4 out of 5 stars



I would say that this is definitely more of a family drama with a thriller aspect but it really kept my interest. What I always enjoy about a Hepworth novel is that her characters are always so relatable. I find that even if the characters have made bad choices you still tend to root for them. I loved the sisterly relationship.

It was good but a little bit predictable. Overall I enjoyed the book and the authors writing kept me engagrd

4.5 stars. This is one of my favorite thrillers I’ve read in a while. I tore through it! I loved the development of Fern. I was rolling my eyes at the start of the book that she was a prickly person (not aware she was on the spectrum yet) who was working in a library- I thought this was going to further perpetuate the stereotype of librarians shushing and wanting to be left alone all day when they work a public services job. I was so wrong!!! It was so nice to see her new supervisor praise her for her work and how she relates to and serves her patrons.

Back to the plot. I really enjoyed how this was told both through Fern’s perspective and Rose’s journal entries. Keeps up the questioning of reality up until the end, and it was a satisfying ending. I also loved the development of “Wally”— the care that the author put into these sweet characters was very evident! Lastly, I loved the afterword where the author mentioned the idea for this book coming from a moment with her daughters where one of them bit the other because “she annoys me sometimes”— not in that moment, just sometimes! What a perfect depiction of sisters. This book definitely goes to the extreme with the jealousy/competitiveness, but sister relationship being the focal point made this book stand out among many other psychological thrillers for me.

Could not put this book down, kept me on the edge of my seat. Thank you to the publishers for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Good Sister is a startling story that rocks you! How can two sisters be so alike yet different? Included are all the twists and turns you could imagine and ends with a twisted smile. Excellent!

Synopsis:

Fern Castle works at her local library and lives a simple life. She owes her sister Rose for always making sure she does everything the right way. She avoid crowds, bright lights and loud noises and lives a carefully structure life to avoid any disruptions to her routine. When Rose has fertility issues, Fern sees her chance to pay her sister back for everything. She just needs to find a father, simple. This mission will shake the foundations of her life and stir up dark secrets from the past.

Review:

I think every family has a black sheep - this book makes you wonder who that is in the Castle family. I loved the alternating perspectives - they're my fav, especially in thrillers because you get to know a bit more - which, to be honest, mostly ends up throwing me off more than anything. I did not see what was coming and couldn't put this book down, so many twists and turns!

Thank you St. Martin's Press for the eGalley!

Fern and Rose are twins. Will you be able to guess which one is the good sister? It seems like they have always looked out for each other, or Rose looks out for Fern. Rose is married and wants a baby, while Fern is happy to be a librarian. When Fern finds out that Rose is struggling to conceive, she decides she will have a baby for her twin sister. When Fern gets pregnant, things get interesting.

The story is told from Rose and Fern’s POV, as well as journal entries. They’ve always been there for each other, always looked out for each other. They are good sisters, but where do the boundaries lay?

Although this was a slow burn, I still enjoyed the story and wanted to know what would happen next. There were plot twists along the way to keep the reader interested and entertained. As we get to know the sisters, although twins, we learn that they have very different characters. This is a highly engaging family drama story that will keep you turning page after page until the very last twist.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my digital copy in exchange for a review. As always, my reviews are my own and unbiased opinions.

This story is wonderfully written. I love the way the author shares each sister's perspective of their lives. Character development is spot on. I highly recommend this book if you love a good suspense.

Once again, Sally Hepworth has created a deeply nuanced, expertly crafted novel. She dives into sibling relationships, friendships, and marriage. The author carefully delves into mental health and disorders, exploring the many faulty assumptions related to them. These characters are multifaceted and filled with unexpected actions and decisions. Brilliant, and enlightening! Highly recommend this book! #NetGalley

As a book about sister dynamics and domestic drama, this book hits the mark. But as a mystery/thriller it was a miss for me Don't get me wrong, it is still an enjoyable book, but it was clear midway through what was going to happen and just didn't live up to the hype for me.

This is my first Sally Hepworth read but it definitely won’t be the last! It’s easy to get sucked into the story and it’s a thriller that will keep you going until the very end.

