This is my 4th or 5th Sally Hepworth book. I really enjoy her style of psychological “thriller” (they’re never actual thrillers, but I don’t know how else to characterize them). “Darling Girls” is about 3 women who spent years in the same foster home and consider themselves to be sisters. This book contains scenes of child abuse so if that’s a trigger for you, I don’t recommend. 25 years after their time together, bones are discovered beneath the home they shared. The story moves from each woman’s narrative, in both past and present and the device was very engaging.
Unexpected plot twist at the end!

4 ⭐️

Thank you, NetGalley, for my review copy.

This is the third Sally Hepworth book I have read and I have to say that I did not find it as compelling as the first two I read. The ones I read were mystery/thrillers and dealt with domestic relationships and so perhaps I feel that her talent lies in that. This too was a mystery/thriller but it seemed that element of it took a back seat to the issue of foster care. In this novel, three girls that had been placed in foster care with a cruel woman and the body of a young child was found. I thought that this novel played into the tropes of bad foster homes and this took precedence over the mystery element. It felt to me like the author was trying to give me a message about foster care and I find this irritating in a book and it definitely detracts.
There was decent character development although I found myself not really liking them much, or being annoyed by them. The trope of bad foster care making these girls into dysfunctional women played into this.
Nonetheless, it was a fast read and the pacing was good. I listened and read (had the audiobook) and the narrator had a fun English accent and she was fine.
Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and MacMillan Audio for providing me with the opportunity to read and listen to this ARC.

I seem to be hit or miss with this author. Her last book was a hit but this one just didn’t meet the mark for me. The abuse throughout the book was just too much for me. I can see intellectually how this could be categorized as a physiological thriller but for me overall, it was the story of a really cruel woman.
Not my cup of tea ☕️

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun, twisty thriller with some great surprises. I have read Hepworth before and always love her books. This felt very different from her usual work. Ina great way! And I was very pleased with the narrator. Made from a great read, and an excellent listen!

My first Sally Hepworth book and it didn't disappoint! I think I will have to pick up some more thrillers from this author! I liked how the story weaved in and out of the past and present. The foster sisters really had to form their own misguided and twisted family because of their foster mother was crazy. I went into this blind, and really glad I did. I enjoyed the ride, and listened in one day! I would highly recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Wow! Miss Fairchild is a massive psychopath and it made this book so great to read. She was the perfect nemesis to Jessica, Norah & Alicia. I thought I had this story figured out but in the end I was very wrong and Miss Fairchild became an even bigger villain to me. The relationship between the three sisters was lovely and vibrant, They really watched out for each other throughout their lives. I could tell they were great characters when they sacrificed themselves to help the babies, then Amy. It was heartbreaking to read this story of a woman who was foster parenting for all the wrong reasons, It was equally hesrtwarming to see Alicia and Mira fostering for all the right reasons. The plot tie ups for Jessica & Phil, Norah and Alicia was wonderful.

The narrator of this book was great.: good pace, nice voice to listen to. I would listen to more books with her.

Thanks to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio and St. Martin’s Press for the chance to listen to this great book.

So glad for the chance to listen to this book. Another amazing story by Sally Hepworth. It hooked me from the very start and didn't let go. Soooooo good.

🖤

💥 NETGALLEY ADVANCED 𝑨𝑼𝑫𝑰𝑶𝑩𝑶𝑶𝑲 COPY REVIEW 💥

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth
📅: 04/23/24
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Women's fiction
Narrators: Jessica Clarke
Imprint: Macmillan Audio

𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:

Sally was able to hook me right from the beginning. I think it greatly helped that the narration was to my liking. I felt like I bonded with the three characters in the story which is rare for me lately if it's a thriller. I shared their emotions towards a certain someone in the book and I felt so much for them everytime something bad happened. I felt like this was character driven and whatever problems each character had - they all had their respective closure/resolution right at the end. She did an awesome job with the twist and the pacing was fast - this did not bore me at all.

🎧 𝐀𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐬 🎧

✤ 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐰 & 𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧:

I am a sucker for good narration and accents. There's just something with audiobooks narrated with accents that give a bit of flare to the story. I feel like it flows smoothly whenever it's done correctly. Jessica Clarke did a fabulous job in giving voice to all the characters in this book - whether it be a male or female character. I did not have any issues listening to this audiobook due to how flawless the flow was as well as the narration.

✤ 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 & 𝐑𝐞𝐜:

I like the fact that Jessica made sure that she gave each sister a distinct voice, I bet it wasn't easy because of the fact that there were 3 of them. She was able to give them different voices based on their personalities and back story. I recommend this audiobook to all the mystery and thriller lovers out there. It has the perfect mixture of all the usual elements in a thriller novel. It has that satisfying twist at the end and throughout the entire time that I was listening to it - the story gripped me and it made me want to know how it will end.

