This book was cute! I listened to it to and from Tennessee on a road trip and couldn't pause the book. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Beth O'Leary has a way of making her characters feel like your friends and family. They feel REAL with real problems and real emotions. Relatable in so many ways, you instantly feel yourself connecting to them. Also, on top of the great writing style, the narrators were AMAZING in bringing Leena and Eileen to life. I'm a huge fan of audiobooks and this just blew it out of the park.

The audiobook of The Switch was absolutely delightful! Such a fun, lighthearted read that I think a number of age ranges would love. The narrators were so, so talented and made the story even more dynamic. Would highly recommend any chick lit lover read or listen to this!

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for my honest review!

The Switch is set in England and it follows a grandmother and granddaughter who decide to switch places to reset their lives after the granddaughter has a panic attack while giving a big presentation at work and is forced on a paid two month holiday. The grandmother (Eileen) moved to her granddaughter's (Eileen as well, but Lena for short) flat in London and Lena moved to the quaint Yorkshire town where her grandmother and her mother live. Eileen's goal for Lena is to reconnect with her mom after a falling out when Lena's sister died. Lena's goal for Eileen is to find love now that she is newly single. Both women have great experiences in their new cities and learn new things about themselves.

This book is SO CUTE! The narrators for each character were perfect and I love that they were played by two different people. The story is great and kept me interested. It also wasn't too difficult to keep track of all the characters, I think having two narrators helped. It is not a 5 star book for me because at times it felt like there was a lot going on with Eileen trying to find love and start a senior group, and Lena trying to rekindle her relationship with her mom and involved in the all of her grandmother's neighborhood groups. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in a light read!

There’s been a lot of buzz around Beth O’Leary’s books so I was keen to give one a try although a little apprehensive that it would live up to the hype - I was pleasantly surprised to find that it did!

This book follows Leena and her grandmother, Eileen. The family is going through a lot following the recent death of Leena’s sister. Leena has been struggling at work and forced to take a sabbatical and her relationship with her mother has become tense. Eileen is stuck in the middle of her daughter and granddaughter and on top has found herself unexpectedly single. With Leena needing a break from life and Eileen desiring the busyness and dating opportunities of London they decide to switch flats and lives!

The plot is quite straightforward but incredibly heartwarming and sweet. I enjoyed both ladies perspectives and their different takes on each other’s lives. This isn’t a book for someone who wants a lot of action and drama but perfect if you want a slow paced, charming story of family dynamics and community.

I listened to this on audiobook, I really liked the narrator who did a fantastic job of keeping the narrative engaging and distinguishing the characters. The telephone effect was particularly well done!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Such a great story about taking a step back from the lives we know to just reset & see life through a fresh set of eyes! I loved how we were able to see the relationships between each generation of women in this book grow as well as seeing how they grew as individuals. Such a great book and the narration was really done well with this one, it was easy to listen to and to follow & I liked how it had different voices for each character! Overall a fantastic book!

Really enjoyed this book. It was super cute and very funny. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

I loved this audiobook so much. This was one of the first audiobooks I've listened to and the storytelling was so well done. The accents added to the whimsy of the story. The Switch is about a granddaughter and grandmother that decide to switch lives. There is romance and family drama and all the good things you want out of a lighthearted story like this one! I loved the quirky characters and the plot! Definitely would recommend.

I had heard about the Switch on Bookstagram and when I was approved to listen to the audiobook I jumped for joy.

When Leena suffers a panic attack at work and blows a big presentation she is made to take a two-month break from work. Her 79-year- old grandmother, meanwhile wants to find love again but won’t have much chance at that in her small Yorkshire village. They decide to switch their homes: Leena is going to live in Yorkshire while Eileen attempts dating in London. Aided by neighbours, friends and new acquaintances the story is one about two strong, independent women making the best of their situation and overcoming problems of their past and finding happiness again.
I loved the two narrators; Daisy Edgar-Jones and Alison Steadman! I also really enjoyed the story and loved that Eileen started her Silver Shoreditch Social Club to fight loneliness of the elderly in a big city like London. It’s a topic society needs to acknowledge and talk about.
As a light read I can wholeheartedly recommend The Switch!

Another hit from Beth O’Leary! I read The Flatshare in January, it was my first book of 2020 and still one of my favorites!

Her follow-up novel was just as charming! I did a combo of audiobook and ebook for this one and loved both!

Leena Cotton, a hotshot management consultant in London, is reeling after the death of her sister and is forced to take a mandatory two-month leave from work. She decides to visit her grandmother at her Yorkshire cottage and they make a plan to switch places for two months! They fully commit too, switching phones and computers (I would never survive!)

Leena’s grandmother has just jumped into online dating and finds London fascinating, she quickly becomes friends with the younger crowd of Leena’s and she engages the elderly to start a new social club.

I loved the relationship between Leena and her Grandmother, it reminded me of my own at times. I had lol moments while reading, teared up a few times, and found myself smiling so often. I can’t wait for the next novel by Beth O’Leary!

So I have to admit that when I first downloaded this book, I really wasn't sure that I was going to enjoy a grandma/granddaughter switch... Was it going to make sense? Would it be like Freaky Friday? I really didn't know what to expect.
But this... this was pure magic. I am completely an O'Leary fan now. Her ability to completely draw you into the story, I am totally in a book hangover. Both Leena and Eileen were protagonists that you rooted for, cried with, and laughed with. I do not want to give too much away, but if you enjoy woman supporting woman with a little romance thrown in for all ages, I HIGHLY recommend!
The audiobook was SO WELL DONE. The narrators were fantastic!

