I was very keen to read this book having really enjoyed the issues raised in “The Herd” and so thank you Netgalley for giving me the chance to review the book. I am aware that talking about the issues in the book would be “a spoiler” as it takes a while for the reader to find out how Headmaster Seb knows and fears newcomer to the town, Abi. The author is brilliant at depicting characters with all their flaws. I ended up understanding all the points of view put across. Friendships and relationships are challenged. I couldn’t put this book down and feel that the ending is realistic.

This is an absolute cracker. I loved the cover which is just a bit off kilter and hints at the content. Emily Edward’s takes a simple situation and turns it into a compulsive page turner filled with moral ambiguity. A small middle class community welcomes a new resident. She seems to fit in well and is befriended by Rosie and Seb. Seb is headmaster, the job of his dreams, but cracks soon start to appear as Abi, the newcomer, casts her line. This is real curtain twitching stuff. How well do we know those around us? What goes on behind closed doors? What secrets have been kept and by whom? A hist of strong but flawed characters, all with different motivations, this is a masterclass in small town mores. Is there right and wrong? Read it and decide. I was hooked from page one and finished in a couple of sittings. Simply superb storytelling. Emily Edward’s has nailed the domestic drama.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

An exciting story told through a close knit circle of middle class friends. Highly addictive and thought provoking, it has you wanting more.

This book has to be one of my favourite books that I have read this year. So many interesting and complex moral characters to discuss and perfect for anyone who loves a TV drama focusing on the intimate lives and relationships of people in a shared community. I found the social dilemmas and points raised in this book to be really compelling and it is one that opens up interesting discussions about the choices we make as human beings. Would highly recommend to other readers and book clubs and look forward to reading more of Emily Edwards' books.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Seb is the local headmaster of a secondary school, and he is married to Rosie. Anew lady moves to their close knit area with her children called Abi, and Rosie instantly likes her and begins a new friendship. When Abi meets Seb, it's clear that they already know each other. Seb decides to confess a secret to his friend, and thats when the web unravels.

This author is brilliant at writing stories that really make you think, and which side you would be on. The characters are all written completely flawed, no one is perfect here, and that just makes the story far more engaging and completely compelling. The author always includes subjects that can be a bit taboo, and this one is no different, and we see the subject of fidelity, marriage issues, and whether a public figure should have their private lives subject to other peoples judgement and opinion. I really loved this story, and I know which camp I was in.

"The Herd" by Emily Edwards was a real page-turner and big hit with bookclubs as there was so much to discuss regarding the topics raised (should children be vaccinated). Emily Edwards has tried a similar approach here with "Private Lives" but with a prominent figurehead and what happens when his past catches up with him. For me, it wasn't as strong but it was good to see the arguments from all sides.

Rosie and Seb live in Waverly an idilyic village with a perfect marriage or so it seems! He's head of the local school. When a newcomer Abby moves into the village it seems she and Seb already know each other but how? That's when Rosie and Seb's perfect marriage begins to fall apart and secrets come tumbling out from everywhere.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this novel. Will highly recommend, would be great to see it made into a film!

In the quiet, upmarket town of Waverly live Rosie and Seb. They’re living their best lives and Seb has recently got his dream job - Head of the local school. Then Abi moves into the town and makes friends with Rosie, but Abi and Seb seem to already know each other.

That’s when secrets start to come out into the open, and perfect lives start to fall apart.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers | Bantam for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

In the quiet town of Waverley Rosie and Seb are living the perfect life, with Seb recently promoted to Head teacher at the local school. That is until Abi arrives, who is a young mother wanting a fresh start. Soon hidden secrets are coming to light and private business becomes public scandal. Just how far will everyone go to protect what they hold dearest?

I really enjoyed the first book by this author, The Herd, so was looking forward to reading this one. I also felt drawn in by the cover. This ended up being another thought provoking read, raising many questions and debates and another perfect book club inclusion.

The story starts strongly, where you discover the characters and slowly build up an understanding of their dynamics and personalities. They are portrayed in a compelling way, however some are highly unlikeable, which created a range of emotions from anger, sadness and empathy. The story builds the tension slowly, which worked well in this instance, and ended up being a powerful, authentic novel. This was certainly another well written, at times poignant read and will suit those who enjoyed The Herd. I look forward to seeing what the author comes up with next. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

I absolutely loved The Herd so couldn’t wait to read this new release. I flew through this book and couldn’t put it down. It raises some really interesting questions and would be a great book club read. Emily’s talent for finding controversial topics which can emotionally affect the reader is what makes her books so intriguing and gripping for me.
Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for the opportunity to review.

A complicated but very good read. Loved how the story unfolded and was gripped. Would recommend this book.

I am going to call this novel a ‘locked room’ mystery, even though it is set against the broader canvas of the open sea. This is because all the ingredients of a good ‘locked room’ mystery are there: an atmospheric but claustrophobic setting full of rumours and gossip; the “golden couple” who seem to have it all, and the newcomer who unsettles them. The novel’s title hints at what the majority of people crave – the trappings of a successful career coupled with the privilege of private lives – and triangular relationship between school master couple Rosie and Seb and young single mother Abi – are fascinating from the start. I kept turning the pages faster and faster as I raced towards the end of the novel – and wishing there had been more pages to turn in the end! My thanks go to Penguin Books and to NetGalley who let me have a much-appreciated ARC in exchange for this honest, unbiased book review.

