PLAYING HOUSE : Perfect families are just pretend

by L.N. Lenon

Creating perfect worlds for perfect families is what you do. At the age of 40, you are an expert. Until one day the past turns up at your freshly painted front door. And the future you have carefully constructed for you and your family flees out the back.

Designing elaborate miniature doll's house worlds at her quaint, Arundel shop and applying the same principles to her own family of four is Juniper Hope's antidote to her deeply buried past. When the mysterious Ros's unexpected arrival exposes layers of old secrets and Hope's daughter Maddie faces the unthinkable in her first weeks at uni, Hope's perfect family implodes.

As her family falls apart around her, Hope is left with Ros. Just like before. But nobody knows exactly what Ros wants. Or why she has come back. How will Hope's perfect family look when the dust finally settles?

“The imagery of the doll’s house as the story unfolds is sheer inspiration..."

"Drawn in from the start, I couldn't put it down.”

“Playing House captures the raw complexity of humanity. How we are shaped by our past, our experiences, our choices, our struggles, and our desires.”

“Playing House is a testament to hope and resilience even in our darkest moments.”

345 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 2, 2025

Reviews

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is based around a normal family of four but lurking behind the closed doors all would appear not to be as it seems.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A most wonderful book!!

This book has touched me immensely! I just finished it and I already miss reading it. I absolutely loved it...!!

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the first page, this book had me in its grip—I genuinely couldn’t put it down. The story unfolds with such emotional tension and psychological depth that I was immediately invested, even when it made me uncomfortable. What struck me most was how the author crafted characters who felt so real that I couldn’t decide whether I loved them or hated them—often both at once. They were messy, flawed, relatable, and infuriating, which made their journeys all the more compelling.

It was beautiful, yes—but grounded in reality, not fantasy. It honored the complexity of what came before without sacrificing emotional truth.

This book reminded me that a story doesn’t have to be perfect to be powerful. It just has to be honest.

[Joy Durrant · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading "Playing House", and loved the family of characters, there were so many twists and turns in their lives. The story is based around a normal family of four but lurking behind the closed doors all would appear not to be as it seems.

The characters' personal struggles are at times both thought provoking and eye opening and the book pulls you in the more the story develops, which I particularly enjoyed. You can see the author's background in trauma therapy being weaved through the story.

Playing House is a compelling book and I would really recommend it to others. I look forward to reading it again.

[Meghann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read - I really enjoyed reading about the different family dynamics and how they developed throughout the book, especially when secrets from the past started to surface. The layers to the characters and story in this book are well written, keeping anyone reading the book engaged throughout.

I got this book before going on holiday, and it was a great to have lots of time to read as I couldn't put it down!

[Lesley Cottam · Rating 5 out of 5]

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