I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

This book was a crazy fucking roller coaster. It was also incredibly funny. A joy to read. Light hearted, but checks all the right boxes. This author keeps getting better and better

I'm a huge fan of Sally Hepworth so I salivated a little when I got this title. How can a book be heartfelt, heartbreaking, and heartwarming all at once! Fraternal twins Rose and Fern are as close as sisters can be. It appears that Rose has always taken care of Fern who has Aspergers; even as an adult, it is to Rose that Fern turns to when life seems to spiral out of control. The novel alternates between Rose's journal which documents their childhood with an abusive and controlling mother and present-day Fern who works as a librarian and meets "Wally." another quirky and lovable character. But of course Hepworth's talent lies in the unsuspected surprises that are revealed as the book goes on. Nothing is as it appears and I was gasping every other page! Ultimately, I may have done some ugly crying but it was all worth it as this is a gem of a novel!

Sisters are a complicated relationship,as anyone who has one knows.
Fern & Rose,twins,have known this all their life.
From a complex relationship with their mother to a complex relationship at hand,this story weaves a web that needs untangled,in the worst of ways.
Rose,the perfect child & Fern, ostentatiously on the spectrum try to live their adult lives while combating their childhood & their own intermingled relationship day by day in a novel that will keep you hooked page after page.

I received this book from Netgalley because I read and enjoyed The Mother In Law. I liked the Good Sister just as much. Great characters and a story that made me tense. Not knowing where it was going.

THE GOOD SISTER
BY SALLY HEPWORTH

What is it about twins that make for such a fascinating topic in psychological thrillers?

In this case Rose and Fern aren't identical twins but fraternal. I think what captivates us is somewhere in these stories there is always one that is relatively good and one that if not evil is bad news.

In Sally Hepworth's latest offering we definitely have an unreliable narrator but who is it? Is it Rose or Fern? Rose is married to Owen but is failing in the common infertility area where she admits right in the very beginning that she is driving him away with all of the stressors of the perfect ovulation time etc. Fern is an unmarried librarian who happens to come across the news by accident that Owen and Rose are having trouble conceiving by noticing an infertility drug in Rose's pocketbook.

Fern gets it into her head that if she was to have a baby and give it to Owen and Rose--then problem solved? The only problem is that Fern is single and not dating anyone in particular at this time. If it weren't for Rose Fern couldn't manage since she has an over stimulating capacity to not be able to tolerate bright lights and loud noises. It is Rose that has to keep reminding Fern not to forget both simple requests as to pick up a container of milk to not forgetting she is taking care of Rose's dog. Fern is convinced that if not for Rose's reminders she would not be able to manage on her own.

This book is completely addictive once you start reading it. It left me pondering how much of our trauma's in our youth define us as being confident adults? Are some of us more susceptible than other's in believing how events really happened? I do believe some of us are more strong willed than other's. I do know that from birth until around the age of seven we children are in a theta brainwave state meaning our core beliefs are being downloaded by our parents, siblings, friends and community like we are video recording everything that is our surroundings.

This novel is themed with one sister being more dominant than the other. This was an interesting premise of who is leading who. It is a compelling narrative with what is at stake and believe me that it is a life defining decision whether or not you are able to give up one of life's most precious gifts.

Publication Date: April 13, 2021

Thank you to Net Galley, Sally Hepworth and St. Martins Press for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#TheGoodSister #SallyHepworth #StMartinsPress #NetGalley

I am a big fan of the author, Sally Hepworth, and have read almost all of her books. I really enjoyed The Good Sister. We start with Fern and Rose, fraternal twins, but completely different from one another. The story is told alternately from Rose's journal, starting in the past, and then we see what's currently happening in Fern's life. From the very beginning of the book, you can tell that Rose is the strong, dominant twin and always looking out for her more socially awkward sister Fern. We are then introduced to Fern, who works in a library and has difficulty dealing with the world due to having Asperger's. There does seem to be a hint early on in the book that she has done something bad in the past.

I really enjoyed the humor and warmth that the author interjected into this book. The character development was wonderful and the plot was well driven. I love the little touch of danger that that's through and ends interestingly. With all the turmoil currently happening in the world right now, this was a fantastic book to fall into and lose yourself in. I loved it! Kudos to Sally Hepworth for another great novel.

I would like to thank Sally Hepworth, St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Oh.My.HEART.

