A house on a cliff, with a nice normal family inside. Occasionally the husband heads out to the dropoff, if a passerby looks a little too much like they're going to jump. He always talks them down...until the day he doesn't, and a woman jumps. Or did she?

That's the springboard for Sally Hepworth's tense domestic drama, as lawyer/mom Pippa wonders why her husband Gabe seems elusive about the woman who died, as the dead woman hovers in the ether commenting on the events after her demise and what led her to that cliff-top, and as the layers on all-around-good-guy Gabe are slowly peeled back. I read in one sitting on a long plane flight, and enjoyed every minute.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved that the main character Pippa was so complex. You weren't really sure what was going on and the details of the crime(s) were revealed in a deliciously languid pace.
I don't want to give too much away but this book has everything, murder, intrigue, shady business dealings, mental illness, blackmail, etc.
And its a short, easy to read book that is perfect for the mystery/thriller lovers.
FIVE BIG STARS FOR THIS ONE

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for this honest review.

I was lucky enough to receive this e-arc and it did not disappoint. This was my first by Sally Hepworth and I definitely am going to read some of her others. This thriller was fast paced and could easily be a one sit read. Two couples obviously have intertwined lives and the whole book you will be trying to unravel their connection to each other. This book was executed really well and had so many side plots that all came together really nicely at the end. As always, look up some content warnings before reading but a few are suicide, mental illness and infidelity.

First of all, thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Sally Hepworth for the ARC of The Soulmate. Coming out in April 2023, this is sure to be an anticipated must-read!

This is the first novel by Sally Hepworth that I have read and all I can say is "Wow!" The book started out strong, pulled me right in, and kept me engaged, wanting to read more. Gabe and Pippa have moved to the perfect house on a cliff, and it soon becomes routine for Gabe to talk strangers out of jumping from The Drop to their deaths. But one night, Pippa sees a woman on the cliffside, and Gabe goes out to distract her while Pippa calls for help. This time, Gabe isn't able to stop the woman from jumping...or was she pushed?

The book is told from two points of view; that of Pippa, the wife, and Amanda, the jumper. Pippa is quietly obsessed with Gabe and does her best to support him in whatever he does, in whichever ways she can. She is a perfectly capable, smart lawyer, but let's her feelings for Gabe cloud her judgement in all aspects of her life. Gabe is a charmer, everyone gravitates to him, he just has this innate ability to pull you in and make you comfortable. This talent helps when he's talking to possible jumpers, and is partially why he's so successful at changing their minds. But he isn't able to change Amanda's mind on that fateful night. Amanda is in a marriage of convenience, where fidelity is the most important thing and she has just found out her husband cheated.

We see everything unfold in layers, past and present, Pippa and Amanda. Slowly, we see both marriages grow and see the struggles each has faced. From the outside, both relationships seem perfect, but everything isn't always what it seems. Every time I thought I knew what the next secret twist would be, Hepworth threw a curveball and surprised me every time. I still can't believe how everything came to a head.

All in all, a great dramatic, suspenseful mystery. If you enjoy family drama, secrets, surprises, twists and turns, then this is definitely for you! If you enjoy Tana French or Karin Slaughter, then you will enjoy Sally Hepworth. Put this on your wishlist for 2023!

I enjoyed the twists and turns of this book! It hooked me quickly! I will definitely be recommending this book!

Sally Hepworth fans, let us rejoice! Her upcoming new release, “The Soulmate,” is a mysteriously dark, twisty, fast-paced domestic suspense novel that will keep you guessing until the very end. You’ll be captivated from the beginning!

Gabe and Pippa Gerard have what seems to be the perfect marriage and family. They moved into their coastal dream home with a beautiful cliffside view. Unfortunately, this cliff called “The Drop,” also happens to be a popular location where some people wish to end their lives.

Gabe is known as a local hero in their coastal town because he has saved seven lives by helping them change their minds and talked them out of jumping…until one night…he wasn’t able to. On this particular night, Pippa witnesses the action take place through their cottage window, between her husband and a potential jumper. Moments later, Gabe is now standing alone on the cliff’s edge with his arms outstretched and his palms facing out. Although the police are ruling it a suicide, the dead woman’s husband is certain his wife would never jump. Pippa senses there’s more to the story and wonders what she really saw that night. Pippa and Gabe have different recollections on the events that occurred. Is her husband telling the truth? Did the woman really jump? Or was it an accident? More importantly, would her soulmate be capable of pushing anyone off the cliff? This is where the story begins to unravel and tells a tale from two different viewpoints - between Pippa (past and present) and the woman who died (past and present).

