Before anyone hops on a plane, we get a front-row seat to the stress and pressure building in Lucy and Greta’s lives, the kind that makes escape feel not just tempting, but necessary. Moving to a new country doesn’t exactly make things easier. I felt so much secondhand stress that I almost stopped reading.

But as the story unfolds, the characters slowly find their footing, make friends, and embrace their new culture (Otto most of all!). By the end, they’re one big found family (with a lot of frequent flyer miles). Poeppel balances heart and humor with an ease that makes it a fast, rewarding read. I liked Lucy and Greta, but my favorites were side characters like Lucy's parents.

This author really knows how to write families. I really loved the dynamics and just the way they loved each other and got along! I haven't read this author before, but I can't wait to read more!

A delightful read that explores two families and what happens when they switch houses and countries. And everything and everyone along the way.

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

I love Amy Poeppel and was so excited to get an advance ecopy of Far & Away. This author knows how to write about families and all of their dynamics at different stages of life. The house swap story line had me hooked from the very 1st page. Loved the ending!

Two strangers, Lucy and Greta agree to a rushed house swap over an Instagram post, Lucy, being from Dallas, Texas and Greta from Berlin, Germany make a plan to exchange homes for the summer. Once in their prospective homes, they find themselves not only in new surroundings, but also taking on one another's social circles. Greta and her husband Otto find themselves taking care of many pets and living beside Lucy's parents. I found myself laughing out loud as they spent their first night in Dallas. I do not think I will be able to hear "Goodbye Earl" again without thinking of this hilarious scene. Lucy and her three children land in Berlin on the fifth floor of an apartment with no elevator. Let's just say things are in fact bigger in Texas. This story is about motherhood. marriage and family. I found it both heartwarming and funny. There is quite a bit of German, so if you read on a Kindle there is an option to translate. What a fabulous read. I think in honor of Otto, I'll head to Costco! 4.5 brilliant stars

The story of a trans-continental house swap, Far and Away follows the stories of Greta, an art dealer in Germany, and Lucy, a designer from Texas, who each find themselves in the midst of unexpected marital and family upheaval, and both need to get out of town fast. Written with Amy Poeppel's signature humor and pitch-perfect character development, each family's saga unfolds with hilarity and compassion, reminding us all that things are never, ever exactly what they seem. I love Popppel's books, and this one was just as delightful as her others. She has created yet another cast of loveable, imperfect, and completely relatable characters whom I didn't want to leave when the book ended. You're going to want to read this one and then reread it to enjoy it all over again.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the advance reader copy.

This was a delight! I loved the international house swap plot. I loved Greta, Lucy, and both of their eccentric families. I am still laughing at the use of Goodbye Earl in this novel. This is the perfect book to throw in your beach bag or suitcase this summer. It releases June 10th and is available for preorder now. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC.

Home exchange between two very stressed women. One is leaving Sweden in shame after her husband loses a job but finds another in Texas. A woman in Texas is leaving home after her son makes an error and is the victim of a lot of internet bullying. Loved it.

I loved Amy Poeppel's other books and was really excited to read this one early. I did enjoy it; however, I was definitely unclear about where the plot was going for a little while and it didn't become clear until about halfway through. I think she stuck the ending and it was an enjoyable read, but the pacing was a little off for me.

Far and Away by Amy Poeppel is a charming and lively novel centered on a house swap between two women, Lucy and Greta, leading to intertwined lives across continents. The story explores themes of family—both biological and chosen—as well as personal growth, motherhood, and the challenges of adapting to new environments. Lucy juggles motherhood, a demanding job, and complicated relationships while living in Texas, while Greta struggles with leaving her home and managing her relationship with her teenage daughter after moving to America. The novel also features a colorful supporting cast, including Lucy’s well-meaning parents and Greta’s husband, Otto, who embraces Texan culture with enthusiasm.

Poeppel’s characters are vividly drawn, full of quirks, personality, and relatable struggles. The narrative is infused with humor and heartfelt moments, balancing light drama with emotional depth. Though not deeply heavy, it is creative, fun, and highly enjoyable, making it a quick, compelling read that many could not put down. Overall, the book offers a warm, entertaining experience with well-crafted characters and a meaningful exploration of family bonds and personal transformation. It has been highly recommended for fans of character-driven contemporary fiction with humor and heart.

