preoccupiedbybooks's Reviews > The Switch

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!


Eileen is 79 and wants a change, and to start dating again,
Leena needs a break, she's tired, stressed and grieving,
So they decide to swap lives for two months!
Will a change of scenery help the two women?

The Switch was just what I needed! It was like having a cuppa with an old friend! The plot was nothing new (hello 'The Holiday') but this charming, heartfelt book was all about the characters and their relationships. It won't be a book for everyone, it's quite a slow building character driven plot, and more about family and friendships, than a full on romance read, but I really liked it! Last year The Flatshare ended up being one of my favourite reads, despite it taking a while for me to get into it. This book charmed me from the very start, with its lovable characters, charming village life, witty banter and feel good storyline!

Told from both Eileen and Lina's POVs, I was engaged and entertained no matter which one of them I was reading about! However, Eileen really shone out of the pages! She was hilarious, wise and just an amazing character. I really want to be her when I'm 79! I really liked both characters, and hoped for the best for them, on their paths of self discovery. I also loved many of the side characters, from grumpy Arnold (I ❤️ him!), snarky Nicola, sharp Betsy, easy-going Jackson, Basil and Hank the dog in Yorkshire, to Bee, Martha, Fitz in London! This book was all about family, friendship and the importance of a community. It had some important things to say about loneliness, and how hard it can be for the older generation, when sometimes their house becomes more of a prison than a sanctuary. It also looked at grief and anger at the loss of a loved one, and family estrangement. I laughed and I cried at both the village life antics like the May day fair and Hank the dog taking Leena for a walk, and also loved Eileen learning about internet dating, and figuring out London.

I had heard great things about the audio, but was in the mood to read it, but I can totally see what a good audiobook it would be!

Basically I just want to visit Hamleigh-in-Harksdale, to sit and have a cuppa with all of these characters! This book made me smile, it made me feel good. What more can you ask for?! I see that Beth O'Leary has another book out next year, The Road Trip,and I will definitely be reading it!