This novel was markedly different to anything I’ve read before but it had a nice warm familiar feeling about it. Loved the characters and the concept.

This is a sweet and charming comfort read. I thought the author did a great job of weaving in interesting characters and developing a compelling chemistry between James and Cassie. However, the pacing was off for me. The timeline was muddled (weeks would be dragged out or completely skipped over) and the last 20% lulled a bit. Overall, I liked the book and I would definitely read something else by the author.

This was a fun, lighthearted and easygoing read! It reminded me a little bit of the movie The Holiday! The House Swap had adorable characters and it made me want to travel...like really badly! Maine and London, here I come?!?! This book went quickly for me, and I love that it was a funny and adorable romance that had plenty of feel good moments!

I very much enjoyed Jo Lovett's previous book, The First Time We Met, so I was very excited to be approved for an ARC of The House Swap by Netgalley and Bookouture. Unfortunately, The House Swap just wasn't the story for me. I did think that that Cassie and James were nicely fleshed out as main characters, and all the side characters really added quite a bit to the story. But I felt the story lacked good pacing, and I didn't really feel like I had any concept of time throughout the story (like how much time had passed between chapters - Cassie and James suddenly seemed like they had made leaps and bounds in their relationship, and had frequently talked, but this was not made clear in the pacing/timing of the story).

I really enjoyed this book - I felt like the characters and their motivations were fleshed out nicely and I could understand why they made the choices they did. I think I would happily have read a hundred more pages to get further insight into the characters and it would potentially have been nice to see a little more discussion between the ending and the epilogue but all in all, this was a really enjoyable read that I devoured in one sitting.

What do a wealthy career-man from London and a Glaswegian author living on an island off of Maine have in common?

They both need an escape from their lives.

James and Cassie are both in desperate need for a change of scenery and they stumble upon each other on a house swap and match. James seeks the solace of the island while Cassie needs new inspiration for her upcoming novels with the added bonus of accessibility of IVF treatment in London. It seems amicable enough until both James and Cassie realize they are NOTHING alike and prepared for the swap in completely different manners. Initially the lines of communication open up over concerns related to their agreement, before the gradually start swapping more than just stories from home. Can 2 people really know each other and fall in love through minimal face-to-face interactions, or is their relationship simply a result of homeowner responsibility?

**

When I read the description, I was anticipating a story similar to The Holiday or The Switch. Basically I was buckled up for an incredibly cliché, cheesy, and heart-warming trope and I was here for it. However, I was pleasantly surprised in the uniqueness of the plot. Unlike the aforementioned storylines, Cassie and James' relationship started as mutual swappers, not people they met on their own journeys. Each character had significant back story and I truly enjoyed how James and Cassie helped each other process past traumas.

One highlight for me was James' character development. In the first few chapters I thought to myself "wow, I really can't stand this guy and I'm not sure how I can possibly ship him and Cassie" YET HERE I AM. Total face turn.

The greatest flaw in this book, however, is the timeline. I often found myself confused in how much (or little) time had past and why it felt like a character would make a plan and 2 sentences later the plan was suddenly being unfolded. I also would have enjoyed more of a peek into James and Cassie's relationship considering the nature of it. Reading more about their communication while apart (via email or notes) would have gone a long way in my connectedness to the characters and the believability in their love story.

Overall, a pleasant read with some welcomed surprises.

Cassie is a children’s book author based on an island off the Maine coast. But her publisher wants her to set her next book in London. To do this she agrees to a house swap with James, a private equity finance guy with a swanky London flat but a bland and emotionless life. Cassie makes friends with her neighbours, leaves a freezer full of food for James and just happens to have alpacas and chickens on her land. James leaves no food, no bedding and no notes when Cassie arrives. They start chatting to each other and little by little get to know each other better and better. I really enjoyed this story. Both had emotional backgrounds to deal with and help each other with. And despite the misunderstandings and awkward moments, the ending of this book is a happy one. A charmer for sure!

