I enjoyed Darling Girls for the most part. It took me a little bit to get into it but it got better as the book went on. Overall, an okay book for me. The twists weren’t particularly shocking or anything but it was a fine book.
I think that the narrator did a great job, there were so many characters and I never felt confused by who was who or what was going on.

This is a review for the audio version, which had a fantastic narrator. About 3 girls who spent time together in the foster system at times it’s hard to listen through the hardships they endured. But you get to know the characters really well, and the story line just sucks you in. This was a book I could not put down, it kept me guessing until the very end! This is my first Sally Hepworth novel and will not be my last!

All of the thanks to @macmillan.audio & @netgalley for the #gifted audiobook

All of the thanks to @macmillan.audio & @netgalley for the #gifted audiobook

#AudiobookReview 🎧📖
Darling Girls by fabulous @sallyhepworth
Story: 5✨ Narration: 5✨

Sally is one of my favorites to follow here on IG and this book rivals The Good Sister for my favorite of her books (so far).

As I myself am a human who has a history of abuses from childhood onward, who grew up in and out of various systems (ward of the state, juvenile shelter, foster care) - I can firmly attest: Sally did her research and then some!

This book is realistic, it was triggering *and* touching, and I was in a chokehold from the first moments all the way until I was crying happy tears and then GASPING at the ending.

What. A. Wild. Ride. All hail Sally Hepworth! 🙌🏼 She’s outdone herself.

You need this book and/or audiobook. Seriously, get you a copy of this one for your spring/summer breaks and vacations, in bed under the AC, poolside…this is THAT thriller.

I need to show extra love to:
These sisters are in my heart always. I saw myself in all of them. Sally could *totally* write an amazing family saga (with zero murders) that would be RIVETING.

The narrator: @jessicajaneclark knocked it outta the park!

The dog’s names. 😅

The 90210 reference (#TeamBrenda for life).

Some sapphic sizzle! 🔥

How smart I felt when I guessed that one twist…

What I thought was the ending. 🥹

The actual ending! 😱

My conversation with Sally right after I finished the book (y’all, she is the best).

⚠️CWs/TWs: PTSD, death of: mother, father, grandmother, baby, etc., molestation, grooming, suicide attempt, forced pregnancy, child abuse, domestic violence, starvation, drug addiction, overdose, adoption, ableism, prescription, drug abuse, parental abandonment, statutory rape, confinement, graphic, violence, foster care, systems, etc., suicidal ideation, intrusive thoughts, gaslighting, child trafficking, anxiety, attack on page, OCD, and child murder.

WOW!!! Sally Hepworth has officially become the author whose title I look forward to most every year, and again I was not disappointed. I could not put down Darling Girls. The characters were all immediately likeable / relatable to me. Even with the story's villain Miss Fairchild, I found myself feeling sympathy for her during her perspective chapters.

Darling Girls follows the story of three foster sisters who grew up in a nightmare home on a farmstead outside of Melbourne. They were considered "lucky" to have been placed with young, single Miss Fairchild who had inherited the farmstead and needed the money from fostering children to keep everything afloat. The story starts with the sisters all grown up and seemingly doing okay, despite their traumatic and abusive upbringing, but unraveling in their own way when they're told chilling news that mysterious dead body has been discovered in the terrible home they grew up in.

Jessica is the most OCD, organized and successful of the sisters and works as a home organizer. But it's revealed she has a bit of an addiction problem and is caught stealing pills from wealthy clients' medicine cabinets. Norah is an intelligent and gorgeous bomb shell, but clearly has unresolved anger issues. Alicia is a caring social worker who helps ensure foster kids are actually placed and cared for in good homes, but she struggles with relationships and intimacy of her own. The sisters come together to discover the dark truth behind the bones .

Highly recommend as I could not put this book down. Hepworth explores important psychological themes around attachment, as well as the dark moments of physical and emotional abuse. It was heart warming to see how the sisters' relationship formed and they grew to support one another out of this horrible situation. The book's ending was satisfying, even the last twist about Miss Fairchild.

