Wow this one is good! So well written, and you won’t be able to put it down! I really enjoyed this storyline and couldn’t get enough.

Buckle up - right from the start, you know this is going to be an exciting and bumpy ride. We’re witnessing a stressful, awkward wedding. The guests are on the edge of their seats, knowing some sort of drama is about to unfold. Then a scream! Blood… What happened? We then find ourselves going back in time... It’s an exciting opening and you’re left wondering who is narrating the story.

Rachel and Tully are sisters in their mid-30s, learning that their beloved father Stephen, an accomplished and well-respected surgeon, is divorcing their mother Pamela. Two things to note: their future stepmom Rachel is younger than they are (Flawless! Striking! Gold digger?), and mom Pam is currently residing in a nursing home after being diagnosed with dementia. What on earth is dad thinking?

This is the story of a newly blended family and I was really impressed by the depth of each character. But you find on a deeper level it’s a story of how abuse, manipulation, and assault can affect you. There can be signs of post-trauma right under your nose that you don’t even notice. Actions that you don’t question but instead dismiss as others just being quirky. This book made me think, it is true when they say you never know what goes on behind closed doors. And also at the root of this book you’ll find is the classic nature vs. nurture debate. Is it our crazy parents that cause us to act crazy too? Or is it what we endure that causes our insane addictions? (Asking for a friend).

And just wait until you find out who was narrating!! (Unrelated side note - To the real Heather Wisher – you are one lucky lady!)

I recommend this book to my friends who want more than just a whodunnit, but also a deep character study mixed with a psychological thriller.

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

Sisters Rachel and Tully are shocked enough when their father invites them to lunch to meet his new girlfriend, Heather, and even more shocked when he announces his engagement. Not only is Heather very young, their mother is still very much alive and married to their father.

Both sisters have enough problems and secrets in their own lives. Tully is about to lose her home and Rachel is terrified to act on her attraction to her new delivery man, Darcy.

Heather, too, is keeping secrets. But as Rachel begins to suspect her father of horrible behavior, she grows closer to both Tully and Heather.

Sally Hepworth has again crafted an exquisite suspense novel with unusual family dynamics, grounded by genuine affection. This novel is both heartbreaking and hilarious. #TheYoungerWife #NetGalley

Told from the POV of three women, this was an interesting study in humanity. The Younger Woman is a family drama about the relationship between a successful doctor and his new, younger girlfriend. Their engagement and impending nuptials bring about serious family drama and dark, hidden secrets that lead to a bloody and startling conclusion.

Pamela has dementia, and her husband Stephen is read to divorce her so that he can move on to his next wife. He becomes engaged Heather, a woman younger than his daughters Rachel and Tully. As we read the POVs of three women we realize all of them deal with serious issues, keeping secrets from each other. Not everyone will make it through the wedding unscathed. I highly recommend this book. It is an amazing psychological thriller that will keep you hooked up till the end!

Sally Hepworth is an expert at crafting domestic suspense stories. She can craft such a twisty tale. The Younger Wife is about a close-knit family (with two adult daughters) that splinters when the dad announces he’s getting married. The problem–he’s still married to their mom, even if she lives at a dementia care facility.

The new woman–Heather– is the same age as one of the daughters–and they voice their strong reservations of their father’s new relationship. Heather may be young, but she knows what she wants, and how to get it. The girls know she must be hiding something, and they’re determined to dig deep enough to find out what.

Sisters Rachel and Tully each have their own secrets, some from the past and some from the present, that are quickly rising to the surface. We mostly rotate through chapters alternating between the sisters and their soon-to-be stepmother Heather, but get a few chapters from a mystery wedding guest. The guest’s chapters bring us to the present every once in a while, where we know something terrible involving the other characters has happened, then we go back to unraveling more and more of the past, until finally the timelines merge. It’s such an interesting way to tell the story, and super effective at keeping the reader totally invested.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a digital review copy.

