I was pleasantly surprised by this one! It was a slow start for me, but I thought it was a fun story. There was definitely a point toward the end where I couldn't put it down.
I really enjoyed the dynamics between all of the characters - it is nice to see such character complexity in this genre. The author did well depicting realistic relationships through dialog. I also LOVED the psychological aspect of it. I tend to stray from books that star children as the main plotline, but I think the author did very well with not making the kids super annoying.

What would you do if a knock on the door revealed the toddler you've been raising isn't actually your own child? 

DNA evidence has revealed that Miles and his wife, Lucy, have been raising Pete and Maddie's son, while Maddie and Pete raised theirs. At first, it seems like the children have hit the jackpot as the two couples discuss a kind and compassionate way to be involved in both childrens' lives.

However, Miles becomes aggressive and cold when Pete and Maddie don't bend to his every whim and things begin to disintegrate quickly. Soon, it looks like Pete and Maddie may be left childless as Miles manipulates the law and the courts to take everything Pete once loved.

How far would you go for the love of your children?

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for this ARC.

Wow. I had to flip back to the first page of this book to see where the journey I just embarked on vegan. I literally had no idea where I would end up, with this story beginning with such an innocuous description of a trio of well dressed people standing outside a preschool.

I. Am. Floored.

I am a HUGE fan of the author. Their books have always satisfied. But not quite like Playing Nice. To say I read this book quickly is an understatement. I inhaled it. I was obsessed. I stayed up well past my bedtime to read it. I finished it in two sittings - which, for having a 6 month old, is a feat, I must admit. And having a 6 month old made this book hit even harder. I could not simply imagine a circumstance like this. Even now, I am speechless. This was a fast read, incredibly well written, and proving that parenthood is not just black and white. Wow. Wow wow wow. Read this!

Fantastic book that explores lots of tough topics about parenthood, pregnancy, childhood, the concept of family, and how to do the right thing for your children.

The book explores those issues through a complicated scenario where two families try to deal with the repercussions of their children being swapped at birth.

Things get darker when the situation changes from cooperation to manipulation, while adding lots of insanity and long buried secrets to the mix.

Highly recommended psychological thriller.
Thanks Netgalley, the author, and publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

Peter Riley, a stay at home father, find his world turned upside down one morning when a stranger, Miles Lambert, shows up at his door claiming that their now 2-year-old sons were switched at birth. Initially Peter and his partner Maddie agree to try and co-parent their children with the Lambert's in an unconventional family dynamic and sue the hospital. As the Lambert's become more aggressive in their pursuit to see their son Theo, Peter and Maddie find themselves fighting to keep their family together.

Playing Nice is an intriguing domestic thriller in which a couple tries to navigate a tricky relationship with another couple after they discover their children were swapped at birth. Peter and Maddie quickly find themselves in over their head when they attempt work together with Miles and Lucy to do what’s best for the children. A power dynamic shifts the relationship from cooperative to manipulative. The plot of this novel is interesting in that it questions the meaning of family and the love of a child using a "what if" scenario. It then makes the scenario even trickier to navigate by adding a whole lot of mental instability and each character hiding some very dark secrets. This was definitely an intriguing novel that kept me reading late into the night. A must read for 2020!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for this ARC. I was anxious to read this book based on its description. I did not expect it to have so many levels. Every time you think it can't possibly get worse for this couple it does. There are so many nuances and moral dilemmas and the narrative by both the main characters makes it even more interesting. I highly recommend this book, you won't be sorry!

Once again you will fall under Delaney’s psychological spell of characters all hiding their own secrets - but with only one truly diabolical person! Great book!!

I was wishing for a book like this and my wish was granted. J. P. Delaney hits it out of the park once again with this psychological suspense. Parents of 2-year-old Theo get the surprise of their life when a man knocks on their door and tells them that Theo and his 2-year-old were accidentally switched at birth. Though jolting circumstances, at first it seems that the families have reached an altruistic agreement and subsequent arrangement. But Theo’s parents soon discover that all is not as it appears and their nightmare is only just beginning.

