This book really isn't for me and after multiple attempts I have had to admit defeat and mark as dnf.

Rating: 1.5/5

Lily Samson's debut thriller takes its inspiration from Roald Dah's 1974 short story collection, "Switch Bitch", which I have to admit I have never read. Although there are elements of the novel (particularly in the earlier stages) that display some promise with regard to the author's writing style, overall, "The Switch" is a bit of a far-fetched mess.

There are sections where Lily Samson manages to create a genuine sense of atmospheric tension and this would appear to be one of her strengths. Unfortunately, even the basic premise of the story stretches credulity and this undermines the positive aspects of her work. Sadly, as the narrative unfolds, so the plot developments become increasingly outrageous. Ultimately, the reader is asked to suspend disbelief on too many occasions and it just doesn't hold together.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

When Elena bumps into Sophia in a chance encounter, they hit it off, despite their differences. It doesn’t take long for one of them to suggest that they swap husbands/partners for the nights - allegedly without the men knowing. It all goes well until underlying motives are reveal…

I realllllllly had to suspend my disbelief for this one. Although the women seem to have thought of everything, down to loosening the lightbulbs in case the men got suspicious, I can’t believe that a men would not recognise the feel of his long-term partner’s body, breath etc, even in the dark.

*TRIGGER WARNING* The book also tackled some taboo topics including incest and child abuse. For me it pushed it even further towards the fantastical and I feel like the story and characters could have played out much the same way without either of these topics.

The ending of The Switch really disappointed me. I had high hopes for Elena and cannot at all understand the choices she made. There’s no way that whole situation can stay hidden for long.

Definately not for me

I lost interest as the plot progressed. I mean, it just sounded unrealistic and I just found it disappointing- definitely not my choice of a good book. However I read it to the end, and again disappointed

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House

Elena and Adam are housesitting in Wimbledon when they meet Sophia and Finn and are instantly drawn into their lavish lifestyle.
As Elena and Sophia grow closer, Sophia offers Elena a proposition. They swap partners for one night in secret. But can they really pull it off? Will it actually work? As Elena experiences a sexual awakening that turns to a love affair, she doesn't see that Sophia has different plans up her sleeve. Will the couples get out of this unscathed, or does it mean the end?

This was very fast paced and gripping. There were so many twists and turns that I never really knew where I was going to end up. A lot of these characters were unlikeable but I feel like it added to the story. The only thing stopping this from being 5 stars was that I guessed some of the twists before they happened. Highly recommend!

An enjoyable, but totally unbelievable plot, as it went on, it got less and less believable.
I would call it a bit of lighthearted holiday reading, preferably around Nice.
It is nicely written, with a lot of twists and turns, but really you have to suspend disbelief to read this. Enjoyable

This book is scandalous!! Without giving anything away this book will keep you guessing until the very end! So suspenseful, you won’t be able to put it down!

Having reading the blurb and all the comments by reasonably well known authors regarding the “thrill” and “menace” to be found between the covers of this book – or in my case sliding from right to left on my Kindle – I was prepared for a really – really – good few hours….

Flat-dwellers in a not-so-desirable part of London, Elena and Adam can’t believe their luck when they’re given the opportunity to house sit in swish Wimbledon. They quickly become entranced by the wealth and opulence of their surroundings, and do their best to fit in. By chance Elena meets the beautiful, elegant and enigmatic Sophia and falls under her spell, and then, upon meeting Sophia’s husband Finn, Elena is smitten and starts to have more than just a little fantasy about him. Meeting regularly in a local cafe, Sophia suggests a game – she has told Elena previously that her sex life is somewhat wanting and wouldn’t it be fun if a little husband-swapping took place? Their innocent men-folk would be kept in the dark, obviously, both literally and metaphorically, as the women sneak about under cover of darkness, swapping houses and a hell of a lot more. Now what could possibly go wrong…

You would be forgiven for thinking Elena is a young, naive 21-year old but she is in her late thirties! Okay, she admits to having Finn-laden fantasies, but come on, her behaviour is nauseating. There are several inconsistencies, one of which is that the author has forgotten, or overlooked, the fact that Elena doesn’t have a driving licence, but still managed to hire a car, drive a substantial distance.

The first part of the book is quite fast paced and somewhat intriguing but after “the deed” it all becomes so preposterous I gave up. There isn’t one likeable or relatable character, the dialogue is cheesy, the plot beyond silly, and the writing often clunky.

I haven’t been able to finish it and don’t intend to go back and try again. This one is for deleting immediately.

