Oh my gosh! I absolutely LOVE Sally Hepworth’s writing! Even though there are different parts to the book (different POV, then/now, and then even a mysterious person meeting with a therapist) Hepworth knows how to make it flow so seamlessly and not be confusing. I loved all the different characters and how we are able to see the past events of their childhood and what made them who they are today. And the twist 🤯 one that I definitely wasn’t expecting!! I absolutely loved the narrator! I felt like she kept me engaged throughout the chapters and definitely helped make the book more enjoyable! Overall, she is definitely an autobuy author from me and one that I will always recommend!

This story is told in third person with multiple narrators in a dual timeline format. It follows three foster sisters and an anonymous woman in therapy in an additional ambiguous timeline. The three foster sisters come together in the present timeline when a body is discovered during an excavation at the site of their former foster home known as Wild Meadows. The story alternates between the present as the sisters travel to be questioned about this discovery and “before” revealing their history with the foster home and how each individual ended up there. The audiobook was narrated by Jessica Clarke who did a fantastic job distinguishing all of the various personalities of the sisters and other characters.

All three foster sisters have very different backgrounds and histories with their foster mother, Mrs. Fairchild. I really enjoyed their present storyline which reflected the bonds that the three women have held onto from their childhood experiences. However, the “before” storylines were filled with physical and emotional abuses that I didn’t enjoy reading. The focus on the story was more on the emotional bonds of these sisters and how they were built and less about the mystery of the body.

I think a lot of readers will enjoy this story more than I did. I’m more of a mystery reader and was more interested in the investigation than the foster story. I found the foster mother to be irrationally cruel. Some of the girls’ reactions to her abuses did not resonate with me. I was also annoyed with the ambiguous therapy storyline. There were a couple of twists that I did enjoy but overall, the themes here were just not for me.

Recommended for the sisterly bonds and overcoming of childhood abuse and trauma.

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin’s Press for a copy provided for an honest review.

4.5 🌟 rounded to 5!

Every year I manage to get my hands on the latest Sally Hepworth book, and every year, for whatever reason, it stays on my TBR shelf—until NOW!

If DARLING GIRLS is any indication of how good her books are, then I seriously can’t wait to finally read her backlist.

Simply put, I loved this book—but it also seriously shattered my mama heart into a million pieces. Reading about child abuse isn’t ever easy, but it’s even harder when you have two littles of your own who depend on you for every single thing in life. If you have kids of your own or are sensitive to such topics, I’d definitely read some more reviews before picking this up, as I had NO idea that child abuse was such a key topic. Swipe to read the synopsis.

NOW, to get to the story itself. Again, I LOVED IT. Jessica, Norah and Alicia are not sisters by blood, but by a bond strengthened by the trauma of their childhood. These girls depend on one another and it’s clear that they would do anything and everything for each other—even if that means going back to the house of horrors they grew up in when a body is discovered underneath it. The story alternates between the past and present of their lives, each chapter slowly revealing more and more of what it was like to live in a house with their foster mother, Miss Fairchild. I could not get enough of the story and I was dying to see how it would all tie together.

ALSO, the last chapter is EVERYTHING 👀 Seriously, my jaw was on the floor. It *makes* the book.

I definitely recommend this one even though it broke my heart.

**** I’d also like to add that I listened to the audio for the majority of the read, but I kind of wish that I hadn’t. It was good—but I think that it kind of skewed my perception of some of the characters (a little bit?). I’d like to have imagined them talking in their own ways for this one because of how heavy the topic of child abuse is. I tried to not let the audio impact my review and am reviewing the story itself.

Thank you to Raincoast and St. Martins Press for the review copies.

This was my first Sally Hepworth book and I really enjoyed it! The audio version was great! I enjoyed the narrator very much! This book kept me guessing all the way through and the plot twists were fantastic! I also loved the relationship between the sisters!

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

“Darling Girls” by Sally Hepworth dives into the lives of 3 girls who were all placed in the foster care system. The girls feel as close as sisters but years later when a mysterious set of bones are found under the home they were brought up in their bond will be tested. Things aren’t always as they seem when secrets are kept. This book will have you dying for more.

This was my first Hepworth novel and I loved it! It was twisty and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I liked the different perspectives and the ending was kinda nuts!

WOW! Sally Hepworth does it again! This was a wild ride and Miss Fairchild is a serious piece of work, a liar, and a terrible person! This was a great read and I was hooked from the beginning! I can't wait to read her next book!

Mystery, murder, and drama will keep readers turning the pages of Sally Hepworth’s suspenseful new book, Darling Girls.

After individual tragedies occur when they are children, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia are sent to live with a ruthless foster care mother named Miss Fairchild. Due to poor treatment and fear, the “sisters” flee their foster care home. Years later a body is found under the foster care home and the police contact the sisters to question them.

What’s to love:
💕 Dual timelines
💕 Multiple POVs
💕 Found family
💕 Secrets about to be revealed and what people are willing to do to prevent it

Thank you to @netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.

I have read almost all of Sally Hepworth's books now and I loved Darling Girls!! This book had me guessing until the end with twists I never saw coming.

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia are sisters by circumstance. They were all rescued from the dire circumstances of their biological families and raised by their foster mother, Miss Fairchild. But the upbringing they experienced was unlike what everyone thought it was. They are now traveling back to the home where they were raised because a body has been discovered.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read and review Darling Girls audiobook.
Three foster children are brought back to the town where they were raised in foster care. Bones were found under their foster home after it was demolished. They must dig through their past, that they’ve tried to forget, to help with the ongoing investigation.
This book was amazing. I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end. The characters were very well developed and likable. The narrator was wonderful and fit this book perfectly. From beginning to end I couldn’t stop listening to this book. There were unpredictable twists and turns throughout the book. This is my first book from this author and I can’t wait to read more of her work. Read this book, you won’t be disappointed!

