Cheyenne Blue's Switcheroo transports readers to the vivid landscapes of Queensland, Australia, weaving a tale of romance between Hayley, a New Yorker, and Jenna, a local who embodies the spirit of the outback. The novel excels in creating a rich, atmospheric setting that captures the beauty and ruggedness of the desert. Despite some clichéd dialogue and the initially weak chemistry between the protagonists, the story develops into a rewarding exploration of their relationship, marked by a significant, gripping event that keeps the pages turning.

While the narrative offers a compelling look at Jenna's profound connection to her environment, Hayley's character brings a contrasting city vibe that is both refreshing and at times jarring due to the outdated or misplaced slang. Blue's portrayal of Hayley's struggle to fit into the rural setting is nuanced, highlighting her personal growth and genuine interactions with the station's community. However, the use of New York slang occasionally disrupts the story's flow, pulling the reader out of the immersive experience.

Overall, Switcheroo is another great read from Blue. This is a book for those who enjoy romance novels that celebrate scenic settings and character-driven narratives. The story’s heart lies in its setting and the detailed depiction of the characters’ lives, offering a picturesque escape to the Australian outback with a side of romance. While the relationship between Hayley and Jenna may lack some sparks, their journey towards understanding and acceptance provides a satisfying, slow-burn romance that is an enjoyable read.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Ylva Publishing for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

Jenna Dwyer loves working at the Ghost Gum Station (Ranch), where she hoped that when the station manager she’d be chosen when the current manager retired. Hard work, long days, making sure you’re carring water at all times. The owners, after seeing a newspaper ad, were looking for someone willing to trade their job on the station and go to New York City to take on the job the other person had. Sounds interesting, right. Jenna's thoughts were simple, let's not do this but she didn’t make those changes, so here comes an American, who never lived on a farm. It will be Jenna who has the job of looking out for her while showing how the station operates.
When Hayley Reed read the ad she immediately entered. Now she was working two dead end jobs going nowhere fast. Hoping she would have to go to some resort or something like it. Now she finds herself in the middle of nowhere, working on a ranch and finding herself falling for a cowgirl.
This isn’t the first book I’ve read by Ms Cheyenne, nor will it be the last, I hope. She likes to take her readers with her writing about the very different lives of the people who share her country. Very, very enjoyable read.
ARC via NetGalley/ YLVA Publishing

Is it just me, or is Cheyene Blue getting better with each book she writes? Switcheroo delves into Outback Australian as deep as you can go, and reading along as a city girl from the USA is converted to the lifestyle is addictive.

Hayley, New York born and bred wins the opportunity to do a life swap with an Aussie jillaroo. She’s disappointed to learn that she is heading to a cattle station and struggles from the get-go. Making friends seems impossible, and her new ‘BFF’ Jenna doesn’t seem interested in helping her ease into things, instead throwing her straight into the deep end.

Jenna is at home on the station, and her ambition is to run the place one day. It makes romance near impossible, but there is something about Hayley that has her heart racing. Finding out if the two can find common ground is a challenge, but one that is full of country antics, authentic side characters, and nights of conversation under the stars.

I really couldn’t put this book down. There is something about a mutual attraction that isn’t acted on straight away that keeps me turning the pages. I can never wait to see how the story plays out. And this one is worth the wait. The happily ever after comes with a little angst, but a lot of sapphic sweetness and sexy times. Make sure you check it out.


I received an ARC from YLVA publishing via NetGalley and am leaving a voluntary review

This was my first read by Cheyenne Blue and it was very entertaining. I enjoyed the life-swapping angle and insight into the Australian outback. The main's relationship seems to develop organically and never felt forced. I really liked both MCs. They have strong personalities and clear intentions. They were good together. The intimate scenes were sweet and not overly descriptive, a nice mid-level spice.
Very nice imagery for the landscapes. Great supporting characters and found family. Chantelle was the character I loved to hate. She added the necessary conflict with her little twist to the story.
I was kind of thrown by the "Americanisms," because as an American, I didn't think the slang that was used was average for a New Yorker. Maybe just unique to the character. I have to admit I did chuckle a bit at the choice of words.
Enough things happening throughout to keep the pacing even and I never lost interest. I will be reading more by this author.
I gave this novel 3.5 stars, rounded up.
#found family #consent is sexy #competency is sexy #fish out of water #New York #Australian Outback #open communication

I am so glad I picked up Switcheroo by Cheyenne Blue. It’s a fish out of water romance with a New Yorker being transplanted to a huge station in the Australian outback.

