I haven’t read a ton of Sally Hepworth, but this book sucked me in and I loved the different points of view. This book was a quick read and had a very solid buildup. Everyone has family problems, but where does the truth lie? That is the biggest question and mystery of this book, and I loved it!

This is my 2nd Sally Hepworth book and it didn’t disappoint! I loved the alternating chapters which kept me hooked and guessing the entire time. I will have to say the ending threw me off though. That is my only complaint, which is why I rated this book 4 stars instead of 5. Overall a great read and I look forward to reading more books from this author.

In Australian author Hepworth’s seventh domestic thriller, Stephen, a 60-something cardiac surgeon is about to re-marry a much younger wife, Heather, while his daughters (about the same age as Heather) and his ex-wife (suffering from early onset dementia) look on. Violence breaks out at the ceremony. Details of the tragic day unfold bit by bit as the reader learns the backstory leading up to the nuptials.

Each character in the story – even a toddler – seems to be struggling with some sort of mental health issue. I could not warm up to any of the characters; not because of their flaws, but because they felt two-dimensional. Nevertheless, suspense builds and pages turn. Plot twists abound. Although this is not Hepworth’s best, it is still a solid read. (Trigger warnings for domestic violence and rape.)

This was my first novel by Hepworth and I looked forward to making this my last novel of 2021. Known for her page-turning family dramas, this story started out with a great hook - the uninvited wedding guest observing a chaotic mishap which results in ambulances and lots of speculation about what actually transpired. We then are taken back to the evolving relationships between Dr Stephen Aston, his new younger bride Heather, and as well as Stephen's adult daughters, Tully and Rachel, and their mother, who is in dementia facility. All the expected tensions between the daughters who are older than the Heather are well portrayed but as the novel unspools, we also learn about the histories, anxieties and trauma faced by each of the Aston women. While this novel was no doubt a page turner and fast read, I was looking for more clarity in the ending - especially given the weighty topics that were addressed beneath the story's surface. Don't miss the Author's Note which shared her inspiration for this novel. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Complicated family dynamics always make for interesting books and this one did not disappoint. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it.

Advanced Copy of The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth was provided to me by NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for review purposes.

Let me just say that Sally Hepworth has not disappointed me yet! Every book of hers that I have read has managed to suck me in and keep me entertained, to the point I do not want to put it down. It's only fitting that one of her books kicks off my reading for 2022 to set the tone and pace for the new year!

This book tells the story of two young women who are going through some major life changes within their immediate families. Their mom has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, their dad is divorcing her to remarry someone younger than they are (after all, she has no clue what is happening), and to top it off, each of them are dealing with their own personal crisis, from kleptomania to binge eating.

The story begins at their dad's wedding, during which something major happens. We don't know exactly what, but are left to speculate until the very end. I will say that something about the entire storyline felt extremely familiar but I could not quite put my finger on it. Throughout the book we learn more about the sister's past and see hints of potential domestic abuse. As the sisters try to piece together things from their past, we learn about the new woman in their father's life.

The thing I really loved about this book is that it had just the right amount of suspense that made me want to keep reading. The entire situation felt a little far-fetched but yet, entirely believable. <spoiler>I actually initially thought that the father was doing something to the mom to make her lose her memory or keep her in an addled state so he could remarry someone younger.</spoiler>

This book contains a lot of triggers that may not work for some people. Rape, abortion, physical and substance abuse, and murder to name a few.

Sally Hepworth delivers again! I loved the characters in The You get Wife. I was hooked from beginning to end. If I said anymore I’d give away the intriguing plot! Read this 1.

3.5 stars for Sally Hepworth’s latest domestic thriller. The Younger Wife is told in the addicting plot style where a “big event” happens in the first pages and the rest of the book tells the story of the events leading up to it, along with some flashes of the big event told by another narrator. Each chapter ended with a little cliffhanger which made it hard to put down. I flew through the second half in one sitting.
This follows the same pattern as her other recent books as far as suspense and family life mixed with enough wit and humor to balance out a potentially heavy topic. I didn’t love all the characters and didn’t love everything about the plot, but it certainly delivers an exciting reading experience.
On a mental health note, I was happy to see the evolved language around binge eating and that several of the characters enter therapy during the course of the novel.
I recommend for a quick read! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

Thrillers are not my usual pickup, but I just love Sally Hepworth's writing so much. This is another domestic thriller from her and I couldn't wait to get my hands on it after reading The Mother-in-Law. Finally I will have something to recommend to my sad friends and readers who don't want a romance! Hepworth did it again and kept me guessing to the very end.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I’ve always loved sally hepworth’s books so I was very excited for this one! Although this was a very easy and quick read, it just didn’t do it for me. It was repetitive and wish it ended differently!