Thank you Netgalley, Sally Hepworth and Macmillan Audio for an ALC of this book. This was such a great listen! 🎧

Brilliant characters with complex relationships. I felt all the emotions while reading this novel. Sally Hepworth is solidified as a must read.

Pros: I think readers who love Sally Hepworth will enjoy this book--she is a dependable author in the mystery/thriller genre and uses multiple timelines and points of view to tell a fast-paced story. The other books I've read by the author were domestic thrillers, and I enjoyed reading something a bit different that focuses on friends/found family. I listened to this book on audio and really enjoyed the narrator's Australian accent.

Cons: I have mixed feelings about this book's commentary on foster care.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read this book.

This book was amazing!! It was a solid 4 star read that kept me engaged up until the last chapter - and OH MAN that was just *chef's kiss*.

There are definitely a few hard to stomach scenes in this book. They are not necessarily gory, but if you are sensitive to some child abuse/trauma, I would tread carefully. In my opinion it wasn't too much, but it was memorable.

This is a suspenseful book that will break your heart, but also show you the love and closeness sisters share (even if they aren't biological sisters). This really makes you feel for children put in foster care, and I have such an appreciation for the those who are advocates for these children.

I think Sally Hepworth does an astounding job at writing some complex and not mentally stable characters - I really gained respect for that when reading The Soulmate (which I loved!), and that respect only increased reading this book.

Jessica Clarke does a phenomenal job narrating, and I could listen to her voice all day. Absolutely kept me engaged, and she voiced each part perfectly.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the copy in exchange for my honest review.

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia don’t have much in common as adults, but as children they were all raised by a foster mother, Miss Fairchild, on a family farm. But of course, not all is as it seems from the outside looking in. The girls still keep in touch as adults, but soon find themselves being forced to relive their past when a body is discovered on the farm and an investigation is opened. But are the sisters victims or prime suspects?

This book included a dual timeline that was done well. It was well paced and slowly revealed clues and insights into the characters’ backgrounds while the current timeline moved forward, which kept the intrigue and interest alive. Granted, the past timeline was slower as it mostly served to provide background, but it was still interesting and never felt boring.

What kept this book from being great for me was that the characters just weren’t quite there. They didn’t feel fully developed or fleshed out, but rather like they were each given a few traits that became the entire character. The weak characters negatively impacted the plot and book as a whole. The same thing happened with the antagonist – there were prime opportunities to create a complex and twisted antagonist, but the explanation at the end felt like a bit of a throwaway, and the antagonist never felt compelling.

However, this was still an entertaining and enjoyable weekend read. If you’re looking for a fast-paced family drama that is entertaining, then this is worth checking out. My thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to read this work, which will be published April 23, 2024. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The mystery and twist kept me entertained until, literally, the very last page! I was hooked and couldn’t put it down. The characters were built up fantastically and the plot kept me guessing on what was going on. Definitely a 5 star mystery for me.

***I received an ARC from Netgalley and the Publisher in exchange for my honest review.***

***Book read via Audiobook***

From Sally Hepworth comes a roller coaster ride through the depths of Miss Fairchild’s, a foster care placement/ provider, heavily seeded mental health issues. Spurred from trauma and ending in a domino effect of traumatic experiences for children in the foster care system that were left in her care.

What I loved about this book:
❤️: Sisterly bonds
❤️: Second chances
❤️: Quick read
❤️: Fluidity between “past” and “present”
❤️: Recovery

I also appreciated the unfortunate reality of the situations in the story including the feelings and trauma that children in foster care feel during and after their experiences.

What I could have gone without:
❌: Loose ends at the end
❌: Dirk’s involvement in the plot

Honestly, not much else could I have gone without. This was such a great quick read/ listen. Highly recommend!

Darling Girls tells the stories of three girls, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia, who grew up together as foster sisters on Wild Meadows farm with Miss Fairchild as their foster mother. Although it might sound idyllic, Wild Meadows and Miss Fairchild have their own secrets to hide. Now, 25 years later, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia are all dealing with their upbringing in various unhealthy ways, when they are called by the police to return to Wild Meadows: human remains have been found buried underneath the house. The story is told in alternating perspectives and in alternate times, so we get the perspectives of the girls when they were growing up at Wild Meadows and as adults as they try to help with the investigation. I found all of the characters to have unique voices and compelling stories. The narrator also did an excellent job of making sure that each character had a distinct sound. This book will certainly appeal to fans of Hepworth, as well as any fans of domestic thrillers.

