Darling Girls
By Sally Hepworth
Pub Date: April 23, 2024

⭐️: 4/5

Foster sisters Jessica, Norah, and Alicia formed a close bond during their childhood while they lived with their unpredictable foster mother, Miss Fairchild. Now adults, their traumatic past is brought up again when a body is found under the home they lived in together, and they’re called in as key witnesses, so why do they feel like they’re being treated as suspects?

From the start, I could tell that this one was going to be much better for me than the other books by Hepworth that I’ve previously read. The set up was great at drawing you in, and the switches in point of view and time make this a really quick and engrossing read that’s hard to put down. I’ll be the first to admit that I get fatigued easily by the thriller trope of women or children who are being mistreated and not believed by the authorities, but in this case, it really added something to the suspense and build up of the book, and was done in a good way. I will admit that this read a lot more like a suspenseful drama than a true thriller, but overall the vibes were all there, and there were even some twists and turns that made it an unpredictable read. The plot was definitely pretty sad and dark, which made it more of an emotional read than I was expecting. I’m not sure if it was just me, but the writing seemed to get a little bit sloppy towards the end, and the dialogue seemed to edge into the territory of existing to further the plot rather than being realistic, which is one of my pet peeves when it comes to dialogue, specifically in thrillers. I’m notoriously pretty picky when it comes to thrillers, but overall I enjoyed this read.

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this free eARC!!

I found myself invested from the beginning. This was definitely a slow burn suspense, but there were enough twists and surprises to keep me interested.

I loved hearing each girl’s perspective and I thought the story did a great job flowing from the past to the present. It gave you a chance to really understand each character.

This might be one of my favorite Sally Hepworth books!

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance audiobook and for the eARC.

Unfortunately, I did not finish this book. The characters did not keep my interest at all, and I quickly forgot what I read after, I read it.

I was so excited to receive a galley of Darling Girls. I have been a fan of Sally Hepworth for several years.

"SISTERS, SECRETS, LOVE, AND MURDER... Sally Hepworth’s new novel has it all."

This book tells the story of 3 sisters, who met in foster care when they were placed in a foster home together as children. The seemingly idyllic foster home was not what it seemed and these sisters grew up with a boatload of traumatic experiences. Many years later, a body is found under the stairs of the home where they used to live. They are brought together and questioned regarding their past experiences and the mysterious body and its not clear if they could be potential suspects. As we move through the book, we learn more about each of the girls' pasts and what landed them in foster care to begin with and we learn more about their years with Miss Fairchild, their foster mother.

This book had a few twists that I was not expecting. The storyline is a bit dark and does focus on child abuse at various times. I was immediately sucked into this story. The small cast of characters made for an easy read. A psychological thriller through and through.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the copy of this book!

When an unidentified body is discovered under the house three foster sisters grew up in, they become key witnesses... or maybe suspects.

When I heard our domestic-suspense-writing Sally went dark, I was SO EXCITED. This follows the story of three sister, and we do get all three POVs, from the past and their traumatic upbringing with their foster mother, to the present, when a body is found under their childhood home. The sister dynamic was good and complex, and there was quite the twist at the end! Recommend this if you normally like Sally's books or if you enjoy a good domestic thriller.

This one was a whirlwind. Following the story of three foster sisters- from past to present- we unravel the secrets of Wild Meadows. While enduring the rath of Miss Fairchild, the three foster sisters grow to be as close as siblings. Jessica, Norah, and Alicia learned to deal with their situation by leaning on one another. But when the situation becomes dire they must put a stop to it.

Fast forward- now the the three girls are adults and have put Wild Meadows behind them. Or so they thought. A body has been found beneath their childhood home. And perhaps they know more than they let on.
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Overall I enjoyed this one. I did find it hard to keep the timelines and different girls straight. I was also a bit confused by the therapist entries within the chapters- although this was explained in the end.

I've read two other books by Sally Hepworth, and this was by far my favorite!

