Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing for granting me this ARC!

I think this book was really cute! A great premise and something I hadn't seen done before. The story and characters had real promise, but it felt like a lot of it fell sort of flat. Where there were opportunities to take the story a little further and explore the characters in more depth, I thought that the easy way was taken out. I felt like there could have been so much more. But that being said, for being a quick book, it was fun to read!

This book had a lot of heavy topics and overall was an easy read for me but I wouldn’t say it was “good”. It was just easy. It lacked chemistry and depth. It felt slow and boring in the aspect of the characters growth, romance and overall plot! I’m giving it 3 stories because it could have been a really cute story and it has a good foundation!

I loved loved loved this book. The characters are real, flawed and likeable (even when they're not). The story is funny, exciting, heartbreaking.... I genuinely wasn't sure how it was going to end. I hope to read more of these character's stories soon.

The book Swap by Tessa Bickers was a slow burn romance that was a little hard for me to get into. I had to keep pushing myself to get back to the book and was looking for a more feel good quick read. This being an advanced reading copy that I sent to my Kindle maybe partly to blame as it was not quite ready for the format— weird spacing and no breaks between chapters. Saw a few typos which again could be a formatting issue. Overall thanks NetGalley for the advanced copy to read and share my honest review. I’d rate this 2.5-3 stars again nice story and premise, but a little slow with formatting issues lost my interests. I’d consider reading again after release to see if the problems with the format are resolved and help grip me more.

I really enjoyed this wonderful story about Erin and James.

This was an overall slow burn romance that made you feel all of the feels. There’s themes of bullying, mental health, grief, and loss.

There’s a lot of layers to the book and it is pretty heavy which I think made it a slower start. The FMC and MMC share books back and forth and write in the margins they reach for books such as The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Wuthering Heights, Great Gatsby, Great Expectations, To Kill a Mockingbird, and more. So a book lovers paradise essentially!

It’s rare that a book makes lets you connect and relate to the characters the way this one did. Overall I think it’s a really strong debut novel by Tessa Bickers.

Some additional formatting notes:
In the kindle version the letter “f” separated from words, like f ather, f lower, etc.

The indentation was also random throughout the book.

This book was a mixed bag for me. From the jump, the pacing was sort of all over the place. It starts really strong but slows down and I found it hard to keep picking the book up. It's also a lot heavier than the cover and blurb would indicate, which isn't necessarily a bad thing BUT something I think should be made clear to readers! The romance (which I liked) is merely a plot point in a larger story about grief and finding yourself again.

I think readers looking for something a little heavier and with less emphasis on romance will really like this one. For me, it was a 3 star read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Tessa Bickers for this Advanced Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest review!

The Book Swap is a love letter to romance, reading, and books.

The Book Swap follows Erin and James, two individuals who unknowingly find solace in each other as they overcome their pasts. I loved this story. I loved how the character's grew and overcame their respective issues together, without them realizing who the other was. This story is most definitely a slow-burn romance.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves reading. This is a cozy romance read, and a perfect palate cleanser for all the fantasy/romantasy readers



I'll be posting this review to goodreads today, and to instagram (@le.midnight.chaptre) in the next week!

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was super excited for this book. I love to read books about books and how they impact people. I was hoping that this would be more about the romance between James and Erin, but it mainly revolved around the trauma of losing a friend and how that can deeply affect a person and the relationships they have with other people.

I loved that Erin and James both discovered more about themselves and what they wanted to do with their lives. Erin quit her job that wasn't bringing her joy and went on a journey of self-discovery. She discovered her love of literature again; she was pushed to find a job that would bring in money and then also look for something that would include her passion for literature. Starting over is difficult at the best of times, but especially difficult when also working through a trauma from years past.

I loved that James rediscovered his love of literature while communicating with Erin through the margins of a book. I myself have never been able to write in a book, but it makes me wonder how much more I would get out of a book if I allowed myself to write my thoughts down as I have them while reading. His passions for writing being reignited and affirmed by his family and friends was a bright spot in the story.

This book was a slow start. It took me a long time to get into it. I was hoping for a quicker paged book. In the end, I still enjoyed it, but it was a more challenging start than I anticipated.

I really enjoyed this book!! i thought the characters were real and felt relatable on so many different levels. I really like the portrayal of the mental health aspects. I think it did a great job of showcasing those things. I loved how the characters developed through the story as well. The only problems i ran into was the format to read on my kindle was read and hard sometimes. Also for some reason all the f’s were separate to the rest of the word. I also wish we did get to see more of Erin and James story together like an epilogue or even just an extra chapter of the future.

I went into this book thinking it’d be a cute lil romcom between two bookworms; it was much more than that.

There wasn’t as much romance as I thought it would be and even less comedy, but Tessa Bickers touched on important matters that affect more of us than we think: loss, grief, adulting, and trying to find our way on a path that we told ourselves we were meant for before we even became full-fledged adults.

Sometimes, what you think you want and the ways you measure success aren’t what is meant for you - and that’s okay! This book touches on that in so many ways.

While I did dock a star for the uneven pacing, I did keep it at a 4 because it broke me in ways other books haven’t and then put me right back together again, stronger than before.

