"The Swap" by Robyn Harding Review - Otiose Overachiever

(Swal)Low Morrison is a heck of a narrator!! If I’d made a timelapse video of myself as I devoured this book over the course of two days, you would’ve seen me curling up into an increasingly shrimplike reading position, and *that’s* the sign of a riveting book.
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photo of tall trees during foggy day

At times, the little island town where this book takes place feels like a character itself! As I tore through the pages, it felt like the Hawking fog permeated the entire roller coaster of events. The island culture of partner swapping is PIVOTAL to the plot, so the town of Hawking plays the role of both puppeteer and puppet...stage? That definitely sounded better in my head.


We begin with (Swal)Low’s sullen, intense, and not-like-other-girls-esque narration as she first spies the magnetic Freya Light, who’s new in town (insert Mulaney reference)! Funnily enough, this scene reminded me of when Joe saw Beck for the first time in You (only, in this case, Low doesn’t actually interact with Freya upon first sighting). A friendless high schooler who feels utterly invisible amidst both (what she deems to be) her “superficial” contemporaries, and her parents’ bustling polyamorous home, Low immediately senses an *instant* kinship with Freya. Conveniently enough for the starry-eyed outcast, Freya is advertising pottery lessons (held in her home studio), and Low all but POUNCES on the opportunity to bask in Freya’s presence, and to become her friend. 


As the two spend more time in each other’s company, Freya opens up to Low (a smitten sounding board) about her early life, her husband (Max), and the reason why they moved to Low’s island. We start to see some selfish (and outright nasty) facets of Freya’s personality slipping through her sparkly facade during these conversations, but Low is too busy clinging on to Freya’s offhanded compliments to notice.


Unfortunately for Low, her budding friendship with Freya falters when Jamie Vincent enters the picture. Jamie, who’s much closer in age to Freya, AND who has also just relocated to the island (hoping that the environment will finally help her overcome her fertility struggles), immediately strikes up a fast friendship with Freya. This leaves Low in the dust, but the silently seething Low is too enamored by the promise of Freya’s friendship to back off so easily. With all of the pieces set, we can now consider the remaining pieces of the equation…

grayscale photo of woman doing silent hand sign
- Max Beausoleil: Freya’s husband, a former professional hockey player (until a SUPER damaging action incites the uproar that eventually crashes his career)

- Brian Vincent: Jamie’s husband, an author who’s just scored his first book deal

- Hawking Mercantile: Jamie’s new shop, which stocks several of Freya’s pottery pieces and is in desperate need of employees

- The Hawking Shuffle: yep, this snazzy name refers to the uber-popular island practice of swapping partners (considered a “party favor”, of sorts)

- The_Hawkeye_61: Low’s instagram account, which showcases her (apparently stellar) photography skills and quickly garners a following


Now that the dominoes are in place, all that’s left to do is sit back and watch everything collide together!

This book goes all in with its clever portrayal of (very-berry) volatile relationships, immensely flawed characters, oodles of emotional manipulation, cataclysmic moments of impulsivity, and even a sprinkling of the ol’ clandestine rendezvous! Harding juggles five different points of view, thankfully avoiding chaos & confusion by allowing each voice to narrate for as many chapters as necessary (rather than limiting them to one chapter at a time). The exposition was so well-written; often in thrillers, the setting of the stage can meander towards tedious territory. Harding does a fabulous job of balancing the requisite context alongside an actual plot (hooray!)


5 out of 5 stars (or, should I say, clay pinch pots)!

*I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*


Image Credits (Unsplash)

- Markos Mant (foggy trees) - Kristina Flour (spooky secret-telling maybe?)

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