This is definitely going to be one of my favorite reads from 2020. I listened to the audio book narrated by Daisy Edgar Jones and Alison Steadman. I enjoyed having two different voices, both women give the characters personality and add a lot to the story.

After being forced to take some time off from work, Leena has the brilliant idea to swap places with her grandmother to give them both a change of scenery. The result is at times hilarious, often emotional, and always interesting. I loved that we got to follow both women on their adventures and learn what was going on in their minds.

This is story about family and relationships. It's also about grief, and the struggle to find a new normal after a huge loss. I came to care for all of the characters and by the time I was about half way through, I hated to stop listening because I was so invested in both women's stories. It's a highly enjoyable and ultimately uplifting read.

The first word that comes to mind with The Switch is charming. It is the comforting, cozy, delightful, pick-me-up read that we all need in our lives right now. The premise of a grandmother and granddaughter switching places for a couple of months is cute and compelling, but the story and characters deliver so much more than I expected. I loved Eileen, the grandmother, with her witty thoughts and adventurous spirit. And I found myself rooting for the granddaughter Leena, hoping she will find a renewed purpose and sense of hope.

There isn't much plot to the story, it's more about entering the lives of these characters you want to call family. It deals with some heavier topics like loss and grief but manages to feel like the ultimate comfort read. This is one to cozy up to with a blanket and cup of tea.

The narration in the audio book is perfection, Eileen's voice has a lively spark while Leena's is appropriately more "contained wound up", capturing her struggle to let go. I generally prefer print versions, as my mind tends to wander with audio, but I was so captivated with this one and didn't want it to end.

Recommend for: Readers looking for feel-good women's fiction with characters to fall in love with

May not be for you if: You're hoping for an unpredictable story or one that's not too sentimental

I loved this audiobook! It was like a lovely cup of tea at just the right temperature – a little bit hot but not so it burns. The chapters alternated with narration between the two main characters, starting with Leena (short for Eileen) in chapter 1, voiced by Daisy Edgar-Jones. Leena is in her 20’s, lives in ever-busy London with flatmates Martha and Fitz. We learn she has had a bit of a breakdown during a big presentation at work and is required by her boss to take a two month sabbatical to slow down, rest and regenerate.
We then meet Eileen (voiced by Alison Steadman), Leena’s 79 year-old grandmother in chapter 2. Eileen lives in the small village of Hamleigh and is very involved in her community Neighbourhood Watch and May Day Committee but usually chooses not to interfere in the lives of others (yet!). Steadman’s narration is a bit breathy but I quickly got used to it and felt it added to, rather than detracted from her character. Eileen has been abandoned by her long-time husband Wade and is looking for romance and adventure.
Leena and Eileen decide to switch places – homes, phones, computers, responsibilities and friends – for the two months Leena is to be off from work. The two dive into each other’s lives with very different approaches, ruffling a few feathers but with interesting results. Eileen learns that interfering for the right reason is not always a bad thing.
Eileen and Leena are also grieving, in different ways, the loss of Leena’s sister to cancer, about a year earlier. While Eileen has coddled her daughter through the grief, Leena has been angry with her mother and struggled to maintain a relationship with her. However, with Eileen’s responsibilities now hers, Leena has to face her feelings towards her mother head-on and the result is surprising to everyone. This story navigates us through it all with sometimes emotional but more often funny twists and turns to a satisfying conclusion. - ec

The narrators were fantastic and added so much authenticity to this story. The story itself was warm, tender and full of redemption. I cannot recommend it enough.

After suffering from loss and heartbreak, Leena and Eileen are both desperately in need of a change. In unconventional style, they decide to switch lives for a bit. This story was a beautiful discovery of self, working through family grief and falling love. I really enjoyed both women's journeys and the unexpected challenges and benefits that their new lives brought them. Although I was hoping for a bit more romance, following their stories brought me joy. It was a fun audiobook for anyone who enjoys listening to stories about women trying to find their way at any age.

Book Review

The Switch - Beth O’Leary
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I listened to this through NetGalley audiobooks and it was great! From the start the narrators were really likeable, their storytelling was realistic and kept me engaged. The story itself was fun, light and such an easy listen. The characters were relatable, their struggles, worries and insecurities were also understandable.

I loved how the story unfolded, how each of the women grew and developed, pushed themselves out of their comfort zone and learned so much about themselves, making them more confident and able to chase their dreams!

I’m really looking forward to reading the next book from Beth.

This was a sweet, endearing read. I listened to it as an audiobook and I think that enhanced the experience. Having the POV of both 79 year old Eileen and her granddaughter Lena read with their British Yorkshire accents made it seem as if I was a guest in their home as they regaled their listeners with the tale.

I loved O'Leary's The Flatshare and was very excited to have the opportunity to listen to this new release. I liked The Flatshare more as it was a bit more engaging and fast-paced, but there were still great bits about The Switch. I don't feel like I read enough books with older/elderly characters, and they are always so fun. Both of the main characters were well-developed and the whole novel had a warm, feel-good vibe to it. Thank you!

Although the audio quality wasn’t the best, I enjoyed it.

The story follows namesakes Lena (short for Eileen)and her grandmother Eileen. Cute book. Fast paced. Enjoyed it.

Love the relationship the characters had with each other. I loved the characters full stop. A cute book that I didn’t expect to like as much as I did.
3.5/5 stars