You know those neighborhoods where everyone smiles too hard, the HOA sends passive-aggressive emails about your trash cans, and behind every picket fence is at least one felony? Welcome to Sweetwater Lane. Population: emotionally unstable women, traumatized children, and one very cursed community app.

Jake Nolan has lost everything before we even meet her. Her son dies, her husband Adam cheats on her with her best friend Shelby (because of course), and Shelby publicly cancels her by leaking private messages that make Jake look like a complete monster. This isn’t some petty "Mean Girls" level betrayal. Shelby takes a flamethrower to Jake’s entire life and then marries the ashes.

So Jake moves, hoping for a reset, and lands on Sweetwater Lane, which has the "cute neighborhood" aesthetic hiding some deeply broken people. Enter Mabel, who is chaotic in the way only someone who suggests revenge over baked goods can be. She’s got her own online nemesis, and together she and Jake form a petty little revenge duo that starts with harmless antics and spirals quickly into felony territory.

The neighborhood cast feels like a "Real Housewives" spin-off, except more emotionally devastating. Across the street is Billy, trapped in the whiplash mood swings of an abusive mother. Further down are Wendell and Delilah, two kids with horrific trauma that gets revealed piece by painful piece. There’s gossip, secrets, arson, online harassment, child neglect, and plenty of those moments where you sit there thinking, "Absolutely no one here should be allowed near sharp objects."

And yet, scattered through all this darkness, Myracle threads in moments of strange, misplaced humor. The Good Neighbor app (NextDoor’s chaotic evil twin) offers little pockets of petty comic relief, but the tonal shifts are jarring. One minute it’s cupcake wars, the next it’s full-on child endangerment. I’m all for unlikable characters, but even I was craving someone with a functioning moral compass.

This isn’t a thriller in the traditional sense. The mystery elements exist, but mostly you’re watching a slow-motion implosion of multiple lives. There’s no true "whodunit," but there are plenty of "oh God, what now?" moments that keep you reading, mostly out of morbid curiosity.

At the end of the day, it’s a compulsive read that leaves you emotionally ragged. Myracle can write chaos like a pro, but with such heavy topics and such wildly fluctuating tone, it didn’t fully land for me. Solid 3.5 stars for sheer audacity and the wild ride, but you definitely need to brace yourself going in.

Whodunity Award: For Turning Suburban Passive Aggression Into a Full-Contact Sport

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks and NetGalley for the early access to the audiobook. I really enjoyed Kelli Tager’s narration, her performance brought the neighborhood drama to life perfectly!

This book was good. I liked that there were a lot of layers to the story and secrets being kept. The characters were interesting and the narration was great. 😊

This book was so much more than the little blurb states. It has the humorous bits, actions taken in revenge for cheating husbands, or the online battle on Good Neighbors (I really wanted one of the pottery made poop piles!) but there are so many feelings too. Yes, there is darkness, but you also have Jake working on a new beginning after all the heartbreak both in the recent past and when she was a child, Mabel trying to figure out how to be a good stepmother to Bethany, Wendell and Delilah mourning the loss of their mother, and what I would consider the saddest situation with Billy and his mother. There isn't a happy ending for everybody and the author did a really good job of making people (except maybe Vanessa) complicated with good and bad intentions and actions. They felt real and that just makes the heartbreak and joy of found family or boys twisted and abused that much more.

This book hones in on the power of childhood trauma, child abuse, and the dangers of snowballing in social media battles with words taken out of context until it all can be twisted to whatever makes the most outrage and can ruin lives. All good things to think about in this world today. How things on the internet never really disappear and how bad things still happen behind closed doors.

I did really enjoy listening to this audiobook, even with the dark subjects and the narrator did a great job in bringing the characters and story to life.

I loved this book! The writing was amazing. Had me engaged every step of the way.
It is a fast paced and entertaining thriller that will keep you turning the pages.
The twists were wrenching and the atmosphere was very taut.

Thank you to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC.

Story: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Narration: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Overall: 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

Plays Well with Others is an addicting, surprisingly dark domestic thriller. It follows Jake, a woman who is cancelled on the internet after being betrayed by her husband and best friend. She moves to a small neighborhood that is hiding just as many secrets as her.

This was so entertaining and juicy. One subplot is very dark, but the rest is pure popcorn thriller. Fun with excellent narration.

