Review: The Swap by Robyn Harding

Title: The Swap

Author: Robyn Harding

Published: June 2020, Gallery/Scout Press

Format: ARC E-copy, 334 pages

Source: Netgalley

Summary: 

“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 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.

My thoughts: This is only the second book I’ve read by Robyn Harding and I seriously do not know why it took me so long to pick this one up or why I haven’t read ALL her books yet. They are so good and so addicting. She is definitely going on my must-read list right now!

I knew going into this book what it was about and still it caught me off-guard…and I mean that in the best way possible. This book is about obsession and toxic relationships, and believe me when I say once you start reading this book, you are not going to be able to put it down. There is no good stopping point. It’s like one big train wreck and you just cannot look the other way. But the best thing is that it’s such an incredibly fast read that you can simply binge-read it in one afternoon/evening so don’t worry. 

I don’t want to say too much about the plot because it’s hard to say much without giving anything away, but I will say that this is the type of book where the characters are not necessarily likeable but you just need to find out what ultimately happens. You end up feeling bad for some of them and but they really are just not lovable. 

If you love books that involve manipulation, drama, deceit and a ton of other crazy shenanigans, this book is for you! I love that Robyn Harding is not afraid to push the envelope and I cannot wait to read the rest of her books…soon!