Loved this book so much! Home swap with a twist, Lucy and Greta find themselves needing housing in Dallas and Berlin - quick! So many side stories, interesting characters and moving parts to this story and I couldn’t get enough. All of Amy Poeppel’s books are great but this might be my new favorite!

Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Another wonderfully charming Amy Poeppel novel. Lucy and Greta swap their Dallas and Berlin homes. Lucy’s family is escaping a scandal and Greta’s scientist husband has landed a one-year job in Dallas. What could go wrong? Filled with charming, lovable characters – the is funny wry story of how it does go wrong and how it is all fixed in the most unexpected perfect way.

Loved, loved, loved this book and highly recommend it. 5 stars.

Thank you to Atria/ Emily Bestler Books and NetGalley for an early read in exchange for a fair review.

I really loved this book - it was like a warm hug! Amy’s writing keeps you entertained and endears you to the characters. The backdrops of Dallas, Berlin and New York were also fun.

I loved the house swap principle....gave me The Holiday vibes!
So sweet and enjoyable from start to finish.

This book was pure chaotic fun! Far and Away takes the classic house swap trope and turns it completely on its head with two women, two continents, and so many laugh out loud moments. Lucy and Greta are total opposites, yet equally lovable. Watching their lives unravel was both hilarious and heartwarming. Amy Poeppel nails the humor and the chaos of miscommunication, jet lag, culture shock, and trying to hold it all together when life goes sideways. This book was a delightfully messy and satisfying story!

Far and Away is house swap story set in Dallas, Texas and Berlin, Germany. Lucy, living as a single mom while her husband completes a project for NASA, is dealing with a huge upset in Dallas,Texas when her son Jack makes a mistake that turns his future plans upside down. In the meantime, Greta, a type A, art buyer in Berlin, is trying to mentally catch up with her husband Otto’s change in plans. What was supposed to be a paid sabbatical in New York City is now a partnership with a doctor in Dallas, Texas. The two women switch houses and form an unlikely friendship as they navigate the craziness of life away from home.
The book started out slow for me and the main catalyst for Lucy leaving Dallas required a suspension of belief that was distracting. Despite these flaws, Far and Away was an enjoyable read with lovable characters and well written settings. I found myself laughing out loud more than once. If you are looking for a vacation read with a little bit of travel, comedy, and romance this one is for you. I recommend reading it on Kindle so that you can translate the German phrases. I give this a 3.5 rounded up. Thank you NetGalley and Artria books for an ARC of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Is there a such thing as "Hope trope"? Because there should be. Things go wrong, but you're really rooting for EVERYBODY and holding out hope to the very end that they all get their happily ever afters.
Greta’s husband (they’re in Berlin) says “Yes!” to a job opportunity in Texas and Lucy needs to get OUT of Texas, like…yesterday. They agree to swap houses for a time. Drama and hilarity ensues.

This was such a great story! There’s not a main or supporting character that I didn’t love in some way. Nobody is perfect, but everyone is lovable.

I felt engrossed in every character’s storyline and the few overlaps were so satisfying!

Otto’s first trip to a Costco and his subsequent wardrobe choices cracked me up!

A fun, engaging story of two women who, although they are complete strangers, find themselves in a desperate, last-minute house-swapping arrangement for the summer. Lucy lives in Dallas, and her husband is currently on a sixth month mission for NASA. Although on Earth, he must simulate being in space, so he's not reachable. Lucy's son, an MIT-bound, soon to graduate high school senior, gets into some very embarrassing trouble online and at school and is being ostracized by their whole community. Greta lives in Berlin, and when her husband's sabbatical plans are upended unfairly at the last minute, he quickly finds another opportunity, in Dallas, but they must act quickly. The two women end up swapping homes, sight unseen, and in a hurry. What could go wrong??? Plenty, as it turns out. But lots of good things happen as well. This is intelligent, lighthearted, and filled with enough twists and turns to keep reader interest moving along. Great characters and charming secondary characters who you truly grow to care about. I look forward to recommending this title.

Amy Poeppel has a distinct gift for writing the quirky novel that seems light until you realize you're 100% invested in every single character on a deep emotional level.

Dallas and Berlin are the central locales of this story about two women who execute a very last minute house swap, due to unpredictable and unavoidable circumstances. There is a husband on "Mars," a hot downstairs neighbor, and some teens who are just trying to navigate their peers, social lives, and the Internet. It is truly a delight and an escapist read that will make you feel like you used your brain and heart when you are finished.