A gripping, twisty tale, part thriller part family drama. The story kept me guessing all the way and I'm partial to a psychopath or two so this ticked that box rather nicely. The characters were interesting, Miles was satisfyingly vile and even the "good guys" were flawed and messy. If I had one gripe it's that Pete and Maddy didn't seem shocked enough when they learned that their 2 year old wasn't their biological child, they didn't seem to need any time to come to terms with it and just submitted so quickly to the Lamberts, I would've been in bits. JP Delaney's books are always entertaining, I absolutely loved the Perfect Wife, 4 stars for this one and definitely looking forward to his next offering.

My first JP Delaney novel and overall I loved it. I found it a little slow in the first half, resolved for the second. I think I would have reacted differently to the characters in the novel and certainly would not have been as content with the arrangements at the start of the 'discover', however the second half of the book had me hooked. An interesting plot and idea.

This book had me on edge constantly. I had to take breaks reading it - some reviewers said they finished it one go but I have no idea how they managed that. Every so often it just became too much for me and I started feeling tense and stressed.
Of course the ending is predictable but this story is not about the end; this book is about the journey. And oh boy is it one hell of a journey!
Go into this as blind as you can!

“A mother's love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity. It dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path”.

-The Last Seance (from The Hound of Death and Other Stories, also Double Sin and Other Stories)”
― Agatha Christie, The Hound of Death.

Pete and Maggie Riley have a 2 year old son Theo, they’re having a few problems right now with his behaviour, he’s very naughty at home, and doesn’t want to play nice with the other kids at nursery, he resorts to hitting and biting them to get his own way, and there have been complaints from other parents about him - so much so, that he’s in danger of being asked to leave the nursery altogether, but do Pete and Maggie love him? Of course they do! Would they give their life for him? Absolutely!

Pete, a full time Dad, is sitting down to a well earned coffee, after dropping Theo off at nursery, when he’s interrupted by the doorbell. He discovers two men at the door, one being a tall athletic looking guy named Miles Lambert, and what they tell Pete shocks him to the core - they have proof that Theo isn’t Pete and Maggie’s son - the fact is, Theo was swapped at birth with Miles and wife Lucy’s little boy David!

It doesn’t take much imagination to realise just how earth shattering that announcement would be, but nevertheless, after the initial shock, the two families try to adjust to what has been an absolute bombshell, and they all agree that they want an amicable relationship, for the sake of everyone, but especially for the children.

However, events quickly take a turn for the worse, and for Pete and Maggie, it will prove an absolutely terrifying experience, but I won’t reveal any more than that, as I’d hate to spoil it for those of you tempted to read it.

This thought provoking thriller is psychological suspense at its best, completely and utterly gripping, with some seriously good twists - miss this one at your peril!

Wow! Another blockbuster of a book from an outstanding author. When I see a new release by JP Delaney, whatever I’m reading gets paused and I dive right in. This offering does not disappoint. It’s a challenging subject of two babies switched at birth in NICU following traumatic births, and the uneasy decisions of what happens once this is discovered. Two premature babies switched and two sets of very different parents: over confident Miles and meek Lucy; stay at home dad Pete and fragile Maddie. From Initial cooperation to a vicious tug of war, this was a twisting tale. I loved the way the reader was privy to information the characters were not aware of at the time through future case note snippets at the start of chapters. Knowing that tensions were rising to an eventual showdown made this book impossible to put down. Each of the four parents have hidden secrets and throughout the book, I actively disliked each of them at some point. A fantastic read - already looking forward to what this author gifts us with next. Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read in return for an honest review.

I loved this book! I was intrigued by the blurb and once I started reading, I couldn’t stop! So many books lately have the same plot line - missing child, a secret...this one is unique and it instantly made me want to read it. It’s fast paced and there’s so many little twists to keep you interested. Brilliant!

This story follows Pete, Maddie and their son Theo and another couple Miles, Lucy and their son David. Both couples meet under very unusual circumstances and the story goes on from there.

I liked this book. The story was something different and did hold my interest for a long time. The story was pacy and had a storyline that had me wanting to see how it was going to pan out.

A few twists along the way and although I found the book enjoyable I also found some of it a little unbelievable, to say would spoil.

I've enjoyed books by this author before and felt this one lacked something but overall I did enjoy it.

Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for the chance to review the book.

I really enjoyed "Playing Nice" by JP DELANEY.

The story follows 2 families that have found out their babies were switched in NICU after complicated births.
What starts off as amicable resolve in the first instance soon turns to a tug of war, creating hurt, bad feeling and at times downright terrible accusations, all in the battle to fight for their children.

The turning point in this storyline caught me off guard, I couldn't of guessed the plot in which it twisted and I thoroughly enjoyed what it had to offer.

JP writes his storylines well and doesn't give too much away, facts were researched and other storylines touched on. But without overdoing it and making you bored.

Another great Physcological Thriller from JP Delaney.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

Pete and Maddie's lives are turned upside down by a knock at the door.

I have read JP Delaney previously and enjoyed their work which led me to requesting this book. I spent many a night reading past my bedtime enthralled in this book. I have been through children's court myself so could relate with some of the subject matter, Although Delaney states in the acknowledgements that CAFCASS aren't all like the one in this story I have to state that my experience of them was woeful. (Not contacting me, turning up to court with someone else's case etc!) So I felt their pain! (I got custody though!)

This book is very well written, with relatable characters and definitely worth a read.

To say I couldn’t put this book down would be an understatement! I LOVED every second of this book!

I haven’t read JP Delaney’s other work so was new to his writing, but I now need to hurry to get his other books! This story had me on the edge of my seat constantly and I genuinely felt sick whilst experiencing this journey with Pete and Maddie and couldn’t help but constantly put myself in their place and have my mind churn with ‘what would I do in this position!?’

Playing Nice is the told through the POV of Pete and Maddie and is the story of how their world suddenly was tipped on its side when a stranger knocks on their door to reveal that the child they have raised for 2 years is not their own... I won’t say anymore as you’ll have to get the book to discover who this unveils!

One of the easiest 5 stars I’ve given! I truly loved it start to finish and don’t want to give away ANYTHING but usually the payout at the end of even the greatest of novels are still somewhat of a letdown, yet right to the final pages this still had me hooked and the ending was incredible!

Thank you so much to Quercus and Netgalley for the ARC of this book! I will be recommending it to anyone and everyone! Such a brilliant read!

If I could have read this book in one sitting, I would have. I picked it up every chance I had, even whilst homeschooling.

This psychological thriller is spine-chilling. An absolute horror story for parents. It made me stress eat peanuts whilst reading and was utterly unputdownable.

Playing Nice is told from the perspectives of Maddie and Pete, who are the parents to Theo, born prematurely and spending the beginning of his life in a hospital NICU unit. The change in POV certainly added to the novels suspense, whilst also giving great character building.

There are some distressing topics within the book, some of which were hard to read as a parent. However, this only fuelled my need to reach the ending and find out what had happened. I felt every bit of the characters injustices.

Playing Nice is jaw-droppingly good. If I could give it more than 5 stars I would. I cannot recommend it highly enough!

JP Delaney is one of my favourite authors, and has been since I read The Girl Before. I have rushed to get his new book as quick as I could because I just knew they would be fantastic.

After being a little bit let down by his last book, this one however is so difficult to put into words. It is just that brilliant.

I absolutely adored it. I have no nails left, due to biting them to the core through sheer suspense that I had to be doing something to stop my heart racing so fast.

The subject of this book is so hard to digest, it had me thinking what if so much and how would I cope in this situation.

Pete and Maddie are thrown so much in this book that you never believe that they will come out of it the better party, or even come out of it alive. And this is just built on throughout and I just could not stop reading.

I can't wait to read the next book by JP Delaney!

This was a good read, raised a lot of issues to think about. The premise had me hooked and I was keen to read it.
I didn't find any of the characters particularly likeable.
I enjoyed the build up from where things seemed too good to be true and found the "bad guy" to be downright sinister, thoroughly creepy.
I was pleased with how things were resolved, maybe I have a few of those traits :)
My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for my eArC in return for my honest review.

Having read other books from this author, I have to admit I quite enjoyed this one. However, I have to say at outset that what a snowflake society we now live in. Who in their right minds gives a child of barely two years old a choice over what he wants to do. For heaven’s sake, they can barely talk at two, let alone hold a coherent conversation.

Also, I can’t believe how gullible Maddie and Pete were. They were so under Miles’ influence it was sickening. I would have been suspicious at the outset. He is one psychopathic individual who would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. As for his poor wife, she was terrified. It reminded me a bit of the recent dramas in Coronation Street.

However, as the book progressed I did get more absorbed with the story and I thought the end had the right conclusion. The police throughout were a bit wishy washy, in that the crimes that went on were, in my mind, not investigated properly.

I would like to thank the author, the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC.

A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is not my usual genre, I’m more into romance stories and literary fiction however I wanted to take the opportunity to read something from outside my norm. And I am glad I did!! Thank you for opening up my mind to something totally different.

Wow. What a novel. I’ve loved all of J P Delaney’s novels and this was no exception. Didn’t want to put it down. Hooked from the first page to the last.

JP Delaney can always be counted on to write a story that you will not be able to turn away from! I was so gripped by this, I had an awful feeling in the pit of my stomach reading how Miles was manipulating the situation and the helplessness Theo’s parents must have felt. I didn’t warm to Maddie at all but I think that was deliberate of the author when you get to the end it makes sense. I can’t wait for the next novel from JP Delaney - definite must read author! Thanks to Netgalley, the author and Quercus for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Another fantastic book from this author. Great book from beginning to end. Lived this one. Kinda sad that I have finished reading it. Defiantly a book to pick up.5 stars!!

Absolutely loved this novel. The characters were finely drawn and left the emotions in tatters. A well thought out plot and. Book which should fly off the shelves.

Would love to see a tv series of Playing Nice.

Great book, i learnt a lot about how i can do my bit for the environment as well as what has been done by major players