Domestic Noir telling the story of a reunion between an adopted child, a birth mother and her husband. The chapters are short and alternate between their three different points of view. This is not my usual kind of genre, although I have listened to one of the author’s other books: The Girl Before (which I rated 3/5 stars.)

The main issue I had with this book, and why I found myself reading it so quickly yesterday, skimming and scanning chapters, was that it felt melodramatic. Lots of research has obviously gone into the process of adoption, attachment issues and what can happen further down the line to vulnerable young people, but I felt that the prose was very simplistic, the characters weren’t fully developed and there was little in the way of description of setting and other characters. It feels rushed and sensationalised. I kept wondering what this story would look like in the hands of an author like Ann Cleeves, after having just read the second book in her Vera series and giving it 5 stars.

This is a beach read, if you are not disturbed by heavy themes. It’s the definition of a page turner (in my case a very fast page turner!)

By the end it loses momentum and feels as if it limps to a not really satisfying conclusion, albeit perhaps a realistic one about the way forward for them all.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read ARC of this book.

What happens when the girl you gave up for adoption 15 years ago reaches out to you because her life at home isn't healthy. What if she's apart of the reason why?

<b>A therapist told me once that the pain of loss doesn’t shrink, but sometimes we’re able to let our lives expand around it, the way a tree can grow around a nail.</b>

Delaney does domestic thriller like nobody else. Such a topical subject to be writing about, and done in a way that is somehow both sensitive and thought provoking. I was engaged throughout, loving the twists and turns this book took me down, sometimes gasping at the results.

<B>It was easier to feel shit if I wasn’t around someone else who was also feeling shit, and she felt exactly the same way, so we ended up just . . . pushing apart from each other. A bit like when you swap around two magnets that have been locked together, and suddenly you can’t get them to even touch.</b>

For a domestic thriller this hits all the marks, it made me squirm, it made me cry, it made me think. Clever and touching but with an edge of harsh truth about some really contemporary issues.

As a fan of JP Delaney’s previous titles, I couldn’t wait to read the latest. My Darling Daughter is about married musicians Susie and Gabe. Whilst not world-renowned rock stars, they have a comfortable life with successful careers. Out of the blue one day, fifteen year old Anna contacts Susie saying she is her daughter, the baby girl she gave up for adoption years ago. As Susie and Gabe have struggled starting a family of their own, Susie welcomes Anna with open arms. However, it seems Anna knows a little too much about their lives already. Is her behaviour a result of childhood trauma, or is there something else she is hiding?
 
A well written domestic noir, this book was so easy to read; without even realising it I read most of it in one sitting! Short, snappy chapters keep you engaged and tease you to read ‘just one more’.
 
The characterisation was well done. Anna is infuriating; I got so angry with her because of her actions! Despite that I felt immense sympathy for her and hoped she would receive help before the end. I also felt for Susie and Gabe, trying to do what is best but getting treated horribly in return. Flawed, imperfect characters are the most interesting I think!
 
An enjoyable, fast-paced read, but not my favourite of JP Delaney.

4 stars
Singer Susie Jukes gets a social media message from a 15-year-old girl who believes she may be her mother and the P.S. breaks her heart as the teenager says she is desperately unhappy. Could this be Sky, now called Anna, who’s Susie gave up for adoption? They meet, Susie hears Anna’s story but there’s always two sides and as we know some teenagers… fill in as you see fit!

This is an enjoyable, easy read, the pace is quick and there are some surprising twists or three. The story is told from several points of view which flows and is done very well especially Susie and her husband Gabe’s turmoil and their multitude of emotions which comes across very strongly.You feel as if you are with them, almost a fly on a wall. Anna‘s perspective is very illuminating and that’s all I’ll say! The characterisation is very good but at times I do want to yell at them despite their very good intentions!

This is a well researched novel, I like the psychology and legal sections as they make the whole thing feel very authentic. As the storyline builds I think some situations may be a tad unlikely, possibly even implausible but it does make for darn good fiction and that at the end of the day is what we as readers are after.

