Switch by Megan Hart

Publisher: Spice
Date: January 2010
Page Count: 384

BOOK DESCRIPTION: (ADULT EROTIC TITLE) 
Don't think.
Don't question.
Just do.
The anonymous note wasn't for me.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not in the habit of reading other people's mail, but it was just a piece of paper with a few lines scrawled on it, clearly meant for the apartment upstairs. It looked so innocent, but decidedly-- "deliciously"--it was not.

Before replacing the note--and the ones that followed-- in its rightful slot, I devoured its contents: suggestions, instructions, commands. Each was more daring, more intricate and more arousing than the last... and I followed them all to the letter.

Before the notes, if a man had told me what to do, I'd have told him where to go. But submission is an art, and there's something oddly freeing about doing someone's bidding...especially when it feels so very, "very" good. But I find that the more I surrender, the more powerful I feel--so it's time to switch up roles. 

We play by my rules now.

MY REVIEW: I liked BROKEN, another Hart novel, but SWITCH left me thinking this story needed more. The main character, Paige, is twenty-something, divorced, and working as an executive assistant at a printing company. When the book opens, Paige is entering a store and watches a hot guy leaving. She finds out later said guy happens to live in her building (how long was he living there and they never met). Paige loves paper--not loose leaf or copy, but expensive papers and writing instruments. She frequnts a store which sells these items and despite her complaining about the high prices, she still purchases them throughout the book.

Paige begins receiving this 'notes' instructing her to do something. The only problem is they're addressed to another apartment, but keep ending up in her mailbox. She reads them and finds herself interested in these 'orders'. One day she'll wear nice lingerie under her work clothes or go to a place she wouldn't necessarily frequent. She soon discovers the real recipient of these notes--which she does passe on--is the same hot guy she was checking out. They actually meet in the gym room and both are interested, he just takes his time.

Meanwhile, Paige has another man in her life, her ex-husband, Austin. They met and married young, then separated. The problems in their relationship, though it was explained by Paige, didn't convince me. Throughout the story, Paige begins to understand she has power (with her body, with the way she carries herself at work, and how she interacts with her mom and her father's new family). One note arrives announcing it is the last one and she decides to use her (expensive) paper to continue on the charade with hot guy, Eric. She even adds her cell number for his text messages and email address. When Eric acts out her commands (including buying her lingerie) and then becomes physical with her, she freaks out.

Paige wanted power. She can handle it/she can't deal with it/takes it to the extreme. She's a conumdrum and trying to understand her became taxing. There were times I just didn't understand her reasoning. Her emotional detraction from everyone she interacts kept me from becoming fully involved with her character. One minute she's a witch to Austin, the next she's staring at sweat on his upper lip wanting to kiss him. She wants to command Eric but doesn't want to reciprocate from her own orders. I also thought Austin could've been fleshed out more and others, like best friend Kira, were thrown in to move the story along. I felt for the characters in BROKEN, here I did not.

RATING: +++ Not a keeper for me.

SERIES: No.


REVIEWED BY: Laurie


BOOK SOURCE: Swapped.