I don't remember what exactly I was expecting when I started reading this book, but it definitely wasn't this. Simply WOW...sums up my entire reaction to this twisty thriller of a novel.

22-year old hairdresser, Dani meets Adele at their babies' playgroup. Despite the difference in their ages, the two mothers hit it off quickly and soon Adele becomes Dani's confidante. When someone starts a smear campaign against Dani, she tries to get to the bottom of it on her own. But she soon finds out that nothing is as it seems.

The story began at an extremely slow pace, alternating between the POVs of the two women. While Dani is an extremely short tempered woman, who alternates between regretting her life choices and trying to do the best by her daughter, Adele comes across as cautious and calculating, fighting her own demons, and manipulating situations to achieve her goal.

I absolutely admire the manner in which the author has deftly woven a smokescreen into the plot, warping the reader's understanding of the situation. The climax, where she rips off that smokescreen and the truth is finally revealed, is just jaw-dropping. Despite the slow-pace, the suspense build-up in the plot is on point, keeping one hooked till the end.

Overall, a brilliant and compelling read. Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

you know when you start a book buy this author you will be disappointed she always has a twisty mind very much enjoyed this story .Dani gets a message that her old schoolfriend Eve has died drowned but they was once very close but something happened to there friendship not spoken in years .Dani is trying to bring her daughter up on her own the father knows nothing about Layla .she has her mum for help but there relationship not good then Adele comes in to her life with her young daughter Ivy but is her husband abusive .then Dani starts to get very strange and nasty messages someone wants to hurt her but WHO wont say no more but this book is so so good you wont want to stop reading

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book It was a good read. I felt that it took to long to really get going but the twist made up for it. It was also slightly unrealistic at times but overall a good read.

When I started to read this book, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it, but I was wrong. I loved the story and the end was brilliant. Two women meet at the playgroup Dani and Adele. They form a friendship, but is it genuine? Both women have secrets, but one of them is a killer. Is she prepared to go too far? When I thought I had everything worked out another twist came. It is a must read.

My Review:

Fantastic, excellent, great, and incredible are just a few of the words I would use to describe this book. This was a very fast paced book filled with lots of drama in every chapter. I could not put this one down for the life of me. I’ve read several of Victoria Jenkins books but this one gets the prize.

This book was about two women who meet at their children’s play group and become fast friends. Both of them have secrets. Will there secrets prevent them from staying friends? Or will they help each other get over their painful past? By the end of the book you will find out all the answers to your questions.

I want to start out by saying that I loved, loved, loved this book. I get so excited whenever I see that this author is coming out with a new book. It’s like Christmas morning all over again. One of my favorite things about this book is that the author alternates characters each chapter. I love it when an author does this. You find out what other characters thoughts and feelings are not just the one main character. It definitely gives the reader more insight of what is going on in the book. Another thing I loved is that ending. Wow, what a roller coaster ride of an ending that was. There were so many twists and turns that I never knew whether I was turning left or turning right. I love it when a book shocks the pants off of me. Anyone who knows me knows that I love an ending full of surprises. I would highly recommend this to a friend and would shout it from any roof top. Victoria Jenkins I look forward to reading more of your books.

Between the plot, characters and all the twists in this book it made it an easy and fast read. I would definitely recommend it and happily give it 5 Hearts❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review and opinion. This was the first time I've read a book by Victoria Jenkins and I can honestly say I really enjoyed it. I love a good psychological thriller and this checked all the boxes. The ending of this completely threw me for a loop! If you are looking for a new author to add to your list of favorites - here she is!

Very good psychology thriller!
You can always trust another mother… can’t you?
I loved this mind blowing, impulsive, crazy book!
The ending will blow your mind!
Thanks NG Bookouture (my favorite publisher)

I found this book enjoyable for the most part. However, at times I found it needed a little bit more time spent on character development. I did enjoy the fact that there were no perfect characters in this book, and they were all flawed in their own way, which made for believable characters. I just think this book needed something more, but I can’t quite place what. I wasn’t disappointed though, and I did enjoy the book at a whole. Would I read it again? Probably not, but, if you want a fast paced read (I read this in two days) then I would recommend it. As I’ve said, I did enjoy the story and it made for a nice quick read, so I think I will be looking for more work by this author.

A little twisty and wonderful read. This book had great characters. And overall good book.

Thanks you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

I was gripped by this book straight away. I love psychological thrillers and this was no different. The two points of view from Adele and Dani were interesting and had me hooked straight away. There was definitely a link between them and I thought I’d guessed it pretty quickly. Dani a single young mum with some secrets who befriends the slightly older quiet new to the group Adele. The back stories really built up a relationship with both characters. Then I realised that’s what we were being told and Adele was an unreliable narrator. By chapter 32 I knew I had to finish the book as quick as possible to find out what was going to happen and I wasn’t disappointed. I would recommend to those looking for an interesting thriller with a few twists and turns!

The Playdate (I initially mistyped it as Playfate, which seems strangely fitting), is a domestic thriller centred around Dani, a young mother to toddler Layla, who meets Adele, an older woman with a little girl called Ivy, at a local playgroup. They quickly become friends, but - naturally - all is not quite as it seems.

We see events from both Dani’s and Adele’s perspectives, and it was clear that we the readers were being misdirected with regard to certain situations, although I didn’t figure out how or why.

