Author: J.P. Delaney
Pages: 400 pages
Expected publication: July 28th 2020 by Quercus
Genre: Suspense/Thriller
Source: NetGalley
Amazon link: https://amzn.to/2Y7R2q7
GoodReads Description: "What if you found out that your family isn't yours at all? How far would you go to protect them? A gripping new psychological thriller from the bestselling author of The Girl Before. . . .
Pete Riley answers the door one morning and lets in a parent's worst nightmare. On his doorstep is Miles Lambert, a stranger who breaks the devastating news that Pete's son, Theo, isn't actually his son--he is the Lamberts', switched at birth by an understaffed hospital while their real son was sent home with Miles and his wife, Lucy. For Pete, his partner Maddie, and the little boy they've been raising for the past two years, life will never be the same again.
The two families, reeling from the shock, take comfort in shared good intentions, eagerly entwining their very different lives in the hope of becoming one unconventional modern family. But a plan to sue the hospital triggers an official investigation that unearths some disturbing questions about the night their children were switched. How much can they trust the other parents--or even each other? What secrets are hidden behind the Lamberts' glossy front door? Stretched to the breaking point, Pete and Maddie discover they will each stop at nothing to keep their family safe.
They are done playing nice."
MY REVIEW:
Can I just start by saying I lllloooovvvee J.P. Delaney? I love every. single. thing. he writes. This book was different from some of the others he has written. It reminded me of Louise Candlish or Mark Edwards. Playing Nice is about a fairly normal couple ending up in a horrible situation.
Switched at birth (sounds trite, but it never felt that way in the book - and I've actually never read a book about swapped babies if I'm honest). Maddie and Pete have the situation dropped on them like an anvil and then as their wounds have been treated and it looks like they will recover - they get hit by a train. A train in the form of Miles Lambert.
When I read books like these, it is like a nightmare - one that is entirely plausible. The characters are entirely relatable. So, as they struggle through, you find yourself thinking - Holy schnikes! I hope I never end up in a situation like this! I'd be screwed! I'd do exactly the same thing these poor blokes are! Reasonable people dealing with someone who just doesn't play by the rules. It's madly frustrating. And this book built up the frustration beautifully and ended satisfyingly. Loved it!
MY RATING:
Characters: 5
Story: 5
Overall: 5 stars
YOU need this book if you are a fan of Louise Candlish or Mark Edwards' style. If you're looking for a good page-turner!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
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