Honestly, without the twist at the end this would have been just okay. It was predictable. Really liked the characters, however.

Darling Girls follows three sisters Jessica, Norah and Alicia who were adopted by a woman named Miss Fairchild. While they were repeatedly told how lucky they were to be with Miss Fairchild, they began to experience a side of her that was unpredictable and dangerous. Alternating POV from current day to the past inside Miss Fairchild’s home, Darling Girls keeps you questioning, what actually happened when they were in her care?

I alternated reading and listening to the audiobook narrated by Jessica Clarke. I listened at a 1.25x speed which is my usual speed and the pace was good. I enjoyed the emotion the narrators brought to the characters and found the different voices to be clear and distinguishable. I highly enjoyed the listening experience of the audiobook.

A surprise at the end - a few parts were mildly disturbing, but it was a book I couldn't put down. Based on the author's notes, it looks like Hepworth did a decent amount of research as well to document somewhat realistic (negative) experiences for older foster children. I was not distracted by the jumps in time nor the interwoven stories, fortunately. Also, I was happy with the resolution for the sisters!! Hepworth hasn't disappointed me yet. Thank to #NetGalley for the opportunity to preview #darlinggirls by Sally Hepworth!

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth

Alicia, Jessica and Norah are sisters, not biological but close enough. They all grew up together in foster care. The house they were living in was rough, but they formed an incredible strong bond. They stuck together through it, but flash forward to present day, they don’t speak. However, that changed when they each get a call from a detective saying that human bones were found underneath the house that they grew up in. The three sisters return to the city that they thought they would never return to, to try to help the police figure it out.

The story is told in different POVs and different timelines which made the story go by fast paced and wanting you to turn the pages. However, I hated the story. I didn’t get the concept of it and the child abuse WAS REALLY HARD to read. Before you read this check the TW’s!!! I kept telling people I didn’t love it when they asked me when reading it. Also, this book is described as a thriller, it is everything else but not that. It has family drama, abuse, and murder mystery vibes.

Besides from all what I said above though, I got Annie vibes with Ms Fairchild and the girls.

This book makes you hug your loved ones a little tighter because there are some kids out there in foster care and I hope to god they do not have a foster mom like Ms Fairchild. She should be placed in jail!! The author talks about how she interviewed foster care women in the authors note at the end. It honestly broke my heart.

I really love Sally Hepworth books but this was my least favorite of hers. Will I read her next book that comes out? Absolutely! Will I recommend this? No.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Sally Hepworth has done it again! This thriller was so many things I was looking for with my mood! I wanted a book that was going to keep me wanting to read and not put it down, this was it! I also wanted a book that was going to keep me guessing and thinking throughout, again this was it! I found the multiple points of view to really round out the story and to show many sides of the different main characters. I wasn't sure at first about the characters but by the end of the story, I was rooting for each and wanting them to have the best for themselves. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth gripped me immediately from the opening page and never let up.
I was fascinated by this dark, twisty, disturbing story of three women who formed a bond as sisters when they were foster children. Memories of their horrific childhood resurface when they are thrust into an investigation of bones found under the house where they grew up.
The characters were well-developed, and each sister had a distinct identity that was relatable. The story is told through dual timelines from the POV of each sister, along with a mystery voice through sessions with a psychologist.
While it is a chilling look at the foster care system, emotional child abuse, and ill-equipped, cruel guardians, there were also happy, heartfelt moments. I especially loved the warm relationship between the sisters.
This psychological domestic thriller wrapped up with a jaw-dropping, twisty conclusion! I recommend! This book isn't for everyone, so please check TW.
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Ms. Hepworth for providing a digital ARC of Darling Girls in exchange for an honest review.

'Darling Girls’ by Sally Hepworth
Publisher: St Martin’s Press
Publication: April 23, 2024
Special thanks to Goodreads and St Martin’s Press for the Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

As with all Sally Hepworth novels I absolutely loved this story! A perfect thriller with a twist that surprises you, but also isn’t completely out of left field.

With alternating POV of foster sisters Jessica, Alicia, and Norah we get to see inside each character’s life as they were growing up in an adopted home together with the cruel Ms. Fairchild as well as how they are coping with their experiences in present day. A mysterious discovery under the home they grew up in together forces the girls to recall terrible memories and confront Ms. Fairchild.
I do not want to give too much away as the anticipation really drove this story. The story had me surprised until the very end.

