I absolutely loved The Herd, Emily's debut novel and whilst I didn't enjoy this quite as much it comes in very close behind. What I love about both books is that Emily takes a really thought provoking subject and keeps pulling and pulling at it. She is so good at taking a contraversial subject and throwing it into the heart of a community and watching the fireworks. Highly recommend and can't wait to see what she tackles next!

I found this a good read, tackling issues of marriage difficulties and possible solutions. Errors in decision making contribute to the way that the mistakes come to the surface.
The main part of the story is the resolution of the major outcomes. It looks at the possibility of forgiveness, of continuing in the face of being a pariah in the community and the enormous burden but also the power of family.
Modern technology is a major contributor. Life with social media is a positive but also a challenge.

Excellent domestic drama about the lives of townsfolk living in a nice, middle class town.
The past comes back to bite the local headmaster and his family and friend’s lives are turned upside down.
Really well written. Engaging characters and a moral dilemma at the heart of the tale. Highly recommended read.

Thank you for my copy of this book to read and review.

I really enjoyed The Herd so I was really pleased to see this author had written a new book.

The story was believable, really thought-provoking and kept my interest all the way through.

A 5 star domestic drama.

This is a thought provoking and very relevant novel about how private lives can impact on our working lives and the way we are trusted, or not, by society. There seem to be many layers of hypocrisy at play in the standards that we demand of our public servants. To what extent should mistakes that we may make in our private lives be public knowledge. What is the right of the public to know every detail of the truth? How much is simply gossip and the enjoyment of scandal, so long as it about others and not ourselves? Can public figures be allowed to make mistakes? If they do, are they still fit to serve us? Who amongst us has not made mistakes or done things of which we are ashamed? I was totally gripped by this story, feeling total empathy for those affected by the revelations and disgust at the outrage expressed by a holier than though community. I admired the bravery and honesty of certain characters and willed them to survive the storm. Ultimately, there is a strong sense of justice, forgiveness and compassion running through the storyline. In an age when certain public figures appear to lead despicable lives with impunity, it is wonderful to read about true repentance and forgiveness. A beautiful, well written and memorable novel, which should be compulsory reading for anyone prone to leap to hasty condemnation of those who err.

When Abi moves in near Rosie and Seb, she is invited over to make friends.

It is soon quite clear that Abi and Seb have some sort of history but Rosie accepts Seb explanation and thinks nothing it


This book is filled with drama, hidden secrets and I absolutely loved it

The intensity was good and as the tale unfolded I just couldn;t wait to read what would happen next and how and if the secrets would be enough to destroy relationships.

This is.a thought provoking, fabulous read.
I read the Herd by this author and enjoyed it a lot.
This book is well written, interesting, believable and I loved the characters .
It makes you think and is quite relatable I would say.
I would thoroughly recommend you read this . I enjoyed every moment.

This is my second Emily Edwards book, having previously read (and loved) 'The Herd'...and I have to say this one doesn't disappoint either.

This is the story of 5 people who live in the village of Waverly in Sussex.

Seb and Rosie are married with 3 children. Seb has achieved his dream of becoming Head Teacher at the school he was once a pupil at. Though his work life is good, his home life isn't as he and Rosie have been having struggles around intimacy for a year.

Eddy and Anna are Seb and Rosie's closest friends. Eddy and Seb have been friends since childhood and Eddy leaned on Seb for support when he returned from overseas having had an affair behind Anna's back. Though it has been a rocky road, Anna and Eddy are back on track.

Abi is new to Waverly having just left London for a new job and a new start. She has two children and has met and become friends with Rosie at the school gates. Abi is unconventional for Waverly as she is a tattooed free spirit and she is worried that she doesn't quite fit in to the quiet village.

One night Rosie invites Abi round for dinner, and when Seb returns home from work he is stunned to find Abi sitting in his kitchen. It is clear that the two know each other but Rosie accepts their explanation and brushes it away. However, Seb is crumbling under the strain of the truth and blurts it out to Eddy over a game of tennis. Armed with the full story, Eddy tells Anna and what follows has explosive results for everyone involved...

Once again, Emily Edwards manages to create a nuanced and interesting story based around a moral question. All sides of the question are explored in a balanced way and it is possible to feel sympathy for each character's viewpoint. The characters are well crafted, flawed and believable and this makes choosing a side even harder! Even the peripheral characters are rounded and well created and it is possible to imagine that Waverly could be any little village in the UK.

This was a fascinating read that I blew through in just a couple of days - it kept making me sneak away to read a few more pages. Emily Edwards has established herself on my list of favourite authors and I can't wait for the next book!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was an absolute belter of a book and had me completely hooked!!! I actually liked the characters at the heart of the storyline even though all of them were deeply flawed! As for the some of the other characters... Detested them!

