 5 stars for its heartfelt narrative and memorable characters.

Erin is mourning the loss of her best friend and avoiding dealing with her emotions from that time in her life. She's suddenly quit her job that she hates but has no plan on what to do next.

James was terribly bullied as a kid and can't come to terms with his dad's decision to be a family man instead of a pop star. He has a successful career and makes good money (which is important to him) but is starting to question if it's how he wants to spend his life.

This book is written from Erin and James' perspectives. You move back and forth between the present day with the book swap and their shared past as kids.

There is so much history, miscommunication, friendship, love, and anger between Erin and James that it keeps you reading. I enjoyed the evolution of both characters through the book. I couldn't stop reading until I knew how it ended.

There is little to no spice in this book, so it is great for people who like their romance on the lighter side.

Thank you to @htpbooks @graydonhousebooks @harpercollins and #talkingtomybookstravelingarc for letting me be a part of this traveling ARC experience. I also received a digital ARC from the publisher. All thoughts expressed are my own.

For some reason, I've read a lot of books about grief in the past year, without trying to. When I first started The Book Swap and realized it was very much about grief, I was hesitant. I'm so glad I kept reading because along with a beautiful love story about connection and forgiveness, this story is about healing a broken heart after losing a best friend.
I lost my best friend to Ovarian Cancer in 2020. It devastated me to see her suffering through treatment and the horrible disease, especially since we had to limit our exposure to her during COVID. There were so many moments in this book where I understood the pain, guilt, and questioning that Erin was going through. Her relationship with her best friend was very special. This story shows how we all try to overcome tragedy in different ways.
To balance the heaviness of that part of the story, there is also a Little Free Library romance that happens when Erin accidentally donates her favorite annotated book. Her and a mystery man begin writing in the margins to each other, similar to love letters to a secret pen pal. It's fun to read as the two main characters discuss their favorite books and characters and also get to know each other. It's obvious that Tessa Bickers is a #booklover. I really enjoyed this book and had lots of tabs to add to our group tabs.

I thought the cover of The Book Swap was precious and the premise was intriguing, and went in thinking this was going to be a lighthearted romance. I was wrong lol. I was utterly unprepared for how heavy this was. Plus there's little to no romance, it's one of those extreme slow burns, and I'm not really a fan of those, and would have loved to see more of Erin and James's established relationship.

Overall wasn't bad, just not what I was expecting.

This book was definitely heavier than the description or cover let on. It’s not a light-hearted rom-com and there actually is very little romance. That said it was still enjoyable to read. I would characterize this as a slow burn with complex characters.

Rating: 3.5/5

I was honestly very surprised by this book. I definitely enjoyed it and had a good time reading it. I will say that based on the cover and initial description of the plot, it seems it will be a lighthearted rom-com, but boy was i wrong. This book is an emotional ride from start to finish and mentions struggles of grief/loss, life experiences, and so much more. It was constantly pulling at my heartstrings but also breaking it at the same time? But I somehow kind of loved it lol.

My only issues were that I do not always vibe with the slow slow slow burns and that's what this book represented unfortunately. And once there was finally a cute ending and coming together of their relationship, that was it. It just ended. I really would have preferred any sort of glimpse into their relationship a little more in depth. I also found it a little hard to connect to the classic literature representation presented/mentioned throughout the book. But, that could be my own fault due to me not reading many classics, so the references would fall flat for me.

Overall, I would recommend this book to others!

I so wanted to really love this, but it's a slow burn and it dragged too much for me. I was close to DNF but since it was an arc I felt I should finished. With that being said, there wasn't enough to keep me interested.

Thank you Net Galley for the arc.

I received an ARC of this book by the publisher via Netgalley in an exchange for an honest review.

The Book Swap is a second chance romance about two people who are struggling to navigate life in their 30s. I was lucky to have read some of the early reviews for this book before starting The marketing (bookcover etc.) for The Book Swap is slightly misleading. The marketing gives the impression that this is going to be a frothy rom-com. However, this is more a romantic drama and tackles a lot of heavy topics like growing up with a bipolar parent, intense grief, bullying, etc. combined with a very slow burn romance that centers around forgiveness.

The Book Swap has good bones. I thought that the plot was interesting as were the characters. They both had their own demons and growth arcs throughout the story. But the writing, from a technical aspect, really detracts from the reading experience. There are many times where the writing lacks clarity or the author uses the wrong prepositions. It felt like a promising first draft that needed to go through a couple more rounds of editing rather than a finished novel. It's disappointing because I can see the great potentially that lies at the heart of this book. I hope that since I read an early ARC, the final published version of this book has received a few more rounds of editing. Because I really do believe in the story Bickers is trying to tell.

I rate The Book Swap 3 out of 5 stars.

