"Someone once told me that you have two families in your life - the one you are born into and the one you choose. Yes, you may get to choose your partner, but you don't choose your mother-in-law. The cackling mercenaries of fate determine it all."

The Mother in Law is a 4.5 Star read.
I really liked the way it was written, going back and forth between past and present.

This book had me on my toes the whole time.

I wish there had been a little bit more emotion in the characters though, a few of them didn't quite come through as strong as I wanted them to.

Overall I really liked this book and will be looking for more books by Sally Hepworth.

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I had read several of Sally Hepworth's books before so was excited to be able to read this one. I actually thought this book was the best of the previous books I had read. The Mother-in-Law is a story about a family, mainly concentrating on the relationship between Diana (MIL) and Lucy, her daughter-in-law. The story is told from both ladies perspective. From their very first encounter, they each misinterpret the other's reaction, which I think is something that happens to a lot of people and it was interesting to me to read this. While reading the book I had my mind made up about each character, but as the story comes to an end, I had to rethink my opinions of them. This was a very quick read, I read it in just a few sittings. Definitely worth the read!

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39863405-the-mother-in-law" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="The Mother-in-Law" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1546452406m/39863405.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39863405-the-mother-in-law">The Mother-in-Law</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8123141.Sally_Hepworth">Sally Hepworth</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2737589454">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I had read several of Sally Hepworth's books before so was excited to be able to read this one. I actually thought this book was the best of the previous books I had read. The Mother-in-Law is a story about a family, mainly concentrating on the relationship between Diana (MIL) and Lucy, her daughter-in-law. The story is told from both ladies perspective. From their very first encounter, they each misinterpret the other's reaction, which I think is something that happens to a lot of people and it was interesting to me to read this. While reading the book I had my mind made up about each character, but as the story comes to an end, I had to rethink my opinions of them. This was a very quick read, I read it in just a few sittings. Definitely worth the read!
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Mother in Law
I was able to read this book thanks to NetGalley, Sallie Hepsworth, and publishing
Who wouldn’t want to read a book with this title?
Lucy and Ollie are married and living with their three children when they get the news that Ollie’s mother has died and foul play is possible. Everyone looks towards Lucy. This book is fast paced, suspenseful and goes back and forth between the present and the past which is a fantastic format. The character depth and development was amazing and the story seamlessly unravels along with the characters’ complex, difficult relationships. I read it in one day and couldn’t put it down. The ending knocked my socks off! I give it five stars and highly recommend to anyone who loves thrillers. I love Sallie Hepsworth and her writing and will continue to read her books. Thanks once again to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in advance.

I could not put down The Mother-in-Law. I was kept on he edge of my seat reading about this family and their back stories. A must read!

How well do you really know your family? The Mother-In-Law is a mystery/thriller as told mostly by Lucy the Daughter-in -Law & Diana her Mother-in-Law, during the past and present.
Who Killed Diana or did she actually commit suicide? A great storyline and uniquely different style from your usual thriller.
I enjoyed the story, it opened my eyes to how complex family relationships can actually be and how we sometimes don’t really know people for who they really are.
The author clearly shows there are always two sides to every story. This is my first Sally Hepworth and certainly won’t be my last!

Fans of Big Little Lies will adore this novel! The way that Hepworth carefully weaves the story (with multiple perspectives and time periods) gives readers enough clues to form an opinion and then quickly change their mind one chapter later. Literally could not put this book down!

The Mother-in-Law is the next twisty hit by Sally Hepworth. Set in the upper-middle class suburbs in Australia readers are introduced to Lucy, a busy mother of 3, her husband Ollie, and Diana-the matriarch and yes, mother-in-law. What first seems to be a classic mother-in-law vs daughter-in-law tale quickly delves into a layered story, with flashes to the past and present. When Diana is found dead-and the police are uncertain it is suicide-who is to blame?