This was a definite 2020 favorite of mine so far. I loved the premise of babies being switched at birth and how everything seemed ok at first, but quickly went sideways. The chapters alternated narrators between Theo’s parents and it was fascinating to learn their very different viewpoints. I flew through this, eager to find out what would happen and I was surprised and delighted by the ending. Everything about this, Delaney gets right and it was certainly my pleasure and privilege to have received an advanced copy. Recommended to fans of Gilly MacMillan, Shari LaPena and anyone who enjoys psychological fiction.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Ballantine Books and J. P. Delaney for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Wow, this was a great book!!! So dark and twisty and unputdownable. I loved the premise and how things that seemed so innocent in the beginning turned so sinister so quickly. Loved the issues of premature birth, pregnancy, infancy and childhood, sociopathy and more were explored. Highly recommended!

Playing Nice is a fast-paced read. The writing is well done and the subject rather interesting. The characters were well fleshed out but not all of them likable which always makes for a entertaining read.
I am defiinitely planning on reading the other books by J.P. Delaney.

I haven't read anything by this author before. I thought this was going to be another babies switched at birth book. This story was fantastic. It started out slow but once I figured out what Miles, one of the fathers was up to, it picked up and I couldn't put it down. Lots of twists and turns in the second half of the book. The ending was a complete surprise. Looking forward to reading more Books by JP Delaney.

A 'can't put down' book. A psychological thriller. A number of 'crazy' people, mixed-up babies (at birth), etc. etc. etc. It totally captured me although there are some events that don't hold together as well as they might. The writing style is good and makes for easy-reading. Again, another great 'pandemic' or 'beach' book.

This book was fantastic! The characters are well developed and it will hook you from the first page. Flew through this book with the plot twists and turns keeping it moving at a quick pace. Definitely my most favorite favorite of JP Delaney. Highly recommend!
Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Finally! A true page turner! I knew from the first 50 pages, this would be a five star for me. It's exactly the kind of book I love. Well developed characters, short chapters, plot twists, it has them all. Pete and Maddie are sharing a life, he's a stay at home Dad writer. She is the breadwinner. They have a two year old, Theo. Unexpectedly, there is a knock on their door. It's Miles and Lucy Lambert claiming their babies were switched at birth. They seem to be reasonable people. Things are never as they seem and the story takes off from there! I loved it and you will too. Thanks to @jpdelaney @ netgalley #playingnice for giving me the privilege of an advanced copy.

Playing Nice is the best JP Delaney story yet! Can I give it 6 stars? Maddie and Pete found out that their son was switched with another in the NICU, and the tale that follows that discovery is wicked and full of twists and turns! This is a book I could not put down - totally captivating. I was anxious until the very end! The characters are well defined, and relatable (some anyway!), the chapters are short and easily manageable, and the story proceeds reasonably. The ending was tense and surprising and I didn't really want it end as it did, but I think now that it HAD to end that way. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

Beautiful cover, loaded synopsis, I was thrilled to receive an eARC of Playing Nice. However I thought this book would unravel, I did not expect what actually happened. That's the best kind of book, in my humble opinion. I knew JP Delaney had some best sellers, but this is the first title I've actually read, and in so many ways, it did not disappoint.

Peter and Maddie have a relatively conventional relationship, raising their two year old son Theo together. Maddie works, and Pete stays home, normal days ensue until one morning, a man arrives on their doorstep with life-changing news: Theo is not Pete's son. Automatically, you think cheating, because this is a thriller, and the normal course of action tends to involve affairs and secret encounters. However, the true plot quickly descends into something much more nefarious. Theo, a NICU baby, was switched at birth with Miles and Lucy's baby, David. Tests prove it, families are notified, and all agree to try to work out an arrangement. The agreement swivels into drama within pages, and what follows is an examination into social norms, legal pitfalls, psychopathy.

