Oh this was a good one! This author is honestly hit or miss as I really like The Girl Before, but didn't care for his follow ups. This one asks the question, what would you do if you found out your son wasn't really yours? Engaging and good family thriller.

oh goodness this book. I had to take breaks between chapters because of the anxiety I felt with everything going on. I was on the edge of my seat for most of the book. This book had such a great pace set through most of the book. I was a little disappointed with the ending, though. I was expecting something completely different. I was hoping Pete and Maddie would have gotten stronger as a couple to come up with a better plan to outwit Miles. It felt as if the story gave up we were left with the ending that was not the same as the start. All in all, it was a great read.

This book took me quite a long time to get through, I found the middle to be very slow paced. I realize that a certain level of build up is needed for the dramatic endings that I have come to expect from this author but it seemed really long in this book. I found basically none of the characters likable, their choices were unrelatable, and their lives overall were depressing. Obviously the subject matter was a very sensitive topic but even so I expected to enjoy this story much more than I did. As always, J.P. Delaney is an incredible writer, this story was just a miss for me.

Oh this book.... wow! I absolutely adored it and read it in a day. A fascinating tale of babies switched at birth, but with a completely new take and perspective which elevates the plot and had me guessing until the very end. Delaney deftly draws interesting, complex characters and I love that each one got to tell the story from their own perspective. Wonderful book- I would absolutely recommend!

This was definitely my favorite Delaney book. A parents worst nightmare, your child was switched at birth. For two years you've loved and bonded with a strangers child, while they have raised yours. What starts off as a "let's work this out together" relationship between the two couples quickly becomes treacherous. It's a harrowing story that will rock you to the core and leave you feeling uneasy throughout. Playing Nice is a page turner that you won't want to put down.

JP Delaney's latest psychological thriller, "Playing Nice" is every parent's worst nightmare. Your toddler child was swapped by birth and the father of your biological father is a psychopath.

It starts out amicable. The other family is well-off, has a stable home, and your biological son seems to have everything he needs to thrive. The father though, has no boundaries, is very driven, and very particular about his biological child's future for school, extracurricular activity, and hopes for his future. After rebuffing some of the other family's desires for your son, things quickly go south.

This was a cringe-worthy read. It is both terrifying and hard to swallow. The power that the state holds without even a jury over the lives of children and their parents with little or no context into the lives of families. A social worker makes some home visits, interviews the parents, and a "specialist" comes in to make some generalized remarks--those seemingly subjective observations decide the future of an entire family.

It is a horrifying prospect to say the least.

Playing Nice is a family drama psychological suspense filled wonderful read. I was intrigued with the plot and I was not disappointed. I was sure I had the plot figured out and then I had to rethink it. I was hanging on every word. I enjoyed this book and recommend it.

I found this to be a very interesting story. It seemed like it was to be the standard babies switched at birth story but evolved into a multi-layered plot. Some of the characters were likeable - others, not so much; but that only added to the intrigue to see how far a parent would go for their family. I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and the publisher and this is my honest opinion.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book - a wonderful combination of family drama and psychological suspense. Looking forward to the next JP Delaney novel! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What would you do if someone knocked on your door and said your child was not really your child? This happened to Pete and Maggie one day. At first everyone was polite and accommodating, but Pete and Maggie soon learned that was only on the surface, this story makes you question how you would cope with this if it ever happened to you.

Pete and Maddie are shocked when a man appears on their doorstep to tell them that Theo is not really their son. There was a mix-up in the NICU at the hospital and now Theo looks like the man who came to their door. Miles and Lucy have been raising David under the assumption that he is their son. But it is clear that he has Maddie's eyes. They have come to an agreement that allows them all to see their biological sons, but keep custody of the child they know to be their son. It seems too good to be true. Pete and Maddie are a little overwhelmed by Miles and Lucy. They are rich and generous and are terrified that Miles and Lucy will take their son. And then everything changes. Miles and Lucy file a lawsuit to get custody of both boys, leaving Pete and Maddie in the ultimate battle.

Playing Nice is the tale of every parent's worst nightmare. They love their son unconditionally and their world is rocked when they discover that Theo is not their son. From the very beginning, I just knew that Miles was going to be a problem. He was arrogant and controlling. But I also felt that Pete and Maddie kind of let things escalate. They were far too trusting of this man they had just met. You could see how Miles was setting Pete up for something. The end came out of nowhere, I was left speechless by what happened. CLICK HERE FOR SPOILERS

Bottom Line - With each book, I am becoming a bigger fan of JP Delaney. His thrillers are smart and terrifying. Playing Nice is no different. A fast-paced thriller that will leave you saying "WOW."