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC copy. Definitely one of my favorites from Hepworth, and already looking forward to more.

This was my first Sally Hepworth book, so I have to ask: are all her books this binge-worthy?!

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia are each removed from their respective broken homes and placed into foster care. When they are delivered to Miss Fairchild’s front door, they quickly learn to trust each other as they stand united in fear against their new foster mother’s unpredictable mood swings, strict rules, and cruel punishments. Years later, a body is found on the property and they are thrust both into the spotlight and police crosshairs.

I finished Darling Girls in one day because I couldn’t put it down. Sally is masterful in developing a creative plot, while offering readers lovable unlikeable characters. This story highlights the strong bonds of found family and the intricacies of complex trauma.

I did knock one star because I, myself, am interested in becoming a foster mother someday, so I always cringe a little seeing the foster care system used as a plot device. Putting that aside, l thought Sally has given us an incredibly compelling story.

The narrator, Jesica Clarke, did a great job personifying each person. The way she performed some of the voices in the most intense and scary moments felt so sinister. If you’re looking for a mystery/thriller audiobook, I would recommend you check this title out!

I have enjoyed Sally Hepworth’s previous books, but that did not prepare for me this one. I listened to about a third of the audiobook before I had to binge read the second two thirds. I’m never great at waiting but it was impossible with this one. I think this one punched me a little harder because I am a social worker and this is about the layers of trauma foster kids have to survive. I mean it’s also a domestic thriller and mystery about who the dead body under the house was, but it was eerily accurate about foster care and the pitfalls. The book alternates perspectives as well as timelines. When Norah, Jessica, and Alicia were young they were in foster care together at a home that looked perfect from the outside. It was on a farm and even had a swimming pool, but it also came with a foster mother who was difficult to please and creative with discipline. The three sisters (found family not biological) all get calls from the police with a request to return to that town after a body is found under the demolished house. With trepidation they return to try to find what happened but are they witnesses or are they suspects?

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of the ebook and the audiobook for review. I enjoyed getting to know these characters and follow along with their current and past lives, ultimately leading to information about what was found at the house they grew up at. All characters were flawed yet not totally unlikable.

Jessica, Alicia, and Norah were foster children with Mrs. Fairchild for many years, growing close and bonding over their upbringing. They remain close in adulthood despite not staying together once they left Fairchild’s care. All 3 lead imperfect lives today and are brought back together when they receive calls from a detective related to a crime that has been uncovered at their former foster home.

I enjoyed the way the story played out. I preferred the ebook. The story was told from 3/4 perspectives yet the audiobook only had one narrator. This gets confusing if you miss the name at the start of each chapter. I am of the mindset that if a novel is told from more than one perspective, each perspective needs its own narrator.

Quite a great entertaining mystery. Enjoyed going on the ride with the characters through their childhood to adult life. Some of the issues like abuse can be triggering so check your triggers.

Twisty endings are my favorite!!

Oofff! What a read! Sally Hepworth definitely wrote a thrilling story!!

I have such mixed feelings on this book. All hanging in the ending of the story.

I love a story with an unreliable narrative and feel like I caught on early that the story would unfold differently than how it was portrayed to be, however there was lots to the ending that caught me by surprise.

I appreciated the deep sisterly bond, the unraveling of the foster babies and their identities.

I did find the ending very difficult to read. And would definitely advise TW:child abuse and drug/substance for those who may have some sensitivity to such subjects.

I wanted to rate higher than a 3⭐️, however the somewhat graphic ending bumped it down a star in my opinion!

I did a mix of reading and listen (I really appreciate the advanced copies) as it kept me flying through the book that much faster. I feel like the narration was great. Loved the Australian accent!

Thank you for the early access. Would definitely recommend!

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth a thriller novel about three girls and their life in a abusive foster home and a body found under the house years later.

