“No list of thrillers is complete without Robyn Harding,” proclaims Real Simple. Now the USA TODAY bestselling author of The Party delivers a riveting tale about the toxic relationship between two couples after a night of sexual shenanigans, and the manipulative teenager with an explosive secret at the center of it all.Low Morrison is not your average teen. You could blame her hippie parents or … You could blame her hippie parents or her looming height or her dreary, isolated hometown on an island in the Pacific Northwest. But whatever the reason, Low just doesn’t fit in—and neither does Freya, an ethereal beauty and once-famous social media influencer who now owns the local pottery studio.
After signing up for a class, Low quickly falls under Freya’s spell. And Freya, buoyed by Low’s adoration, is compelled to share her darkest secrets and deepest desires. Finally, both feel a sense of belonging…that is, until Jamie walks through the studio door. Desperate for a baby, she and her husband have moved to the island hoping that the healthy environment will result in a pregnancy. Freya and Jamie become fast friends, as do their husbands, leaving Low alone once again.
Then one night, after a boozy dinner party, Freya suggests swapping partners. It should have been a harmless fling between consenting adults, one night of debauchery that they would put behind them, but instead, it upends their lives. And provides Low the perfect opportunity to unleash her growing resentment.
Robyn Harding brings her acclaimed storytelling, lauded as “fast-paced, thrilling, gut-wrenching” by Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author of Daisy Jones & The Six, to this dark and suspenseful thriller for fans of Megan Miranda and Lisa Jewell.
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Another great story by Robyn Harding filled with twists and characters with questionable ethics. The story was a fast read and very enjoyable!
I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.
This is definitely a page turner from beginning to end! I dare someone to start reading and not be so fascinated she tosses this book aside. It’s that compelling! Once I started reading my initial thoughts were quickly thrown in another direction. The characters are all so completely insane! Or, are they?!
In the Spring of 2019, Swallow (Low) Morrison is a 6’1” high school senior preparing to graduate from Bayview High. Since she was a loner and apathetic about a social life, she decides to take a gap year before college. Low is edgy and not easily impressed until she sees Freya Light enter her school to hang an advertisement for pottery classes. She immediately attracted to her and decides she needs to find out more about her.
She lives with her extremely unconventional family on a “hobby farm” on an island off the Pacific Coast. Her mother works as a bookkeeper from home and her father is a plumber. She also has 2 younger brothers: Leonard (11) and Wayne (9) until it’s announced that her mother is pregnant with her 4th child! They live on an island where couple swapping is called the Hawking Shuffle. It’s no wonder that Low is so ambiguous about relationships and sex. Her parents free loving hippie lifestyle was always a source of embarrassment for Low. In the end they seem to care and support her more than she realizes.
Freya Light and her husband Maxime Beausoleil move to the island for a fresh start after a tumultuous event turns them from loved celebrities to despised villains. Max has a career ending accident as a pro-hockey player which ultimately leads to the Freya the model turned social media influencer with no followers.
Low has developed an unhealthy obsession with Freya who easily changes friends when the mood strikes her. It’s no surprise that Low is receiving mixed signals from Freya. Jealousy has a way of creeping in when least expected. That is, Freya becomes friends with Jamie and Brian Vincent who are also new to the area. Things get messy when Low and Jamie feel like they are competing for Freya’s undivided attention.
Jamie is a married woman with no friends since they moved to Hawking. She latches on to the magnetic Freya as a lifeline to a normal social life. Little does she realize that Freya lives anything but a normal lifestyle. It’s when Jamie decides to trust Freya to be “a little wild” that her life turns upside down.
This story is a rollercoaster of emotions as these jealous and manipulative characters try to maintain their toxic relationships. No one is prepared for how their obsessions will ultimately change their lives.
The Swap is a thriller about manipulation and obsession, with a devastating ending. Low is a teenager when she first sees Freya, a beautiful artist. What Low doesn’t realize is that Freya is a user. She uses people, manipulating them to her advantage, and creating jealous feelings in people. Jamie is a friend of Freya’s – they meet when Freya brought her potter pieces to Jamie’s gift shop to sell.
As Jamie and Freya grow closer, Freya suggests they swap partners. Jamie is horrified, but intrigued, by this idea.
What follows this night is sorrow and horror, with Freya continuing to be a master manipulator. As you read this book, the tension continues to build, you just know something awful is going to happen. However, I don’t think you will guess what actually does happen.
