Book Club December 2021- The Holiday Swap

By: Maggie Knox
Published Year: 2021
Publisher: 351
Pages: G.P. Putnam and Sons

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): When chef Charlie Goodwin gets hit on the head on the L.A. set of her reality baking show, she loses a lot more than consciousness; she also loses her ability to taste and smell--both critical to her success as show judge. Meanwhile, Charlie's identical twin, Cass, is frantically trying to hold her own life together back in their quaint mountain hometown while running the family's bustling bakery and dealing with her ex, who won't get the memo that they're over.

With only days until Christmas, a desperate Charlie asks Cass to do something they haven't done since they were kids: switch places. Looking for her own escape from reality, Cass agrees. But temporarily trading lives proves more complicated than they imagined, especially when rugged firefighter Jake Greenman and gorgeous physician's assistant Miguel Rodriguez are thrown into the mix. Will the twins' identity swap be a recipe for disaster, or does it have all the right ingredients for getting their lives back on track?

What I thought

I was excited when Denise picked a holiday story since I am a sucker for all things holiday this time of year. I also am a bit of a softie for stories where people switch places but I’m realizing maybe not when it’s twins.

Cass and Charlie are identical twin bakers. Charlie lives in LA and is a host on a baking competition show where as Cass is hoping to take over the family bakery at their small town in northern California. When Charlie gets a really bad concussion, she begs Cass to take her place so she can keep her job and promises to fill in with Cass’s life because, obviously, how hard could running a small town bakery be. Cass jumps on the chance because she recently broke it off with her longtime boyfriend who just proposed and isn’t getting the hint.

I liked Cass but could not stand Charlie. This whole thing was her idea and she loses her phone on the first day and then just… doesn’t worry about it. Like, she promised Cass she would send her the recipes she created for the show (her job! Which she’s concerned about losing!) and then she just never does. I understand that she has a concussion but this should’ve been the first thing that she did before they even left the parking lot where they swapped. Also, why didn’t they swap phones? Why keep your own phone if you’re trying to pass off your life as someone else?

I did like both of the love interests but was a bit uncomfortable with them lying to each other. I think I was hoping the swap was going to be more like the movie The Holiday. When I read the summary it didn’t really click that they were going to be posing as each other and that when they fell in love the men would think they were the other sister.

I also enjoyed a lot of the baking aspects. It was fun to hear about the different recipes and the drama behind being a baking show host. If you like the Great British Bake Off I think that you will enjoy that side of the story.