What I liked:
* the slow burn was sooo good
*the characters were detailed and complex
* the amount of times I gasped

What I "disliked":
*Not necessarily a thriller but more of a domestic drama. If you already are a fan of Sally Hepworth, you'll love this book. But if you're looking for lots of action and mystery, I'm afraid this is the wrong book.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillian Audio for this audiobook. I'm excited to see what Sally Hepworth writes next.

This was such a great ALC! I loved the story, but the narrator did an excellent job of differenitating between the characters! She brought these characters to life! Sally Hepworth writes propelling psychological thirllers that are both character and plot driven. In this novel, the characters are raw, flawed, but brave and inspiring. I loved this novel!

I loved the Australian accent of the narrator and thought it was fantastically done. I had a print copy of the book as well but found myself only wanting to listen because the narration was so great.

This story was totally captivating and had many twists that I did not see coming. It was well written and easy to imagine, but at the same time so unimaginable that people could be so cruel. Every time I was convinced I knew who was really evil, I would be proven wrong. This was my first Sally Hepworth novel and definitely will not be my last!

Darling Girls, by Sally Hepworth, is a dark, disturbing novel that combines domestic drama with a mystery component and psychological thriller aspects. It’s fraught with tension that only increases as the story unfolds.

We follow three women, foster sisters, in both present and past timeframes and hear from each of their perspectives. They are drawn back to the town where they were raised when bones are found underneath the house they grew up in. The detectives have requested they return for interviews and the longer they are there, uncomfortable truths begin to come to light as they relive that traumatizing time in their lives.

Darling Girls is a very character-driven story that showcases significant personal growth and perseverance. We get to peer into the women’s growing up years, the atrocities they endured, and also the bond of friendship that carried them through. We also witness the related issues they currently struggle with in adulthood as a result of their earlier years. This is, admittedly, a hard read. The abuses within the foster system and the things done to these young children is revolting. But the strength and determination gained from simply having someone on your side is impactful and an important reminder.

The conclusion, of course, is twisty, startling, unsettling and yet also satisfying. This wasn’t my favorite book by this author given it’s distressing content and somewhat repetitive middle portion, but Sally Hepworth is a fantastic author who always pens engaging stories, and I will always read what she writes.

Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for the audiobook version of this story which really enhanced the experience and brought the plot to life! The narration made it feel so much more realistic, creepy and atmospheric. This story is narrated by Jessica Clarke and her different character’s voices are unique, varied and fitting.

4.75 stars!!!

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for an audiobook ARC of Darling Girls!

This is probably my favourite thriller i've read on audio before! It was so easy to follow and I didn't find the time jumps confusing or overwhelming, which is usually hard to achieve during an audiobook. It was gripping and thrilling the entire time and was so easy to binge-read! And I didn't even guess the twist!

Will definitely be picking up more from Sally Hepworth!

I am so conflicted on how to rate this because on one hand, I found the story very compelling and I was hooked very early on. There were so many twists and turns, ESPECIALLY at the end, which I REALLY didn't see coming. But on the other hand, I had a hard time listening to some of this as it was really disturbing. I don't shy away from TWs but for some reason, this is hit differently? I can't really explain it?

I did enjoy how the plot unfolded and the sisterhood amongst our three primary FMCs!

Rating: 3.5 stars

TW: parental abuse, loss of loved ones, and drug addiction.

No one writes a f*cked up story that you don't want to put down like Sally Hepworth. Some might even say she's our very own Miss. Fairchild -- she lures us in and then finds ways to slowly break us down.

Jessica, Norah (with an H), and Alicia are sisters, not by birth, but by their shared placement as foster children at Wild Meadows, a lovely farmhouse complete with stables, land, and a pristine pool, owned by Miss Fairchild, their foster mother. While Wild Meadows is beautiful from the outside, Miss Fairchild submits the girls to daily tortuous physical and verbal abuse and erratic behavior -- and she keeps taking in babies for temporary placement and leaves all the caretaking to the girls. The girls finally concoct a plan to escape and leave Wild Meadows, and Miss Fairchild, behind for good.