Darling Girls is about 3 "sisters" who grew up together in foster care in the home of their emotionally and verbally abusive caregiver, Ms. Fairchild. They remain close as adults, helping each other cope with the trauma of their childhood, but their worlds are rocked when bones are discovered at their former home, leading them to be roped into a police investigation that explores their past. I especially enjoyed the twist at the end, that I wasn't able to guess in advance (unusual for me)!

Read this is you enjoy:
*Thrillers/suspense
*Strong female protagonists
*Surprise endings
*Dual timelines
*Multiple POVs
*LGBTQ representation

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for e-book and audiobook copies to review in exchange for my opinion.

This is my second Sally Hepworth novel and she is officially a favorite for me. Both of her novels have kept me on the edge of ny seat. “Darling Girls” centers around three foster sisters and their shared trauma. I loved reading about the sisters lives, eventually leading up to the insane final twist. I had the pleasure of both reading and listening to this novel and the narration was fantastic! I typically prefer to read but the audio for this one added so much character to the story. I definitely recommend “Darling Girls” to all psychological thriller fans, 4⭐️

Thank you to St Martin’s Press for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy of this title via NetGalley.

Compelling story of women who spent a few years in a foster home, and the unraveling of a mystery while they were there. The "twists" were pretty easy to figure out but the journey was fun and the story a quick and exciting read. This was not my favorite of hers, but it is up near the top!

I'm normally a huge sally hepworth fan but this was didnt do it for me. It was difficult to read about the child abuse. I like her writing style and short chapters, i just couldnt get past the subject matter on this one.

My third Sally Hepworth book, and my favorite so far! I loved how the book had so many different perspectives - four narrators and two different time periods. Jessica, Norah, and Alicia were all likeable characters that I was rooting for. There were several twists along the way, including a great one at the end. It was difficult to read about the abuse they endured from Miss Fairchild.

This book was so good! I would consider this one of her best! Highly recommend this twisty-turny book!

Thank you St. Martin's Press for my free ARC of Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth — available Apr 23 in the US!

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia grew up together as the foster daughters of Miss Fairchild, on a idyllic farm with everything they could want for. Except for, you know, happiness. Because Miss Fairchild was not as loving as she seemed to everyone else. Now, as adults, the girls are getting calls from the police investigating a possible murder on their foster farm — what secrets are they hiding?

This one was, unfortunately, not for me. I didn't build a connection to any of the characters, and I felt that much of the book used trauma and abuse as a shortcut to an actual narrative. I don't enjoy reading about the abuse of children, especially when it reinforces the stereotype that all fostered and adopted children have terrible, sadistic adults in their lives.

Aside from my personal aversions, I think others will enjoy this read because it is twisty and engaging, and there is nothing objectively wrong with it. So pick it up if you're interested, but please keep in mind that not all foster stories are based on physical and emotional violence.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

I always generally enjoy Sally Hepworth books. This one fell right in the middle for me! The story follows three foster sisters who are now adults and bones have been discovered under their old foster home whom they shared with a basically psychotic foster mother. The story held my interest throughout, I really enjoyed the personalities of the three sisters (all so different, but intriguing and unique) along with the different POVs (past, present and a mystery POV). I heard the ending was super shocking and while it was, it didn’t blow me away as I expected it to so that was a minor let down. The content is a little darker than Sally’s other books, but I enjoyed this book. I will continue to read anything that she writes.

This book started out strong and just kept getting better and better.

Three foster girls returned to town after bones were found behind the home they lived. With then and now chapters the story unfolds of this house of horrors and the girls who survived.

The creepy factor was strong and Miss Fairchild played her role as the Barbie wannabe foster mom with an evil streak.

The slow burn setup made my imagination run wild. Sally Hepworth masterfully delivered a jaw dropping, didn’t see that coming, ending.

