Playing Nice started from page 1 with every parent’s worst nightmare and went from there into a roller coaster of suspense. Once the reader starts, it’s going to be hard to put down, and I can’t recommend Playing Nice enough! JP Delaney proves once again that he’s a go-to author for a suspenseful, entertaining novel!

Thanks to Net Galley and Ballantine Books for an advance reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

J.P.Delaney and I didn’t always get along, in fact his first few books I found to be about as mediocre as popular thrillers get and then he went and wrote The Perfect Wife, which was freaking excellent, almost as if written by another person altogether. Which is to say, the second I found his latest on Netgalley, I made a request. Just had to find out for myself what he does next, if the quality holds up and so on. And Delaney managed to surprise me yet again by switching gears completely. Which is to say Playing Nice is actually not exactly a thriller. It has all the right elements such as split narrative and a prerequisite twist of two in the end, but otherwise it’s way more subtle than an all out thriller. It’s more of a family drama in fact, one based on an impossible and therefore intriguing proposition…what is the child you have loved and raised as your own for two years turns out to have been switched at birth with another. And what if the other family, no matter how lovely and well to do they seem initially, isn’t quite as decent as you might have hoped. What do you do when the balance shifts, when the other party isn’t being fair, when justice isn’t logical and logic isn’t just? When do you quit playing nice? That’s the main question the couple in the book is faced with. But, of course, there’s so much more going on, the situation is considerably more complex, the couples are on an infinitely different footing going in, The Lamberts are wealthy, The Rileys (not technically so, since they are not married, but close enough for reviewing purposes) are not. Each couple has a different inner dynamic, Miles Lambert is outgoing, charming, gregarious type, his wife a pretty shadow next to him…Maddie has gone through severe postpartum, but is nevertheless tougher than her partner, who as a main caretaker for the child is the milder, steadier, calming presence. In fact, not just of the couple, of the entire book. The man is the sort of decent conscientious person Miles Lamberts of this world tend to steamroll over. It isn’t just a class thing either. This is about genuine psychopathy and the clever thing about it is that it actually features more than once in different contexts. Both are pertaining to parenting, but both go a long way to contribute to the entire nature/nurture debate. So yeah, serious drama most of the way through and then a definitive turn into a thriller territory. Because psychopaths are mostly only likeable when they get their way and if they don’t…all bets are off. SO what you have is a high stakes morality play. Interesting story, makes you think, Delaney’s done some clever things with the plot, but mainly it’s just really emotionally engaging, surprisingly so for a somewhat hyperbolic soap operatic sort of concept.For me, though, it grabbed my interest enough to maintain it the uncharacteristically long time (not at all the book’s fault, just timing) it took to finish it. Loved the ending too, nicely done. Not quite as smart of a book as The Perfect Wife, but really quite good in its own right. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

Playing Nice is a first class psychological thriller that will have readers rapidly turning pages. Two families, two baby boys who, were switched at birth; a proposed resolution that becomes an adrenaline rush for the reader. The author has a good grip on his characters’ inner emotions...good, bad and ugly...as he weaves his story to its startling conclusion. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Most highly recommend.

I admit it. I love discovering a new novel by J. P. Delaney, who is one of my new favorite writers. Playing Nice is a study in psychological abuse. It begins when Pete Riley discovers a stranger named Miles Lambert at his front door. Miles promptly informs Pete that their baby boys, who were born very prematurely at a private hospital were switched at birth. The boys are now two, so Pete and his partner Maddie and Miles and his wife Lucy need to decide how to handle the situation. Everything starts out amicably, but of course this is a J. P. Delaney novel, so you know that things are going to quickly spiral out of control. They do, and thus begins the nightmare that becomes Pete and Maddie's daily lives.

I'm not a parent, but Delaney is such a gifted storyteller that I could feel every sensation that Pete and Maddie were going through. I was hooked from page one to the very last page, and as usual with Delaney, I couldn't put this book down. I finished it in a day and a half. It was absolutely addictive!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Random House for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Playing Nice will be published on July 28, 2020, and I highly recommend it to all readers of suspense/thrillers.

This was a fantastic story from the first page to the last. JP Delaney is a fantastic Author! This is the first book I have read of his and It will not be the last. This book kept me wide awake and highly engaged. I had a hard time to put it down. This is about two couples who had preemie babies and were transported to the same hospital for care. 2 Years later there is a knock at the door and then the book really takes off. This is a DO NOT MISS book if you like psychological thrillers.

Playing Nice by JP Delaney was fantastic! I loved everything about this book which wasn't a surprise considering how much I enjoyed the author's other novels. But this one I was absolutely glued to the pages from beginning to end. What a conundrum!

You discover that your robust toddler is really someone else's and they have your child who is sickly. For Pete and his partner Maddie, this is heartbreaking but they feel they can handle it by being kind and "playing nice." They have some ideas that will make everyone happy and allow both kids to get to know both sets of parents.