Sally Hepworth's books always just hit the "happy" spot for me. No matter what they are ostensibly about, no matter the time period or the subject matter or the genre...I walk away with a warm, full heart.

THE GOOD SISTER is no exception.

On the surface, this is a suspense/domestic fiction novel.-but it's so much more than that. It's a story of manipulation, sisterhood, hurt, community, and ultimately...love. Familial love, romantic love, unexpected, fierce love.

I ADORED Fern and Wally. They were written in such a multi-dimensional way that they became friends. I cared about them so much by the end of the novel.

I LOVE a plucky, strong, non-neurotypical female lead. Fern is a gem. And as I finished the last page, I had tears in my eyes.

I'm just imagining this sweet family all cozy in warm, sensory friendly cocoon of love and happiness and man... Rocco is right. Everyone else is weird. THEY are perfection. Absolute perfection.

I am a huge fan of Sally Hepworth so when this book turned up in my library, I was thrilled. And I’m even more thrilled to share that The Good Sister is just as amazing as Ms. Hepworth’s previous books! I’m sad that it doesn’t come out until April of 2021 because it is the perfect beach read. I read it on a float in less than a day. I loved the twist even though I figured it out a bit earlier than I would have liked. I loved Fern and her I n the spectrum personality. Really one of the best books I’ve read this year!

I loved The Mother-in-law and I enjoyed this just as much. In fact, I stayed up until three in the morning to finish it. The story is about Fern and Rose, fraternal twins and is told through a diary of Rose’s (the past) and Fern (the present). Their relationship is complex, as I imagine it is with sisters. But complicated more because of their past and Fern’s issues in life. I loved this book. I loved the author’s development of the characters and I loved the humour coupled with the suspense.
Thanks to NetGalley for an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I devoured The Good Sister in one day's time. Sally Hepworth is a genius; even her dedication is a sweet + hilarious note to her daughters. Here's what I love about the book: EVERYTHING (but really!)
-The characters are complex, but without feeling like you're reading a long list of synonyms. Hepworth does a great job of character development
-The plot is unique and original
-The main character, Fern, struggles with sensory processing disorder and you can tell the author has done her homework.
-So many things happening without feeling unrealistic- Murder, pregnancy, lies, love. This book has it all!
-Family drama- YES PLEASE!
-A surprise ending- EVEN BETTER!

I cannot recommend this book enough!

I loved this book! A tale of two sisters in their late twenties, Fern & Rose, fraternal twins that couldn't be more opposite to each other. Fern is a tall fair-haired kindhearted librarian with an unofficially diagnosed sensory sensitivity disorder, most likely on the autistic spectrum. Her sister Rose is petite and brunette, separated from her husband and longing for a child she can't physically have. Rose has always looked after Fern, protecting her from their unstable mother during their childhood and from others in society nowadays who might take advantage of her. Tragedy struck when they were younger and Rose has vowed never to leave Fran on her own, for everyone's safety. Now Fern sees her chance to repay Rose by providing her with the gift she wants most, a child of her own. And that's when things get interesting..

Any avid mystery reader will know that things aren't always as they appear and this story takes it to new levels. How we define good and bad, strong and weak, safe and dangerous - it's not always as clear as you'd think. As you read this story, you have to step back and remember that you're seeing it through the eyes of two very different women and that the truth may lie somewhere in between. Or does it? Maybe it was there in front of us all along, we just weren't looking for it. Sounds confusing? Well then you will just have to read it for yourself to understand what I mean. And it will be so incredibly worth it!

Wow! I could not put this down until I finished the book. Fern and Rose are fraternal twins but completely different. Fern has a sensitivity disorder, and Rose has to help her calm down when things get too much. Rose is keeping a diary and we see glimpses of their lives thru her writings, how her mother hates her and her husband left her and the responsibilities of Fern. Meanwhile, Fern is happy working as a librarian. She meets a man who seems to share her sensitivities. But, then things get twisted and OMG you just have to read this book.

Two sisters, fraternal twins. Different as night and day.. Bound to each other by familial bonds. One is tall and slender, the other short and curvy. One has trouble with too much noise, lights, and smells. The other knows how to calm her. One is a librarian the other an interior designer. What they do have in common is their desire to help each other and defend each other. One twin has a very dark side, though. Willing to go to any lengths to gain what they want. No matter who gets in the way or who they hurt. A psychological thriller that draws you in right up to the very end. Excellent read!