Member Reviews
This was a cute, light hearted book. It’s one you can pick up, in between the hard historical fiction or fantasy.
Rebecca is a pushover and knows it. When she gets told by her boss to take over the oversight of the renovations inher country home, Rebecca does it even though it could make her lose her promotion.
What I didn’t like about this book, was the lies Rebecca held up for so long. She was supposed to grow a backbone, not put up a facade to hide behind.
The romance was a nice added touch.
I received this ebook copy from the publisher and NetGalley for an honest review.
When I read the synopsis, I got total Melanie Griffith, Working Girl movie vibes and was completely intrigued. I was not disappointed at all. Loved the slow burn romance and quirky, lovable characters. It was a cute read and I remained entertained the whole time. Perfect light hearted read for a stormy day or beachside chick lit.
Rebecca Riley spends every waking day being pushed around and look down upon by the people in her life and after a mistake with her identity, she decides that she's had enough of being Rebecca, having it get her no where in life, pushing her to steal her boss' identity during a renovation project. The only problem is, can Rebecca really pull it off and try not to fall in love with Little Heaton whilst doing so?
I related to Rebecca on so many levels, regarding being walked all over, as that pretty much sums up one part of my life! She was such a wonderful character to follow and her thoughts had me constantly giggling to myself. Although taking someone's identity is probably not something anyone would recommend, Rebecca absolutely smashed the role of Vanessa, but it was really warming to see that maybe she wasn't playing a role... maybe this side of her was hiding so deep inside of her, that she didn't know it existed until she unleashed it as Vanessa. The growth within Rebecca's confidence and realising her worth was so admirable and I respected her so much.
I love a book where the majority of character's are not unlikable - all of the characters had great personalities and traits within them... except for one, but I'll not reveal that sneaky plot twist! The romance between Rebecca and Oliver worked in so smoothly and I really praise Jennifer for the way she wrote their story-line.
Little Heaton is a village that you will immediately fall in love with - the place, the people, the animals... Rebecca was living a life she didn't even realise she wanted. Everything and everyone were brill influences on Rebecca and her mindset became so positive.
The perfect rom-com read for all lovers of that genre, I would highly recommend to all of my friends/family/blog readers.
Rebecca spends most of her days being pushed around by various people in her life. her flatmate just thinks everything she says is a joke and her boss acts like she is invisible unless She wants something from her. After working up the courage to ask her boss for a promotion, Rebecca is instead sent to manage the renovation project of her boss's house. Certain that she will never be able to pull it off, Rebecca finds herself in a charming town with lovely people who believe she is Vanessa. Question is.....how long can she pull it off for?
Despite having an element of light romance this novel is more about the character of Rebecca and the hilarious journey she takes to find her assertive side. I adored the character of Rebecca and spent the first part of the book almost screaming out at her to speak up or say no! She's character that many of us can relate to and will root for in life. Despite being unkind I also admired Vanessa - I imagine many women have to assert themselves quite hard to be taken seriously as CEOs and owners of companies and I love a ballsy woman, even if I wanted her to treat Rebecca more respectfully.
The Village of Little Heaton is such a charming setting and it didn't take long for me to fall in love with the place and the people. Even though she was posing as Vanessa, it was pleasing to witness Rebecca's change in herself and growing confidence once surrounded by positive people and of course.......who wouldn't fancy some time posing as a wealthy woman to enjoy a different side of life?
Overall this is a charmingly funny novel with lovable characters.
"I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review"
Sometimes one moment can change your life forever…
Rebecca Riley has always been a bit of a pushover. When her glamorous boss, Vanessa, asks her to jump, she doesn’t just ask how high… she asks if her boss would like her to grab a coffee on the way back down!
So whilst overseeing the renovation of Vanessa’s beautiful countryside home, the last thing Rebecca ever expected was to be mistaken for her boss – or that she would even consider going along with it! Far away from the bustling city and her boss’s demanding ways, could she pretend to be Vanessa and swap lives, just for a little while?
This book was exactly what I needed when I read it. It was a perfect mix of romance and self discovery. I was hooked from the very first chapter and I was so sad when it was over because I loved these characters so much.
What I loved so much about this book was it was not just a fun romance, Rebecca went through such a journey finding herself and realising her own worth and how much potential she has within herself.
I do wish there was more Oliver in this book and a little more romance because who doesn't love a good romance. I also loved the side characters in this book they added so much to the story. This is a must read for Christina Lauren lovers and I gave it 4.5 stars and I plan to see if Jennifer Joyce has any other romance books I can get my hands on.