The voices of the two characters are extremely unique as you switch points of view and made the story that much more enjoyable. I learned a lot of Aussie slang! And I was so excited when a coworker mentioned a Ute and I knew what that was!

The descriptions of the outback are amazing, I could feel the sun beating down on me and the dust between my teeth.

Both Hayley and Jenna come alive on the page and I was really pulling for Jenna to lose her prickly exterior and for Hayley to find herself and her place.

The cast of supporting characters is a lot of fun too and they’re all so unique.

An excellent romance read and highly recommended. (Especially if you’ve ever been a horse girl!)

Hayley Reed lives in a tiny apartment and has two low-paying jobs in New York City, and is barely making ends meet. When she is chosen by a local magazine to be a contestant where two people exchange lives - apartments, jobs, etc. - for a year. Hayley is sure she’s going to be living in a small town in Colorado, instead, she is being sent to work on a cattle station in Australia. At the cattle station, she meets Jenna Dwyer, who loves the heat, the livestock, and even the flies. Hayley, though, isn’t nearly as happy because she misses New York and her life there. However, as the two women work around the station, things change.

Blue has created a well-written story. The setting is unique and Blue does an excellent job of putting her readers on a cattle station in Australia and they’ll feel the heat and smell the horses. When Hayley and Jenna get together, readers’ hearts will beat fast and furiously.

Blue’s characters are so well drawn that readers will undoubtedly be disappointed when the book ends and they have to say goodbye to Jenna and Hayley.

There is very little angst in the book and what there is, is subtle and doesn’t go on for pages and pages.

If you love well-written romances, Cheyenne Blue’s books are for you.

My thanks to Ylva and NetGalley for an eARC.

This is a cute story about stepping out of your life’s safe place and eventually finding love.
Hayley wins a contest where she switches her life and work with another contestant for a year. Imagine what can happen. Hayley ends up in the outback of Australia doing things she never could imagine herself doing. She immediately finds that she is way out of her comfort zone. But her determination to not return back to the States as a failure pushes her to grit her teeth and try to make the best of her situation. She finds her inner strength and eventually starts to enjoy the serenity and beauty of the Outback. In her journey to this serenity, she also finds love.

If you’re looking for a cute fun story about finding love, this is it! Cheyenne has done it again in this book!

Oh, this book is a keeper! I wasn't a huge fan of the last Cheyenne Blue book I read, but she knocked this one out of the park! I loved being transported to Australia and learning about their culture. This was a hot, tense, fun, and flirty take on the stereotypical cowboy romances! I absolutely loved Jenna and Hayley's relationship. The author did a great job of developing a conflict with Hayley's contract with the magazine right away, but smoothing that over quickly so they could build a relationship. Their fling was spicy but tastefully done! I loved how both people went their separate ways at the end before realizing the necessity of being with the other. Perfect storyline, great spice, fun romance, and great conflict resolution!

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley.

I fully enjoyed the story of the hard working New Yorker Haley switching the life to Australia as a jillaroo at a cattle farm. So interesting to learn more about the life and nature of outback Australia and the total culture crock for big city girl Haley. She manages the transition so well though and gets close to Jenna that is the opposite to her and loves the life on a cattle farm far away from city life.

The love story between Haley and Jenna great but it would be great if even more details were in but overall I recommend to read the book since an enjoyable ride.

Hayley Reed, a through and through New Yorker, wins a contest to switch lives for a year and ends up on a remote Australian cattle station. There, she meets Jenna Dwyer, a seasoned ranch hand, who will be mentoring the inexperienced city girl. Despite initial animosity, Jenna struggles to resist Hayley's earnest efforts and undeniable charm.

This book is about learning to stay open minded and overcoming that mental struggle so many face when pushed out their comfort zone.