The stakes are high from the beginning, something that makes this engrossing from page one to the very end. There's not a single page wasted in terms of character development to conflict, and I got lost in the minutiae of the multiple investigations. Playing Nice is the kind of book you won't be able to put down. Tropes are turned on their heads, and every assumption you make is bent and twisted into multiple angles. I particularly liked the real time events juxtaposed with the written reports, affidavits, and witness testimonies, reinforcing that while we see an event one way, everything is a matter of perspective. being nice can be misinterpreted--and generally is misinterpreted--because the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Delaney's character development proved to be quite endearing. You don't particularly like any of the characters, but you also are forced to accept that the things they're being judged by are normal things that any of us might also be judged by. What we do in our free time, the choices we make to keep order in our homes, what works for one family might not be the expected or usual norm, and to think that these can be used against us is unnerving. I found myself questioning how an outsider would view my own home, a feat, I expect, Delaney was hoping for in his expert execution of interrogations, and it's hard to root against anyone (except for one, and I won't add spoilers here). Is googling an answer about child safety indicative of abuse or a sign of good parenting? Does working through rewards and behavioral systems mean you're a bad parent? If you suffered a bout of PPD, does that mean today, you aren't capable of caring for your child?

All of these very scary, relevant questions are explored.

Additionally, I appreciated the inside look into legalities of parental rights. This quickly could've swayed into Lifetime movie or SVU levels of drama, but Delaney wove facts and statistics in such a way as to enhance the plot instead of wrapping the conflict in layers of melodrama.

I wouldn't necessarily categorize this book as a psychological thriller, however, as most of the treachery happens outside of our purview. Murder and mayhem are more secondhand features to push the suspense and intrigue, so if you're looking for a hard-and-fast thriller, this might fall short of your expectations. However, if you love mystery, diabolical schemes, and an intense look at how psychopathy manifests in real life, this will definitely be the book for you.

Thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration.

This book was everything I hoped it would be! I was so excited to dive into it from the moment I read the description, which was already captivating. Pete and Maddie's worlds are turned upside down the moment Pete answers the door to Miles telling him that his son is not actually his own, A rare situation where two babies were switched at birth- how do you proceed? While Pete and Maddie figure it out, more information continues to threaten their idea of a solution. The story is told through switching perspectives of Pete and Maddie. I highly recommend this psychological thriller as your next read! It was one of those books that you know will keep you up late at night because you are determined to find out how it ends.

What a fantastic read! It's one of those books that once you start reading it, you can't put it down.


I felt that the premise of this book was nature-versus-nurture, is parenting truly defined by biology or by the heart? In this story, our protagonist has someone show up at his door explaining that his child, the one he is loved and nurtured from birth is not really his birth child but the man at the doors. That a mistake has been made at the hospital during delivery and that the two sons had been switched. Imagine the emotional and psychological upheaval?

I love J.P. Delaney's books, they always grab me from the start and hold me in. And this was a wonderful Thriller. Excellently executed with well-defined characters and a well-developed plot.

I would like to thank J.P. Delaney, Ballantine Books and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book and exchange for a fair and honest review.

How many times have we heard a mother say "I want you to play nice with them?" Many of us have even said those words ourselves. In Playing Nice the phrase takes on a whole new meaning. I will tell you this is a story about parents and children. I'll also tell you this is like no other book I've read about parents and children.

This book is well written and I liked it from the very beginning. I began to sense something was wrong without the author describing exactly what was wrong. I knew there was conflict coming but had no idea how bad it would be. The characters are skillfully crafted and became real as I learned more about them. I was glad I had nothing on my schedule the day I started reading Playing Nice. I spent the whole day reading and didn't want to stop until the end. The story is really that good.

I received an Advanced Reader's Copy from the author and Ballantine Books through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

#PlayingNice #NetGalley

This book grabs you right at the beginning and doesn’t let go! Two babies switched at birth in the NICU and the error coming into focus over two years later. How could this happen? An investigation ensues and psyches are examined by the professionals.. The author keeps your attention as he tugs on your heartstrings throughout the book. The title is very appropriate as many secrets are revealed. Very well done. Highly recommend! #PlayingNice #JPDelaney #NetGalley