This is the first book I have read by Victoria Jenkins and I thoroughly enjoyed it and will certainly be reading some of her others in the future.

Young, single mum Dani meets older mum Adele at a playgroup and they become unlikely friends. Both women have their own issues going on and need the support a friend can give.

As the book goes on it becomes apparent that things are not as they seem. Each time you think you have a grasp on what is happening another twist happens.

I liked the dual perspective and the way you are never too sure what is going on. The pace definitely picks up in the second half but I didn’t feel it was slow to start with or took much effort to get in to.

This book was my first by Victoria Jenkins and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I read a lot of psychological thriller but I have yet to be gripped by one which I have read this year, until now.

The premise is two mothers with very different backgrounds meeting through a playgroup. Dani is a 22-year old single mother who struggles with her daughter's tantrums, her grief for her father and the ghosts of her past mistakes. Adele appears to be an older mother from an affluent background, trapped in an abusive marriage. All is not what it seems though, and neither woman is as innocent as they first appear.

I enjoyed the style of writing immensely. More and more books I read lately tell each chapter from the perspective of a different character (here alternating between Dani and Adele) and I personally really enjoy this style of narrative voice. I enjoyed how from the start, the reader is led to believe certain truths before the rug is pulled from beneath our feet. For me, there was no predictability. This book is what one would describe as a slow-burner, which I enjoyed, and then grips you in the second half.

My only criticisms were two errors in the book which I felt were quite noticeable. Each related to details rather than overall plot though and did not detract from my enjoyment of the book. I would definitely read work by Victoria Jenkins again.

Not my first book by Victoria Jenkins and most certainly not the last. We are introduced to single mum Dani, struggling with motherhood and Adele, mum to Ivy at a mother and baby group. They both have secrets, it’s hard to work out what they are and how they relate to each other, but that adds to the suspense! To be honest I spent a lot of time trying to guess what the connection was, and came up with some amazing possibilities!! There were a few bits that appeared left unfinished - especially with the relationship with Callum and Adele...and that did lose a star I am afraid as I do like things to be tied up.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC.

The plot line sounded interesting, single mother meets married mother at playgroup but once they become friends, all is not what it seems.

It started out really well, the story was promising and I wanted so much more from this story. The action only really starts at about 60% through. It’s a very slow burn and the ending is over too quickly.

Nice quick read but I wanted more.

The Playdate by Victoria Jenkins was just what I was looking for. This quick read kept me engaged with twists early on and continuing through. I finished this book in two sittings, both on my recumbent bike! I love when a book holds my interest well enough that time exercising passes quickly. I enjoyed getting to know the major players in the story, or at least thinking I did until the author takes the reader on a wild rollercoaster ride. Heck, I even enjoyed getting to know the supporting characters. I did feel like the ending was a bit rushed though and wished it played out for a bit longer. This was my first Jenkins read but most certainly will not be my last.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read for review this ARC. All opinions expressed are authentically my own.

I hope I never meet a person like one of the characters in this book. Jenkins is a terrific teller of twisted tales. Each woman, Adele and Dani, have their stories. Readers will think both are struggling moms. Except one is really a fractured soul, bent on revenge based on her own abhorrent thoughts. There are several intense scenes that I thought I would need a glass of wine to get through. The last part is the way with the tension mounting. What will be the outcome? Great thriller!

“She was trapped in her life, imprisoned by all the things she had allowed it to become. Revenge had come to consume her. She couldn’t forgive, and she wouldn’t forget…”

Community playgroups are supposed to be an outlet for parents to gather with their children and to allow for a safe social networking environment. But for Dani and Adele, the playgroup they join only gives them the illusion of safety. Befriending each other due to daughters in similar age, Dani and Adele appear to be average moms each struggling in their own way, and finding solace in their new found friendship. However, hidden beneath their façade of the mommy next door, they are each harboring a deadly secret. Secrets always have a way of being exposed, and as Dani’s past begins to taunt and cause her world to shatter around her, she begins to wonder why Adele has been so inquisitive about her life but doesn’t share any details of her own. Is it a coincidence that Dani’s life is imploding at the same time she’s met Adele, or has their friendship been orchestrated from the very beginning…

Ok, I’m totally applauding the author for that ending! This reader didn’t figure out ANY of the twists in this story! To be honest, I almost gave up on it in the first few chapters thinking the story was going one way, and I caught myself rolling my eyes with “I already know how this is gonna end”, and then BAM! SURPRISE! DID THAT JUST HAPPEN?! Oh, this is a book that will stick with me! No way will I give away any spoilers! Just trust me, if you are a fan of family drama/thrillers, then you will devour The Playdate! Highly recommend!



**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. **

Victoria Jenkins never disappoints and The Playdate is no exception! Thrilling from the first page until the last and will keep you turning page after page until the end!
Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview The PlayDate by Victoria Jenkins.
Two moms meet at a playground and become quick friends. They share alot in common and it looks like this friendship is for real. But secrets and the past become a wall between them and soon nothing seems right, real, and neither one is who they think or say they are, but that's gonna change.....
Starts a bit slow, but picks up in the middle. Fast read - 3 stars.

Thank you NetGalley, Victoria Jenkins and Bookouture for the ARC of The Playdate. This is my personal review.
Mothers becoming friends when they met at the playground. Getting their children together for a play date. Easy part of being a Mom that is until your secrets are out there.
The story is about Dani and Adele and it is told from each of them as to what is happening in the story.
The beginning of the book is slow, but it is setting up for the second half of the book.
The twists and turns throughout the book will keep you turning the pages until the end.

This book had a slow start, I kept picking it up and putting it back down, but it held my interest enough that I wanted to see how it all played out. It really starts to get a little crazy about halfway through and it just keep getting better from there. I thought the twists were good and some I didn’t suspect, the ending tied everything together nicely. I would definitely read another book by this author.

I haven’t read many mysteries/thrillers, but all the ones I have read, I find the beginning to be slow, just as I did with this one.

However, about halfway through, the book picks up so quickly, you can’t help your mind start to play detective, keeping up with all the twists and secrets, trying to figure out the ending before you get there!

I have never read a book quite like this. It keeps you guessing right up until the very end. I couldn’t put this book down! Highly recommend. Such a thrill!

I can’t wait to read more of Victoria Jenkins!

This story is told from 2 perspectives, Dani and Adele.
Dani is a young single mother to 2 year old Layla. She juggles the challenge of motherhood with working in a hair salon. She s surprised to hear one day that an old school friend had been found dead.

Adele, attends the same playgroup as Dani, with toddler Ivy. She is older than Dani and it appears her home life is far from ideal with indications that domestic violence may be happening.

Dani and Adele form an unlikely friendship, particularly when unpleasant repercussions from Dani s past start to emerge. However this friendship is not what it seems.

Although j found this book slightly slow to start, it certainly didn't stay this way. It was fast paced with many twists and an in predictable ending. Although the reader was led to believe certain situations, these were red herrings and added to the suspense.
Highly recommend a read.

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Dani, who's incredibly lonely and tired, is a young new mom with a rambunctious toddler who has a hard life. She befriends another mom from a playgroup that seems so nice and understanding. As their friendship forms, the readers discover lots of deep dark secrets in both women's lives.

The story alternates between their perspective and there's twists after twists. I definitely was thrown off by a lot of the intentionally misleading clues.

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. When I read the synopsis, it sounded very familiar. I just finished another ARC that had a similar concept that I didn’t overly enjoy, and I expected this one to be the same.

I was pleasantly surprised, however. I liked Dani, and while I did figure out some of what was going on from the start, you would never figure out who Adele really is until you’re told. She was pretty creepy right from the beginning. Very quick read with short chapters that makes it easy to devour in one sitting. I was satisfied with the ending.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

The concept isn’t bad- the vulnerability of new parents who don’t know anyone latching into new friends at playgroup but all is not it seems.
There is back history and past deeds coming back to haunt the characters and a degree of mystery and uncertainty.
I found this a bit of a slow burner right up to the halfway point but unfortunately even when the action started to take off I still wasn’t totally gripped. Worth a read nonetheless.

I found this to be a good, well written book overall and it kept me interested in the story line and the characters although around the middle of the book I felt it got a bit complicated. I carried on and I felt the story picked up and I was satisfied with the ending but for me, personally it wasn't a page turner.

I can recommend this book and thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read it.

The Play date is fantastic but I didn’t finish due to a distressing scene within the story.
I wish I could continue but the situation with Dylan is too much, I can’t read stories with those themes.
Shame as I was really enjoying getting to know Dani and Adele.

From what I read this is a strong 4/5!

This was a bit of a slow burn, culminating with an action-packed ending! It centers on Dani and Adele, 2 moms who meet at a community playgroup and become unlikely friends. The story is told through alternating POVs of both women.

The reader knows that both women are keeping secrets, but not what those secrets are. The details start to come out as the book continues, providing the opportunity to put the pieces together. I had figured out a piece of one of the secrets early, but was floored when the full story was revealed. Later, I wondered how I didn't figure it out, as the author laid the breadcrumbs- I think that demonstrates great writing!

Overall, I enjoyed the book. This genre is a bit overrun with the "new friends but one is hiding something" storyline, but I thought that this book took a unique twist when all was said and done. I think those who like that type of storyline, and psychological suspense in general, will enjoy it too. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a brilliant twisty turny psychological thriller which I really couldn't put down. This was my first book by this author and certainly won't be my last. It would make a brilliant tv drama and had me hooked all the way through.