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The Book Swap
A humorous, feel-good read! When newcomer and single mum Becca goes to a school PTA meeting, she is handed the task of looking after the village book swap – a dirty, smelly phone box full of unloved books. She’d much rather be finding a job, or some friends. Unfortunately, though, her daughter Ellie decides she loves the book swap, so Becca has no choice in the matter. Can Becca find her feet in the village and make the book swap something to be proud of? And who is the book swap’s mysterious benefactor?
83 pages, Paperback
Published June 29, 2023
38 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
About the author
Liz Hedgecock
97 books181 followersI grew up in south London, did an English degree, and then took forever to start writing. The stories started to grow longer...and then the murders began!
I tend to write Victorian mysteries of a not-too-scary nature. I've somehow managed to have 3 separate Sherlock Holmes-themed series (why make things easy?). I also co-wrote the Caster & Fleet mystery series with Paula Harmon, and my Maisie Frobisher Mysteries series is a spinoff from that.
I write a modern cozy mystery series, Pippa Parker Mysteries, and my newest series, The Magical Bookshop, is a cozy mystery series with a touch of fantasy and magic.
Visit my website for book info, links to stories, and my blog, in which I ramble on about all sorts of things. Hope to see you soon.
I tend to write Victorian mysteries of a not-too-scary nature. I've somehow managed to have 3 separate Sherlock Holmes-themed series (why make things easy?). I also co-wrote the Caster & Fleet mystery series with Paula Harmon, and my Maisie Frobisher Mysteries series is a spinoff from that.
I write a modern cozy mystery series, Pippa Parker Mysteries, and my newest series, The Magical Bookshop, is a cozy mystery series with a touch of fantasy and magic.
Visit my website for book info, links to stories, and my blog, in which I ramble on about all sorts of things. Hope to see you soon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
February 23, 2024
Entertaining relationship with listening 🎶🎎
This kindle e-book novella is from my Kindle Unlimited account book 1 of 2.
I have listened to a number of books by Liz Hedgecock and enjoyed all.
A cute mother and daughter moving to a town and taking on the book swap.
I would recommend this series and author to readers of family and friends relationship novels. 2024
This kindle e-book novella is from my Kindle Unlimited account book 1 of 2.
I have listened to a number of books by Liz Hedgecock and enjoyed all.
A cute mother and daughter moving to a town and taking on the book swap.
I would recommend this series and author to readers of family and friends relationship novels. 2024
January 28, 2024
Such a cute little book! Read it in one go in the bath! It just made me want to have the job of maintaining the cleanliness of a book swap, but we sadly don’t even have one where I live! It’s a short book, only 70 pages but it has enough heart in it, a lovely message and a perfect ending.
July 8, 2023
A short tale from Liz Hedgecock, The Book Swap is an excellent tale about finding a place in your new community, creating a niche that speeds your melding into this new place life finds you now. I enjoyed Becca, and like most of us, I've been there, too, the new Mom on the block. It was good to see this simple tale. It is one I will share with the great-nieces and great-nephews.
This is the first cover Liz Hedgecock painted for one of her tales - and it's excellent!
Reviewed on July 7, 2023, at Goodreads and AmaonSmile. Not available for review on B&N, BookBub, or Kobo.
This is the first cover Liz Hedgecock painted for one of her tales - and it's excellent!
Reviewed on July 7, 2023, at Goodreads and AmaonSmile. Not available for review on B&N, BookBub, or Kobo.
December 28, 2023
Lovely little book, easy read. Feel the need to find a phone box now though so we can have a book swap in our village!
January 28, 2024
A cute little read with a community feel and a quaint bookshop telephone box. Thank goodness for the local PTAs and volunteers who run these In real life…
February 11, 2024
Very short but very sweet. Relatable as a book swap can be set up anywhere and pressure from other mums on PTA happens everywhere.
