This book was amazing I could not put it down. The characters are very detailed and you feel like you are a part of the book

Sally Hepworth has never let me down! This book was multifaceted with many different layers of plot. Darling Girls is focused on three women who spend defining years of their childhood together in a foster home. Twenty-five years later, they receive a phone call from a detective about a discovery of human remains underneath the house that they grew up in. The women decide to go together as best friends/sisters back to the home that traumatized them to uncover lingering secrets of their past.

I loved how the story was told and how it went deeply into the personal lives of the main characters. The author does such a good job of not overshadowing any of the characters. I felt like I could feel the beautiful connection of the women through the pages of the book. Oftentimes, when I read Thrillers, I get so annoyed that authors care too much about making the plot “twisty” and “riveting” that they don’t put enough thought into character development, but I have never had that problem with Sally Hepworth. I love how I can tell that she puts so much thought into how she would write the story, but never overdoes it.

This book was so eerie and ominous that it was so hard to control my eyes. They kept trying to skip ahead because I was so excited to read what came next! The author always does such a good job with introducing topics, lightly, and then referring back to them later on.

The only negative things I have to say is that there were quite a few spelling and grammatical errors. I’m hoping those things get resolved before the book officially comes out, but honestly, the plot was so good that I barely noticed. A five-star read for me would be something that I emotionally connected to and couldn’t predict. I felt like some parts were predictable, but others had me genuinely shocked and honestly pretty anxious about what would come next. I also have conflicting feelings regarding the ending. If you’re looking for that “big twist” moment, then you will definitely love the ending. However, I didn’t necessarily need it to feel confident about my feelings about the book.

If you like a coming-of-age thriller with fantastic character development and emotional revealing of childhood secrets, then you will love this book!

This is a solid 4-star read for me. I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for kindly giving me an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review. Publication date in the US is April 23, 2024.

I literally couldn’t put this book down from the moment I picked it up. Three sisters who went through foster care together. While not related by blood they have a stronger than ever relationship after what they endured together. It wasn’t the best foster situation and with multiple twists and turns throughout I couldn’t put the book down wanting to know what happened at the end. They are still consistently in touch and all find out that there are bones found under the house they used to live in as fosters. Who do the bones belong to? And will the police believe them? I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Wow!!! The book started off strong and then lost me for a bit as we learned more about Jessica, Alicia, and Norah’s upbringing at Wild Meadows. The twist(s) were worth the wait. I loved the emotional complexity between all of the characters. It gave a haunting portrayal of cyclical abuse that will stay with me for a long while. This was a great 5-star read that I’m excited to recommend to friends.

Loved this book. A different plot and really liked the 3 sisters. I enjoyed the story line and their characters. Finished it in a day. Another great read by Sally Hepworth. Loved the ending as well.

My first ARC thanks to NetGalley! Lost me about halfway through. I thought it started off good but there were too many POVs and the ending fell short for me.

When bones are found under the house where many children were fostered there are questions that need to be answered.

This book flashes back between the past and present day. Jessica, Norah and Alecia are three young girls thrown together due to the loss of of loved ones. They are all orphans who need a home and are welcomed by Miss Fairfield. Four year old Jessica is the first child to be fostered at this beautiful home and farm. It seems like the perfect place to raise a child and Miss Fairchild loves Jessica as if she is her own. Until a second foster arrives which changes everything. Once Norah arrives there is a shift in Miss Fairfield. She becomes temperamental, frightening and no longer seems an ideal caregiver. She however continues to accept fosters. Once Alecia arrives the 3 girls form a sisterly bond to protect each other from Miss Fairfield and her sadistic ways.
The girls eventually break free of life with Miss Fairfield but not without consequences and the shadow of all that happened during their shared childhood.
Motherhood should be selfless. These 3 learn that it can be selfish and evil when paired with narcissistic tendencies. Can they live productive lives and overcome their childhood trauma?

I’m a fan of Sally Hepworth, so when I saw her newest book Darling Girls come up on NetGalley I was quick to grab it! I have now read five of her books and they always draw me in and keep my interest the whole way through. This was about three foster “sisters” who grew up together with their evil foster mother Miss Fairchild. When bones are found under their childhood home 25 years later, all of the girls’ past traumas are brought back to the surface as police try to figure out who they belong to. They find themselves questioning all of their memories and what actually happened. While the story was definitely disturbing and chilling, it seemed more like a mystery than a thriller to me at times. In true Sally Hepworth style, the ending did NOT disappoint and actually took me by surprise!! Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press!
Trigger warnings: child abuse and drug addiction

I couldn’t start this book quick enough when I got an ARC from Net Galley. Sally Hepworth has not disappointed and this book was no different. Jessica, Norah, and Alicia’s story of being in foster care was heart breaking but was captivating to read with their sisterly bond. Miss Fairchild was an absolute monster and was easy to hate right off the bat. All the characters were developed so well, including the impacts of life as adults and the way foster care affected them. The twists and turns the story took, right up until the very last chapter made me unable to put the book down. Can’t wait for the next read by this author.

I am a huge Sally Hepworth fan and found this one to be less riveting than her other novels. I loved the characters and the relationship between the sisters, but I felt weirdly removed from Fairchild as a villain. Still, though, great storytelling and will always recommend Hepworth to thriller fans even if this one is a little calmer.

Trigger warning child and sexual abuse!