Three girls were separately sent to a group home run by Miss Fairchild. Constantly told by everyone how lucky they are to be placed there, the girls feel anything but. Miss Fairchild’s form of abuse is far sneakier and messed up than anyone knows. They escaped her physically, but mentally allowed her to shape their future lives. When a body is found under the house twenty years later, everything they thought they knew gets thrown out the window.
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💭Thoughts💭
I always expect Sally Hepworth’s books to be a bit more thrilling, but they are really a slow burn. I liked the characters a lot and the bond that they formed as chosen sisters. I did feel like it was a bit disjointed at times, but overall thought it was good storytelling.
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⌛️Favorite Moment⌛️
Norah was hysterical. Even though she had raging anger issues, her point of view and quick comebacks had me laughing.

Trigger Warning: Child abuse, sexual violence against children, sexual exploitation of an adult.

Darling Girls follows 3 adult women as they revisit their time under the care of their foster parent, Miss Fairchild. I loved the bond between the sisters and the depiction of how their childhood was still impacting their lives as adults. The perspective changes between then 3 women and the timeline changes between past and present. This when combined with a twisting storyline made this book hard to put down. This is such an engrossing book with a very unexpected final chapter. Overall I really enjoyed this book but be sure to check TWs to ensure it’s right for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this captivating ARC!

ARC REVIEW

Darling Girls
BY Sally Hepworth

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Publishing date: 4/23/24

GOODREADS SUMMARY:

For as long as they can remember, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia have been told how lucky they are. As young girls, they were rescued from family tragedies and raised by a loving foster mother, Miss Fairchild, on an idyllic farming estate and given an elusive second chance at a happy family life.

But their childhood wasn’t the fairy tale everyone thinks it was. Miss Fairchild had rules. Miss Fairchild could be unpredictable. And Miss Fairchild was never, ever to be crossed. In a moment of desperation, the three broke away from Miss Fairchild and thought they were free. Even though they never saw her again, she was always somewhere in the shadows of their minds. When a body is discovered under the home they grew up in, the foster sisters find themselves thrust into the spotlight as key witnesses. Or are they prime suspects?

REVIEW : It sucked me in from the very beginning! Really really good book that kept me wanting to know more.

The story unfolds from the viewpoints of Jessica, Norah, and Alicia. As the reader, we experience their childhoods under the care of Miss Fairchild but also as the investigation of the unknown body unfolds in the present day.

I couldn't give it 5 stars because when the twist was revealed, I was a liiiiiiitle bit confused. I actually had to write somethings down to help make sense of what I was reading. After it clicked, I thought, "Oh wow, nice twist!" 🤣

I recommend this one! Entertaining and suspenseful for sure!pick this one up next month and add it to your tbr 🙂

THANK YOU @stmartinspress and @netgalley for the opportunity to read this one early!

This was a solid 4-4.5 stars.

Described as a thriller/mystery thriller, I would consider it on the lighter side for a thriller, more like a contemporary women's fiction psychological mystery!

When a body is discovered under a former foster home during demolition, the discovery is jarring, mentally taxing, and emotionally damaging for a trio of foster sisters. Dragged back to the site of their abusive childhood, the memories seem to open a Pandora's box as the police try and figure out exactly who the bones represent. A story within a story unfolds and you won't see the ending coming!

My most favorite thing about this book is the found family story line that's the backbone of the whole tale. Most mystery/suspense/thrillers don't have a happy ending but this most definitely does and I LOVE that about this story. I really enjoyed getting to know Norah, Alicia, and Jessica and I was rooting for them the whole way through. The pacing was perfect, the reveals pertinent and attention grabbing and I stayed glued to the pages till the very end. The ending was certainly an exclamation point!

Will definitely read this author again!

An exceptionally crafted psychological mystery about three sisters growing up in foster care. As adults the sisters are summoned back to their childhood home and forced to wade through their traumatic past. This book kept my guessing until the bitter end! Hepworth did a fantastic job of weaving the characters lives together to build suspense. I appreciated the multiple points of view.

This was my first Sally Hepworth book and it won't be my last.