Honestly, after The Younger Wife, I was hestiant to pick up another Sally Hepworth book. I loved her previous books though and this was getting such good reviews so I dove in and I am really glad I did.

In this book we meet Pippa and Gabe who live near a cliff where people are known to take their own lives. In the past, Gabe has been able to talk these people off the edge until the police arrive. Until one day he can't.

Hepworth is the queen of family drama and suspense and THE SOULMATE is no exception! Told from multiple POV's both past and present, and short chapters (which I love), we find that everyone has a secret what you’ll sacrifice to protect and be with your soulmate. The characters were multilayered, the twists and turns excellent and the lies and deception kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. If you love a good domestic thriller, I would definitely recommend!

Thank you Net Galley for the advanced ebook THE SOULMATE. After reading the first couple chapters, I thought it was an okay book, but wasn't nearly as good as previous books by this author.. As I progressed in my reading and it became more suspenseful I realized how wrong I was. This was an excellent domestic thriller. It came with shock after shock and I found myself having a difficult time putting it down and am already looking forward to her next novel.

Synopsis:
"There’s a cottage on a cliff. Gabe and Pippa’s dream home in a sleepy coastal town. But their perfect house hides something sinister. The tall cliffs have become a popular spot for people to end their lives. Night after night Gabe comes to their rescue, literally talking them off the ledge. Until he doesn’t."

My Thoughts:
This story is told in my favorite format, multiple POV's with a dual timeline. But, unfortunately it just didn't work for me. Pippa was frustratingly naïve and Gabe was that guy that tries to be nice and sweet but gives you the creeps. I considered DNF'ing this at the 40% mark, but decided to continue because of all the great reviews - I thought surely it would eventually knock my socks off. While my socks are still on my feet, I did enjoy the way that the story was wrapped up in the end.
With that said, I definitely have an unpopular opinion on this book. If you enjoy a slow burn mystery thriller with unlikable, unreliable characters, and a few twists along the way - I would recommend this book.

Thank you to @netgalley, @stmartinspress, and @macmillan.audio for the gifted copy of this book.

This was my first Sally Hepworth read and I don't believe it will be my last. I always love a good psychological domestic thriller and this was was pretty darned good. Lots of twists and turns, some expected, others way off from what I thought would happen. When you can't tell the bad guy from the good guy (or gal as the case may be). The way the story was told from two POV's (one unexpected POV), takes us through a journey of love, loyalty, betrayal, acceptance and absolute soulmates. Pippa and Gabe seem to have it all. Beautiful daughters, a beautiful home in a gorgeous local, family who is there for whatever they need. Sometimes looks can be deceiving and this story has plenty of deception to go around.

3.75 stars. Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the E-Arc. I loved the way that this book was written it kept me so intrigued as to what was going to happen next. There are things that are triggering like suicide, mental illness but it is portrayed in a way that is very delicate and real. I will say that the twist were total WTH moments I did not see them coming at all and I loved them. I have read books by Hepworth and cant wait to keep reading more.

Sally is one of my auto-buy authors— her books are always on my recommendation list for friends and family. her self-proclaimed ‘funny books about family and murder’ are some of my favs ever and this one was no different. almost all characters are dysfunctional, unreliable, and downright cringeyyyyy.

this is another one you can fly through in a weekend, like I did. it kept me on the edge of my seat, and there were a few shocking twists that I didn’t see coming. if you’re a fan of bingeable thrillers, this one is for you!

The setting is Portsea, a coastal town in Australia where Gabe and Pippa Gerard live with their young daughters. While they have a beautiful view of the ocean from their cliffside house, it is right in front of "The Drop," a place that has become infamous for people to stand at who are considering jumping off and ending their lives. Since moving in, Gabe has talked six people out of committing suicide and has become a local hero. But he is unable to stop the death of Amanda Cameron. Pippa calls the police for help but watches in horror as the woman falls off the cliff. But was this a suicide or something more sinister? When Pippa discovers that Gabe knew the woman, everything changes. The story, told by Pippa as well as Amanda before and after her death, is about love and secrets, and keeps you hanging on the edge of your seat for answers.

Author Sally Hepworth writes the type of "can't put down" books I enjoy. The Soulmate is a tense read and through the creative use of dual points-of-view, reveals the many lies that lurked behind the marriages of the Gerards and the Camerons. The subject of mental illness was well-researched and handled with realism. If you're a fan of domestic suspense, I recommend this engaging, fast-paced thriller.

Rated 4.25 stars.