I want to start off by saying that I haven’t read or listened to anything from this author before. After listening to this audiobook. I will be adding more books from this author. The narrator does amazing keeping me not wanting to stop listening. This book is very unpredictable. I can’t believe that I haven’t read any of this authors books sooner. The world and these characters amazing /tragic that these happened to these young girls.
These three women went through a lot living with Miss Fairchild as young children. I really enjoyed the back story to each young girl. Before they ended up in the house of horrors with Miss Fairchild.
There is so many twists and turns in this audiobook. I really didn’t see that ending coming.
This audiobook is set to be released April 23, 2024. I highly recommend this audiobook. Thank you to netgalley and the author for the opportunity to allow me to listen to amazing/tragic audiobook.
All my thoughts and review are my own. My review will be up anywhere I can leave a review.

Thank you NetGalley and Sally Hepworth for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sally Hepworth could write about a tumbleweed making its way across the Australia, and she'd still find a way to flip it into an engaging domestic thriller that I wouldn't be able to put down.

Needless to say, Darling Girls is a wonderfully written domestic thriller that I couldn't put down. It delves into the intricate dynamics of growing up in foster care, the effects of that in adulthood, unraveling secrets, and the enduring bond of sisterhood.

This is my fifth novel by this author, and like the others, I really enjoyed it. I highly recommend and look forward to her next novel.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an ALC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge fan of Sally Hepworth, so I went into this with very high expectations. Darling Girls is about foster children who were raised together in the same foster home and are now returning to the area due to human remains being found on the premises. The story goes back and forth between past and present and various POVs - which really adds to the story! The main three foster girls share details about their past and in present time we are able to see how their upbringing moulded them into the women they are now.

The story is very suspenseful and has a lot of twists and turns. Some characters are definitely more likable than others, but almost all of them really do "add" something to the overall plot. The story does get repetitive and predictable at times, but most of the twists and turns are unexpected! When everything comes together, you'll be blown away.

The narrator does an excellent job, but I think that this is one of those books that would have really benefited if they would have had a different narrator voice each POV since there were so many POVs.

It is worth mentioning that this book has events that may upset some readers. It can be dark at times and I suggest treading lightly if you are sensitive to abuse, foster care upbringings, and sexual abuse (child).

While this isn't my favorite book by this author, it is still a great read!

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth is a masterfully crafted slow burn psychological thriller that keeps you hooked till the end. Set in Australia, the story is told in multiple POVs focusing on three women—Jessica, Norah, and Alicia—who met as children in their foster home, Wild Meadows. They form an unbreakable bond of sisterhood borne out of necessity and the urge to protect each other from their maniacal foster mother, Holly Fairchild. Miss Fairchild runs a tight ship often employing cunning manipulations and psychological games to control the girls, leaving them with lifelong scars. Twenty five years after leaving their foster home, the women continue to stay close and keep each other protected as sisters. A haunting phone call from law enforcement forces them to return to Wild Meadows. A set of bones unearthed from under their old foster home now threatens to dig into their past and shared ordeals that they each have been trying to forget.

The best aspect of this book are its unique and complex characters. Jessica, the oldest of the three women and Miss Fairchild’s first foster child is the most complex of them, battling her internal struggles and a drug addiction. Norah is the strong one with an affinity to violence. She joined the foster home at the age of ten after being in a series of foster homes and enduring trauma in every way a young girl can. Her violent behavior controls her adult life as she often gets in trouble with law enforcement and relies on her sisters to bail her out. Alicia was a soft gentle twelve-year-old who was forced to join the foster home when her grandmother and primary caretaker passed away. Her traumatic experience led her to become a social worker, helping young children, often getting emotionally attached to her cases. I love how Sally Hepworth managed to keep each character’s voice and personality unique. It is hard to select a favorite because I loved all three characters, be it Norah’s blend of sarcasm and vulnerability, Alicia’s sweet and caring nature, or Jessica’s complex layers that is unraveled slowly throughout the book.

Despite being a slow burn, the pacing of the book is just right, managing to hit all key notes at the exact intervals. The story unfolds in dual timelines as each woman narrates their past and present. There is one additional POV between an unidentified woman and her therapist that is sprinkled in between chapters. The story, as it unraveled, kept me on my toes and the twists were all added in the right moments. The climax was one I thought I had seen it coming but the ending proved me wrong. I have never been happier to be wrong about something!

I listened to the audiobook version of the book. The narration by Jessica Clarke was good. Because this was a multi-POV novel, I would’ve preferred a cast of narrators for the three women instead of a single narrator. That is not to say that Jessica Clarke wasn’t enough. She was great and brought the needed depth and personality to the characters in each chapter.

Overall, I give this a 4.75 stars rounded up to 5.

Thanks to @Netgalley and @MacMillanAudio for the audiobook arc of the book. All opinions stated above are my own.

I loved the narration of this book. The story line was great and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. This was my first read by this author and definitely will not be my last. Thanks Netgalley for the audiobook