A quick, light hearted read for anyone who’s a fan of a sweet, predictable story. It was cute; and I’m not saying that like it’s bad because it isn’t. James needing an escape from an ex and Cassie needing a place closer to her publisher and wanting to be inspired for her new novel both participate in a house swap. Predictably they don’t exactly get along, not only swapping houses they’ve swapped each other’s lives, neighbours, friends, the whole thing. Eventually they meet properly and find reasons to continually talk to each other. Finding out they don’t in fact hate each other, confiding in one another and connecting on a level that you can clearly see where their story is going. It’s cute, it’s romantic, and it’s fun. Perfect light read for the spring.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for approving me to read and review The House Swap by Jo Lovett.

I really enjoyed this one. It was a lovely light, easy read that touched on some emotional topics as well. At the beginning of the book I didn't like the main characters, Cassie and James, as their flaws were really highlighted but as the story went on their friendship and relationship developed and by the end of the book I could have easily read more about them.

For fans of the romcom genre I would definitely recommend this book.

House Swap was a lovely, light hearted read. I thought the characters were interesting and had me invested. I couldn't put down the book because I wanted to know what was going to happen!

I do have reservations about the 'flow' of the book. The timeline stretched over a year or so and there seemed to be large jumps in time that came out of nowhere. With that is the development of the relationships: it seemed almost forced at times. I thought that character development was usually talked about and not shown which also makes it seem forced.

This was a fun, light hearted read and a nice way to pass the time. It flowed nicely and the characters were interesting.

James is a private equity investor hoping to escape his ex, while Cassie is an author who needs to experience London in order to write her upcoming book. These two strangers meet on a house swapping website and quickly come to an agreement. Of course, living in someone else's home for a couple of months comes with an eventual entanglement.

This book is a slow burn, with a sweet relationship forming between James and Cassie. I really enjoyed James's character development as he went from a cold jerk who only cared about money to a caring neighbor who bakes for his friends and worries about sick alpacas.

I thought the book focused a lot on developing their friendship, but the jump to lovers happened way too quickly. There were a lot of time jumps and blacked out scenes that had potential to add more to the story. I did get bored at times, but overall this was a cute story to read!

I have received an ARC of this book by NetGalley and Bookouture and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review. The Pub date of the book is April 19th. This review will be posted on my Goodreads, Facebook page and Instagram.
Like its written on the cover, this book was utterly gorgeous. It’s the first I read of this author and I love it very much. For sure I will read more of her. She knows how to captivate us to read more and to fall in love with her characters.
One of the things I liked about this book was the feelings that gave me while I read it and that it felt real. The story itself, the problems, the moods, the conversations and the slow but beautiful connection of our heroes.
In the beginning I was calling names to James…like, excuse me you rude bastard. What kind of beast are you?! But I was laughing at the same time, because its impossible not to. The secondary characters were a blast too – I liked them a lot, really. And while I continued reading, I felt good and happy – even in the parts that were not so happy. I could totally enter the story and switch places with both heroes. Cassie’s problems and fears and James fears and feelings of guilt. It hit close to home to me. The relationships of the characters with their friends and family were very beautifully written – showed us that they were real people and not just some tool for the moment.
The only thing I liked less was that Cassie – unfortunately – spent so much time thinking about “that” problem. I understood her pain, but I liked her to be happier!
I tried to give my opinion without spoilers. Hope I get it.
I’m very happy to have read this book. It will be one of my faves.

Big thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this cute and easy read!

James Grey is in need of an immediate escape to avoid any more run-ins with his stalker ex girlfriend, so puts his London apartment on 'SwapBnB', where he agrees to swap with Scottish-born writer Cassie, a homeowner from a secluded island off the coast of Maine. Cassie is hoping to do some London-based research for her books and visit an IVF clinic while there. The day of the house swap brings a LOT of hostility, and bad first impressions. But could the house swap be a massive learning experience for both of them?

This one was a lighthearded and easy read. The classic enemies-to-lovers is always a hit for me. The two characters start out as polar opposites; James with his stern, distant personality as the result of his childhood trauma, and Cassie, a free-spirited, animal loving writer. It was fun to see how the swap allowed Cassie and James to learn more about themselves and to eventually open themselves up to each other.

I felt as though some of the narrative was rushed at times - whole chunks of time would pass without much detail but it was easy enough to follow. The drastic change in James' entire personality and outlook on life seemed to come around really suddenly so I would have liked to see more gradual development there.

Regardless, The House Swap was enjoyable! An ideal beach read for some lighthearted fun.

I received an ARC through net galley.