Overall, theme is a difficult and sensitive one but I think JP Delaney handles it very well and gives you food for thought.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Quercus for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

Thanks net galley for allowing me to read this absolutely a.corker of a book, it’s uncovering how damaging social media can be ,and also a damaged child.
Susie gave her baby up for adoption and has never really forgotten her darling daughter.
Fifteen years when Susie was happily married, but finding it hard to carry a baby through pregnancy she found out information about the baby she had given away,
Wanting to meet her daughter caused terrible problems as her daughter had mental problems and is angry at the world.
By posting information. On social media she caused trouble nobody could have realised.
This was a terrific book and deserves more than five stars.
Read it.

I really enjoyed reading My Darling Daughter by JP Delaney. It was a gripping read and I highly recommend it

Just like everything else JP Delaney has written, I adored Darling Daughter. I loved the twists and turns the book took, not all of which I saw coming.

I also loved the amount of love that was shown by the characters in this book, when many wouldn’t have bothered or would have given up.

A harrowing story of an abused unstable teenager, a married couple dealing with hidden secrets from their past compounded by the tragedy of multiple miscarriages. The catastrophic results when previous actions and current circumstances implode on everyone involved towards an inevitable conclusion that will affect and cause damage and danger to everyone involved. Many thanks to author, publisher and Netgalley for ARC.

Wow - I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I have loved all JP Delaney’s books having read them all. Every book is different, every story line original and this is another example of a great story written exceedingly well with characters that are relatable and true.

Highly recommend.

Exquisitely dark and thrilling. This story takes on some brave and raw topics such as a child being taken for adoption and the long lasting after effects for both them and their birth parent psychologically. It also explores some dark Underworlds such as county lines, sex work and sexual exploitation within the music industry.
The tension in this book builds slowly and stealthily at first and I was really drawn into the characters and their lives. I felt I was on an emotional rollercoaster along with them and took the blows of each twist and turn to whiplash proportions. Thoroughly enjoyable and I’d definitely recommend.

Thank you to the publisher for this ARC copy of My Darling Daughter.

Susie and Gabe appear to have it all. Successful music superstars, the lifestyle and friends to match. Behind closed doors they’re desperately trying to become parents. With a string of miscarriages leaving them deflated they almost give up hope when Susie receives a letter from her long lost daughter Sky.
Immediately they hit it off and help Sky to escape a troubling situation - but what if Sky is the problem?
As stunning revelations come to light Susie and Gabe struggle to hold on to all they’ve built and everything they hope so much to have. Can a blast from your past really end your future?

I loved the character of Sky. She was devious and calculated yet somehow likeable and well formed. The story was gripping and twisty in a family drama scene. JP Delaney fans will be thrilled with this!

I binge-read this one in two sittings!

So engaging, kept you wanting more. Chapters are short so it makes it easier to read.

There has been lots of research done on adoption and attachment, but I found the characters to be quite plain and simplistic, quite unrealistic, all avoiding the massive red flags from the beginning.

Susie had her child taken from her and put into adoption. Said child shows up 15 years later and things get messy.

Is not one of my top books from this author but still a good read. It can get heavy at times so check the trigger warnings!

Addictive and intriguing

I really like this author's books, and I wasn't disappointed with this one. It was a good quick read. Intriguing, unpredictable, and you just have to keep on reading. So who is lying?

It's fiction, yet of course could happen. I tend to prefer to read true stories and this is a fiction book you can lose yourself in, feel for the characters, and really believe what they're going through. Well-written, and easy to read.

Written from Gabe's, Susie's, then Anna's point of view, alternates between the different characters in short segments which moves it on quickly.

His books are addictive, I've read every one, and can't put them down. I just felt it lost a bit of momentum near the end, and then picked up again for a satisfying conclusion.

JP Delaney a master of the quick, page-turning chapter and the multi-POV - this was no exception! I'll read anything he writes, but add this to your Autumn reading list ASAP.

