Which sister is the good sister?

You will ask yourself this question as you read.

They both seem to be good and good for each other especially after surviving their horrible childhood with a sociopath for a mother.

But is one better than the other? Is one actually more conniving than the other? You will find out.

We follow Rose and Fern's life and see that Rose protects Fern at all costs and that Fern listens to everything Rose tells her to do.

The alternating chapters of each sister's life as adults was described in detail and gave us insight into how they really lived and the secrets they kept from each other and one they kept for years.

This book was more character driven than plot driven for me, but that is great because the characters are likable.

You will like both Rose and Fern and especially Wally. Wally is a man Fern met when he came to the library. They have much in common and are a good pair and good for each other.

There is something happening in both stories, but something you can’t pin down or can't figure out.

The beginning has you wondering where it is going, but…oh does it get better and better.

Sister and family drama can be good or bad.

THE GOOD SISTER will let you know which way it goes for Rose and Fern. 4/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.5⭐ - This one sneaks up on you! A couple of times in the beginning I had to flip back to review the genre. This is a thriller? Ok, i'll keep reading. There are a few inserts here and there that remind you it's a thriller, but then all of the sudden, the thrills start. It's a slow build with a punch at the end. I grew up with two sisters. Although we had our laughs and our disagreements over the years, I am thankful that none of them were like Rose! I loved the alternating POV. Especially when you realize what you're reading. This books deals with Asperger's, narcissism, and some abuse. None of the topics were over-sensationalized and all were necessary for the storyline. Thank you to the publisher and to netgally for providing an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

this was a sweet book about two sisters and things not being what they seem on the surface sweet and satisfying

I’d like to thank Net Galley and the publisher for my ARC of The Good Sister.

What a ride! I enjoyed every minute of this book. Sally Hepworth is a repeat author for me but this might be the best one of hers I’ve read yet. It’s a story about twin sisters, Fern and Rose. Fern has a sensory disorder and seems to be on the autism spectrum, although that’s never explicitly stated. Rose is neurotypical and she watches out for her sister, helps her in social situations, and has always been her protector. Rose has been trying to have a baby, but has trouble getting pregnant, and it occurs to Fern that she could get pregnant and give the baby to Rose. We also see snippets of the twins’ upbringing via diary entries from Rose. I can’t give too much away but this story takes a few steep turns and I was left with my mouth gaping. It was a stressful and compelling read...not quite a thriller per se but definitely dark family drama.

I’ve always wanted a sister, but after reading The Good Sister, I think I'm all set. This is an unsettling tale of twin sisters who couldn’t be more different. Rose is a round, diabetic and fierce protector. Fern is long and lean, living her life with a sensory processing disorder. Fern is reliant on Rose to assist her in navigating life’s challenges; when the sights, sounds, and touch become too much, Rose is there. Steeped in relational tension with a climactic ending, The Good Sister is a fantastic read.

The story alternates between Rose’s childhood diary and Fern’s present day. A mysterious death in the past and well-kept secrets keep the sisters rooted together in codependence. As the novel unfolds, I questioned the integrity of each sister and didn’t know which version of events to believe. Hepworth kept the tension high as I raced through the last pages.

The Good Sister truly shines in the character development of Fern and her significant other, Wally. Hepworth vividly describes the overstimulating nature of living life with sensory processing disorder, and captures the joys of viewing life through a neurodiverse lens. She portrays the characters as quirky yet likeable, and vulnerable yet brave. Fern and Wally were fascinating characters that I will not forget.

As a speech therapist, I love a book which highlights the role of SLPs in helping people regain their communication skills. As a library lover, I also appreciated the central role it played in Fern’s life. Fern sought solace within the library as a home away from home, and her coworkers cared for her in ways others couldn’t.

As in her previous novel, The Mother-In-Law, Hepworth explores the complex relationships of family so well. Don’t miss picking up The Good Sister when it releases on April 13th, 2021.

A big thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for my first ARC!

An absolute masterpiece of storytelling. Fern and Rose are fraternal twins ...Fern has sensory overload issues and works at a library and we get to know Rose through her diary entries. The author steers us into believing one reality of this sisterly relationship but watch out when the truth is exposed. First time reading a book by this author and look forward to reading more.
Thanks to Netgalley and Martin Press for an advanced reading copy.