Unfortunately, Pete feels that his way is the only way. At first, he's amiable and likable but turns menacing and cold. Trouble for Pete and Maddie begins to mount when they don't readily agree with how Pete is handling things. Pete's wife is caught up in her husband's threats and lawsuits, his bullying behavior but there's not much she can do as she seems quite nervous and scared of him.

As I read this book, I had such sympathy for Pete and Maddie and couldn't imagine this happening in real life though I know it does. JP Delaney created such a layered novel, with every chapter brought some new issues for the characters to contend with.

Here's the official plot:

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.

Don't miss this book, it's absolutely amazing! It will be published on July 28!

Wow, this was a excellent thriller! I honestly had a hard time putting this one down to go to bed at night. Maddie and Peter were such great characters to root for and Miles was such a chilling villain. I really became emotionally invested in the story. Just an absolutely engrossing story; I loved it!

I have read all of the author'ssbooks and find them to be a good escape. This was no exception. A fun diversion for an afternoon read when the rest of the world seems to be coming apart, more every day. The book was some what predictable but always enjoy the writing and the occasional surprise.

An Incredible Page-turner!

Delaney expertly weaves a suspenseful and gripping novel. The most important marking of a good book, in my opinion, is whether or not I could put it down. This was UNPUTDOWNABLE. I would recommend this to customers, readers, and friends.

Family is more important than anything. So. The question must be posed... wouldn't you go to any lengths in order to keep them safe?

This was a twisty and turny book with an exceptionally interesting plot. I couldn't wait to get back to this story! I loved it in every way. Highly recommended!

Pete and Maddie had a difficult birth. Their son, Theo, was born prematurely, and they didn’t know if he would have any brain damaged later on in life. Lucky for them, he turned out fine. One unfortunate day, Miles and Lucy Lambert showed up at Pete’s house announcing that Theo was their son. The boys were switch at birth. The couples decided to keep Theo and David routine and home life as normal as possible. However, there was something weird going on with Miles. He’s not the happy-go-lucky, successful man he presented himself to be. There’s also the question of who switched the boys. Was it the hospital fault or someone did it deliberately?

Right off the bat, Miles can be view as a psychopath. Lucy is a submissive person in that controlling marriage. The real question is who done it. As much as Pete and Maddie want to get to know their son, David. The whole story was told around Theo. I think David should have been in the story more as he was in the center of that evil home with a father that knows he's not his biological son. As a psychopath, Miles didn't just go after Pete, Maddie and Theo, but he should also want to go after David in order to hurt Pete and Maddie. Time after times Pete and Maddie argee that they want to get to know David and rescue him from the Lambert and yet they have very little interaction with David. The whole story they interacted with David one time. That was a huge gap to the story. There was no following through. It was very one sided with the boys. The ending of who switched the boys made complete sense. Overall it's a great mystery.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this fabulous ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was another enjoyable read from the author. A good mixture of mystery and suspense makes this a must read. This is a book which I would recommend for all to read.

Hello, friends! Meet my first 5-star stunner of 2020!

I've had a few 4.5 star reads which I've rounded up, but Playing Nice has become the understated hit of my reading season thus far.

I confess, after The Perfect Wife, a story of which I was NOT a fan, I honestly didn't have high hopes going in. However, since I really enjoyed The Girl Before, I was absolutely willing to give J.P. Delaney another shot.

I'm so glad I did!

This book is everything I never knew I wanted. Swapped baby stories are such a cliché, but Playing Nice is so much more. This is a story about mental illness, addiction, abuse, murder, lies, betrayal, the law, and most importantly, it covers just how far parents are willing to go to protect the child they love, despite the multitude of nightmarish scenarios facing them. It's a total roller-coaster ride. My emotions were all over the place!

It's terrifying and addicting.

I had to force myself to stop reading last night. I've had an incredibly busy day, and it's made me totally grouchy because all I could think about was getting back to this book.

Any of you who know me, and have read my reviews for awhile, know I'm not one to gush...but I am so gushing right now.

Just do yourself a favor and read it.
Available July 28, 2020

**Many thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Pete and Maddie have their world turned upside down when a stranger, Miles, knocks on their door with DNA proof that the 2 year old boy they have raised from from birth is actually the biological child of he and his wife Lucy and he and Lucy are raising the biological child of Pete and Maddie. Apparently there was a switch when the premature babies were transported from a private hospital to an NHS facility.

4.5 stars

J.P. Delaney is a great writer and comes up with some really thought provoking novels. This one definitely held my interest because even as a childless person I had to ask myself how I would deal with such an awful situation. I am giving it 4.5 instead of 5 because although there were crime and thriller elements they didn’t come into play until a little later in the book. Regardless of that, still a worthwhile page turner and I feel fortunate to have received advance copies of all his books. I hope it continues!