The problem is with the premise. The main character is just supremely selfish. It's easier to masquerade as someone else for selfish gains than to be honest to the people around her. It's a character flaw for sure. It might have been presented in an acceptable way, but this wasn't it. Keeping the charade up for four months just because she felt empowered. The main character definitely goes on a journey of self discovery. It's just annoying that the majority of the book is spent in the character's selfishness.
The Accidental Life Swap is brilliant! I know that Jennifer Joyce is funny but this book had me in stitches! There are some great cringe-moments, some heart warming moments and some "what will happen next???" moments.
Rebecca is completely relatable as a character, being a doormat is something a lot of us struggle with. Watching her develop and grow into her own was amazing. But then, some of us are Rebeccas and some of us are Vanessas (ballsy and fierce).
The furry cast of characters was lovely and fun and the setting of Little Heaton was lush!
A great, easy and fun read!
I just love a story that ticks off all of the boxes and The Accidental Life Swap does just that. I haven’t read anything by Ms. Joyce but I look forward to reading more from her.
Rebecca Riley struggles with asserting herself in those situations that occurs when her voice needs to be heard. Instead, she walks around life wishing that she could be this confident event planner like her boss, Vanessa Whitley. She has plans to wow her boss and become a part of the team instead of remaining her PA. Her boss has other ideas for her since she needs Rebecca to help get her weekend house renovated before her housewarming.
Rebecca doesn’t know anything about house renovations but she does know if she wants to impress Vanessa she has to shine. She sets off for the countryside and she meets a whole cast of people that help shape her life. As soon as she arrives, the town folks think she is Vanessa. She’s about to correct them but decides differently to see how it feels to wield that kind of power. Rebecca soon realizes it is not that easy or fun being Vanessa.
I absolutely adored Rebecca. She is one of those characters that you automatically root for. She slowly comes into her own as the story unfolds. She first meets Oliver (one of the builders) who immediately dislikes her. As they work on the house, they end up finding out they have more in common than they think. The scenes when they play board games and get to know each other are the better parts of the story. Rebecca starts to care for all of the nice people of the community and wonders how she will continue to keep up the lie as the party day comes close.
The story starts off slow but gradually picks up. The story is predictable. The story is almost perfect but it still doesn’t take away from the good feeling that I got reading it. Rebecca scrambles at the end to correct all of her wrongs and discover her inner strength. By pretending to be Vanessa she created a whole new life for herself and realizes sometimes dreams can change.
Just overall, good, light and easy read for a lazy day.
~ Samantha
This is exactly what I was looking for when I wanted to read a romantic comedy last week. It was cute, fun, lighthearted, and a quick, easy read! I went into this story thinking it would be similar to the movie, The Holiday, as I was assuming it was a book about people switching places. This is not the case...it's more a story of mistaken identity. I loved Rebecca. She is a very likeable character and you couldn't help but feel bad for her most of the book. The ending was my favorite and I really liked how it tied the entire story together nicely! Highly recommend this for a light, fun, easy read!
This was an enjoyable, quick, and cute read. I have to say nothing in the story is beyond what one would expect in a romantic comedy but it was still a fun read nonetheless.
The story kind of gave me a mixture of vibes combined from "The Devil Wears Prada" to "The Parent Trap". It was a classic 'chick flick' story that the reader can tell from the beginning, with the introduction of the lies, that it won't end well. When lies are involved, never does it end well my friends.
Parts of this story were fairly predictable from what happens surrounding the auction to the eventual result of the lies but again, the journey getting there was fun.
I recommend this book to those that like lighthearted and fun romantic comedies similar to Sophie Kinsella. It was an enjoyable read and I no doubt believe that the author will have more published in the future.
***Thank you to the publisher for supplying me with a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***
Rebecca Riley is a personal assistant to Vanessa who owns an event planning business. Although Rebecca has a degree in events planning she is seen more of a dogs body sent to get the coffees and file paperwork.
On the morning Rebecca was about to give Vanessa a folder full of her ideas for an upcoming event, Vanessa has something she needs her to do. She is currently having a weekend home renovated out in the countryside and needs someone onsite project managing and to make sure that the work doesn’t overrun as she has already sent out house warming invitations.
Rebecca knows nothing about project managing but likes to keep Vanessa sweet so she goes. On arrival, the builders mistake her for Vanessa and Rebecca sees it as a chance to be someone different, some ballsy and confident. How long can she get away with people believing she is Vanessa and what will happen to her if the truth comes out?