July 23, 2023
Spectacular Short Read!
by Barbara Kelley
"The Book Swap" is a short story of about 70-80 pages long, written by Liz Hedgecock. I read it quickly because, when I started it, I didn't want to put it down. This book is about a single mother, Becca, her little preschool daughter, Ellie, and an array of members of a small town Primary School P.T.A., as well as a few teachers. Becca was roped into taking care of a book swap located in an old telephone booth box. The swap is filthy, stinky, and disorganized, but because Becca's daughter, Ellie, feels sorry for the place, Becca decides to clean it up. The Book Swap becomes well-known in the community, everybody wanting to borrow and give books to it. Then, a couple of weeks later, the Book Swap is vandalized and needs to be revitalized once more. With the help of the Primary School, community leaders, and the free press, the Book Swap has a real chance of bouncing back to life. This was a really good book and I hope the author makes it into a series because there is a certain spark between Becca and Declan. I loved Ellie. When my daughter was 4 years old, she was a lot like Ellie. I gave this book 5 stars.
I received a copy for free via booksprout, and this is my voluntary review.
by Barbara Kelley
"The Book Swap" is a short story of about 70-80 pages long, written by Liz Hedgecock. I read it quickly because, when I started it, I didn't want to put it down. This book is about a single mother, Becca, her little preschool daughter, Ellie, and an array of members of a small town Primary School P.T.A., as well as a few teachers. Becca was roped into taking care of a book swap located in an old telephone booth box. The swap is filthy, stinky, and disorganized, but because Becca's daughter, Ellie, feels sorry for the place, Becca decides to clean it up. The Book Swap becomes well-known in the community, everybody wanting to borrow and give books to it. Then, a couple of weeks later, the Book Swap is vandalized and needs to be revitalized once more. With the help of the Primary School, community leaders, and the free press, the Book Swap has a real chance of bouncing back to life. This was a really good book and I hope the author makes it into a series because there is a certain spark between Becca and Declan. I loved Ellie. When my daughter was 4 years old, she was a lot like Ellie. I gave this book 5 stars.
I received a copy for free via booksprout, and this is my voluntary review.
October 16, 2023
A very short but sweet book. The clue is in the title, but a woman who has lost her way a bit in life with a failed relationship and no job is persuaded to help run a telephone book swap for the local school that her daughter attends.
Begrudgingly at first but eventually she grows to enjoy it and to become more involved in the community which also helps her daughter to make friends.
A quick read but a feel good story.
Begrudgingly at first but eventually she grows to enjoy it and to become more involved in the community which also helps her daughter to make friends.
A quick read but a feel good story.
January 22, 2024
After reading The Postbox Topper, which I really enjoyed, I realized there is a part 1 in this series which I hadn't read yet. This book.
So I read it. It is a quick read. And, just like book 2, about something seemingly simple and superfluous. But, in both cases, it gives the reluctant MC a new purpose in life, new friends and it brings the community together.
A warm and cozy read!
I received a copy and chose to review it.
So I read it. It is a quick read. And, just like book 2, about something seemingly simple and superfluous. But, in both cases, it gives the reluctant MC a new purpose in life, new friends and it brings the community together.
A warm and cozy read!
I received a copy and chose to review it.
January 14, 2024
Lovely Story
I really liked this little book. Such a feel good story . So encouraging to women who find themselves starting over and needing a new network of friends. If you love books and reading then this book will put a smile on your face.
I really liked this little book. Such a feel good story . So encouraging to women who find themselves starting over and needing a new network of friends. If you love books and reading then this book will put a smile on your face.
January 10, 2024
Cute short book story
February 26, 2024
Absolutely lovely quick read
September 23, 2024
Ah such a wholesome book! I loved it!
Becca, a young woman with a little girl in reception class is thrown into PTA. She's told she has to look after the grubby and disgusting book swap.
The book swap is the community old telephone box where people can leave their books and take a book if they wish.
Becca takes on the task but struggles at times with being a newly single mother without a job.
What can this little book swap do for Becca? What new purpose of life can it give her? How will it help her?
Loved it! Such a cute book and I smiled the whole time reading it.
Becca, a young woman with a little girl in reception class is thrown into PTA. She's told she has to look after the grubby and disgusting book swap.
The book swap is the community old telephone box where people can leave their books and take a book if they wish.
Becca takes on the task but struggles at times with being a newly single mother without a job.
What can this little book swap do for Becca? What new purpose of life can it give her? How will it help her?
Loved it! Such a cute book and I smiled the whole time reading it.
