Reviews

The Switch by Beth O'Leary

9lucyann's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

lollaa's review against another edition

funny lighthearted relaxing slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

nerdbrarian's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death and Cancer

lydiapike's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

A sweet, if somewhat predictable story about family, grief and stepping out of your comfort zone.

kthan's review against another edition

2.0

Lost interest very early but listened to the whole book.

roarkstata's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

z0el0u_'s review against another edition

5.0

It’s hard to say who the heroine of this story is, Eileen, a woman who in her late 70s finds herself coping with the loss of her granddaughter and her husband leaving her for another woman or Eileen (Leena) who is struggling with the loss of her sister, suffering with panic attacks which get her signed off work for 2 months.
Either way, these sequence of events lead to the granddaughter and grandma to ‘switch’ places; house, responsibilities and even phones!

This is a beautiful story of how a family survives through the loss of a young girl. A tale of three generations realising they can’t simply go back to who they were before but must try harder to find who they are now. With community, new friends, old friends and a bit of drama and heart ache this book is both warm, with potent messages and a bit of romance weaved throughout.

I’m not sure I’m at the point of grief which our character are hoping for, where I can see pictures and think of memories and smile rather than cry but I know I’m much stronger than I was because this book, and the last I read have been so interlaced with my own feelings, have put things into words which I can barley even recognise in my own conscious and yet I feel empowered. I feel a sense of warmth and deep gratitude to the writers for putting into words what I cannot and for telling the tales of grief, the complex, twisty and selfish tales of grief so beautifully.

emma_bucys's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

lilhowdy's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

kdrhoton's review against another edition

5.0

I loved this wayyy more than I ever thought I would. (And it made me miss my grandma terribly.)