I received a free copy to review from Netgalley. I loved this book. Having a sister myself, it made me really aware of what I would do for her.. What a story!!! Couldn't put it down.
Thank you!!

Fern and Rose are twins. Rose has always taken care of Fern. After all, their mother was not a very good one. She treated Rose horribly and left them at the library for hours at a time when they were younger. Even now that they've grown up, Fern has a job as a librarian and a home of her own. She still eats dinner with Rose several times a week. Fern is afraid of loud noises, bright lights. She misunderstands a lot of social cues. When things get difficult, Rose is always there to take care of things for Fern. So when Fern realizes that Rose wants to have a baby and is unable to do so, Fern sees this as an opportunity to repay her sister for all the times she has helped her in the past. She will offer to have a baby for Rose. However, as time moves on, Fern realizes that Rose hasn't always been telling her the truth about everything and that Rose has been keeping many secrets of her own.
I liked this book. For some reason, I thought it was going to be much more sinister than it was, I am not quite sure what gave me this notion. I still gave this book a 4/5 because the characters were well developed, and the storyline was good. I loved the character of Fern.
I received an advance copy for review. All opinions are my own.

This definitely took a turn I didn’t see coming until like ¾ of the way through the book. This was a page turner and I couldn’t put it down once I started it. You think you know what’s going on but it turns out you don’t and oh man it was a doozy. So we get alternating pov chapters between fraternal twins Fern who works at a library and has high functioning Asperger’s I think since she was never diagnosed but she has an aversion to crowded places, loud sounds/bright lights and touch as well not being able to understand nuance or figures of speech and emotional cues. Roses chapters always start out with a diary entry giving us some background on their childhood and how horrible their mother was and then goes into what is happening in her life now with her husband Owen leaving her. There was something horrible that Fern did in their childhood that the family covered up and that Rose uses to keep control over Fern since she convinces her that her judgement is off and she can’t take care of herself. Rose is trying to have a baby but can’t and leaves the prenatal pills for her sister to see and Fern get the idea that if Rose can’t have a kid maybe Fern can have one and give it to her which just opens up a whole can of worms that brings all their secrets to the surface. I really loved this and poor Fern when she finally realizes the truth and has to face that what she always thought about herself was wrong. A really great read and I really enjoyed the characterization of Fern and how she figured out at the end that she wasn’t alone in her sensory issues and was normal in her own way.
Thanks to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book in e-book form. All opinions in this review are my own.

THE GOOD SISTER by Sally Hepworth is a complex and gripping psychological thriller/domestic drama that kept me guessing right up until the surprising conclusion. Rose and Fern are fraternal twin sisters that have survived a traumatic childhood with an abusive, sociopathic mother. They are as different as can be, but they remain very close into adulthood. Fern suffers from severe sensory processing issues that keep her to a somewhat isolated and sheltered lifestyle. Since childhood, Rose has been Fern’s protector. A huge secret from the past keeps Fern always dependent on Rose. Does Rose care for Fern out of love or is she a master manipulator who will stop at nothing to get what she wants? The story is full of suspense, drama and even a little romance. The point of view alternates between Fern in the present and Rose through flashbacks to the past from her diary. At times heart-warming and heart-breaking, I was completely engrossed in the story. I just loved Fern and her relationship with “Wally”. This unique and compelling story will stay on my mind for a long time. I recommend this book most highly! Thanks you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy.

Fern and Rose are twins but they aren’t your ordinary twins. Rose has always taken care of Fern, who has a difficult time in some situations because of her sensory disorder. Fern appreciates it so much that she decides to have a baby for Rose, when she finds out Rose can not have one. Then Fern meets “Wally” and situations that seemed innocent, may not be so cut and dried. Can Fern and Rose find out the truth before it’s too late- for one of them?
Wow. I just finished Sally Hepworth’s The Good Sister and all I can think is wow. Hepworth has created characters that feel completely real. Hepworth has handled Fern’s sensory disorder with such realism and sensitivity. Fern and Wally are two that will be hard to forget. The Good Sister wasted no time in letting us see “the secret” Fern was keeping and the reveal made the story move along at a fast pace. While I had some clue the direction of the book was going, I couldn’t guess how it all ended up unfolding. The Good Sister was suspenseful and engaging. Highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley, Sally Hepworth, and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy of The Good Sister. I give this book 4 stars because I could not put this book down. When I thought I understood the characters and the story, Sally threw in an unexpected twist that shocked me and I loved it. The way Sally writes is extraordinary because she is able to make you feel a certain way for characters and then all of a sudden you feel a different way. A great story that makes you feel different emotions throughout. Definitely recommending this as a must read.

