This book has been my hidden stash of chocolate — I’ve had it for so long and was just waiting for that craving (after a series of “meh” books), because I knew Sally Hepworth would assure me there are very good, very consistent, repeat thriller authors out there. And she did not disappoint.

Gabe and Pippa’s dream cottage just happens to be way too near a popular suicide point, “The Drop,” on a cliff (Was that mentioned in the realtor’s listing? Why would people with little kids even consider this house? Location, location, location, duh). Good guy Gabe is in the habit of talking people out of killing themselves, while Pippa needs to just call the police and they know why she’s calling without explanation. Until one day Gabe apparently recognizes a successful jumper, and Pippa isn’t so certain if the woman jumped or was pushed. But why?

This thriller unfolds via the viewpoints of “Pippa (NOW and THEN)” and “Amanda (AFTER and BEFORE)”, the woman crumpled on the rocks. Both have had experiences with a “soulmate” although it doesn't seem if a happily-ever-after comes with knowing one. The tension ratchets up as Pippa realizes that Gabeknew Amanda.

Sally Hepworth is an automatic must-read for me. She consistently has me glued to the pages, reluctantly wanting to know what happens, yet still speeding to the conclusion. 4 stars, and eager for whatever her next book is!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): NO Just some normal blue and brown eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO The American cover does depict some nice pink iceplants/delosperma (as in coastal California where the cover illustrator might just reside) clinging to the cliff side that go unmentioned; but iceplants, although not native, are in Australia, too.

I am a fan of Sally Hepworth's novels, but The Soulmate really takes the cake. There were so many interesting twists and surprises throughout and I couldn't stop turning the pages! (Or worrying for the characters when real life took me away from reading it.) It is mainly a domestic suspense with a dose of thriller. The story is full of layers and it's like opening an unsettling gift every time you peel one back.

My only concern is that the ending felt anticlimactic after all the buildup, but I enjoyed the ride nonetheless.

My favorite characters were Freya and Asha, the two little girls who stole the scene every time they were in one. They seemed a bit older than their age would suggest, but I enjoyed their dialogue and thought processes.

This one releases in early April, so be sure to grab a copy as soon as you can!

Movie casting suggestions:
Pippa: Laura Haddock
Gabe: David Oakes
Amanda: Essie Davis
Max: Jason Isaacs
Kat: Diora Baird
Mei: Anna Akana
Baz: John Cena

This is the second book by Sally Hepworth that I have read and all I can say is "What a ride!" This book had me gasping in shock, saying "what!?" aloud, and even had me with tears in my eyes. With so many twists and turns in this book, it's hard to put down. There is so much going on between Gabe, Pippa, Amanda, & Max that there is never a dull moment. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a digital arc of this title.

Sally Hepworth’s newest book, “The Soulmate” is another gem!

Wow! I’ve been eagerly waiting for my chance to read this one. It gives an interesting take on marriage and secrets. It was satisfying to see the resilience of the main character, Pippa, throughout the story.

With ups and downs and multiple POVs, “The Soulmate” keeps the reader interested.

This book is so, so good!! I almost want to recommend that you don’t start it until you have the time to read it cover to cover in one sitting because you won’t want to put it down. Pippa is a devoted and trusting wife to a man who, unknown to both of them, suffers from mental illness. What was funny and endearing in the man she was dating became a frightening liability when this man became her husband and partner in parenting. There were twists and turns in this book at every corner—and just when I thought I’d figured something out, I was proven wrong by another event that provided an even better, more entertaining explanation that what I had imagined. Sally Hepworth is my most favorite author and The Soulmate reminded me of exactly why she is!

4.5 stars

Sally Hepworth writes the best domestic suspense in my opinion. This one was no different. I devoured it in one day and loved every last page.

This author never lets me down with her amazing characters, dual timelines, multiple points of view, mind-boggling twists and endings you never see coming.

This one is an easy pre-order decision, friends.

My thanks to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book before its publication date.

3.75 Stars

Infidelity, gullibility, deception, rejection, and mental illness. All the necessary ingredients for a diabolical story and generously sprinkled throughout this leisurely-paced domestic mystery.

When Pippa witnesses a woman fall to her death from a cliff behind their home, she wonders why her husband, Gabe, wasn’t able to prevent her suicide as he did scores of others. (Surprisingly, the neighbors and local law enforcement never dubbed him The Suicide Whisperer.)

After discovering the woman’s identity, those aware of a secret involving Pippa and Gabe are skeptical as to the truth behind the fall. (Enter infidelity, gullibility, and deception.) Shady business dealings alert the cops to Gabe and his employer and serve to ramp up the action.

Add in an illegitimate kid, a marriage of convenience, and you’ve got yourself a savory stew. A sweet little twist at the end is, almost, reward enough for reading the book, unless you’re one of those clairvoyant readers, adept at theorizing the entire spin, courtesy of the tiniest of clues scattered along the way.

At the heart of THE SOULMATE lies Pippa’s inability to see beyond her husband’s charm. Despite the numerous clues slapping her in the face. Because Gabe’s character is the focal point of the story, I wish the author had assigned him his own POV chapters, which may have made the story much more dynamic and given his character greater dimension.

Best suited for readers who enjoy a cozy mystery with messy family dynamics and are willing to champion an oblivious main character. My gratitude to Sally Hepworth, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the ARC, in exchange for a candid review.

My first Sally Hepworth book and it won’t be my last! The Soulmate was a quick and easy read that will leave you guessing up until the last few pages! There’s so many twists that I never fully had it all figured out like I thought I did. I felt that there could’ve been more character development for Pippa, Max and Amanda. However, overall it was a great book to begin my journey with this author!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Sally Hepworth.
This was an amazing book about the ups and downs of marriage and the things we do for family. Pippa and Gabe Gerard live in a house by a cliff that’s famous for suicides and Gabe became famous for taking people down from it. One night Gabe and Pippa see Amanda Cameron at the cliff and Gabe goes to talk to her and she ends up falling off the cliff. Amanda is married to Max Cameron who hired Gabe and later fired him before they left Melbourne. Amanda finds out that Max and Pippa slept together which ended up not being true, he was very faithful to his wife and Max ends up jumping off the same cliff as his wife saying he was her soulmate and hugs max after he finds out what happened the night she died. Amanda and Max have two daughters, one biological and the other that’s just Gabe’s from a one night stand. Amanda helps Gabe when he is diagnosed with ADHD and bipolar disorder. He ends up killing one of Max’s investors in his company with a gun from Max’s bodyguard which ends up getting him fired. Gabe ends up being the nephew of Max and when Max dies his daughters end up getting trusts. Gabe and Pippa end up getting a divorce after everything that happens and Gabe is never unsupervised with his kids. Amanda keeps a USB drive with everything from Max’s secret computer which will also implicates Gabe. Through Amanda’s pov it is revealed that Gabe and her fought for the usb drive and Amanda ends up falling over the cliff so we may never know if he actually meant to kill her or not. Max takes the fall for both his wife’s suicide (accidental death) and his investors death even though both deaths are Gabe’s fault but he did it for his brother who died by suicide as well as there mom, seems he wanted to make sure that his nephew had a better life then his brother and that he could have a clean slate. I really enjoyed this novel and will be buying a physical copy when it comes out.
Warning: suicide

"Death isn't so bad when you settle into it."
Well, what on Earth have we got ourselves into here?
Husbands & wives unfaithful? Empty promises. Broken dreams.
Whirlwind romances and then...cliff jumpers? Suicidal tendencies? Bi-polar disorders and the slight nod of ADHD too?
Can we not add some money laundering to add some flavoring along with some twins who have a history to tell.
Ok, before I get ahead of myself lets go back. We've got a cottage overlooking a cliff. A dream home for Gabe and Pippa -or was it?
Turns out it's a well known location for troubled minds.
In this case, Hepworth works into this novel some hairy experiences that seem to be heroic for Gabe until Amanda falls to her death.
Amanda is the wife of a biz partner. A shady guy with some connection that mixed with more pleasure than professionalism.
Pippa seemed to see something she'll never forget that possibly points to Gabe's guilt but could he have committed murder?
Could this simply be her eyes playing a trick on her?
Would Gabe, the love of Pippa's life be unfaithful?
The facade begins to crackle with explosives both near and far.
In fact, I've been on the other side in many ways to this reality played out in fiction. It's horrific to comprehend yet, some individuals stay no matter what while others head for the hills.
What makes some relationships go the extra mile, turn the other cheek, ignore the warning signs when they're so deeply engrained into the fabric of character?
The Soulmate was a gripping thriller that will mess with every sensation you possess!
Thank you to Sally Hepworth, St. Martin's Press, Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for this honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC of this book. I really enjoyed this thriller and raced through it quickly. This was my first book by Sally Hepworth and will definitely be checking out more of her work. Lots of great twists that shift perspective on what's going on and the nature of each of the relationships. It honestly was just fun to read.

