"The Book Swap" by Tessa Bickers

 

"The Book Swap" by Tessa Bickers is an impressive debut novel following Erin and James, two book lovers stuck in a niche of their own making and connected through notes left in books.

Erin, still grieving the loss of a close friend, accidentally donates her favorite annotated book to the community library. James discovers it and, moved by her annotations, responds within the book itself. Erin is dissatisfied with her job, while James, burdened by caring for his bipolar mother, has abandoned his dream of writing. Unbeknownst to them, they share a history and harbor unresolved issues that prevent them from moving forward. As their correspondence progresses from discussing books to sharing personal revelations, they motivate each other to step outside their comfort zones.

The book is written in the first person and alternates between the two protagonists. It is wrongly marketed as a rom-com, so I expected some light reading. However, it is better classified as romance fiction or literary fiction as it explores heavy-handed themes such as grief, bipolar disorder, depression, bullying, and toxic environments. It also explores fallible human nature, healing, forgiveness, redemption, and pursuing dreams.

The book started slowly for me, but once it gained momentum, I couldn't put it down. I loved the concept of exchanging notes through books, the dynamics between the characters, and the author's thoughtful handling of mental illness. The side plots enrich the story, and I particularly enjoyed the interactions with side characters such as the protagonists' families, Erin's friend Cassy, and James' friend Joel.

Truth be told, Erin irritated me at times with her immaturity, selfishness, and poor behavior toward her friends and mother. James wasn't perfect either, being too judgmental at times, and his behavior in school was inexcusable. I don't want to say too much about it to avoid spoilers, but being bullied isn't reason enough to act as he did, though who are we to judge?? Nonetheless, I appreciated how both characters developed and grew throughout the book, and the ending moved me to tears.

While the novel references classic works like "Great Expectations," "Wuthering Heights," "Mansfield Park," and "To Kill a Mockingbird" (which I also enjoyed), it doesn't delve deeply into them—and rightly so, as it isn't the book's focus. Overall, I enjoyed the book and highly recommend it to fans of slow-paced friends-to-enemies-to-lovers, and slow-burn romance stories that aren't afraid to tackle weighty themes. It delves into the complexities of the human psyche, provokes thought, and definitely touched me deeply.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more info about the book: "The Book Swap" by Tessa Bickers