Thanks to NetGalley & SMP for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first Sally Hepworth book, and she's the author I recommend to patrons looking for Liane Moriarty readalikes. I really enjoyed this book: it starts off as a somewhat complicated family drama, then changes course and becomes a suspenseful thriller! Hepworth has skills and she's not afraid to use them.

Fraternal twins Fern and Rose are very close, and when it seems that Rose is infertile, Fern, who has SPD but is quite independent, if a little odd, decides to get pregnant and give her baby to Rose. There is a secret in the girls' past that means that Fern feels like she owes Rose and needs her care and protection. But is Rose all that she seems?

Loved it and she is now one of my favorite authors.

This might be my favorite Hepworth novel yet--and that's saying something, because I've loved each of her books. The Good Sister is an outstanding story that draws you in and hooks you before you've had time to realize what happened. The book is extremely well-written, and I especially adored two of the characters due to the unique way they viewed the world.

Highly, highly, highly recommended!

My rating: 4 stars

This story is told from the alternating perspectives of fraternal twins Rose and Fern. From the outside it appears as if beautiful, petite Rose has the perfect life: married to her kind and handsome husband, Owen; thriving in her career, and trying to start a family. Meanwhile, Fern - who is on the autism spectrum and has sensory processing disorder - lives a very different life. She works as a librarian and lives a very orderly life with a strict routine and little disruption. Having had a difficult life, growing up in foster care following their mother’s overdose when they were 12, the sisters have always been extraordinarily close, with Rose acting as Fern’s surrogate mom. When Fern meets Rocco Ryan, a tech millionaire who shares some of her autistic traits, it disrupts her perfectly structured routine and her relationship with her sister, revealing the truth behind some long-held secrets between the girls.

That is the basic plot intro for this novel and all I can say without giving anything away. While this is classified as a domestic thriller, I don’t think that genre is quite accurate. I would classify this as high family drama. There are certainly some “mysterious” events, and thrillery bits and pieces, but it is all quite predictable. It was fairly easy to see where the story was going to go pretty early on. What keeps the story interesting is how events affect the sisters’ relationship and exactly what extent Rose will go to to keep Fern beholden to her.

I really enjoyed this book. While it was very easy to figure out exactly what would happen long before anything was revealed, the writing was engaging and the plot was fast-paced. The way the relationship between Fern and Rocco played out was quite enjoyable to read about and I found myself rooting for them. Overall this was a fun read and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a quick, interesting story with some drama but nothing too over-the-top.

This is the story of Fern and Rose, fraternal twins. Rose has been taking care of Fern all of her life because she has sensory issues. Rose wants to have a baby and Fern hatches a plan to help her sister out. But things go wrong when something from their past comes out. A pretty good read by Hepworth.

Realized I never gave feedback on this book.
It was a great read! I didn’t see coming the final dynamic of the two sisters. I loved Rose! You can always count on Sally Hepworth for a fantastic book?

Sally Hepworth has mastered the unreliable narrator and slow burn thriller. I enjoyed this tale of two sisters who had wildly different perceptions of their upbringing, which is affected them in adulthood. This novel explores themes such as family, loyalty, perspective, and special needs. I enjoy it the storyline and felt like it was paced well with plot twists throughout. I'm officially a fan!

I have put this one off for quite a while and am now going through my older books and trying to get them done!
I went to see what other reviewers thought of this one and wondered why I didn't read it sooner.

It gives you psychological thriller vibes but once you get into it, it's more of a domestic drama with a sprinkle of crazy. It's about a set of fraternal twins who are opposite on every level. Fern is on the spectrum and Rose is her care giver whether she needs it or not. If you read and loved Eleanor Oliphant, you will love Fern. She is what keeps you wanting to turn the pages. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.

It starteda little slow for me, but I ended up really enjoying Fern and Wally and their relationship. Definitely a slow burn type of book. I was screaming at Rose. And truthfully, Fern at times. Hated that the ended wasn't tied up like I wanted to be. But maybe there's more to this one...?

Sooo good! One of my faves to read! Definitely would recommend picking this one up if you see it in the store.