I don’t want to come out of the gate and say that this book was misleading, because really it wasn’t. It’s just that the blurb provided seemed to exclude a very key character that helped drive a lot of the plot of this thriller. Regardless, The Swap by Robyn Harding was at times wonderful and at other times a bit cheesy, but overall, it was a fun read that could perhaps be saved for your time on the beach.
The Swap mainly alternates between two meek individuals, Low and Jamie, whose lives suddenly intersect with a charismatic, interesting, and beautiful woman named Freya. She has just moved to the island town with her ex-hockey player husband who is equally good-looking. At first, we get to spend time with the lonesome and awkward Low, who happens to spot Freya at her high school. Soon she signs up to take pottery classes, and almost instantly the two bond. Even though there is a large age gap between the two, Low truly believes they are best friends, and she is perhaps in love with Freya, too.
Not too long after Low enters Freya’s life, Jamie enters the picture. Her and her husband also just moved to the island so they could both live out their dreams after a failed adoption. Jamie is immediately taken with Freya and thinks that the two have a decent bit in common. She really couldn’t be more wrong. With Jamie now in the picture, Freya doesn’t really have time for Low. But when Jamie pisses her off, then she comes running back to Low. Freya definitely has a temper, and a childlike reaction to insignificant disagreements.
That’s only part of Freya’s problems. Her marriage is on the rocks, but it’s mostly her own doing, and then she gets pregnant. She does not want to have a baby. The real question that lingers is whose baby is it? Low happened to catch the two couples hanging out one night, and let’s just say the island doesn’t care if anyone is swinging. It would all be fine if Jamie didn’t still desperately want a child, and if her husband and Freya could stop lying about it. Low’s jealousy and spying give her the upper hand, but she just needs to use her knowledge in the right way.
While some of the plot twists in this book were fairly obvious, they came together nicely at the end. Even though Freya was the protagonist in this story and was extremely unlikable, I found Low to be almost as awful. I suppose there is something to be said for loneliness, but she was just unbearable at times. This book was good enough that I definitely think I’ll be adding Harding’s other novels to my read list. Keep a lookout in the future!