Darling Girls had the potential to be a great thriller but had a few flaws. I enjoyed the portrayal of the three sisters—Jessica, Norah, and Alicia—and how their unique personalities were revealed through the various chapters from their perspectives. The nonlinear timeline was effective in showing how childhood trauma shaped them into the women they became. However, the story's tension was uneven; key plot points emerged abruptly, while less significant aspects were developed too slowly. The supporting characters were static, serving only one specific roles. Additionally, the ending felt rushed and icky. Overall, it's a fast-paced book that thriller readers will find enjoyable.

Hepworth’s best book yet! The pacing was perfect and the story was intriguing. Thank you to the publisher for a free copy in exchange for a review.

Loved, loved, loved! So well done. This book was hard to put down. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I had so many theories and I learned I would not make a good detective, ha!

Wow! What a ride! The plot was interesting and I loved the development of each characters’ storylines. It kept me guessing until the very end and I felt so investing in getting justice for the sisters. It was nicely paced and the multiple timelines allowed for the reader to slowly learn information leading to the ending, which tied up the threads perfectly.

This is a domestic thriller with serious trigger warnings, going into the dirty underbelly of the foster system and a LOT of child abuse, told in three POVs and two timelines. Although I usually love Sally Hepworth, I did not like this one, I thought it was kind of boring and had to constantly fight against myself to bring my attention back to the book. There was no real distinction between the different characters, which made it hard to know which POV we were in, and they all felt kind of flat. The "shocking" ending was borderline insulting. So, I think it's safe to say this one was not for me, but I have read many amazing reviews for this book so don't let mine deter you from picking this up!
I received an advance copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book was so good! I liked the multiple points of view. I did not guess the twist at the end! This is my first book by Sally Hepworth and it won’t be my last!

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for my eARC of Darling Girls in exchange for my honest review!

This was my first Sally Hepworth novel, though I have seen her books countless times I just had never gotten around to read any. Oh, how I can say I regret that now! I absolutely love the lyricism of her writing and her attention to detail is incredible. Her characters come to life on the pages and the story is gripping and emotional.

This story follows three foster girls: Jessica, Norah, and Alicia. They’re under the care of Miss Fairchild at her home called Wild Meadows. We are bounced around from the past, when each were placed at the home, events while they lived there, and to the present when they’re all contacted about human remains found under the house after it was sold and torn down. The dual timelines kept the story fresh and interesting, and the twists were incredible and well written.

I absolutely loved this book!

Sally Hepworth has done it again! She created a twisty story with unexpected turns. Wonderful writing. I was hooked and loved this book!

This is the first book I’ve really enjoyed in a while! The book focuses on three sisters who met in a bad foster care situation and as adults they are contacted that there’s a body under the foster house they met in. I really enjoy the three lead characters and hearing about each of their personal journeys. The book kept me entertained through out and waiting til the end to see the outcome. Overall it was a great read!

This book was as twisty as it was heartbreaking. Stories about the foster system typically infuriate me, and this one was no different. Hepworth did a fantastic job crafting not only a strong storyline but a great lineup of characters. I loved learning about Jessica, Norah, and Alicia, and I enjoyed unpacking their shared trauma. It was both painful and rewarding. The Mrs. Fairchild character, though, is the real treat, a character that you love hating and just can't wait to see them get theirs!

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth pulled me from the very first page and catapulted me through the lives of three adults who bonded over being in the same toxic care home run by Miss Fairchild. Sisters for life they are brought back to the home after bones of a small child are discovered on the property. Finger pointing and blame starts and each women navigates their traumatic pasts and present while searching for answers. A definite 5 star

Sally Hepworth hits it out of the park again with this one. I was hooked from the very beginning. The slow burn suspense is action packed enough to keep you reeled in from the start. It twist and turns are what you crave this novel is jam packed with them. Although the book was a bit predictable at times the ending blew me out of the water and I did not see it coming!

This was a quick read by a fantastic author and I'm glad I was able to read it! Foster children/families are something close to my heart, as I have a close friend who actually established a camp to reunite foster kids with their biological and foster siblings. She also adopted a daughter that she fostered and continues to foster babies still to this day. Foster families/parents can be amazing for a child, or they can be a nightmare, as it was in this book!

This book starts with us getting introduced to the main characters one by one as they are contacted by police because a body of a child is found buried under the home where they all lived as foster kids, with Miss Fairchild. We meet Jessica, the first one adopted by Miss Fairchild, who is wound up as tight as a top. We are introduced to Norah, who is the second one adopted, and the one in continually gets into trouble for her use of violence to solve problems. Finally we are introduced to Alicia, who was the third child fostered, and who has unresolved issues with her self-worth. The three of them are trying to determine whether the last child they knew there, Amy, is the child buried under the house. Facing all of the unresolved issues from their childhoods and fear that Amy's dead is only the beginning, as they then need to face Miss Fairchild herself which is no easy feat!

There are many twists and turns throughout the book and they keep you guessing about what really happened to these girls, especially Amy. The end may surprise you.

This was a slow burn that deals with a very difficult subject matter in a delicate way. Don't be fooled by the slow burn because it builds up into a raging fire that will have you saying what did I just read. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my review.

I really enjoyed this one! The different perspectives added to the storyline and I liked how it jumped around in timeline!

Ms. Hepworth gives us everything we love about thrillers — dark story line, twists and turns, characters we love as well as those we love to hate, and a story line that draws us in. She also provides more than we expect— some humor with laugh out loud moments, a time line that keeps us guessing, and a sibling dynamic that is so powerful! A enjoyable read from start to finish. Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press for providing me with an ARC.

Darling Girls was such a compelling read from start to finish. Once the sisters arrived in their hometown, the story really picked up speed. While learning about how their bonds began and progressed over their time with Miss Fairchild was interesting, it was nice to already have present day knowledge that they were still close. The ending was such a twist! I was not prepared for the direction it took.

I have always enjoyed Sally Hepworth's books and this one was no exception. Told in her classic style, the book is very readable, leaves you unsure where it is going, but isn't too over the top (unlike some thrillers out there these days). Highly recommend!

8/10. Holy moly, was this book intense. I was on pins and needles the entire time waiting for something to happen. It was more a slow build of anxiety that made you really feel for Jessica, Norah, and Alicia, but also respect and be amazed at the bonds they were able to create despite their upbringing. I'd classify it more as women/literary fiction rather than a thriller because of that.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

I didn't know what to expect with Darling Girls, but I knew it was going to be a wild ride because of Sally Hepworth! In past books Hepworth has always had me second guessing what was going on all the way until the end.

Darling Girls is about the foster system and what a couple of girls/women had to go through with their foster mom. It's about how family doesn't have to be blood related, but whoever always has your back. While this wasn't as fast paced as I would have liked, I did enjoy the storyline and the last 50 or so pages were phenomenal!!