THIS WAS MY LAST READ OF 2021!!!! This is the most fun I’ve had with a thriller in a very long time.

The plot was very clever and the characters were interesting – everyone has their faults and neuroses.

Except for our patriarch, Stephen Aston, OR SO IT APPEARS!!

He is a 60 something physician, still attractive, getting married to a much younger woman!! He has done well and has a beautiful home, one that Heather designed! He loves his family, including his ex-wife Pam whom he has just divorced!! The book opens with their wedding ceremony!

Looking on as “bridesmaids” are Stephen’s daughters, Tully and Rachel. Tully is married with 2 young children, Rachel is single with a thriving business. Neither is happy about the wedding and they are sitting with their still very much alive mother, who has dementia.

I started to get excited about this book and really couldn’t put it down!!

The book switches to before the wedding for a long time :

While visiting her mother at the nursing facility, Tully has heard her mother talk about how Stephen had hurt her so many times!! Rachel hears her mother complain that he was a terrible man!!

The plot moves along quickly, the three young women start to question if Stephen is the perfect dad and husband that they thought! Pam was young when she was diagnosed with dementia and she often had bruises, although the girls don’t remember her being clumsy. Did her dad abuse her in some way???

Heather wakes up one morning after a girls night out. She remembers coming home to Stephen waiting for her, then she envisions what he did to her. She’s about to leave him when she sees Stephen at the kitchen table, HE HAS A BLACK EYE AND A SCRATCH ON HIS FACE!!

What is going on??? Are these women finally seeing who Stephen really is, or are they mentally creating a picture of a different man??

Lots of great surprises and mind games!! The ending is left to the reader’s design!

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher, St. Martin’s press, through NetGalley.

***This was a buddy read with Marialyce and Jan and we had great fun discussing this one and all enjoyed it! Check out their great reviews!

After receiving "The Good Sister" last year (and absolutely LOVING it!), I knew I had to get my hands on "The Younger Wife" as well. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, and thank you Sally Hepworth for writing these amazing novels!

The story started at the end, then went back in time to help me understand how this cast of characters got to where they were. I viewed events through the POV of three characters (Rachel, Tully, Heather) and found myself experiencing conflicting feelings. At times, the characters were sympathetic (lots of discussion about mental health issues and their impact on characters over the course of their lives), then there would be moments when I would feel repulsed by decisions these characters made. I liked that these characters reflected the real-life complexity of what it means to be human.

While the ending to this story was a bit of a stretch, I appreciated the character development and the originality that went into this novel. I'm eager to read anything from Sally Hepworth that I can get my hands on!

The book opens at a wedding when, as the happy couple go to the sacristy to sign the marriage license, the guests hear a thud, a scream, and the celebrant comes out covered in blood. What happened? We are kept in the dark as to who, what, why, as we go back in time.

Stephen is a successful cardiac surgeon, still married to Pam, who suffers from advanced Alzheimer’s disease and resides in a care facility. Imagine the shock and surprise of his two grown daughters, Rachel and Tully, when he invites them to a luncheon to meet Heather, his very young fiancé.

Heather is the product of a troubled childhood and is unsure in social situations, always expecting the worst from people, including her husband-to-be. Rachel and Tully both have their own issues. Tully is married and living an upper middle-class lifestyle that is crumbling around her as she hides a dangerous secret, while Rachel is single and has a secret trauma from her past.

As the daughters go through their mother’s things, they find a hot water bottle filled with cash and the theories begin to fly. Told from the perspective of the three women, a group think begins to occur and past events and motivations are assigned to Stephen that may or may not be true. As they sift through their memories and come to conclusions, are they correct or have they been tainted by time, assumptions, and innuendos?

This is a brilliant exploration of memory, as well as early trauma affecting our perceptions and beliefs. The ending could be open to interpretation and it’s one I re-read several times. I have my own belief and interpretation based on my own experiences, as I’m sure others will interpret it differently based on their beliefs and experiences. I didn’t find it ambiguous but other readers may. Which, when you think about it, proves the author’s point brilliantly.

It’s been a long time since I had such a page-turner that I was glued to the page past my bedtime. I rate according to genre, how fast I flip the pages, and how much a book makes me think. This may not be an in-depth character study but for a terrific lighter read with substance you can’t go wrong. It would be a terrific book club selection!

Sally Hepworth is a can't miss author for me. Love her domestic thrillers and The Younger Wife didn't disappoint. I recommend this author often and look forward to sharing The Younger Wife with library patrons. Thanks Netgalley!

