📖 I really enjoyed this story! I appreciated the character development through their trauma and grief. By the end, I was really rooting for James and Erin.

As a book lover, I loved how the relationship they built in the margins of books. I thought it was a super romantic and creative take on a romance story. I’m glad I picked it up!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trading Co for an ARC in exchange for my review.

3,5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book didn't feel like your typical romance. Despite abiding to the genre's structure, it definitely strays into character study territory instead. If you like Mhairi McFalarne's work, you might find this one a very good book. But if you prefer cheesier, easy to read romances, I don't think this will be for you.

As mentioned above, this book focuses very strongly on the character developments of our Macs, Erin and James. This is a second-chance romance between two people who were very close during their school years until a crucial event led to their never talking again. They were not "together" per se, but their relationship had been marked by severe yearning on both parts.

Years have passed and both Erin and James are coming to terms with the fact that they are not leading fulfilling professional lives, while struggling through painful grieving over a dead best friend (Erin), and caretaking for a mother with bipolar disorder (James). Then, they find each other through the margins of books they start exchanging at a local little community library and romances starts to bloom again.

This book is not for the faint of heart and could be triggering for some (leaving tw below), but the romance's premisse felt very fresh and original. Books about books are always comforting. I recommend it to people who want to explore the romance genre but who also want more out of it.

tw: bullying, grief, cancer, bipolar disorder

This review has been published on GoodReads on May 20, 2024. The link is: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6512100890

Both of our main characters begin trading secrets and thoughts in the margins of books they exchange in the free little library. We learn that they have met and used to be friends before a falling out. Throughout the story we learn about the trials and tribulations each has faced since their childhood and into adulthood as well as what transpired all those years ago. Our characters are flawed and relatable and I love them and my heart ached for them.

I really enjoyed this story. I didn’t expect it to be as emotional/dark as it was but that only made me enjoy it more. Using literature as a way for our main characters to heal their minds and their hearts was beautiful. We are dealing with some tough topics and I feel like their were handled with the care they deserve.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tessa Bickers and Harlequin Trade Publishing for granting me access to an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. When I requested this ARC I was under in the impression this would be a light, easy romance story. I was pleasantly surprised that it is so much more. This book had many weighty themes: bullying, grief, trauma, self-discovery as well as the slow burn romance between our main characters. Erin and James our two main characters are victims of the past who haven't healed. They rediscover one another through notes in the books that they leave at a little library. Through the sharing of books, they both are able to let down their guard and become the people they were always meant to be.

I enjoyed reading the story of each character and witnessing the growth that each had in this book. At times I felt the book moved a little slowly but overall I think it was a solid debut novel. I also loved the nods to many of the classics and enjoyed the book banter between the two main characters. Also, the supporting characters were fantastic, especially Cassie and Georgia. The author did a fantastic job of developing each and every character and made the reader care about each one.

Still reeling from a recent tragedy, Erin Connolly knows she needs to start living, but has no idea how. When she accidentally donates her favorite book—a 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. But then the book turns up a week later, back in the library with fresh notes in the margins, along with an invitation in a copy of Great Expectations to meet her newfound pen pal. A life-changing conversation, written only in the margins of beloved classic books, begins between Erin and her Mystery Man.

Following each other through the pages of their favorite novels as the book exchange continues, they both begin to open up, falling into a friendship…and maybe something more. But Erin and her pen pal have a shared history that neither of them has guessed. Faced with painful reminders of the past—and the one person she swore never to forgive—Erin finds herself at a crossroads. One that could change her life forever.

Diving into some pretty heavy themes of loss and grief, this book ultimately ends up with forgiveness, love, and happiness. It was a little slower at the beginning, but this was totally up my alley. I love books, I love the idea of sharing books and ideas through conversation. I really enjoyed this a lot, but beware that this is NOT a light read. It's definitely not for everyone, but it is well-written with wonderful characters and deep conversations about real life.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

2 / 5 ⭐️
This was unfortunately not for me. I dont really think this should be classified as a Romance Novel. I was excited about it because of the premise but I felt like DNF it a few times.

This book had me feeling all the feelings. I thought it was going to be just a cute romance book but it was so much more than that.
With references to great books and some gut punching quotes. This book could connect with anyone.
It’s about following your dreams. Doing what makes you happy. And to not always judge a book by its cover.
I loved it and would highly recommend this to anyone.
Thank you for the opportunity for such a great read!

The Book Swap has a compelling premise of two people anonymously exchanging books at a little free library and leaving comments for each other in the margins, akin to a one-on-one book club. While this initially suggests a cute romance, the story delves much deeper, exploring themes of grief, loss, bullying and parental trauma. This depth gives it a more significant coming-of-age feel rather than a simple romance.

Erin, disillusioned with her job, finds solace in a mystery book exchange after discovering her cherished copy of To Kill a Mockingbird is missing and left in a little free library. She discovers notes from a stranger, leading her to engage in a literary exchange with James, who finds inspiration and connection through this anonymous interaction. Their journey, while heavier than anticipated, is interspersed with moments of humor and warmth, making for a well-rounded, quick, engaging read.

The narrative’s epistolary style, the concept of the little free library and the intricate dynamics of friends-to-enemies-to-lovers, along with the flashbacks and near misses, kept me thoroughly engaged. Despite the heavy themes, the characters' wins felt well-earned and satisfying. However, the resolution seemed a bit too optimistic and fast-paced given the characters' struggles.

Overall, The Book Swap wrapped me up in a literary hug, and I look forward to reading more from this debut author. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for providing an ARC for review. All thoughts are my own.

The Book Swap by Tessa Bickers Erin and James were best friends in school until Erin thinks James did something unforgiveable. 15 years later they are both struggling to find happiness in London, still processing their pasts, when they find solace in books from a local book swap library. They begin a greedy exchange of books and ideas, never knowing they are corresponding with the other.

I was excited to read this debut when they were comparing it to a Beth O'Leary book The Flatshare, but I think its depth has more in common with The No-Show. It also has traces of Meet Me in the Margins by Nelissa Fergeuson. I enjoyed both of these books and love The Book Swap!

There is such depth to this novel, which at first glance, could've been a run of the mill romance. I've certainly read other You've Got Mail type books that were shallow but fun. The Book Swap explores mental health and grief in realistic and profound ways. James and Erin are both stuck in patterns that keep their lives safe, comfortable, and small. From the start you are rooting for them to grow and find their path (which quickly becomes their path back to each other.) This book captures adolescence with its drama and aching and then does the same for your late twenties, when you are deciding what kind of adult you want to be (or if you even feel like an adult at all.) This book made me feel so much; I laughed, smiled, was on the edge of my chair, and cried.

The supporting characters in this book were amazing! Bonnie, Cassie, Elliott, Georgia, and Joel, I can't choose who I love more! And don't get me started on James' dad being a one hit wonder... brilliant! Also the use of novels within this book from The Perks of Being a Wallflower to Mansfield Park and even Rachel's Holiday, helped set the scene and crystallize the characters. I can't believe this is a debut novel. A definite must-read. Can't wait to see what's next from Bickers! 4.5 stars Thanks to Net Galley, Harlequin, and Grayden House for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I am conflicted about this story and I really think it's mainly because of the book description. I went in expecting one thing, and I got something completely different. I fully expected this to be a nice little romcom and it definitely was not even close to that. It was more about the trauma and growth of the two main characters, who knew each other from high school and who both went through horrible experiences. The romance equaled one kiss on like the last page of the book. The FMC Erin was so unlikable, I barely warmed up to her even at the end. The MMC James I felt bad for, but I also just wanted him to leave his past in the past. Overall it was a decent story, and I would've enjoyed it more if it wasn't marketed as romcom, and that goes all the way to the cover of the book. Definitely more women's fiction than anything.

