What do you think?
Rate this book
Switch
Two-time Lambda Literary Award-winning author Ann McMan introduces readers to Isabelle Lebrun, a quick-witted accidental train conductor whose love life always leaves her at the wrong station.
What happens when you’re looking for love and all your best friends are romance readers?
Cue a clown car of ill-fated first dates that read more like failed first drafts of romantic fiction tropes than aspiring hunts for the love of her life.
Assistant Conductor, Izzy Lebrun, spends her days riding the rails of The Green Mountain Zephyr between her home in Philadelphia and the end of the line in St. Alban’s, Vermont. Beleaguered Izzy walks a tightrope—desperately trying to achieve a work-life balance between a job that pays the bills, and her dogged determination to finish her graduate degree so she can finally get a job that keeps her rooted in one place.
All she wants is to earn her Ph.D., get a damn cat, and find the love of her life.
Is that too much to ask?
We follow Izzy through her sometimes disastrous, sometimes implausible, but always hilarious journey through a maze of failed dates and epically bad one-night stands. Will Izzy ever get her ticket punched for a HEA or is this the end of the line for her?
__________________
“Utterly delightful! Ann McMan has done it again, although can you really use this particular turn of phrase since Ann McMan does it every time and never misses? Switch is fun and funny, vulnerable and sweet, geeky and delectable. It makes you giggle and kick your feet at 2 a.m. because you just had to read one more chapter. The parade of tropes is hilarious, the setting cozy and the trains? What a captivating backdrop! So instead of using that introductory “she has done it again,” syntagm, I’ll just say, “Nobody does it like Ann McMan!” —Milena McKay, Lambda Literary and Golden Crown Literary Society award-winning sapphic fiction author
What happens when you’re looking for love and all your best friends are romance readers?
Cue a clown car of ill-fated first dates that read more like failed first drafts of romantic fiction tropes than aspiring hunts for the love of her life.
Assistant Conductor, Izzy Lebrun, spends her days riding the rails of The Green Mountain Zephyr between her home in Philadelphia and the end of the line in St. Alban’s, Vermont. Beleaguered Izzy walks a tightrope—desperately trying to achieve a work-life balance between a job that pays the bills, and her dogged determination to finish her graduate degree so she can finally get a job that keeps her rooted in one place.
All she wants is to earn her Ph.D., get a damn cat, and find the love of her life.
Is that too much to ask?
We follow Izzy through her sometimes disastrous, sometimes implausible, but always hilarious journey through a maze of failed dates and epically bad one-night stands. Will Izzy ever get her ticket punched for a HEA or is this the end of the line for her?
__________________
“Utterly delightful! Ann McMan has done it again, although can you really use this particular turn of phrase since Ann McMan does it every time and never misses? Switch is fun and funny, vulnerable and sweet, geeky and delectable. It makes you giggle and kick your feet at 2 a.m. because you just had to read one more chapter. The parade of tropes is hilarious, the setting cozy and the trains? What a captivating backdrop! So instead of using that introductory “she has done it again,” syntagm, I’ll just say, “Nobody does it like Ann McMan!” —Milena McKay, Lambda Literary and Golden Crown Literary Society award-winning sapphic fiction author
284 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 15, 2025
18 people are currently reading
68 people want to read
About the author
Ann McMan
35 books573 followersCollege at an indifferent liberal arts institution taught Ann McMan that understanding subject/verb agreement was not enough to secure her fame and fortune. After graduation, she got a job driving a young adult bookmobile—and spent her days piloting the great rig across the dusty back roads of rural North Carolina. Her duties included making certain that the mobile library always contained at least six copies of "Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret", visiting the county detention unit (it was a great way to catch up with her brothers), and showing public service films about safe sex to pre-teens at 4-H Clubs all across her part of “The New South.”
Soon, the allure of higher education coaxed Ann back to school. For the past three decades, Ann has worked at a succession of premier institutions, designing marketing and advancement materials that promote, promulgate, and extol the benefits of indifferent liberal arts education.
Somebody has to do it.
All this time, she continued to write. And when, at the ripe old age of thirty, she realized that she was not like other girls, the great world of lesbian literature opened its arms, and provided her with a safe haven in which to grow and learn about her new identity. She will forever be indebted to those literary pioneers who had the courage, the talent, and the temerity to gift us all with an art form of our own. Ann’s first and subsequent attempts at writing lesbian fiction have been heartfelt attempts to pay that great gift forward.