A very powerful read that will generate strong feelings. 📖👊

Seb and Rosie Kent have a good life with their 3 children in Waverly. Seb is a new Headmaster at a local school, a dream he has had in place since he was a child.

Seb’s best friend is Eddy, who he went to school with. Eddy is married to Anna and the four have been friends for a long time. Eddy and Anna are very social and Eddy the life and soul of the party.

When Abi moves to the town, she quickly becomes friends with Rosie, but it looks like Seb and Abi know each other somehow. This is when questions arise, and the past starts to unfurl.

What happens from then on starts to escalate in unimaginable ways. A small town has very big opinions and secrets do not remain private.

Emily Edwards is very clever at finding controversial topics which can emotionally affect the reader. This book will be a great read for many book clubs and will create many heated debates.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read, very thought provoking and sadly believable in our current world. Well recommended, it had my brain working in overdrive thinking through how it would make me feel and my views on everything.

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers/Bantam and Emily Edwards for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Due to be published on 19 June 2025.

Set in a Waverley, a small affluent middle class seaside town that feels more like an exclusive cliquey village where everyone knows your business and is not afraid to make that opinion be known. Think well to do professional power couples who have carved out perfect lives, beautiful homes, happy and sociable families and great friendship circles. Yummy mummy’s gossiping at the school gates and having coffee and play dates.
Meet Abi, new to Waverley and just wants, NEEDS a fresh start for her and her 2 daughters. She worries she won’t fit in due to her more liberal lifestyle, and is over the moon when she befriends Rosie at the school gates. Throw in some suppressed secrets, lies and small town gossip and watch the fallout as Rosie and Sebs perfect life unravels. Consequences of past choices, self indulgences, arrogance and hidden truths surface. Abi and Seb have history…. Dealing with the public scrutiny of personal and private lives is hard to take and begs the question how well do we really know the people closest to us?
The tension laced throughout this book was palpable and totally believable, this could be anyone of our lives in an instant.
Thanks to Emily Edwards, Penguin Random House Uk and NetGalley Uk for this ARC in return for an honest and unbiased review

When Abi, a single parent and a woman in search of a new start for herself and her children, relocates to the small coastal town of Waverly, the last thing she expects is to run into a figure from her past.

Inevitably, complications ensue. And in the fallout, the once-perfect life of Rosie and Seb Kent takes a decided hit...

An interesting story with plenty of twists, this one gets 3.5 stars. It manages to surprise despite the relative familiarity of the trope it draws upon. Well worth checking out.

The writing style was good but the book failed to deliver. I found the characters ghastly and could not identify with them. Having read The Herd, I was excited to read the author’s latest offering. The story line did not deliver and I was disappointed. Thanks to Net Galley

A very public scandal erupts at a school in a seaside town. The parents, staff and pupils are all dragged in and opinions are formed. How far will everyone go to defend their position, and who will be left standing at the end? An involving and thought provoking novel.

It’s been a long time since a book made me reflect this deeply. As both a wife and a mother, so many moments in this story struck a personal chord, stirring up “what if” questions that lingered long after I’d finished reading. It’s the kind of novel that sparks conversation—one I’ve already discussed at length with family and fellow book lovers.

Set in the quiet town of Waverley in the South of England, the story evokes the charm and claustrophobia of close-knit village life. Think upscale couples, ladies who lunch, and tennis clubs—on the surface, an idyllic, well-manicured world. But beneath that polished exterior lies tension, secrets, and characters who are far more complex than they initially appear.

Early on, we’re introduced to the inner circle—the social elite everyone else either admires or envies. Among them is Seb, the town’s head teacher, a role he’s dreamed of and finally secured. Publicly, he and his wife Rosie seem like the perfect couple, but in private, their marriage is showing deep cracks.

Everything begins to shift when a newcomer arrives in Waverley, dragging Seb’s carefully buried past into the present. From there, the unraveling is swift and relentless, and Seb’s world begins to spiral.

Although not all the characters are particularly likeable, they’re written with such clarity and presence that they feel utterly real. You can picture them vividly and sense the tension they carry, which adds to the gripping atmosphere.

The pacing was spot-on—tight, steady, and filled with escalating tension that never let up. I found myself completely immersed, flipping pages without even noticing the time pass.

What really stood out to me were the themes the novel explores. They’re compelling, sometimes uncomfortable, and they forced me to think about situations I hadn’t previously considered. It’s the kind of narrative that challenges your assumptions in subtle but powerful ways.

I won’t spoil the plot—this is definitely a book best experienced without too much foreknowledge. But if you’re looking for a story that will completely pull you in and leave you thinking long after the final page, this one is not to be missed.

This is certainly a book that made me think. How would I feel if I found out that my husband had been paying a sex worker and also that the woman was my new friend.

The book examines how a community can quickly turn against someone on the say so of one very vocal individual.

I found this a great read.

I was asked by NetGalley to review this book.

The story is good and shows if you do something wrong this has such an effect on ones whole life. This is the story of a school head Seb, whose life is about to be upturned when something is discovered which Seb had kept hidden. It is horrifying for everyone and will affect his role as head.

Coming on to the scene is Abi Sebs wife new friend and new mum from school and suddenly Sebs personal life is out there.

A good book club book to explore issues and characters - I really enjoyed the storyline and is well written.

Due for publication June 19 2025.