It was an interesting book. I like the emphasis of abusive foster care system, and internalized trauma that adults carry because their venerable childhood was shattered. Especially when foster parents put more efforts into keeping façade that actually caring for children. Here there was interesting psychological portrait of three foster sisters who survived abusive and narcissistic caregiver. My main problem with this book didn't come with its concept, but rather with lack of depth. I felt like the author pushes boundaries, but enough to brush them gently like with feather and then just move on, instead staying there for a moment and explore what this actually mean. And I understand, that we as an audience to this story, should come to some conclusions on our own, but because of that the ending came out to be shallow and nonsensical. Overall this is yet another companion audiobook to keep you engaged but just enough to have you doing something else in a meantime, otherwise you get bored super quickly.

Oh, Sally Hepworth. Not typically a thriller gal, I end up reading thrillers if they're by her. Darling Girls was a bit slow to start and, to be honest, I had no clue where it was going until the very end. I found the ending satisfactory and enjoyed the mystery, but my favorite part of the story was the relationship between the sisters, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia.

The sisters are not biologically related but became sisters during their time with foster mother Miss Fairchild, a seemingly loving, but abusive woman. When they finally broke free of Miss Fairchild, they thought they were free of her. Years later, detectives come knocking, letting the sisters know that bones were found under the house they spent so many contentious years.

The audio was engaging. I love listening to thrillers because it's like a true crime podcast. A winding mystery, this thriller keeps you on your toes and wondering what twist will come next. I enjoyed it!

Love, love, LOVED this one! I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was perfect with voices and inflections. The dynamics between the characters was interesting and I loved the twisty webs of plots woven into each other. Highly recommend!

Darling Girls was an addicting suspense novel. The nail biting twists and turns paired with the multitude of narrators caused this book to be a real page turner. If you’re looking for great twists and wit, this is the novel for you.

Great listen! Told from multiple points of view which always makes for good listening. Be aware of trigger warnings. Solid 4 stars

This little gem needs no introduction. Released last year in Australia, it’s now been released in the US.

SISTERS, SECRETS, LOVE, AND MURDER... Sally Hepworth’s new novel has it all.

Three girls, all from the foster system end up living together at Wild Meadows, a farm run by Miss Fairchild. There, they develop a sisterly relationship tying themselves to each other with a bond stronger than a blood. After discovering a body was found under the house they were raised in, past and present collide as they come to terms with the brutality of their upbringing.

Ahhh, Sally never lets me down and Darling Girls is no different. A little darker than her previous books but with the familiar twists and turns and sharp focus on families and women as we’ve come to expect, with another stellar domestic thriller. Ooh, and an ending that’s simply mind blowing! 🤯

If you’re after an unputdownable book that’s easy to read and transport you away, grab this one - you won’t be disappointed.

Huge thanks to @macmillanaus for an early copy 💌 and the wonderful team @macmillanaudio for the totally immersive audiobook 🎧 read beautifully by Jessica Clarke 😍

If you don’t follow Sally you should! Currently in the US to promote Darling Girls for its recent publication, her stories are hilarious. One of the most down to earth Aussie authors showing the world how she travels … one funny step at a time - and she’s a snack! 🤩😂 #snackgate #laundrygate #iykyk

I wanted so much to like this but I found myself a bit confused at times. Also, at one point I just truly lost interested it took a while to finish it. Perhaps reading it would've been better than audiobook. I wish the author much success with this book.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

Darling Girls was a WILD RIDE! I loved it so much! The audio was fantastic!! The book was incredible and it was one of the best thriller books I have read in long time! Let’s start by saying, screw you Miss Fairchild. She is one evil, evil person. If there is one MESSED UP character, it is her! Wacked. I’m not sure I have too many more words for her. She angers me. 😅 The foster girls, Norah, Jessica, and Alicia had all of my sympathy. No one believed them and I knew growing up, they would have issues. Being brainwashed their entire life, they were continuously told they were the lucky ones. Their entire life was a lie.

I enjoyed the dual timeline a lot. It was easy to follow back and forth. After bones to a child were found under the home the girls grew up in, they were thrown back into their past. Does anyone believe them or is this finally their time to find revenge?

This is a multi-layered story focused on three foster sisters growing up on a farm estate under the care of Miss Fairchild. Years later, a body is discovered buried under this estate and the 3 sisters are interviewed, reopening old wounds and revealing hidden mysteries about their time with Miss Fairchild. Amongst the variety of confessions lies the real truth, but you will have quite a ride to endure to sort through this tangled, tragic tale. Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest review.

Thank you so much to MacMillan Audio for the complimentary audio!

This book is out NOW!

This is my 3rd Sally Hepworth and probably my favorite of them. There were so many layers to this and it kept you guessing until the very end. I think it good have been shortened a little bit as the middle dragged.

I had thought it was going to go one way but it ended up going another. We got a peek inside the past lives of these characters and learned what it was like growing up in the foster care system and how it shaped them for their future.

The narrator Jessica Clarke was great but I did find it challenging with her having to do all 3 point of views. I wish we would have gotten other narrators for all the girls. I think it would have helped to distinguish the characters more.

Overall I really enjoyed this!!

3.75