ALC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Plays Well With Others plunged me right into the deep end with a truly brutal opening. Our protagonist, Jacquleyn, or "Jake" as she's known—and honestly, I have to say, I never quite got over that name for a female main character; I had to consciously remind myself every time it was a woman they were referencing!—is hit with a triple whammy: her husband, Adam, wants a divorce because he's in love with her best friend, Shelby. To make matters worse, this bombshell drops just as Jake is reeling from the devastating loss of her newborn, still experiencing the raw physical aftermath of pregnancy. As if that wasn't enough, Shelby then throws Jake into public hot water by posting an email with Jake's insensitive comments about congenital defects like cleft palates and get her canceled. Shelby and Adam met while working in a foreign country to correct cleft palates. So, in a matter of weeks, Jake loses her husband, her baby, her best friend, and her reputation. Talk about being in distress!

The book wisely offers multiple perspectives, drawing you into the web of relationships and secrets. Beyond Jake's perspective, we get the POV of Maple, Jake's new neighbor, through whose eyes we see Jake trying to piece her life back together. We also have Billy, a little boy in the same neighborhood, whose tragic experience with abuse by his mom hits Jake hard, reminding her of her own past trauma with her younger brother.

This book doesn't shy away from really hard things to read. Themes of child abuse and loss of pregnancy are central, making for a lot of heavy trauma that deeply impacts Jake's future. It's a twisted, dark, and seriously emotional read, but despite the difficult subjects, it was a quick read that i flew through.

Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ALC in exchange for an honest review. Release date 6/10/25.

Jake Nolan has lost everything, except a bungalow across an elementary school. She lost her son, her husband and her best friend. She moves into her bungalow in a cute neighborhood and becomes friends with one of her neighbors thinking life is starting over but it turns out this neighborhood is full of secrets.

I got this as an audiobook and an ebook and I must say I really liked the audiobook! It has the perfect mix of suspense, humor and deep. I recommend this book!!!

I rated it 3.5 stars

this starts off like it is going to be a catty girl vs girl book but then it hits some heavy subjects, abuse, alcoholism, loss of children. it was well written and there is a lot of character growth. I enjoyed the audio version!
thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I received an ALC from NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing Audiobooks in exchange for an honest review.

This novel explores the toxic dynamics of a neighborhood filled with unlikable, gossip-driven characters. The story's emotional core revolves around Wendell, a young boy disfigured in a tragic accident, whose character is brought to life through excellent narration that authentically captures his speech patterns.

While marketed as a thriller, the narrative focuses more on dramatic social conflicts than genuine suspense. The plot builds toward a climactic moment that briefly creates tension, but the lack of mystery surrounding the perpetrator reduces its impact. The story concludes with a tidy resolution that may feel too neat for readers expecting deeper complexity.

This book will likely appeal to fans of suburban dramas centered on scandal and social maneuvering. However, those seeking a true psychological thriller may be disappointed. **3/5 stars** for solid characterization and narration, though the execution doesn't fully deliver on its suspenseful premise.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing Audiobooks for the ALC.

A dark and twisty domestic thriller.

This story is filled with psychological suspense and tension, exploring the use of social media to seek revenge or retribution, fractured relationships, hidden motives and bitter betrayal.

The audiobook is narrated well by Lauren Myracle, who had me immersed in the petty neighborhood drama, dark humor and the shocking darkness hidden within this supposedly tight-knit suburban community.

Original review immediately after finishing:

3.5 rounded up. may drop to a 3 (or go to a real 4) once I've had time to digest. Actual review to come. For now, I'll say that I don't know how I feel about it. I was super frustrated at all the stupid decisions. (They really bothered me!!) And the thing with the tea was too obvious too early on. I don't know. Let me marinate for a couple days and come back.

Final review after a few days:

I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about this book, but after letting it sit for a few days, I think it still deserves 3.5 stars, which I've rounded up to four because no rating site uses half-measures. Ugh!

Anyway!

This book is a messy, sometimes infuriating exploration of flawed friendships and questionable choices. The characters are each more back-stabby than the last. Their choices often left me frustrated, feeling like I was watching a slow-motion train wreck I couldn't look away from.

The main character, while sympathetic in some ways given what she goes through, is also deeply flawed and not particularly likeable. Honestly, none of the characters are easy to root for, which made for a challenging but oddly compelling read. The whole “tea” subplot was telegraphed a bit too obviously far too early, so some of the twists lost their punch long before they ever delivered the actual reveal.

Despite all this, I can’t deny that the book kept me thinking -- perhaps seething is the better word -- long after I finished. It’s a story about the worst sides of friendship and the consequences of bad decisions, and while it’s not always an enjoyable ride, it’s definitely a memorable one. If you’re in the mood for a novel that isn’t afraid to show its characters at their most unlikable, this might be worth your time.

Even if, like it did me, it leaves you a aggravated and not sure how to rate it at the end.

This book starts out as a bit of a gut punch with regards to all the things which happen to Jake aka Jacquelyn, in such a short period of time. Then quickly we roll ourselves into the new life she has been trying to cultivate after losing nearly everything. There are a few trigger warnings to be aware of such as cruelty to animals and children, so if those aren't things you are prepared for, this may be something to put aside until you want to give it a try.