Told in mostly Lucy and Diana's voice readers are taken along Lucy meeting Ollie's family for the first time to hints of a volatile relationship between Diana and Lucy to the current state of a fractured family-and explosive secrets around every turn. With every family member having motive-is there more than meets the eye with this story? How well do you know your family? Readers will be satisfied with Hepworth's latest domestic turn as they peel back the layers that answers those questions. Highly recommend this novel.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lucy's mother-in-law is dead. Was it suicide or a murder? The book is written with many flashbacks to give you insight into each character. It makes you question each one! I really liked this book and it kept me guessing! Well done!

*Not what I was expecting from this page turning novel about a mother-in-law and her relationships with those around her. I could not put this down and finished it in one sitting. Pleasant surprise!

This book was a little different from what I was expecting however I still devoured it! I was expecting more of a mystery/thriller and while it still had a little bit of that element, I would classify it more as a family drama. I found myself more interested in each of the characters development and less interested in the mystery of what happened to the mother-in-law.

This book makes me feel like I stumbled into the greatest party of my life. My neighbors were holding a party, I wanted to make a brief appearance and get out. However, once the door was opened, I couldn’t leave until the party was done. In the end, it ended up being an experience that would have an impact on my mind and life. That is how I felt when I read this book. I was just expecting a quick, fun psychological thriller. However, I was engrossed from the first page. I met characters that I was drawn to and encountered themes that struck a chord. I ended up with a way different experience than expected.

I mean, I thought I’d like the book but in the end, I loved it. And no, it wasn’t really a party. This was as heart wrenching as it was entertaining.

Diana really gives a completely new meaning to tough love. Imagine being broke yet your parents are loaded. She wanted her kids to learn how to be independent and work hard for everything they had. Some of her lessons were excessively tough and hanged on the thin line between love and hate. She seemed too stingy. However, the author still managed to show us a softer side of this matriarch. I disliked her at first but liked her in the end although I still don’t agree with all that she did.

The strength of this narrative lies in the masterful character development. Diana is that mother in law whose character leaped from the pages of the book right to my mind and heart, I won’t easily forget her. Her daughter in law, Lucy, was also quite relatable. I was nervous for her when she met Diana. I could relate with her fears and pains. Lucy was such a likeable character who aptly portrayed the nerves of joining a new family. Each character had a story, some I liked and empathized with but others repulsed me.

Apart from the characterization, the themes were also well portrayed. I love how the author tackled different themes such as family, fertility, mental health. She did this without losing focus on the main storyline. If anything, the themes helped in the character development and enriched the story.

This ended up being an enjoyable, twisty yet heart wrenching story about family, love and loss.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins Press for this one! Sally Hepworth does it again. A story filled with family secrets, deceitful relationships, and a murder.

“Someone once told me you have two families- the one you are born into and the one you choose. You may get to choose your partner, but you don’t choose your mother in law.”

From the age of thirteen Lucy grew up without a mother, so when she was going to meet Oliver’s parents she was so excited to finally get a mother figure in her life. Unfortunately when she met Diana, she was cold and always kept her at a distance and Lucy never could understand why. Diana was the pillar of the community, a social justice advocate, why couldn’t she be a friend to Lucy too?

That was all 10 years ago. Now Diana has been found dead. Her death is initially ruled a suicide because she left a note, but the autopsy reveals she was suffocated. It is clear everyone has a secret of their own, but who killed Diana?

The Mother-in-Law held my attention well for the entire extent of the book. I appreciated that even the not-so-liked characters ended up pulling at your heart strings. Overall an entertaining read!!

I started reading The Mother in law expecting a light read. It turned out to be an incredible mystery with lots of twists and insights into the very perplexing mother in law, daughter in law relationship. I read the book in a day and a half - not able to put it down. I have read all of Sally Hepworth books. I’ve enjoyed all of them, but this book is my favorite.!

I didn’t know what to expect when I first started reading this book. It surprised me in a good way! It’s very easy to read, and I loved the twists at the end. I wasn’t expecting any of it at all!
This book is told from 2 different points of view- the mother-in-law, Diana, and daughter-in-law, Lucy.
Lucy is so excited to marry Ollie and become apart of his family. Lucy has lost her own mother, so she wants nothing more than to have a strong relationship with her mother-in-law and be close like she’s always dreamed. The only thing is Diana is a little bit more difficult than she would realize.
When Diana is found dead in her home, no one knows if it’s suicide or murder. Were things between Lucy and Diana worse than they seemed?
5 stars for this one! I couldn’t put it down.