Ann McMan is the author of three novels, JERICHO, DUST, and AFTERMATH–and the story collection SIDECAR.
In 2011, Ann, along with her novels JERICHO and DUST and her short story “I Saw Xena Kissing Senticles” were elected to The Royal Academy of Bards Hall of Fame. In 2012, she was awarded the Alice B. Lavender Certificate.
BACKCAST, further adventures of the CLIT-Con 13 (that zany cast of authors from SIDECAR’s “Bottle Rocket”) will be released in 2013.
Soon, the allure of higher education coaxed Ann back to school. For the past three decades, Ann has worked at a succession of premier institutions, designing marketing and advancement materials that promote, promulgate, and extol the benefits of indifferent liberal arts education.
Somebody has to do it.
All this time, she continued to write. And when, at the ripe old age of thirty, she realized that she was not like other girls, the great world of lesbian literature opened its arms, and provided her with a safe haven in which to grow and learn about her new identity. She will forever be indebted to those literary pioneers who had the courage, the talent, and the temerity to gift us all with an art form of our own. Ann’s first and subsequent attempts at writing lesbian fiction have been heartfelt attempts to pay that great gift forward.
Ann McMan is the author of three novels, JERICHO, DUST, and AFTERMATH–and the story collection SIDECAR.
In 2011, Ann, along with her novels JERICHO and DUST and her short story “I Saw Xena Kissing Senticles” were elected to The Royal Academy of Bards Hall of Fame. In 2012, she was awarded the Alice B. Lavender Certificate.
BACKCAST, further adventures of the CLIT-Con 13 (that zany cast of authors from SIDECAR’s “Bottle Rocket”) will be released in 2013.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
August 10, 2025
I was surprised by this book. Izzy Lebrun is an assistant train conductor which means she does not have a consistent schedule or route which makes home life a series of overnight rest stops. The story centers more on Izzy’s search for love rather than being a straight out romance. Since she’s rarely at home, she joins a dating app and does meetups with women at layover train stops. Very funny scenes.
Even though Izzy is not a youngster, she is still unsure what path to take with her life. Throughout the book, I felt Izzy’s discontent. Everyone else in her life has done big career things and settled down. But not Izzy and it’s a sore spot for her. The dialogue is sharply written, the characters who live in Izzy’s building are hilarious, and the actual love interest is sexy and smart. Izzy herself is very likeable and easy to cheer on. I would say you could read this book as a holiday story since it takes place that time of the year and has that snowy vibe. I recommend the audiobook because Christine Williams is very good.
4.25 stars.
Even though Izzy is not a youngster, she is still unsure what path to take with her life. Throughout the book, I felt Izzy’s discontent. Everyone else in her life has done big career things and settled down. But not Izzy and it’s a sore spot for her. The dialogue is sharply written, the characters who live in Izzy’s building are hilarious, and the actual love interest is sexy and smart. Izzy herself is very likeable and easy to cheer on. I would say you could read this book as a holiday story since it takes place that time of the year and has that snowy vibe. I recommend the audiobook because Christine Williams is very good.
4.25 stars.
October 18, 2025
4.5 Stars
I barely read the synopsis. I just wanted to be surprised. Was I wrong to expect something good from Ann McMan? Hell no. The author delivered, bubble wrapped in witty banter and sealed with an enjoyable experience guaranteed.
Witty dialogue is my weakness. First scene, first impression, bam! My interest piqued from 0 to 100 in less than two seconds. Do not underestimate the power of a good repartee. I value good dialogue than steamy, hollow sex scenes.
The found family was also top class. The relationships between main and side characters felt genuine and easy going. Generally, a healthy group of cast that helped the story move forward smoothly and added layers to the story’s consistency.
I think my only negative, not so negative is the repetition of events (when a date is being retold to someone else) it’s just teeny tiny bit grating when it happens a number of times during the story.
All in all a very enjoyable read - light hearted, wholesome and witty.
I barely read the synopsis. I just wanted to be surprised. Was I wrong to expect something good from Ann McMan? Hell no. The author delivered, bubble wrapped in witty banter and sealed with an enjoyable experience guaranteed.