3,5
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC for an exchange
This book had a great concept but I feel the execution was lacking. We follow two sets of couples with intriguing dynamics as we try to uncover what happened the night that Amanda (a part of one of the couples) allegedly jumped off a cliff and died. It's a fun mystery but I found the character's reactions to the things going on around them unrealistic and especially the dynamic between the couples wasn't reliable enough. Like both Max and Arthur keep murdering people on and off all the time with no reaction from their spouses and then are hysterical about the alleged suicide. Also, I feel it's one of those books where the author tries so hard to push feminism to the reader that it takes you out of the storyline (I love feminist stories but you don't have to keep telling me "see what I did there? Am I not super feminist?").
Aside from that the story was intriguing enough to keep me reading and wanting to find out what happened. I felt it didn't really pay off but the journey was interesting. I also really enjoyed the ambiance and the place it's set.

Thank you Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for my arc!

I really enjoy Sally Hepworths books. This one was just as good as others I’ve read by her. I will say the final “twist” was a bit underwhelming and I wanted more of Amanda’s POV but overall really enjoyed this one!

There’s a cottage on a cliff. Gabe and Pippa’s dream home in a sleepy coastal town. But their perfect house hides something sinister. The tall cliffs have become a popular spot for people to end their lives. Night after night Gabe comes to their rescue, literally talking them off the ledge. Until he doesn’t.

When Pippa discovers Gabe knew the victim, the questions spiral...Did the victim jump? Was she pushed?

