🎉Book Tour🎉
Thank you Bookouture and author S. D. Robertson for having me on your book tour.

The Playground
By: S. D. Robertson
4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My worst nightmare as a parent is having my children kidnapped. The line that captured my attention was “ He saved my little girl when I couldn’t. I invited him to our lives. But I had no idea he knew my darkest secret.

Beth has an 8 year old daughter. Momentarily distracted with a phone call Daisy runs to the playground. Beth has a fear of entering the playground area as something in her childhood traumatized her. Teenagers start bothering Daisy and a kind stranger rescues Daisy from the situation.

A few days later Beth sees the kind stranger and invites him over as a thank you. The stranger Billy and her strike up a friendship.

There is a reason they met!! I have to say I had no idea of this twist which pulled me in. What in her past could have traumatized Beth? Could this be related?

This was my first novel by this author. Thank you Bookouture for this advanced copy and having me in your tour. This is out Sept 26!

❓ What was the last book that you read that had you on the edge of your seat with fear?
#theplayground, #sdrobertson, #booksconnectus, #bookouture, #stamperlady50, #bookreview, #bookstagram

Beth is walking her daughter to school when she becomes distressed in a playground, Beth can’t go in though. A stranger helps her, but who is this helpful person.

It’s a chilling, dark thriller which really turns at the end. Liked how the chapters jumped bath to and fro each character and Beths time as a child. A great read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

I really enjoyed The Playground. This is the kind of twisty thriller I like with multiple unreliable narrators and twists and turns. I like the fact that different characters narrate the chapters, so you don’t get the full story until much later in the book and constantly ask questions. I also liked the way the author gradually reveals what’s going on and what Billy’s true motivations are. I never saw the truth coming. I knew from the moment he ‘saves’ Beth’s daughter that there was something off about him but I had no idea what. This is a gripping, pacy thriller.

Beth is walking her 8-year-old daughter, Daisy, to school. Passing the playground, Daisy runs to the swings. Beth panics because she hates the playground and has told Daisy to never go there. Something bad happened to Beth there many years ago and she just cannot handle it. When Daisy is confronted by some bullies with a mean dog, Beth nearly faints. But a nice man steps up and offers to get Daisy for her. He runs the bullies off and brings Daisy to Beth. He introduces himself as Billy saying he has just moved into the neighborhood. Grateful to him, Beth invites him to dinner.

Beth also has a 14-year-old son, Ethan. She is currently separated from her husband, Rory. While Daisy is handling the separation well, Ethan is angry about Beth kicking Rory out. He’s become the typical sullen teenager carrying his own secrets.

As Beth and Billy become friends, they see one another from time to time usually for dinner. Beth wonders if the relationship could turn into something intimate until Billy makes a confession to her.

What happened to Beth all those years ago that has had such an impact on her life leaving her scarred and always antsy?

There are some very tense moments in this book but there are also some very boring moments as well. It takes awhile for the reader to discover the tragedy that Beth faced when she was young. What struck me the most is the sleazy young men she knew. Where do these lowlifes come from? Scumbags. Some people never seem to grow up and find a way to better themselves. An OK read.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I really enjoyed this psychological suspense book that held my attention throughout. This author explores family relationships and their bonds, especially those between parents and their children.
Beth is the main character and mother to teenager Ethan and young Daisy. Beth is having a tough time as her husband Rory recently cheated on her, which she cannot forgive him so is having to adapt to being a single parent. Beth also suffers with anxiety and stress due to a phobia of playgrounds, so this means she cannot take her children to play on the swings or slides, which makes her feel guilty. This fear stems from a traumatic tragedy that she witnessed in her local playground as a child.
When Billy enters her life, Beth lets him into her family and is grateful for his support and companionship. Billy is determined to win over all their trust but all is not as it appears.
My thanks to Net Galley and publishers Bookouture for the advanced digital copy of this exciting story that is a real page turner with lots of twists and surprises.

There is a distinct creepiness about The Playground which hits the ground running when Beth and her daughter are involved in an incident at a local park. Coming to her daughter's rescue, a stranger soon becomes indispensable to Beth and offers her friendship and is someone she can rely on and as the story progresses we discover more about Beth and the real reason for her very real fear of playgrounds.