I just adored The Accidental Life Swap. I found a connection to it straight away as Rebecca lives and works in Manchester (my home town) and there were references to the local area. Rebecca is a lovely young woman who wants to be an events planner but has to settle for being a PA instead. She watches as other people plan events and she knows that she can do them so much better but is afraid to put herself out there.
Once she arrives at Vanessa’s weekend home we see a different side to her, a more confident side. However, Vanessa has been horrible to these builders via email so not only does she have to pretend to be Vanessa she also has to try and make the builders like her.
I haven’t laughed so much at a book for a long time. Jennifer Joyce’s writing is superb. It flows along nicely and has you eager for more. I didn’t want it to end and I would love to see Rebecca again in another book as she is so amazing. The book also features an animal sanctuary and plenty of animals including a donkey who prefers the grass from Vanessa’s lawn rather than her own.
The Accidental Life Swap is the first book I have read by Jennifer Joyce but it won’t be the last. In fact, I have already downloaded another of her books and can’t wait to jump in.
Though a fun and light read, this was a hard one for me to get through as I didn’t feel a connection with the characters. The premise/ plot is a fun idea, but it was predictable and found myself having to really try to get through it. In the end, it was an okay read for me but generally if the characters don’t grab me, I have trouble finishing. Enjoyable but not one that I just wanted to devour 😊
The Accidental Life Swap is such a cute fun read. I love stories where people switch places. I think we all wonder what it would be like to be somebody else. The grass is always greener on the other side, right? These characters are likeable, sympathetic and entertaining. I can relate to that feeling of having a life that's just not good enough. I feel the heartache of realizing your life is not actually as bad as you thought. Even though this story is formulaic, the lessons contained within are timeless and profound. Appreciate what you have because the lives of people you envy are not as wonderful as they seem. I enjoyed this story for its fun factor, relatable characters and warm hearted message. Definitely add to your tbr!
Not so much a life swap, but more a case of mistaken identity and then running with it. Or is it? Both the main female protagonists grow, develop, and mature throughout this funny story, helped by a supporting cast of nasty flatmates, quirky animals, daft builders and a rather nice male lead. And both end up more rounded people because of it.
This was very fast paced and really funny book. I really loved the main character. It was the perfect summer read for me. Cute, romantic and funny.
This was a fun and quick read. I loved how all the characters came together in the end. This book was self discovery and finding out who you really are.
Totally recommend this book.
Rating 3
I truly loved this book and the characters. It was about Rebecca finding her true self and what makes her happy.
Thank you to NetGalley for a Kindle ARC of The Accidental Life Swap.
Events management graduate turned PA Rebecca has been slaving away for her tyrant boss, Vanessa, for three years. When an opportunity arises to demonstrate how capable she is (and deserving of a promotion), Rebecca accepts the challenge to oversee Vanessa's country home renovation, even though she has no experience.
But, by a quirk of fate, Rebecca is mistaken for Vanessa and unwittingly, becomes someone she's not; hard-nosed, aggressive and a taskmaster.
As she settles into country life and catches the eye of a hard-working, kind man, Rebecca wonders if being someone else is all that's cracked up to me. And that being yourself isn't so bad after all.
The Accidental Life Swap is a formulaic story, a country version of Working Girl, with all the tried and true tropes; a passive main character who is overlooked in her family and job learns to stand up for herself; the handsome, honest man she falls for who likes her under the guise of mistaken identity.
Let's not forget the frenemies in her professional circle, the strangers who become friends and the climatic scene when the heroine takes a stand and owns up to her mistakes and her life.
There is romance and some Mean Girls moments, typical chick lit rom-com scenes, and witty repartee between heroine and man candy but its all done in good fun (minus the Mean Girls).
Of course, there is a happily ever after, but not before the finale, the dramatic moment when the heroine faces up to her boss.
I liked Rebecca and understood her; I sympathized with her plight, being overlooked in a thankless job where her true talents are underused and feeling she has never measured up, not in her family and not in her life.
I enjoyed the country setting, especially the animal sanctuary and the efforts that the characters took into preserving and developing this incredibly vital project.
This was a predictable yet enjoyable read because you know what's going to happen but you still want to know what happens. The writing flows and most of the characters are likable. My favorite characters were the animals.
I recommend The Accidental Life Swap to anyone who enjoys reading a feel good book.
This book was cute and the ending was very satisfying, but this story line has been done a thousand times. I'm kind of tired of of books with a main character that gets themself into trouble because of a simple misunderstanding that they just don't clear up. I think this would have still been a good story if she hadn't lied the entire time. However, it was fun and a good light read.