Ultimately The Playdate felt like a fairly standard psychological domestic thriller. It was well constructed and very readable, and though I was aware a twist was coming, I didn’t quite guess what it would be. (To be fair some aspects of it are quite bizarre.) By the end, it all gets a bit extreme.

I liked the character of Dani, who’s the kind of character you don’t often get in this type of book - a young single mum from a working class background, living with her own mother with whom she has a fairly fractious relationship. Dani hasn’t always made the best decisions and is hot-tempered and quick to anger, but she adores her little daughter and only wants the best for her.

An enjoyable if not mind-blowing read. Many thanks to the publishers for the opportunity to read an advance copy via NetGalley.

This page turning thriller will keep you guessing! Richly flawed characters drive a well crafted tale of regret, revenge and redemption. Who knows Dani’s secret?

I was really pleased to get this book to review. Being a parent myself, I could really relate to the characters. It had a great plot and was well written, twisty and absorbing. I loved it.

Thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and Victoria Jenkins for allowing me to read this Arc.
Another brilliant psychological thriller from Victoria. This one took me a while to get into but once I did I was hooked. Two women meet at a children's play group. Both have mixed up pasts. Are either of them who they seem to be??

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for another good psychological book. This one took me a really long time to figure it out, and honestly I was very surprised at the climax. It was well written, the characters was so scarred by the things in the past that it made it very hard to put it down because you wanted to see what was going to happen next. A good quick read and it keeps you guessing.

The Playdate is an excellent psychological thriller.

The Playdate follows the story of Dani, a young mum who is struggling with her toddler. Throughout the book we find out that Dani has a bit of a back story from some mistakes she made when she was younger. Adele befriends Dani when she is going through a tough time but all is not what it seems.

This story keeps you on your toes, it is excellent with some sinister twists in it. The author really delves into the characters history and it really makes a difference, you feel like you know the main characters and this makes the story even more shocking.

I would highly recommend this book, especially if you like a psychological thriller. The twists really make the story and make you think which I loved!

The Playdate is well written and face paced and it keeps you gripped until the end!

I wasn't quite sure what to expect with this book, as the description didn't give much info as to the plot - only that there are secrets among playgroup members. That's pretty much it though, not everyone is who they seem to be and everyone is keeping secrets. Dani is a young mother of a toddler, Layla, and they are both quick to anger and easily frustrated. They meet a new mother at the group, Adele, who is much older than Dani, although her little girl Ivy, is about Layla's age. They all become friends after hitting it off and finding commonality amongst the lower middle class half of the playgroup. As in, half the mothers there are pretentious and arrogant, believing themselves to be superior.

Adele offers her support when Dani begins to get threatened through emails and flyers spread all around town. She doesn't tell anyone that she has a good idea who is behind them, because that would necessitate her spilling one of her many secrets. We soon discover Adele has her own secrets and when the truth begins to reveal itself, no one is safe. It's impossible to figure out the full story until towards the end because major plot points aren't even introduced until the second half of the story and I liked that aspect. Once that gets going, you can see where the story is heading, but it may be a surprise to many readers. It's a real page turner and a fun read, especially for anyone who has ever parented young children!

This book was one of the ones that i couldnt put down. It kept me guessing way to much.
I loved it. Would recommend it to anyone who loves twisty thrillers.
5 stars all round

Victoria Jenkins can sure write a good, twisty, psychological thriller!

This one is about two young moms who meet at a playdate. They’ve both made poor decisions earlier in life, but when it comes to their children, they only want the best and are willing to do what it takes to provide a loving home for them. Both women are suffering the consequences of their mistake and are looking for companionship, friendship and a sense of belonging. Dani is young, single and flawed. She has the best intentions, but doesn’t always get it right. One thing about Dani, she always goes the extra mile in sorting out any misunderstandings and in giving encouragement. From the start, we know something is not right with Adele’s marriage and home life. We see that she’s capable of kindness and compassion, though it isn’t coming from the heart. Because of her situation, everything Adele does is calculated. The mystery and the twists kept me reading and the ending surprised me.

I don’t have children, but I’ve spent many days during lockdown looking after my niece and nephew. I have an inkling what moms have gone through this past year as they’ve had to balance working from home, homeschooling and keeping children occupied at home. I noticed that when we are stuck to socializing with people in our bubble and spending days on end indoors, we become absorbed in our own circumstances. The characters in this book weren't on lockdown, but there's no doubt the feeling of being cut off and craving social interaction is the same for the moms in this story and the majority of us after a year of pandemic restrictions. I realized that there will be many who are in unsafe situations during lockdown and it made my heart break. This story explores the lengths we’ll go to temporarily escape guilt and responsibility and draws home the familiar warning that things aren’t always as they seem.

I was gifted this advance copy by Victoria Jenkins, Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
Publishes May 21, 2021.

Once I started reading this, it was difficult to leave down and while I was at work I wanted to go somewhere quiet and read some more. The story brings you along in a few directions and I tried guessing who was behind Dani’s torment, while I did think Adele wasn’t all she seemed I never would have seen that ending. An absolutely brilliant read and I definitely will be adding Victoria Jenkins to my list for go to authors. I just wish I could give it more than five stars.