This one got me. The Soulmate is not your typical, nail biting thriller but it’s definitely mysterious- trust me you won’t have this one figured out until the last page! I loved this read because it was almost as if the mystery was created within yourself, When you get to the end of the read your whole perspective changes. I thought I was on one characters side and disliked the other but then got completely thrown in the end! I can’t say much without giving away the twists and turns but this is a MUST READ. The writer for one is incredible, I am a new fan of Sally Hepworth because of this book. I also thoroughly appreciated the multiple perspectives she gave embodying mental illness and the confusion and harm it can create. It’s something I wish everyone would read simply to understand mental illness a little better. Do yourself a favor- order this one now!

Wow what a ride!! a book written about marriage, betrayal, and just how far our secrets can push us. The book is told from two women’s perspectives, Amanda, and Pippa. Their stories unfold, as well as the secrets of their spouses. I don’t want to give away any spoilers and feel the synopsis conveys the book well!

This book has it all—moments that make you gasp, secrets you think you’ve figured out but have gotten wrong, betrayal, love, misunderstanding and moments that just make you warm inside. First 5 star read of 2023 for me and definitely will be recommending this one to everyone!!

Thanks NetGalley!

I don’t read from this genre a lot cause I’m a scaredy-cat but this was a fun ride!
I loved the setting, plot twists and how things ended. Overall i can recommend to many.

I loved The Good Sister so much. This one didn't connect with me as much. Both relationships were not relatable to me and seemed a bit of a strech. I will still try more Sally Hepworth books, I like her as an author.

I am obsessed with Sally Hepworth and was beyond excited to get an ARC of her 2023 novel, The Soulmate. She has written one of my all-time favorite books and I will read anything she writes. Just like any other of my favorite writers, I don't love every single thing she puts out there, but most.
Pippa and Gabe live with their two daughters in a home on a cliff that is known as "The Drop." The Drop is a popular location for suicide and people jump off this cliff and plummet to their deaths. Often, Gabe is able to talk people out of their suicides. This particular day, he is unsuccessful, and a woman goes careening off the cliff and dies. Her name is Amanda, and the story is told in two POV's: Pippa's and Amanda's. They are connected and this is a bomb when Pippa finds out.
This was not my favorite Hepworth novel, but it will not stop me from reading pretty much anything she puts out in the future. I didn't care for the characters or the plot. The diction felt pedestrian and not the usual I have come to expect from Sally Hepworth but I will continue to be her fan and notice I am in the minority because most of the other reviews are more positive. 2.5 stars

The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth

Official rating: 4 stars
Page turner rating: 5 stars

Pippa and Gabe live on a dangerous plot of land known to locals as The Drop. Normally Gabe can coax people away from the edge, but this time the worst has happened and his family gets tied up in the death.

I keep reading Sally Hepworth's books and despite them all having family related titles, they are all so unique! This one was more classic thriller but had some other elements unexpectedly tied into it (I'll stay vague in lieu of spoilers)! We have one perspective in this book from the dead character, and I was very skeptical about that at first, but I'm glad I stuck with it. The characters were all very likable and unlikable at the same time, my mind wasn't sure where to go, but it all helped the story. Its not going to go down in my all time favorite thriller list, but I would still recommend this one highly!

Read if you:
Love short chapters and alternating perspectives
Like Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney
Like Into the Water by Paula Hawkins

This book comes out on April 4! Thanks NetGalley for the early copy

A propulsive book that kept me turning page after page. The ending was quite a surprise and I enjoyed all the twists and turns along the way. This author is a reliable author for me. I think I have enjoyed everything I have read. I will definitely be recommending this to others.

This Sally Hepworth novel grabs you from the first pages and doesn’t let go. A seemingly ideal couple, shady business dealings, an unchecked mental illness, a multitude of secrets, and forgiveness are interwoven in these very satisfying pages. The reader has the privilege of peeling the layers in a story where nothing is as it seems. Well worth the read.

Gabe and Pippa's dream home is a cottage on a cliff in a sleepy coastal town. But their perfect home hides a sinister secret. The cliffs their home rests on is the site of many suicides. Gabe always talks the jumpers down until one night he doesn't. Pippa finds out Gabe knew the jumper and that brings up the questions of did they really jump or were they pushed? Would Gabe lie to Pippa? Their seemingly perfect marriage starts to show cracks and and deep dark secrets begin to emerge.
I liked how the story played out from the POV of Pippa and the jumper (Amanda). Nothing is as it seems and this book was full of twists you won't see coming. I was hooked from the beginning and couldn't put it down. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.