A HUGE miss for one of my favorite authors!

I think this domestic drama genre is so formulaic and one note, but I was hoping with Sally's storytelling skills that she would rise above. Unfortunately, it just fell flat. Very dysfunctional female characters, boring storyline, and a very undesirable ending. I didn't care for this at all.

This isn’t my first book by this author and I think each one I read is better and more entertaining. Tully and Rachel are sisters dealing with their own issues and not particularly close currently. They are united in their love for their mother Pam, who has dementia and is starting to forget them. They are also conflicted about their father’s new love interest, Heather, who is younger than the sisters. All three young ladies have their own demons that they are trying to overcome. As each of the women interacts with each other, they learn more about themselves and start dealing with their issues. The opening scene grabs your attention and leads you to make assumptions about who will be the victim of the crime. It is so hard to put down this book. It’s a great thrill ride with well developed characters who although flawed are relatable even if some of their actions are cringe worthy, you can identify with what they are going through. I love family drama and dysfunction and this one has it all: betrayal, secrets, revelations, sisterhood, female bonding, and family loyalty. It’s complex, but so highly readable.

The Younger Wife starts off with a clear depiction of a much younger wife and daughters who are skeptical of the situation. But Sally Hepworth weaves a tale that gets the reader invested in the characters, except for Stephen Aston. The flashbacks serve to entice the reader with a look what's coming emphasis.

Well done Ms. Hepworth. A delightful read!

I have not been a big fan of Sally Hepworth, but I must say this book changed my mind. There is so much to it both in the story itself and the discussions I was able to have with my two book friends, but the very questions it left in our minds as to who or what managed to complete an awful act.

So much is left to the imagination, and this book does make one wonder what lines might have been crossed and how often we can be deceived by what seems to be right in front of our eyes.

People with issues and problems present themselves in so many ways. Stephen, the head of the family, a successful doctor is currently married to Pam, but sadly Pam is in the hold of dementia and is confined to a home. Stephen has also met and fallen in love with Heather, a young woman his two daughter's age who is ever so anxious to become something, to climb out of the hole her family seemed to have placed her in. The two daughters, Tully and Rachel are products of trauma and both hide their mental states to all, even in Tully's case from her husband.

And so this mixture of people come together to both prepare for the upcoming divorce and marriage of their saintly father. However, is he the saint we are all led to believe or is there once again a hidden self that lies within Stephen that seems to set them all down a road they never believed they would travel.

Intensely interesting and page turning, this book keeps one engrossed in the happenings of this family and the inevitable end that they seem to be headed for. Definitely recommend this one for its probe into the very essence of family and what the mind believes.

Thank you to Sally Hepworth, St Martin's Press, and NetGalley for this story due out April 5, 2022.

📖Book Review📖
The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth
Publication Date: 4/5/2022
My Rating:🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

Wow! I do not know what to say. This psychological thriller has put me on the edge and completely tipped me over. Sally Hepworth, needs no introduction. Her works speaks for itself.

The book has a very captivating opening. Nothing beats a scandalous wedding of Stephen Aston which seem to end in a blood bath. Yes, told by the perspective of an uninvited guest who happens to know the groom, and the ex-wife. I was hooked. Much like hit the floor running kind.

Narrated by three characters-sisters Tully and Rachel and of course Heather. The younger than Rachel and Tully who soon will become their stepmother and their Dad’s new wife. She was the Younger Wife.

This domestic drama was making me nuts. It is character focused, slow burn, and very much beautifully written. A ton load of sensitive topics which were packaged specific to characters.

These three women has issues. Different from each other but mentally disturbing in any way. All three were broken and damaged on the inside and carries shameful and horrific secrets.

The ex-wife, Pamela has dementia, clueless about her husband of thirty five years divorcing her so he can marry the thirty-ish interior designer that they hired to remodel their house. Pam has the answers to all the question but since her mind is off, everybody doubt the snippet revelations that she says here and there.

And there is Fiona Arthur, who is she? Its the question that made me so obsessed in finding out.

Then there was the ending, I do not actually know what to feel about it. It will be interesting how book clubs will dissect and digest the storyline. For me it was a power through force and a page turner up until the very ending. Not a deal breaker by all means because this domestic thriller was another stellar work by Sally Hepworth. Also, the inspiration of the story told by the author’s note is personal and special and it made it more interesting! This is my 7th Sally Hepworth novel and will always be a big fan.

Special thanks to St.Martin’s Press via Netgalley for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.

Overall I really enjoyed this book, but felt like there were quite a few questions or things that didn’t feel like they added up after ot was finished.