Witty dialogue is my weakness. First scene, first impression, bam! My interest piqued from 0 to 100 in less than two seconds. Do not underestimate the power of a good repartee. I value good dialogue than steamy, hollow sex scenes.
The found family was also top class. The relationships between main and side characters felt genuine and easy going. Generally, a healthy group of cast that helped the story move forward smoothly and added layers to the story’s consistency.
I think my only negative, not so negative is the repetition of events (when a date is being retold to someone else) it’s just teeny tiny bit grating when it happens a number of times during the story.
All in all a very enjoyable read - light hearted, wholesome and witty.
September 22, 2025
This was a refreshing view of online dating in today's world. The humor and interaction between the characters was chef's kiss good. I did have all the feelings for Izzy. She's a very likeable MC and by golly she is going to hit all the romance tropes out there before the finding Ms Right. This light, quick read hit all the right spots for me. I recommend it. 4 stars
August 25, 2025
With her sharp wit, creative storytelling range, and genuine warmth, Ann McMan has become one of the most beloved and celebrated voices in contemporary LGBTQ+ fiction. No matter the story, her books stand out because her characters never feel like “characters” at all. They feel like people one might bump into at the grocery store or gas station—funny and imperfect, yet full of heart. McMan has a gift for grounding even the most dramatic plots in the everyday rhythms of real life, reminding us that the extraordinary often hides within the ordinary. This is exactly what readers enjoy in her latest novel, Switch, where they find that rare blend of authenticity and humanity they so deeply cherish. It’s a story that resonates on many levels, reflecting both the reader’s own experiences and the people they love.
At the core of Switch, as with all of McMan’s work, lies a deeply touching and evocative human journey. Izzy and Harper, her romantic leads, don’t begin with their lives neatly figured out. Quite the opposite, in fact. They are uncertain, stuck, and searching for something neither can fully name. Watching them stumble, recalibrate, and gradually grow into better versions of themselves is part of the magic of their romance. By the final page, readers have shared in their frustrations, rejoiced in their breakthroughs, and savored the sweetness of their hard‑won connection.
One of the story’s greatest strengths lies in its secondary characters, though for anyone familiar with McMan’s work, that’s hardly surprising. She knows supporting characters aren’t just decoration or comic garnish; they’re vital threads in the fabric of the narrative. Her side characters brim with quirks, contradictions, and quiet depths. At times they bring levity, at others they deliver hard truths, but they always contribute something essential. Sofie, Dewey, Aldo, Luz, and JoAnn exemplify this. McMan develops them in gradual layers until, by the end, readers find themselves as invested in their journeys as in those of the central cast.
What truly makes Switch so effective is McMan’s deep commitment to realism, and nowhere is that more evident than in her dialogue. Conversations don’t just sound authentic; they feel lived‑in, carrying the wit and quick rhythm you might overhear in a coffee shop. Yet beneath the surface, they carry emotional truths the characters themselves have not fully realized. That grounded quality extends to her settings, which she renders with striking texture: the faint scent of dinners drifting from apartment doorways, the mechanical hum of an elevator, the jostle of Izzy’s train as it barrels down the tracks. And when McMan turns to weightier themes—loneliness, doubt, the pull of big life choices—she never lets the prose grow heavy. With flashes of humor, vivid imagery, and the occasional well‑placed metaphor, her writing manages to be smart without pretension and heartfelt without excess.
McMan’s construction of Izzy and Harper’s romance is where she shines brightest. These two aren’t a cookie‑cutter couple; they’re awkward, stubborn, funny, and flawed, and that makes them feel truly believable. Their romance isn’t just about falling in love; it’s about learning to let down one’s guard, to risk vulnerability, and to look honestly at oneself. The romance isn’t the destination so much as the catalyst for growth, and that makes the happy ending all the more satisfying. It also makes the comedic elements sing, proving once again why McMan is the queen of rom‑com storytelling.
Final thoughts…
It is a rare book that engages both the heart and the mind. Beneath all the wit and banter, McMan weaves symbols and themes into everyday details. A place, an object, a local ritual—each reinforces ideas of home, belonging, change, and healing. The result is a novel with a resonance that lingers well beyond the final page. What truly makes Switch stand out, however, is its balance: it entertains without being shallow and remains emotionally honest without becoming heavy‑handed. Readers connect to this story because they connect to its characters, and their journey proves more than worth the train ride. I cannot recommend Switch enough!
Strengths…
Well-written
Entertaining
Strong character development
Strong supporting characters
Relatable themes
Well-written dialogue
At the core of Switch, as with all of McMan’s work, lies a deeply touching and evocative human journey. Izzy and Harper, her romantic leads, don’t begin with their lives neatly figured out. Quite the opposite, in fact. They are uncertain, stuck, and searching for something neither can fully name. Watching them stumble, recalibrate, and gradually grow into better versions of themselves is part of the magic of their romance. By the final page, readers have shared in their frustrations, rejoiced in their breakthroughs, and savored the sweetness of their hard‑won connection.
One of the story’s greatest strengths lies in its secondary characters, though for anyone familiar with McMan’s work, that’s hardly surprising. She knows supporting characters aren’t just decoration or comic garnish; they’re vital threads in the fabric of the narrative. Her side characters brim with quirks, contradictions, and quiet depths. At times they bring levity, at others they deliver hard truths, but they always contribute something essential. Sofie, Dewey, Aldo, Luz, and JoAnn exemplify this. McMan develops them in gradual layers until, by the end, readers find themselves as invested in their journeys as in those of the central cast.
What truly makes Switch so effective is McMan’s deep commitment to realism, and nowhere is that more evident than in her dialogue. Conversations don’t just sound authentic; they feel lived‑in, carrying the wit and quick rhythm you might overhear in a coffee shop. Yet beneath the surface, they carry emotional truths the characters themselves have not fully realized. That grounded quality extends to her settings, which she renders with striking texture: the faint scent of dinners drifting from apartment doorways, the mechanical hum of an elevator, the jostle of Izzy’s train as it barrels down the tracks. And when McMan turns to weightier themes—loneliness, doubt, the pull of big life choices—she never lets the prose grow heavy. With flashes of humor, vivid imagery, and the occasional well‑placed metaphor, her writing manages to be smart without pretension and heartfelt without excess.
McMan’s construction of Izzy and Harper’s romance is where she shines brightest. These two aren’t a cookie‑cutter couple; they’re awkward, stubborn, funny, and flawed, and that makes them feel truly believable. Their romance isn’t just about falling in love; it’s about learning to let down one’s guard, to risk vulnerability, and to look honestly at oneself. The romance isn’t the destination so much as the catalyst for growth, and that makes the happy ending all the more satisfying. It also makes the comedic elements sing, proving once again why McMan is the queen of rom‑com storytelling.
Final thoughts…
It is a rare book that engages both the heart and the mind. Beneath all the wit and banter, McMan weaves symbols and themes into everyday details. A place, an object, a local ritual—each reinforces ideas of home, belonging, change, and healing. The result is a novel with a resonance that lingers well beyond the final page. What truly makes Switch stand out, however, is its balance: it entertains without being shallow and remains emotionally honest without becoming heavy‑handed. Readers connect to this story because they connect to its characters, and their journey proves more than worth the train ride. I cannot recommend Switch enough!
Strengths…
Well-written
Entertaining
Strong character development
Strong supporting characters
Relatable themes
Well-written dialogue
July 21, 2025
4.25 stars
October 23, 2025
(rounded down from 4.25)
This was a really fun story about an assistant conductor travelling the country on railway assignments while trying to find women via a dating app to kick off her big love story. The fun little meta commentary about the romance book tropes Izzy keeps accidentally wandering into was a fun one and kept me entertained throughout the story. I enjoyed the characters, the subplot with the mystery of Cujo, and the found family at this apartment complex.
A very enjoyable read about an old-school style romantic trying to find love via "the apps".
This was a really fun story about an assistant conductor travelling the country on railway assignments while trying to find women via a dating app to kick off her big love story. The fun little meta commentary about the romance book tropes Izzy keeps accidentally wandering into was a fun one and kept me entertained throughout the story. I enjoyed the characters, the subplot with the mystery of Cujo, and the found family at this apartment complex.
A very enjoyable read about an old-school style romantic trying to find love via "the apps".
