I devoured this book over the course of one day while in hospital. I just couldn't put it down. Like with her brilliant debut Breaking Point, Coffey has a killer premise to start with: a lonely millennial woman, approaching 40 and feeling like her life has passed her by, meets a gorgeous, richer older man and they quickly start a relationship. The man is married but his wife has been in a coma for 2 years and is expected to die. But then she makes a miracle recovery. And things just get stranger and darker from there. You definitely have to take a leap with this book and trust that Coffey knows where she wants to take you. Underlying all the twists and soap opera moments, Coffey writes with an emotional truth so you never feel shortchanged by the plot. A very impressive sophomore effort.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review. Loved Edel's first book. Interesting premise but I found towards the final 25% I started to skim read as it's a little far-fetched (I hope).

I enjoyed Edel Coffey’s debut Breaking Point and was looking forward to this one.

Ann has been caring for her mother in recent years and since her recent death she finds herself unmoored. Her sisters and friends have successful careers and marriages and Ann is trying to reignite her career as a writer while her sisters arrange to sell the family home in Brooklyn. A chance meeting in a bar brings Justin into Ann’s life and a whirlwind relationship follows despite the fact that Justin is technically married. Deborah is wife is terminally ill and with no hope for survival so Ann makes peace with this and becomes part of Justin and his daughters life. Then Deborah makes a miraculous recovery and Ann finds herself in a chaotic love triangle.

That’s roughly the premise for this book and therein lies my issue. I can leave realistic expectations at the door when reading fiction to a point but this story stretched that expectation greatly. This is a well told story of an unlikely tale. The writing is good, the characters are well developed and the plot and pace particularly in the second half of the book is excellent . It’s twisty and uncomfortable and held my attention but I never really got over how unlikely this situation that the book is based around, is.

I really do like this authors writing style though and I’d absolutely read whatever she writes next.

Another bestseller for Edel Coffey ,a riveting love triangle with plenty of suspense and drama built in .I would urge you all to read .

Ann, recovering from the death of her mother feels lost. She meets Justin who has one daughter and a terminally ill wife. They become involved and Justin's wife makes a recovery.

After reading Breaking Point last year I was really excited to read this. Overall I enjoyed it. The plot was different and interesting. It lost the run of itself about 3/4 of the way through and the ending was underwhelming.

The main issue I had was I couldn't connect with the characters even the main character Ann, she was a bit flimsy to me, immature and silly.

In Her Place is Edel Coffey’s second novel after her excellent debut Breaking Point. It’s every bit as readable as Breaking Point with a good story about a complex relationship but it didn’t hit the same high notes.

Set in NYC and upstate New York, we meet our main character Ann, a struggling writer, as she navigates life and grief in the aftermath of the death of her mother.

Ann meets Justin, a handsome, wealthy and suave dad-of-one while on a writing assignment in Hudson. Justin’s wife Deborah is terminally ill and has been in a coma for six years. After a whirlwind romance, Ann and Justin move in together but things take a tricky turn when Deborah makes a miraculous recovery. Is everything as it seems and will Ann find her happy ever after?

I’ve read a few reviews from people who felt the book only got going in the second half. I actually preferred the first half - it was a nicely paced and well written story up to this point.

As the story begins to take off, it also began to unravel somewhat for me with a few too many plot holes (not a spoiler but surely Sophie or one of Justin’s “concerned friends” would have given the game away?). I didn’t ever believe that Ann would have stayed, but suspension of disbelief is a necessary element of reading domestic suspense novels so I went with it. The appearance of a new character right at the end (Richard) was superfluous. And a small thing, but I felt some of the lingo was a bit Irish (eg Americans would use the word “daycare” as opposed to “crèche”).

Nonetheless, I inhaled In Her Place over 24 hours; the author has a way of humanising even villainous characters and she knows how to tell a good story that keeps the reader turning pages. 3/5⭐️

I really enjoyed Ann & Justin’s story & I really felt for them in their situation!
Loved the twists & turns in the story.

4 ⭐️
Thank you to Netgalley & Little Brown Book for allowing me the chance to read this book before publishing, in exchange for my honest review.
It didn’t get off to a good start and I was quite bored to begin with. I persevered and became invested in Justin & Ann’s relationship. I really like some of the twists in this book but I thought maybe we could have got to have known some of the characters a little bit more (for example Justin’s friends) why were they so obsessed with Ann breaking his heart if they knew he was a player? Anyway I like the twist at the end but thought that more details were needed and it just felt a little flat. Overall I did still enjoy this book.

A gripping read, that hooked me in right from the blurb!

Imagine being in Ann and Justin's situation, in love and happy, but with Justin's wife terminally ill and unconscious in hospital, where she's been for two years. It's just a matter of time until she dies and Justin has never hidden the situation from Ann, who is falling deeper and deeper, not only for Justin, but for his adorable young daughter, Sophie, as well.

And then a miracle happens. Justin's wife, Deborah, is given a trial of a new drug and makes a full recovery. The medical staff are on cloud nine and can't hide their joy, but what of Justin and Ann, and their new life together? My heart was breaking for them and the impossible and untenable situation they found themselves in.

And then it got dark and twisty. Ann isn't willing to just walk away and in her determination to keep hold of her new life, she uncovers lots of secrets.

A brilliant, brilliant book, with well developed characters, fabulous writing and a superb plot!

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Edel Coffey and Little, Brown for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Ann meets Justin and they are drawn to each other, fall in love and she moves in to his home. Justin, however, is married, but his wife is in a coma and does not have long left, therefore what they are doing is justified. That is until Justin’s wife suddenly gets better. What will they do?

I really liked the sound of this and it seemed like an intriguing, original storyline. I found that I enjoyed the majority of the story, although parts were far fetched. There were moments of suspense and some twists I did not see coming. The characters were well written, although I didn’t fully connect with them. I found the pacing to be up and down, at times I found myself skimming but others I was really involved in the story. Overall a fun, easy read. 3.5 stars rounded up. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

3.5 ⭐️

Well written and a few good twists thrown in, it took a while to get going but the 2nd half was much more engaging. A satisfying conclusion. Recommended.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for providing me with this advance digital copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Wow, this thriller completely threw me for a loop! I was not expecting the twists that came along the way, or the manner in which the two main female characters chose to handle the predicament at hand. Highly recommended!

In Her Place follows Ann who is at a bit of a loose end following a narrowing of her world whilst caring for her mother until her death. She meets Justin who is in limbo as his wife Deborah is in a coma with little chance of recovery.

The story that follows requires quite a bit of suspension of belief but despite that is readable. My issue with it was I found I cared little for the characters, especially Ann so I wasn't invested in the outcome as I had been in the author's previous book.

Ann and Justin are drawn together by their mutual loneliness which stems from years of caregiving to, respectively, Ann's mother - who has now passed away - and Justin's wife, Deborah, who is not expected to recover.

Except that she does. And now, well after Ann has moved in with Justin and his daughter, Deborah is expected to come home. So what will these two people, deeply in love with each other, now do?

Because Ann, at least, feels that she has sacrificed more than enough in her life to date...

This is a gripping and somewhat harrowing story that holds the reader's attention quite effectively. Because in a way, Ann, Justin and Deborah are all victims. But who will be the victor?

The book is a good choice for anyone looking for a suspenseful, unpredictable domestic thriller with an original premise. It gets 3.5 stars.

I didn't get into this book as much as I had hoped, some points felt slow and predictable which stopped me enjoying.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review. I enjoyed the author’s previous book Breaking Point so I was really happy to be able to read and review her new book. I have to say that I was immediately drawn into this complex and intriguing story. The characters were really well developed and interesting. The plot had depth and a few interesting twists that came as a surprise. I have mixed feelings regarding Ann, initially I liked her but then I found myself not liking her so much but routing for her towards the end. A really good suspenseful domestic thriller that I would definitely recommend. 5 stars from me.

‘In Her Place’ by Edel Coffey is a thought-provoking domestic drama which is a worthy follow up to her debut novel ‘Breaking Point’. This novel examines how far people will go to build and maintain an outwardly perfect family lifestyle and the pressure women in their late 30s or 40s feel to have hit all the right milestones.

The book follows Ann, a freelance writer trying to rebuild her career after sacrificing opportunities to care for her sick mother who recently passed. When she ventures out of Brooklyn for a work assignment in Hudson she meets handsome, older Justin and their connection builds. The problem? Justin has a wife - Deborah, the mother of his child - but she is in a coma and medical professionals have advised that she will slowly fade away and has no chance of regaining quality of life. Against her better judgment, Ann begins a relationship with him. Just when things are going well, a miracle cure prompts Deborah’s recovery leading to difficult choices, necessary lies and corrosive secrets.

The reader definitely needs to suspend disbelief about the possibility of Deborah’s miraculous recovery, which is obviously a cornerstone of the plot. Certain characters also make some questionable decisions - I wanted so badly to shout at Ann for one particular choice.

However, the book feels raw and real overall. With sections narrated by both women, their thoughts and reactions to the frankly ludicrous situation are believable. The thought-provoking question of which of them is the “other woman” comes up throughout, and an undercurrent of wealth, judgment and haves vs. have-nots permeates the novel.

Overall, I would recommend this one to fans of slow burn domestic drama - the kind of thrillers that build a deep sense of tension and discomfort without necessarily setting your heart racing. I’m giving this four intriguing, provocative stars.

I received an advance Digital Review Copy from the publisher Little, Brown Books UK via NetGalley but the opinions in this review are my own. This review is currently posted on NetGalley only and will be shared on socials at a later date in line with publisher preferences.

Loved the premise of this book, it took a while to get into it, but it did pay off in the end so I'm glad I stuck with it. An intriguing situation with interesting characters and complex moral decisions. What more could you want?

Such a good book, very fast paced, easy to read. Literally read this in one sitting. Could not predict the plot twist either!! Also loved the New York setting.

3.5⭐️


Ann is fast approaching 40, unmarried, struggling for work and virtually homeless, and grieving her mother’s death. She sees how her friends have married up and are doing well. Then she meets Justin. Problem being that he is married, only his wife is in a coma not expected to survive.
Ann makes herself cosy fitting into Justin’s life when the sky metaphorically falls in.

I must say I went for this book without reading the blurb as I really enjoyed breaking point. However the whole married with complications trope isn’t a favourite for me. It worked for Jane Eyre and Mr Rochester, but …

The whole Ann meeting Justin felt very clichéd, then the storyline progressed to an improbable, but a real turn the upside down world moment. It certainly added some excitement to the storyline. Then things took a darker turn. This is where the story improved for me, having a stronger ending, but it wasn’t really one for me I’m afraid, I’ve read books in this trope that managed to grip me more.