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samchase112's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- 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
2.0
Cute, sweet… This was the quintessential hallmark romcom, complete with a small town, country vs city trope, twin swap, dual chemistry-free romances, and a bow-wrapped ending. Nothing inherently wrong or badly written here, but ultimately completely forgettable. Honestly, getting rid of the love stories would allow the rest of the book to breathe and really develop bonds — but alas, this is a hallmark script.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual harassment
Minor: Grief, Blood, and Medical content
kelly_e's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- 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
Title: The Holiday Swap
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."
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."
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, and Body shaming
Minor: Pregnancy and Alcohol
tairameadowcroft's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Pregnancy and Sexual harassment
readergonewilde's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcohol, Body shaming, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Pregnancy, Sexism, and Sexual harassment
sailinginthetea's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual harassment and Sexism
kb33's review against another edition
2.0
I really struggled through the beginning of this. Its been a long time since I’ve read a book where I felt so uninterested in the characters. Their continued insistence on keeping the swap a secret from everyone gets ridiculous. And the psychic twin connection makes me think the author has never met any twins. This is a very clean romance, which I find strange considering the author thought nothing of adding in a little work place sexual harassment in the form of unwanted shoulder massages.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual harassment
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