The Switch: the joyful and uplifting novel from the author of The Flatshare

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It's only fitting that I review this wholesome and heart-warming love letter to Yorkshire on actual Yorkshire day, whilst drinking a cup of Yorkshire tea!

The Flat Share was a 5 star book for me last year, so, I have been eager to read (or listen to) this latest offering by Beth O’Leary, and it did not disappoint! Leena decides to visit the town her grandmother and mother lived in. This is also where Carla spent the last few months of her life. It's hard for Leena to visit her mother's home especially since Leena has not dealt with her grief and she's estranged from her mother. First of all, let me give a shout-out to my friend, Tina, who recommended I listen to the audiobook, because I can’t imagine a better way to experience this book than through the charming narration of Daisy Edgar-Jones and Alison Steadman. They really brought this story to life, and I loved every second of it! After my last frustrating audiobook attempt with The Thursday Murder Club, I feared my mind would go wandering again, so this time I put a leash on it and read along to the audio in my Kindle, which worked like a dream. I won't give up on this author, due to the quality of her first book. This book however, I won't remember with any great degree of fondness.

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The Switch is in development for a studio feature film by Amblin Partners (Steven Spielberg's production company) and starring Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel).

In each book, Beth masters the art of showing protagonists slowly falling in love, while making us wait and guess what’s going to happen. They’re often awkward, quirky and always endearing, and the stories are wholly contemporary. In all of the books, the romance is organic, true to life, and incredibly fun to read. It really is like a big hug! I know this is a bit strange, because of course it does all come out of my brain. But I find it really helpful to conceptualise novel writing in this way. Not to say , I need to come up with a great story, but to say , there’s a great story here and I just need to discover it. It takes the pressure off, perhaps – but it also fits with my methods. If I’m trying to find something, then of course the journey is taking me all over the place. Of course I cover more ground. Of course it’s messy unearthing the story.This is delightful, heartwarming, poignant, beautiful novel with different likable narrators/heroines: grandma and granddaughter. In tough times, I recommend listening to the audiobook, as it made me smile and I think it will make you smile too! 3.5 Stars Yes, I am only 22 at the time of this writing, and no, I do not enjoy the real-life opinions or habits of our society’s most aged individuals, but I am tired of the antics of young people.

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 (‘The Switch’) proves more difficult than either of them expected. Beth O’Leary continues to write a world I don’t want to leave. This story had the perfect balance of heartfelt and emotional moments, whilst making you laugh out loud. Plus, I was convinced these people were a part of my life. I didn’t, and still don’t, want to let go. 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.In this time of increased isolation, The Switch offers a hopeful reminder to reach out to our neighbors with an open mind. It’s a cozy, lovely story about how community matters more than ever.” didn't think i'd ever prefer the second-chance romance of an elderly woman to the christmas movie style high-powered consultant who moves to a little village, but it turns out anything's possible. The main premise of the story is that Eileen and Leena swap lives after Leena has a breakdown at work and you only have a breakdown once life catches up to you. When you’re writing headfirst without a real plan, you can’t expect your brain to work out all the details as you type.