Hepworth delivers an incredible tale of marital hardships, dysfunctional relationships, love, loyalty, and shocking secrets. This gripping and suspenseful novel will make you think you have the answers, until the surprising truth unfolds.

I enjoyed the short chapters, the dual POV’s, the past and present timelines, and the page-turning twists. However, the novel seemed more like a suspenseful love story than an actual thriller, but I’d still recommend it to other readers. I rated it ✨ 4/5 stars ✨.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a free ARC provided in exchange for my honest review.

Sally Hepworth has done it again. Terrific psychological thriller that keeps you guessing.

The Gerard family live at the beach at the edge of a cliff, known locally as The Drop and, though beautiful, it has become the place where those who are desperate come to jump. Occasionally, Gabe Gerard has been able to convince a would be jumper to not to end their lives, thus becoming a local celebrity, until one night when he doesn’t. When details or this suicide emerge that Gabe knew this particular jumper, a fact he withheld during the investigation, the Gerard’s life becomes to come apart.

Very effectively and cleverly written in two voices, Gerard’s wife (now and then) and the jumper (before and after) , gives the reader all the pertinent background without any confusion until the two narratives merge with the present and the ultimate conclusion.

Sally Hepworth has written a riveting page-turner that tells the story of the mystery surrounding a woman's tragic death. Readers will be at the edge of their seat as Hepworth reveals the past and present of the woman's story. By alternating narratives between two key characters, Hepworth creates a tone of ominous suspense, as readers are unsure of which character to trust. The story unfolds with many twists and turns', and is not the predictable "who dunnit" that readers might expect. With a final twist, Hepworth ties up the novel with a happily ever after for both characters.

Sally Hepworth is one of my must read authors, so I was PUMPED to get an ARC of The Soulmate. She just knows how to draw you in, and this one doesn’t disappoint! (Short chapters with cliff hangers at the end sure do help with that) I was on the fence for 75% if this was going to be a 3 or 4 star, mainly because some of the actions of the characters seemed ridiculous. I ended up like it SO MUCH MORE by the end when the major twists and motives start getting revealed. Another solid one from Sally!

This book is told in dual timelines with two narrators. One is Pippa, who is married to Gabe, and mother to their girls Freya and Asha. They live in a beautiful home with one downside- the backyard drops off into a dangerous, deadly, and well known local cliff that is a common spot for suicides. Gabe becomes known as a local hero by talking down many jumpers and saving them from making that choice. However, on one fateful day, he does not save a woman who comes to the cliff.

The second narrator is Amanda, who is the woman who falls to her untimely death. Was she pushed, or is she truly burdened with grief after her husband is unfaithful? Amanda is an omniscient narrator who fills in gaps and provides information to the reader that’s unknown to the other characters in the book.

I really enjoyed this domestic suspense read from Sally Hepworth. I liked the dual timelines and two narrators, particularly Amanda’s chapters. There were several interesting twists and turns throughout the book. However, my only disappointment was with the ending. It lacked any major twists or reveals and just didn’t do the rest of the book justice. However, I did enjoy the rest of the book so I’d recommend it to those who like a less intense domestic thriller where the focus is more on family drama than suspense.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Netgalley, and Sally Hepworth for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

You know when there is that one character that has so many red flags waving it’s a never ending banner? 🚩 yeah. Totally one of those in this story. There is definitely undiagnosed mental illness at play, but I love that the author had the family of that main character have the realization that it wasn’t the mental illness that made them do all of the bad things. Some of it was just that person who decided to lie and cover up everything. It made me happy that mental health was addressed and not blamed for everything said person does. Usually I shy away from books about characters with mental illness because of that, and it pisses me off.

Pippa and Gabe had an fairytale meet cute. Pippa was walking a dog in the rain, looking terrible because she was crying. Gabe was a groomsmen in a wedding at the park (under shelter) and literally walked over to her in the middle of the wedding (stopping it, which all the bridal party didn’t act surprised at his actions?!) just to talk to her. They were meant to be.