I'm a sucker for books about books. After a shaky start (was confused by Bonnie's presence) I was able to settle in and enjoy this easy but heartfelt read. Thank you NetGalley for the advance ecopy

I LOVE LOVE LOVED THIS BOOK IT WAS A GREAT READ every page was awesome!!! i can’t wait to read more.

Don’t be fooled by the cute cover - the story is one of love, loss, and forgiveness.

This closed-door romance is perfect for those who want “you’ve got mail” vibes, but make it annotations and classic books.

Both MCs struggle with their own issues and history, but make some really solid growth by the end - thank the gods!

Erin’s “quitting” moment was amazing at the beginning FYI!

Overall this was a cute, quick read that convinces us that sometimes fate or the universe truly has a hand in leading us down the path that’s best for us.

This was such a quick and cute read! Overall I landed at 3.5⭐️ — some of it was just a little too perfect for me. As a little free library steward, I loved the premise of this one.. strangers passing letters through books in the LFL, what a dream! The books they chose were classics which definitely aren’t up my alley, but I was still captivated by the back and forth and couldn’t wait to find out how they finally met.

I would Recommend this one to readers who love books about books!

I don't think this was a bad book, but I think the cover and synopsis are misleading. I went into this expecting a cozy romcom, but this was not that. There's almost no romance - it's more about coping with grief and loss and moving forward in life, which isn't what I wanted to read. I know there are people who will enjoy this, however, it wasn't for me. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

Kind of a meet-cute, kind of not. This book is filled to the brim with the type of circumstance that romances totally depend on, but not in a totally over-the-top way. It's all very sweet and even almost seems... reasonable? within the confines of the story. Stubborn woman, patient (to be fair, totally needed to be) man, both totally stuck in their own ways until they ~see the light~. Very light-hearted, very clean, very sweet, very fun!

A wonderful story that will make you laugh, cry, and think about all the mysteries in life is The Book Swap. For everyone who values the power of books and the enchantment they contain, this is a must-read.

As a twenty something, self-proclaimed, book lover, I'm ashamed at how few classics I have read! This book was so cute. I love the thoughtfulness of each classic that was integrated into the story. Definitely keep some tissues handy.

The miscommunication trope is not my favorite, but it was handled well. I really enjoyed watching Erin's growth as a person throughout the novel. I would recommend this book. Thanks Netgalley & Graydon House for my advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

This digital ARC was obtainable via NetGalley for an honest review.

"The Book Swap" is not what it looks like. Our main characters Erin & James do end up swapping books on multiple occasions. Those parts are enjoyable. However, that is only a bit of what this book is actually about. "The Book Swap" is about bullying, grief, mental illness, trauma, and forgiveness. These are definitely topics I don't mind reading, but it was not presented that way beforehand. I came for something light and sweet but experienced heaviness. I wouldn't exactly call this a romance. I did not like our main character Erin as much and I felt so bad about James. I can tell that some people will actually love this book and connect with it, but it just wasn't for me.

This book blew me away. It was not at all what I was expecting it to be and it was one of the most beautifully written stories. It was so much more than a romance. It was about your passions, how to grieve and heal, how families navigate life and struggles and how to move forward. 

The actual romance of it was probably one of the sweetest I have read in a while. It was about the connection between two people and their experiences that laid the foundation for love. And communicating through margins back and forth was actually the cutest.

The feelings I had while reading this just proved to me that it truly was a five star read. The writing grabs you and pulls on all the parts of you that have felt heartache, longing, love, and hope.

The Book Swap
by Tessa Bickers
Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2024
Thanks to the author, publisher and netGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
"The Book Swap" is a great tale that will tug at your heartstrings, make you laugh, and leave you contemplating life's many mysteries. A must-read for anyone who treasures the power of books and the magic they hold within their pages.

As the owner/ steward of a Little Free Library, I am always on the lookout for a book about LFLs. I have a Fancy Nancy one for kids, and I’ve finally found an adult one! The Book Swap by Tessa Bickers is it! Thank you to @htpbooks and @Netgalley for letting me read this beauty in advance; all opinions are my own.

Erin Connolly and her ex-friend James Parr are not living their best lives, and we get to hear about it through their dual POVs. In the meantime, Erin accidentally puts a beloved, annotated book in a community library and keeps her eye on it, hoping her precious book will be returned. Much to her delight, it shows up, with annotation to her annotations, plus questions, and an invitation to read another book “together”. This is such a fun and unique pen pal situation! It is lovely to rediscover some classics through “Mystery Man” and “Margins Girl”. This book is so much more than a romance (check trigger warnings if you have tenderness towards certain topics). I want to spill so many beans but I really feel like there is much to discover on your own. I liked not knowing what was ahead! There were little mysteries and questions I was waiting to have answered, and it kept me quickly turning pages. This book was very touching- I even had some tear shed!

Congratulations to the author for a wonderful debut novel. I can’t wait to see what’s next! (And can you include another community library?)

4/5 stars
Location: London, New York