This book absolutely blew me away! After a slow start, not in a bad way, I think I just took it slow because I could feel all the characters emotions and it was a lot, this book exploded and I couldn’t stop reading!

Emily Edwards is an amazing writer and explores some relevant topics in a clever way making this an amazing book for book club discussions. Alls I wanted to do while reading this book was talk to people about it. My poor husband hasn’t read it and probably won’t need to now 😅

Seb and Rosie are having problems in their relationship and not really talking about it. Eddy and Anna are working through their’s and it’s known between the couples what happened. As Seb starts to open up to his oldest friend Eddy on the tennis courts, his private life starts becoming public knowledge as it is shared around the small Waverley community.

The characters are absolutely brilliant in this book and it made me go back and forth over who was right and who I felt sorry for. The story feels very real, probably not something we all come across, but the feeling of judging other people especially with our use of social media and WhatsApp groups is something I think a lot of people will relate to. The book had me horrified and absolutely gripped towards the end when the impact of all this talk came to a head. And I think the backstory of why this all came out in the way it did was very clever.

Gripping and emotional, this one will leave you with food for thought, and I’m off to buy The Herd also by this author!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really enjoyed The Herd by this author, and Private Lives poses a moral dilemma in a similar way. Emily Edwards is a really intelligent writer and I love how she explores all the different angles of the situation about which she is writing.

Private Lives focuses on the residents of Waverley, and I was drawn into the village life immediately. It felt horribly uncomfortable and claustrophobic, but I still found it compelling and I wanted to know all the gossip! The characters themselves are incredibly well constructed and nuanced and it was fascinating to see the different sides of each character. I felt sympathy for all the characters at different points, but also disagreed with them and I kept changing my mind!

The plotting in Private Lives is brilliant and Emily Edwards places small clues throughout the story. It was never obvious where the story would go and I was definitely shocked by some elements of it. The author is constantly asking the reader questions and this is what kept me hooked until the very end.

Emily Edwards is brilliant at taking a topic that you think you know your opinion on, setting it in an everyday setting, and then twisting and turning it until you’ve examined it from every angle before the story reaches a resolution.
This book’s story sounds quite simple but becomes anything but. A man who is unsatisfied in his relationship looks elsewhere and his actions get discovered, but when family friends get involved and share their opinions with the whole community his life is taken over by everyone else’s views.
Thanks to Netgalley for the preview copy.

This is a really great read! It explores the implications of one man's private life no longer being private. When his wife confides in her best friend, telling her what her husband has done, her friend chooses to go public with that information. Brutal!

I really enjoyed Emily's writing style, her character development was fantastic and the plot was very well thought out with several moral dilemmas dealt with sensitively and in a way that made me think. There certainly are two sides to every story. The impact of Seb's actions, although they should, theoretically, have been private, were far reaching, impacting many people in many ways. Food for thought there, for sure!

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Emily Edwards and Random House, Transworld for an ARC of this book.

A prophetic message to many that a secret shared isn’t always kept secret and how a group of self righteous small minded people can wreck lives by their prurience. This book is very well written with a relatively small cast of very three dimensional characters who display humanity in all its shades and colours. I was engaged with the story from the start and actually felt wrung out by the end having been on the emotional rollercoaster with the key characters. I just loved this and can’t wait to read more from Emily Edwards.

A difficult subject handled with tact and diplomacy allowing an impossible situation to be exposed and dissected with extreme sensitivity. A loving marriage struggling to survive when the wife refuses any approach that might result in sex and rejects any suggestions to change the situation. A desperate husband who resorts to a prostitute mistakenly believing that would be less unforgivable than an affair. Their two best friends discover his secret resulting in one of the close friends taking the self righteous attitude that the community must be told and the husbands secret now must render him unfit to carry on with his post as headmaster of the local school. Mayhem ricochet’s through the community. Sides are taken, gossip mongers baying for blood whilst enjoying the chase, until a catastrophic disaster occurs and the seven day wonder episode is replaced by a community facing their shortcomings exacerbated by a near death explosion.. Three families each with their own secrets struggling to survive and protect their children in the aftermath repercussions of the disastrous revelations. A rollercoaster conclusion that attempts answers surrounded by numerous questions that only the reader can move to individual resolution.

Private Lives follows Rosie and Seb who are married but are in a bit of a rough patch. They have 3 gorgeous children and Seb has finally achieved his lifelong goal of becoming head teacher of the local high school. But soon, a newbie arrives to this sleepy town and with her she brings secrets and a scandalous history with Seb which of course, in a small town like theirs, won’t stay secret for very long.

Emily Edwards has done another great job with her latest novel, Private Lives. Taking a controversial topic and inserting it into the lives of her characters makes her books such great topics of conversation as there is never a clear cut answer. In Private Lives, we are left thinking about how much someone’s private life should impact their ability to do their job.

If you’re a fan of people who live in small towns and have nothing better to do than make other people’s lives their business, you’re going to love this one. I can’t wait to see what topic Emily Edwards is going to get us talking about next.

It’s another hit for Emily Edward’s whose last book, The Herd, I devoured. She has really come up with another very interesting moral dilemmas that make readers question their views. Should someone’s private life and mistakes affect their ability to do their job? Maybe when that job is one where young people can be influenced? Read it and make your mind up.

My thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review Private Lives.

This book is absolutely brilliant. What a storyline with a really important message to us all beneath it. seb and Rosie are married and like a lot of married couples there are difficulties. This book tells the story of other people getting hold of the story and jumping to conclusions , making g assumptions and through social media etc hounding the family. This is a time when you find out who your friends are and who has your back. This is an absolute must read.

This is a fabulous book, once I had read a few pages, I was soon addicted. What started as a nice-sounding area, Waverly soon changed, well, not the place, but the people!

Abi has recently moved from London to Waverly with her friend Diego, and they are starting in a new restaurant business. They know each other and what their lives are like. One of the reasons for moving is to start again, new faces, a new place and no expectations.

Anna and Eddy have had a bump in the road, but they seem to have got over it now, and things are moving on nicely.

All are friends with Rosie, she is a mother and also the wife of Seb, the new head teacher of the school. He has responsibilities for those in his charge as well as his family. Home life isn't great, but they seem to bumble along nicely!

It is a chance encounter that throws everything out of balance. To be honest, the event was going to happen at some point given the geography and also the friendship base those involved share. If things could have been left, it would have been better. You know that thing about what goes on behind closed doors is their own business and not yours? Well, this story has that as its base, and then the author builds on it, and boy does she build.

Using expectations and perspectives of others, the author trolls those involved in a situation that has nothing to do with them. But like the trolls on the internet, some troll in person, but they have a backhanded way of doing it. Seemingly being supportive, but at the same time relishing in the misery and circumstances of others.

An opinion is something we are all entitled to, but when that opinion is pushed into someone else's face or their lives and it impacts those around them, then it is no longer an opinion. The various emotions and also how people react or respond are very interesting in this story, and I do think this story gives a good snapshot of society. There will be people who stand by and watch the others, either those who think they are justified or those who try to provide a calming effect. Whether it is something you may have seen or experienced in real life, on social media or on TV, there is a chance that you will find this story to be relatable.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it is a contemporary fiction story that has family and friendship at its heart. Trust, loyalty, respect, and the truth are tested, and the author has done a fabulous job of showing the impact one event could have in the future. Brilliant story and a good array of characters, and I would definitely recommend this book.

This was an interesting read about a family, Seb, and Rose are happy until Abi the single mother arrives. Then the lies and twists begin. It feels like you are watching them while reading which I think the author wanted. Another great book by this author. A 4 star read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

Private Lives is a real page turner. Believable characters and a pacy plot. Themes of marriage, trust, moral choices. Would work well for book group discussions. Recommended

Emily Edwards clearly has a talent for finding a controversial subject to write about. Her first novel, The Herd, tackled immunisation and its impact on a community, and this novel is about infidelity, communication, and whether people in a position of authority can survive a scandal.
Seb has just become headteacher of the high school in the town where he grew up. He’s professionally just where he wants to be, and life seems good. He and his wife have a group of friends, he’s living close to his oldest friend and his godson. He seems to have it all. Seb isn’t happy though, and his relationship with his wife is not happy. When his wife makes friends with a woman newly arrived in their community, Seb’s life implodes in an unexpected way.
It’s hard to write about without spoilers, but this book would make an excellent book group read. Thought provoking and very believable.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Seb and Rosie live in a small town in the south of England. They seem to have it all. Seb is head teacher of the local high school, pinnacle of his career, whilst Rosie takes care of their home and children. They have a social group which I clues Eddie (his best friend from school) and his wife Anna.
Then one day, a new face comes to town and nothing will be the same again. Why is she here? Will she threaten Seb's family?
I loved this story. Anyone who works in a school community knows the rules about behaviour. They also know how the parents' rumour mill works.
Thought provoking, exploring the herd mentality. After all, non of us are perfect!

The Herd’ the authors debut was a favourite read of mine so was keen to see what this next book would offer

Once again we are thrust into a neighbourhood, wealthy, aspiring, showy and all ‘oh so friendly’….until one of their own has a secret he has managed to keep from everyone unexpectedly appears ( no not a secret child ) it’s delicate, seen by some as immoral, not illegal but very high on the ‘tut, how shocking’ scale

As the secret becomes commoner knowledge naturally the knives are out and so called best friends turn their backs and a petition is started to rid the town of him ( makes sense when read it )

It is a fascinating look at how different people react to the exact same situation,
the innocent ( depending on your views ) start to suffer, the visceral hate of some is a shock, the placid care and no nonsense resolution of others a relief

Very much dependant on your standpoint is how this book will affect and polarise you, I liked how all sides were clearly shown, discussed and then we saw how the various decisions made went on to affect those involved

The author writes non judgementally giving everyone a fair ‘airing’ and I loved all aspects of this unshying from reality read

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Private Lives by Emily Edwards is a beautifully written novel—just as I expected from the author of The Herd. Edwards is a phenomenal writer, and I really enjoyed this book. The story is full of drama and emotion, set against the backdrop of the quiet seaside town of Waverly. It explores what happens when a long-buried secret resurfaces and begins to unravel everything.

We follow Rosie and Seb Kent, a seemingly happy, settled couple. Seb has just achieved his dream of becoming the headteacher at the local school, and life looks perfect. That is, until Abi arrives in town with her two daughters, hoping for a fresh start. But when she crosses paths with Seb, their shared past threatens to destroy everything he’s built. And in a small town, secrets don’t stay hidden for long especially when the entire community starts weighing in.

I was surprised by some of the subject matter, as I hadn’t realised these kinds of situations even occurred. The novel explores complex moral territory in a sensitive and thought-provoking way. I found myself really questioning how I’d react in the same situation. Does one bad choice mean someone deserves to lose everything?

The characters were likeable even Seb, despite his huge mistake. I appreciated how human and flawed they were. One of my favourite lines from the book was:

"Shame loses its power when it's not hidden away, but brought out into the light."

It’s a powerful reminder of the weight secrets carry, and how healing begins with honesty.

This is a book that lingers after the final page. Thoughtful, timely, and very readable I would absolutely recommend it.

Rosie and Seb Kent are a married couple with three children, living in a small town of Waverly. On the surface, their lives appear perfect: he’s recently become a headmaster of the local secondary school, and they enjoy a comfortable lifestyle.

However, underneath, there are cracks. Rosie isn’t sure of her body anymore, especially after bearing three children. Every time Seb moves closer to her and initiates physical contact, she pushes him away.

Abi is a single mum of two daughters who recently moved to the area. She and Rosie become acquainted, with Rosie hoping that it will blossom into a friendship. When Rosie invites Abi to her house, something strange passes between Abi and Seb. It appears that they may know each other from before…

I really enjoyed this tense, community-based drama.

I was appalled at Anna’s actions, who took it upon herself to air Seb’s dirty laundry for everyone to know and judge.

I was desperate to uncover Seb’s secret, and when it became apparent what it was, I was left wondering if a person with great authority is allowed to have a private life. If you’re a person in charge of impressionable and vulnerable young adults (who legally are still children), are the lines blurred, or black and white? Lots of food for thought!

I definitely recommend this book.

Thanks to Transworld Books for the NetGalley widget.

This is an excellent second book from this author and equally as interesting and enjoyable as The Herd. As with the previous novel this would make an excellent book for a group read and discussion and I will definitely be recommending this to friends and fellow readers.

Told from different perspectives this book is set in an English village and starts with introducing the reader to two couples, the men of each couple have been friends since childhood. One of these has become the headteacher at his local school and we see an insight into the issues he is having at home with his wife, which lead him into making a decision he comes to regret. The other couple have had marital problems and the wife starts a chain of events which leads to a landslide in the lives of both families.

Ultimately this book left me wondering what I would do in each of the situations the characters found themselves in and asking why they made those choices. The plot was tense and at times difficult to see where any resolution would come, but the author has successfully brought the conclusion together masterfully. I loved the characters, even the smaller ones had real depth and time spend on their development.

One to be recommended to all.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Awesome book! This tackles parenthood and relationships with real depth and insight. It’s definitely a lesson in waiting before judging people and situations. The characters are all so real and as perfectly flawed as people are. I think this is one of those books where I’m going to miss the characters now that I’ve finished reading. I’ll be on the lookout for more books from this author!

I really enjoyed this authors previous book, so was looking forward to this one. Private Lives is a thoughtful novel which digs into the grey areas of truth, reputation, and the stories we keep hidden. Written with sensitivity and sharp insight and with characters who feel real and morally complex, this is a thought-provoking novel that I recommend for a darker domestic drama.