This book was intriguing, funny, witty, and a feel-good listen. The narrators, Daisy Edgar-Jones and Alison Steadman, were perfectly cast and made the book very enjoyable.
My thanks to Net Galley, the publisher and author for allowing me to listen to an advance recording in exchange for an honest review.

I adored this audiobook!

Leena lives in London and is forced to take 2 months off work and is unsure what to do. Leena and her grandmother Eileen decide to switch lives - Leena going to the country and Eileen going to London.

This book was intriguing, funny, witty, and a feel-good listen. The narrators, Daisy Edgar-Jones and Alison Steadman, were perfectly cast and made the book so enjoyable. They really brought Leena and Eileen to life!

I highly recommend this book and will be buying a copy for my grandma!

When Leena is forced to take a two-month sabbatical from work she head's to her grandmother, Eileen's house in the country for some rest and relaxation. Eileen is 79 and recently divorced. She wants to find love, but doesn't think she can in her small town. Leena and Eileen decide to swap houses for the two months so Eileen has a chance at love and Leena has a chance at some down time.

I always like stories that include swapping houses, and I thought this one was done really well. The fact that it was a grandmother/granddaughter swap is original to me. I loved how feisty Eileen is, and at 79 starting a new dating life was definitely an adventure. She was definitely my favorite character. I liked how both Leena and Eileen interacted with the people in each other's lives in totally different ways and created something out of their living situation.

I listened to the audiobook which I would highly recommend. Both narrators did and excellent job. This is set in England so they do have British accents in case that is something that you don't like, but I really enjoyed it.

If you're looking for a cute read that isn't too serious, you should check this one out. There are some serious parts, but mostly, it was a fun story.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Switch by Beth O’Leary

This lovely little gem of a book is a dual perspective story, alternating between Leena, late twenties-something corporate workaholic and her 79 year-old grandmother Eileen. After both experiencing major loss and subsequent grief, both women are looking for a change, a chance to experience life a little differently for a while. They exchange homes, and lifestyles, for 2 months, and we follow along with “The Switch”.

I absolutely loved the premise. I thought it was cute, quirky, and charming. There’s a lovable cast of characters, feisty seniors, and adorable, although predictable romances. Eileen was definitely my favourite narrator, and her sense of humour was refreshing.

I listened to this on audiobook, I really enjoyed having a separate voice actor for each of the two narrators. It was a book easily followed on audio, and lighthearted enough that I could follow along with the story without getting distracted while completing other tasks.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book for those looking for a charming book covering second-chances, grief, and friendship in unlikely places. Yes, there’s a big cheese factor, but if you’re into that, I think you’d really enjoy it for what it is.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for access to an e-audiobook copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

This audiobook is about a family who lost one of their members. The sister, Lena, and mother, MaryAnn, are floundering in their grief, and the grandmother, Ilene, has become stagnant in her routines. After a meltdown during a work presentation Lena is placed on mandatory leave and decides she needs a change of scenery. She visits her grandmother and during their weekend together they form a plan to switch lives. They learn a lot about each other and about themselves.

I was drawn in from the beginning. I could really connect to the characters. And they did and said things that actual humans might do.

The narrators were spot on. I could easily imagine them in my mind as the characters they represented.

I admit that I increased the speed to x1.25 because it was just a bit to slow of a cadence (especially while listening during running sessions).

I would definitely recommend this book to mature teens and adults.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW of THE SWITCH BY BETH O'LEARY

The Switch is such a sweet, wholesome read about the struggles of grief and loss. It’s relatable in that everyone, no matter what age or stage of life, goes through grief and loss. Whether it be death or divorce, it hurts and it affects every part of your world.

Leena, a workaholic living in avoidance of her pain and loss, has a panic attack at work and is forced to take a two month sabbatical. Eileen, Leena’s grandmother, is recently divorced, lonely and in search of new love or at least a little excitement in her life. Both being in a bit of a rut and disappointed with circumstances, they decide to trade lives for the two months.

It was touching to follow the fulfilling journey of Leena and Eileen as they took on new challenges, met new people, had new experiences, confronted pain and loss, and ultimately found forgiveness, acceptance and love.

If you’re looking for a ‘pick me up’ story about women, young and old alike, this book is just for you.

Thank you Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and author, Beth O'Leary, for an audiobook copy of The Switch, Narrated by Alison Steadman and Daisy Edgar-Jones, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions herein are my own.

