The Book Swap

Content warnings: bullying, cancer, grief, lasting psychological issues from bullying and grief

Erin "meets" a mystery man through their local Little Free Library.

Erin Connolly has been living a half-life since the death of her best friend Bonnie, but she's determined to start living. She finally quits the job she hates, and starts cleaning up her apartment by donating the books she doesn't need to the little free library in a nearby park. Erin accidentally donates her copy of To Kill a Mockingbird with a card from Bonnie inside. She obsessively checks the library box until she finds her copy of the book with the card inside, only there have been some changes -- someone has written in the margins in response to all of Erin's notes.

Erin begins exchanging books with copious notes in the margins with her Mystery Man and it changes her life in unexpected ways. As she opens up more and more to her margins pen pal, she finds out more about herself and learns to let go of some of her past. But Erin also learns things she'd rather not know...

The flawed characters in this novel were refreshing at first, but they began to grate as they continued to make the same choices over and over again. The ending was predictable, but I'm still not sure if it was satisfying. Recommended for readers who enjoy flawed characters and the tropes of second-chance romance and enemies to lovers.

Author: Tessa Bickers

Publisher: Graydon House

Length: 336 pages

Release Date: September 3, 2024

I received an electronic galley copy of this title from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.