The Good Sister is about a set of twins (Rose and Fern) that appear to be the best of friends and lookout for one another. However, things are not always as they seem. Fern struggles with a sensory disorder, and Rose is constantly protecting Fern from her episodes. Rose seems to always be around even though she is facing her own dilemma. She cannot get pregnant but wants a baby. Fern takes this as an opportunity to help her sister. She decides she will get pregnant and give her baby to Rose. What could possibly go wrong?

While you might think that sounds crazy enough, Sally Hepworth takes you through twists and turns of their story, in the present and past through Rose's journal entries. She masterfully reveals secrets throughout the novel that has you not wanting to put the book down. I would highly recommend The Good Sister.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced electronic copy in exchange for an honest review.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: April 13, 2021

What a ride! An enthralling family thriller that had my stomach twisted in knots with a constant feeling of impending doom. This one is stressful but captivating!

The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth reminded me of the book, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine. If you enjoyed that one, I highly recommend this book! Both books have a great main character, an endearing relationship element to it and lots of Mom drama! This book is about Fern, A LIBRARIAN!!! and centers around her past and present relationship with her twin sister, Rose. We also get to connect with Fern's library co-workers (loved Fern's dislike of helping patrons with the printers and copier) and her ADORABLE relationship with Wally. This read more as a family drama to me than a mystery/thriller but I will say, I couldn't put it down! Look forward to more books by Sally Hepworth.

Until I figure out how to get my new NetGalley books on my Kobo this is what I’ll have to do for photos. 🥴

The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth

My first approved NetGalley ARC (advanced readers copy) and I feel a little like my head is in the clouds and I just landed in book heaven. I have read two previous books from Sally Hepworth and I have to say she is now my top favourite author. This book was incredible. So incredible in fact I stayed up until 1:00 because I couldn’t stop reading it. It hooked me from the very first sentence. The characters were all so well done. I felt like I was right there with Fern. It thrilled me, it made me a little edgy wondering what was going to happen. It made me laugh, it made me feel sad. If a book does that to you then you know you have found an incredible book. Everybody needs a Fern and Wally story. I couldn’t have loved this more. Plus you also need to follow Sally Hepworth on here. She is so incredibly funny and her stories will make you snort laughing. I want to be her best friend.

Thank you to #netgalley for the privilege of getting picked to read this amazing book. Also to the publisher #stmartinspress

Also thanks to Sally Hepworth for creating another book that will be added to my best books I’ve read list!

PS- I picked this colourful shirt in honour of Fern’s rainbow coloured dress for her date.

This book I think will be released in April 2021.

#netgalley #netgalleybooks #sallyhepworth #thegoodsistersallyhepworth #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #readersofinstagram #februaryreads2021 #booklover

Unfortunately, I’m about 50% in and I’m still not understanding the storyline. It’s difficult to get into and I’m not connecting with the characters at all. This may be my first DNF even though I will continue to come back to it and read a few more pages at a time. Perhaps my review will change.

Sally Hepworth sure knows how to spin a tale! After recently reading her book, The Mother-in-Law, I couldn't wait to read The Good Sister. I honestly felt it was a tad wordy in the beginning but towards the end, it all makes sense and comes together very creatively. Fern and Rose, twin sisters but nothing alike. They share a secret from their childhood but what really happened? What's the truth? Who is the good sister... and who is the bad one? I'm already looking forward to Ms. Hepworth's next twisty read! Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read an advanced copy for my review.

Fern and Rose have an incredible twin bond. Since they were very young Rose has had to look after Fern. Fern has a sensory disorder and their mother is a truly terrible human being. Fern has spend her years relaying on Rose for nearly all of her life choices and now that Rose is the one in need Fern will do whatever she needs to pay her back for the years of help. But after striking up a friendship on her own, Fern starts to wonder if every decision Rose has made for her is really in her best interest or if it merely benefits Rose.

