The Switch by Beth O'Leary

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 stars

Absolutely wonderful book with such a curious premise.

The book is about Eileen who is sick of being 79 and Leena, her granddaughter, who is tired of living in her twenties so they decide to swap places and live each other's live's for two months. This is somewhat forced because of a two-month sabbatical that Leena is asked to take at work because they can see she's in need of a rest. 

I loved O'Leary's ideas in her first novel, The Flatshare with its unconventional premise and love story. I loved the premise of The Switch just as much and have been excited to get my hands on it since it was published in paperback. 

This book was funny and sweet and wholesome and just everything I need in a guilty-pleasure, taking-a-break kind of book. O'Leary's writing pulls me in and keeps the plot flowing and I can't wait to see how things turn out even if sometimes it might seem predictable. 

I loved the setting of a small Yorkshire village and the different kinds of love and romantic story which could be told by looking at an older single woman. I really understood the gossip and importance to the members of the Neighbourhood Watch and I felt like I wanted to join too because underneath it all they were a group of people who were there for each other.

When Eileen went off to London, I could feel the adventure and unknowns in her as someone who always feels like that when I go to London, but I also saw it with a different perspective of someone who is older and is used to slow and calm village life. I loved what Eileen was able to bring to Leena's block of flats and how she was unapologetically herself, even if she was a little anxious about that because she helped so many people in her small way by being kind and friendly.

A type of story I have found drawn to read recently has been about topics of loneliness but the unconventional kind in this modern world where people are genuinely left out and no one seems to notice. This book deals with that kind of loneliness so delicately and shows the small things that we can all do to help those around us to maybe lonely. Especially the elderly who all just really want something to gossip about and somewhere to go each week which is kind of obvious when we all think about ourselves.

The book also focusses on the grief of the two protagonists and some of the other main characters and the ways that we can deal with grief and how it can keep a hold on you for so much longer than you may realise and how the relationships you have with people around you will always change with grief. 

I think people who loved Elinor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman could be fans of this book because it touches in a much smaller way on topics like manipulative relationships, loneliness, death and grief, love, ill-advised decisions and being yourself.

I can't wait for O'Leary's newest book, The Road Trip to go on even more wonderful adventures with her wholesome characters. 

Some favourite quotes:

“Never been one for worst-case scenarios,” Jackson says. He crouches to dip his roller in the tray; his wrists are flecked with paint now, new, brighter freckles. “When they happen, you cope. And it’s usually one you’ve not thought of that gets you, so why worry?”

“We don’t have any good words for death. They’re all too small.”

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