Jake moves into a little bungalow not too far from her old house, where her husband now lives with his new girlfriend/ Jake's old best friend. Kind of a messy situation there for sure. And Jake does find herself walking into her old house and being a bit mischievous which I fully support. Jake quickly makes friends with the ray of sunshine neighbor, Mabel, who brings cookies to new residents of the street. though Mabel has a tough time with her stepdaughter, she is doing her best though she has an online nemesis ( found this aspect to be a bit hilarious and juvenile).

Jake and Mabel join up to help each other seek a bit of revenge against the ones who have wronged them. When they started down this path, I was really unsure how I felt, because even thought I've wanted a level of revenge against some of my exes in the past, I have never let it draw me in this sort of direction. I think there are some better ways to deal with the hurt and to advocate for oneself. We do learn from Jake's past why she doesn't give herself a voice when things are breaking bad, but when I first read it, I was a bit disappointed.

Nevertheless, the overall book is engaging and will leaving you feeling a lot of feelings. I can't fault it too much, I did read it in about a day and a half, so that certainly says something.

I was so confused by this book. I found it incredibly slow and I felt like nothing really happened.

It's bad if the most exciting part of the book is a single scene. I did love that scene and I did want more of it, but there weren't really any other scenes like it. (The scene I am referring to is the neighborhood app scene, where our main character is going through the neighborhood drama. I thought that was so funny and realistic. People really do argue over the silliest things in the pettiest ways on apps like that.)

I found the overall storyline of this story to be confusing because I didn't feel as if there was one. We follow this woman who has had a lot happen in her life lately, but you just see her existing in the neighborhood and lurking on her neighbors. That's it. There's no real plot to this.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I loved the narration and chunks of the story but was put off by some big things. There were some big heavy topics in the story. Some that I had conflict with. The characters were well written.

This book had so much going on that it was a bit difficult at times to stay focused. I did enjoy the premise and felt that the neighborhood drama was well-written, but the characters felt very one-dimensional and YAish. I wish I’d enjoyed this one more.

I paired the audio and print for an immersive read and did enjoy the audiobook narration.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Love a petty revenge plot.

Audio quality goes in and out but the narration itself is really good.

Never really sure where it’s going or what the point was but it was a dramatic ride.

Perfect for fans of domestic thrillers, PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS explores the dark side of friendships, motherhood, and longing. The characters are very 3D and well-developed, making them easy to get invested in (even the ones I didn't like).

Premise - Jacquelyn “Jake” Nolan loses her son via late-term miscarriage and soon after she loses her marriage, job, and reputation, too, when her husband runs off with her glamorous best friend, Shelby. Heartbroken, Jake sets off for a new start in a new neighborhood, complete with a new house and a new friend, Mabel. But all is not as it seems in her new neighborhood and evil lurks behind the sweetest facades.

What a ride! Everyone felt like a real person and some of them were *really* awful. There were a couple characters I would never want to meet in real life, but I was on the edge of my seat watching their stories unfold.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Kelli Tager. She did a brilliant job with the read, giving equal life and color to the wicked characters as the good and good(ish) ones. It was a highly entertaining listen!

Thanks, NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing, for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

🎧Audio/ ARC Review 📚

Massive thanks to @blackstonepublishing #partner for the #gifted audiobook and arc. #blackstoneinsiders is where it’s at!!! 😍😍

Plays Well With Others
By Lauren Myracle
Narrator Kelli Tager
Pub Date - 6/10/25 Tomorrow

Bestselling children’s author Lauren Myracle makes her adult fiction/ thriller debut.

Kelli Tager does a phenomenal job with the narration for this story. I’m not familiar with her, but she is EXCELLENT at changing her voices for each character. I mean it! She did amazing!!!

This story is dark y’all. And trigger warnings galore. Just be prepared.

The book focuses on friends who will literally stab you in the back. The nastiness is out of this world. The other part is about children and how cruel they can be. It seemed the adults were worse than the children though.

My only complaint, I did feel this was an adult thriller with middle school and YA thrown together.

Heavy subject matter includes birth defects, miscarriages, child abuse and I might be missing some. If those aren’t a problem, definitely check it out because lots of other reviewers loved it.

3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

3.75 rounded up

I don’t normally like neighborhood dramas but couldn’t put this one down. There are a few dark topics and spots in the story but overall it felt authentic and raw. There was also a surprise reveal around 85% and another in one of the last chapters that buttoned everything up nicely.

Thanks netgalley! Will read more by this author!

It started off good but then too many characters too many intersecting storylines. The last quarter is was just getting to be too much. I will try this author again though.