#TheYoungerWife:

What did J. Cole once say? Or, George Bush once say for that matter? 😂 “Fool me one time, shame on you. Fool me twice..”

Here’s the thing. When I go into a Sally Hepworth book, I know I’m getting a family drama with a little spice of mystery/thrill. If you’re going in for a solid thriller, you’ll be disappointed. If you go in for a solid mystery, disappointed. The more you know 💫 But, this was a miss for me this time, and that’s okay.

Overall, the story was intriguing. Are these people really who they say they are? Can family secrets stay secret? I felt like I listened more to hope some folks would get some sense knocked into them. There’s one major part I was literally screaming at my phone because OF COURSE you should believe it, it’s already happened. Like.. that’s why you’re in the situation right this moment? But regardless, I really enjoyed the sisters dynamic and how they got closer to each other throughout the book. There are some heavy topics that were discussed so.. nonchalantly? I guess is the right word, and I just didn’t feel like they were handled properly or added anything to the plot? Still kind of confused why they were added.

I did get to listen on audio and thought the audio was done wonderfully by the cast of folks to portray all the women in the book. They had great banter and really held out the hopelessness of gaslighting in their voice.

Unfortunately, this was a solid miss for me. This had the potential to really be a huge hit, but just fell flat for me on some of the storyline and those triggers that were just kind of the thrown out there. Thank you Minotaur and Macmillan Audio for the gifted copy. The Younger Wife is out April 5th!

An enjoyable suspenseful family story. All the characters are messed up in their own way...but it does keep you guessing. The whole premise of the older man whose wife with Alzheimer's is marrying another woman while still married to his wife is unsettling. Then the issue of whether or not the man is hiding secrets compounds the story. It's a quick read and leaves you a little unsettled at the end.

Some readers will love this book, others will hate it. Just an okay book for me. A lot of serious topics with none getting the attention needed. Not the ending that I expected.

I have a new favorite Sally Hepworth book. This book drew me in from the start. With four different points of view, you really got to know and understand each of the main characters. When father, Stephen announces to his two grown daughters, Tully and Rachel, that he is marrying a much younger woman the daughters have thoughts of their own. We learn quickly that this family has some deep dark secrets they want no one to know, and the family drama will draw you in and won't let you go until the very last page.

I felt engaged with the story each time I opened it and read it. Watching the characters deal with their own personal strife while also trying to have a relationship with each other painted a picture of how our own inner demons and trauma affect our relationships with others. Overall, this was a good story.

This started out well. It's the day of Stephen Aston's wedding. The ceremony has just ended and he, his much younger wife Heather, his adult daughters and his ailing ex-wife all go into a side room to sign the register. The next thing you know there's a scream and a thud. Then Heather reappears covered in blood. The rest of the book skips back and forth in time as the reader tries to piece together what happened.

I really enjoyed most of this book. My favorite part was the relationship between the women, which went in a different direction than I'd expected. I was surprised, though, when I realized that I was 85% through it yet nowhere near a conclusion. When I reached the end, it felt like the end of a chapter, not the end of the entire book. I don't mind an ambiguous ending, but this felt unfinished to me.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advanced copy of this book!

I have mixed feelings about this book. I wanted to devour it in one sitting, but I didn't. I took my time over the course of a few days.

I gave it three stars, because of the ending. I loved the book and appreciate the story line, but why did it have to end like that? I'm still a little confused as to the twist and turns of the story only for it to go...there.

The story makes us assume certain things about Stephen, like his daughters and new wife. It goes back and forth so much that it makes the women look delusional. I'm not sure what ending I expected or wanted, but this just wasn't it.

I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley although I just now got the chance to read and review it.

I don’t know what it is about Sally Hepworth’s writing, but it always sucks me in and makes me feel like I’m a part of the toxic and dysfunctional families she writes about!

I was immediately immersed in this story about a man marrying a woman who is younger than his daughters - while still married to their mother! How could you not want to read that kind of drama?!?

I love Hepworth’s characters. They are always so different, yet real. They all have their flaws - some small and some HUGE- and that’s why I like them so much.

I also loved the short chapters told from different points of view - it kept me wanting to turn the pages.

Perhaps my favorite thing about this story is that I will always be wondering…

Some readers will not enjoy the ending because they want everything wrapped up neatly, but if you’ve been reading my reviews, you know I’d rather not have that.

I thought the ending was perfect.

I read this mystery in one sitting. It was enjoyable but not my favorite Sally Hepworth. I do love how she incorporates family drama and mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free e-copy.

Rachel and Tully are sisters with their own set of grown-up problems. Tully is a kleptomaniac and her husband just lost all their money. Rachel has an unhealthy relationship with food because of something awful that happened in her past. Their father promptly announces to them that he is marrying a woman 30 years his junior after they move their mother into an Alzheimer's unit. Rachel and Tully have a hard time accepting Heather into the family. Mainly because she's younger than the both of them. And because he is still married to their mother. What are Heather's intentions with marrying their father? And what secrets is their father hiding?

I've adored everything that Sally Hepworth has written so far, so I was delighted to receive an advanced copy of her newest novel. Unfortunately, this one missed the mark for me.

I was left with some unanswered questions at the end of the book, which I didn't love. I felt like the conflict was not fully resolved.

It would have been interesting to hear from the father's perspective. I think that would have added a lot of depth to the novel and would have answered any lingering questions I had at the end.

