The Book Swap

The whole idea of a mystery book club through a free library is fun. I would've loved if the exchange had included some contemporary books, not just the classics. But that's just because I'm not a fun of those classics.

The FMC ruined this for me. She was extremely self-centred and there was not enough character development for me to root for her. The MMC was a good guy, and I hoped the ending wouldn't have included them getting together. I feel like he deserved a lot better, but he was too stuck on his high school crush to realize it. Lucky her.

CW: terminal illness, bipolar disorder, bullyingI am absolutely a sucker for You've Got Mail/Shop Around the Corner stories in which the MCs fall in love through their correspondence, unaware that they are rivals or enemies IRL. The Book Swap tries to recreate that magic, but the romance is weighed down by both MCs' emotional baggage (mostly grief and guilt, with a bit of career crisis thrown in for good measure). Debut author Tessa Bickers gets high marks for realistically showing how Erin and James individually work through their pain and emerge on the other side. The notes that they leave each other in the Little Free Library books are most interesting when they actually discuss their reactions to classics such as [b:To Kill a Mockingbird 2657 To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1553383690l/2657.SY75.jpg 3275794] and [b:Great Expectations 2623 Great Expectations Charles Dickens https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1631687432l/2623.SY75.jpg 2612809]. Eventually, however, they give up the literary pretense, and just start writing personal questions and heartfelt responses, which tend towards cliched exhortations to “follow your dreams.”I'm not going to spoil the revelations of the MCs' shared past, except to say that IMO the author doesn't establish the previous bond between them emphatically enough, so its severance feels like a shame more than a tragedy. The book barely squeaks by with 4 stars for several reasons. I liked both MCs and the evolution of their relationships with their respective BFFs. I thought the family dynamics, especially James's, were insightfully portrayed. Although the romance didn't quite work for me, I respected the journey each MC took to get to their HEA. Ignore the light & fluffy vibes promised by the book cover, and proceed with caution if you are not in the mood for some pretty heavy shit.Advanced reader copy received through Net Galley in exchange for objective review.