Book Review – The Switch by Beth O’Leary
Eileen is sick of being 79.
Leena’s tired of life in her twenties.
Maybe it’s time they swapped places…
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?
My rating:
I received this book in audio form from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
Honestly, I think I just like something about the way Beth O’Leary writes. Her writing makes me smile. In this one, the older characters in particular sang off the page. Eileen is a delight!
While this feels slightly unrealistic, I loved the concept of 79 year old Eileen going to London and connecting with all Leena’s friends. And I loved what she accomplished while there. Honestly I want an Eileen in my life.
Leena is also lovely and it’s actually fun to watch her slow down to village life readjust her priorities. Her passion for the activities really shone through, even if her over enthusiastic execution sometimes was hilarious. I also liked that she’s clearly not dealing well with her sisters death and even before this is something that comes up in detail it is obvious. Grief is hard to show and I think it was really well done here. Especially that Leena thinks she’s doing better than her mum when I think it’s the opposite!
Romance wise, I liked that Eileen was open to life in London. Her fling was so fun. I liked that we get to see her chats too, but also get to see that online dating doesn’t come without it’s cautions. And Leena begins to realise she may want more than the business relationship she seems to have developed with her boyfriend. However that side of things left me a little cold – it’s all a bit too convenient. Plus while I know this is a “feel good romance” it really does seem to portray romance and relationships as a solution and it would have been nice to reflect on someone who was happy alone. Leena’s mum or Fitz for example seem to be but it’s never delved into.
In the theme of continuing to like the older characters better – the villagers were way more intriguing to me. From Eileen’s neighbour lightening up (even if this did feel sudden and too easy) to her best friend living with an abuser, there’s a lot going on that we get to see Leena dealing with.
Basically all books need more senior citizen characters! A fun, light read despite some of the serious content. 4 stars.
Trigger warnings – abuse, grief, catfishing
Buy The Switch from Waterstones.
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One Comment
Book Club Mom
I really enjoyed The Flatshare and The Switch is on my list. Thanks for the review!