Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of Darling Girls. This book centered on three young girls raised in the same foster home. They bonded through their share trauma inflicted by their foster mother, Mrs. Fairchild. Years later, a body is found under the house they were raised in. The three women return to recall the trauma they endured while uncovering who was buried and why. Another great thriller by Sally Hepworth!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6439782375

Sally Hepworth, known for her poignant explorations of family dynamics and complex relationships, delivers another compelling narrative in her latest novel, "Darling Girls". Set against the backdrop of picturesque coastal Australia, Hepworth weaves a tale that intricately examines the bonds between sisters and the secrets that threaten to unravel their lives.

At the heart of the story are Fern and Rose, fraternal twins who, despite their close connection, harbor deep-seated differences. Fern, the quieter and more introspective of the two, struggles with a traumatic past that has shaped her present. Rose, on the other hand, exudes confidence and appears to have it all together—a successful career, a loving husband, and a seemingly perfect life.

However, beneath the surface lies a web of lies and unspoken truths that threatens to destroy their carefully constructed facades. When a shocking revelation shakes their family to its core, Fern and Rose are forced to confront long-buried secrets and reckon with the consequences of their choices.

Hepworth masterfully delves into the complexities of sisterhood, exploring themes of identity, betrayal, and forgiveness with sensitivity and depth. The characters are vividly drawn, each grappling with their own demons and insecurities, making them relatable and compelling. The author skillfully navigates between past and present, gradually unraveling the mysteries that bind Fern and Rose together.

The pacing is taut, keeping the reader engaged as the tension builds towards a climactic revelation. Hepworth's prose is evocative, painting a vivid picture of the Australian coastal setting that becomes almost a character in itself, adding richness and texture to the narrative.

"Darling Girls" is not just a story about secrets and their consequences; it's a poignant exploration of the ties that bind us and the lengths we go to protect the ones we love. Hepworth's insightful storytelling and deft handling of complex emotions make this novel a compelling read that will resonate with readers long after the final page.

In conclusion, "Darling Girls" reaffirms Sally Hepworth's status as a masterful storyteller, adept at crafting gripping tales that delve into the depths of human relationships. Fans of domestic fiction and psychological drama will find much to savor in this poignant and thought-provoking novel.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 (rounding up)

• foster care & childhood secrets
• sinister, dark plot
• power of sisterhood

This one took me a minute to get into, but I really got invested in the story and what the heck happened. The trauma and dysfunction these girls suffered... just heartbreaking. A very well-written and character driven suspense. I didn't see the twists coming! Psst: available in KU.

🗣 Thank you to netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book via gifted eARC! All opinions are honest and my own.

Darling Girls by @sallyhepworth was quite the wild ride. I stayed up until the wee hours last night to finish it because I needed to know what happened.

The multiple timelines and POVs worked really well here to build suspense and lead us to the big reveal. There was a moment when I literally gasped from shock!

I definitely enjoyed reading this one. This time of year always has me thinking about beach/vacation/pool reads and this is perfect for that. There’s a darker element to it but it wasn’t so detailed or disturbing that I struggled with it. It was done in a way that built the sinister atmosphere but wasn’t too upsetting.

Book Review:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Darling Girls solidifies Sally Hepworth as the queen of Thrillers/ Suspense!

Jessica, Alicia, and Norah may not be biological sisters, but their time together at Wild Meadows solidified their bond. After enduring years of abuse at the hand of their foster mother, the girls were finally removed. Decades later they can’t escape their past when they receive word that bones have been discovered on Wild Meadows property.

*Disclaimer: this book deals extensively with emotional, mental, physical, verbal, and sexual abuse.

Historically I am not a huge thriller/ suspense reader. I tend to gravitate to books on the lighter side. But when I want to read a book outside of my comfort zone, Sally Hepworth is an author I always turn to.

This book caught me completely off guard. I thought I knew how the story would unfold, but boy was I wrong. It wasn’t until the final chapters, when Sally spells it out for the reader, that I understood who was responsible for the death and the circumstances leading up to it!!!