I've enjoyed Sally Hepworth's books in the past. The Good Sister was just okay. It was entirely predictable and kind of boring. I got tired of Fern's weird hangups and super-literal interpretations of every little statement. Maybe I read this too close to reading When We Were Vikings.

For all fans of psychological thrillers, such as An Anonymous Girl, The Wife Between Us, and The Silent Patient, Sally Hepworth’s new novel, The Good Sister, will not disappoint. It’s the story about fraternal twin sisters, one of whom is neurotypical and the other neuroatypical with a sensory processing disorder. The story is told from each sister’s POV, one in the form of a diary and the other in her day to day life. Rose is the caring, in-control, organized, and put together sister; Fern is the unreliable, forgetful, and naive twin. It delves into complicated family topics, such as a family member with narcissistic, sociopathic tendencies. (CW/TW: child abuse, sexual abuse, death of a child).
WOW is the only word that comes to mind when thinking about this book. It is highly entertaining and a very quick read. Once I started, I just had to finish!
I finished it a few minutes ago and I’m struggling to find words (and ask anyone who knows me, I am wordy!) This book was SO well done: twists, turns, more twists. Just when you start to trust your instincts, Hepworth comes up with something else to shock the reader. I wish I could say more, but really don’t want to give anything away!
The Good Sister, by Sally Hepworth, comes out April 13, 2021. For fans of psychological thrillers, I highly recommend preordering now. This was my first Hepworth novel, but it certainly won’t be my last. I ended up giving this book 4.5 stars, downgrading a half a star just because I feel so unsettled (and I know some people want that!)

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a free digital copy of this exciting book in exchange for an honest review.

A Sally Hepworth book never disappoints! The characters were complex and I felt emotionally connected to them. I also loved that Fern worked in the library and there were many references to great authors and their novels. This plot was a clever tale of deception. This was one of those books that made you say to yourself..."just one more chapter" which leads to reading the whole book because you just have to know what in the world is going on. Rose and Fern were adult twins who were extremely close. Fern has a form of autism and is highly functioning but her sister still tries to control every part of her life. The twins have a secret they have been hiding most of their lives and it affects the way they interact in their adult lives. This secret is slowly revealed but who is to be believed? Don't miss this wonderfully twisted book!

This book was phenomenal from beginning to end. The minute I started this book I was engrossed. The characters are so well written, that when I got about 60% in I started to question things, but even then I still had no idea how deep it would go. This story had everything, murder, betrayal, insanity. It kept me up all night because I had to know what happened. I felt for Fern and Wally, they deserved all the happiness in the world.

A round of applause to Sally Hepworth!!! 👏👏👏👏👏

"Sisterly relationships are so strange in this way. The way I can be mad at her but still want to please her. Be terrified of her but also want to run to her. Hate her and love her both at the same time. Maybe when it comes to sisters, boundaries are always a little bit blurry. Blurred boundaries, I think, are what sisters do best."

The quickest plot summary ever because I do not want to give anything away: Rose and Fern are twin sisters but could not be more different. Fern is tall and fair-haired with sensory issues while Rose is a short brunette with diabetes. When Fern discovers that Rose has been unsuccessfully trying for a baby she makes it her mission to find someone to get herself pregnant so she can give her baby to Rose. Needless to say things don't go as planned.

Ms. Hepworth introduced me to two characters that I will never forget and that I utterly adore. I wish I could elaborate and tell you all the reasons as to why I love these characters so much but I'm afraid it will spoil things for future readers. I had no idea that when I cracked this book open that I would become so enamored. Did I see some of the twist coming? Yes, but that in no way ruined anything for me. The story was so compelling that the pages practically flipped themselves. This is my third Hepworth book and I tell you that she just keeps getting better and better. Highest recommendation. ALL THE STARS!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my digital copy.

Superstar savvy bestselling author Sally Hepworth is back better than ever with her latest THE GOOD SISTER. I adored The Good Sister and in LOVE with Fern and Rocco/Wally. Readers, I have read all her books, and this is my favorite!

Character-driven, beautifully written, quirky, funny, suspenseful, and heart-warming. You will be glued to the pages from the first to the last.

If you are a fan of authors Fredrik Backman, Elizabeth Berg, Jennifer Weiner, or Gail Honeyman’s novel Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, you will devour The Good Sister! (all favorites) Sally nailed it! Also if you love Kaira Rouda's narcissistic characters and Catherine Ryan Hyde's heartwarming ones, a good combo.

If you want to know which is the good or the bad sister, you must read! Expect deliciously evil, psychological manipulation, fun, literary mentions, riveting domestic suspense, quirky fun characters, and unreliable narrators. If you enjoy twisty stories about mothers and sisters, read on.