February 13, 2024
The Book Swap is a cute novella sized read that pairs perfectly with a cup of coffee.
Throughout the read there's a great sense of community, friendships to be made and most importantly books waiting to be read!
We have one of the old red booths near us that has repurposed like this that I keep meaning to visit.
I'm assuming this is the beginning of a promising new novella size series, because there were sparks flying between book lovers Becca and Declan and I feel their story is only just beginning.
A highly enjoyable, heartwarming read.
Throughout the read there's a great sense of community, friendships to be made and most importantly books waiting to be read!
We have one of the old red booths near us that has repurposed like this that I keep meaning to visit.
I'm assuming this is the beginning of a promising new novella size series, because there were sparks flying between book lovers Becca and Declan and I feel their story is only just beginning.
A highly enjoyable, heartwarming read.
September 24, 2025
Cute, little story. It was entertaining, not over cheesy.
July 6, 2023
Finding Herself Again . . .
Becca and her daughter Ellie are new to the town. Becca wants to get a job and perhaps make friends. She joins the school’s PTA and is assigned the job of monitoring the book swap, an old telephone box storing the books. It doesn’t seem to have been taken care of, but while the usual person who owns that task is out with a broken hip, Becca will try to clean it up and make it a place people will want to make use of. A job may have been more attractive to her, but Ellie was so excited and Becca could definitely make a difference if she could make this more usable for the community. And after her first success at cleaning it up and the books sorted properly, a man stopped by to drop off some books.
Becca was hopeful that the book swap would be a big success, until the next day when it was damaged by someone. Windows smashed, spray-painted graffiti over everything she had carefully painted, books all over the floor and deliberately damaged. Somehow she seemed to identify with the damaged and abandoned book swap, feeling so similar to the way she felt when Phil belittled and left her. But as she started cleaning up broken glass, people stopped by and offered to help in whatever way they could. They could even recycle the destroyed books to make “book sculptures”. A reporter drove up, amazed at the progress already and he took notes about the volunteers so far. And that publicity held the attention of others and led to opportunities. That hope that she would make friends was happening quickly! And when the head of the school, Declan Cole, suggested they go out for coffee and talk about their mutually favorite books, maybe this was a new direction for Becca also.
This is a nice story about finding your way to happiness when everything else seems to have gone wrong. Once Becca found something that helped her community and gave her a chance to show that she wasn’t a failure, she was able to make friends and even help outside of her community. Confidence restored, friendships generated, and hope for a bright future made a delightful story that ends on a smile.
Becca and her daughter Ellie are new to the town. Becca wants to get a job and perhaps make friends. She joins the school’s PTA and is assigned the job of monitoring the book swap, an old telephone box storing the books. It doesn’t seem to have been taken care of, but while the usual person who owns that task is out with a broken hip, Becca will try to clean it up and make it a place people will want to make use of. A job may have been more attractive to her, but Ellie was so excited and Becca could definitely make a difference if she could make this more usable for the community. And after her first success at cleaning it up and the books sorted properly, a man stopped by to drop off some books.
Becca was hopeful that the book swap would be a big success, until the next day when it was damaged by someone. Windows smashed, spray-painted graffiti over everything she had carefully painted, books all over the floor and deliberately damaged. Somehow she seemed to identify with the damaged and abandoned book swap, feeling so similar to the way she felt when Phil belittled and left her. But as she started cleaning up broken glass, people stopped by and offered to help in whatever way they could. They could even recycle the destroyed books to make “book sculptures”. A reporter drove up, amazed at the progress already and he took notes about the volunteers so far. And that publicity held the attention of others and led to opportunities. That hope that she would make friends was happening quickly! And when the head of the school, Declan Cole, suggested they go out for coffee and talk about their mutually favorite books, maybe this was a new direction for Becca also.
This is a nice story about finding your way to happiness when everything else seems to have gone wrong. Once Becca found something that helped her community and gave her a chance to show that she wasn’t a failure, she was able to make friends and even help outside of her community. Confidence restored, friendships generated, and hope for a bright future made a delightful story that ends on a smile.