July 19, 2025
This story was a lot of fun. What you get a quirky set of characters who are at times laugh out loud funny. A story that doesn’t take itself too seriously as it gently pokes fun at the romance tropes. Two MC”s who you champion from the get go. Fade to black sex scenes for those who want a low angst low spice romp.
July 22, 2025
Ann McMan’s books are a joy to read. She does ‘characters’ so well. I’m never disappointed after the feeling of anticipation that grabs me at Chapter One. In this book we take a hilarious train ride alongside Izzy. She’s the kind of person you want in your life, just wonderfully natural, and each of her facets are so believable. After a couple of laugh-out-loud journeys on rickety train tracks she reaches her destination, her romantic and very well-deserved HEA. (And there’s a lucky cat that’s about to fall on his paws, too.)
September 7, 2025
If you like McMan's snappy dialog, oddball side characters, and boatloads of wine, you'll find much to like in this book. I found the "tropes of sapphic romance" thing amusing.
That said, it's not entirely clear to me that McMan understands what a romance novel is. She has claimed that Jericho is not a romance, whereas she claims this book is (literally on its cover). However, Jericho has vastly better development of the interaction between the two main characters, and it feels like real falling in love. In this book, the main characters have interaction somewhere around a long short story or a brief novella, but it's buried inside a much longer book that's mostly detailing weird bad dates for one of the main characters. At the end they claim to love each other, but they barely know each other, and moreover we barely know them together.
McMan used to be a super-five-star writer for me. It pains me that her recent books have all been well below the five-star level. Honestly, if it weren't her name on the cover, I might have rated this book three stars. Although, if this book had been billed as not a romance but rather just the story of Izzy, then I would have thought more highly of it. McMan does a good job portraying Izzy. As an academic myself, I really empathized with her "Is this really what I'm doing with my life?" moments.
That said, it's not entirely clear to me that McMan understands what a romance novel is. She has claimed that Jericho is not a romance, whereas she claims this book is (literally on its cover). However, Jericho has vastly better development of the interaction between the two main characters, and it feels like real falling in love. In this book, the main characters have interaction somewhere around a long short story or a brief novella, but it's buried inside a much longer book that's mostly detailing weird bad dates for one of the main characters. At the end they claim to love each other, but they barely know each other, and moreover we barely know them together.
McMan used to be a super-five-star writer for me. It pains me that her recent books have all been well below the five-star level. Honestly, if it weren't her name on the cover, I might have rated this book three stars. Although, if this book had been billed as not a romance but rather just the story of Izzy, then I would have thought more highly of it. McMan does a good job portraying Izzy. As an academic myself, I really empathized with her "Is this really what I'm doing with my life?" moments.
December 26, 2025
Great story, funny characters, I need more books like this
August 5, 2025
4.5 stars. I’m very up and down with this author but when she’s good she’s GREAT! This was a riot and so freakin’ fun. I loved the humor, the characters and the writing was so good. The chapters are mad long though. That’s my one complaint. I can’t stand long ass chapters. Other than that this was so entertaining. Izzy’s dating adventures were often times hilarious and awkward but they felt real. The romance in this between Izzy and Harper is very much on the back burner but I didn’t mind that at all. This was great and I would definitely recommend it.
November 21, 2025
I haven't finished it yet but I am preemptively rating it 5 stars because one of the characters calls Trump an "orange anus"
July 13, 2025
Hilarious, smart and wildly entertaining. I hope there is a sequel
Switch had me chuckling, laughing out loud and grinning like a fool in the first chapters, a much needed pick me up for my soul. That continued throughout the book even during more dramatic moments where you may feel bad for a character's predicament but it still makes you laugh because it's funny and/or absurd. Main characters Izzy and Harper are easy to root for and get attached to (strange habits notwithstanding); you want to inject yourself into the story at times to steer them away from a bad situation or point out the red flags that Izzy is particularly blind to. Secondary characters have many standouts among them, the dialogue is sharp with quips, the narration often laugh out loud funny. It's what I expect from an Ann McMan story; that and the literary and movie references, callbacks and sheer originality of crafting a story that incorporates so many disparate topics or things in a coherent and clever way. Animals figure into this story but not in an expected way especially for lesfic and the humor that pervades the book happens in French and English so bonus amusement if you know French (if you don't, it's translated so you don't miss anything). At times the story reminded me of McMan's Jericho series with its wild cast of characters, their unusual habits and interests, who are as endearing as they are weird by some standards. The ending is sweet and fitting for the characters but I'm hoping this is the first of a series like Jericho; I'd love to revisit these characters down the line and be back in the building Izzy and Harper live in to see what's going on there with them and the other inhabitants, and to get back on the trains with Izzy and her co-workers to witness their interactions with so many different kinds of people.
