“Is it really an adventure if you don't make at least one ill-advised decision?”

I have to be honest, I would have preferred this entire book to be about Eileen. Just Eileen. She is a delight! That's not to say Leena wasn't a decent character, it's just that Eileen was far more interesting and I was much more invested in her development. ( )

Currently listening cuz I need something light and interruptible. Only about 1/2 hour in. The narrator introduces Leena and her best friend in exactly the same voice, so pay attention. Then we start getting to know whiny Leena, long-suffering Bee, and other women, and none are people I'd particularly like to know. Presumably the Switch will make everybody happy, healthy, and sane, or at least closer to those things, because they'll grow in empathy and in self-knowledge, both. We'll see!
---
I didn't have opportunities enough to listen to this, so I finally decided to find a paper copy. What a disappointment! After listening to all the lovely animated voices the text felt so flat and, oh I don't know the right word, but, almost, well, apathetic.

Turns out to be a pretty nice story, though rather anti-London. A bit of a fairy tale, but I think that's normal in this kind of popular fiction.

Also turns out that the first half hour is the weakest, so pretty much go ahead and disregard my first comment up there. If you're looking for something cute, with romance, and can get this in audio, I do recommend it. ( )

Moral of the story: Meddling is totally fine so long as it works out by tea time.

I really liked Leena and Eileen and their respective journeys. Even if I rolled my eyes at Leena more than a few times. But please don't expect me to remember anyone else's name or who they were in relation to the story. "Wait, who is that?" is a sentence I uttered far too much for such a short novel. ( )

3.5 ( )

#BookReview

The Switch
Author: Beth O'Leary
Genre: Chick lit

The duty of every chick lit novel is to create happiness in the mind and generate a smile on the face. This book does both successfully.

I'm not an avid reader of this genre so if a book leaves me smiling, you can bet that it has something different.

Eileen is a 79 year old grandmother who is tired of her routine life and craves excitement. She also wants a second chance at love and won't shy away from using dating apps to get a partner. But in the village, dating for the 70 results in slim pickings.

Leena, her granddaughter, is still coping with PTSD after the untimely death of her sister. She is forced to go on a sabbatical by her workplace but isn't used to living life in the slow lane.

That's when the twain decide to switch places. Eileen will move to the city and Leena will move to the village. A perfect solution to both their problems. Or is it?

What I loved all the book was that unlike a typical chick lit, the romance comes secondary. The main focus of the book is on the beautiful relationship that Eileen and Leena share in spite of their generational differences. The story shows us the positive side of both the generations rather than sticking to the "old is gold" banalities.

I heard this in a audiobook narrated by British actors Alison Steadman and Daisy Edgar-Jones, star of Hulu's Normal People. It was such a joy to hear them bring Eileen and Leena to life. While I would have still enjoyed this book had I read it, I feel their performance raised the book even higher.

Recommended for anyone looking for a light, enjoyable read.


I received an advance review copy of the audiobook for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.




*************************************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever!, for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun. ( )