January 24, 2024
A very short book
July 6, 2023
When Becca enrols her young daughter Ellie in Meadley reception class she has a whim to join the PTA. In her first meeting as well as being bored to tears she’s roped in to help out with the local book swap booth ( it’s in an old phonebox) on Beech lane not far from the school.The lady who’s job it is to take care of it is to be out of action undergoing a hip replacement so the Parish Council reached out to the school to appoint a temporary caretaker as it were. It’s dirty it’s smelly and Ellie loves it . Becca has to take on the mammoth task of cleaning and giving it some tender loving care. The transformation of the little book library makes headlines and the whole village is proud of it. The inspectors from the Best Kept Middle Sized Village are due according to good sources to pay Meadley a visit and it seems it’s to make front page news. This is a really charming fun story with a little cute romance . Love Liz’s Cosy Mystery books so know she’s a prolific writer but this blew me away with its simplicity and feelgood immersive qualities.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 2, 2023
Becca has joined the PTA at her daughter Ellie’s school and is forced to volunteer to work in the village book swap . Ellie likes the book swap so Becca has no choice but to go for it. It is full of old books and in a smelly red phone box in Beech Lane. She had to takecare of it till Mrs. Val got well as she had ,had a hip replacement. Lots of humour and various characters in the book to make it interesting. There is a mystery as someone keeps interesting books for her to read . Vandalism brings a change to her life and the mystery of the stranger solved. A very enjoyable and entertaining read. I am on the ARC team and leave a honest review . I recommend this book to other readers.
July 4, 2023
This is a cute novella showing how a simple thing as a book swap can bring people together and help one another. It shows the joy of giving and finding new friends. It's well written and is an enjoyable short story.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.
July 19, 2023
Was expecting a body…
I kept expecting a dead body to show up stuffed in the book swap booth. When it didn’t happen, I was still surprised at how much I enjoyed this delightful little story. (The book share near me is more on the lines of a large bird house, so no chance of a DB in that.) Thanks too for the idea of how to use old books!
I kept expecting a dead body to show up stuffed in the book swap booth. When it didn’t happen, I was still surprised at how much I enjoyed this delightful little story. (The book share near me is more on the lines of a large bird house, so no chance of a DB in that.) Thanks too for the idea of how to use old books!
July 15, 2023
Lovely read, not what I expected.
What an interesting visit to the UK and the life of a character so vividly real. I absolutely love where it ended. The high note left me smiling and nodding my head. Thank you, Liz Hedgecock.
What an interesting visit to the UK and the life of a character so vividly real. I absolutely love where it ended. The high note left me smiling and nodding my head. Thank you, Liz Hedgecock.
July 3, 2023
A pleasant change for an easy to read cozy story.
This is a lovely heart warming story.
I received this arc for free and I wanted to leave an honest review.
This is a lovely heart warming story.
I received this arc for free and I wanted to leave an honest review.
July 23, 2023
Everything I needed to get back into reading. When you have so much going on in your life and not knowing where to turn, a good short book is all you need. Highly recommend thank you 😊
August 29, 2023
Fantastic little novella! I loved it and plan to read many more of the author's books!
October 3, 2023
It was a lovely story but it finished so quickly and abruptly, I would have liked to find out more about the characters.
November 11, 2023
3.5 such a cosy little read!!
November 22, 2023
A cosy warm read 11 chapters
November 30, 2023
Lovely little story but it ended so abruptly 😐
July 6, 2023
It's an absolute gem, enchanting from beginning to end. It was a pleasure to spend time immersed in its pages. Who can resist discovering new adventures at book swaps? Books have the power to enthrall and transform their readers.
Becca is in charge of the village book swap, which brings numerous changes to her daughter, Ellie. Organizing and delving into the collection is exhilarating for Ellie.
Liz Hedgecock's books never fail to amaze me. Their rich plot will ensnare you from the very start, making you feel like one of the characters living the story.
I wholeheartedly recommend trying it; it's a worthwhile experience.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Becca is in charge of the village book swap, which brings numerous changes to her daughter, Ellie. Organizing and delving into the collection is exhilarating for Ellie.
Liz Hedgecock's books never fail to amaze me. Their rich plot will ensnare you from the very start, making you feel like one of the characters living the story.
I wholeheartedly recommend trying it; it's a worthwhile experience.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews