This might be my favorite Sally Hepworth book yet, and I've enjoyed all her books so far! I was hooked from the first page and couldn't put this down - I read it in a day.

I loved the balance of past / present chapters. Sometimes this can feel a little unbalanced or messy, but it was perfectly done in Darling Girls. Norah, Jessica, and Alicia were all well-rounded, 3 dimensional characters. They were all flawed yet still relatable. It was poignant to see how differently they each reacted to the trauma inflicted upon them, yet how loyal they remained to one another.

I saw the twist coming (summarizing to avoid spoilers), but I enjoyed the ride so much that it didn't matter. A satisfying domestic suspense novel that you won't be able to put down!

Thank you so much for the chance to read this ARC! I absolutely loved Darling Girls. It pulled me in quickly, was easy to follow the various character storylines and the twists and turns kept me hooked. I don’t know how I’ve missed Hepworth in the past but adding more of her novels to my To Be Read list now!

Jessica, Norah and Alicia grew up together in an abusive foster home and through their shared experiences, became close as sisters. Years later, a body is discovered under their old foster home and the three are brought in by the police for questioning.

I loved the short chapters and how the story alternated between past and present perspectives of all three MCs. The characters were very interesting, and the book kept me guessing throughout. Definitely recommend! Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the ARC in consideration for my honest review!

First off I loved the formatting of the chapters having all thrree characters POV. These chapters also switch from past and present. I do feel as the 'past' chapters were better and I got to know the characters form into who they are in the future. I also loved the bond the characters had, they have a lot to be upset about but they stuck together no matter what they went through and that carries into the future.

I was so into this story but something felt lacking because even though I enjoyed it i didnt LOVE it

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth is beautifully written book about the bond between “sisters” and what they would do for each other. Darling Girls follows Jessica, Norah, and Alicia as they navigate through the foster care system. 25 years ago they lived with Miss Fairchild at Wild Meadows in Port Agatha, Australia. 25 years later they are back in Port Agatha to answer questions about some bones found under the house at Wild Meadows. The sisters go from helping to be suspects in the death of a child. This book had me hooked from the first chapter and I couldn’t put it down. I love all of Sally Hepworth books and this one by far is my favorite. Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin’s Press for the advanced copy of the book.

Publication date: April 23rd, 2024
Page count: 368
Genre: psychological thriller
Setting: Port Agatha, Australia

Jessica, Norah and Alicia all ended up in Holly Fairchild’s Wild Meadows foster home. 25 years the home was demolished and bones were found under the home. Law enforcement reaches out to Jessica, Norah and Alicia and we learn about the childhood of the girls- the secrets from 25 years ago are revealed.

This intricately woven mystery kept me engaged, with layered character development as the twists and turns of the mystery unfold.

I will definitely continue to read books by this author!

Thank you to author, publisher, NetGalley for advanced copy. This is an honest voluntary review.

Like all of the Sally Hepworth books I’ve read, this book was incredibly hard to put down. Nevertheless, this was my least favorite of what I’ve read from the author, and I can’t even exactly put my finger on why.

It may be that this was far more of a drama than an actual mystery, we spend a lot of time in the past seeing our 3 protagonists being abused as foster children. Be sure to check content warnings.

I think perhaps aspects of this were too one-dimensional. The antagonist of the story was sort of reduced to a caricature of an evil foster parent. On top of that, I feel like things wrapped up a bit too perfectly in the end. Like, all the MCs suddenly had their problems and traumas totally addressed.

This was still entertaining to read, and I look forward to Hepworth’s future works.

Another twisty story from Sally! I will say this is slower than her other books, and a little more predictable. There were a couple bonus twists that make up for that though. And the characters were so good I was rooting for all the sisters the whole time. They were very well written. Even the villains were well done and I definitely was hooked to hear their stories. The first 25% was much slower than the rest of the book and from there it gets very interesting especially with the dual (triple?) timelines.
I could actually visualize all of this too so while it is a crazy story, none of it is all that far fetched which does make it a little scarier.

The last thing foster sisters Jessica, Norah, and Alicia want to do is to revisit Wild Meadows; the home where they all endured the abuse of their foster mother, Miss Fairchild. Until recently, they have managed to stay away from their old home. But when development has uncovered something buried in the basement, the three women are brought back to their old hometown and made to face their past.

This was so difficult to put down. The short chapters kept me wanting to just read one more…and maybe one more after that, etc. The story is told from different POVs across different timelines. The main focus is the POVs for the 3 foster children, both in present day and their time at Wild Meadows.

There were several mysteries sewn throughout the book, and you were kept guessing right to the end about some of them. There were a few twists that were unexpected for me, but they were also not surprising. Even though you knew the women all survived the abuse from Miss Fairchild, I found myself still holding my breath when it was happening.

There was not as much focus on the present day, which is fine, there didn’t need to be. It was interesting to see how all the women were affected from their time in foster care.
Definitely pick this one up if you want something you will breeze through because you can’t put it down!