Also in the blurb it mentions references to book classics but they were so minimal throughout the story, I'm not sure why they chose to highlight these as a big deal. They were literally just names of books they swapped, but unless you know what each of the stories is actually about then it wouldn't even make sense to you. So that wasn't my favorite. Overall 3 star read. It was fine, but I won't remember it a week from now.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Graydon House for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this book more than I did. As a book lover myself, the premise of communicating through meaningful books was so appealing. I struggled to connect with the main characters though. I feel like by the end of the book this improved a bit, but that overall I just didn’t feel I was rooting for them as much as I’d have liked to.

This book was super cute but very slow. I enjoyed the last half very much but it took me that long to get into it. It covers a lot of harsh topics like bullying, cancer, grief, etc. and I think it does a pretty decent job at covering the complex emotions with it. A decent slow burn romance💕

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this e-arc.

Rounded up from 3.5. I love the cover of The Book Swap, but it did not match the contents. The Book Swap follows Erin, a woman who is still grieving the loss of her best friend, as she strikes up a friendship with a stranger that is leaving notes in books in a little free library.

As a little library owner myself, I was SO excited for a cute, bookish romantic comedy. This was something else. The story was much more focused on grief and past relationships than anything to do with rom-coms. The main pair were a little too angsty for my tastes, but I did appreciate deep dive into difficult familial relationships.

Go into this one expecting a heartwarming book, with lots of focus on family and grief and you might love it!

Thanks to Tessa Bickers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review!

This is a sweet book in many ways, but I struggled to like the main character, Erin. I’m glad she had to some people to call her out on her stuff, but I still wasn’t really sure I liked her at the end. The premise was cute, although I’m not sure I really believe you can fall in love with someone through some book notes and answered questions.

This book centers on journalist Anna as she profiles Dr. Nate Reed, a researcher dedicated to studying pain in his Pain Laboratory. Dr. Reed's wife, Eva, who suffered from insensitivity to pain, died under mysterious circumstances, piquing Anna's interest in both the doctor and his story.

Narrated eloquently from Anna's perspective, the book reads more like a memoir than a mystery or thriller. Without the initial mention of Eva's death, its importance might be missed. Though Eva's brief journal entries from her time as a therapist offer some insights, the characters' backstories and motivations aren't deeply explored, leaving readers wanting more to fully experience the psychological thriller aspect.

The story progresses slowly, and the climax feels a bit anticlimactic. This book is likely to appeal more to those interested in romantic fiction rather than a mystery or thriller, as the mystery takes a secondary role to the ghostwriting plot.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing the opportunity to read and review this book.

This was a really fun and emotional romance book in the realm of "You've Got Mail". I loved the take of using a free community library as the mode of communication between the main characters. The character development was really great. I loved seeing how Erin and James both got out of their comfort zones to try and go after what they truly desired, both professionally and romantically. I definitely foresee this as being a book I would read again and again, which is rare for me when it comes to romance books.

The Book Swap has a great premise of two people anonymously swapping books at a free library and adding comments to each other in the margins like a one on one book club. The story however wasn't just a cute romance and about two people connecting through books. It was also about grief and loss, bullying and parental trauma. There was so much heavy stuff for the characters to get through that this story felt more of a coming of age story than a romance. It also felt like there was too much for the main characters to get over between each other for them to be happy in the end. I think the story would have made more sense with the characters getting closure but moving on in the end, maybe meeting many years later. Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin for the ARC to review.

This book was so so cute and cozy. I think it's perfect for those craving a fast-paced wholesome book. I enjoyed the plot, the characters... everything.

This book is the perfect book for book lovers. It gives you all the feels and is the perfect escape. Tessa totally delivers! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can't wait to recommend this book to all my friends! Thank you Net Galley and publisher for the ARC!

This was a little difficult to get into, but I thought the concept of it was actually really sweet. In general, I did enjoy it even if it took me a little longer to get through it. I would rate it 3.5!