I am in awe of Hepworth’s writing!!! While I can’t go too much into detail without giving away spoilers, it must be said that she is a brilliant storyteller. Not only is she meticulous and purposeful, she uses every literary element in her toolbox when constructing novels.

Special thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Sally Hepworth for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Really enjoyed this story, with the intermittent story being told to a psychiatrist, about 3 girls in foster care in a horrible situation and a body found on the premises of the torn down home. Enjoyed watching the relationships grow with the girls, and their present lives intertwining. Good surprising resolution.

Twisty…there’s no other way to describe this story. Did I figure out the main twists? No. Do I suspect the twists? No. Way to keep me on my toes reading this, Sally Hepworth, darling girl!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for this story.

This story centers on sisters Jessica, Norah and Alicia who at one time lived with the same foster mother. We see events from their different perspectives, and you can appreciate their relationships to each other as well as how their past traumas shape their adult lives. There is a current timeline, as well as when they were younger. Sally Hepworth does a good job of creating suspense, with lots of secrets and twists along the way. This was a fun, quick read, if a bit forgettable. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced e-galley. 3.5 stars

𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 5/5⭐️⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
𝗪𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝: This one might just be my favorite Hepworth novel yet—and that’s saying something because I enjoy everything she writes!

My consistent feedback about Sally’s writing is that I adore the way the lies and secrets unravel and weave throughout her storytelling. She lays breadcrumbs throughout for readers to pick up and figure out where the story is going just as she’s telling you herself; but even when you see some of the twists coming, you’re compelled to keep flipping the page. She has a way of creating storylines that slowly come together and always leave me incredibly satisfied.

This was Hepworth’s darkest book yet, and while it had the family drama that I’ve always enjoyed in her books, this one was a bit more sinister. I favor alternating perspectives and timelines in my mystery reads, and each character in this book had their own unique trauma that was weaved intricately throughout. With four points of view, both in the past and present day, it’s hard to put this one down at any point without needing to know what happened next. I finished it in two sittings.

The Author’s Note gives additional insight into her research for these characters, and I found her fixation on the word “lucky” to be really harrowing and memorable.

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞: Stories of abuse are always hard to stomach, but Sally balances the tone of the book by giving readers three resilient protagonists while maintaining a highly realistic level of vulnerability.

I’ll admit this wasn’t my favorite Sally Hepworth. Even though the abuse the girls suffered wasn’t graphic it was disturbing. I also don’t like the life choices the women were making later in life. This had some interesting twists but overall it wasn’t the most compelling story.

I've read many a Saly Hepworth novel. They're usually twisted, psychological stories, sometimes slow burners and altogether wild. And I liked them. This one? This one I LOVED. It may be her best one yet. I exists in dual timelines, there are multiple POVs, and plenty of moments that are twisted. But this was her most straight forward effort thus far. Really excellent setting up the store, excellent execution of said story and the pacing was to die for. I flew through this one reading it in two days.

For as long as they can remember, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia have been told how lucky they are. As young girls they were rescued from family tragedies and raised by a loving foster mother, Miss Fairchild, on an idyllic farming estate and given an elusive second chance at a happy family life.

But their childhood wasn’t the fairy tale everyone thinks it was. 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 thought they were free. Even though they never saw her again, she was always somewhere in the shadows of their minds. When a body is discovered under the home they grew up in, the foster sisters find themselves thrust into the spotlight as key witnesses. Or are they prime suspects?

As said, I LOVED this reading experience. BRAVA!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital advanced copy. The novel is available NOW!

I thought this one was just ok. It was not as good as some of her others that I've really enjoyed. I found it a bit disjointed. The three women came from the same abusive foster home. As adults, as body is found there and it goes back and forth in time telling the story of the past and the present as it explains what happened. I just found I wasn't really invested in the outcome.

Thank you for the ARC. Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth was an interesting read. However, it was a little slow at times for my liking. I did figure there would be a twist with Amy. However, I was surprised about a twist with one of the main characters. I think I enjoyed the "then" chapters better than the present day chapters. Al in all, a very enjoyable read. Four out of five stars.

