Member Reviews
This book is very different from every other romance book I’ve ever read and honestly that in itself is pretty high praise. Body switching in a lab and navigating life with the outward appearance of someone completely different from you makes for a really interesting story. I found Serena to be an incredibly frustrating character. I did t love a lot of her attributes, but overall I did really enjoy this book and I’ll continue reading Sarah Ready’s works.
Thank you to NetGalley and W.W. Crown for the advance audiobook of this title in exchange for an honest review.
It took me a little while to warm up to this book. I wasn't sure whether it was the narrator or the main character that I was not responding to in a positive way. As the story progressed and I learned more about the main character, I became more fond of the narrator--so definitely the main character. An interesting premise--what if you woke up one day in the body of a member of the opposite sex? More interesting when it's a direct switch of two people with history, who most certainly do not understand each other. In an effort to figure out how they can switch back, they are forced to spend time together, pretending to be each other at significant family occasions, leading to some tricky situations, as well as increased understanding of each other...and emerging feelings.
I did learn to appreciate both characters. I spent much of the book wondering when the second narrator would put in an appearance--and he finally did, when it was necessary. Having listened to the book, I only just realized the spelling of the name of the main character's cat, Captain Purrk--amusing to me, as my cat is named PurrC. As I grew more fond of the characters, they took me with them on a roller coaster ride of emotions. And I appreciated the conclusion, when it came.
What a fun, romantic read! I listened to this book on audio and I loved Serena, she is such a relatable character with so much sass. Henry is her total opposite. He’s her one night stand, then her new boss, and then during a freak accident she finds herself in his body and he’s in hers. Can we say the most awkward #FreakyFriday situation, ever?
Fake dating, living in close proximity (literally in each other’s skin!), women in science, humor, and romance. Definitely worth the listen, I truly enjoyed the read!
Overall, loved it. It was fun, quick, light, and perfect for my commute.
Serena believes she has everything she needs in her life between her career and her feline companion until Henry comes into her life. Now not only are their personal and professional lives intertwined but they also find themselves in each other’s bodies which brings out the humor and the challenges.
Henry is very different in every aspect of his life from Serena however the one thing they have in common is their interest and knowledge of physics. Living in each other’s bodies is not only intriguing but allows them to get to know each other on a deeper level but once the novelty wears off the mission is on to return things as they were meant to be.
I enjoyed seeing Serena and Henry adapt to the situation they found themselves in. They soon realize that they are much stronger together which allows their relationship to grow and develop even if it wasn’t under ideal circumstances. The narrators managed to portray both the personalities of the characters as well as the humor and emotions of the story.
This one was fun! So weird but also just so so fun. I loved the narration for it! If you read, I highly recommend the audio. Two colleagues (male and female) switch bodies and it is HILARIOUS. I loved the accents and the ending was perfect 💕
I am very grateful to have received an ARC of this audiobook through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I have not read Ghosted, the original book in this series, but my overall summary is that I found this to be a sweet and interesting listen. It is what I would describe as a second-chance romance, with a supernatural twist. The story is told mostly from Serena’s perspective, with insightful and witty banter between her and Henry. The setting is immersed in the world of science, which I loved as someone in a STEM field. The narrator did a good job handling the complicated order of who was speaking, with what accent, and describing visual aids from the book.
3.25/5 ⭐️ Rounded down to a 3, this audiobook was an easy listen with a cute story and a smart engaging main female character. My main reason this isn’t higher is that I grew slightly impatient waiting for some of the character development in the second half of the book.
1/5 🌶️ I would consider this a closed-door romance, however there are plenty of in-text references to what happens between characters, with a decent amount of detail.
The overall plot is, Serena is an American scientist who is chaotically messy, loves physics, and is working at the Large Hadron Collider. Henry is a British researcher who loves order, cleanliness, and tea. They’re complete opposites, and their relationship cannot work. Not until it is forced too, with a freak accident switching their consciousnesses, they are forced to learn about each other and help each other navigate an unfamiliar world while finding a solution.
While I didn’t read the first entry in the series, Ghosted, there is a point in the book where there is a clear connection to characters from the first novel. This worked decently into the plot as it is used as a tool to explore the consciousness swap. Overall, while there isn’t much worldbuilding to be done, what is there is interesting, and I will consider going back to read Ghosted.
This book was decently paced and had a good amount of character conflict and relationship building. I struggled at some points to connect with Serena’s character as she struggled to reconcile with her emotions and experiences. Eventually, more character development occurs which puts this into perspective and increases my understanding of her actions. Overall, I found this to be a sweet and interesting listen to put on in the background while working or doing chores.
This was my first audiobook by Sarah Ready. It was a little difficult to follow Serena’s inner monologue at the start and a few times throughout the audiobook. I appreciated her scientific background but her approach to everything being an experiment felt repetitive. Her first encounter with Henry was a little confusing and it was difficult to buy that they both instantly felt love after it. I would’ve also wanted to see a bit more of the characters between their abrupt break and two year jump.
Serena and Henry’s switch was fun to follow along at times. Although it wasn’t ideal, I appreciated their willingness to make it work and support each other in big life and family situations. It was also comical seeing Serena and Henry adjust to their new bodies. I cracked up with Henry freaking out and wanting to seek medical attention when he got his period in Serena’s body. However, some of their interactions with each other felt awkward at times. There were personal things that each character shared or came to the light through each other’s memories that were glossed over or left unexplored.
The premise of the story sounded interesting with a lot of potential but I was left wanting more. Overall, it was a lighthearted story and I enjoyed the narration. It may have benefited from setting up the initial conflict a bit more.
Switched delivers a lighthearted escape of classic body-swap comedy with a dash of science fiction. The premise is undeniably fun: Serena, a free-spirited physicist, and Henry, her uptight colleague, find themselves inhabiting each other's bodies after a freak electrical storm. The body-swap premise creates humorous situations as Serena and Henry navigate each other's worlds. However, the story follows a familiar rom-com formula, with well-worn tropes and predictable plot points. Serena and Henry fall into classic opposites-attract stereotypes, which feel one-dimensional. The narration is clear and smooth and the jokey lines land as intended, but more vocal variety would have helped sell the narrative. The initial scientific intrigue fades as the focus shifts entirely to the romance, but it lacks the charm and sweetness of Ghosted. Serena and Henry are finely written characters but lack the necessary chemistry to overlook the predictable plot.
STEM romance meets Freaky Friday.
Thank you to Netgalley for adding this to their "Listen now" section.
To start off this book was amazing, just not for me. However I know plenty of people to recommend this too.
3 stars
I loved the everything about the premises of this book. Opposites attach, two people who think they aren't meant for each other actually "walk in each others shoes" only to find out that they are meant to be together.
Maybe it's because I hadn't read the first book or anything else by this author but the writing style wasn't my favorite. However Kelsey Navarro Foster (chef's kiss) kept me from DNF-ing and listening.
I will be reading book one and rereading Switched in hopes my thoughts change later on.
Cozy romance with a side of science. Good for what it is but not really a book I would talk about unless someone was specifically looking for that.
Rejected insta-love to Freaky Friday that’s enemy to lovers but not really enemies? I wasn’t really a Serena fan and Henry was… there? My FAVORITE part of this book was that her nickname was “Ducky”.
I will backing up and reading the first book in this series though.
The first couple of chapters, I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to get through this book- I found the main character THAT unlikeable. However, as the story developed, I really was drawn in, and realized that the character was the way that she was for a reason, and it was really all a part of seeing the character grow throughout the story.
Despite my initial reaction, I really ended up liking this story and the journey the characters went on - the author did a great job with giving us a peak into what makes the characters tick. (My one complaint was that Ducky is not from Sixteen Candles, but Pretty in Pink!)
The female narrator did a great job both with the voices and the accents. The male narrator’s voice at the end seemed a little “old” for the character, but did a great job narrating.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley; all opinions are my own.
"Impossible is only impossible until it becomes possible."
"Switching hasn't changed us, it's only given us a new understanding."
The premise of Switched, by masterfully engaging romantic comedy author Sarah Ready, is in the title. But the journey of being in another's body with their emotions exposed shows just how creative this writer is with this endearing witty romance.
Serena, raised by carefree living California parents has one love...Science, specifically Physics. Henry, a rich Englishman who lives in a castle, loves his scientific career but yearns for true love and family. When these two meet for an unforgettable one night stand not only do opposites attract but they switch! Actually the switching happens much later. When Serena finds out Henry is technically her new boss she practically ghosts him (yes this is book 2 of the author's Ghosted series and we do have a cameo from book 1 but it can be a standalone). An electrical storm, the largest smashing atom collider and the impossible has Serena waking up touching a new body part (hysterical) and Henry missing his body part but there are the new boobs!
The dynamic married duo Kelsey Navarro Foster and James Anderson Foster knocked it out of the park...uh...universe with their comedic timing, swept off your feet moments, and heartfelt emotions. When they go to a family wedding in England and she's him trying to speak with an English accent I cried from laughing and when he wakes up with menstrual cramps I couldn't help but smirk with glee. He couldn't comprehend that women go to work, play sports and leave their bed with these pains every month!
This audiobook is the perfect way to switch off this crazy life for a few hours.
I received a free copy of this audiobook from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Serena Otaki has always had a passion for science, and working with the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland, she has no room in her life for a man or any other love. When she meets Henry Joules in a bar, they have an immediate connection and a night of incredible sex. Then, Henry tells her he fell in love at first sight, and immediately after, she discovers Henry is her new boss, and Serena bails. They have spent the past 2 years working together and never talking about that night. After an electric storm while working on the LHC, Serena wakes up in Henry’s body, Henry in hers. Now they must work together to figure out how to get back while pretending to be each other with friends and family.