The start of this book was kind of slow and I wasn't sure about it. Once they started interacting in person I started to like it more. To me it seemed that the I love you's came out of no where, I liked them but there wasn't enough build up for me.

*spoilers*
However, the moment where he realizes he wants to be a dad and tells her that he loves the baby much as he loves her was everything.
*spoilers*

I thought this would be like O'leary's - The Flatshare, but it could not be more different. It is a slow book but offers a lot of insight on relationships. There is suspense building and it's super subtle. This is a great thriller/mystery book for someone who is starting in the genre.

The main characters, James and Cassie, both displayed strength in their character and convictions but also emotional vulnerability that allowed both to become the best versions of themselves. They also proved that being kind and displaying constant actions of love best serve oneself in life. Cassie constantly did this in her openness with her neighbors, friends and her devotion to becoming a mother. She for a while despite her feelings was willing to walk away from.James to do so. James in his part became closer to his family and realized that being closed and emotionally distant doesn't serve him. When they came together, it was right.

James needs to leave London, his relationship has gone wrong and people he just made redundant are tracking him down. Cassie needs to leave the comforts of her island life to do research for her next novel. So intails a house swap between the two of them. It seems hard however, to swap houses and no get involved in each others lives. What starts of as arrogance and flying insults soon sparks into something more.

This book is totally inspired by the Holiday but certainly developed the story into something more than just a copy. The concept was really interesting and unique to the genre. Enemies to lovers is one of my favourite tropes and boy this didn't disappoint!.

Cassie and James were rounded and well thought out characters who had their own problems deal with. The side character was not so well developed and I would have loved to have them fleshed out a bit too.

I did have a few issues with the book regarding the pacing. The beginning of the book felt slow and the development of the relationship between the character felt fast despite most of it occuring during the second half of the book. Alongside this, the way ending was done felt predictable in places but also did not show a lot of character develop. It felt like a character felt one way one minute and had change their opinion in the next paragraph.

All in all I enjoyed reading it. It was lighthearted while also dealing with some serious topics as well. It kept a great tone throughout and had a great ending. I have enjoyed both books by Jo Lovett and I am looking forward to what she writes next.

After reading an intense book, I need something lighter and The House Swap fit those qualifications perfectly. This was a fun lighthearted story about two people on two different continents needing to swap houses for different reasons. James and Cassie are two totally different people, James, the serious one in London and Cassie the free-spirit in Maine. Both have different issues holding them back from a full and happy life and when they first switch houses at Cassie’s house in Maine they don’t get off to a good start.

James eschews entanglements and never wants a family. Cassie’s greatest desire is to be a mother. As they switch homes and continents, their personal lives intrude on each other. James’s stalker ex shows up and infuriates Cassie; James despite being a loner becomes entwined in Cassie’s small town friendships and their nosiness. James and Cassie begin texting and calling and a friendship blossoms.

I totally enjoyed the first two thirds of the book and could totally see where it was heading. Towards the latter third I felt the way James changed didn’t ring quite true, but just rolled with it. All in all it was a likable story and I gave it three stars. I thank NetGalley and the publisher, Bookouture, for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion.

Thank you @NetGalley and @bookouture for sending me this arc in exchange for an honest review 🥰

Synopsis:
Cassie is a big time writer with a tv contract and just been offered a contract to write more books for her series... small issue, her publicist wants her to move to London to research her book pitches.

James ends on bad terms with his gf and finds out she’s a complete stalker and he needs out of his London flat.

So the two of them end up on a house swapping app and the two decide to switch houses for a few months. James flies over to the states, Cassie flies to London. Despite the two not getting along at first, it would seem that they both have things they can learn from the other and a lot of issues with their past stopping them from doing what they really want.

Opinion:
I really really enjoyed this book! I loved the depth to each of the characters and how they developed when in the new living scenarios. It was lovely to see the relationship between them flourish. I particularly liked how the author targeted the topic of a single woman wanting to raise a baby and dealing with the trauma of miscarriage and divorce. Also the themes of grief of a parent and sibling was brought up well without making it too deep and emotional without only skimming the surface. One criticism is that it felt that I was reading 2 completely different stories - the one when they are house swapping and the one afterwards. The second half of the story felt like the author was trying to cram a lot of different situations in before the book ended. Overall a very easy and enjoyable read while touching on some difficult themes