Honestly, I didn’t love this book. It was somewhat educational in that the author has clearly highlighted a need for ongoing support for adopted children and their parents, where desired / warranted. However, as a book I found it really difficult to read and just didn’t enjoy it as much as previous books by JP Delaney. This one was wrapped up poorly and the adult characters were not likeable. If I had read this from a new author I’d have been disappointed / avoided further books.

Rating 4.5 stars rounded off to 5

Well, that was one of the best and most well researched psychological thrillers I’ve read!

I had read The Girl Before by this author years ago and loved it. So when I saw his new one, I just had to grab it.

Thanks NetGalley and Quercus Books for the ARC. Apologies for the delay with the review.

Synopsis -

Susie gave up her baby girl for adoption 15 years ago. Now a teenager, Anna contacts her birth mother on social media. But their reunion is far from perfect. Concerned with Anna’s dubious family life and her strange ways, Susie and her husband Gabe gear up to be there for her as her support system. Unfortunately, things are not as simple as they seem.

Review -

I loved how natural and utterly human every character Delaney pictures in this book is. Susie, Gabe and Anna are all flawed. None of their pasts have been easy - the trauma and damage as a result, are like a shadow to their personalities.

The multi POV approach and short punchy chapters worked so well. We have the narratives of all of the three and this helped understand each of them, knowing their deepest thoughts and hidden secrets they are running away from.

Furthermore, it’s how a 15 year old girl cast in a sinister role that steals the show here. Delving deep into the psychological aspects of a teenager who’s been adopted, the author explores the struggles of adoptive parents and adoptee with attachment disorder, as well as the kind of distress and anguish, the birth mother might go through under the circumstances.

Although there is not much action, what shocked me the most was the amount of evil and mind games at play here. By mid-way, the plot’s complexity increases, as multiple threads are conjoined cleverly, making it an all-consuming read until the very last moment.

I appreciated the author’s notes that outline his insights behind the adoption theme, the data that was gathered via research and interviews along with the imagination and creation of these characters.

Highly recommend this gripping and suspenseful read to psychological thriller fans!

Oh wow, what a fantastic book!!! And I'm also surprised as I've read some reviewers saying this is not JP Delaney's best book. How good are his other books, then?? Since this was a new author to me, I decided to buy two of his older books as soon as I finished this one.
I loved the story, a domestic/psychological thriller with very sensitive themes and serious topics which are dealt with extreme care by Delaney. I loved the characters also, so authentic and real that you are automatically drawn to them. And I loved the format too, with the three POV narration and the short, paced chapters, that hooks you in right form the start. And finally, I loved and appreciated the fact that a thriller could also make me tear up at times and get emotional, which to me is always a bonus and just shows how much heart an author puts into his work.
Highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I know that once I start this authors books I will be hooked from the beginning and this one was no different. This story was cleverly written and covered a lot of real life sensitive and complex issues which all intertwine to create this family drama/domestic thriller. Each chapter was written from different characters point of view and once I had started reading I couldn’t put it down and read it in one sitting. This has lots of twists and turns and gasp out loud moments and never knew where it was going to take me next.

Am already looking forward to this authors next book.

I've finished reading My Darling Daughter by JP Delaney and I rate it 3 stars 🌟

Out of the blue, Susie Jones is contacted on Facebook by a teenage girl called Anna claiming to be her daughter that she gave up for adoption 15 years ago.

When they decide to meet up Anna's life with her adoptive parents sounds strange and the closer Susie & her husband Gabe get to Anna things start to take a rather unbelievable turn...

I've read all of JP Delaney's books and I loved them but My Darling Daughter it was ok but not brilliant, I found Susie to be really naive and a bit of a boring drip to be honest, Anna/Sky was an ok character.

I found the story a bit slow it didn't really have me gripped I read more then half of it and was getting frustrated with how slow it was so I just read then end if the book and was quite disappointed with the ending the book just isn't as good as the authors previous books it's not bad or terrible but not just as good the story just wasn't for me..

JP Delaney’s The Girl Before was one of the first books that really got me into psychological thrillers. This one was more of a domestic thriller that explores some tough topics - adoption and the issues both parents and children can face with it, the impact of infertility, drug use and trauma.

Told from multiple POV, we get to know Susie, Gabe and Anna. I felt for Gabe at many times through the book. Whilst I connected well with Susie I found her blind trust in Anna very frustrating at times. With Anna- I just had the feeling something wasn’t quite right.