So I actually really loved Ferns character and enjoyed seeing her becoming more empowered over her time. I have to admit there were something about this book I at first was not into. I am always hesitant to read about a character with any sort of disability because they are often portrayed very poorly but that ended up not being the case here. There were some definite downfalls though. I guessed the twist very early on so there was nothing to keep me guessing. I also felt like the ending was really short compared to the rest of the book. Overall I enjoyed it but I didn’t love it.

I love Sally Hepworth books, she's quickly become an 'autoread' author for me. I don't even need to read the summary of her books, I just read them. The Good Sister was another great one. I love reading books about neurodivergent characters like Fern, when they're done well, it brings such an interesting look into a life perspective I don't have experience with.

Fern and Rose are twin sisters, definitely not identical in book looks nor personality, but they're seemingly as close as two sisters can be. Their childhood wasn't ideal and Rose was fiercely protective of Fern and continues to be so into their adult lives. Years early, Fern did something horrible and Rose kept that secret from everyone to protect her. When Fern finds out that Rose cannot bare children she jumps at the chance to finally be the one to help out her sister this time and wants to have a baby for her. Rose starts to worry that Fern may once again make terrible choices leading to disaster once again. But what Rose doesn't know is that Fern herself is starting to make some realizations about Rose, and that maybe she's not the only one harbouring secrets.

This story goes back and forth between Fern and Rose's point of views on both present day and past timelines. About halfway through the book I had definitely picked my favourite sister and rooted for one more than the other. This book is a slow burn but so tense you can't help but keep flipping through the pages. I was able to predict a couple of the twists but it didn't take anything away from my enjoyment of the story at all.

Definitely going to be a popular read this year, I think. And I'm already anxiously anticipating Hepworth's next offering!

Like the author’s earlier novel, The Motger-In-Law, The Good Sister kept the creepy vibes throughout. Lots of tension and plot twists that made this a fun ride.

Wow! That book took me for a ride. When I first started reading I thought... Fern must be on the spectrum or something like that, and that’s what the book would be about. Sally Hepworth had a different idea. This book had me going. What a whirlwind of a story. Will be recommended highly. Thank you to Netgalley for the early read.

The Rosie Project meets Eleanor Oliphant meets Gone Girl.

This book made me nervous and anxious in all the best ways! It starts out innocent enough, but after the first quarter of the book, I was on edge for the whole rest of the book.

The Good Sister is definitely a step up from previous Sally Hepworth novels - far more suspenseful than The Mother-in-Law and The Mother's Promise, but still plenty of character development and relationship drama, keeping you hooked throughout.

I really enjoyed this book! Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

This was one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. I adores Fern and identified with her on so many levels. A definite must-read!

Once again, Sally Hepworth has tackled family dynamics and done a great job. Rose and Fern are twin sisters. They grew up with a difficult, possibly sociopathic, mother. Because Fern was “different”, obviously somewhere on the Asperger’s spectrum, Rose became her protector.
The chapters alternate between the two sisters, who are now 28. Rose is desperate to have a baby. But her marriage isn’t in great shape and she’s got fertility issues. Fern decides to help achieve her sister’s goal. And that’s where things get really interesting.
I immediately loved Fern. She’s got the straightforward, literal approach of someone with Asperger’s. I loved watching her blossom after she met “Wally”.
Hepsworth gradually shows us more and more of each character. And not everyone is who they appear to be. As the book goes on, I became more and more engrossed in the story. It’s a suspenseful, addictive read. Perfect entertainment!
The title is perfect. Because what is the definition of good, really?
My thanks to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

I spent the not snowy weekend in LA reading The Good Sister by one of my favorites, @sallyhepworth . It is a slow burn, suspenseful family drama about twin sisters - Fern is quirky with sensory and social issues and Rose has her act together and assumes the role as Fern’s protector. The story is told through two points of view - Rose’s diary giving flashbacks of their childhood and Fern’s present day adult life, including her relationship with Rose. At times there inconsistencies in their narratives, alluding to the fact that something is not right. The pacing is absolutely superb with twists, turns, so much tension and anxiety, all mixed in with Fern’s adorable new romance and overall charming personality. Both characters are so incredibly well developed yet flawed and with the very subtle and well placed hints that something is not right, I didn’t know who to root for and who to distrust. I could not read this book fast enough. I loved every minute of it.