Fast forward twenty-five years later, and the police contact each woman after remains are discovered at Wild Meadows during demolition. The girls reluctantly agree to go back to Wild Meadows and aid the investigation, but going home isn't always as easy as they say. Especially when everyone has secrets they would like to stay buried in the past.

I love Hepworth's sharp, quick writing, and I always appreciate the relationships -- especially between sisters -- that she examines in her books. I found the ending of this book to wrap up so quickly, which was odd because the girls lives at Wild Meadows were told with such detail.

I would recommend listening on audio because the narrator is fantastic. There are a lot of characters but she does a good job slightly differentiating the tone and inflection of each woman.

Four stars. Thank you, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Woooaah, this is easily Sally Hepworth's best book. Talk about wild twists and turns, on the edge of your seat dramatic. I was fully engaged the whole book and couldn't get enough. This book was really dark, different than a lot of Hepworth's books. I loved the back and forth with the different POV's from the sisters, and all the easter eggs throughout the book.

Please be aware of all the triggers in this one, because I wasn't aware of any of them and it threw me a little bit and I wasn't super comfortable for some of it. Also keep in mind this isn't necessarily a thriller, so don't have that mindset going in.

Audio was fantastic!

Darling Girls was a hit for me. I loved the dual timelines and multiple character pov’s. The foster system was intriguing to listen to, but so so sad.
I did guess one of the twists but she put in a few.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance reader audio copy of this book. Loved the narrator. She has a bit of an accent, which I sometimes find hard to understand at a faster speed (2x), but she did a great job on this book. Hepworth never fails to impress me. This coming of age story includes mystery and love and abuse all throughout the book. The reader loves to hate Mrs. Fairchild and really feels for the girls under her card, while also feeling bad for the girl in therapy that seemed to also suffer abuse. What a great spin of an ending. 5 stars!

Darling girls made me feel so many emotions. Growing up my aunt and uncle were foster parents so I always had "new cousins" to play with. I loved that I got to meet so many different kids, but always got so sad when I'd get attached and they'd go back to their parents or placed with a permanent family. At the time, I didn't quite understand the process or why they were coming and going so much. Eventually my aunt and uncle adopted 3 biological brothers and they've now been a part of our family for over 20 years. Adoption is a beautiful thing and fostering helps so many children, but unforuntaely that isn't always the case and some don't get the safe, loving family like my cousins did.

Ms. Fairchild, the foster mother in the book, starts out as such a sweet mother. She makes Jessica feel so loved, but the second she tells Jessica she can't have friends at school or see people outside of school, you know things are going to go down hill. Just how negative, I would not have guessed, but I feel the heartache for Jessica. She just wants to please her foster mother, but Ms. Fairchild does whatever she can to punish and hurt her. Ms. Fairchild is the antagoinst in the book, but you really grow to despise her! The ideas she has are humiliating, and down right cruel, some of which really made me go "no!" and "wow". The girls don't get to experience an ounce of joy, even as their family grows.

What really surprised me was that they took on so many babies and no red flags were ever made. No one thought it a bit odd, or genuinely cared about the girls to ensure they were actually okay. You later learn their social worker Scott was in on it, but even still. No one else would think it a little odd or think to check in on the girls?

As the girls get older and are finally rid of Ms. Fairchild they've eached developed their own issues as a product of their youth. Drug addiction, low self confidence and inappropriate relationships have all fallen on the girls, but as they go through the latest development they fight back on their problems. Each one conquering their problem with the help of those arund them and a few from their past.

By the end of the novel, you could guess it was Amy's body (the originaly Amy) under the home. What I did not guess was that Ms. Fairchild spun yet another lie to make herself look better in court. While I understand her own youth wasn't all that great, I still don't understand what made her just so mean. If her stepfather really didn't abuse her and her own real issue was jealousy of her mother, then was she just a bad person? To want to deliberately hurt someone because they show love for someone other than just Ms. Fairchild is crazy.

Overall I enjoyed the audiobook and think it was narrated well. The book flowed well and you felt you knew the characters and could feel what they were feeling.

I'd like to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC. These opinions are entirely my own.