Sally Hepworth is is an auto buy author for me so I was delighted to receive this advanced reader copy to review from St Martins Press. This one is a fun and fast read - I could not put it down But as with all her books, the characters are so well developed and I feel like I know them. This domestic suspense book takes us through the lives of the main characters' family where two adult daughters are faced with their mother's dementia and their father's new relationship with a much younger woman as well as their own secrets and struggles. Things aren't always as they seem. Highly recommend!

I admit I didn’t love this one as much as THE GOOD SISTER. But I still enjoyed the layered characters, and serious topics brought to light here.

Tully and Rachel are shocked to learn that their father, Stephen, is getting married again. A couple of things don’t sit well with them. First of all, Heather, his fiance, is around their age. But what is really upsetting is that their father is still married to their mother. Unfortunately, their mother suffers from dementia, and Stephen is requesting a divorce.

The book begins with an act of violence, and we are left wondering what happened. As the story unfolds, we learn that both sisters have unresolved traumas and issues. We also learn of Heather’s traumatic past. But what all comes into question is Stephen’s big secret, and is it true?

I feel like I don’t know for sure what happened, and with this serious of subjects (emotional and physical abuse), it left me a bit unsettled. There are some interesting elements here, and the pace moves along quickly. I just felt like the unreliability factor was a little overdone.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐢𝐟𝐞 is a tangled domestic drama, with compelling characters, and I look forward to reading what Sally Hepworth writes next.

Thank you to @stmartinspress for this gifted ebook.

I'm a Sally Hepworth fan! I love the way her books revolve around family but have unique, mystery twists to go along with it. At first, I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about The Younger Wife. It took me several chapters to feel fully invested in Rachel, Tully, and Heather. I also kept wanting more from the wedding scene that starts off the book. They were like the cracker crumbs of Hansel and Gretel, leading us to the witch or in this case, the reveal of what exactly transpired on that day and why. All in all, I was never confident in my decision on what I thought was going on, and while the ending was a bit shocking, I still can't decide if I liked or agreed with the ending. I sort of wish she had left me with doubt in this case instead of an answer. Still a fun read that I read in no time.

I have read and loved ALL of Sally Hepworths books. I was SO excited when St. Martin's Press sent me a gifted copy!

Hello dysfunctional family dynamics! That's putting things lightly. Hepworth sure knows how to create interesting characters. Annnd we've got my fav, multiple POVs! Yes please!

Domestic Suspense fans, this one is for you!

That ending though. This would make such a fantastic book club read. The discussion would certainly be lively!

Thanks again to St. Martin's Press for my gifted copy!

Trigger warnings: family violence, rape, gaslighting, alcoholism, eating disorders, dementia & kleptomania.

Sally Hepworth is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I flew through The Younger Wife in a few sittings. The plot has enough twists and turns to keep you uncertain of what actually happened in the past and what will happen next.

Beyond the compelling plots, Sally Hepworth’s characters are what make her novels great. Each of the point of view characters are deeply flawed and completely relatable. Tully, Rachel, and Heather each have their personal demons and are coping as well as they can, albeit a bit dysfunctionally. It is rare to see compulsive behavior traits depicted with such sincere empathy.

If you like Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen’s novels, you will love The Younger Wife.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of the novel for review.

The Younger Wife opens at a wedding between Stephen, a man in his 60s, and Heather, a woman in her 30s. Stephen is not only marrying a woman 30 years his junior, but she is younger than both of his 30-something daughters, Rachel and Tully. He also recently managed to secure a divorce with his ex-wife, who has advanced-stage dementia, in order to marry Heather. Generally...it's a super questionable situation. After the ceremony, the newlyweds, the officiant of the wedding, and several family members file into a room, where the couple is to sign their paperwork. The wedding guests hear a woman's scream and a loud thud. Ambulances are called.

Then the book rewinds to one year prior to the wedding and we rotate between three perspectives: Heather, and the two daughters, Rachel and Tully, as we try to piece together what occured at the wedding.

