I hate to say it, but this was not an enjoyable read for me. Darling Girls tells the stories of three young women raised in a foster home with their horrible foster mother. The story rotates between past and present, with the present day search for the identity of human remains found under their old foster home.

Every time the story switched to the past, it was hard to read. It is quite heavy and details the abuse these young girls endured under the "care" of Miss Fairchild. I found it upsetting to read all the particular ways she abused them, both physically and emotionally. The reveals along the way weren't very surprising and ultimately didn't help to propel the story very much. I did enjoy how it ultimately wrapped up, but it just was not enough for me to appreciate the book. I've been seeing really great reviews and a high Goodreads rating for this one, but it was a huge miss in my opinion.

Trigger Warning: This book details instances of abuse and neglect of children in foster care. As a Social Worker myself, the portrayal of SWers that exist in books like this infuriate me but I was able to look past it for this story.

Norah, Jessica and Alicia are sisters in every sense of the word except biology. They grew up in what we come to learn is a house of horrors masquerading as a foster care placement. Many years later the girls get a call informing them a body was discovered when that house was torn down and now they are asked to come back to help figure out whose body it is. The book jumps between present day and the past revealing the answers to the mysterious body along with the traumas the girls suffered.

As with books, by Sally Hepworth, the male and female characters have depth. The plot moves along smoothly to the unexpected conclusion. I was not disappointed by this book.

This was a great book. I loved every paragraph, every sentence and every word of this masterpiece! I read it in 12 hours, which is a lot for me to do! It had everything and more laid out in the novel! I sure hope There is more to come from this author! I am totally hooked!

This was my first Sally Hepworth read and it did not disappoint! There were many twists in this domestic thriller, and I felt really connected to each of the three sisters. 5 stars, highly recommend for an exciting, fast-pasted, non-puttdownable read!

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This was such a fun book and I finished it in less than 12 hours. I could not put it down. I loved the sister dynamic in this book. Definitely look up triggers before reading this book, but for a thriller I would give it 5 ⭐️. Fantasy is my favorite genre so I don’t think it necessarily compares to a fantasy book, but it was one of the best thrillers I’ve read so far in my reading journey!

3.5 stars

Reviewing this book is a bit tricky for me. I've been a fan of Sally Hepworth since her first book, but I've had mixed feelings about some of her later works. So, I never really know what to expect. However, I finished this book in just a day and a half, which says a lot about how I felt about it. I was genuinely intrigued by the mystery and couldn't wait to see how it all played out.

I quickly connected with the three young girls, especially enjoying the backstory more than the present-day plot. Norah (with an h) was my favorite along with her three dogs. They added a nice touch of humor, although given the serious subject matter feels somewhat insensitive of me.

The story is told from the perspectives of each in both the past and present, with an additional mysterious narrative from an unknown character. While this added an interesting element, I did find the story to be a bit long-winded at times. As the book wrapped up, I had to suspend my disbelief and rethink some earlier parts, which left me feeling a bit disappointed with the ending.

Overall, this book touches on some sensitive topics that may require trigger warnings for some readers. However, to say what they are would feel like spoilers.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press for a digital ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Sally Hepworth is one of my favorite authors, so I was excited to dig into this book. This was a great story about the unconventional family of the three "sisters," the abuse they underwent as foster children by a narcissistic caregiver, and the effects they felt from it. And of course, my favorite part of any book is the twists, turns, and suspense. I definitely found myself thinking I was done reading for the time being, but kept reading one chapter more. I highly recommend this book!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley and author Sally Hepworth for this digital ARC to review.

I absolutely love Sally Hepworth. Every book she writes is compelling and a page turner. Will also read her books.

Wow!! What did I just read?! I couldn’t put this book down!! The characters were well developed and I found myself staying up way past my bedtime to finish it. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this incredible book! I will definitely be sharing it with all of my fellow book lovers!

Sally Hepworth does it again. She is an automatic read for me and there is a reason. She catches your attention right from the get go and the book flow by. So good. So interesting. Such good character development.

Good beginning, good ending. I don’t know if it’s just my mood was off but this took forever to get through the middle.

I’m a Hepworth fan and this was just ok for me. It wasn’t my fave, (that title goes to The Soulmate) but I’ll definitely be back for her next one. Shes worth a so-so book every now and then.

Btw, if you don’t follow her on social media, you should. She’s a hoot.

Thank you to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you’re looking for a thriller that’s told in a unique format, I think you would really enjoy this. You get two POVs, plus news articles and letters written by Ruby.

I got sucked into this one pretty early on, once I read the first letter by Ruby I was hooked. Although I don’t think this is really a “thriller”, more so a juicy, rich people family drama.

I really enjoyed Ruby as a character and loved the setting of the Blue Ridge Mountains in NC. Ashby house felt like another character in the book and I felt I could picture it perfectly.

The only thing I disliked was that it was pretty predictable and none of the twists or reveals blew me away, but I’d still recommend if you’re looking for a quick read about uncovering family secrets.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press.

I REALLY enjoyed this book. There were plenty of twists and turns that had actual substance to them. I genuinely cared about each character and couldn’t wait to get through to see what happened in the end. Definitely a binge worthy read!!

When I saw Sally Hepworth had a new book coming out, I immediately requested and received an ARC. This book didn’t disappoint. It drew me in from the first page. The twists at the end had me reeling! My heart went out to these girls in the foster care system.

Blown away! Every Sally Hepworth novel gets better and better! I was ready to discover what Ms.Fairchild's trauma was and this book did not disappoint. The girls were such a powerful force, I thought for sure I knew the ending but I was so wrong. I love a book that keeps me on my toes!

5 Stars for Darling Girls!

Sally Hepworth's Darling Girls is a thrilling and gripping novel centered around three women who are intricately connected through trauma and abuse. Jessica, Norah, and Alicia grew up in Wild Meadows with their foster mother Miss Fairchild, an overwhelming, abusive narcissist, who made their childhood a living hell. Now, over 25 years later, bones are found buried under Wild Meadows, and the foster sisters find themselves caught up in a whirlwind investigation.

Told through multiple POV's, between then and now, we the readers experience the psychological violence that Miss Fairchild inflicted on her "darling girls." This book captured me in a way that that I cannot explain. As a social worker who understands the complexities of the foster care system, my heart ached for every child that has suffered abuse at the hands of a system that is meant to protect them. This book is dark but Hepworth's storytelling is beautiful nonetheless.

TW: child abuse, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, and drug abuse.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced reader copy.

Jessica, Norah and Alicia are in the foster system, and Miss Fairchild is their foster mother. At first, all seems great, as she lives in a big farmhouse with a pool and horses in the backyard. It doesn't take long for the girls to figure out that Miss Fairchild isn't as nice as she seems and they begin to suffer abuse and gaslighting. Many years later, they each get a call from the police. There is a body that was discovered at the farmhouse, and they are brought in for questioning. Whose body was buried under the house and are the girls guilty? This was a quick read that I enjoyed but there are a lot of trigger warnings, including child abuse that was pretty graphic.

Thank you to @netgalley and @StMartinsPress for this ARC. Jessica, Norah and Alicia were all in foster care for various reasons and all soon taken to Miss Fairchild's estate. At first all seemed like a dream until.... Flash forward and the girls are now much older and still keep in touch. They were all contacted by a detective that told them the house was bulldozed for a fast food place and bones were found. The story starts to unravel. Hepworth always writes a good read and with a twist! #DarlingGirls #SallyHepworth #April2024 #StMartinsPress

Sally Hepworth is an auto-read for me at this point. Every new book I’m eagerly anticipating what story she crafts and the twists she takes.

Darling Girls is centered around three women who grew up as foster sisters, who bonded over the trauma they shared under a narcissistic, abusive foster mother. As such, this book won’t be for everyone.

I appreciated Hepworth’s research into the novel, speaking with those who went through the foster system and those who work in it.

The characters she created are each compelling on their own, as well as the dynamic between them. The story alternates from their past to the present, when new things are uncovered at the house of horrors they endured, and they’re forced to reconcile with their own buried truths.

A page turner for sure, this is one Hepworth’s fans and readers of psychological thrillers won’t want to miss.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press.