And would Gabe, the love of Pippa’s life, her soulmate...lie? As the perfect facade of their marriage begins to crack, the deepest and darkest secrets begin to unravel.

~~~

I definitely think this is my favorite Sally Hepworth I have read so far! Her books are always fast paced, entertaining reads and this one was no different!

The extremely short chapters and constant twists had me flying through the pages and I think you could easily finish this book in one sitting!

If you like a fast paced domestic thriller that isn't scary pick this one up! Trigger warnings for suicide in this one FYI.

The Soulmate is Sally Hepworth at her best. Pippa and Gabe live in a cottage near a cliff in Australia with their two young children. The cliff is known as a spot where people come to die by suicide, but Gabe has become known as someone who saves their lives. Until one day when a woman appears to jump while Gabe is trying to save her. Pippa is watching and she thinks Gabe may have pushed her. The situation becomes worse when Pippa realizes the dead woman is the wife of Gabe's former boss. Gabe left that job on bad terms. Hepworth deftly switches voices between characters, present day and flashbacks. The Soulmate is thrilling and addictive. Hooray for Hepworth!

This book was IMMACULATE. I loved every crazy wild second of it. There’s no way I could predict the outcome, and every time I thought I had it figured out, I was wrong!

I'm a Sally Hepworth fan, so my review maybe a little slanted but if you've read her books, you'd agree with me!

From the outside, a couple may have a perfect marriage, soulmates joined together by fate. From inside, two people trying their best to be happy and working hard to insure any problems are quickly addressed. Love conquers all, right?
As Pippa and Gabe live their perfect life in their new perfect home, reality intrudes when they discover their yard is considered a path to a popular suicide spot. Gabe has become known for his successful efforts in talking these despondent people "off the ledge". Until the one time he fails and Pippa learns Gabe knew this woman. We hear the story in two voices, Pippa's and Amanda's......after she jumps.
The characters and their stories are well defined and original. The story twists seem to come when you'd least expect them. Read THE SOULMATE and you too will become a Sally Hepworth fan.

Gabe and Pippa buy their dream home in a lovely coastal town. The home sits on a cliff, known as "The Drop" to the locals. It seems this is a favorite spot for those wanting to kill themselves.

Gabe becomes a local hero when he is able to dissuade seven people from taking their lives. Amanda Cameron is the eighth person to come to the cliff. Unfortunately, something goes wrong, did she fall, was she pushed? It is revealed that Amanda was the wife of Gabe's former boss who had fired him. Gabe does not tell the police this information. Her husband, Max, insists that she would not have taken her life.

The novel unfolds from the POVs of Pippa and Amanda, both before and after. It seems that things are not as they seem as secrets are revealed. The author is very good at giving us the twists and turns that keep us engaged. The characters are well written, chapters are short. I missed the humor in this novel that Sally Hepworth incorporates into her stories. This is a fast read and will hold your attention.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC. The review is my own.

Over the past few years, Sally Hepworth has become a go-to author for me. In her newest book, The Soulmate, she weaves another dark domestic tale with death and complicated relationships. Told from the point of view of two women, this novel follows two different marriages and the secrets the spouses keep from each other.

On the surface, the story has promise but in execution, it falls flat. The narrators jump back and forth in time, which can be extremely disorienting to the reader. Secret after secret is revealed until the reader is sure that there are no more– and yet, the secrets continue, each one even crazier than the last. None of the characters are particularly likable, either.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I really loved this thriller! The POVs between the two main women characters really shows the full story and how each woman‘s marriage is not all they thought it would be. I read this so quickly and couldn’t put it down. The characters were well written and their situations were well explained and detailed. I was kept guessing until the end. I appreciated the complexity of each person’s plight and how each person played a critical part in the story. The POVs were helpful in showing more of the characters and how they were reacting to what happens. I would definitely recommend this thriller to read!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the electronic advanced copy of this book. The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth will be a good summer beach read. Short chapters. Family drama/suspsense/mystery. It's got a great setting in Australia on a seaside town. Dual perspectives (each with two time periods). It's not super scary or murdery (not to say there isn't murder) but I think this will be good for those who don't want to be kept up at night with bad dreams but still want to be entertained.

Sally Hepworth knows how to write domestic suspense!

Gabe and Pippa, along with their two four-year-old daughters, have moved to a cliffside home in Portsea, Australia. They’re hoping for a fresh start after Gabe’s unstable work history and increasingly erratic behavior have led to yet another move. Unfortunately, the cliff on their property is a well-known spot called “The Drop” for those who want to end their lives. Fortunately, Gabe seems to have a gift for talking people away from the edge … at least he did until this most recent woman shows up. Now she’s dead, and Pippa’s left to make sense of what she saw from the window.

Did this woman commit suicide, as Gabe claims? Is she really a stranger?

Things get a LOT more complicated for Gabe and Pippa when the woman’s identity is revealed!

I’m not going to say any more about the plot since so many reviews have summarized it by this point, but I will jump into what I liked and what I struggled with.

Likes:

* Short, snappy chapters and lots of dialogue kept the pace moving nicely

* It’s a very clever dual narrative mostly from Pippa’s past and present POV, but also from the victim Amanda’s
past and present POV, AFTER her death. It was extra fun to see things from her now omniscient perspective!

* Hallelujah … the men weren’t perfect by any means, but they also weren’t written as complete cretins for once!
Gabe and Max - Amanda’s husband - both had their issues, but there was at least some depth to them and a
rationale behind their behavior.

* The mental health issues felt realistically researched and portrayed.

* Overall, an intriguing and entertaining story that kept me turning the pages to the end!

A few issues … aka a minor mini-rant:

* Please someone tell me the planet that exists where parents of two young, curious children buy a cliffside home
with a bonus window view of occasional suicide attempts? WHAT? WHY? My brain can’t process this level of
stupid.

* Pippa is asked whether she’s heard of ADHD and she says “only in passing”. Is there really anyone who’s still clueless about what ADHD is? I found that hard to believe.

* Pippa and Gabe’s devotion (i.e. co-dependency) was more annoying than admirable.
Prude alert: So many books these days have a scene where a woman is being … there’s no nice way to put this …
orally pleasured by her guy. Good for you, ladies! Just please keep that door shut … I don’t need to see that. 🫣

* I don’t love how things ended. It made me sad. I can’t say more without spoiling.

Issues aside, I mostly enjoyed this, and will continue to devour anything Sally Hepworth writes!

★★★ ½ (rounded up to 4)

Wow, wow, wow! Sally Hepworth's latest: The Soulmate is a page-turner! Its a thriller with a bit of romance and I assure you, you will not want to put it down!

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐃𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤!!! I was HOOKED from page 1, and I DEVOURED it in just over 24 hours! Y’all know that never happens with my hectic, busy life 😂

I LOVED the setup. Two different couples, two different POVs, two different timelines. You get the POV of the wives in the past and present. Amanda’s present POV was so unique and different and I ate 👏 it 👏 up 👏.

Each short chapter ended with a perfect one-liner cliffhanger that made you keep reading. I wouldn’t say the “main mystery” was a shock when it was revealed, but the clues, secrets, my need for information, and the little twists along the way were executed perfectly to satisfy me. There were still at least two pretty big reveals that caught me off guard 😱.

And the ending…I thought it was perfect. The kind that had me gasping 🫢 and rereading to make sure it actually happened.

I loved every bit of it. It was the perfect bingeable book!