With short, sharp chapters this book jumps straight into the story and keeps up at a cracking pace the whole time. Delaney really knows how to elicit emotions- it took me on a ride with feelings of unease, which then moved into frustration and anger and then disbelief. Whilst I found the ending a little anti-climatic it was still another solid read. Perfect for fans of Baby Teeth and
The Perfect Child

Having read all of JP Delaney’s previous books, I immediately requested this one. However, for some reason this one just seemed to fall flat and didn’t have that ‘can’t put down feel to it’. The book was interesting and an easy read but not as thriller-ish as I was expecting.

Clever and complex, this psychological thriller is about a childless celebrity couple, the reappearance of the wife's daughter, and its effect on all their lives. The psychological suspense builds to an impactful and thought-provoking conclusion.

The plot is twisty, and the depth of characterisation is good. Anna/Sky is a powerful character with many layers, and the reader's feelings about her vacillate. The story explores contemporary themes, many disturbing, in an informative and sensitive way that illuminates the story and its characters.

There is a poignant ethos amidst the spiralling suspense; in many ways, the family drama element dominates the psychological tension, but it's a compelling read.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

The child you never knew
knows all your secrets . . .

Out of the blue, Susie Jukes is contacted on social media by Anna, the girl she gave up for adoption fifteen years ago.

But when they meet, Anna’s home life sounds distinctly strange to Susie and her husband Gabe. And when Anna’s adoptive parents seem to overreact to the fact she contacted them at all, Susie becomes convinced that Anna needs her help.

But is Anna’s own behaviour simply what you’d expect from someone recovering from a traumatic childhood? Or are there other secrets at play here – secrets Susie has also been hiding for the last fifteen years?

I was excited to see another book released by J P Delaney as I enjoyed The Girl Before so much, but unfortunately this one was just an ok read! I didn’t get that ‘couldnt put it down’ feeling with this one – which was a shame because i’ve been on a pretty good reading streak lately – I suppose it had to come to an end some time! Don’t get me wrong – this book isnt bad (at all) it just failed to excite me – and towards the end I was just wanting to get the book finished. I’m sure others will feel differently.

My thanks to the author and Quercus for my advance copy to review via Netgalley. Available to buy now!

⭐⭐⭐

Three ‘I liked your other book better’ stars

Wow just wow!!!!
Having been a JP fan ever since I could not wait to read this!
Like with all his books some serious topics are touched but in a way that shows he really cares!
The characters are so authentic and human that you can not decide if somebody is good or bad, they are all just human!
The story itself is a veeeeeery twisted one and you certainly never get bored. In fact I didn't want it to be over, but the end was just perfect
Thank you so much for this intensive reading experience!
Thank you #Netgalley #Quercus Books

So, let me start by saying I've previously only read MY LOVELY WIFE by Delaney, which left me with super mixed emotions. I loved it, was invested in it, was engaged with the writing, but the ending left me absolutely mind-boggled, and I've yet to brave another of his books - so of course I requested this on Netgalley without even reading the synopsis. 

Short, snappy chapters, a multi-layered plot, characters with depth, and a serious topic at the heart of the book; this was engaging, thought provoking and gripping. Perspectives switch between Susie and her husband Gabe, and Sky/Anna, the daughter Susie gave up for adoption fifteen years earlier. It was interesting to have the multiple points of view from these characters, but it did minimise the shocks and twists throughout the plot - which I have to say, I personally thought were few and far between. 

After MY LOVELY WIFE, I had immediately penned Delaney as a writer I could rely on for huge twists and revelations, but this felt more like a sprinkle of thriller in a family drama recipe. Having said this, this didn't take away from my enjoyment, I shouldn't have assumed mega twists in every book, the adoption aspect of the plot was really interesting, and obviously well-researched, and Sky's manipulative, cunning character was brilliantly written. I am excited to read more of Delaney's books, would recommend it and flew through the pages!

𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘯 @𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭 (𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮) 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘎𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘈𝘮𝘢𝘻𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦.

𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐫: 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐞𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐢𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 - 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐨𝐰𝐧.

Told from the point of view of Gabe, Susie and Anna (Sky) this is a story which tackles many difficult subjects - an inability to carry a child to term, adoption, rebuilding a relationship with an adopted child, poor decisions in youth and how your past can come back to haunt you. This is sensitively handled and a compelling story which portrays a full characterisation of the three main characters.
Many thanks to Netgalley/J. P. Delaney/Quercus Books for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

I raced through this book wanting to find out what happens, this book is seriously creepy! I really enjoy his style of writing and this is a must read for anyone that enjoys thrillers.