Not many of us will have had this sort of situation in our private lives, but we all have secrets we would never want others finding out, so this made for very uncomfortable but compelling reading.

Emily Edwards will be getting added on to my 'snap it up now' author list as her first book, The Herd, was as equally gripping!

Emily Edwards’ second novel, Private Lives, further establishes her talent for crafting thought-provoking, book-club-worthy discussion novels.

Following the success of The Herd, which explored the contentious topic of immunisations, Edwards once again delivers a compelling narrative that delves into complex moral and ethical dilemmas.

At the heart of Private Lives is the story of Seb, a respected headmaster married to Rosie.

Their seemingly stable life is disrupted when Abi and her children move to the area, forming a friendship with Rosie.

However, it soon becomes apparent that Abi and Seb share a past - one that threatens to unravel not only their lives but also the wider community and school.

To reveal more would risk spoilers, but the novel expertly navigates themes of fidelity, marriage, and communication.

More broadly, it raises the critical question: can someone, particularly a public figure, truly be forgiven for past mistakes?

And in a world where personal and professional lives are increasingly scrutinised, is privacy ever really possible?

The novel also explores the topic of sex work and its legalisation, as well as the fallout from friendships tested under pressure.

Additionally, it highlights the scope and scale of parents lobbying for the dismissal of a teacher, demonstrating how rumours can escalate and lead to serious consequences.

With its gripping narrative and ethical quandaries, Private Lives is sure to spark discussion and debate.

Fans of Edwards’ first novel will find much to appreciate here, and those new to her work will quickly understand why she is becoming a standout voice in contemporary fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Seb finally has the job of his dreams, headmaster of his former school. Abi has escaped from London with her two daughters and is looking forward to a quieter life in the small town of Waverly. But the two of them share a secret and when one of Seb's friends weasels it out, it threatens to destroy them both.

What a read! I was engrossed from start to finish. The book touches on so many issues (I'm not going to list them for fear of spoilers) and deals with them compassionately. All of the characters are realistically depicted and the situation is dealt with in a way that is completely believable. The story touches on the best and the worst of human nature especially the all too common need to judge and gossip.

I haven't read Emily's previous book but I'm going to seek it out now. I can't wait to read it. Private Lives is a great read and I recommend it wholeheartedly. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Private Lives is such a page turner! I raced through it as it’s so compelling. From the first page, I was absorbed in the difficult situation Headteacher Seb and his wife Rosie find themselves in. The narrative pulled me in and it’s very well-written, with friends and parents of students at Seb’s school all fighting to put forward their opinions. The characters are true to life and it’s fascinating to see what happens to friendships when they are tested like this. There’s lots to think about but most of all it’s a book with a cracking pace and one to lose yourself in. The most exciting book I’ve read in a while. I loved it. Definitely five stars!

I found it hard to put this book down. The story line was so infuriating, with Seb and Rosie’s so say best friend Anna, putting her nose into their private lives without even consulting them. Seb made a very poor decision, but not an illegal one, in his position as Head Master of a local school he should have known better, but life at home was not going well, his wife was clearly exhausted with family life and the children’s needs, leaving no energy to give to their sex life. Seb sort out a prostitute to fulfill his desires, he thought no one would know as he bought the services of this girl in London, a long way from home. But then this girl, who had 2 children had the opportunity to move to this small town and get out of the “game”. That is until she met Rosie and then Seb at the local school!!
It’s interesting how everyone can get on their high horse and put on their holier than thou attitude without knowing all the facts and the situation. Of course things get out of hand, Seb’s mother’s house gets burnt down by some over zealous objectors. I thought the author explained all the feelings of the various characters so well. Anna being the most infuriating character, who wound everyone up with unsubstantiated accusations and worked a group of ladies into a frenzy.
I don’t agree with prostitution, but this girl was clearly a good mother and until one has to walk in her footsteps it’s hard to criticize her decisions.

Set in the quiet seaside town of Waverly, Private Lives by Emily Edwards tells a gripping, emotionally charged story about secrets, trust, and the consequences of past choices.

Rosie and Seb Kent are a picture-perfect couple. After Seb achieves his dream of becoming the headmaster of the local school, their life together seems flawless. But when Abi, a young, single mother, moves to Waverly seeking a fresh start, everything changes.

Abi’s arrival sets off a chain of events, especially when she recognises Seb from their shared past. The secrets that have been hidden for years threaten to resurface, putting both of them at risk. As they struggle to keep their past buried, their business inevitably becomes a public scandal in their small town.

