BOOK REVIEW: The Switch by Beth O’Leary

Title: The Switch
Author: Beth O’Leary
Publication: August 18, 2020
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Genre: Romance, Women’s Fiction
Pages: 336

SYNOPSIS: (From Goodreads)

When overachiever Leena Cotton is ordered to take a two-month sabbatical after blowing a big presentation at work, she escapes to her grandmother Eileen’s house for some overdue rest. Eileen is newly single and about to turn eighty. She’d like a second chance at love, but her tiny Yorkshire village doesn’t offer many eligible gentlemen.

Once Leena learns of Eileen’s romantic predicament, she proposes a solution: a two-month swap. Eileen can live in London and look for love. Meanwhile Leena will look after everything in rural Yorkshire. But with gossiping neighbours and difficult family dynamics to navigate up north, and trendy London flatmates and online dating to contend with in the city, stepping into one another’s shoes proves more difficult than either of them expected.

Leena learns that a long-distance relationship isn’t as romantic as she hoped it would be, and then there is the annoyingly perfect – and distractingly handsome – school teacher, who keeps showing up to outdo her efforts to impress the local villagers. Back in London, Eileen is a huge hit with her new neighbours, but is her perfect match nearer home than she first thought?

REVIEW:

In October I read the first book by this author called The Flatshare.  I absolutely loved it.  When I saw that the author had a second book coming out or rather had a second book already out I quickly added it to my Amazon Wish List (all books I want, go to my Wish List then I price stalk them) then I priced stalk it until the price gets to something I am willing to pay.  This one dropped in prince on Cyber Monday and I snatched that book up like a hot potato. I was so excited to read it.

Eileen is in her late 70’s almost 80 and is stuck in a rut of sorts.  Her husband left her for a dance teacher and with the prompting of her granddaughter Leena she joins an online dating app.  They find no single men in her area, that she wants to date that is/  Leena has been given a paid 2-month sabbatical from work.  She has been suffering mentally since her sister died a year ago.  Pouring herself into her work.  She goes and visits her grandma Eileen in the Yorkshire Dales.  She realizes that her grandma won’t find a man for her a suggests a switch, London for Eileen and Yorkshire Dales for Leena.  This set into motion a discovery of themselves and finding the person they thought was lost or didn’t know existed.  This book was so good.  I read it in I think 3.5 days.  I read well over 40% in one night because I couldn’t put it down.  I needed to find out what happens next.  I loved the relationship these two women had with each other.  They genuinely loved each other and just get each other.   I had a great relationship with my maternal grandmother but nothing like what Leena and Eileen had. 

I felt so bad for Leena.  The loss of her sister struck her hard.  She suffered hard and poured herself into her work.  That brought about her downfall.    I cheered her on the entire way as she struggled to reconnect with her mother.  I cheered her on as she found herself and found new things that she loved.  I absolutely adored the entire village.  They were the biggest busy bodies with the best of intentions.  Watching Eileen navagate the world that is online dating cracked me up.  I loved the fact that she completely and totally embraced this whole adventure and didn’t let anything pass her buy.  Seeing Leena unfurl into a amazing person was watch.  I was gunning for her and Jackson to get together the whole time.  I will certainly be on the lookout for more books by this author and will certainly read them in the future.  

STAR RATING: 5/5

Pick up your copy of The Switch by Beth O’Leary on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and check your local bookstore. Also make sure to add it to your To Reads list on Goodreads and leave feedback for the author when you are finished. Check out more from author Beth O’Leary here!

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