Two daughters later, multiple jobs and houses later, they move out of the city. They find the perfect house along the beach, with an amazing view. Pippa is the sole income, working full time as a will and estate lawyer. Gabe is a stay at home parent to their kids. Pippa’s family even moved with them to the smaller coastal town so they could still see them often. So what if the cliff directly behind their house is called “The Drop” and is a known suicide spot. Gabe has been able to talk all 7 down that have been there since they moved. Until the 8th.

Good thriller with lots of twists. I think Hepworth is a solid author. Would recommend to readers who like Lianne Moriarty.

Bubble Bubble Toil & Trouble! 😳😯🤯😳😯

Another sure firework hit for Hepworth with this crazy, thrilling mystery! The lies, deceit and darkness are endless and tangled so deeply, it creates the best take on a mystery! Adding in a marriage aspect of what we do for our significant others and whether that can help or hinder our own selves is a majorly provoking thought. Exquisitely done with just the right amount of intrigue, small reveals along the way until she hits you with an ending that's like your favourite pie in the face! I breezed through this novel and from the beginning was immersed and hostage to a very fun plot! The little, big bombs she drops along the way were perfectly timed and caused skipped heartbeats. Absolutely a Queen of literature! Believe me when I say, this is worth the wait for! Mouthwateringly delightful with a gut-punch ending.

Mყ 𝐒ყɴ𝐨ρѕιѕ: Pippa and Gabe have moved into their dream home near a cliff by the sea with their two daughters, helping them make a true fresh start after a rough past few years. However, they realize quite quickly that the area is more of a nuisance than serene as it's a local place many come to end their suffering. The most recent victim that Gabe tried to help, ends in tragedy unlike before and as the investigation goes on, she'll find out that not only did Gabe actually know the victim, but they're all entangled together. The question that worries Pippa... Did Gabe push her instead of help?

Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for this ARC.
Release Date: April 4, 2023

𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭: 4.5 / 5 Autumn Leaves! 🍂

this is a dnf for me. i just feel like this was a basic thriller with basic problems you come to expect when reading thrillers so I lost all interest in reading it.

This is my 7th book by Sally Hepworth and she never disappoints!! Pippa and Gabe move to a house that is literally on the side of a cliff. Little do they know many people have come to this cliff to end their lives but Gabe is always there to talk them out of it. Until …. Lots of twists throughout and I could not put this book down. I loved all the characters in the book and that’s always a plus! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review. To be published April 2023.

I always enjoy Sally Hepworth's books. She is great at writing real characters. This one wasn't my favorite of hers, however I still enjoyed reading it. The twist at the end felt a bit tenuous.

This was my first by Hepworth and I will definitely be picking up her backlist very soon! The Soulmate had so many twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I was fully engaged throughout and read cover to cover in two sittings. The dual timeline and POVs added just the right amount suspense. I very much enjoyed this one and can’t wait to add it to my shelf in April.

The problem with getting advance copies of Sally Hepworth's work is that I simply can't resist reading them, and now when everybody is excited in April, I'll just be jealous 👀 As always with Sally's work, there are several plot points throughout that leave you questioning what's going on - a moderately unreliable narrator who's never telling the full story, slow reveals of essential details, and a dash of POVs from then and now - I just love it. This one was one of my favorites so far!

*Expected pub of April 2023.

This was good but not my favorite. I went into this expecting more thriller but got domestic suspense. It really wasn’t even all that suspenseful either. The writing was good and the two narrator past & present storyline worked well. Everything was tied up in the end which I like but it all just left me feeling sad.
TW: suicide. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This might be my new favorite domestic suspense book!! Combine an intriguing plot, memorable characters, and Sally Hepworth’s dry wit to get a really engaging and twisty story that I absolutely loved.

I will be the first to tell you that domestic thrillers/mysteries/suspense novels don’t always work for me. I find the vast majority of them to be forgettable - but this book is anything but forgettable! It’s twisty, with some entertaining narrative mixed in, and an eerie and captivating mystery to keep you turning pages.

This book is told from two different POVs, where one of them is Pippa and the other is the woman who died. I thought I would hate reading the POV of a ghost, but I think it actually worked really well in this case! You see notable similarities where both women entered into their marriages with certain expectations, but they both end up on a crash course towards situations they were not prepared for. Then it all comes together in a tense finale to give you the complete picture of how all the events really unfolded.

This one kept me turning pages, and I'm so glad I read it! I have posted my review to my Instagram (therosereviews) on 9/27/22. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy!