If I could give Darling Girls TEN stars instead of five, I absolutely would! This is easily one of my favorite books of 2023.

I’ve read several of Ms. Hepworth’s previous novels, and while I liked them, I didn’t love them. Darling Girls was a total LOVE for me, though!

I loved both the characters and the plot. The three protagonists were really compelling, as was Miss Fairchild. If you have any experience dealing with narcissistic people, especially narcissistic maternal figures, you’ll know how eerily well Miss Fairchild was written. Her character continued to horrify and surprise me throughout the novel, right down to the very last page.

What a fascinating, twisty-turny read!

Wow! Talk about a good book. Sally Hepworth's books are always so well written and keep your interest, but this one had me thinking about it days after reading.

This book was ok but probably the least compelling Sally Hepworth book I've read. The plot was just not that interesting and the twist at the end wasn't exciting to me. Maybe there were too many characters for Hepworth to try to build. Also, I know it was a review copy but there was an absurd amount of typos... many of them that actually affected the way you read a sentence or the meaning of a sentence. I have read quite a few review copies and have never seen typos to this level.

Wow, this book was even better than I was expecting! It had me hooked from the beginning, and kept getting better and better as I got further into it. The ending was really great! I can't wait to read more from this author!

Sally Hepworth's upcoming release, "Darling Girls," is a domestic thriller that's perfect for spring break escapades, keeping readers on the edge of their seats with its gripping plot and clever narrative structure. I devoured this book in only a few days and was really impressed with the sneaky way Hepworth wrapped this one up.

One of the standout features of "Darling Girls" is its pacing, thanks in no small part to the quick chapters that invite readers to devour just one more page, then another, until suddenly they've read half the book in one sitting. Hepworth skillfully uses this technique to create an almost addictive quality to the narrative, making it difficult to put the book down.

The narrative style of alternating between past and present, adds depth to the storytelling. This technique offers readers a multi-layered perspective on the characters, allowing us to understand their motivations, traumas and secrets. It's a testament to the author's skill that these transitions are seamless and never disrupt the flow of the story.

What I loved most about "Darling Girls" was how Hepworth constantly kept me on my toes. Every time I thought I had the plot figured out, she introduced a new detail or twist that threw my assumptions into disarray. The story is a tapestry of secrets, lies, and unexpected revelations, making it impossible to predict the outcome. This unpredictability is what might arguably make this Hepworth's best book yet.

As for the ending, it was a revelation I never saw coming. As I made my way to the final pages, I was initially disappointed by the ending...but that final reveal....woah.

Sally Hepworth has once again proven herself as a skilled storyteller, and "Darling Girls" is sure to captivate readers looking for a thrilling escape.

Sally Hepworth tells a unique, dark, and twisty story about three foster sisters that grew up in a cruel foster home, with the ironic name of Wild Meadows. An investigation is opened due to bones found beneath the girls old foster home and all three of them are called back to their hometown for questioning. You are taken along on their journey of remembrance, where they re-live all of their worst nightmares from 25 years ago.

While it takes a bit to get into this book as it alternates between 4 different view points as well as jumps between past and present, once you've got the rhythm of it you'll be hooked. This book is dark and involves child abuse, so should come with a trigger warning.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

The book was a quick read. I was hooked from the first few pages and it kept my attention. Highly recommend.

This was a good psychological thriller for someone who is new to the genre. It was a fast paced and engaging story. The book centers around 3 women who all grew up in foster care together and the lasting impact their foster mother had on them. When human remains are found buried at the site of their former foster home the women travel back to their hometown and face their past. Full of twisty turns and interesting characters, I was hooked right away. It should be known there is significant abuse of children depicted in this book which made it at times difficult to read

Sally Hepworth always provides a page turner. This one felt a little stale, however. The story did not seem unique or fresh and was fairly predictable.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the opportunity to read this! This book was fantastic. It was my first by Sally Hepworth, but definitely will not be my last. I now want to binge anything she's ever written!

