BOOKISH FRIDAY: “THE SWAP”

Welcome to another Bookish Friday, in which we  share excerpts from books…and connect with other bloggers, who do the same.

Let’s begin the celebration by sharing Book Beginnings, hosted by Rose City Reader; and let’s showcase The Friday 56 with Freda’s Voice.

To join in, just grab a book and share the opening lines…along with any thoughts you wish to give us; then turn to page 56 and excerpt anything on the page.

Then give us the title of the book, so others can add it to their lists! What a great way to spend a Friday!

Today’s feature is from The Swap, by Robyn Harding.

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Book Beginnings:  (Spring 2019) (low morrison)

I first saw Freya at my high school.  I hated school, found the classes as dull and simple as my fellow students.  This attitude did not endear me to my teachers nor my classmates, so I was alone, as usual, when she walked through the double front doors.  No one noticed her, which seemed to be her intent.  She wore a ball cap and aviator sunglasses that she did not remove under the fluorescent lights.

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Friday 56:  It was a bright but mild morning, perfect walking weather, when Freya mentioned her connection to Low.  “I hear my favorite student applied for a job at the store.”

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Synopsis:  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.

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What do you think?  I am eager to dive into this book.

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