Thanks to the author, publisher & NetGalley for the ARC because this was such a good book, it was engrossing, the storylines were all well fleshed out and I enjoyed the flow of the book, it all felt natural and well paced. I also really appreciated the way Blue descriptively set the scene of what New York was like for Hayley and vice versa for Jenna. No surprise as Blue rarely disappoints and every book is just better than the last.

If you're a fan of opposites attract, want to know what being a station hand/jillaroo is all about, you'll enjoy this. :)

This book had me all up in my feelings and going back to things I thought I had forgotten. I have been Hayley totally dealing with cultural shock having moved to a new country and Jenna when someone new moved to mine and I had to show them ways to adjust.

At times the story seems to move a little slowly. Is this a novel that you should add to your library - YES.

Went on a little Cheyenne Blue readathon this past month and I was not disappointed. The last read was probably my favorite. I am such a sucker for contemporary western romances. The added Australian flavor was a nice touch to cap off quite the fish out of water hijinks. Fun times.

Thank you to Ylva Publishing and Netgalley for providing an eARC for an honest review.

4.25 ⭐️
Haley wins a competition from a New York newspaper to swap lives with another person for a year. Only she is not sent to a small village in the middle of the Rockies, as she had thought, but to Downunder. She is to spend a year working as a jillaroo on a cattle station in one of the driest and dustiest corners of Australia. There could hardly be a bigger difference to life in New York, even with two low-paid jobs and a mini flat.

Ghost Gum Station is Jenna's home, she can't imagine living anywhere else. The people here are like her family and she loves the vastness of the country and she appreciates and loves the hard work with and for the animals. She is a loyal and hard-working woman with her heart in the right place. But now she has to babysit a clumsy New Yorker and report as many embarrassments as possible to the newspaper.

Hayley is a sweetheart and totally easy to like. She actually turns out to be one of the most disastrous Jillaroos ever. There are some really hilarious situations - for those watching. But one thing Hayley isn't is a quitter. She has to put up with a lot and fight hard for her place and respect. But I was impressed by the way she does it.

The closer Jenna and Hayley get at work, and not just at work, the more Hayley learns to see the land through Jenna's eyes. Jenna's love of the land is palpable and infectious.

What I love most about Cheyenne Blue's stories is her vivid description of the surroundings, the Australian idiosyncrasies, the dialogue, including Aussie slang, and her subtle humor. Her Mc's are down-to-earth and likable women who make good and bad decisions and have dreams and desires.

Reading a book by Cheyenne always feels like visiting old friends in Australia and having a good time. A friend of mine lives in Melbourne and I was able to visit her three times and travel around parts of this huge, beautiful country. Enjoy this journey with Hayley and Jenna.

ARC received from Ylva Publishing through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The adventure of a lifetime!

Hayley gets the opportunity of a lifetime to swap her life with someone else for a year. Finding herself working as a jillaroo on a cattle station in Australia, things couldn’t be more different than the New York life she left behind. Jenna has never left the cattle station and she’s not enjoying having to show Hayley the ropes but Hayley is just too cute for her to resist.

Loved every second of this! It was such an amazing chance for Hayley to really make the most of her life, and it gave Jenna an opportunity to experience something outside of her comfort zone too. Hayley had so much to learn, I admired how she just embraced everything and gave it her best shot, even if it came with bumps and difficulty. She and Jenna had a connection but it was completely laced with a tension you just knew wouldn’t remain, even if Jenna was stubborn and adamant Hayley wasn’t that important to her.

It was a romance that came with lessons about perhaps stopping once in a while and thinking about what really makes you happy. Simplicity is definitely one of the keys to that, as Hayley soon discovered. Being a jillaroo in Australia didn’t come naturally to her, but she eventually found her place and was able to use strengths to start really loving what her life had become and the family she was building out there. Her relationship with Jenna was slow burn and very strained at times to begin with, but they had a great connection when they both let down their defenses and started working together and got to know one another better.

There was a whole cast of characters really making this story special, and I enjoyed it so much! Hopefully Hayley and Jenna will be in future stories, as exciting things await!