Kelsey Navarro Foster and James Anderson Foster did a fantastic job with the narration of the audiobook, especially Navarro Foster with the accents and male/female voices. Obviously it’s right there in the blurb, but romantic characters switching bodies was something I didn’t know would be a squick for me until I actually read it. I was uncomfortable for large portions of the book. I love Sarah Ready’s other books, though, so I won’t let this one stop me from reading her future works.
Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an audio ARC of this book.
Freaky Friday meets love potion number 9!
Switched is such a fun read, I devoured the entire thing in 2 days. You will immediately fall in love with Serena and Henry in this seriously laugh out loud novel!
Serena isn’t looking for love, she loves her job and that’s enough for her. She meets Henry by chance and a freak storm causes them to switch bodies. The two must navigate through this chaotic change all while getting to know each other.
The perfect romance novel with a little bit of sci-fi thrown in.
Absolutely recommend this book!
Thanks to NetGalley for this free copy in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you W.W. Crown and NetGally for the arc!
This was my first read of this author and I really enjoyed. I think the story would have been even more enjoyable if read in order of the series. I was originally confused how the concept of body switching between potential partners would work, but this was done in a fun way that didn't make it weird. I loved the nerdy feel throughout and really enjoyed the characters. The beginning felt like the most fast-paced part of the story, then I got excited again towards the end. I enjoyed the banter and the audio was a fun listen.
If you like STEM romance, second-chance, and opposites attract tropes then I think you'll enjoy!
I saw that the audiobook for this was available on NetGalley and I am a romance audiobook fiend so I thought I’d give it a try. Much gratitude to NetGalley for having it available!
Quick synopsis for this book is that it’s about a cool, confident scientist working in Geneva who has a meet-cute with a guy at a pub and they have a one-night stand. Then, she discovers that he’s her new boss. Oh, and the one-night-stand felt a lot like love and she does NOT want to mess with that. So, she rejects him and he’s upset. Two years later, they’re still working together but just barely tolerating each other. And then, one night, their bodies and souls switch - Freaky Friday style.
This was an intriguing set up for me, but I’m not sure how much I liked it. First, I think the book could have been shorter. There were a few parts that went on for several minutes (or even a full chapter) that likely could have been one or two paragraphs and still made the same point. It also took too long to get to the body switching part. It literally happens when you’re around 25% into the book.
Serena was also kind of difficult to root for. You get a better sense of why she has the hang ups that she does, but only when you’re really far into the book. (I didn’t check specifically, but my guess would be around 80% in.) Also, there was one plot point that came up about Henry that felt… super out of left field. And it wasn’t really unpacked much, even though it felt like a necessary thing to understand.
I will say that I liked the second half of the book a lot more than the first half - basically after they get over the initial shock of the switch. After that, the plot picked up more and I felt more invested. I did find myself rooting for them at the end, even with some odd plot and character choices.
Overall, it wasn’t great but it wasn’t terrible either.
great book! I wasn't sure if the book is for me because I´ve never read something like it but it was perfect! it felt like listening to an 90s romcom and I loved it! I really liked the characters and the way the story went! I giggled a few times and cried a little at the end! I would really recommend it and I will definitely read the other books in this series because they're the perfect rom-com with a twist!
(thank you netgalley for this arc-copy!)
This was such a cute, fun and fresh rom-com! I absolutely loved it! It made me swoon, laugh and outright cackle (I'm sorry to anyone at work who witnessed me listening). Call me a sap, but it was perfect.
It's a Freaky Friday meet-cute, insta-love, enemies-to-lovers story of two physicists who fall in and out of love and then switch bodies. It gets messy, but in the best way.
3.5/5⭐️
This audiobook was very much Love Theoretically meets Freaky Friday. Which is not a bad thing, but this story ended up feeling somewhat familiar versus a fresh new story. I would have loved to get more background on Serena prior to her switch with Henry, as I think I would have had more buy in with her. I did love getting to know Henry and had an extra soft spot for all of the corgis! The ending of the book, but before the epilogue felt rushed and disjointed which felt odd compared to how well the epilogue wrapped things up
The narrator did a great job with the footnotes and describing the graphs in the book. However I do think that would be better laid out and understood in the physical book.
Thank you Swift & Lewis LLC and NetGalley for this ARC copy. I always try my best to get these reviews in faster, but this one slipped through the cracks. However, it was a great read! With the switch of bodies and the scientific talk in the synopsis of the book, I was hesitant. I was pleasantly surprised that it was dumbed down and easy to understand. A book that brings you through lots of different emotions, realizations, and proof that love can conquer all.