The tension in Private Lives builds with every chapter, as old wounds are reopened and hidden truths come to light. Emily Edwards excels at portraying the complex dynamics of relationships and the way private matters can quickly spiral into public scrutiny.

What makes this book particularly compelling is its deeply human characters. Rosie’s need for control, Seb’s quiet internal struggles, and Abi’s quest for a fresh start feel incredibly real. There are no easy answers or clear villains in this story. Each character is flawed, making the book feel all the more authentic.

For readers who enjoy domestic dramas that delve into human complexity, Private Lives is a must-read. The suspenseful narrative will leave you questioning how well we truly know the people closest to us, and whether we can ever really escape the past.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

Headteacher Seb finds that his job, his marriage, and his standing in the community are under threat when something comes to light which he'd much rather have kept hidden. For his wife Rosie, it's a horrifying discovery. And for friend and neighbour Anna - wife of Seb's best friend Eddy - what Seb has done is so unacceptable that his role as headteacher
is now untenable. Newcomer to the area, Abi, is also caught up in the drama - indeed is an unwitting catalyst.

Like Emily's previous book, Private Lives raises some challenging issues, and I'm not entirely sure where I stand on them. Different sides are carefully presented, but ultimately Anna is definitely the bad guy, albeit that she has her reasons, with most of the other main characters being more sympathetically portrayed. Not her bandwagon-jumping friends Lotte and Vita, though, who seize on the scandal with barely disguised glee. I can believe this, but maybe not that things escalate quite as much as they do.

As far as Seb goes, I definitely wouldn't be doing what Anna's done, but yes, I would probably look at him differently.

The author ultimately comes down on one side and presents a convincing case, but I'm not sure how representative Abi is.

A good read with plenty of food for thought.

Absolute belter, this shouts loud were an incomprehensible mumble is often chosen to express what is spoken about within these pages. For me 5 stars it is excellently portrayed.

Private Lives by Emily Edwards is the kind of book that pulls you in from the first chapter and doesn’t let go. It’s a smart, emotionally charged story about secrets, trust, and the messy consequences of past choices catching up with the present. Rosie and Seb Kent seem to have it all together, but when Abi, someone from their past reappears, cracks start to show.

What follows is a gripping unraveling of their carefully built life, as old wounds resurface and hidden truths come to light. Edwards does a fantastic job of making you feel the tension, not just in the relationships but in the way private matters can spiral into public scrutiny.

The characters are what make this book so compelling. Rosie’s need for control, Seb’s quiet turmoil, and Abi’s struggle for a fresh start feel incredibly real. Edwards doesn’t give easy answers or clear villains, everyone is flawed, and that’s what makes the story so engaging.

If you like domestic dramas that make you think, Private Lives is definitely worth a read. It’s suspenseful, timely, and leaves you questioning how well we really know the people closest to us.

This is Emily Edwards' second novel and she clearly has a brilliant knack for the book-club type discussion novel.

For those who haven't read her first novel, [book:The Herd|58696120], which tackled the subject of immunisations I would recommend it.

Private Lives deals with, well people's private lives (that was kind obvious, right?). The book tells the story of Seb, married to Rosie, and local headmaster. When Abi and her children move into the local area, and she strikes up a friendship with Rosie, it becomes clear that she and Seb have history. But what is that history, what effect will it have on those around them, as well as the local community and school.

It's difficult to go into too much more detail for fear of spoilers, however this will be another book which has people debating. Themes of fidelity, marriage, communication are all throughout the book but it really asks the key question, can someone (especially those in power) really be forgiven for making a mistake? Can a public figure's life really ever be private?

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers | Bantam for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a compulsive domestic drama centred around Seb, the newly appointed headteacher at the local high school. Seb and his wife Rosie are close friends with Eddie and Anna but when revelations about Seb come to light within this close group it calls into question his suitability as a head teacher as far as Anna is concerned. There are a lot of thought provoking moments in this including what actions within your private life should affect your work life but the main story is much more nuanced than that but I don’t want to include spoilers. This is told from some interesting perspectives and is quite respectful of the issues it raises and how a little knowledge can be quite a dangerous thing.

***advance review copy received from NetGalley in return for an honest review***
Very very good. I was worried for a few chapters that this wouldn’t live up to Edwards’ previous - The Herd - which is a book I read a few years ago and still sticks with me today. No fear - lightning has struck twice and I can’t help but hope it strikes again in the future. Edwards seems to have a knack for deconstructing the nuance and complications of certain situations, and it’s incredibly readable with a narrative that will continue to question you long after the final page.