Playing Nice

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THE SENSATIONAL PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER FROM THE INTERNATIONALLY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE GIRL BEFORE. SOON TO BE A MAJOR TV SERIES Collier, Katie (22 November 2023). "Happy Valley's James Norton to star in ITV's Playing Nice". Northern Echo . Retrieved 22 November 2023. And then there is the ending, which felt very drawn out and even more unrealistic in how it was solved and resolved. I thought it would end at the court case, and then something else happens and the cops were never called which is like step 1 for all white people in upsetting situations, the cause of the switch made absolutely no sense, and then there's a way too neat resolution to the whole thing. Set against a sweeping Cornish landscape, two couples discover that their toddlers were switched at birth in a hospital mix-up, and face a horrifying dilemma: do they keep the sons they have raised and loved, or reclaim their biological child? 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”.

Pete Riley is a stay-at-home dad; his partner, Maddie, works in advertising. After Pete drops two-year-old Theo off at nursery one morning, he's politely accosted by a man who looks just like Theo. I found very interesting the nature vs. nurture debate the book presents. I also loved how it's not a story about good people vs. bad people (well, one of them it's pretty bad) but pretty much all the characters are flawed and maybe, thanks to that, they're easily relatable. Scrutinizing the guy’s face, acting like a naïve, gullible person and asking: “could you be my son’s second cousin?’

And when Theo is thrown out of nursery for hitting other children, Pete and Maddie have to ask themselves: how far do they want this arrangement to go? What are the secrets hidden behind the Lamberts' smart front door? And how much can they trust the real parents of their child - or even each other? Don't get me wrong, the switched baby scenario is huge food for thought for anyone - but not being a parent I think it just did not resonate as much with me and although I did get the many complex emotions this would create, it did not hold my attention, so I gave up and just skipped ahead and yes as usual JP Delaney served up twist after stunning twist. THE SENSATIONAL NEW PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER FROM THE INTERNATIONALLY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE GIRL BEFORE while listening to this book - during a depressing walk-later during a pool soak ( less depressing - but still creepy as can be outside)....about switched births-

ITV Drama Commissioner, Helen Perry, will oversee production for the broadcaster with Playing Nice premiering on ITV1 and streaming on ITVX.Overall: I read while I was sitting at the edge of my couch. It was one of the reads make you nervous, edgy, frustrated and when you finish it, you take a long deep breathe and say thanks loudly for not being one of the characters of the book!

I am a 50% JP Delaney Fan ... LOVED "The Girl Before" could not get into "Believe me" ADORED "The Perfect Wife" and it is still sharp in my mind like I read it yesterday but I could not get into "Playing Nice". I am so hoping this hit and miss format is continuing for me and I will go wild about the next JP Delaney as it is almost like there are two authors at work here taking it in turns to right the books! "The Girl Before" was fabulous ... and "The Perfect Wife" was even better ... and now this. Playing nice is not something Miles Lambert has ever even tried to be good at. Mid-way through the book we will find out just how manipulating and forceful he can be. This was a very enjoyable read that had twists, turns, revelations and bits to chew on. This had me thinking about the plot well after I finished it. This is a thought-provoking book that was another solid read by J.P. Delaney. Expect a roller coaster and a feverish excited tense and amazing read right till the last full stopSo no grabbing. And take turns. That’s very important. Remember we said we’d take turns to choose lunch? So today it’s your turn, and tomorrow it’ll be mine. What do you want for lunch?” ITV has announced a four-part series of JP Delaney’s best-selling novel, adapted by Malpractice writer Grace Ofori-Attah. Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine for sharing this fantastic ARC in exchange my honest review.

My thoughts: SUMMER HIT! This is the one I couldn’t put down. It made me angry, sad, scared, surprised... allllll the feels and I’m kid-free and it still punched me in the gut. The plot is so cliche but Delaney adeptly adds the unexpected making for an amazing summer thriller. Had I merely read the description, I might have thought “meh”. Don’t do that! This is one you can’t and won’t put down! Looking once again for a take me away from the craziness happening in our lives, Jan and I decided to read J.P. Delaney's new book Playing Nice. It provided just the diversion we were looking for and gave us many hours of riveting reading. I felt for Pete and Maggie throughout the whole book, from their troubles with Theo’s premature birth and through the many investigations into the switch. All their innocent mistakes made me cringe–be careful what you put online, because this book proves how easy it is for innocent actions to get twisted into something nefarious! Swapping babies at birth has always been a huge fear of mine. I remember when I was young I used to ask my mother, “how could anyone know that they took the right baby home? I mean, what if something happened and your baby was swapped with another one?” She looked at me and said, “Oh things like that never happen!”

Living a waking nightmare, Pete (James Norton) and Maddie (Niamh Algar) are jettisoned into the world of the other couple; Miles (James McArdle) and Lucy (Jessica Brown Findlay). At first it seems all four are agreed on a solution, but it soon becomes clear that hidden motives are at play. What if you found out that your family isn't yours at all? How far would you go to protect them? A gripping new psychological thriller from the bestselling author of The Girl Before. . . . The gentleman on the doorstep is Miles Lambert, and he and his wife Lucy want to amicably work through things, get to know each other. Or so it would seem . . . I want to thank NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group-Ballentine for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.