Well done. This book kept me equally interested and horrified as I read the depths of Freya’s manipulation and the obsessive nature of Low and Jamie over their feelings for Freya.
Thanks to Edelweiss+ for the copy of The Swap. My opinions are my own.
#TheSwap #RobynHarding #Edelweiss
Eeny meeny miny mo, these besauches are crazy, yo…
In a contest for most dysfunctional we have Freya, the narcissistic Instablogger, Jamie, who after several disappointing attempts to become a mother has been pushed to the edge, and Swallow or “Low”, a gangly 17 year old high school student and budding photographer who obsesses over Freya endlessly all while trying to manage her polyamorous family.
I was completely absorbed by this story from the first sentence and barely set this book down until I finished. One drug induced night of bad decisions and no one’s life will ever be the same.
This was masterful.
Thank you to Robyn Harding, Gallery Books and NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Well, wow. Dark, twisted and unpredictable…this sinister journey into the minds of an irresistible cast of determined and obsessed characters will have you turning pages as fast as you can. This book is absolutely unique–in the most compelling way–as the desire for love, marriage, family, friendship and fame collide with devastating results. I held my breath the whole way through–and gasped at the ending. Whoa.
Gripping from the first line, THE SWAP by Robyn Harding is a wickedly delicious, addictive, utterly compelling read about obsession, toxic relationships, and dangerous secrets. I devoured every dark, twisted word until the last explosive scene. An absolute must-read, this suspense will shock and rivet readers through each masterful page.
Robyn Harding has upped her game with the page-turning and completely riveting THE SWAP. Harding deftly explores toxic friendship, desire, and obsession in this engrossing novel, in which two couples—one a glittering pair of former celebrities, the other stalwart high school sweethearts—become entangled in a web of secrets and jealousy. This is a clear-your-night-and-read-in-one-sitting book!
I really enjoyed this book. I’ve read all of Ms Hardings’s books to date and none including this one has disappointed me. After reading her first book The Party I stated she was my “new favorite author” and I still stand by that. I love her story plots, characters, word writing. Every time I finish one of her books I can’t wait for the next one!
Wow! Talk about crazy women! This book is a fast-paced read touching on subjects such as mental health, abuse, infidelity, infertility and most of all, obsession. This author is never afraid to touch on different subjects that are relative to today’s society. If you haven’t read ‘The Party’ by this author, you MUST! If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it thousands of time….it should be required reading for all tweens and parents of tweens!
The hold that narcissistic Freya has over the others is over-the-top! What price does one pay to be Instagram famous? How far would you go for someone you love? All the characters are broken in their own way. Yes this book and storyline is exaggerated….or is it? This really could be picked out of the headlines of people, obsession and becoming unhinged. You will feel sympathy for most of the characters and their situations.
Thanks to Ms. Harding, Gallery Books and NetGalley for thisARC. Opinion is mine alone.
You sense, long before the appropriately named Low does, that the bright shiny Freya is not nearly as bright and shiny as her ethereal Nordic beauty would have you believe. The same goes for Jamie, who, at twice Low’s age, really ought to know better. But the devil takes a pleasing shape, so Low and Jamie don’t merely allow Freya into their lives, they keep pulling her closer and closer, deeper and deeper, refusing to loosen their grips.
On the surface, Low and Jamie don’t have much in common. Low is a recent high school graduate who feels untethered. She’s 6’1″ and lives with an unconventional family, two things that separate her socially and emotionally from her classmates, people she’s known since birth. She is, in fact, socially and emotionally disconnected from everyone in her life. “Low” may be short for Swallow, but in this case, it could be short for lonely.
Jamie, meanwhile, has just moved with her husband Brian to the tiny northwestern island, where they hope a change of location will help them overcome a recent heartbreak. Whereas Low knows a lot of people but has no connection with them, Jamie knows no one and is almost afraid to do so. She does not want to reveal what brought her to the island.
Freya shares a name with the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, sees something in Low and Jamie that she can exploit. There will be times when you want to reach into the pages, grab Low and Jamie by their shoulders, and shout at them to please stop wanting Freya. For Low, the pain that comes from Freya’s games carries a sharp bite. She finally believes she has found a friend–a connection–only to be left doubting and wanting. Jamie’s pain is more visceral. Not only does she put herself at emotional risk, she makes herself physically vulnerable as well.