Meet Rose and Fern. Twin sisters, but totally different. Named after flowers with identical bracelets with the flower that is their respective name. They are loyal to one another.

Fern displays many characteristics of someone on the autism spectrum, though she has never been formally diagnosed. Think neurodiversity. She likes reading, she is eccentric, an introvert, a librarian, does not like crowds or noise and does not like people touching her. She is smart, brutally honest, but a bit naive in the real world.

Rose is married and a successful interior designer. However, she and her husband have not been getting along so well. She wants to have a baby; yet, she has a health issue that prevents it. Rose is not as she appears.

Fern happens to learn that her sister wants to have a baby, so she thinks, why not? She can have one for. She does not tell her her plans. But who is she going to meet since she does not drive, she does not go to bars, date, or not interested in a relationship.

However, she meets a guy who comes into the library. She thinks he looks like the “Where’s Wally (or Waldo if you live in the states). We all love Wally (you know the hip guy with the glasses, the red and white stripe shirt with a beanie), and Fern befriends him and even calls him Wally, even though his name is Rocco.

Set in Australia, Rocco is from the states but lives here in his van. Fern thinks he is homeless and why he lives in his van and comes into the library to shower. He has a high IQ, and Fern finds him rather cute, so why not ask him out? Simple right. Then get down to having a baby.

However, nothing or no one is as they appear. We get flashbacks of the Mum (which is not so nice) and the chilling journal entries from Rose and her psychologist, and a lake drowning accident that happened years ago.

As you move along in the story, you wonder which girl is the good sister and bad. Your loyalties will change further into the book. Hepworth keeps you guessing like a tennis match. Fern feels like she is indebted to Rose due to a secret in the past. However, what really happened all those years ago?

Fern is a riot, and I love the way Sally gets into her head and this personality, which is so realistic. Flawless! And Wally, I loved him, and you will be rooting for these two all the way. Gosh, I want more books in the future with these two.

Now, Sally has a lot of tricks up her sleeve, and not only will you be entertained with the authentic fun characters, but you will also be biting your nails with the suspense as you turn each page. What will happen next?

There are some highly-charged neurodiversity themes, narcissism, motherhood, and sisterhood, mental illness, among others. The author tackles each topic with style, sympathy, and grace. There are deep human connections and friends.

I loved the library where Fern worked and her secret hideaway. I want to go there now. Fern and Wally make a great team. This is a “must-read” and one of my favorites of 2021. If you have read Sally Hepworth’s books, she has her signature style, and you know the minute you open one of her books, you will be in for a rare treat. Her mix of to die for humor and heart makes her a #1 bestselling author.

Stay tuned for my Q&A Elevator Ride with Sally on the pub date, April 13, 2021. Who else cannot wait to get up close and personal with Sally Hepworth? She could be a stand-up comedian. Seriously, watch her IGTV show. She is adorable, funny, sassy, and a wealth of information.

She is on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and I do not miss a show. She has so many fun new products, writing advice, book recommendation, and tons of clothes, makeup, and you will also get to see charming hunky hubby getting in on the action as well as the rest of the family! If you missed any, check out her channel. Nothing fake here. It is the real deal.

One of my favorite authors, this book is absolutely what we need right now! Read it and let me know what you think. I bet this will be a movie or TV series. (want to place bets)? Fingers crossed. I am trying to envision the cast of stars. So bloody amazing!

A special thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for an early reading copy. I have also pre-ordered the audiobook and the hardcover.

#JDCMustReadBooks

Wowza!!! Sally Hepworth is an AMAZING writer!!! I loved reading The Good Sister so much that I devoured it in a matter of hours! I loved reading from the perspective of Fern, who has a sensory disorder. I love her earnest, honest perspective and her literal, quirky way of thinking. I don’t want to give away any spoilers so I’ll just say that I beyond highly recommend this book and I KNOW it will be insanely successful! I wish I could give it way more than 5 stars but that’s all they’ll let me give!

Huge thanks to St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in advance in exchange for my honest review!

Really enjoyed this thriller by Sally Hepworth! Thanks to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This is a great story told in alternating perspectives by fraternal twins Fern and Rose. Fern is a quirky character you can’t help but love. Add in family drama where everything is not just how it seems and it makes for a great story. Quick easy read! Would definitely recommend.

The Good Sister was the first book I have read by Sally Hepworth but will certainly not be my last. I was intrigued by this psychological thriller from the beginning and enjoyed all the twists and turns in this story about twin sisters Rose and Fern. Throughout the book we are left guessing about the secrets kept by the sisters and how it will affect their lives and the future of their relationship. As an avid reader I also enjoyed the use of a library as part of the plot. Throughout the story the reader is never sure how the complicated relationship between the twin sisters will turn out in the end. I really enjoyed the feeling of suspense throughout this book. The author, Sally Hepworth keeps the reader guessing till the very end!

I have been eagerly awaiting Sally Hepworth's next book since reading The Mother-in-Law in 2019, and she did not disappoint. The Good Sister is written in the same vein as The Mother in Law, where everything may not be as it appears. The story is told from 2 perspectives: Fern, a librarian with sensory processing disorder, and her sister Rose's journal after her husband has left on a business trip. As the story unfolds, we learn about their childhood and their mother, who is in a nursing home. I loved going into this story without knowing too much of the plotlines. For those looking for a compulsive read with twists and turns and plenty of family drama, this would be an excellent book for your "To Read" list.

The Good Sister – Sally Hepworth

Fern & Rose are twin sisters, who grew to adulthood in less-than-ideal circumstances. Raised in a single parent household after their father left the family, they have each had their share of trauma as children, some at the hands of their mother, others at the hands of their mother’s suitors, and one particularly devastating accident when they were 12, and their Mom’s eventual overdose in their teen years, but they’ve always had - and continue to have – one another.

Fern suffers from a sensory disorder, for lack of a better explanation – she is very sensitive to sounds, crowds and such - and takes the spoken word very literally. She works in the local library, and lives in a sensible apartment by herself, close to her sister’s home. She lives a simple, organized life, walks to work each day and is content with things as they are.

Rose, recently separated from her husband Owen (although she does not share that fact with her sister - Fern believes he’s working abroad) lives nearby, and the sister’s share evening meals a few times a week. It’s on one of those evenings, as Rose is preparing for a month away in London with Owen, that Fern discovers Rose is trying to become pregnant, but is unable to do so. As the sisters discuss it, Fern decides that she wants to become pregnant to carry a baby for Rose.

With Rose away, to occupy her time and her mission to become pregnant, Fern sets her sights on ‘Wally’, the maybe-homeless gentleman who frequents the library for showers and lives in his van. The two develop an unlikely friendship that grows into more as Fern moves ever closer to her goal of carrying her sisters’ child. How she sets about accomplishing the task is both hilarious and heart-warming! But as her pregnancy progresses, Fern begins to have second thoughts about keeping her baby, while Rose is more determined than ever to be a mother.

Told from the present in Fern’s point of view and supplemented with writings from Rose’s journal entries (as recommended by her therapist), the reader is taken on the journey of childhood to adulthood with the girls, and in their memories along the way. But as the memories begin to diverge, the real story emerges – a tale of manipulation, co-dependence and cruelty – with the reader not knowing who exactly can be trusted – if anyone…

This book was a very pleasant surprise! I got caught up in the story quickly, lost in the troubled childhood of the characters - it took me longer than it should have to realize that all was not as it seemed in the lives of these two now grown women. A great read, with a very satisfying ending!! I highly recommend!!

I received this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an objective review. Do you love to read?? Visit netgalley.com and start reviewing books today!!

This review will post to my blog on 4/27/21

I am usually hesitant to give a 5-star review so early in the year, but I just can't help myself with this book! It was that good.

Fraternal twins, Rose and Fern, grew up in a not so ideal situation. As adults, Rose is focused on trying to have a baby and her marriage, while Fern, who is sensitive to sound, smells, and lights, has always been a little quirky. This sets the tone for the story, but as we all know how thrillers can be, this can sometimes be unreliable. Is that the case here?

The book was well written, I read it in two days which I haven't done in awhile. I was captivated all the way until the end.

*I received a copy of this book via Netgalley from the publisher.*

Sally Hepworth is one of favorite authors. The Good Sister is excellent. It had me guessing and a tad creeped out. I’m also glad that Hepworth chose to have a character with a sensory processing disorder.

Thank you to @stmartin'spress and @netgalley for the eARC of The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth. Hepworth is an auto buy author for me and after reading The Good Sister she will continue to be.

Rose and Fern are fraternal twins. Fern has sensory processing disorder and since childhood Rose has always felt protective of Fern. Fern works at a library and soon meets a suitor: Wally. Rose is married to Owen and they want to have a child but are not having success. Fern decides to try and get pregnant and when she does decides to let Rose adopt the baby with a little coaxing from Rose. She does this against the advice from her mother who advises Fern not to give Rose her baby.

So what exactly happens when Fern gives birth? Will she follow through with her plan to give her sister the baby? Or, will Fern discover that her sister isn't exactly the person she thought she was and what will Fern do?? Hmmmmmm........just who is The Good Sister?

Each chapter alternates between Fern and Rose. I enjoyed this one very much and couldn't wait to see how it all played out! The Good Sister gets 4 stars! This one releases on April 13, 2021!