There’s something magic about the books that @sallyhepworth writes. Always expertly paced, mind-bendy, psychological thrillers with off-beat (and oft lovable) characters with complex family dynamics. I can’t help everytime one of her books falls in my hands to eat. it. up. ⁣
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The Younger Wife is no different. It follows two sisters and their father’s new and far younger fiancée. Like most books I love, nothing is as it seems. ⁣
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This book has gotten some mixed reviews but I really enjoyed it and related with the characters. Despite this being a thriller, Hepworth always creates fully fleshed characters that are flawed but lovable. This was an easy read that was hard to put down. It discusses some difficult subject matter at times so if you are worried about triggers, DM me. ⁣
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Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the opportunity to read this one. It’s out now!

This book started a little slow for me- I was not quite sure the direction it was going to take but about 1/4 of the way in things started to pick up speed! It took a turn I was not expecting and was very much a satisfying read. If you. are looking for something to pick up and read in one sitting (because you can't stop turning the pages) This is it!
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is my first Hepworth novel, but I loved it! This is a multiple view point book, which is my favorite, and short chapters, which I also enjoy. The story was very twisty and I was never quite sure where we were going on the journey. I do wish there was some more character development, I wanted to get a little deeper with the characters, but that's just because the story was so compelling. Highly recommend!!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this novel!

I loved this book and absolutely devoured it! Sally Hepworth is a fantastic writer, and just like her other novels, this one kept me guessing. I truly felt like I had no clue what was going to happen- which I LOVE in a thriller! Would definitely recommend this (and all of her other books as well!)

Oh how I loved this book! My goal for 2022 was to read books by authors new to me, and Sally Hepworth did not disappoint me. This family drama is realistic and relatable on so many levels. I have to say I never liked Stephen from the beginning. I think I saw through his shenanigans based on my experience. The sisterly bond between Tully and Rachel and their love for Pam was endearing. Heather was definitely not the villain here. I will definitely be recommending this book to others and will be on the lookout for more Sally Hepworth books. Great book!

While I didn't feel like this was as thrilling as I expected, it is still a captivating read about a hot mess family. Lots of secrets and lots of drama. ⭐⭐⭐

This was the March Book Club book for The Read Rovers. You can find them on Instagram.

Trigger Warning: Domestic Violence

I really enjoyed this story. The whole time the author has you thinking that the ex wife is crazy when really that's not the case at all.

When the current wife starts to feel like she's going crazy you begin to realize what's going on.

Later when you find out who the narrator of the story is your mind is blown and the story all starts to make sense.

I love a good book that messes with your head and I loved chatting with this author for the Rovers meeting.

Tully and Rachel Aston are beside themselves when their father Stephen tells them he has proposed to a woman named Heather. For one thing, Stephen's bride-to-be is younger than they are. Much more importantly, however, he is still married to their mother! Their mother is living in a home and is suffering from advanced dementia.

Quite naturally, Tully and Rachel are outraged on their mother's behalf, even if she has reached the point that she doesn't recognize any of them. With regard to all of the characters in this newest book by Sally Hepworth, they are all quite flawed. In fact, more than one of them has a secret, and if said secret is revealed, everything could come toppling down.

I loved this story because there was a lot of misdirection involved. This kept my riveted page after page, culminating with a surprising conclusion.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Please also see my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/_swM80KdZVQ

This book was so tricky for me! I ADORE Sally Hepworth's writing style. I sank into this book and read it in two sittings (a flight to Florida and the flight home.) It was that delicious airplane read that keeps you turning the pages and forgetting that you're stuffed in a flying box with a ton of strangers and not enough leg room. This was one hundred percent a five star read for me, until I got to the end, and then the story fell of the rails for me. It was really unsettling, and not in the good, make you think kind of way. I wanted to wait to write this review until the book officially came out so I could read the end of the final copy. It was better than the ARC, but I still wanted more from it. I'll keep reading Hepworth's books though, because despite that end, it was still an enjoyable read for me overall.

Thank you for the chance to preview this novel for our store! We are all quickly becoming big Sally Hepworth fans and we are constantly restocking this title. A well paced, wonderful story!

Very clever! I really enjoyed this one. It was my first Sally Hepworth book and I’m already itching to read another one. I loved the writing style!

I absolutely loved this book! I found it hard to put down. I highly recommend reading it! You won’t be disappointed.

This story involves four major characters, Stephen Aston, a heart surgeon that is getting married again, but he must first divorce his current wife. Pamela, the current wife, is unable to speak for herself. Heather, the younger wife, has secrets of her own. And the daughters, Tully and Rachel Aston, believe that Heather is an interloper and he is only after their father's money.

The suspense of this story had me turning the pages to get to what happens next. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the characters and the way each of them told the story. This is a really well written domestic drama.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This wasn't my favorite of Hepworth's books but I enjoyed it. This compelling family drama/mystery keeps you guessing but I was left with some unanswered questions. I've since read that the published version has a new ending so I'm going to buy the book to see if that improves my impression.

The prologue immediately grabbed my attention and I wanted to read more to see what happened at the wedding. The first few chapters was such a slow burn to me and I felt it was just a rambling of words. Upon getting to the middle of the book things started to pick up and I was really invested into the mystery. However, the ending just seemed really lackluster. I'm not even sure what I was expecting from the ending but it seemed like things were building up to some clever mystery or plot twists but we really didn't get anything.

What I love about the author's books though is her writing style. I always seem to get fully invested into the characters. The 3 POVs in The Younger Wife I feel were written really well with my favorite character being Rachel. I feel like she had a more complex story.

But even with that Tully,, Rachel, and Heather all had some sorts of trauma they were trying to deal with and questioning their sanity. I just feel like the book was just missing some details and wanted more from the ending.

Tully and Rachel Aston are each dealing with their mother's decline in health in their own ways. Tully, a kleptomaniac, has been stealing things for years. It gives her a sense of power that she can't get any other way. When her husband tells her that their financial situation has changed, she realizes that she has to change her ways or put her entire family in danger.

Rachel is a successful baker with her own business, but Rachel deals with her mother's health issues by eating her feelings. Which puts her business at risk.

They are both surprised when their father, Stephen, announces that he is in love with another woman, Heather. He will divorce their mother and marry Heather. Heather, who is young enough to be his daughter, never thought that she would find true love, but given her history, she is hyperaware of every move. The longer Heather is with Stephen, the more she realizes that he is not the perfect man she believed him to be. What will happen when Tully and Rachel discover their father is a flawed man?

The Younger Wife was a very compelling read. At first, I thought that Rachel and Tully behaved like spoiled brats. But the deeper I got into the book, the more I realized that their behavior is rooted in more than just their mother's illness. The Younger Wife tackles some pretty difficult topics. Compulsive behavior, eating disorders, mental illness, and domestic abuse. However, when it is all said and done, you will breathe a sigh of relief. - CLICK HERE FOR SPOILERS

Bottom Line - Sally Hepworth has written an outstanding novel. While family relations are at the heart of the book, there is so much more to it. You will tear through the pages at breakneck speed.

Details:
The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth
On Instagram
Pages: 352
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: 4/5/2022
Buy it Here!
Thank you to NetGalley
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When surgeon Stephen Aston introduces his new girlfriend to his two adult daughters, they aren't exactly thrilled. Not only is their new step-mother-to-be younger than they are, but their mother is still married to their father, very much alive though suffering from crippling dementia. Tully and Rachel have always thought of their father as the perfect dad and husband, but what is their father hiding? As Stephen's new wife Heather begins to see him in a new light, it becomes clear that everyone in this family has secrets to keep.

After loving The Good Sister, I was very excited to read this newest Sally Hepworth novel. However, this book didn't live up to the hype for me, and was disappointing in the end. In other novels I've read by Hepworth, the characters are what make them a page turner; in The Younger Wife, while I was interested to know what was going to happen, I just didn't empathize or connect with the characters as much. They didn't feel as real to me as those in The Good Sister or The Mother-in-Law did. I also didn't find the ending very satisfying, and overall didn't enjoy this as much as I hoped I would.

Oh boy you will be pleasantly surprised by this story. At first I didn’t like the two daughters or the new wife but by the end I was rooting for all three. The women in this story really become so empowered it was wonderful. So many lies and twists, this would make a good movie.

Sally Hepworth is a master storyteller. She is able to craft a story, keeping the reader engaged from beginning to end.

She is the queen of domestic suspense. Although this is not her best work in my opinion, I couldn't wait to get back to the story.

Told from 3 POVs, the audiobooks was perfectly narrated by 3 separate people which always makes for a better experience.

Another story with twists and turns from Sally Hepworth. This was a quick read and I enjoyed it, but I'm not sure how to review this one. I read an advanced copy that may differ from the final version....and it sounds like the final version might have a better, more definitive ending. (view spoiler)

The book focuses on Stephen Aston's wedding to his much younger girlfriend. His daughters, Rachel and Tully, are upset as their soon-to-be stepmother is younger than them. Also, their father has recently divorced their mom who has early onset dementia and she has been placed in a care home. However, there is a lot at play here, as there are many secrets within this family and it's sometimes tough to know what is real.

I would definitely read more from Hepworth, but this one didn't quite work for me. The story touches upon a lot of serious topics ((view spoiler)) and I don't think that they are always given the appropriate treatment.

Thanks to the author, NetGalley, and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.