My thanks to Netgalley for an ARC to download

Thank you to NG for the ARC in exchange for a review.

I thought the premise of this book was good but did wonder how it would last for a full book without getting repetitive. I was surprised, therefore, to see the 'switch' happen quite early on in the book so I was unsure how the plot was going to develop.

Sadly, for me, it went a bit weird and became too farfetched. Whilst I quite liked the main character, Elena, Finn and Sophia seemed to change personalities frequently so I find it hard to engage with them. For me, Adam added nothing either. I'd predicted a couple of the big twists reasonably early so perhaps this played into how I felt about this book.

On the plus side, it took me back to my days living near Wimbledon Village which I had always loved!

Not the best book for me but I suspect this will definitely capture the imagination of others.

So I went into this automatically thinking there was going to be a murder to solve. I don't know why...possibly because most suspense thrillers have a murder at the centre of its plot. So I was surprised by how refreshing I found it that the premise of this book was different and much more psychological in its suspense and anticipation of something going awry.
The Switch is a brilliant book. I think what fascinated me most and had me hooked was the thought that people probably actually live out the fantasy we see being enacted in the story. Which is the great power of all books...anything is possible. Although quite how people would get away with what we witness our 2 female leads accomplishing here is beyond me. Which in turn made this book exciting, dangerous and intriguing throughout.

Elena is bored with life despite feeling that Adam, is her safety net. When she meets the stunning Sophia in a coffee shop by chance, she is excited to have made a new friend with such vivosity for life. A couples date is arranged and Elena finds herself just as enticed by Sophia's gorgeous husband Finn so much so that when Sophia suggests they 'switch', Elena wonders if its all too good to be true.

Naturally, chaos ensues, feelings are rampant, secrets are kept and lies are told. The perfect ingredients for a captivating read!

Really enjoyed this. Was a brilliant read and finished it very quickly! Thanks so much for this. This was my first time reading one by this author and it was a great read. Have already been recommending it to others!!

I enjoyed The Switch, the characters were intriguing although quite unlikable and I definitely think it will be a hit. It was full of twists and turns and although I did guess the twists quite early on, I did question whether I was right a good few times. I did find it a bit long and the second half dragged slightly.

There was a slight inconsistency that annoyed me.. Elena said she’d never learnt to drive but then hired a car and drove to Cornwall? Hopefully this is just a proof copy issue and will be amended before release.

Overall, a good domestic thriller with a unique (although very unbelievable) storyline.

I unfortunately found this book hard to get into as the story was just a bit too unbelievable for me - and im usually willing to suspend belief. The story felt very similar to "The couple next door" too which ruined it a little for me.
Thank you for giving me the chance to review this book.

Well, I will be completely honest. At first, I was disappointed because this book a copy of the tv series The couple next door. Which I didn't know and surprises me gratefully, is that this book was going to have a really good plot twist.

The characters are well driven and the only thing I missed is knowing more about Adam and his mother, as they are being forgotten in the last pages.

This one started off strong but just kept going down hill and by the end I had honestly lost all interest and didn't really care about what happened

Well I'm pretty disappointed. In the book and myself...the fact that I've sat on 56% read for over a month now is a pretty sure sign that I won't finish this one. Didn't like the characters and the plot just isn't holding my interest sadly. May try again in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley for a free electronic copy of this book. Whilst I enjoyed this book and found it intriguing I had to cast aside my raised eyebrows and disbelief that 2 women could switch partners, and more than once, without their other halves realising. I had to accept that artistic Licence ruled in this book. Sorry but it’s a crazy notion. Anyway, I did still like this easy read and finished it even though I guessed what the two ‘twists’ were. The main disappointment and frustration was the ending for me. I can’t really say more without adding a spoiler or three. If you want an easy read and don’t take the ideas explored too seriously then read this book.

Firstly thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I really enjoyed this thriller and it’s a twist on the usual type books in this genre.

The plot is set around two couples, who grow closer with an ever increasingly complex set of relationships.

The mystery and tension builds, and there were several plot threads which lead to unexpected events and revelations!

Would recommend

This is silly but a lot of fun. What goes on behind the curtains in Wimbledon houses. There's some very strange goings on in the novel and it reminded me of that couples drama on TV where Demelza from Poldark fame swapped partners with the neighbours. This book is like but even wilder and far fetched, But , a lot of fun along the way.

Well I really enjoyed this one, and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough! This thriller had me on the edge of my seat until the very last word