The Switch

I almost DNF'd it because it's about sibling loss, but I decided to take inspiration from the characters and push through. I'm glad I did! Lovely story. It's not often that one of the main characters is 79 years old.

This book has been on my radar since it was published last year, and I'm so glad it was! The story is about new beginnings at any age, the value of friendship, and the ways family can grow apart and then come back together as different people. There is plenty to laugh at, including 79-year-old spunky Eileen who is figuring out smartphones, London tubes, and online dating with a little help from friends. I listened to this book on audio, and it was great - the narrators did a great job! There were different voices for different characters, but it didn't distract from the story - it added to it. This was a fun fun read.

Thank you #netgalley and @macmillanaudio for an advance listening copy of #theswitch in exchange for an honest review.

Just a pure hit of serotonin right when I needed it. This needs to be a movie. Just adorable and sweet and fun all the way around. Highly recommended.

A story about a woman connecting to her granmother is sweet, in theory but I just didn't care for it. I didn't find the characters or plot progression particularly enjoyable.

Started off poorly but picked up speed about 75 pages in. I came pretty close to DNF'ing but I'm glad I didn't.

No final da minha resenha de “Teto pra Dois” eu disse que leria mais trabalhos da Beth O' Leary e... Meu Deus! Aquele livro foi lindo, mas esse... Perfeição.

Beth tem o dom de tratar de temas pesados (relacionamentos tóxicos, saúde mental, luto) de um jeito realista, mas extremamente leve e esperançoso. Os personagens são tão bem construídos e legais que fico com vontade de ser amiga de cada um deles (menos de vocês Ethan e Ceci. Vocês eu detesto!). É um dom e uma arte ver a vida com humor e leveza e esse foi meu sentimento ao ler essa história incrível sobre família, amor e autodescoberta. Sempre fui muito amiga das minhas avós e uma das minhas melhores amigas tem 92 anos então é incrível ver outros jovens valorizando amizades que acrescentam tanto quanto os amigos idosos.

Amei os aspectos diferentes entre as gerações conversando de um jeito tão construtivo. E como cada um pode contribuir pro outro.

O passo do livro é muito bom e não tenho nada do que reclamar. Gargalhei e chorei bastante, me sentindo parte daquela família de amigos e orgulhosa das mulheres Cotton. Amei ver como superaram o luto e cresceram juntas. Gostei da dose de romance que a história trouxe também. A espera me deu borboletas no estômago e o romance da Eileen foi o meu favorito.

Estou decidida a ler QUALQUER coisa que Beth escrever. Até a lista de compras.

⭐ Ponto positivo: Nem dá pra resumir

❌ Ponto negativo: Queria mais cenas do Mike e da Bree (seria incrível um livro deles)

I enjoyed [b:The Flatshare 36478784 The Flatshare Beth O'Leary https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1552471375l/36478784.SY75.jpg 58189559] a bit more but this was a perfectly lovely book. O'Leary finds inventive ways for her characters to meet and share each other's lives and it's always a treat to read the character development that comes along with it. THis book was just a sweet ball of fluff.

4.5 stars

Narrated by Daisy Edgar-Jones and Alison Steadman, The Switch is a lighthearted story about a grandmother and granddaughter that decide to switch lives for two months. Lena, still reeling from the passing of her sister a couple of years earlier, is struggling at her high-powered, high-stress job in London and is put on a two-month sabbatical by her boss. Meanwhile, her 79-year-old grandmother, Eileen, finds herself newly single when Lena's grandfather runs off with a younger woman. The two women decide to do a house swap, with Lena spending the two months at her grandmother's home in Yorkshire and Eileen staying at Lena's flat in London and jumping into the world of online dating. The story that ensues is sweet and funny and reminded me of a multi-generational version of the movie The Holiday.

I absolutely loved this book and the way it presented both women as kind, intelligent and open to stepping outside their respective comfort zones. They each learn to connect to their lives in new ways, with Eileen becoming more adventurous and outgoing, and Lena learning to relax and take time to form genuine connections with those around her.

Beth O'Leary has written another charming and lovable book. Although I did not enjoy this one as much as her debut, The Flatshare, it was quite an enjoyable read. The premise of the book is that a grandmother (Eileen) and her granddaughter (Leena) decide to trade lives for two months because they are both in need of a change that will hopefully put their lives back on track after the loss of a loved one. The switch turns out to be beneficial to both of them, and they learn new things about themselves and how they view the people in their lives.

I love the character of Eileen, the grandmother. She is so full of life and ready for adventure. She brings a sense of community to her granddaughter's apartment block that was desperately lacking. She is a sweet character whom everyone loves. Leena, the younger character, is less charming than her grandmother, but I liked her too. She has some moments when I found her to be very naive and overly trusting, especially in terms of her boyfriend. However, she learns a lot about herself during the switch, and I like how her character grows.

The small town charm and sense of community that is portrayed in this book is refreshing and very appropriate in our current climate. It made me wish for more of it my own life.

I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. It is sweet and uplifting. Just the kind of read needed when real life is a bit chaotic.

When I think of the “slice of life” type fiction, this book fits perfectly. Yes, it's a romance, but it reads more contemporary. I say that because the main characters don't get together with their romantic partners until their last chapters of the book. The plot is more about Eileen and Leena learning about themselves and their place in their world. They connect with people they ordinarily wouldn't and create found families in each other's circle of people. I don't read many books with characters over the age of 70 and Eileen was fantastic. I loved the way grief was handled. It was a heart warming story and I feel like it would make a great mini series on the BBC.

Leena is in mourning for her sister who died of cancer a year ago. Leena works hard, too hard, at her job, and it all falls apart. She is asked to take a two-month sabbatical.

Leena's grandmother, Eileen, is single at 79, and she has always dreamed of living in London instead of her small village.

Almost on impulse Leena and her grandmother decide to change places for the two months, switching homes, friends, cell phones, everything. What will this experiment be like?

(a small spoiler alert)

I was completely taken with Eileen and Leena as characters, each living strong in completely different lives, but each foundering a bit, and the way each took their strengths as people into the new situations and both improved the world and improved themselves. Eileen and Leena are very different and yet also totally the same, and their environments, their friends, their own lives were all strengthened by the switch.

4/5
Such a delightful read! I loved the different perspectives. Reading Eileen embark on a dating journey was too fun! I felt super connected to Lena and loved her own journey, as well.

Even though I'd like to believe that this many people would be open minded and open hearted to the different generations and the whole swap but deep down I kinda doubt it, I can't leave my love undeclared here: I absolutely adore a good British romance, with the irony and the twisted sentences and the bottled up feelings.

I really liked both narrators because they both brought the story to life in their own unique voices. The story was super fun and made me chuckle quite a few times while also having some emotional moments as well. Out of the two main characters in this story my favorite was most definitely Grandma Eileen. I'm saying that I didn't enjoy Leena but Granny was definitely funnier. I knew where one particular story line was going the moment we met a certain character. Overall I give this book 4 stars.

I enjoyed this book, gutsy and nice to have a feisty older character in it.