I did like that each character came with their own set of unique problems. It kept you questioning who was responsible for what and what the twist at the end would be. Some of the real world problems they were dealing with had not been addressed in other thrillers I had previously read.

I would still recommend picking this book up when it's released, I just wouldn't put it at the top of your TBR list.

Sally has become one of my favorite authors. Mainly for her impeccable character development and added bit of "quirk." Very reminiscent of Cathy Lamb who is also a favorite. This book didn't disappoint in that regard. It was set to be a solid 5 star. Right up until the end, but that's ok. Still a solid 4. I highly recommend any book by her for easy yet contemplative reading. She draws you in and makes you feel like you know and relate to her storylines.

Great audio narrator, writing style, and characters. I like unreliable narrators but this one just didn’t do it for me. The book was just okay in my opinion.

This is not my first book by this author but it is one of my favorites yet by her. One of the things I enjoy most about this author is her ability to pull me into the story by her writing skills and attention to details. Her stories are easy and entertaining to read. I know what I am in store for when I pick up one of her books. This book is no different. I enjoyed reading this book from beginning to end. I was pulled into the story by the connectable and supportive characters. They bring the story to life through each twist and turn. This is a story that is full of action and suspense that is hard to put down. A story a family, secrets and danger. The growth of the plot as well as the characters throughout the story is great and added to the story. I really enjoyed this story and I highly recommend it. It is so worth the pick up.

Although this book wasn't my favorite Hepworth story, I still enjoyed it and it kept me intrigued to find out what happened. I truly enjoy Ms. Hepworth's style of writing and the way she twists the story to be so unpredictable always surprises me. I also love that she took a real life situation and contorted this entire story around it. This was well written and had excellent descriptions but felt the character development wasn't as strong as it was in some of her previous books.

This was a great read. I was taken in and captivated right from the start. The story is told from the point of view of 2 sisters, Tully and Rachel, and their dad's new, much younger, wife to be, Heather. They all have their own secrets that they've been hiding, and throughout the story their secrets all come out. It makes for an interesting story that kept me want to know what was going to happen next, throughout.
As the story goes on, it seems dear dad may have a secret too... Or does he? This is where the story gets very interesting and have you flip flopping on what is real and what is true.
However, without spoiling anything, I want to say the end was a let down for me. I'm not even sure if the authors intention at the end. But maybe that's exactly what she wanted. I don't know! Either way, I didn't like the outcome haha.
But I still enjoyed this book a lot and looked forward to getting back to it every time I had to put it down!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

I just finished reading The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth, and what an enjoyable read it was! If you've ever watched Hepworth on her Instagram lives, she is funny with a dry wit and very articulate. This came through in this book. She looks like the pretty, nice Mum at school you go out with, have a drink, and find out she's hilarious and irreverent. Who knew?

I was surprised at some of the reviews that said the book needed more humor. There is one scene where the women characters of the book are bonding, and it had a scene so funny that felt so true, like something I would have experienced with my girlfriends, that it had me laughing out loud. Each and every one of the characters in this book are flawed, but Hepworth writes about them with obvious affection, and that affection carried over to me, the reader. I was totally invested in finding out where the story was headed.

Some people were critical that the ending wasn't tied up in a neat little bow. Here's my take. I think the author is trying to make a statement on the whole nature of gaslighting, which thrives on a modicum of doubt. Life is gray, not black and white, and the reader is left to draw their own conclusion from a pretty significant trail of breadcrumbs. I think this would lead to a very interesting discussion in a book group setting.

I am not going to redraw the plot details here, but suffice it to say I raced through this book and enjoyed every minute!

Thank you to NetGalley, author Sally Hepworth, and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to preview this book in an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

I read dozens of reviews prior to reading and was intrigued that an ending could cause such an uproar.

After reading for myself, I found the ending to be justifiable and pretty clear cut in my opinion. Although the ending is set up to somewhat vague, I didn’t find it vague at all based on my interpretation throughout the entirety of the book. I won’t say anymore without giving away spoilers.

My favorites is still The Good Sister and The Mother in Law but Overall, I highly enjoyed it!

This book is definitely a slow burn, psychological thriller and I'm not complaining! I did have a bit of an issue getting into it, but I love all the other books by this author and didn't end ho disappointed. Deeply satisfied comes to mind. Definitely recommend!

Tons of twists, cliffhangers, and red herrings topped off with a jaw dropping ending. I think this may be my favourite book by Sally Hepwirrh so far.

Sally Hepworth is the master of misdirection and turning stereotypes on their head. “The Younger Wife” follows sisters Rachel and Tully who are mourning the loss of their mother who has advanced dementia and does not recognize them most of the time, dealing with their father who is marrying a woman younger than them and their own issues.

If you’re like me and you hear a man marrying a younger woman you most likely quickly form an opinion of said woman. Gold digger - selfish, unlikeable. Hepworth as usual turns this stereotype around and makes the younger wife nothing like that. What if it’s their father the one that has ruined their family at its core?

“Pam was your client, and not only did you fail to meet her brief, you took off with her husband!” As the younger wife it’s expected that your fiancé’s former friends will look on you as a home wrecker and never think about how the husband is to blame.

If you enjoyed “The Good Sister” and “The Mother-in-Law” then you’ll find similar excitement and mystery in “The Younger Wife”. Or if you’re a fan of “The Girl on the Train” by Paula Hawkins then this book is also for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my e-ARC!