The story follows three adult women who became sisters while spending time with the same foster mother in their youth. When bones are discovered under the house they spent time in, the girls recount their terrible experience with Miss Fairchild, wondering who the body could belong to and how it got there.

This is a story that gets you caught up in the past and present, and delivers a shocking epilogue. Each chapter keeps you hooked and wanting to read more!

Another great psychological thriller from Sally Hepworth.
Jessica, Norah, and Alicia lived in a foster home called Wild Meadows with their foster mother Miss Fairchild when they were children. Miss Fairchild was a very strict and, at times, cruel person. The girls manage to get away from her. Or so they think. Now, some decades later, they all get phone calls from the police saying that bones are discovered under the house. This brings them back to the little town and the woman they were trying to escape.

This story has a lot of twists and turns. And the end will leave you gasping! Darling Girls is definitely a book I will recommend at the library.

A story that pulls you right it. Your heart hurts for the characters. A mystery that I didn't see coming, tying in clues throughout the story. A wonderful read. Another grand slam by Hepworth!

Sally Hepworth has become one of my must-read authors, so I was thrilled when I got the chance to read her newest novel and owe a huge thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I have to say the synopsis of this one did not particularly excite me, and I actually worried that I wouldn't like it. It features three women who grew up together in a foster home run by a horrible woman. They have stayed far away from this place as adults until they are called back for questioning because human bones have been discovered underneath the house. Foster care is not my favorite subject to read about, but like I said, I will read anything Hepworth writes, so I started reading it as soon as it finished downloading. And I am so glad I did, as it was an excellent read.

The story is told from the perspectives of each of the sisters, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia, set both in the present and in the past. This was done perfectly, as it shows what each of them went through as children and what has led to the issues they each deal with now as adults. It also has chapters with an unknown woman as she meets with a therapist and tells her own traumatic story. In the present, the sisters are meeting with detectives and helping to unravel the mystery of who the bones could possibly be, and who put them there. I did figure a few things out ahead of time, but there were still surprises, especially the very last chapter. Parts of it are heart breaking.

As I said, it is so well written, and has me wondering why on earth I worried that I wouldn't like it. I would say it's one of Hepworth's best yet, and I can not wait to read what she writes next.

Absolutely love everything about this book. Loved the alternating between past and present and as well as the multiple points of view. The plot was so fast pace and suspenseful and truly kept me guessing up into the very end.

I know this was supposed to be a murder mystery book but these girls were FUNNY. I found myself chuckling multiple times. This was my first Sally Hepworth book and I will absolutely be reading more.

Thank You to St. Martin's Press for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. I will be recommending this book to all my friends once this is released.

Darling Girl by Sally Hepworth

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eGalley book to read and review.

Three young girls living together on a farm with foster mother, Miss Fairchild. These three young girls form a sisterly bond that continues throughout the years. One has a bit of OCD, one has some anger issues and the other has some serious low self esteem issues. Miss Fairchild, isn’t the sweet loving foster mom you might expect.

A mystery/thriller full of twists and turns. Overall it was a decent read, but at times certain statements or actions of various characters felt lame. There is child abuse in this so do be aware of that. The ending took me by surprise and I love when an author can do this, so I elevated my 3.5 rating to 4. I’ve read many books by this author.

The foster care system is broken and desperately needs to be fixed. Children do fall through the cracks and this is so sad and unfortunate.

A clever ending for otherwise weak book

I expect more from Sally Hepworth. Even with "dysfunctional sisters, criminal charges and a monster of a former foster mother," this book failed to hold my interest.

The characters and plot fell flat. I typically enjoy reading books about sisters, but I never felt the strong sisterly bond Jessica, Norah & Alicia were supposed to share. All three of these characters were unreliable narrators who were irritating and annoying.

Holly Fairchild reminded me of Miss Hannigan. I got the sense she was fostering simply for the money.