Sally Hepworth is on my dependable authors list. She always manages to deliver a good read. Darling Girls had everything I come to expect in one of her novels; a little bit of mystery and suspense, characters I feel invested in and a moment or two that leaves me teary eyed.

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia were placed in the foster care system and raised by Miss Fairchild. Not exactly a happy childhood for the girls to put it mildly. Now they are adults and trying to put the past behind them but after a body is found in the house they grew up in, they are considered key witnesses by police. Or maybe even suspects.

The pacing is great because the story alternates between the different characters and you are getting caught up on the backstory as well as the current case as it unfolds. Held my interest from start to finish.

I loved exploring the sister's dynamics in this book and the lengths that they will go to to fight for each other. This is my first Sally Hepworth book but it definitely won't be my last!

Sally Hepworth's new release surrounding three young girls in foster care is her typical, propulsive, unputdownable work. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and couldn't get enough of it. The tension was great and it went in many directions I was not expecting, keeping me on the edge of my seat until the very end. However, I couldn't help wondering if the book sensationalized bad foster care situations, and wondered if part of my fascination came from the feeling of watching a train wreck. Despite this, I cannot deny that Hepworth is the master of the compelling story, and her books are great reading slump busters. I am excited to own another book of hers and am glad to be reminded of her talent.

I enjoyed this book. The characters were well developed and the story kept my attention until the very last page. I definitely recommend this book!

Rating: 4/5 stars

The premise of this book was very interesting, I haven’t read anything quite like it. There was a perfect blend of emotion and suspense that kept me engaged from start to finish.

The story explores the complexities of sisterhood, love, and secrets. Each character is well-developed, with their own unique personalities and struggles, making them all surprisingly relatable and enjoyable.

Although the pacing was a bit slow at times, I was so invested that I couldn’t put it down. Hepworth’s writing style is effortless and she really draws you into the story. The ending was completely shocking and amazing, I absolutely loved it.

This was my second book by Sally Hepworth and while I enjoyed this book overall, I do think I liked The Soulmate better. I’m excited to read more of her books.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC!

Love a good Sally Hepworth read, and this was no different. What a twisty, disturbing ride! I loved to watch as our three darling girls all became sisters and were there for each other through it all. That part was heartwarming and so redeeming, in an otherwise super messed up world. I saw some of the twists coming, but man, that last chapter! I love how the book weaves the perspectives from each of the girls, as well as flashbacks and scenes from the psychologists office. This one was hard to put down, and definitely kept my attention.

Bottom Line: Read it.

**I received a copy of Darling Girls from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

Wow! What an emotional ride. Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth focused on a countryside foster home and its residents. The narrative switches back and forth between present day and the girls' childhood with their foster mother. Most of the twists I saw coming but there were a few surprises. There is even a Verity like element. I usually don't like the "unreliable narrator" in books and this had a little bit of that. However, I thought Sally Hepworth did a great job with that. Be sure to look up trigger warnings before you read this book. At times it could be hard to read. I started with the ARC generously gifted to me by St. Martin's Press and NetGalley but finished on audio. The audiobook narrator is excellent. I really enjoyed the Australian accent. Overall a great read.

Wow. This book was incredible! A slower burn, but there are twists and turns at every corner - the ending had my jaw on the floor. I was also really impressed with the way foster care trauma was written and how the characters dealt with it all as adults. Such a fantastic read, and definitely one I will recommend to everyone!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC. I really enjoyed this thriller about a trio of foster sisters revisiting their troubled childhood. It was very engaging and a quick read

This was a solid, slow burn thriller/mystery/drama. The story was interesting and kept me engaged. The ending was really interesting!

Sally Hepworth just never disappoints. I went into this one completely blind and so glad I did. I loved everything about this book, even though at parts it made me so emotional. I love Sally’s style of writing and the way she makes you feel like you’re a part of the story.

This was such a great page turner! I’ve never read a Sally Hepworth book I didn’t enjoy and Darling Girls is no exception. I loved the alternating timelines and the plot twists. I read this so fast and kept wanting more. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced e-ARC.

We follow three women who are brought back to their childhood foster home after skeletal remains are found under the home. We get before chapters to the girls' abuse at the hands of Miss Fairchild. Child abuse is a heavy subject & always hard to read. However, I was fully invested in the story & looking forward to having some justice brought to the women. The ending twist was even more devastating than I expected but it's a reality as well with people getting away with the worst.