The premise of this book is fun, a struggling New Yorker switches places with a jilleroo at and Australian Outback station because they both won a competition.
Let’s just say it isn’t all easy going in the Outback. I really enjoyed reading Hayley’s email’s to the magazine with updates on her life at the station. They tell a fun and good story, the struggles, the countless flies and endless red dirt. As someone who went to an Outback cattle station as “one of those backpackers” I can say a lot of it rings true. I really liked this escape from my life to the place I once was.

The romance isn’t my favourite part of the story, probably because I was so invested in reliving my own Outback experience. I’d say great job and a fun read with some excellent Aussie and (weird) American humour.

4.5 stars.

This is a story about New Yorker Hayley Reed who enters a life swapping contest and wins. She is sent to Australia to a cattle station in Queensland. One of the team leaders there is Jenna Dwyer who’s extremely hard working and wants to become a station manager. . Jenna is very hard on Hayley and Hayley is struggling with the physical labor and loneliness. Eventually they reach an understanding and the rest is history as they say.

I’m becoming a huge Cheyanne Blue fan and plan on reading the rest of the books in her back catalog soon. I find her writing very familiar and it gives me warm hugs. I like her humor and her characters. The stories she writes about Australia make me want to visit there all the more.

Thanks to Ylva Publishing and to Net Galley for letting me read and enjoy the arc so much.

Before this book, I'd never even heard of a jillaroo. That being said, I liked the setting and premise of this one a lot. I definitely learned a few things about Outback Australia I didn't know before. The first half of the book started off really strong for me, I loved watching Hayley learn to fit in and becoming friends with Jenna. However, after Jenna and Hayley went to the queer night event is when I almost struggled to finish the book. It seemed like they then existed in this strange space where I genuinely couldn't tell if their feelings were even romantic or purely sexual/friendly. As well, it felt as though we only got little glimpses into the time that took place during their arrangement, things felt like a montage rather than actual scenes and dialogue that could form a believable relationship. It wasn't until the last third of the book that I could tell for certain they actually had real feelings, and mostly it was because they said so. However, I was still able to appreciate the way the book was resolved with a HEA. Overall, I give this one a 3.4/5 stars!

Switcheroo is a slow burn romance set in the Australian outback on a station (ranch) about three hours from Mount Isa in Queensland. The story features Hayley, diner cook/bartender, from New York who applies for a one year life swap with a jillaroo from the Outback. When Hayley gets selected for the life swap, she is mentored by Jenna at the station. At first Hayley finds it incredibly difficult to take on this new life along with jobs that she isn’t skilled enough to handle. But Jenna provides her some guidance and they begin to develop a friendship.

The book tells the story of the next seven months of life at the station and Hayley and Jenna’s burgeoning relationship. A big positive about the story, from my perspective, is learning about another culture and an area of the world that I am unfamiliar with at this point. I also enjoyed how the book was nicely concluded with Hayley’s return to Australia, 4 stars

I received an ARC from Ylva Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Cheyenne Blue takes us deep into the Outback and life on a station. Life is slow-moving and filled with lots of details. The story is under three hundred pages, but it seems longer. I don’t really feel that Jenna and Hayley are that opposite. They are both hard workers, they just have different jobs on different continents. There are more opportunities in New York for Hayley to socialize and have friends, but Jenna participates in the rainbow events every chance she gets.

There are not enough steamy parts for me (but it just could be that I have been in a drought of non-fiction (chuckle)). The chemistry is good.

Overall, I do wish the pace had been a bit quicker. The desert is dry and I was too for the first half of Switcheroo.

Switcheroo is a slow-burn, low angst romance set in the Australian outback. One thing that truly sets Cheyenne Blue apart from other writers is that the setting is always a main character, no matter where her books are set. I could almost taste and feel the constant red dust that settles over everything.

The "life swap" concept is one I haven't read before, and I couldn't help thinking about the unfortunate soul who ended up serving breakfast at 6:00 AM and then pouring drinks till late at night. And then, what if Hayley couldn't ride a horse for some reason?

The cover art is gorgeous and perfectly sets up the story inside. Just a fantastic way to spend a weekend, fantasizing about another life.