I highly recommend this book and the rest of Ann McMan's novels and short stories for stellar storytelling that gets you thinking and laughing and feeling and learning along the way with characters who stick with you long after you're done reading and nudge you to pick up the book(s) for a re-read every year or so to get that rush of pleasure and emotional pick me up that's sorely needed by so many in modern day life. I look forward to reading whatever Ann McMan publishes next whenever that may be.
Switch had me chuckling, laughing out loud and grinning like a fool in the first chapters, a much needed pick me up for my soul. That continued throughout the book even during more dramatic moments where you may feel bad for a character's predicament but it still makes you laugh because it's funny and/or absurd. Main characters Izzy and Harper are easy to root for and get attached to (strange habits notwithstanding); you want to inject yourself into the story at times to steer them away from a bad situation or point out the red flags that Izzy is particularly blind to. Secondary characters have many standouts among them, the dialogue is sharp with quips, the narration often laugh out loud funny. It's what I expect from an Ann McMan story; that and the literary and movie references, callbacks and sheer originality of crafting a story that incorporates so many disparate topics or things in a coherent and clever way. Animals figure into this story but not in an expected way especially for lesfic and the humor that pervades the book happens in French and English so bonus amusement if you know French (if you don't, it's translated so you don't miss anything). At times the story reminded me of McMan's Jericho series with its wild cast of characters, their unusual habits and interests, who are as endearing as they are weird by some standards. The ending is sweet and fitting for the characters but I'm hoping this is the first of a series like Jericho; I'd love to revisit these characters down the line and be back in the building Izzy and Harper live in to see what's going on there with them and the other inhabitants, and to get back on the trains with Izzy and her co-workers to witness their interactions with so many different kinds of people.
I highly recommend this book and the rest of Ann McMan's novels and short stories for stellar storytelling that gets you thinking and laughing and feeling and learning along the way with characters who stick with you long after you're done reading and nudge you to pick up the book(s) for a re-read every year or so to get that rush of pleasure and emotional pick me up that's sorely needed by so many in modern day life. I look forward to reading whatever Ann McMan publishes next whenever that may be.
July 24, 2025
Another hilarious screwball romcom
Ann McMan surely has some extra brain loops where her bizarre and wildly funny sense of humor resides. It’s fortunate for us readers that she lets us participate with her wonderful screwball books: the only downside - don‘t eat or drink while reading Switch you never know when the next witty gem comes up and sure enough: you don‘t have to wait long. Beware of the bestie, Sofie, the maintenance crew and Dewey, the doorman!
Of course Switch is a McMan book, so expect an intricate story, depth and great characters: Enter Assistant Conductor, Izzy Lebrun. A very polite Canadian, struggling with her thesis (yeah, dung beetles!), dating and life decisions. A serious affliction at 42 which her bestie (see above: beware) tries to cure with the dating app SheDate.
What can a say: there are trains and train delays due to winter, there are pit stops for incredible dates (incredible as in screwball), tender moments, more screwball moments, brilliant ripostes, a car with character and a slow burn where Santa has to do overtime so that the girl gets the girl — all packed together into a wildly entertaining story. Happy sigh! More, please. Soon, please.
I received an ARC. The review is left voluntarily.
Ann McMan surely has some extra brain loops where her bizarre and wildly funny sense of humor resides. It’s fortunate for us readers that she lets us participate with her wonderful screwball books: the only downside - don‘t eat or drink while reading Switch you never know when the next witty gem comes up and sure enough: you don‘t have to wait long. Beware of the bestie, Sofie, the maintenance crew and Dewey, the doorman!
Of course Switch is a McMan book, so expect an intricate story, depth and great characters: Enter Assistant Conductor, Izzy Lebrun. A very polite Canadian, struggling with her thesis (yeah, dung beetles!), dating and life decisions. A serious affliction at 42 which her bestie (see above: beware) tries to cure with the dating app SheDate.