Another winner by Sally Hepworth! The storyline, alternating points of view, and all of the unknowns kept me guessing all the way through! I liked getting to know the characters and seeing their growth as the story unfolded. Ms. Fairchild was a great villain and I enjoyed disliking her. 😆 If you like books with a twist- this is for you!

This book had the potential to be something really great! I loved the premise and was really excited about being drawn into this world, but I felt quite let down in the end.

The book felt really disjointed, like it was trying to connect and make sense, but it wasn't quite there. It felt like there were holes in the story that could have used some umph.

This book was so crazy good. It was hovering around four or 4.5 star rating until I read the very last bit. This was truly so good, but definitely full of triggers.

I loved each girl and the growth they had. I absolutely hated miss Fairchild, as is expected. I truly had no idea where the story would go. This is one of those books where I just read it and enjoyed it and wasn’t trying to get every possible outcome. I think this is my favorite Sally Hepworth book, aside from the good sister.

I definitely had some suspicions that were right on, but I stopped trying to guess everything because I was so immersed in the story.

Thank you for the ARC! It was truly mind blowing.

Does the past ever stay buried? Three girls grew up in an abusive narcissistic foster care home and are determined to move forward, live their lives, and leave the past behind.

Until buried bones are discovered and they are forced to confront their past.

A compelling look into the effects of trauma and narcissistic abuse, a theme that Hepworth excels at.

The multiple story lines keep you hooked and wanting to know the big reveal! Such a testament to the importance of kids feeling safe and loved - and the impact that makes on their futures. Thank you to St Martin’s Press, Net Galley and Sally Hepworth for the DRC. I’m a fan of Sally’s books and appreciate getting to read her newest book early.

First I would like to thank Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

WOW! I loved this book so much. This was my first Sally Hepworth novel and it didn’t disappoint. Jessica, Norah and Alicia were great characters and I loved following each of their stories. I found the bond between them so wonderful and so heartwarming in light of everything else that happened in the story.

I thought the twists in the book were great and a couple of them just came out of nowhere which I loved. The last chapter really surprised me. I figured there was going to be a surprise at the end but I didn’t predict that would be it. Overall, it was a page turner and I highly recommend it.

There is a trigger warning of child abuse but if you can get past that it is a fantastic read. It is a 4.5 star read rounded up to 5 for this review. #netgalley #darlinggirls

Wow!! A rollercoaster until the very end! An original storyline, interesting characters and so many twists -Darling Girls does not disappoint. This was a 2 day, didn’t want to put it down read., for me. Clear your schedule for this one.
Thank You to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Sally Hepworth for the opportunity to thoroughly enjoy this ARC.

Loved this book! The relationship between the sisters was beautiful - the way they were fiercely protective of one another after the growing up the way they did was incredible. I had a few theories of where this book would land and I couldn't have guessed the ending. Couldn't put this book down!

This was a powerful story about the bond these "sisters" made while growing up with Miss. Fairchild. While the child abuse theme was very prevalent in the story, I thought it was done in a respectful way, if that makes sense. Coming from an educational background, I know the power that trauma has on children growing up and how it affects their entire life, with and without help. I enjoyed reading about these sisters individual lives as adults in the present and love that Jess was the mama bear type to the other two girls. The weaving between present day while learning about the past in foster care with Miss Fairchild was done very well. It took me awhile to figure that Holly was the one discussing her past (even though it was a lie) to the doctor throughout the book. And did I see that last page or two coming? Absolutely not. That is the type of thriller/crime book that I like to read. Bravo! Thank you again for the advanced copy!

3 1/2 stars. I really liked the story, it was a fun read with the chapters from different views and a different time. The end twist was a little disapointing but I did enjoy the book.

Darling Girls is my second Sally Hepworth novel, and my response is a mixed bag of grief and dislike. Hepworth creates a sad and frightening image of foster homes and children who exist within the foster system. Her central characters are 3 girls, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia, who bond as a way to escape their brutal foster home and the psychotic Miss Fairchild, who mothers them. These 3 girls become symbiotic sisters, who are connected not by blood but by experience.

The author's note at the end of Darling Girls reveals the research that the author completed before writing this novel. Hepworth is adept at creating a picture of horror and devastation, and as such, the ending is problematic. Throughout Darling Girls, readers experience a childhood marked by misery and abuse. And yet, within less than a year, the epilogue relates how all 3 girls have managed to salvage their lives, having erased the previous 25 years, which are best defined as dysfunctional. The ending for Jessica, Norah, and Alicia is too easy. And as for Miss Fairchild, who can only be described as psychotic, her ending is supposed to both excite and scare readers. Is her ending also a lie? Should readers believe nothing of what they have read? Darling Girls does not need happy endings or a psychotic ending. This novel was too good for easy endings.

I want to thank the author, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I am glad I read this novel, as will other readers, who will likely argue about the ending, as have I.