I love JP Delany's books so couldn't wait to start this one. It wasn't as good as the previous books but it was still engaging. As a mum I find Susie was quite immature herself and struggled to set boundaries and also forgot her priorities along the way. After Sky's accusations, Gabe was still holding on which I found quite unrealistic. I can't believe that they couldn't see the red flags and put their relationship to the test. I was also waiting for some kind of twist in the story but none came. It is completely different from the previous books which is why I probably did not get totally bowled over but it was still a nice story.

This is a tale of an adoption reunion that has gone wrong. It’s my first J.P. Delaney read and it sure made an impression on me!

Completely out of the blue, Susie is contacted by her long-lost daughter, Anna, who was put up for adoption fifteen years prior. For context, Susie is now an accomplished singer and is married to fellow rockstar, Gabe. Both of them have been earnestly trying for a child for several years but they were never blessed despite their numerous attempts. Understandably so, as soon as Susie heard from Anna for the first time, she was strongly keen to welcome her only child back to her life — especially after having recently discovered that Anna is “desperately unhappy” with her life in her adoptive parents’ home. When details of Anna’s traumatic childhood start to emerge, Susie is determined to release Anna from her adoptive parents’ grip.

Deception is in the air and there are lies to be exposed. Who is telling the truth?

Things I enjoyed in My Darling Daughter:
- Short chapters and good writing style - Reading this was a breeze, with its bite-sized chapters, combined with the author’s no-nonsense writing style.
- Deep and well-researched - Serious topics like adoption jn the UK, trauma, infertility/childbirth, abuse were effectively unpacked from a psychological POV, as well as a legal POV. In his note, the author mentioned that he has used details from memoirs, first-hand testimonials, and interviews. No wonder the novel seemed really authentic! There is much to learn about psychology and UK law from this novel.
- Relationships and emotions - The ups and downs in the relationships between Susie, Gabe, and Anna were beautifully portrayed in the story.
- The suspense of what [insert-character-here] is going to do next!

5 SOLID STARS! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thanks to NetGalley and Quercus Books for giving me access to an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review.

4⭐️

A gripping page turner!🔥📚

I really enjoyed this book and read it in one sitting. I liked the unique plot and how each short chapter was told from a different characters perspective. 📚

I really sympathised with Susie and Gabe and was frustrated with the unfolding events throughout. I was practically shouting at the book. However, this frustration enticed me to read on and I believe that Delaney cleverly makes the reader feel this way.

I don’t want to talk about Anna too much to avoid spoilers, but she definitely gave me Violet vibes from The Push. 🔥

This read had me hooked and was a lovely easy read. I definitely feel like there could have been a more powerful and WOW ending!

Many thanks to JP Delaney, NetGalley and Quercus Books for this ARC!

I definitely recommend this read that will be published on 15th September 22!🔥📚

⚠️ Check out the trigger warnings for this read!

This is a fascinating tale about a mother who gave her child up for adoption and who now is living a completely different life with her husband. Then, the adopted daughter makes contact and wants to meet as, she's not 'safe'. What follows is a really good read about trust, lies, secrets and family and it's a good one!

Thanks to NetGalley and Quercus Books for the opportunity to preview and wishing the author every success with this interesting dramatic read.

Thanks to Netgalley and Quercus books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Susie and Gabe are married musicians who are having trouble having a baby when the 15 year old daughter, Anna/Sky that she put up for adoption as a baby comes back into their lives claiming she is being abused by her adoptive family. Of course Susie and Gabe jump in to help but soon things take a turn for the worse.

Unfortunately this was my least favorite book by this author. I got bored with Sky's antics and if I was Gabe, I would have left that situation early on. I am not a parent, but Susie seemed to have blinders on about Sky. I felt like this was a family drama and I just didn't find it that compelling. The ending also didn't do much for me. I will still read more from this author because I have really enjoyed other books.

What an interesting read!

This book shines a light on the complex and difficult world of adoption, fostering and looked after children and the levels of trauma this marginalised group of young people experience. A great read in that respect. However, I came here expecting some sort of unexpected twist or some shock value that I have seen before in Delaney’s stories and felt slightly let down not to have more of that.