Sally Hepworth is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I took my time getting into this one, I was worried it was going to drag on, at first, but I was very wrong once I got out of the first few chapters. The last chapter really clinched it for me. Sally Hepworth is an automatic "add to TBR" for me.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publishers, and the author for the ARC of this boo

Oh! I just loved Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth! Tackling issues of foster children, their struggles and trauma, as well as the people in their lives which mold their personalities, good and bad. Excellent characters, deep sisterly bonds and full of twists and turns, this novel was great! Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the advance reading copy. All opinions are my own.

I went into this Hepworth novel blind, and it was the best decision. This is quite possibly my favorite book of hers yet. Chosen family, secrets, the many feelings and roles women play in each other's lives, with the added layer of the main characters being raised in foster care.

The story jumps back and forth between present day and their upbringing in foster care, leaving the reader itching to know just what life was like for these three young girls to have them avoiding the town they were raised for so long. So many important topics captured in these pages.

This was a fast-paced suspense with plenty of twists and turns! The story is centered around three women who grew up at the same dysfunctional foster home and bonded as sisters. When bones are recovered from the site of their childhood foster home, they come together to get to the bottom of the mystery, and gear up to face their old demons again.

Really enjoyed the surprises in this one and looking forward to reading more of Ms Hepworth's works. Highly recommend - great weekend cabin reading!

There girls find themselves in a foster home together. Their horrific experience at Wild Meadows bonds them like sisters. Years later a body is found at their former home and things begin to unravel.

Sally Hepworth is an automatic read for me. She does psychological thrillers without being too creepy or disturbing. This one follows suit. I ended the book with a literal “STFU.” My jaw dropped. Some of the twists along the way were pretty predictable. Some were not. The ending was 🤌. Whether the twists were predictable or not I was fully invested and HAD to know how the unraveling left our MCs.
I do think it’s worth putting on your TBR. It’s never too early to put it on hold. 😘
This book comes out April 2024 and it’ll be a great kick off for summer thriller season. PS that’s not a thing. I just made it up.

Thanks to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the ARC. I absolutely devoured it!

Spice level: 🌶️/5

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for an arc in exchange for my honest opinions.

Publication: April 23, 2024

Rating: 5 stars!

Wow! This book was binge-worthy! It felt like those true crime mini series on Netflix, where as soon as the episode was over you clicked "Next" and before you know it, you finished the entire series in two days. That was this book! Run, do not walk to preorder! I'm still at a loss for words.

TW: child abuse (emotional/psychological), PTSD, addiction

Perfect for fans of:
- True crime
- Psychological thriller
- Mystery
- Fast paced
- No loose ends
- Twists
- Gasping when you get to twists
- Ashley Winstead, Alice Feeney

Not all sisters are bonded by blood, some ties are even stronger. That’s true for Jessica, Nora, and Alicia. Once foster sisters, now bonded for life after sharing unthinkable traumatic experiences at the hands of their foster mother, Miss Fairchild.

The girls are now grown and being forced to relive their previous experiences at Miss Fairchild’s farm, Wild Meadows in Port Agatha, when human remains are discovered and answers are being demanded.

This gripping novel travels between past in present while sharing multiple point of views. The characters were well developed and easy to connect with. I found myself routing for Jessica, Nora, and Alicia and completely baffled by the narcissistic behavior and manipulative abilities of Miss Fairchild.

I stayed glued to this dark and heartbreaking story from beginning to end and will definitely be on the lookout for more Sally Hepworth reads!

Bonus points for cute dogs!

From the outside, Alicia, Jessica and Norah might seem like ordinary women you'd meet on the street any day of the week. Sure, Jessica has a little OCD and Norah has some anger issues. And Alicia has low self-esteem that manifests itself in surprising ways. But these three have a bond that no one can fully understand. It's a bond that takes them back decades, to when they were girls, and they lived on a farm with a foster mother named Miss Fairchild. 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 they thought they were free. But the reach of someone with such power is long, and even though they never saw her again, she was always somewhere in the shadows of their minds. When bones are discovered buried under the farmhouse of their childhood, they are called in by the police to tell what they know. Against their will, they are brought back to the past, and to Miss Fairchild herself.

Hepworth's writing is a true standout in this genre. Her ability to create characters that are both deeply flawed and entirely relatable is nothing short of remarkable. The story revolves around the relationship between three sisters, and as the layers of their shared history are peeled back, we are given a front-row seat to their joys, their struggles, and their darkest secrets. The characters' struggles with identity, forgiveness, and the consequences of their actions resonate deeply, making this a story that lingers in your thoughts long after you've finished reading. The pacing is near perfect, with each revelation serving as a breadcrumb that leads to the next, and the tension building steadily as the mysteries unfold.

I gave this novel a four star rating. It was a compelling exploration of the intricacies of sisterhood, wrapped in a suspenseful narrative that keeps you hooked from the very first page. With complex characters and a storyline filled with unexpected twists and turns, this novel is a shining example of contemporary family drama. It's a book that not only entertains but also prompts introspection.

A special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital reviewer copy of this suspenseful read in exchange for my honest thoughts.

