Thoroughly enjoyed this audio ARC from Sally Hepworth. Hepworth is one of those authors I will always pick up. The story of the 3 “sisters” and their time in a foster home really dug into the girls’ backgrounds and made you feel as if you know them individually. The narrator did an excellent job of making you feel their emotions. The twists also definitely kept me guessing. Loved this one!

When going into this book it is very important to be aware of potential triggers, some include:

Foster homes
Child abuse
Murder
Sexual abuse
Drug abuse

Pros:

I like that basically all the questions and problems in the story are resolved by the end, you aren’t left wondering who did what or why.


Cons:

It took a while to get into this story for me because of the bouncing between multiple viewpoints.

This was a rough book. It is a hard reality that too many children get placed into horrific home situations and go on to have trouble their entire lives. Seeing it play out in a story that is detailed is painful and could be triggering for anyone who experienced such things.

4.5 stars rounded up

Wow! I’ve read several Sally Hepworth books and this one is another great one! I really enjoyed listening to the story and it made the dialogue super enjoyable.

Just when you think you’ve got the plot figured out, the story shifts. A great read, good twist and characters that made me want more

Thanks to NetGalley + Macmillan Audio for the advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

I don’t read many domestic thrillers, but man was this a wicked read! A story about secrets, shared sisterhood, and surviving in an abusive Foster home.

Three woman (sisters now) who were brought up together in the same foster home are contacted by the police when a body is discovered underneath that home during a renovation. Are they possible key witnesses or prime suspects?

I listened to the audio and the narration was so well done. We are given 3 POVs from each sister and they are all completely different. Having formed a strong sisterly bond while growing up with the unpredictable Miss Fairchild, they stick together even in adulthood. It was so much fun trying to figure how who the bones belonged to and then who did it. While I wouldn’t call it fast paced, it was not slow either. The story unfolds with flashbacks of there past which gives insight as to why they did the things they did as children. Everyone has secrets in this book but it was definitely worth the read to find out what they were.

Definitely be sure to check the trigger/ content warnings for this one as there are some very heavy things presented in this book,

4.5 stars

This was gifted to me by Netgalley & the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Sally Hepworth is back with her newest book, titled "Darling Girls" and does that name ever do the book justice. We are following three different women, all with quirks. Jessica, Norah, and Alicia all have their own things that they are working on, but these three have a bond that is not shakable. It dates back decades of time from when they were all in a foster home.

They all broke away from the horrid Miss Fairchild, who was their foster mother. They thought that they could run away and be free from her, only to find that their past follows them for far longer than they could have imagined.

As per usual, the author comes back with another BANG. I always enjoy the commentary and awareness that Hepworth brings into her novels. This is another big win for me, and I think that if you have enjoyed any other works from the author you will also enjoy this one. I highly recommend picking this up when it comes out!

I was really hoping this would be one of my best books of the year, however it fell somewhere in the category of meh. Within the middle of the book, you kind of figure out what’s going on, and still the book dithers on. It was a quick, thrilling read, however. And if you’re looking for something that doesn’t dive too deep, then this is the book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I got an email from NetGalley asking if I wanted to read and review this book, and since I enjoyed The Soulmate by the same author, I figured why not! Plus, after reading the first couple sentences of the synopsis, I knew this book would be right up my alley.

Considering that there were four POVs (three in third person, one in first person) and only one narrator, I found that I was able to keep each perspective in line. I liked how each perspective came together through the use of the dual timeline — I was invested in both the “then” and “now” storylines.

I wouldn’t say I was completely blown away by the ending, but I think that was because the pieces of the puzzle were given to the reader in such a methodical way that we were able to piece things together by the end.

This is my second time reading a novel by Hepworth and it won’t be my last!

My first by the author, and will not be my last. I love the full cast of characters and how on edge I was the whole time.

3.5 rounded up to 4

This is my first Sally Hepworth book and I enjoyed it. It’s a solid thriller that kept me guessing.

I didn’t love the audio narration. The narrator used the same voice for all three POVs and I was constantly confused as to which POV I was listening to. I think I would’ve liked this book better if I physically read it rather than listened to it.

I loved this book so much. The twist at the end was jaw dripping. I felt so bad for the girls feeling gaslit, but it added to the story. Great writing and great characters.

The multiple POVs and dual timelines in this story were great. There was lots of drama and I enjoyed the way the ending came together.