Thanks to Netgalley for the pre-release copy of Darling Girls. I highly recommend this intriguing read.

Three girls, all from different family backgrounds, end up in foster care together. They bond and become sisters. Now, as grown women, each has developed survival traits created out of necessity in order to survive their childhoods and that care. After a body is found, they are forced to return to the place none of them ever wanted to see again.

This story is full of twists and turns and you're never quite sure who is telling the truth until the very last chapter. Read it.

"Darling Girls" by Sally Hepworth offers a gripping premise that initially draws you in with its promise of secrets, sisterhood, and suspense. I think that the story succeeds in building suspense and intrigue, and I enjoyed the writing as well. Overall, this is an enjoyable book with a solid foundation and intriguing characters, but it doesn't quite reach the heights of Hepworth's best work in my opinion. The overall mystery fell a little flat for me by the end. I think that fans of psychological thrillers and domestic suspense will find much to appreciate, even if it doesn’t fully deliver on all fronts.

I've read many book by Sally hepworth and they never disappoint. This one had me guessing and questioning everything all the way to the end.

Wow! This one sucks you in from the start. Bodies found? Kids in fkster care that seem to be living the dream but apparently lived a nightmare. The story unfolds thru the foster kid's POV as adults and flashbacks to when they were kids.

Really enjoyed this one! Absolutely addictive and compelling with characters you love and one you especially love to hate.

Darling Girls is a book about what happens to 3 girls in the foster care system who end up in the same house. Jessica, Norah, and Alicia are sisters, not by blood, but by choice. All three girls had tragedies occur when they were young, no one to take care of them, and were now in foster care. The house they were placed in was run by Miss Fairchild. Jessica was the first to arrive and she wanted a mother more than anything. She followed Miss Fairchild around everywhere and worked very hard on chores to make her happy. The farmhouse seemed like a perfect setting, but was it? The other 2 girls arrived at different times a bit later. They were not fooled by Miss Fairchild and saw her for the evil woman she was.

One day Miss Fairchild had a 2 year old girl in her arms when they arrived home from school. Miss Fairchild told the girls she had adopted the 2 year old and her name was Amy. Jessica, Norah, and Alicia loved Amy but Miss Fairchild told them not to pick her up or play with her unless she asked them to do so. She wanted Amy to bond with her and only her. When that doesn't happen things take a turn. The girls love playing and holding Amy, but Miss Fairchild punishes them for doing things with her. As they're walking home one day, they see Miss Fairchild in the pool. There are 2 towels laying out, but they can only see Miss Fairchild in the pool. Where is Amy? The girls think they know what's happening and take off sprinting towards the pool. What happened? Did Miss Fairchild do something to Amy? Why weren't the girls ever allowed in the pool?

The 3 girls make a decision and are able to get away from Miss Fairchild once and for all. They go into a group home to stay together as they're close to graduating out of foster care. The girls are still dealing with what happened at that farm house, even as adults. When they get a phone call from the police in the town where they had lived with Miss Fairchild, they're surprised. Bones were found underneath the house when it was leveled for a new building and they want to speak to Norah, Jessica, and Alicia. Are the sisters being called in to assist with the investigation or are they being called in because they're suspects?

Darling Girls is a tough read at times seeing what the girls endure, but it's a great mystery. Sally Hepworth is masterful at building suspense and making the reader squirm. I rate Darling Girls 4 stars with a high recommendation. I'd like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of Darling Girls in exchange for a fair review. #DarlingGirls

So, I wasn't a big fan of this book, and it honestly is a shame since I loved Hepworth's other novels. I found there were too many spelling and grammatical mistakes in the book and the development of the characters was too choppy for me. I will say the part that disappointed me the most was the twist ending. While I found the story easy to read, and was extremely fast to read too, I was lost on the amount of characters and what was happening in the before and now parts. I look forward to Hepworth's upcoming books, but this one just wasn't for me.