What can a say: there are trains and train delays due to winter, there are pit stops for incredible dates (incredible as in screwball), tender moments, more screwball moments, brilliant ripostes, a car with character and a slow burn where Santa has to do overtime so that the girl gets the girl — all packed together into a wildly entertaining story. Happy sigh! More, please. Soon, please.
I received an ARC. The review is left voluntarily.
January 16, 2026
I am genuinely shocked that this book is as well reviewed as it is. There is no real storyline. The basics of the story revolve around the day to day life of a train conductor. And her life is boring AF. She has a few run ins with a neighbor who I know because of the blurb will eventually be the romantic interest. I was more than 3/4 of the way through the book and the romance portion had still not happened and I could not see how it could as the MC had not interacted for more than a few hours with the neighbor. The characters were not well drawn. The dialogue was clunky. Also, it was very clear that McMan is, to use the rather insulting term, a boomer, as she has the MC think the term Millennials about kids on the train. Hate to tell you, Ann, but your MC was the Millennial. The kids were Zoomers. This out of touch phrasing was evident throughout the entire story as her MC spoke and acted like someone 20 to 30 years older than she was.
Overall, this was not a believable romance and the not well written enough for me to even call it harmless. It was boring and not worth the time.
Also, as an aside, the narration on this, Christine Williams, made every single blue collar worker sound like uneducated morons from the Jersey Shore. She made the book even worse.
Overall, this was not a believable romance and the not well written enough for me to even call it harmless. It was boring and not worth the time.
Also, as an aside, the narration on this, Christine Williams, made every single blue collar worker sound like uneducated morons from the Jersey Shore. She made the book even worse.
August 8, 2025
The humor in this was a perfect fit for me — I think I laughed harder at the Flyers game than any other single scene in all of fiction — we’re talking tears streaming down my face and my stomach hurting from laughing so hard! It’s worth the read just for that scene alone! But the characters were wonderfully wacky too, from Izzy and her fruitless pursuit of dung beetles and dating app meetups to Sofia and her French commentary, the Cujo crew, oracle Dewey, and so on. There was a lot to love.
The one part I struggled a bit with was the actual course of events in poor Izzy’s life — the comically bad dates were hilarious in retrospect, the tropes cataloged with Dewey’s help… but they were somewhat more painful to experience in the moment, and I just wished Izzy would have opened her eyes a bit earlier. Somehow.
Bottom line, I’d totally read this again for the hilarity and quirky characters and off-the-wall surprises — but man I’m still gonna grit my teeth through those dates.
The one part I struggled a bit with was the actual course of events in poor Izzy’s life — the comically bad dates were hilarious in retrospect, the tropes cataloged with Dewey’s help… but they were somewhat more painful to experience in the moment, and I just wished Izzy would have opened her eyes a bit earlier. Somehow.
Bottom line, I’d totally read this again for the hilarity and quirky characters and off-the-wall surprises — but man I’m still gonna grit my teeth through those dates.
August 22, 2025
Ann McMann never disappoints, and Switch is no exception. The story is a 10. The characters, 10, but the writing is 10+++. It's so good you want to go back and read individual sentences over again. I found myself highlighting portions because I liked them so much. Here's one of my favorites:
"...the recipe given to me by a passenger in Springfield only called for four cheeses, in my humble estimation, if four were good, six were better. In fact, six had plainly not been better since at least two of them chose to flee the confines of the cramped baking dish and migrate to greener pastures on the bottom of the oven."
"...the recipe given to me by a passenger in Springfield only called for four cheeses, in my humble estimation, if four were good, six were better. In fact, six had plainly not been better since at least two of them chose to flee the confines of the cramped baking dish and migrate to greener pastures on the bottom of the oven."
July 22, 2025
A joy!
Ann McMan’s books are a joy to read. She does ‘characters’ so well. I’m never disappointed after the feeling of anticipation that grabs me at Chapter One. In this book we take a hilarious train ride alongside Izzy. She’s the kind of person you want in your life, just wonderfully natural, and each of her facets are so believable. After a couple of laugh-out-loud journeys on rickety train tracks she reaches her destination, her romantic and very well-deserved HEA. (And there’s a lucky cat that’s about to fall on his paws, too.)
