initial thoughts: I received an ARC from NetGalley a long time ago for this book, and am just getting around to reading it.

I did get the original ending, which was not great. glad to read that the ending from the ARC to finished copies was updated.

overall, I didn’t connect with the characters in this book as much as I have with Sally’s other books, which was a disappointment.

While the multiple POVs made this book fun to read, I think it was too corny for a full five star review.

This was quite a wild ride and boy oh boy the ending threw me for a loop for sure! I loved how the story was told and how we got to know each of the characters so well.

Twisty, with characters that you both want to root for and also shake some sense into them. Communication is always at a deficit in thrillers but this one takes the cake for sure. A picture perfect family that is the literal opposite and several mysteries kind of wrapped together. Told in alternating flashbacks from different points of view, with a bit of an open-ended finish.

TW sexual assault of minor
👩🏻‍🍳 baker
🎂 eating feelings
👨🏻‍⚕️ respected doctor/dad
❓early onset dementia
👰‍♀️💍 young wife
💦 hot water bottle
💰 hidden money
👜 stealing items
🕯️ candlestick
💒 wedding mystery

I absolutely loved this book! The whole time I was trying to figure out what was happening and who was telling the truth. It was my first Sally Hepworth book and it will most definitely not be my last.

Sally Hepworth never disappoints! This family drama is told from multiple viewpoints, and the different viewpoints are used to build the backstory, as well as let the reader know of all the secrets being kept. This is a fast read!

This was a really fast paced page turner. I read this in one day Interesting and different dynamic of a younger woman marrying into a family where her stepdaughters will be a few years older, and the former wife is still the wife. This book not for the faint of heart as it contains topics of abuse, anxiety and kleptomania My second read by this Author and won't be my last
Thank you to Netgalley, St Martin's Press and the Author Sally Hepworth for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of "The Younger Wife" by Sally Hepworth. It was good, but not as good as her others.

Any time I hear Sally Hepworth has a new book, I am excited to start it. I have read this book and found some pieces confusing. There seems to be so many storylines intersecting and I recall when finishing I felt disappointed by the ending.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review. I enjoyed the time I spent reading this book as I have with previous books by the author.

This is the first novel I've read by Sally Hepworth, and it won't be my last.
The Younger Wife was a well paced suspense told in multiple POV. The characters were well developed, and their dynamics were interesting.
The only part of the story that had me feeling slightly disappointed was the ending.

If you're in the mood for a domestic drama, check this one out.


[TW: Violence, SA, trauma, dementia]

Synopsis:

A heart surgeon at the prime of his career is getting married, but first he must divorce his current wife, even though she can no longer speak for herself. His daughters, think their father's fiancée, Heather, is after his money - she's younger than both of them. Heather has secrets of her own.

Review:

Sally Hepworth writes such great thrillers. This was a cast of characters - as expected, everyone has their own story/secrets/trauma which made for an interesting and page-turning read. The narration went between the two sisters and the fiancee. I mean whose family isn't at least a little bit dysfunctional ;)

Secrets And Lies, Oh My!, in the Domestic Thriller, THE YOUNGER WIFE by Sally Hepworth—with an ending I did not anticipate—Highly Recommend!

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, for providing me with an eBook of THE YOUNGER WIFE at the request of an honest review.

WHY DID I PUT THIS OFF FOR SO LONG.
I thought I had previously read this book, maybe because I find Sally Hepworths titles and covers similar to each other.
However, I devoured this novel in one sitting and completely ate it up.

No one does domestic drama/thrillers like Sally! Wow. I would recommend this for anyone in a reading slump or someone looking for a quick bang. This was great.

Thank you so much for the ARC!

I’m disappointed I didn’t enjoy this one as much as I’ve really liked Hepworth’s other books. This one was fine, however I am getting tired of books being classified as mysteries/thrillers when really they’re just dysfunctional family dramas. So while it was okay, it’s just not what I signed up for. So why is it still a three star? Again, it was fine. I didn’t hate it and actually had sympathy for Heather. Rachel was my favourite and Tully was at times unbearable. Whenever it came time to switch to her perspective I dreaded reading on. So if you’re into family secrets and drama then this is going to be for you, but as mentioned just not 100% for me.

This one was pretty predictable. The overall storyline was just mediocre at best. The narrators were great! If you are a seasoned thriller reader I’d say skip this one just for predictability sake.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a digital advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I couldn't put The Younger Wife down - I read it in two days. Unfortunately, I don't feel the ending did the book justice. The characters were quite interesting ... I couldn't understand Tully at all at first (much like her husband) but I did grow to understand her better. Heather's character was a breath of fresh air (the opposite of the evil stepmum). I would recommend this book to fans of Sally Hepworth. This is the fourth novel of hers I've read and in my opinion, The Good Sister was her best.

Family dynamics can be fraught and the dynamics found in The Younger Wife certainly seem on the cusp of trouble, but whose situation will bubble over first. Told in multiple POVs, each character stream is well rounded and intriguing. The story centers around a May-December romance that makes Tully and Rachel instantly suspicious of Heather. The build up seems languid at first, but each chapter drops a cliffhanger-ish nugget that reels the reader in. Hepworth does a masterful job of building suspense and keeping the reader guessing. She also creates complex and believable characters. Tully and Rachel are both flawed but sympathetic individuals, and the reader can't help but root for them. Heather is a more enigmatic character, but she is also well-developed.
The Younger Wife is a gripping and sly and a must read for mystery thriller fans.

Sally Hepworth is a master of writing mysterious family dramas, and The Younger Wife is no exception. Everyone in this story has significant personal struggles, which in themselves make for a strong plot. When coupled with the relational struggles amongst them, the result is a book that is irresistible, in an “I can’t believe someone would actually do that” sort of way. The pacing of the story is spot-on, never resulting in dead spots in the action. Thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

This is the second book by Ms. Hepworth I have read. I’m enjoying her style of writing. It is a perfect quick read with lots of twists and turns. I did find it to start out on the slow side. I would classify the book more as a family drama than that of a thriller.

Thank you #NetGalley, #St.Martin’sPress, #SallyHepworth and #TheYoungerWife for the novel for giving my honest review.