The Book Swap" explores themes of loss and moving on after tragedy, with a slow-burning romance interlaced with references to classic literature. The depiction of Erin's bond with her sister lends credibility to the story. While it does not quite match romantic expectations, it is a moving read that speaks to the healing power of reading. Despite being awarded 3.8 stars, it's still a fascinating voyage, particularly for those seeking emotional depth in storytelling. Thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing | Graydon House, and Tessa Bickers for the advance copy.

OBSESSED!!!!! I finish this up in 2 sittings! Since the second I pick it up it grab me and I was HOOKED 😭 it’s so cute and the sadness in it it’s described in such a beautiful way 🥹 I love this so much it’s cute and funny and sad and just amazing 💜

This book was a different genre than what I normally read but I thought it was amazing. Once I got a few chapters in I was hooked. The storyline was so interesting and really kept my attention. The romance was minimal but sweet, it is more heartache than comedy which i wish was advertised more

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

I was so pleasantly surprised by this book. I wasn't sure what to expect going into it, but I really connected with the characters and their journeys. Erin and James are both going through such parallel situations while so far removed from each other. I found the character journeys of both main characters to be very interesting, the side characters were well developed, and the way they paralleled kept me hooked. It was a compulsively readable book while touching on the topic of grief in a way that doesn't weigh the reader down. I will be recommending this to friends once it is published!

This book was everything I love about reading. Through Erin and James love story , Tessa captures what it truly feels like to live, grieve and grow.

This book will have you crying , giggling, and screaming for the characters. I am definitely recommending this book to all my friends and family . ❤️❤️ I can’t wait for publication day so I can add this to my physical book collection ❤️

Favorite quote :
“ I know while I’m not okay at all, one day I will be and for the days I’m not , There’s always the sunshine”
A HUGE Thanks to Graydon House, an imprint of Harlequin Enterprises ULC, for providing an Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley.

This was a sweet debut novel by Tessa Bickers and made me fall in love with local lending libraries. 📚 The beginning of the story felt like I was going into a tenderhearted light romance, but I was wrong! Bickers delves into the themes of grief, loss of a loved one, betrayal, identity in work, and forgiveness all in one book. It was well done and I appreciated the dual points of view between Erin and James. Their conversations between the margins of famous and well loved literary classics was sweet and will make you want to annotate your next read.
“Don't you think books would go way closer to the edge of the page, if they didn't want us to write in them? I always think of the author, and how sad it must be to have someone read your words and then move on, as though they meant nothing. I can't do that. Books teach us, and I want to make sure I'm learning everything they're offering. I write in the margins to remember the book. To keep the words in my heart.” ♥️💙♥️💙📖

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC!

Definitely not a romantic comedy - bullying, depression, mental illness, grief, loneliness, and the repercussions through life dominate. Yep, some romance grows in there, personal growth, overcoming obstacles, but you have to work to get there.

⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⭑

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Tessa Bickers for the advanced copy.

Erin accidentally leaves her favorite book at a free little library and is devastated when she goes back and realizes someone else has taken it. Checking back, she finds it and brings it home with her. When looking for the postcard she had stuffed inside, she discovered someone else has added their own notes alongside hers in the margins and invites her to “meet him” in the margins of a different book, one that he’s left there.

It’s told through a dual POV, Erin (female main character) and James (male main character), and each is done well, providing details from the past and present from both of their perspectives.

This book was so much more than I anticipated! I was initially drawn in by the adorable concept of two strangers getting to know each other through the pages (and notes in the margins) of their favorite books.

But Tessa Bickers was able to weave in heavier topics, like grief and abandonment, to make this book deeper than just your typical enemies-to-lovers rom com.

Because it was a bit heavier, it made for a slower read, but I really enjoyed this book.

I was provided this copy by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review! Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing/Graydon House.

It took me awhile to get invested with the characters.. it was a bit confusing at first. I thought the novel was going to be about Erin’s best friends cancer diagnosis and death. Instead, the story develops into Erin and James helping each other through the cutest way! By exchanging an annotated classical book that Erin thinks she lost but magically reappears at the library for donated books. Hence, starts the book swapping process between the two. Once I was invested with the story James character definitely drew me in as he falls in love with his passion for writing again. I wanted to love this book because I love a good romcom, but it didn’t quite resonate with me. I did enjoy the book overall and it definitely got better the second half of the book! If you like a slow burn thought provoking book involving overcoming loss, and finding oneself this is right up your alley.

Wow! I thought this was going to be lighthearted and fun, but boy, was I wrong!

The idea of getting to know someone so deeply through books is a great premise and I was absolutely intrigued. I will say that this was the slowest slow burn I’ve ever read, however I enjoyed the alternating chapters between James and Erin where we got glimpses into their pasts and present. They were both enjoyable characters, even though I favored James and felt that Erin didn’t deserve him.

One thing I absolutely hated was the reason why Erin hated James and in turn, her mother. It was just so ridiculous and didn’t really have a lot of substance for me to believe she would turn her back on them so easily. It kind of made me hate Erin for a bit.

I loved Bonnie and her story and her part in James’ and Erin’s journey. I felt that was done beautifully. I cried and smiled and was surprised on how much this made me feel.

Overall, this was a great read and I really enjoyed it!