Overall, I really enjoyed Hepworth's writing, and this was definitely a page-turner that I could not stop reading. I think Hepworth did an incredibly good job creating three very different, very multi-faceted and complex female characters. I was rooting for all of them even though I found them all incredibly imperfect in their own ways. I thought this book discussed addiction, relationship violence, domestic abuse, and gaslighting in a very realistic way (although, admittedly, these are not things I've personally experienced).

The plot twist was somewhat anti-climactic (I guessed it at about 60%), but it didn't bother me. After reading a few thrillers with totally unbelievable twists and conclusions, I actually found this one really refreshing. Four stars!

**Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with a free e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review**

Note: I will also review this book on my YouTube channel in early May.

I thought this was a solid effort from Ms. Hepworth, but this story fell way short of my expectations. My first read of hers, and I was very intrigued. I heard such glowing reviews for The Good Sister, it had me anxiously wanting to read this book. As I was reading this story, the thought that kept running through my head was, this is one dysfunctional family! The father, Stephen, may be a renowned heart surgeon, but that doesn’t automatically make him a good person, husband, or father. In fact, I was not a fan of his, at all.

I was drawn into this story immediately by the unnamed female narrator describing the wedding she’s attending of Stephen and his new bride, Heather, all while his ex-wife is sitting in the front row. Something is described as happening off page by this narrator that leads the reader to believe someone is killed at the wedding.

I was not so much a fan of reading the scenes that took place in the past, although they’re all meant to make me understand why Tully and Rachel are the way they are now. I never was able to form a connection with Tully, only partially with Rachel, and just downright didn’t like Heather at all, most likely because I had created a preconceived notion of her for stealing a defenseless woman’s husband. Not all is as I thought, though.

I admit I was shocked that the women in this book were painted in such a poor picture, but the men were all wonderful. Except for the gaslighting that was going on, of course… I mean, making these women feel like maybe everything that happened to them truly didn’t happen? Or that they’re not remembering events correctly? Possibly because they’re maybe crazy, or drunk, or any other undesirable trait?

Worst ending ever, in my opinion. I don’t even want to talk about it.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

This is my first read from Sally and I have already ordered her other books because I enjoyed this one so much. I love her writing style. It’s very engaging. Stephen Aston is getting married again. The only issue is that he’s still married to his first wife, who is in care facility for dementia. This are 3 main POVs.. These characters are complex with realistic and relatable lives. It’s fast moving plot that will keep you up all night. My favorite kind of reading.

Is it just me, or did this one not end? Or it did and it was left for my interpretation?

In any case, it was a good domestic suspense thriller despite the let down of an ending. I was just hoping for that big twist at the end - that just never showed.

If you enjoy:

- Character Driven
- Family Drama
- The constant Whodunnit
- Multiple POVs

Check this one out. You will be flipping through the pages.

Special thank you to @StMartinsPress for this ARC in exchange for an Honest Review. This was my first Sally Hepworth novel and it won’t be my last!

The Younger wife is a domestic suspense narrated by three of the main characters: Tully, a kleptomaniac; her sister, Rachel, who is a survivor of rape; and Heather, the woman marrying the father of Tully and Rachel. I was immediately drawn into these women’s worlds and enjoyed learning about the challenges they each faced. I devoured the pages of this book quickly.

As the end drew near, I kept waiting for…more. I did feel a little disappointed in the ending as I had hoped for confirmation that the outcome for the girls’ father was justified. This never came.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed above are my own.

Messy family matters are often crazy and sometimes hilarious (as long as they aren't happening in real life.) Author Sally Hepworth excels at weaving a story so intricately connected and dramatic and The Younger Wife is a perfect example of her storytelling skills. Two daughters are coming to grips with their dad divorcing their mom and getting ready to marry a woman their own age. Secrets are never as fun when kept, and they seem to explode just before the wedding. Daughters Rachel and Tully as well as the newly engaged Heather tell their stories in their narration of this crazy, drama filled novel. Searching for the truth may just reveal more answers than they intend, but you have to read all the way to the end to figure out how this novel ends!! Definitely an enjoyable read!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and author Sally Hepworth for my digital review copy for me to read and enjoy. As always, my opinions are voluntary and my own.