The story evolves quickly and there is enough edginess to lend a chill atmosphere and the clues into Beth's past story certainly makes the story compelling. The twin narratives between Beth and Billy work well, I enjoyed getting to know them both with one being more likeable than the other. Beth is a typical mother, wanting the best for her family but struggling in a whole new world and whilst Billy is a comforting presence in her life it soon becomes apparent that he has complex secrets of his own. The tension mounts and I enjoyed how the author kept the momentum of the mystery alive, and I enjoyed trying to piece together all the pieces of this complex puzzle.

The Playground is a well thought out family drama with plenty of twists, turns and red herrings which kept me guessing until the final denouement.

The Playground by S.D. Robertson was an engrossing mystery that will keep any reader on the edge of their seat from start to finish.
Robertson’s writing skills are truly remarkable. The author's gripping plot that immediately grabbed my attention and kept me engaged throughout.
The author did a nice job of crafting an entertaining and compelling mystery.
She did a good job of describing the scenes and making them come to life, as if you are experiencing them yourself. The characters are so realistic and believable.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Bookouture for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

What an absolutely brilliant book this is. I was hooked from the very first page and that continued to the very end. So many twists and turns, I couldnt put it down. Highly recommended and well worth every one of the five stars.
Many thanks to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.

The Playground is a totally unputdownable page turner. I just could not get enough of all the twists and turns so much so that I read it in one sitting. Great characters, great story and great ending. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

He saved my little girl when I couldn't...I invited him into our lives...but I had no idea he knew my darkest secret...

Beth is walking her 8 year old daughter Daisy back to school after a dental appointment. When she takes a call, Daisy runs into the nearby playground and onto the swings. Upon realising where her daughter is, Beth panics. She cannot enter the playground. Not ever. It's a place of nightmares that haunt her, where something happened when she was a teenager and since that day she has never stepped foot inside a playground...ever. And as her vision clouds, her breath begins to quicken. She falls to the ground. She cannot reach her daughter.

And then arms find her and catch her before she hits the ground. The smiling face looks like that of her father. But it can't be...can it? Is she dreaming? And then she hears screams coming from the playground. Daisy! The stranger runs into the playground to where her daughter is now perched atop the climbing frame while two teenage boys encourage their dog to nip at her daughter's feet, laughing as she screams. The stranger sees the teenagers flee with their dog before helping Daisy down from the frame and back to her mother.

And that is how Beth and Daisy meet Billy. He has become Daisy's knight in shining armour while beth herself finds herself attracted to the man who is clearly younger than she is. When she learns he is knew to the neighbourhood, she invites him to dinner by way of a thank you. However her 14 year old son Ethan is not thrilled by the idea of another male muscling in on what he feels is his dad's rightful place, despite his parents being separated. While Daisy has handled the separation well enough, Ethan is angry about it. He's become sullen and secretive.

As Beth and Billy's friendship develops, Beth begins to wonder if it could become something more intimate...until Billy makes a shock confession that changes her entire perspective of the life she knew.

And then there is Beth's inherent fear of playgrounds. What is it that happened to her all those years ago to create such an impact that would cause her never to enter one ever again? She clearly still has nightmares about it and it's never far from her mind.

What she doesn't realise is just how close the past and the present are about to come...and how much it will change her life.

A delightfully twisty psychological thriller that had me at the "playground". I'm not sure what I expected - probably something more to do with kids from the title - but this was such an entertaining read I thoroughly enjoyed. Even though I had some terrible circumstances in RL taking place in the middle of it that stopped me reading for three days, when I picked it up this evening it took my mind off what was going on in my reality for a couple of hours and it was refreshing. I didn't see the twist at the end...whether that was down to me being off my game at the moment or the skill of the writer...it was a good solid read either way and the fact that it took me away from the pain of my own reality just now is a good thing.

A definite well worth it read!

I would like to thank #SDRobertson, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #ThePlayground in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

Beth has been haunted by the tragic events of her past for many years now. Which is why she cannot bring herself to set foot in a child’s playground.

One morning when Beth is walking Daisy to school, Daisy runs off to the park by herself. Soon Daisy finds herself in trouble she’s surrounded by teenagers and their threatening dog, Daisy has climbed to the top of the climbing frame to escape them, however she’s about to fall off.

Beth heard her child scream but she cannot bring herself to enter the park to save her daughter. Luckily for her a stranger Billy heard Daisys cries and rushes in to help her. From that moment on Beth and Billy form a close friendship. Little does Beth know that billy knows all her darkest secrets.

I was hooked on this book right from the start and could easily have read it in one sitting. It was very easy to follow and there were plenty of twists along the way that kept me interested. All the characters were likeable and their lives and stories were easy to follow. I did think there was something odd about Billy’s character that I just couldn’t warm to I always felt something was a bit off with him.

I also loved how this book was told with then and now chapters. For me that’s a guaranteed way to keep the reader interested and have them coming back for more it gave this book a “just one more chapter” feel and I love that.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an advance copy of this book in exchange for this review.

I want to say a big thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me this ARC.

First off, I really connected with the main character. Her journey and how she handled tough situations were truly inspiring. She's one strong character, no doubt about it.The writing was easy to follow. The story just flowed, and I couldn't stop reading.
While the story was interesting, it felt a bit basic, like it could've gone deeper. I wanted more complexity, more layers to the characters and their motives. It felt like there was untapped potential there.One thing that kept me going was the suspense. The author did a good job keeping me guessing and eager to uncover the hidden truths.
The Playground had its highs and lows for me. I loved the main character and the general idea, but I wished for a bit more depth in the storytelling. Still, it's an engaging read that keeps you invested in the outcome.

"He saved my little girl when I couldn’t. I invited him into our lives. But I had no idea he knew my darkest secret…

It is an ordinary September morning when I nearly lose my little girl. My mouth is dry, my hands shake when I see that she has darted unexpectedly into the playground…

The place where my own childhood ended.

Where I can’t set foot inside."

A 3.5 star read for me. The book itself kept my attention, even after figuring out the plot (at least in general. I wasn't sure of specifics_.). It drew me and made me want to keep reading. I'll be honest - I did not find any of the characters likeable, not one. And maybe that was the author's intent. I'm not sure. The concept of the playground why the author could not attend was intriguing. There were some plot points that seemed somewhat far-reaching, some things that just "fell into line" entirely too perfect. And yet, for all this, I still enjoyed the read overall.

I’d like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Playground’ written by S D Robertson in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

When Billy introduces himself to Beth as her half-brother she welcomes him with open arms, and her children Ethan and Daisy love having a new uncle. But can Billy be trusted?

I was so engrossed in ‘The Playground’ that I couldn’t put my Kindle down and read it in twelve hours. With its drama, twists and turns, and unexpected surprises it’s probably my favourite novel by this author and I can highly recommend it.

4.5 ⭐️

Due to a past trauma, Beth finds herself unable to enter a playground when her child is in danger. Luckily, a stranger named Billy is in the right place at the right time and saves the little girl. Billy becomes more immersed in the lives on Beth and her children. But who is he really?

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! The plot moved fairly quickly and kept me entertained the whole time. The twist at the end threw me for a loop, as well. My only complaint is the excessive use of British slang. I was so lost at some of the expressions and words used.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Beth is a newly single mom who has one strange fear, playgrounds. Having experienced a tragic event at a playground, Beth is petrified of them. When her young daughter is in a dangerous situation at the local playground, Beth finds herself unable to save her. Luckily a stranger is in there and able to save her daughter. Who is this man? Is he a stranger? Could he be the friend Beth needs right now?
For some reason I just couldn’t get into this book. The storyline and characters didn’t grab me like I hoped. It was a good thriller with a twist I didn’t see coming, but just not the book for me.

I read this book in one sitting! I had no clue what was happening but I was absolutely hooked! I loved the flashbacks throughout the story and the multiple point of views really added to the plot!

A great read you won’t want to put down. I was hooked from the first page right to the ending. Well written with interesting and believable characters;
Thank you to Netgally and Bookature for the arc in exchange for my honest review

Thank you to NetGalley for my latest eARC!

The Playground served its function well as a thriller, and I found myself vying to pick it up to see what would unravel next. While the first part of the book did move slower for me, the twists were unpredictable and I felt satisfied at the ending. The story was unique enough but as someone who primarily reads thrillers, this read did feel pretty run-of-the-mill for me. I would recommend to a friend and I am looking forward for this book's publication!

The Playground, by S.D Robertson, is a fast, easy to read book that I devoured in less than 2 days. I loved the characters, storyline and ending. I cannot wait to read more from the author and have already recommended this book to a few readers.