Confession time! I read 99% of my ARC/DRCs in order by publication date. All my March reviews are complete and April's will be done before April Fools' Day. So why only 99%? Because of books like Playing Nice by J. P. Delaney. I first discovered this author when I read and loved The Girl Before and my Kindle was burning up in my hand knowing that this July release was downloaded and not patiently waiting to be next. So I stayed up too late and read this as fast as I could absorb what was going on.
Pete and Maddie lead a pretty uneventful life. Not without their share of difficulties, but, they have a son, Theo, born prematurely, and after many ups and downs, they are settling in as a family. Imagine Pete's horror when Miles and his lawyer show up claiming that Theo is his son, inadvertently switched at birth. Yep, this gives a whole new meaning to having a bad day. Miles and Lucy have been raising Pete and Maddie's biological son, David, and the question is, what do these parents do now?
As you might imagine, these couples are very different, each with their ideas of what it means to be a good parent. After the shock subsides, it seems they might be able to agree to do what is best for the boys. Of course, first impressions can be quite deceiving and I don't think I would be giving anything away by saying this does not end well for everyone.
Twists, turns, and what just happened moments abound. Nothing that I wouldn't expect from J.P. Delaney. Play Nice publishes in July and all I can say is that this would be an excellent......beach read! 4.5 stars.

This was one of those take your breath away, edge of your seat books that you wonder after if you even remembered to blink! NOTE: Don't blink! Theres a few OMG - WHAT THE WHAT moments and a twist you won't want to miss!
JP Delaney is awesome and Playing Nice is just what we need in 2020 for psychological thrillers.
All the twisted and mysterious stars for Playing Nice!
Thank you to the author, publisher and #Netgalley for my free ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Highly recommend!

Wow! So much happens between the covers of this book! Just when I thought it couldn't get more convoluted or outrageous, it did. The parents, Pete and Maddie are dragged through impossibly difficult challenges while trying to protect the child they thought was their own, as well as their biological child. I breezed through the book in 2 days, because I could barely put it down until I finally sighed at the (mostly) unexpected ending.

Y’all. Hang on, I’m gonna say that again—but louder..........Y’ALL!! I just finished an ARC of J.P. DELANEY’s PLAYING NICE!!!

I need...No, I demand that y’all stop reading this review and take your happy little fingers over to the retail website of your choice and PRE-ORDER THIS BOOK!! Right now. It doesn’t release until July, but that’s irrelevant. Pre-order it now so you won’t forget. Off you go. Meet me back here when you get done. Shoo!!

Are ya back? Has it been ordered? Okay, now you can continue reading.

Imagine that two years ago you had a baby. It’s love at first sight, right? Now, imagine how much that love has grown over the last two years. Then, imagine that someone knocks on your door and tells you that there was a mix-up at the hospital, and you find out that the child you’re raising isn’t really yours.

How would you feel? What would you want to do? Would you fight to keep the child you’ve come to know and love, or would you fight to switch the children back so you’d have custody of your actual biological child? Is there a third option that you’d consider? That’s the story of this book—at least, that’s how it starts. Don’t blink, or you’ll miss the moment when a family drama turns into quite the mysterious thriller.

The story is told mainly from the perspective of the mother and father of the first child, but there is another perspective, and that perspective hints that there is much more going on than meets the eye.

This book is bloody brilliant! It’ll grab your attention on the first page, and then it will incrementally increase the tension until you find yourself forgetting to breathe. If you’re reading this review prior to July 28, 2020, I really hope you followed my advice and pre-ordered it. If you’re reading this review after its release date, what are you waiting for? Go. Buy. Read.

Happy reading!

Another winner! At the beginning of the book I thought something weird was up with Miles. It turns out I had no idea just how weird & the lengths he was willing to go to. Luckily the truth came out.

Like the Bible story of Solomon threat to cut the child in half for two woman laying claim to the same child. This parable leads to finding out the surprising twist in the story.

I couldn't put this book down, read it less than a day!

I was given an advanced, but voluntarily left this review

I will leave a 5 star review on Amazon under name of Connie
Thanks for granting me access to this book

JP Delaney never fails to delight, frighten (in a good way), and thrill! #playingnice is another in a line of contemporary thrillers which send shivers down my spine and keep me turning the pages. A couple is confronted by another couple who claim their 2 year olds were switched at birth and the chills and thrills mount surprisingly quickly as things spiral out of control for one if the couples. The ending will leave you breathless! Thanks to #netgalley for this ARC to read and review.

Wow!! I’ve been in kind of a reading slump here lately, with 3 & 4 star books but Playing Nice deserves every one of my 5 stars. It’s not the deadly, murderous type of thriller I usually go with but Psychological Domestic Suspense is a close second of mine & it’s every bit of that. If any of that interests you, do yourself a favor @ take the half a day to read this. Because you WILL NOT be able to put it down😊