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?
★★★☆☆
Cute story with a lot of potential, but it just didn’t hit the mark for me. It was quite boring actually. Not a lot happens. I guess a better way to put it is a lot of rather boring stuff happens, and it just never really picks up, and when interesting stuff does happen it fizzles out immediately after. However, there were a few laugh out loud moments and I wish there were more of them.
The one character I enjoyed the most was Arnold, the old grump. He made the book for me, and I’d be his donkey. Over time, the character of Eileen grew on me and I thought she was quite funny. But Leena, sadly, never really won me over. I also realize that I don’t love meddlers, however well intentioned.
This is a well written book, I love the authors style and descriptions— unfortunately, the plot (or lack there of) falls short.
I’ve heard The Flatshare by the same author is excellent and I will add that one to the list and give her another shot!