RECENTLY PUBLISHED DATE: August 18, 2020

I thought this was a cute book about the need for everyone, young and old, to find themselves and their support systems in family and friends. The book started out slow as it built the foundation for two stories and I found the narration slow, but once I adjusted the narration speed, it was great! The storyline was sweet even if it was a bit predictable at times.

This was my first ever audiobook and I can say I will definitely be listening to more! This was a great story. I laughed and I cried. The narration was perfect as well. I highly recommend both the book and the audiobook!

A twenty-something year-old woman and her grandma in her seventies switch places and lives. Leena has a high-stress job and is forced to take a sabbatical, so she goes to Yorkshire. Eileen is looking for love again, but her tiny village is short on single older men. What happens when they switch houses is about letting go of the past, enjoying the present, and embracing the future. Charming and delightful as an audiobook!

Thanks to NetGalley for the Advanced Listening Copy!!!

4.5 stars
This was just such a cute book. It was heartbreaking and heartwarming, adorable and funny.
I loved both Leena and Eileen. They were 100% grandmother and granddaughter. Leena getting back to her roots after Carla's death was equal parts sad and uplifting and hopeful. Her getting to know all her grandmother's friends was so much fun. I had a blast reading about an older generation. Eileen finding love on an online dating site was a hoot. It was so great that she wanted to put herself out there and actually "date" a few men.
It actually took me a little while to get into the book, but I ended up so completely invested in both storylines and the ending was wonderful. The entire book is basically focused on Carla's death, but it isn't directly alluded too all that much which I liked. I thought it was dealt with so well and in such a believable way. Leena, her mom and Eileen all dealt with it differently, which is absolutely true. They each pushed people away or held on too tightly and didn't know how to heal.
Even though the underlying theme was sad, the overall effect was just a feel good, heartwarming book and I really enjoyed listening to it.

Thank you NetGalley, Flatiron Books and Beth O’Leary for the advance readers copy of The Switch. No spoilers below.

I throughly enjoyed this book. If you are looking for a light joyful quick read, pick up this book. The basis of the story is a grandmother and granddaughter recovering from the death of a granddaughter/sister decide to switch living places for two months. During those months they both rediscover themselves.

Have you ever wanted to just switch lives with someone? How about switching with your grandma? Think its going to be all tea times and reading? Leena Cotton did. She thought living her grandma Eileen's life would be a breeze..
What about Eileen? Could she really live the busy city life that Leena does?

The Switch was by far the best audio book I have read yet. The narrators for Leena and Eileen were spot on and gave me the perfect mental picture of the women. Their performance were full of emotion that you could hear in their voices, making it more real and believable. It was like listening to a movie, and I got to pick the actors in my mind.

I'm not a reader that picks actors that should play the characters, if the book ever makes it to screen. I like making my own mental picture. BUT with this book I did choose a cast. I can see Diane Keeton as Eileen. I feel she could completely take on the roll of the spitfire grandma who meddles! For Leena I kept picturing Emma Watson. She's adorable, but can be serious, which is exactly who Leena is. Oh and I chose Jack Nickelson for Arnold, because he is grouchy and hilarious. This book better become a movie.

I found this book to be delightful and hilarious. Perfect Rom Com material. Eileen stole the show for me. Her take on the world attitude was awesome. She's a lot like my own grandma, who is extremely active and refuses to age. I love how she wasnt afraid to connect with the younger generation as a friend and equal, not just a little old lady. I want to be Eileen when I grow up.
Leena's character is the perfect example of the overachiever and workaholic youth. Everyone needs a break sometime, to refuel and clean out the crap in our minds. I love that she went to her grandmas instead of flying to a remote island to unwind. All she needed was community and support, and apparently hot chocolate.

The Switch is a book you gift to your best friend, or even your grandma. It was such a nice change and made me smile the whole time.

The premise of The Switch was so fun and unique that I could not wait to read. I am happy to say that the book did not disappoint and the narration was excellent. The Switch is about a grandmother and her granddaughter essentially swapping residences for a couple months because they both need a reset. What ensues is not entirely unpredictable, but it is refreshing and heartwarming. O’Leary handled the issues of grief and isolation expertly, while maintaining a light and easy feel to the story. I am a fan and am eagerly awaiting her next book.