One word, amazing! From the very beginning I was captivated. Jessica, Alicia, and Norah were all portrayed so well as being raised within the foster care system. Their personal issues were very well thought out and shown throughout the entire book. Miss Fairchild was a force and kept things very interesting. Kept me guessing the whole way to the end.

Once again, Sally Hepworth wrapped her fingers into me and didn’t let go until I finished this book. What a great story about the sad state of fostering. Although this story took place in Australia, the US is also in bad shape sometimes. I know there are good people that foster, but unfortunately there are bad also. Loved this book and I loved the last twist. Thank you to Netgalley, as always for an early read.

I can’t believe I am giving a Sally Hempworth novel only two stars, well maybe 2.5. I got about halfway through this book and considered not finishing it. I kept going, and when I got to about the 70% mark things did pick up. However, after that, thanks went downhill again for me. The “sisters“ started getting on my nerves, and I really did not connect with any of them other than Jessica, maybe. The last 5% of the book had my head spinning. I didn’t quite understand what was going on, and when I finally did, it left me irritated. I think the same shocking ending could’ve been accomplished without the book being quite as drawn out as it was with the “sisters” and their ventures trying to figure out what happened to Amy. I honestly wouldn’t recommend this book at all.

This was an excellent thriller that kept me guessing the whole time! It was unexpected and fresh. I would definitely recommend this book!

This is my first, but hopefully not last book by this author. It was quick to grab my interest and kept it the whole way though, which can be hard with multiple timelines and POV’s happening at once. Characters were captivating and the character development was great. Would recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you St. Martins Press for the ARC of Sally Hepworth's Darling Girls.

What a RIDE. I loved all of the characters in this book, even if it was to love to hate them. They were all nuanced and fleshed out perfectly. The story was fast-paced and I could not put it down.

If you are looking for a twisty, shocker of a novel, look no further. Another win for Sally Hepworth!

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia became sisters in foster care. However, is their strong bond due to more than just similar circumstance, or a much deeper trauma?

***

I feel like Hepworth took a bit of a swerve on this one, and I really enjoyed it. As an author that has cornered a piece of the family drama / slow thriller genre, I really appreciate she was able to take that expertise and apply it to what felt like a very different type of plot! It was also perfectly paced, which is not something I always feel for her novels.

Jessica is the most fleshed out character of the three sisters, as we get more time with her, and she gets more time with Miss Fairchild, however, I still really enjoyed Norah's character. The only character that fell sort of flat for me was Alicia. I love her work stuff, but her personal life felt a little weirdly forced. That is a really small bone to pick. Miss Fairchild is also incredibly interesting, and I found how the story wrapped up wholly satisfying.

Definitely one of the best Hepworth books to date. Would definitely recommend if you are a fan of hers, especially The Good Sister. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance copy in exchange for this honest review.

4.5 stars!
I always love reading Sally Hepworth’s new books! Like all the others, this one had me reading in the middle of the night because I was hooked. She keeps the suspense and surprises going until the very end! Special thanks for this ARC to the publishers, NetGalley, and of course, Sally.

I always enjoy how Sally Hepworth gradually spins out a tale with multiple narrators and timelines. This one is equally windy and and full of surprises. For me, it was also a rather hard read because of all the descriptions of foster child abuse, putting the dark in dark and twisty.

I'm always a huge fan of Sally Hepworth books and this one didn't disappoint! It wasn't my favourite of hers, I'm not quite sure why, but it still held my interest throughout the novel. The pace was a little bit slower, however the characters were well developed and we had some creepy twists in there that I didn't see coming.
I wasn't 100% sure how I feel about the ending...BUT, didn't make me like the book any less.
Always enjoy a good Sally Hepworth book and looking forward to her future ones!
Thank you for the ARC copy :)

I was utterly captivated by the book, and I owe my enchanting experience to my dear friend Marie, who shared this literary journey with me. The characters became my companions, their essence so palpable that I felt their every emotion. Just when I thought I had the plot figured out, the author masterfully deceived me, leaving me in awe and earning the story an imaginary Oscar in my heart.

The ending was a whirlwind of emotions, a perfect blend of surprise and satisfaction. I found myself both saddened and overjoyed as the main characters discovered each other and forged a remarkable friendship. Their bond was so genuine that even in the face of adversity, they stood together, proving that solidarity in tough times is the most profound testament to friendship.

Throughout the book, I was moved to tears and laughter, my heart swelling with a myriad of emotions. Sally Hepworth's storytelling prowess is commendable, weaving a tale so poignant and heartwarming that it left me profoundly grateful for the experience. Thank you, Sally Hepworth, for crafting a narrative that touched the depths of my soul and left me with a heart full of emotions and a mind brimming with admiration.

Anything Sally Hepworth writes I will give a chance. Her stories are consistently bing worthy and this one was no different. I started last night and didn't stop until now. I really love the genuine bond between the sisters and how they each handled their trauma as adults. Mrs. Fairchild was sufficiently awful and a satisfactory villain for this drama. I wouldn't term this as a thriller. Maybe a light psychological thriller. The plot is fast paced and the ending fit perfectly with the book. The only corrections I would recommend before the final print is heavy correction of spelling errors, punctuation errors, and grammatical errors. If you enjoy female led thrillers/mystery/drama I recommend this.
Thank you to Sally Hepworth and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.
3.5 stars