The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
kdailyreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Medical content and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcohol, Sexism, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Pregnancy, Blood, and Grief
lunep's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Medical content, Toxic relationship, and Misogyny
Moderate: Alcohol and Medical content
Minor: Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Cursing
wavephase's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Warnings: No Warnings Apply
Category: F/M
Relationships: Charlie Goodwin/Jake Greenman, Cass Goodwin/Brett Linklater, Cass Goodwin/Miguel Rodriguez
Characters: Charlie Goodwin, Cass Goodwin, Priya Basu, Austin Nash, Sasha Torres, Nathan, Sydney, Miguel Rodriguez, Walter Demetre, Thomas Goodwin, Helen Goodwin, Sharon Marston, Jake Greenman, Faye Christie
Additional Tags: Twins, Trading Places, Christmas, Baking, Concussions, Strangers to Lovers, Small Towns, Hollywood
Original Language: English
Stats:
   Published: 2021
   Words: ~92,400
   Chapters: 25
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Sexism, Misogyny, and Medical content
Moderate: Alcohol, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
Minor: Blood and Pregnancy
atamano's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Toxic relationship
kelly_e's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Author: Maggie Know
Genre: Holiday Romance
Rating: 3.0
Pub Date: September 30, 2021
T H R E E • W O R D S
Cozy • Whimsical • Cringy
📖 S Y N O P S I S
When chef Charlie Goodwin gets hit on the head on the L.A. set of her reality baking show, she loses a lot more than consciousness; she also loses her ability to taste and smell--both critical to her success as show judge. Meanwhile, Charlie's identical twin, Cass, is frantically trying to hold her own life together back in their quaint mountain hometown while running the family's bustling bakery and dealing with her ex, who won't get the memo that they're over.
With only days until Christmas, a desperate Charlie asks Cass to do something they haven't done since they were kids: switch places. Looking for her own escape from reality, Cass agrees. But temporarily trading lives proves more complicated than they imagined, especially when rugged firefighter Jake Greenman and gorgeous physician's assistant Miguel Rodriguez are thrown into the mix.
💠T H O U G H T S
I wanted to read The Holiday Swap last holiday season, but just never got to it. This year I made it a priority, making sure to read it before picking up Maggie Knox's latest release All I Want for Christmas.
What I like:
• the premise. Twins swapping places for 12 days sounded like such a fun and creative idea.
• the dual setting/dual perspective. The small family run bakery and a TV baking show contrasted worlds nicely as did having identical twin perspectives.
• the cooking/baking. It's no surprise I love books that involve food, so that aspect was what kept me going.
What I didn't like:
• double the romance. Maybe one romance would have worked, but two just felt unrealistic. It was highly unlikely both twins would end up in a romance in the opposite place at the exact same time.
• the lying. It wasn't just the deception of swapping places. There were just so many lies, and eventually it felt redundant.
• lack of festiveness. This didn't feel like a holiday read to me, apart from it taking place during that time of the year, which was disappointing.
The Holiday Swap is filled with mishaps and witty dialogue where everything ends tied up with a bright shiny bow. I've read a handful of 'holiday romances' this month, and I'm starting to think they may just not be for me. But of course, I'm going to try another one...
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• Hallmark movie devotees
• fans of Cake Wars
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"We don't always know how to ask for what we want."Â
Moderate: Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, and Body shaming
Minor: Pregnancy and Alcohol
theespressoedition's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I had this on my list last holiday season and didn't get a chance to pick it up, so I prioritized it this year, requesting it on Libby almost a month in advance to make sure I got to it during December. It was such a letdown.
It was like The Princess Switch movies on Netflix - but not even the kinda cute and cheesy first one... like the utter cringe of the third one. Twins switch spots, they each fall in love (instantly, of course), and chaos ensues. I was over it before it even began. Not to mention that I didn't enjoy the narration style of the audiobook. Maybe if I'd read a physical copy, I would've liked the story more? But I don't think so. It went about 300 pages more than the story even deserved.
If I could go back and tell myself to DNF after the first few chapters - that it doesn't actually get more interesting - I would. I kept holding out hope that it would be more entertaining, but I just kept getting frustrated and wishing it would end already. Oof.
Definitely not one I'll pick up again.
Graphic: Toxic friendship and Toxic relationship
bookcrushin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexism
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Body shaming, and Misogyny
Minor: Alcohol
theoverbookedshelf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Misogyny
s_hatton29's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Minor: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Medical content, Sexism, and Toxic relationship