This book as a solid five for me. It had everything that I need from a thriller. The characters had depth, and were critically flawed, but ridiculously relatable! The plot twists, I did not see coming at all! I can’t help but want to know more of the character’s future. . Sally girl, you slayed with this one! Thank you Net Galley for the opportunity to read a kindle version of this amazing work of art.

The ultimate story of jealousy and narcissism. The foster system in Australia appears from the writing to have just as many issues as the US system. The book starts off with Jessica, new into the foster system with Miss Fairchild. Miss Fairchild loves her and gets Jessica to depend on her for affection and attention. Why stop at one foster child when you can make more money with two and so Norah was added. Miss Fairchild is not as taken with Norah but as Miss Fairchild learns about each child she uses their fears against them in punishment. Finally Alicia is added to the mix and the "sisters" bond to stay strong and survive the Miss Fairchild. Then the babies come......

The building of the story and the reflections of the current unfolding as well as the past details really adds to this psychological thriller. The author takes great care in really highlighting the tragedy of foster care, the heartbreak, the bonds, the isolation, as well as the mental health responses as they grow up and age out. The book is an exploration in the past and present timelines of the three women's lives and the ways that Miss Fairchild changes them: all 3 in the present day have clear personal issues that they've developed from trauma.

Well done to Sally Hepworth for the well developed story with a couple of turns in the layout. The book really sheds light on important topics right now of mental health, opioid drug addiction as well as narcissism.

Thank you to Sally Hepworth, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity.

Wow! This book had me hooked and I kept turning page after page wanting to know what happened next. Such a good story! This is the first book I’ve read by Sally Hepworth and I will definitely be looking for her books in the future to read. I never saw the ending coming. I enjoyed the bond between the three foster sisters - Alicia, Jessica and Norah. Their compelling stories and that of their foster mother and what they went through make this such a page turner as you the reader piece together the story. Hepworth keeps you guessing until the very last page and I love books that do that! Thank you NetGalley for allowing me the chance to read an early release of this book, it was so great!

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth
Had me from the very very beginning. I really enjoy Sally’s books she is an auto buy author for me. I could have totally binged this novel in one day if I would have had the time. Lots of twist and turns that kept you guessing. The character development and the past / present timeline really worked to engage you. Darling Girls had just the right amount of comic relief and sisterhood to break up the dark side of the storyline. It reminded me a little of a psychological thriller mixed with the novel “Before We We’re Yours” with an ending you really don’t see coming.

Trigger warnings: child abuse

Publish Date April 23, 2023

Thank you to NetGalley St. Martin’s Press , and Sally Hepworth for this ARC of Darling Girls.

I devoured this book! Couldn’t put it down. The three main characters personalities were fully fleshed out and they each had a distinctive voice. You could feel the love between them. Their relationship was like it’s own character. I really loved the Norah character in particular.

Due to the topic, this book can be hard to read at times but it’s clear the author did her research.

A thriller that hooked me quickly! I always enjoy a story told from different perspectives. Because the girls were so similar, there were times that I had trouble figuring out which story belonged to which character. The last chapter left me in SHOCK.

TW: sexual assault, child abuse

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this E-arc for my honest review.
Incredibly beautiful yet sad story of three foster care sister’s lives from childhood to adulthood as well as the stories of other children as well. A shocking twist at the end to this thriller.
This book is so many genres at once in my opinion and a must read for all! Sally Hepworth writes yet another fantastic story.
Make sure to read the acknowledgments too!!

This was my fifth Sally Hepworth novel, and it went straight to the top of my TBR pile when I got my hands on an ARC.

She is such a gifted storyteller, and this novel is no exception. I have a few of her older books to catch up on, and she’s on my “auto-read” author list. She’s also a delight to follow on Instagram.

For comparison’s sake, I gave “The Good Sister,” “The Mother-in-Law,” and “The Soulmate” five-star reviews. “The Younger Wife” got four stars.

“Darling Girls” was well-written, with a shocking twist ending and satisfying conclusions for the main characters. However, it felt darker, more unsettling, and slower-paced than her other books.

I would give it three stars, but upon reading the epilogue, I’m going for 3.5 stars rounded up to four. It's clear Hepworth did a lot of research and put a lot of care into writing about the traumas that result from horrific foster care situations.

It’s a bit of a slow burn but a worthwhile read.

I received the as an ARC and am greatly appreciative. I became a fan of Sally Hepworth after reading The Soulmate and Darling Girls does not disappoint! Set in the now and then of 25 years ago is a story of a foster family with 3 girls who forge a tight friendship and pinkie swear themselves as sisters. The grooming and abuse they endure together have a prolific affect on each girl as they try function in their day to day adult lives. When a dead body is found buried under the house they lived in all the trauma and hidden feelings resurface along with the tormentor. They are left to deal again with the past and the people that turned a blind eye to their plight so long ago. The life long tight bond between the girls never waiver and their voices finally heard. This really made me think how trauma and insecurities in childhood haunt your adult self. I could not put this book down; beautifully written with all the heartbreak and feels for these girls. Easily 5 stars for this book.

I have enjoyed other Sally Hepworth books but this one wasn’t for me and may be my last. I found the characters very stereotypical: tightly wound perfectionist Jessica, the “helper” Alicia, and the tough guy, Norah. I didn’t find anyone to root for, they were all so flat. I found the dialog unrealistic and would have preferred more descriptive content to the odd side plots (Kevin.) The twists felt obvious and made up on the fly. Thank you NetGalley for this advance copy.