The sections with the psychiatrist were the best parts, especially when I figured out which character was his patient.

After reading the acknowledgement, I understood what Hepworth was trying to do but unfortunately it didn't happen in the pages of the book. The bulk of the book would benefit from a strong edit.

This honest review is in exchange for the digital arc.

first, i would love to express my deepest thank you's to netgalley & st. martin's press for the electronic advanced readers copy. this book was available to read for everyone and i wanted to read it! i heard loads of good things about sally hepworth's work, so an e-arc was my first book to read from her.

my thoughts and opinions?
-4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ for the plot/storyline idea
-3 ⭐⭐⭐ for the format and grammatical issues

since we are in the fall season/halloween type of vibe, i knew i wanted to read "darling girls"! i heard super duper good things about "the younger wife", so i did not come into this book with much expectations. but wow! i love how hepworth tackled an important issue/topic in today's world.

to give a general idea, the main premise about the book is how it talks on the issues of the foster care system. it sheds light on the actual reality that happens to most people. surprisingly, the book was very emotional since you get chapters of the three main characters when they were children to chapters of them in the present. you find yourself rooting for jessica, norah, and alicia; and hating on miss fairchild (she is the worst!). but it also has elements of "you shouldn't believe what anyone says, keep an open mind." it also tackles serious/heavy topics that the readers should proceed with caution.

i love the bond that jessica, norah, and alicia have with each other. they grown up in the same foster home and stuck by each other like peas in a pod. from the cute, heartfelt moments that the three of them had, i thought it was so adorable that they cared for one another. i love how hepworth showed that there is another definition to what sisters/brothers mean. of course it means blood-related, but having people who love and support you can also be called sisters/brothers.

the reason why this is rated around 3.5-4.0 stars (around the middle) was due to the grammatical and spelling errors. however, this is long due to be published so i think it will pretty sure be fixed by late april. i don't think it is anything to be concerned about, but i was getting confused on what word hepworth meant by the spelling error.

i also want to talk about the plot twist. there were many plot twists and i feel like if you are an avid mystery thriller reader, you can catch up and figure it out quickly. i thought it was a author writing error, but i was able to pin the two together and said, "Ohhh, that makes much more sense." it's not predictable by any means, but go with your instinct if you were to guess.

overall, no complaints! the most important takeaway i got out of reading this book is that there needs to be reform and change in the foster care system. thank you, sally hepworth, for your creative mind into writing "darling girls"! once again, thank you to negalley and st. martin's press for the e-arc!

if you are interested, book is set to published on april 23rd, 2024! 💗

One hellllll of a ride ! Captivated start to finish. Beautifully written with all the twist and feels. Loved every second of this book and I truly think the execution was done beautifully on the plot development and characters !!!

I absolutely loved this Sally Hepworth book! It had me hooked on every page, often keeping me up late at night.

The story provides a powerful portrayal of the long-lasting impact of growing up with an abusive and narcissistic foster parent or parent. Miss Fairchild's character is brilliantly explored, highlighting her manipulative tendencies. I highly recommend this book for its abundant twists and turns.

I stayed up late reading it, and the ending was incredibly satisfying.

Huge thanks to St. Martin's Press, NetGalley, and the author for providing me with an ARC of this book.

The publication date is set for April 23, 2024.

Well written and intriguing. I loved the relationship between the 3 sisters and how they had each others’ backs no matter what. The repercussions of mental/emotional abuse once in adulthood I thought was very well portrayed and described, but the fact that they had this forever connection I thought was so important and vital to their survival.

While much of the foster situation was intentionally disturbing, it was very well written and really well done. Miss Fairchild was a fantastic villain - I couldn’t stand her her which was the whole point. Each situation felt realistic and had me wanting to know what was going to happen next. I wouldn’t say it was super thriller-ish but it did have some good mystery and great character development. I really enjoyed it.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy do this book. All opinions are mine.