This book started off a bit slow for me (and I definitely had to suspend reality a bit because of the somewhat far-fetched situations of the two main families), but overall I found the story really enjoyable! The main characters were still definitely relatable and I found myself rooting for them all to get what they wanted most. Towards the end the action really picked up as well. Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!

What a journey this book was with a slow start followed by a roller coaster ride. There is a tremendous suspension of disbelief required by the reader, which is fine because it made some very entertaining hijinks possible. A lot is going on, most of which is not well explained, but the characters (once you get to know them) are fun and you can’t help but root for them. I was glad to read this digitally because there was a good amount of German that was easy to translate on the kindle.

The epilogue has enough cheese to fill a fondue pot. 3.75 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC; all opinions are my own.

I have consistently loved Poeppel’s novels, as they are so engaging and, though contemporary, ring true. This book is no different, in that she presents very varied and believable characters, develops them slowly and enjoyably, and has a strong sense of plot and pace. I like seeing that she uses her life experience, as do many authors, in the area of place, and in this case, the many cities are clear, distinct and vivid, yet she never veers into auto-fiction of any sort. I emerge from her books feeling entertained and having read a literary text, not a genre novel. Her humour is lightly interwoven, and the dialogue propels her work. I can best think of Austen or a bit of Nick Hornsby, although his work is more negative. Poeppel has a unique touch that is hard to define, and I think many would find the lightness ( so like Austen’s) in her work not difficult enough to call literary, but what does make a classic?

A big thanks to Atria and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Amy Poeppel knocks it out of the park again. I couldn't put this book down. I at once felt invited into the characters' journeys and felt myself rooting for both families. This is not only a story about family and friendship, but a armchair travel read with lots of love and humor. Recommend!

I found myself a little bored in the beginning of the story but once it got going I could not put it down. I liked the two MFCs and their character development throughout the story. I liked the idea of being able to house swap with someone and I was able to live vicariously through them, pretending I was living in Germany temporarily.

I'm glad that the husband did not cheat on his wife with his co worker while he was in the Mars simulation.

This book was so great! After two crazy situations, two families decide to trade spaces for the summer - Dallas and Berlin. Each family has to deal with the differences, as well as the backlash left by the other family. Quite a journey!

Thank you Netgalley for this arc. This is about two strangers who swap houses. One lives in Texas and the other in Berlin. It's hilarious and charming. I highly recommend reading it.

Far and Away was a fun and charming read that excelled in connecting the reader to its characters. The book highlights two great female lead characters, Lucy and Greta, who are both experiencing big life changes. Lucy and her family live in Dallas, Texas and she gives the readers a great look at a working mom who is struggling to keep all her children happy and healthy all while maintaining a job and home all on her own.

Grete is from Germany and is mom to an adult daughter who she struggles to stay close with as she transitions to independence. Greta gives us a glimpse at the life of a woman in a totally different phase of life. Grete has a husband who is not attentive or very invested in their marriage and a career that is on the verge of taking off if she chooses to put herself first instead of others for once.

Amy Poeppel has created two female charatcters who will speak to a lot of different women. I loved the witty banter and dialogue she uses and the diversity of settings makes for an exciting read as well.

3.5

At times quirky and laugh out loud funny, Far and Away is the story of Lucy & Greta, two complete strangers who decide on an impromptu house swap. Lucy's beloved home and life gets turned upside down when her eldest son makes a mistake that can't be undone. To protect them from the fall out, Lucy spontaneously agrees to changing houses with an old college friend's sister in Berlin.
Greta was preparing to move to NYC for a year with her husband when there's a sudden change and his work takes him to Dallas instead, they're scrambling for a place to call home and agree to change things with Lucy.
Nothing is as they anticipate, and while they adjust to culture shock and adjusting to their new lives in foreign cities, both women must ask themselves if they ever really want to go back to how things were, or continue to uproot and change other aspects of their lives.