Thank you @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for my free copy of The Switch. This book was so fun and sweet!
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I adored the Flatshare last year and I adored The Switch. This is putting O'Leary in auto buy status for me. I also feel compelled to use the the word 'daft' in conversation after listening to this audiobook. Such a fun word!
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The story centers around country grandmother Eileen and city granddaughter Leena, both of whom are in need of a change. They decide to switch living arrangements - a la The Holiday - and our story unfolds from there. Told from alternating points of view, we follow along with the ups and downs of such a plan. The characters are endearing, especially the older cast. Eileen, full of spunk, was definitely my favorite!
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The audiobook book narration is spot on. For me it added to the charm of the story. I found myself smiling uncontrollably while listening in the car! People driving by must have thought I was being daft!
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Very predictable novel although I enjoyed the book. The narrator for Eileen was very annoying to listen to due to accessory mouth noises (too much spit), which was very distracting. Also felt the parts that showed a telephone conversation between Leena and Eileen were very hard to hear without blasting the volume. Just seems like the audiobook could have been cleaned up before distribution.

This book brought nothing but pure joy from beginning to end! I seriously loved it, it was so precious! It was heartfelt, effortlessly hilarious, and had a cast of wonderful characters that will stay with me for a long time... Especially Eileen, Leena's 79 year old grandma who absolutely rocks!
The book captures rural village life beautifully, along side the hussle and bussle of London. The author tackles unconventional friendships, complicated family dynamics and major life events with care and wit resulting in me cackling like a crazy person every other chapter while simultaneously poking me in the feels, repeatedly.

The Switch has what I'd class as background romance but it isn't really a romance book... It's a book about relationships in all the forms they come. A book about finding yourself, being true to yourself and the bonds you have with other people. (But it does come with a lovely happy ever after, so don't fear!)

I listened to The Switch on audiobook and I don't think I could read it any other way now... The narrators (one for Eileen, one for Leena) did a knockout job of bringing Leena and Eileen to life, not to mention the other characters, and I highly recommend taking it in in this format for an extra helping of wonderful from this wonderfully special book.

Thank you to Net Galley for the opportunity to listen to this audio book. The narrators did a fantastic job. I don’t often do audio books, because I become distracted easily and miss parts of the book. But this one really held my attention. The 2 main characters were delightful, especially the grandma, Eileen. Enjoyed hearing the change in voices from grandmother to granddaughter. Had a little difficulty with the British words but quickly got used to what they meant. The humor was in all the right places. Grandma was especially good at the humorous comments and ways of looking at life. I also thought the author did a great job of bringing in many friends of the granddaughter’s when Grandma moved into her granddaughter’s apartment in London. It was fun to see friendships develop between young and old. Both Eileen and Leena, the granddaughter, had events in their lives that needed healing. The switch in location helped each of them grow and heal. There were no mysteries solved or terrible secrets revealed in the book, just a fun, character driven story of getting through some of the ups and downs of life when you’re in your 20s and when you’re in your 70s.

This was such a cute book! I loved the characters, the plot was fast and engaging, and the different points of view perfectly depicted what each character was experiencing. Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my opinion.

Leena has an anxiety attack at work and is given two months paid vacation. Through a short series of events, she and her grandmother, Eileen, decide to switch homes for that time. Leena goes to the country and Eileen to the city. Both learn about themselves and those closest to them.
Opinion
I listened to the audiobook. The narrators, Alison Steadman and Daisy Edgar-Jones, did a superb job. I enjoyed their accents and the special effects such as a tunnel sound effect when they were on the phone.
The story was completely charming. The characters grew into their own strength, offering advice to others all the while improving themselves. In both the city and country, the interactions with family and friends made the story. The interactions showed how similar the two ladies are to each other. Both ladies found what they were looking for but weren’t expecting.
This is a truly lovely story.

Super enjoyed this idea of switching with your grandma your lives in a way. London vs the rural life. Two months in each others places and duties. Loved the duel POV (the narration of this is just wonderful). The chapters switch as well so we get both sides of the story. Loved the grandma in this one soooo much!! Some of the side characters are just super funny. There is drama, family past history, sister death, grief, bad boyfriends, and noisy old neighbors. Happy and sad tears with this one.

I really enjoyed the writing of this one with the story line of these two. Not much steam in this one- the grandma has more :)

Narration is with British actors which just makes this so real and holds your attention.
Overall, 4.5 stars and .5/1 steam