"you're so sure about the world Leena. but i'm not like that. you know the best way for you to deal and you've been doing it. ....i haven't worked out how to heal so i'm trying everything.
that's my way."
published: 2020
pages: 336
heard: 7/22-25/2020
book: 63 in 2020
SYNOPSIS
Eileen is sick of being 79.
Leena's tired of life in her twenties.
Maybe it's time they swapped places...
When overachiever Leena Cotton is ordered to take a two-month sabbatical after blowing a big presentation at work, she escapes to her grandmother Eileen's house for some overdue rest. Eileen is newly single and about to turn eighty. She'd like a second chance at love, but her tiny Yorkshire village doesn't offer many eligible gentlemen.
Once Leena learns of Eileen's romantic predicament, she proposes a solution: a two-month swap. Eileen can live in London and look for love. Meanwhile Leena will look after everything in rural Yorkshire. But with gossiping neighbours and difficult family dynamics to navigate up north, and trendy London flatmates and online dating to contend with in the city, stepping into one another's shoes proves more difficult than either of them expected.
Leena learns that a long-distance relationship isn't as romantic as she hoped it would be, and then there is the annoyingly perfect - and distractingly handsome - school teacher, who keeps showing up to outdo her efforts to impress the local villagers. Back in London, Eileen is a huge hit with her new neighbours, but is her perfect match nearer home than she first thought?
THOUGHTS
hooray for netgalley having audiobooks and offering this one up for grabs for freeeee! (cause other wise, i'm sure i wouldn't have been approved.)
I read the flatshare back in 2019 and while it wasnt a super favorite of mine, I was down to read this one once it was available at my library but then Covid happened and the release date got pushed back and uh, anyway, here we are.
This was a cute little story that I could've gone 100% never having read.
Bah, that sounds bad.
Hear me out....
Eileen and Leena swap lives because well, shit hit the fan for Leena and if I'm being 1000% honest (and sorry it is a bit spoilery) because Eileen was looking for dick. I know I'm crude but in this case, I'm not being crude i'm just stating whats said in the book.
I can't really go into details about their similarities because there's one thing they have in common that's not mentioned in the synopsis that I don't wanna spoil for anyone who wants to read this book but I guess I can see how that one thing is leading them both to have the same lives. or no, not even that. not even that one thing. its just there really wasnt much to differentiate them besides their age. what Eileen wanted to accomplish in her hometown, she did in Leena's and what Leena wanted to accomplish in London, she did at her grandmas. yea, sometimes you need a change of scenery but this was meh at most to me.
Out of all the twists this story had I was only really surprised by one. and that one was done good but eh. but in general everything else was kinda predictable. I didn't care for Ethan (Leena's) boyfriend. I get WHY he was in the plot but tbh, this story would've been fine without him. There was no need for him at all. Leena could've fallen in love with the other dude just fine without having to introduce Ethan. And she could have strongly disliked homegirl without well, having to have had all that happened. (See!, kinda can't talk about it too much cus its spoilery)
It wasn't a bad story but to me it was just 2 women living repetitive lives at different ages/stages in their lives.
I felt like the problems they had were idk...not to sound like a bitch but aside from the one major thing, small. Eileen's was easily solvable if she'd just accepted the dick that was there for her all along....and Leena's was solvable if she'd just accept that other people are allowed to make their own choices no matter what YOU think is the right thing to do. Tbh, that fucking pissed the fuck out of me. I get her feelings are her feelings but she was just too much there. no one can tell anyone how to live their lives so i don't really sympathize with her there. (but please note that i 1000000% understand that i have NEVER been in that situation so who knows how i would act in that moment. its always the easiest thing to talk about when it isn't you that the thing is happening to.)
Anyway, it's not out in the US yet but somehow everyone is already reading it so I'll leave it here cause I don't wanna continue spoiling anymore for those that are waiting until August to read it.
....but jump over for spoilers if ya want.
thanks for reading!
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SPOILERS
S P O I L E R S
S P O I L E R S
S P O I L E R S
S P O I L E R S
S P O I L E R S
Leena gets put on a 2 month leave from work after having a panic attack.
to explain it clearly, her sister passed away. i didnt really pay attention to the timeline but if it wasnt a year that its been, i think its the anniversary that's coming up. so idk that clearly but i know it has to do with her sisters death.
so anyway, she has a panic attack so they place her on a 2 month PAID work leave.
she goes to visit grandma and catches Eileen's list that she had made about finding someone to date and that's when they decide to swap lives.
Leena is mad at her mom because her mom let her sister Carla end her life even though there was possible treatment. she thinks she's the only one suffering her sisters death but her mom is also heartbroken. it just so happens that Leena was the "adult" when all this was going on.
Leena is looking to open up her own company with her best friend, Bea, but keeps putting it off. its not until her grandma catches Ethan cheating on her that she kicks her shit into gear (after being a dumb bitch about it) and gets it all going. she eventually decides to leave London and move down with her grandma to start her life over.
she also breaks up with Ethan and finally gives into dating Jackson (tbh, i can see it but this shit also came out of left field because its not like they spent lots of time together.)
Bea of course ends up moving with her daughter to whatever town it is because a) London is horrible for dating but also, the new dude that she is now dating that she was conveniently set up by Eileen, happens to live there or visit or some shit.
---
Eileen goes to London, sets up a dating profile, gets a hit and ends up having casual sex with some dude (forgot his name). she realizes that he is good times but ultimately that's no the kind of man she wants to end up with. (she's dating now because her husband left her).
Eileen doesnt really care for her neighbor Richard and thinks he's annoying but it turns out that they actually had chemistry way back when but because she was married she decided to turn cold against him.
this trick knew all along that she had dick right next door but had to travel on the train to realize it. in the end they end up together.
tbh, there's a lot im leaving out but im over this book so...yea, if you have questions, ask. if i remember, ill answer.
thanks for reading!
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