Reviewed by Annika
TITLE: The Swap
AUTHOR: Annabella Michaels
NARRATOR: Michael Pauley
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
RELEASE DATE: June 28, 2019
LENGTH: 6 hours, 18 minutes
BLURB:
When their daughter goes off to college, Samuel and his wife Gayle begin to take stock of their lives. Realizing they’re best friends and not in love with one another, the two agree to an amicable split. Nervous about jumping back into the dating world, they accept a friend’s invitation to attend a swap party.
Tossing their keys into a bowl and leaving it up to fate to decide who they’re paired with is too tempting to resist. But when Samuel is faced with an audacious young man who strikes up a conversation, the attraction to men he’s kept buried for so long comes rushing back.
At twenty-two years old, Oliver Hughes is one of the most sought after male models in the world. Sassy and bold, with a penchant for wearing high heels and a touch of makeup, Oliver’s life is what he always dreamed it could be. Except for one thing…
Yearning to fall in love and settle down, Oliver’s grown bored of meaningless hookups with shallow, fame seeking guys. While attending a swap party, his last-ditch effort to find someone who doesn’t know who he is when they meet, Oliver finds himself drawn to a handsome, older man. One who’s endearingly unaware of his own appeal.
As their relationship grows, something sinister and dark threatens what they’ve managed to build. What will it take for Oliver and Samuel to survive, and is their happily ever after doomed from the start?
REVIEW:
I’ve seen some good reviews for this book, so when I noticed it was released into audio I decided to give it a try – besides Michael Pauley has a voice I love listening to.
Samuel and his wife realize that they are better off as friends rather than a married couple. That the only love they share is the one of friendship. So they decide to dip their toes into the dating pool again and set off to a swap party – which it turns out changes their lives. At that party Sam meets Oliver, a young male model that makes his heart pound and body react in a way it never has before. The feeling is mutual and it’s not long before their relationship burns the sheets. But all isn’t well in Oliver’s seemingly glamorous world and things aren’t always as they seem.
One of the main things why I didn’t love this book was that the relationship between Sam and Oliver happened off page. We only got the lust filled sexy parts. And if you know me, you know I want it the other way around. That I need that getting to know you and navigating something new – especially since Sam is only beginning to explore his bisexuality. I want to be there when feelings start to build and be a part of them falling in love, but since I wasn’t I just couldn’t get invested in their relationship. It felt rushed and insta-love.
On the other hand I really enjoyed the relationship between Samuel and his wife/ex-wife. How they were genuine friends and supported each other when they were both dipping their feet in the dating pool after so many years. Their relationship felt genuine along with the one with their daughter – which is not the way a LGBTQ romance should be.
The mystery part felt redundant and thrown in there to create some drama. I didn’t believe it, and it only made the story messy – and not in the good way – as in adding depth. The idea of it was good, but poorly executed and felt way too rushed. It felt like it was added only to create drama for the sake of it.
Michael Pauley delivered a great narration as usual with distinct voices and good pacing that varies after the situation. I think that what he portrayed the best was the friendship between Sam and Gayle and their love to their daughter Brooklyn.
This book could have been really good, but I was looking for something more.
RATING: 
Story: 3 hearts
Narration: 4,5 hearts
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