When Lucy meets Ollie's family she has hopes of a relationship with his mother. Lucy lost her mother at a young age. She wanted to impress Diana and she wanted Diana to like her. The first meeting doesn't go as expected. Lucy feels like Diana doesn't like her. As time goes by there are many conflicts between Lucy and Diana.

The story alternates between Lucy and Diana. It also goes between the present and past.

When Diana is found dead and a suicide note is found in a drawer the family thinks it's a suicide but after the autopsy it looks like someone wanted Diana dead. Of course, everyone knows about the complicated relationship between mother in law and daughter in law. Diana is also very wealthy. Did her daughter in law want her out of the picture? Did someone kill her in order inherit money? Did someone kill her out of anger?

This is my second book by Sally Hepworth. I found it very enjoyable and look forward to reading more from this author.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading this book. Would it be another thriller? A murder-mystery? But, no, it was neither of these things and I was pleasantly surprised to find this was a well-written, character-driven family drama. It was about relationships we form at birth and other relationships we form and cope with out of necessity. Or not, as the case may be.

I love stories where the characters are real and quickly engage me. This book was told from the alternating perspective of Diana, the matriarch of the Goodwin family and mother-in-law, and Lucy, who marries Diana;s son, Ollie. Diana is quite a tough woman, a difficult nut to crack, who it appears cares more for the people she helps through her charity than for her own children. But appearances can be deceiving. And so can the characters you first meet in this story. And this is the beauty of reading a great book. The characters reveal themselves over the course of the story. I couldn't stop thinking about them after I finished the book. I couldn't stop thinking about the dynamics of the Goodwin family--their relationships with one another, their lives in Australia, the love and the hate and everything in between that makes up the dynamics of a family.

The reader has to pay attention because the book alternates between the narrators and the past and present. It's definitely not hard to follow and this is just a great read. I will be reading more of Sally Hepworth's books and I am happy I found a new author to enjoy! Thank you to #netgalley and #stmartinspress for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mother-in-law relationships can be tricky. Did this one lead to murder? 💊💊
Diana, the matriarch of the Goodwin family, is found dead with a suicide note next to her. But the autopsy reveals she was suffocated to death and now everyone is a suspect. With inheritance money on the line and a slew of complex family relationships, the police have their hands full trying to solve this case.
💊💊
This intricate look at relationships was incredibly well written. This is fabulously told in the perspectives of Diane and her daughter-in-law Lucy. Relationships can be tricky and this behind-the-scenes take on it reveals the intricacies of what makes people tick. This domestic suspense was complex, twisty, and addicting. For me, this was a solid 4.5/5 stars. Thank you @stmartinspress for this advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this book. I wouldn’t call it a true thriller in my eyes. There was always sense of trying to find out who did it but not a lot of suspense in it. I have previously enjoyed Sally Hepworth books but I found the change in POV’s and the change in past and present to be too much. I would have enjoyed more background in the beginning and the present at the end. Overall it was a good book.

Sometimes, no matter what you do, that person is impenetrable. But we don't always know the real reason for the distance.

Carrying secrets for long times can make them bigger or worse than they need to be. When it call comes out, it can be shocking.

Interesting story and pretty fun read. Mothers in law can be a good reason to not get married-

I was unsure of what to think of this novel as I started reading it, but I really enjoyed Ms. Hepworth's writing. Diana, a woman of considerate wealth, seems to be cold when it comes to her children and their spouses. The reader is quickly able to realize that Diana in fact, just seems to have a communication issue. Lucy, her daughter-in-law (Married to Ollie) does not have a good relationship with her and the reader is able to see the backstory of their relationship from both points of view (Lucy & Diana's). The reader wonders what really happened to Diana who is found dead in her house, with the police wondering if it was murder or suicide.

I very much enjoyed reading this novel and will definitely recommend it to others.