Robyn Harding uses four narrators: Low, Jamie, Brian, and Freya’s husband Max. We don’t spend much time in the men’s minds (this is largely Low and Jamie’s show), and I’m not quite sure what purpose their perspectives serve. Max is undeveloped from start to finish, lurking on the fringes of the story like a bit player unsure of whether he is talented enough for more lines. Brian is a bit more fleshed out, but it feels as if he gets chapters because Harding thinks we need to know why he does what he does. I don’t think that’s necessary.
There aren’t twists and turns–you know what’s happening, and you can see things that Low and Jamie cannot–but Harding does have a surprise or two for you. She also leaves some questions unanswered, particularly where Freya and Max’s marriage is concerned. You’re given some insights but left still curious and confused.
You won’t be able to put the book down, so set aside some time and get to reading. Then please come back here, hit up the comments, and let me know what you think. I liked this book a whole lot, and I’d love to talk about it with you. If you’re looking for a book club selection, this one has plenty to unpack.
Interesting…The Swap by Robyn Harding was just that. Ms. Harding is a new author for me. Her book was not only interesting, it was very entertaining. It definitely was not a boring book for me.
It wasn’t one of those books that kept you on the edge of your seat and that is ok. They don’t all have to be that way. This one is more laid back.
The characters are pretty varied and just like in real life, you wouldn’t expect them to be friends. One of the characters was an internet influencer who became friends with and 18 year old high school senior to whom she taught pottery. She also became friends with a woman who owned a store in town. She never seemed to be able to have more than one friend at a time and was a user of people. Things get pretty messed up in this book. There is a lot of back story on all of the characters which explains why they are involved with each other. That was satisfying for those who want to know!
The book has subjects that aren’t really familiar to me but, I am open minded enough to go along for the ride and enjoy a story that is different. I would recommend this book to my friends. It would make for a lively discussion.
I received this book from the publisher for a fair and honest review.
Low is an intense eighteen year old who has spent her entire life in isolation from her peers. She has a seemingly addictive personality that makes one person the center of her highly focused obsessions.
Former hockey player and currently distraught, confused, and angry husband, Max feels at fault for upending his wife’s entire life. He yearns for a sick and twisted version of love that they share.
Jamie is a lonely woman, barren despite her maternal longings. She is happy with her marriage to her college sweetheart, Brian, but is always wanting more for their life. When she finally finds a friend who becomes the reason she smiles again she doesn’t realize how quickly her life will be turned upside-down.
And at the center of it all is Freya. Though she appears as an innocent young wife and former social media influencer, she is really a manipulative, charismatic, and vain person who changes the entire course of five lives when she suggests a night of salacious and seemingly innocent fun.
Harding writes evocative and intriguing characters that may appear normal by societal standards and then she pulls back the curtain… The Swap is a spell-binding tale that exposes secrets, insecurities, calculation and mania. You will not be able to put this one down!
The blurb and this author were too tempting to not read The Swap! Phew, glad I did! I thought this would be an easy romp of a read and would be about the fallout of one night of debauchery – I was wrong – it is easily read with the writing flowing, multi-dimensional and twists and turns that you cannot see coming. There is dysfunction everywhere you turn but it takes a bit to get at it all – so worth the investment!
I started THE SWAP after dinner thinking I’d read a few chapters before watching a movie with my family. Well, never mind the movie, never mind sleeping because – just like last year with THE ARRANGEMENT – I devoured THE SWAP in one sitting. Dark, twisted, disturbing, full of bad choices and evil characters, this is the kind of book that will get your mind running in multiple different directions as you try to figure out what might happen… and still, I was wrong. Robyn Harding has written another thrilling scorcher you won’t be able to put down. Absolutely Loved it!
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. OMG! I can not tell you how many times I almost quit reading this book but my love of Robyn Harding made me continue. The beginning was very slow but then began the twists and turns. I never suspected the ending this book would have. If you are an avid psychological thriller fan this is a must read. Enjoy!
What a read! Swallow, or Low as she is know to everyone, is an 18-year-old high school senior misfit with no friends and who is bullied because it is known that her parents are “hippies” and “swingers.” Low starts taking pottery classes with Freya who seems to get everyone under her magic spells as soon as she meets them. Low thinks Freya is her BFF until Freya meets Jamie, who runs a gift shop in town, and they hit it off. Poor Low feels left out and more or less stalks Freya. Freya is married to hunky ex-hockey player Max who has problems of his own. Freya and Max get together with Jamie and her author husband Brian and lots of things happen. Freya ends up pregnant and has a baby girl which she is not happy about. I really enjoyed this book and read it in record time because I just could not put it down. I was blown away with the ending. Thank you NetGalley and Gallery/Scout Publishing for the ARC of this unputdownable book in exchange for an honest review.
Low Morrison is a nobody. She has no friends, she doesn’t feel she fits into her polyamorous hippie family. Behind her camera lens is where she belongs. Until one day she sees the beautiful woman post a flyer on the bulletin board and an obsession is born.
Freya Light the former social media influencer is forced to live on a small island after her husbands hockey career was ruined and scandal erupted. Now she makes pottery and lives the quiet life but she’s so lonely. That is until Low starts taking pottery lessons and soon she is unloading on her new friend and feeling uplifted by the adoration Low bestows upon her.
Jamie Vincent and her husband moved to the island for a slower and quieter pace in hopes of finally conceiving. Soon she is selling Freya’s pottery and becomes quite enamored with her new friend.
Soon the couples start doing things together and after a night of partying, magic mushrooms and couple swapping things become blurred and maybe everything wasn’t quite as innocent as everyone involved was led to believe. Now a teenage girl with nothing to lose may just lose it all when the tower of lies comes tumbling down.
But not everyone is as they seem and which woman feels she has been pushed way too far to the edge to be able to come back. When push comes to shove which one will push the hardest?
This book will have you perched on the edge of your seat, your body thrumming with anticipation while you wait out all the twists and turns that lead to the big finale and your mind tries to make sense of this twisted tale about the lengths a woman will go to preserve a friendship.
**ARC received through NetGalley. Voluntarily reviewed**
Some sexual shenanigans, a dabble in drugs, lots of lies and one super hot, psycho femme fatale all wrapped up in the drama-filled thriller…..The Swap!
Robyn Harding caught my eye with The Arrangement, but this one is much juicer. So much is rolled into this little book, you won’t want to miss a word!
”She was beautiful and effervescent, like expensive champagne.”
Freya is one of the most toxic and narcissistic characters I’ve ever read about. She is absolutely wretched and I was completely captivated! At the same time, she’s charismatic and magnetizing. People adore her. And those people pay a high price to be her friend!
Thank you to NetGalley, Gallery/Scout Press and Robyn Harding for this ARC, in exchange for my honest review!
My Rating: 5 ’s
Published: June 23rd 2020 by Gallery/Scout Press
Pages: 336
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The whole mess seemed unfathomable. How had one night of fun and debauchery upended our lives?
To put it lightly The Swap was stress inducing. I’m pretty sure I woke my husband up tapping my foot in bed while reading this book. Reading about Low, Freya, Max, Jamie, and Brian put me through the ringer. From the cover you think that this story is about a couple swap. From the blurb you assume it’s about a swap gone wrong and the imposing teenager who sees it all happen, but that’s simplifying this book to its very simplest form. The Swap explores how all of these people can move around and be affected by one person. How one person can puppet master an entire cast of characters without a single one of them being aware of what’s going down. It was intriguing and interesting seeing how it all plays out. Was I stressed out until the very last page? Yes. Were some things extremely obvious to the reader? Yes. BUT… it was still a ride seeing characters realize things over the course of the book.
Such a good thrilling read, and I definitely plan to check out more of this authors work.
Song/s the book brought to mind: Addicted by Kelly Clarkson
I finally read a Robyn Harding book guys!! And I loved every minute of it! The Swap was addictive, incredibly quick, and I found the ending to be very satisfying.
If you are into books about toxic relationships and obsession then this is the book for you. I know I have said this about other books, but it definitely applies to The Swap, it was like watching a wreck and not being able to look away. It is full of drama, manipulation, and lies, and you just can’t put it down until you see how this ride will end. I didn’t find any of the characters to be all that likable although Jamie did come close for me, and I felt bad for Freya’s husband Max at times. Low is a wreck in herself, and so many disturbing things are thought by that girl.
I was really impressed by the fast pace of the novel and that made it even harder for me to put down. I managed to speed through The Swap in just a few short hours so this is definitely a one sitting, binge-worthy read. I loved Harding’s writing style and I am going to have to stop putting off reading her backlist. The only reason I didn’t give this all the stars is because the end didn’t really surprise me all that much, although I did let out a slight gasp at one point.
I think that The Swap would make a lovely book to go into blindly so I will stop my review here. Just know, if you are a fan of Harding or even someone just looking for a fast read, I highly recommend this to you!
Thank you to the publisher for my advance review copy via NetGalley. All opinions and thoughts are my own.