Ann McMan’s books are a joy to read. She does ‘characters’ so well. I’m never disappointed after the feeling of anticipation that grabs me at Chapter One. In this book we take a hilarious train ride alongside Izzy. She’s the kind of person you want in your life, just wonderfully natural, and each of her facets are so believable. After a couple of laugh-out-loud journeys on rickety train tracks she reaches her destination, her romantic and very well-deserved HEA. (And there’s a lucky cat that’s about to fall on his paws, too.)
July 30, 2025
Rail conductor Izzy is in a rut, low man at work and not having had a relationship for two years. Her friend Sofie encourages her to join a lesbian dating app, hijinks follow.
Ann's books mostly take place in a universe where everyone is just a bit amusingly EXTRA. This one too, with the crazed building staff, the all wise manager and so on.
And oh lord the dates. Poor Izzy.
4 out of 5 stars.
Ann's books mostly take place in a universe where everyone is just a bit amusingly EXTRA. This one too, with the crazed building staff, the all wise manager and so on.
And oh lord the dates. Poor Izzy.
4 out of 5 stars.
July 24, 2025
My only complaint - I was promised a cat while browsing the promotion post on threads and said big yellow cat only appear briefly in few sentences.
Just kidding, I had no complain, I had a few laughs out loud moments at Izzy misfortune and catastrophe bad debts, and I love every part of it, cat-less or otherwise.
Just kidding, I had no complain, I had a few laughs out loud moments at Izzy misfortune and catastrophe bad debts, and I love every part of it, cat-less or otherwise.
September 13, 2025
This book confused me. There were so many rave reviews and I wanted to love it. Don’t get me wrong - I don’t like it - I just like something more linear. I honestly think the library returned it before I finished but I was almost done! I like the wit of the main character it just didn’t resonate with me like it did with others/ I recommend it more for others who are okay with less linear people.
October 22, 2025
I loved this book! As always with an Ann McMan book, the witty dialogue and sense of humor make for a delightful read. Izzy’s dating app adventures are what I have always imagined this type of dating would be like. The secondary characters, and settings were excellent and memorable. As I said, I love this story and highly recommend it.
January 18, 2026
12 Romance Book Tropes Packed with Humor
Ann McMan knows how to put her characters into the most hilarious and crazy positions. This is a funny, low angst, slow-burn romance. I love the MC who is a train conductor who travels the northeast coast of the US. I love all the characters who live in the apartment building.
Ann McMan knows how to put her characters into the most hilarious and crazy positions. This is a funny, low angst, slow-burn romance. I love the MC who is a train conductor who travels the northeast coast of the US. I love all the characters who live in the apartment building.
July 23, 2025
This was a fun rom-com about Izzy, her meddling romance reading friends, all tropes that exist explored and so many horrendous dates until Izzy finally realizes who may be the perfect match for her, the love of her life.
My favourite quote from the book easily: "Women are complicated, men are stupid and simple, care about their dick, their stomach and their hairline"
I listened to this book and it was really enjoyable even if I am not loving books with fade to black scenes.
My favourite quote from the book easily: "Women are complicated, men are stupid and simple, care about their dick, their stomach and their hairline"
I listened to this book and it was really enjoyable even if I am not loving books with fade to black scenes.
August 18, 2025
It's funny and well written, like all of McMans books. But I missed that little extra spark she usually has... the chemistry/banter/sexyness between the leads that's usually done so well, here it lacked. The whole book felt a bit hurried.
August 18, 2025
This is a really good slow burn romance that gets the fifth star because of the wonderful cast of characters and the various intelligent snarky witticisms, overall humor, and introspective life lessons.
September 27, 2025
One of my favorite reads of 2025. It was fun, hilariously funny, sweet, romantic. The audiobook narrator, Christine Williams, was perfect for the story with sarcastic and dry tone and alto voice.
The humour in the book is very similar to Robin Alexander's books.
The humour in the book is very similar to Robin Alexander's books.
August 1, 2025
The trouble with hyping a book big time is that it’s unlikely to meet my expectations. And unfortunately it didn’t. Funny, but a bit twee, good back characters.
August 8, 2025
There’s a reason I read every one of Ann McMan’s books….another absolute delight.
October 20, 2025
Well-written, predictable romance. I knew exactly what was going to happen from the beginning.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews