Genre: Contemporary Romance
TW: PLEASE CHECK
Spice: Open Door
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ [4/5]
Format: Audio & Physical
Review written by: M

Sarah already does it again. This book was a perfect mixture of freaky Friday meets Big Bang theory. It had all the geeky kind of feelings of Big Bang theory with the body switch added into it.

Serena Otaki and Henry could not be more different, if it wasn’t for their shared love of Physics there isn’t much else that ties them together. Serena loves cats, Henry dogs. Serena loves coffee, Henry Tea. Serna is vegan, Henry loves read meat. You get the idea. After one night together Serena quickly puts a halt to anything in the future between them because her only love is Physics. That is of course until an electrical storm occurs forcing them to switch bodies and take the phrase “walk a mile in someone else’s shoes” to a literal concept. Now they must learn to navigate life in each other’s bodies while they figure out how to revert what happened.

As always, I spent a lot of the book cracking up. I had the audiobook from NetGalley and the narrator killed it as usual. The banter in this book was *Chefs kiss* as per usual and the narrator brought the characters to life so well.

Honestly, the character development in this book was fantastic just to see the growth that these characters were forced to go through, was great! I truly enjoyed seeing the growth, especially the FMC.

Although it is a standalone, the characters from ghosted do make a slight appearance, so I would recommend reading ghosted first, although you don’t have to.

What I love the most about her books is that whenever I read them, I know that I’m pretty much guaranteed a fun time where I’m going to be giggling and swooning and kicking my feet up in the air because that’s exactly what she delivered this the humor. Honestly the idea of the switch between grumpy vs sunshine characters was amazing. I loved it!

I only had one slight issue with this book and that was that there were only a few instances where the 4th wall was broken. It threw me off because it was not done enough for it to be part of the story but the few times it was done it took me out of the story because I was not expecting it. Although, that was not enough for me to even care at the end of the day. This book is fantastic.

And as always, I can’t wait to read the next one that’s coming out which is fated because I know that at this point I’m pretty much guaranteed a very good fun enjoyable time reading her books if you’re interested in this book it comes out February 20th. Run to add this to your TBR.

I was not expecting Switched to be as good as it was. I love Sarah Ready’s books so I knew Switched wouldn’t be bad, But I was not excited about the plot of this book when I started reading it. However, it ended up being really good. It had its silly moments, but overall it was great. I even teared up a bit at the end.

2.5 Stars, rounded up for a mostly original story, (Freaky Friday, but with a boy/girl flip.) This book dragged. It was so slow & boring in the beginning, but picked up a little once they made the switch. It got mildly more entertaining after that, especially during their "events". Also, the narrators were fantastic.

But I feel like there was such a HUGELY missed opportunity here while they were in their opposite bodies. It could easily have been so much better if the author had expanded on different awkward scenarios.Throw some more humor in there! Break up the monotony of all the continuous "I love him, but I'm scared of losing myself" dialogue. I mean, no one they encountered noticed that they were acting weird, or not like themselves at all? Nothing was a bit off? Nothing?!

Also, I know that books about women in STEM are all the rage now, but can we cut out all the unnecessary technical jargon? We don't need it! Enough to explain what the situation is, yeah. But not so much that you begin to feel like you're reading a science textbook. BORING.

I did like that the author included Jillian & Daniel - the couple from "Ghosted", the first book in the series. I'm glad I took the time to read that one first, before starting on this one. It would read ok as a stand-alone, but you'd miss out on a few things for sure.

(I also liked the part with Henry's niece & the peas at dinner, it was endearing.)

I had such high hopes for this one based on the premise. But I guess maybe I was expecting something more fun & quirky, and it was really more dull and technical. Bummer.

*Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Ready & W.W. Crown and imprint of Swift & Lewis Publishing , LLC for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

Switched by Sarah Ready is the 2nd book in the Ghosted series. Book #1 (Ghosted) was my first Netgalley approval last September and I really enjoyed it! (4⭐️) Switched is a cute, modern day Freaky-Friday, magical rom-com with a lot of science/STEM, witty banter, touching moments, funny situations and a little bit of spice!

There was one MAJOR faux-pas at the beginning of the book that will make any Gen-Xer cringe but other than that, a super cute story.

The narration was excellent and a fun surprise at the end. This is easily a standalone book but I enjoyed the little bit of crossover from Ghosted. I gave this book 3.5⭐️

Thank you to @netgalley, Sarah Ready and the publisher for an advanced audio copy

I have not read the first book in the series, and I did not feel lost. This book is fine as a standalone. This is different than the romance books that I read, but I thought it was very cute and I enjoyed the magical aspect to it. There was also humor woven into it. I found myself chuckling out loud. The writing was very cute and cheeky.

I love an enemies to lovers trope. Serena and Henry are work rivals who swap bodies, thoughts and feelings. The result was a cute, supernatural romance that was cleverly crafted. The friendship they built while helping each other through tough situations was endearing.

Kelsey Navarro Foster and James Anderson Foster did a great job narrating together. I love that a husband and wife duo brought this story to life.

Thank you to NetGalley and W.w. Crown for this ALC in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.

This book started off kind of slow for me, however once the body switch happened I was sucked right in! The pace picked up pretty quickly for me at that point. The voice actors were phenomenal and the audio quality was great.

Once I finished this book I immediately went to see what else this author has written and I will be reading a few more for sure.

Thank you to Net Galley for providing me with an Advanced Readers Copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.5 stars

Switched is the second book in the ghosted serie. You can read this book as a stand alone (I didn't read the first book). As someone in STEM, I love that more books are written with characters working in STEM. I loved the footnotes with fun facts/extra information. I found it a bit difficult to get into the book, but after the switch I flew through the book.

Thanks NetGalley for a copy of this book!

REVIEW
Serena Otaki (best friend of Jillian from Ghosted) works at CERN in Geneva, where her sole love is physics. One night she meets her complete opposite, Henry Joule. They share a passionate, revelatory experience, but Serena is determined to never lose herself in a relationship. But when an electric storm causes them to switch bodies, both of them get a new perspective on the other.
This was another beautiful story from Sarah Ready. I loved Serena immediately. Her illustrations and footnotes were HILARIOUS, and she had such an interesting perspective on love. Her first meeting with Henry was so beautifully written, and I was immediately invested in them as a couple. I loved Henry. He was such a romantic, and my heart broke for him immediately after their night together. The 'event' and the immediate aftermath gave me 'Freaky Friday' mixed with 'Your Name' vibes, and let me tell you, I loved it so much. Their absolute horror was palpable, but also hilarious as each realisation of what the swap meant on a day-to-day basis became apparent. One of the most hilarious things was their switched accents. When they tested each other before meeting Henry's family, I cried laughing (and I HIGHLY recommend listening to this book, as the audiobook just adds an extra layer to the humour). It was lovely to catch up with Jillian, and Daniel, and I loved that Jillian was there for her. The first time Serena met her as Henry was just brilliant. We also got some Zelda, which is always a hoot.
But, for all the hilarity, this was a deeply moving love story. The mutual pining was heartbreaking, as were many of the scenes with their loved ones, while they were in the wrong bodies. Serena's conversation with her mother (as Henry) broke my heart, but her revelation about love was joyous For the majority of the book, the story is told from Serena's POV, but as she's in Henry's body, with many of his memories, we get a lot of his perspective as well. Still, Henry's chapter as he recounted Serena's memories left me sobbing, especially remembering their interactions in the cafeteria. I'm trying hard not to spoil too many details because this book deserves to be experienced firsthand (and by enjoying Kelsey Navarro Foster and James Anderson Foster's gorgeous narration).
Just swoon-worthy.

Overall Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Heat Rating: 🔥.5

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book, all opinions are my own*


Favourite Quotes:

Oh no, I’m a tepid tea-drinking, prudishly uptight, umbrella-carrying, an*l neat-freak of a British man. This is my worst nightmare.

She’s a boob bedazzler, a breast beguiler, a titty temptress. It’s horrible. I wave my hand in front of my face, blocking my view of her breasts.

“I meant what I said earlier. I never want you to lose yourself for me. That’s not a love I’d want.”

“I’m glad you and Ducky found each other. When she was little, she always asked if people paired up like electrons and protons, and I told her yes, that she’d find her match someday. I’m glad it’s you.”

“You understand me,” I say.
He nods, his dark gaze as solemn as a starry night. “I understand you.”

“I’d stay with you every night. Every day. If we never switch back I’ll stay with you. If we do switch back I’ll stay with you. It doesn’t matter, as long as it’s you.”

“I’ll always want you. We’re like binary stars—we’re bound tight. Gravity keeps us orbiting each other. When people look at the night sky, they think binary stars are one star. It’s only with a telescope they can tell there’s actually two stars there. That’s how I feel about you. Switching back isn’t going to change that.”

Switching places with her didn’t make me want her less. It made me love her more.

This was pretty cute. I thought the story was fun and romantic. I do not usually like the body switch trope but I think this was done well. There were multiple points where I laughed, and I thought the characters were well developed. The narration was done very well. I loved the voice actors and when he started narrating his part I screamed. I think this book is one of those books where listening to it as an audiobook makes the experience even better. Overall, I thought this was very cute and I enjoyed the book.

This book started EXTREMELY slow for me. The character building for Selena just took what felt like forever.
BUT after the “switch” takes place this book is all attention grabbing.
This book is freaky Friday meets big bang theory, in all the best ways possible. The character and their families are relatable even if there situation is not.

I would read this book again for sure!

As an avid audiobook reader, I really enjoyed the narration of this book. It was helpful having the footnotes explained along with drawings/graphs that were included in the book. Kelsey Foster's British was easy to understand and not too drawled out. She did a fantastic job of differentiating the many family member that we met later in the story. She brought life to Serena's and Henry's conversations and banter.
Though, James Foster's mature voice didn't aligned with the way I thought Henry would sound like. The way I viewed Henry, he would sound younger. Mr. Foster's voice reminded me of a middle age uncle. It was only once chapter though I wish we could've gotten more. In hopes of getting use to his voice instead of getting a snippet.

This was a cute, lighthearted (if you know the drama that comes from books in this genre). and a bit funny book that was quick to listen to. It is the Not quite enemies to lovers trope that makes you want to scream at times but was really enjoyable.

I loooooved this book. It was well narrated and kept my attention all the way through! This book is magical, beautiful and an amazing listen. Serena is a unique, free spirit and highly intelligent woman. I love her quirky personality and how she is a bit geeky…but brilliant. Henry is also a geeky, loves physics and loves his tea. He is a fun, quirky and sexy character. The banter, dialogue and tension between these two is fantastic. The premise of this story is so creative and I love how each of them gets to experience what the opposite sex goes through on a daily basis. So many funny moments!! You will go through all the emotions while reading this fun, creative and entertaining story.
Kelsey Navarro Foster delivers an exceptional performance. They gave the characters perfect voice, personality and emotion.

I listened to this audiobook voluntarily. All opinions are my own.
Sarah Ready seems to be consistently providing readers (listeners) with wonderful stories. I was happy to be in the same world as the 'Ghosted' characters, and found I enjoyed it just as much. Ready makes important points about women's roles and what they sometimes have to give up in life. It was a cute roundabout way to make the characters get to know and love one another properly after an instant connection.
I liked the female voice used for this audiobook, I find she has a good range, even when doing the male counterpart. I wouldn't change anything.
4.5 stars

I have been super excited for Serena's story ever since I read Ghosted! I really enjoyed Serena and Henry's story though the tone is a bit different from Ghosted with less angst and more romcom.

One thing that was really interesting about this story is that we got to meet both Serena and Henry's families and see how their experiences with relationships growing up shaped their fears and expectations about relationships as adults. The body-switched element really let them connect with each other's families in a way they probably wouldn't have otherwise.

I also liked that Henry and Serena got to experience each other's tastes and even memories in some cases. There were times when I wasn't sure I agreed with what was connected to the body and what was connected to the consciousness but I didn't feel like that was the point of the story so I didn't mind too much. It did lead to some comedic situations such as them trying to speak in each other's accents.

I did wish some of the storylines had gotten a little more closure. I would have liked to understand more about what caused the switch and a bit more about Serena's mother and what caused her experience of love to be so different from Serena's.

Overall, I thought this was a really fun romcom and the magical element made it an interesting read. I do like the idea that love causes a little bit of magic.

🌶️🌶️ - There are two steamy scenes and some kisses in this book. It is fast burn then slow burn.

🎧🎧🎧 - I listened to the audiobook version and I didn't love it. It is dual narrator but its mostly Serena's POV so Kelsey Navarro Foster reads most of the book. This must have been really challenging because she had to do Henry as Henry, Serena as Serena and each as the other and they change accents throughout the book. I think if you are picky about accents and are going to be distracted by that read the book version.

Enjoyable slow burn STEM rom-com! This was a well written read with an interesting story line. The humor was fun and the women in STEM representation was well done. Audio narration quality was good and story was well paced.

It was such a beautiful story and the narrators were perfect. This story was such a cool concept and these characters definitely deserved their HEA. This author never disappoints.

This is a second book in the Ghosted series by Sarah Ready, and I absolutely devoured the first one. Switched was a lot of fun; however, I think maybe the first one edged it just a bit. This was quite a fast read, was pretty PG13 in most parts until the last couple of chapters, and there is a magical realism portion that comes into play. I didn't mind the "Freaky Friday" body switch, as it created a lot of funny scenarios, and I appreciated the work of the narrator to do the British accent as well! The character of Serena had such great growth over the course of the book, which I appreciated. I definitely enjoyed this one, I give it a 3.75/5 stars. I look forward to reading more of Ready's work!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

Any book with women in stem is gonna be an immediate read for me and this one definitely didn't disappoint.
I loved the dynamic between Serena and Henry. Almost a reverse grumpy x sunshine. Her pessimistic outlook on love and his hope and eagerness to find the one.
The element of soul switching takes forced proximity to a whole new level. Their growing understanding of each others backgrounds and feelings by being literally in each others shoes is a different and fun way for their relationship to develop.
The FMC, Serena, is a strong and unique character who was both funny and relatable and the MMC, Henry, is adorable and wholesome. The perfect book boyfriend.

Escape into heartwarming comfort for a little while and dive into this cute and light-hearted rom-com. Serena and Henry are instantly endearing — the premise of a body swap between two polar opposites is so funny, offering fertile ground for exploration of character growth and self-discovery — major “Freaky Friday” vibes, but with romance. Both Serena and Henry embark on journeys of self-awareness as they walk in each other's shoes. Their initial antagonism gradually melts away, replaced by empathy and understanding. I liked the fact that the swap also included flashbacks of “memories” and their emotions as well. I laughed with them, *wheezed* at their mishaps, and rooted for them all the way.

Bonus points for the audiobook narration! Her interpretation of voices and accents had me LOL-ing. I could TRY but couldn’t possibly do as well reading it in my mind.

Possible drawbacks:

While the journey may be enjoyable, the overall plot might feel somewhat predictable for seasoned romance readers. BUT some of us want this in a comfort read! The science fiction aspect is relatively light and serves mainly as a catalyst for the character swap. Readers expecting a deeper exploration of scientific concepts might be left wanting.

Overall: A fun, cute and delightful rom-com that blends humor, warmth, and a touch of science fiction. If you're looking for a fun, feel-good romance and a bit of witty dialogue, this book is sure to leave you smiling.