Compelling although at times unsettling.
Told from three different viewpoints with short chapters this book flows well.
It is a real page turner with lots of secrets and twists.

My Darling daughter is another cracking nove by J.P Delaney

Tense and well written, I very much enjoyed this

What I loved most about Darling Daughter is how swiftly it challenges the norms and how it looks at themes that I don't think many people acknowledge or accept in fiction. I've read plenty of 'difficult child' novels following adoption but this is a deeply evocative novel that explores the depth and detail of such a situation.
Each character is instantly real, relatable and interesting. I didn't find myself on anyone's side, though my allegiances switched from time to time, and it left me wondering what do you do when love isn't enough? What is it exactly that makes a parent?
A thrilling, beautiful, heart wrenching and heart warming novel that I'm so pleased to have read.

My Darling Daughter | JP Delaney
My Darling Daughter is the latest standalone psychological thriller by author, JP Delaney. This is my second novel by this author.

Told in alternating POV, the story follows Susie and her husband Gabe after they are contacted by Anna, the daughter that Susie gave up for adoption 15 years prior. As the couple get to know Anna and hear about her home life with her adoptive parents, something doesn’t seem to add up. Susie wants to protect and make up for the past but there is more at stake here as secrets come to light and relationships are tested.
I went into this expecting a thriller, but instead found a touching, deeply complex and moving story about trauma and relationships. As a Psychologist myself who works with children with attachment trauma, I found this book extremely realistic and I could tell the author had done their research. You can really feel for each of the characters in the book and I loved that the POV shifted between them so we could get a deeper understanding of each person’s inner world and thoughts.

I really enjoyed this easy to read page-turned and read it over two sittings. JP Delaney is an author to watch and I look forward to seeing what else they come up with next.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author for a ARC of this novel.

The child you’ve never met, knows all your secrets..
Susie is befriended on social media but the daughter she gave up for adoption 15 years ago and after meeting her and er husband begin to worry about Anna’s safety. What secrets are they both keeping?
Told from the 3 main characters perspectives in alternative chapters, this was an easy read. There were the inevitable twists and turns and some of these were unbelievable. I felt both Gabe and Susie were very naive and trusting and at times the story was a little predictable
I did however enjoy it and as I said it was an easy to pick up and put down book.

First of all, this book contains a trigger warning for miscarriage. I won’t go into too much detail, but if you would like any more information, please dm me
This book is told from three different viewpoints, Susie, Gabe and Sky.
The chapters were short, snappy and addictive. It was ridiculously hard to put down, despite having to go to work.
Sky is one messed up character. I literally had so many emotions towards her. I felt so sorry for her, so angry at her, disappointed with her, but I think I actually despised her.
Susie was such an irritating and frustrating character. There were so many times whilst reading the book, I literally said out loud “what are you doing?!”
The frustration I had for the characters only made me enjoy the book more, as I really wanted to read on and see which route they take!
The author took us on such a rollercoaster with Sky
It really opened my eyes however, how one little lie can spiral and ruin lives
As with all this authors work that I’ve read, I really did enjoy this book and reading about the dysfunctional family drama
This dark domestic noir and its finest and is highly recommended
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a gifted copy and inviting me to be part of the tour

The child you never knew
knows all your secrets . .

Susie Jukes and her husband Gabe Thompson are successful musicians, she is a singer in a band, he used to be in a band but now writes songs for others. When Susie is contacted on social media by a young girl called Anna, she doesn't dare to believe this could be her baby girl, Sky that she gave up for adoption fifteen years ago, and now Anna is asking for help. Instinctively Susie reaches out to her daughter, but the events that follow could change all their lives forever...

My Darling Daughter is a multi narrated story told mainly by Susie, Gabe and Anna/Sky. It's a tense, rollercoaster ride of a read, with the author covering some very delicate subjects, which he does with integrity and sensitivity. The plot is well crafted, the chapters are short and flow seamlessly, the characters are depicted perfectly. I have to say, as much as I loved how Susie was trying to make up for the last fifteen years, I was inwardly screaming 'you need to have some basic ground rules, woman!' This is a fast paced read, which I was totally invested in from the start, with some interesting twists along the way and kept me wanting to read 'just one more chapter' every time I had to put it down. If you like a story that has you on the edge of your seat with your heart racing throughout, then I highly recommend this.

I'd like to thank Quercus Books and Netgalley for the approval, I will post my review on Amazon and Goodreads.