About the Book:
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 Review:
You can always count on Robyn Harding to deliver a darkly satisfying thriller with fantastic characters! I loved ‘The Arrangement’ and her newest book is just as enticing and taboo. Here. the author tackles the subject of partner-swapping (among other topics) and crafted an unputdownable thriller! If you find yourself with a relatively short attention span these days, I can guarantee you that Robyn Harding’s thrillers will satisfy your reading cravings.
Told from multiple perspectives, we first meet the shy and introverted Low, a moody teenager who is desperate to escape her small Pacific Northwest town and her very unusual family dynamic. She meets the beautiful Freya, a vivacious and captivating artist who offers pottery classes to Low. Soon, their relationship takes an unhealthy turn. Freya is not all that she seems to be, but both Low and Jamie, the owner of a small gift shop in town, become practically obsessed with her. With Freya, Low finally feels like she has found acceptance and understanding.
“At home, I was an afterthought. At school, I was a pariah. At Freya’s studio, I was everything. Freya was a best friend, a parent, and a crush all wrapped up in one worldly, glamorous package. Later, people would say I was obsessed with her, but I wasn’t. With Freya, I was home.”
Jamie and her husband Brian soon become very friendly with both Freya and her handsome athlete husband Max, a former hockey player. Max and Freya had moved to the isolated island town to escape public scrutiny after a tragic incident and subsequent litigation. How will the lives of Jamie, Brian, Freya, Max and Low all intersect? The author builds the tension at a rapid pace and never lets up.
Everyone has secrets and Freya preys on them. Some of the reviews give away too much about the plot, so just go into this one blind. I had not read any reviews or even the summary before I started reading and I LOVED the shocking twists and turns in the story!
‘The Swap’ is a very fast-paced thriller with a touch of very dark elements and unforgettable characters. The ending was a total surprise and fit the story perfectly. Happy reading!
(ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)