Details:
Playing Nice by JP Delaney
Pages: 416
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: 7.28.2020
Buy it Here!
Thank you to NetGalley for the book in exchange for a review.

The truly unimaginable situation driving this novel is going to blow you away. As I was reading I was putting myself in the shoes of each family, trying to make sense of how they were feeling and acting. The plot moves quickly and there were a lot of times that I stayed up way too late to finish a chapter, only to keep reading to finish one more.

The author does a wonderful job of developing each of the characters as individuals, but also combines them into families with complete differing lives. These characters felt real, so leaving this book was tough.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

Playing Nice isn't my first read by JP Delaney, and I'll be honest, this author's books are a bit of a hit or miss for me. Nevertheless, the premise here sparked my interest, so I decided to try again. This isn't the first time I've seen the switched at birth storyline, and at the risk of dating myself, I'll admit that I remember the movie from the early 90s about that very thing. This one takes things a bit further and gets darker. The story does get twisted and Delaney surely knows his stuff when it comes to building tension and suspense. I'll skip the details so as not to give spoilers, but I will say that some of my favorite psychological thrillers mess with the reader's mind and keep them on their toes, and Playing Nice ranks right up there on both counts.

The first book I read by J.P Delaney was The Perfect Wife. I loved that book so I knew I had to read this one. Both books were very thought-provoking.

When I began this book I did not understand why the description classified it as a Psychological Thriller. About three-fourths of the way through the book I understood.

At the start, I was overwhelmed with the thought of baby switching. It was heart-wrenching for me. I could not stop thinking about the no-win situation they were in. Just when you thought it was going to work out something would happen to make the situation worse.

I could not put this book down. I highly recommend it.

The ending reminds me of Big Little Lies.

I received this book from NetGalley.

DNF at 15%. I think it’s more my own current mood/attention span than the book but this isn’t working for me and I decided to stop here. I was in the mood for a thriller and turned to an author I’ve read before. So far this is reading more like a family drama as two sets of parents learn their babies were switched at birth. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance reading copy.

Very nicely written, well paced, with likeable characters. The story was unique as well. Enjoyed very much!

This was a story of a parents worst nightmare ..Finding out that your your was switched at birth. It was a rollercoaster of emotions , with lots of twists and turns. A solution was reached at the end og the story which was rather unrealistice. It was well written asJP Delaneys books usually are. I would definitely recommend it !

I love this author’s work and this title is no exception! It takes the trope of children that are switched at birth and adds intriguing elements.

JP Delaney is easily one of my favorite thriller authors. Ever since I randomly snagged The Girl Before at an airport bookstore in Taiwan, and then read the entire thing on the flight home - finishing it while standing in the mile-long customs line at O’Hare - I’ve been obsessed with his books. Believe Me remains my favorite...but Playing Nice is a CLOSE second. Swipe for that synopsis and thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for an ARC - apologies for such a delayed review. Forgive me since I clearly bought a copy for my library!

Anyway. Playing Nice has everything I want in a domestic suspense: the constant doubt of who the bad person(s) actually is, the ongoing jaw-dropping WTF moments, and the ever-present question, “what the heck would I do if I was in this situation?”

I flew through this book. I honestly don’t think I set it down more than once because the drama just kept building and building and building. I never hit a “stopping point” where it was easy to set it aside for awhile, which is what I love about all of Delaney’s books. I can’t wait to read what he comes up with next - in the meantime be sure to snag this one from your local bookstore or library!

What would happen to your life if a couple of strangers showed up on your doorstep and told you that your son was not really yours?

Pete and his partner Maddie are reeling from the revelation that their son was switched at birth, and the news that the little boy they love is actually the child of Miles and Lucy Lambert. They have no idea how to handle this situation, and are overwhelmed by the good and practical intentions of the Lamberts.

Why not get to know each other? Why not blend the families? The Lamberts live in a beautiful home and obviously afford luxuries that are foreign to Pete and Maddie's single income household. They plan playdates for the boys and start spending time together. They start planning a vacation. It's not long before things feel "off".

The Lambert's push to file a lawsuit against the hospital. Miles is charming and pushy as hell. Something is smoldering below the surface. Pete is caught off guard. He is no match for the slick and smoldering Miles.

JP Delaney shows us that things are never as they appear. Fans of #TheWifeBetweenUs and #The PerfectWife will enjoy the tale he weaves with these two families. Once again, it wraps up with an unexpected twist that I didn't see coming.

Thank you @netgalley @randomhouse #ballantinebooks