The Switch

After reading and loving Beth O'Leary's previous book, The Flatshare this Spring during quarantine, I was so eager to get my hands on The Switch that I ordered the UK edition of the book, months before it would hit Canadian bookshelves. I'm such a book nerd!

Just as I was about to crack open my hardcover copy, NetGalley announced they'd be offering eAudiobooks to review (Oh happy day!) and The Switch happened to be one of them. So, I snagged a copy and decided to do a combination of reading/listening for this much anticipated book.

The eAudiobook is narrated by two British narrators, Alison Steadman and Daisy Edgar-Jones who did an awesome job bringing Leena and Eileen Cotton's voices to life. I'll admit to having a bit of trouble with their strong Yorkshire accents at times (this is where having the hardcover came in handy) but I honestly have to say that it was one of the best narrations I've ever heard. The emotion, casual nuances and making over-the-phone conversations sound a bit hollow to distinguish them, made this book stand out for me.

The story is sweet, slow moving and character-driven and focuses on family, long-held hurts and starting over and is told in alternating POVs of septuagenarian Eileen and her granddaughter Leena. Eileen is a spunky granny and I enjoyed how O'Leary shows that the older generation can be just as sassy and desire adventure (and a love life) as younger generations. But Leena's POV paled in comparison to Eileen's and even though this story dabbles in serious topics, the issues aren't addressed in much depth or emotion and a few aspects felt underdeveloped.

Overall, this is a cute read with a good message, a little romance, a touch of loss and some domestic issues. While it wasn't quite the amazing read I had expected, it's an enjoyable, light read with a refreshing focus on older generation that fell into the 'endearing but predictable' realm for me.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for my complimentary eAudio copy of this title via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

My Rating: 3 stars

Author: Beth O'Leary

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Light Read

Type and Source: Hardcover (personal copy), eAudio from NetGalley

Publisher: Quercus (HC), MacMillan Audio (eAudio)

First Published: August 13, 2020

Narrators for eAudio: Alison Steadman, Daisy Edgar-Jones

Opening Lines: 'I think we should swap,' I tell Bee, bobbing up 
into a half-squat so I can talk to her over my computer screen.

Book Description from GoodReads: 

Leena is too young to feel stuck.
Eileen is too old to start over.
Maybe it’s time for The Switch…

Ordered to take a two-month sabbatical after blowing a big presentation at work, Leena escapes to her grandmother Eileen's house for some overdue rest. Newly single and about to turn eighty, Eileen would like a second chance at love. But her tiny Yorkshire village doesn’t offer many eligible gentlemen… So Leena proposes a solution: a two-month swap. Eileen can live in London and look for love, and Leena will look after everything in rural Yorkshire.

But with a rabble of unruly OAPs to contend with, as well as the annoyingly perfect – and distractingly handsome – local schoolteacher, Leena learns that switching lives isn’t straightforward. Back in London, Eileen is a huge hit with her new neighbours, and with the online dating scene. But is her perfect match nearer to home than she first thought?