I really enjoy Amy Poeppel's writing. Specifically, I appreciate how she creates middle-aged characters who are flawed, but likeable, that become good friends despite initial differences. Far and Away is a feel good read with a fun and happy ever after that will satisfy readers.

Amy Poeppel is an automatic read for me, and Far and Away did not disappoint. Her books always strike the perfect balance of humor, heart, and sharp storytelling, and this one was no different.

The house swap premise was such a fun setup, but what really pulled me in was how Lucy and Greta’s lives became completely intertwined in ways they never expected. Between family drama, career upheavals, and plenty of culture shock, their journeys were both entertaining and full of depth. I also loved the side characters, especially their kids, who added even more layers to the story.

I flew through this book and didn’t want it to end. It was funny, heartfelt, and just an all-around great read. If you’re a fan of Amy Poeppel, this one is a must!

Poeppel always writes a fun book and this is no different. This one was a bit more outlandish than I remember some of the others (the Jack scandal, the NASA nonsense) but I grew to enjoy the characters enough to suspend my disbelief. The ending felt a bit too rushed in trying to wrap up so many stories at once and could’ve used a bit more time (and I wouldn’t have minded a bit more in this world).

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lucy is ready to flee from her home in Dallas for the summer after her son is expelled from school and her family is shunned by their friends and neighbors. In Berlin, Otto has accepted a job in Texas without consulting his wife, Greta. They both decide on a house swap and rush into it without much thought. It is an adjustment for both families and their lives become intertwined between friends and family members. A fun and entertaining story that will have you laughing out loud!

This is a very original house swap story that kept me intrigued throughout! I was glad to read this thru NetGalley and found it hard to put down. From problems of husbands and wives, parents and children and different cultures interacting all the way to a great conclusion. Loved all the characters and settings along with the friendship of 2 very different women.

I received an advance reading copy of Far and Away and would like to thank NetGalley and Atria Books for allowing me to read and review this book ahead of its release!

Far and Away is a multi-POV fiction story about Lucy, a mother of three, and Greta, a woman who primarily works as a gallery collector for private investors. Lucy’s life is turned upside down when her son becomes involved in a major scandal at school, which causes her to try to find a way to handle it while her husband is away on a work-stint for an impressive project in robotics. Meanwhile, across the ocean, Greta’s world is also upended when her husband takes a job in Texas without consulting her first. Determined to find a suitable home for their temporary relocation to the US, she decides to offer up her historic apartment for a house swap. Through a lucky mutual connection, Lucy comes across Greta’s advertisement, and the two quickly agree to swap homes, setting off on a year-long adventure in entirely new places.

This book immediately caught my attention as a born-and-raised Texan with German heritage. On that basis alone, I thought I would enjoy it, but I didn’t expect to be so deeply drawn into the intricately woven story. Far and Away is more than just a great read—it’s about healing, self-acceptance, and making the best out of what your life gives you.

I don’t usually gravitate toward multi-POV stories, but Poppel’s writing makes it easy to engage with each character’s perspective. The entire cast is so likable and real that I found myself truly empathizing with everyone and their struggles.

I don’t want to give anything away, but I will say this: Far and Away absolutely blew me away. It’s a definite five-star read. When it releases on June 10th, make sure you grab a copy. This is a must-read for the summer!

Once again, thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read Far and Away ahead of its release!

Thank you to @atriabooks for the early copy (PUB 06.10) of 𝐅𝐚𝐫 & 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐲.

I have read several Amy Poeppel novels and every time I read one I think "She gets me." The writing is smart, witty, and charming and always makes me chuckle. Her upcoming novel is about a house swap gone wonderfully awry. Here for the wanderlust!

A fresh and original story full of unexpected relationships and madcap situations infused with humor and charm. I just felt so content the whole time I was reading. It was a satisfying blend of tension and levity. I found myself sighing with utter contentment one moment and then boldly guffawing the next. The characters are quirky without inducing eye-rolls. The story had a steady beat of depth and wit that carried me through to the end.

Far and Away by Amy Poeppel was just downright fun. This story was original and so entertaining. I loved the characters and their many mishaps had me laughing and falling in love with every turn of the page.

“Far and Away,” Amy Poeppel’s latest novel, involves a last minute house swap between families from Dallas, Texas and Berlin, Germany. Lucy must flee her native Dallas after a scandal involving her teenage son, Jack. She can’t reach her husband, Mason, who is in a simulated Mars habitat in the New Mexico desert, so she has to rely on her own wits to get her son and twin 8 year old daughters out of what has become an untenable situation.

Greta’s husband, Otto, a podiatrist, discovers that his one year sabbatical in New York has been canceled the day before they are set to leave. Shortly thereafter, he receives an offer of a stipend to work in a hospital in Dallas, Texas. Greta posts their Berlin apartment on Instagram, and immediately receives an offer to swap with Lucy, a total stranger. With the last minute nature of the swap, little information is shared between the two before the move, resulting in confusion and miscommunications.

As the two families adjust to their new circumstances and face their own unique challenges, they all become stronger and more self-reliant. The characters are all well-drawn and likable, and its heartening to watch them live and thrive outside their comfort zones. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a character driven novel with multi-faceted characters facing challenges and growing stronger as a result.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me an ARC of the novel in exchange for my honest review.

Amy Poeppel always writes such quirky, relatable, and adventurous characters. I loved the journey of getting to know Lucy, Greta, and their whole families in this book. Poeppel brought the characters through moments that could be seen as absolute lows and shows how families and individuals can grow when faced with adversity. I wanted to be in both Dallas and Berlin throughout the book and wanted to be part of their large, chosen family. The end tag wrapped everything up nicely, and I feel like these characters were family by the end. I’m sad to leave them!

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Far and Away
Amy Poeppel
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I thoroughly enjoyed Amy Poeppel’s latest novel Far and Away. She’s a favorite author of mine and I’ve loved her other four novels as well. The characters are always fun and although flawed she still manages to make them likable for the reader.
Far and Away deals with a house swap between Lucy and Greta in a last minute attempt to deal with unexpected predicaments they’ve both found themselves facing. Lucy’s home is in Dallas and Greta’s is in Berlin. Not only are these entirely different countries and cultures but their homes and lifestyles are completely different.
One of the things I absolutely loved throughout the book was the use of various German phrases. They reminded me so much of my Mom who was German and would use some of the same expressions with me. It was a sweet memory brought back by Amy’s writing.
While there were several characters throughout the book it was never difficult to remember who they were. That is one of my pet peeves in other books in that it is just so confusing. Amy has a way of creating distinct characters who though flawed are quite endearing. I found myself cheering them on throughout the book and laughing at some of the crazy situations they found themselves in.

Far and Away is available for preorder now and will be released on June 10, 1025.
Thanks to @netgalley and Publisher @atriabooks for the opportunity to read an early digital copy. All opinions are my own.

#netgalley #atriabooks #farandaway @amypoeppel #amypoeppel #favoriteauthor #womensfiction #generalfiction #juliawoodard #bookreviews

title: Far and Away

author: Amy Poeppel

publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books

publication date: June 10, 2025

pages: 400

peppers: 1 (on this scale)

warnings: none

summary: When Lucy's son Jack's life blows up just before his high school graduation (which doesn't happen because he gets expelled), she impulsively swaps apartments with the sister of a long-ago friend in Berlin. Greta, who follows her husband Otto to his new job in Dallas, is surprised by Lucy's house and pets and life.

tropes: This isn't a romance, and it's not really trope-heavy. It's very trading-places, if that counts as a trope.

what I liked:

characters of multiple generations
dealing with real issues at every age
snappy dialogue and humor
clever details

what I didn’t like: honestly, I almost stopped reading after the first couple of chapters. I was confused and not engaged. (To be fair, I was sick with pneumonia and might not have been my most attentive, open-hearted self.) Then, I got completely into it and ended up loving the book.

overall rating: 5 (of 5 stars)