4.5 rating! This book had me hooked from the beginning. You have characters you will either love or hate and not everything is as it seems. I enjoy when a book shows the past and present and slowly reveals why everything happened how it did. There were a few twists in the book and I didn't figure out all of them. The ending gave me goosebumps because just when you thought she couldn't get any crazier she does!!!!

This book could have been really really dark, and - yes - parts were super messed up, but Sally Hepworth did so well to bring in moments of light and levity. I laughed out loud at certain parts. And could not for the life of me call the ending. A wild, quick ride - It kept me guessing the entire time!

Loved the narrator. very neutral voice and easy to listen to.

Sally Hepworth delivers a bone-chilling, heartbreaking story about three foster sisters who are forced to revisit their childhood trauma. Jessica Clarke, narrator, does a fantastic job. She brilliantly delivers the depth and hurt in these characters and it really brought a lot to the novel. I highly recommend for those who are fans of Lisa Jewell and Jennifer McMahon.

If you are sensitive to child abuse/child death, I would recommend checking content warnings before reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Jessica, Norah, and Alice are survivors. They had to survive living in foster care with Ms. Fairchild. Their childhoods weren't the best. They tried leaving it all behind until one day each of them got a call saying they found a body buried underneath the home. Now the three of them must go back to where their story started and figure out just who is buried under the house.


The story is told in past and present in multiple POVs, which I love. It was nice being able to get Jessica, Norah, and Alice's sides of things. You got to feel them grow up and then become adults. Alice was my favorite one! As adults each of them had their own thing going on, their own demons to face, but they were still just as close as when they were kids.

I am one of the few but I didn't LOVE this book. I thought it was good, and I did want to know how the story ended. If you've read Sally Hepworth before, I would totally suggest reading this!! She did a great job.

I listened as I read and the narrator did a good job! It kept me engaged. Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for the copies of this book, in exchange for my review.

I always enjoy Sally Hepworth's thrillers and this was not an exception. I was surprised at some of the twists and turns.
The narrator, Jessica Clarke, was excellent. It's hard to believe there was just one narrator. The voices for all of the main characters were very distinct. Never a confusion as to who was talking and when.

Huge thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced audiobook copy. #netgalley #darlinggirls #sallyhepworth

Haven't we all read a book with orphan children and their care takers? That was my first thought as I went through the first few chapters, or so I thought. The writhing is rich in human emotions, it's rich in psychological clues and the back and forth from the present to the past gives a perfect construct of the characters. I enjoyed the bits of information the author gave me with each time progression that allowed me to get a great insight in each of the girls' minds. The plot seems so clear and easy to follow and takes you to an amazing ending! Thank you so much for sharing this book. I absolutely loved it!

Okay, most importantly, I love Norah with an h so much. And dogs being named after the first thing they chew tickles me to no end.

I also really liked the sisterly bonds represented in this book. It added some levity and hope in what would have otherwise been a fairly dark mystery thriller.

The story was challenging. Maybe a little predictable until it wasn't. Definitely invested in seeing what happened and even though I shy away from stories with depictions of child abuse, this wasn't overtly explicit and I was able to tolerate it.

The narrator was very good, but i'd like a strong word with the editor. There was so much loud breathing that should've been edited out.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth

Thank you to @stmartinspress, @netgalley, and @sallyhepworth for the opportunity to read this #advancedreadercopy in exchange for my honest review. Darling Girls will be published April 23 on physical, eBook, and audiobook platforms so preorder now! 💙

She’s done it again! This book just became my fave of the year! It’s twisty, it’s thought-provoking, it’s dark, and it’s fresh! This pulled me in immediately, was filled with deeply flawed but lovable characters and took you on a gut-wrenching and nail biting journey. Hepworth is a master of twisted family dynamics and this book is no different, albeit with a non traditional family. I highly recommend for fans of a fast paced mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

TW: loss of a loved one, mental illness, g*slighting, m*nipulation, CA, SA, dr*g add*ction, more

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ - 5.5/5

I was not a huge fan of the other two books I had read from this author but when I was sent an ARC I figured I would give her one more try. I am so glad I did. I really really ended up loving this. I felt attached to the girls almost immediately and things just kept getting juicier and juicier as it went on. The narrator did a very nice job with all the different view points from the characters. I really thought this was just going to be another foster care horror story but this was so so good! I did not see the big twist coming at all. And then the final final twist was even better. This was just the right pace with just the right amount of detail to make me not want to stop listening. Highly recommend!
Thank you MacMillan Audio, Sally Hepworth, and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to an ARC!