The Younger Wife is a wonderful mystery puzzle in which pieces from the past and present are fitted together and by the end you have a completed masterpiece!

The story begins at a wedding and the narrator is unknown to the reader. During a wedding ceremony something bad happens. What? We have no idea. Then the real account begins.

Stephen Aston a prominent well-liked doctor is getting married to a much younger woman Heather Wisher. They met while Heather, an interior decorator was working on he and his wife Pam’s house. Pam unfortunately was in the beginning stages of dementia and is now in an institute. Stephen and Pam fell in love and Stephen has divorced Pam and proposed to Heather.

Stephen has two adult children. Rachel, a baker and Tully, a stay-at-home mom. Both are livid that their father is marrying this younger woman. They think she is only after his money and doesn’t really care about him. How could their father desert their mother this way?

But both Rachel and Tully have their own issues. Tully has been stealing trinkets from stores since she was eleven years old. For some reason when her anxiety gets too high, this calms her down. She has never told anyone about her habit, not even her husband. Now she has just found out that her husband Sonny made a bad business choice and they have lost everything. Her kleptomania has kicked into high gear.

Rachel was a beautiful young athletic woman back in the day who went on constant dates and was a runner. Until something happened and she stopped. She stopped dating and she stopped running. Now, her anxiety is lessened by food, particularly the sweets she bakes.

Heather, the now fiancée of Stephen has herself had a disturbing life. Her father was an alcoholic who beat her mother. Although she truly loves Stephen, she has not told him about her past because she is embarrassed and is afraid of losing him. In the back of her mind, she has always been terrified she would make the same mistake in marriage just as her mother did. She understands Stephen’s daughter’s concerns but wants to try and gain their trust.

Then Rachel finds a hot water bottle in the closet of her parent’s house and in it is almost one hundred thousand dollars in cash and mysterious notes in her mother’s handwriting. As Rachel tries to figure out where this money came from, a difficult feat since her mother has very little memory left, she begins to wonder if this money was something her mother had been stashing in secret to get away from her father.

Rachel begins to think back on all the “accidents” her mother had had while she was growing up and begins to think perhaps, they were actually something else. She begins to see her father in a different light and her concern turns to Heather.

So, what happened right after the ceremony? Someone was hurt, but who?

The Younger Wife weaves this curiously mysterious story throughout the book in true Hepworth fashion and explodes in the incredible last few pages and will leave you shaking your head in wonder!

Thank you #NetGalley #St.Martin’sPress #TheYoungerWife #SallyHepworth for the advanced copy.

This is the fourth book I’ve read by this author and she’s one I always look forward to reading.

The main characters include Stephen, a well respected heart surgeon; Pam, his wife who’s in a care center due to dementia; daughter Tully, a nervous nellie who handles her stress by shoplifting; Rachel, a baker who deals with a past trauma by sampling a few too many of her desserts; and Heather, Stephen’s fiancé, a possible alcoholic dealing with the abuse she encountered in her childhood home. Quite the family dynamics, wouldn’t you say?

I had an easy time following the story and the characters were well written. I went through the first two thirds of the book thinking “wow” this could be a five star book, but then for me, the last third fell a bit flat. Now that I’m reading other reviewers’ thoughts however, I’ve re-evaluated.

Here’s what readers seem to be pondering. Was Stephen secretly a violent abuser of women, or was he the stand-up guy everybody saw? Many reviewers seem to want to believe he was, in fact, guilty of violence. Because to think otherwise suggests that the author was meanly stereotyping women as hysterical and delusional. I beg to differ. For me, various details exonerate him:

—There’s no evidence Pam’s injuries were caused by him, especially since the daughters never saw signs of their parents arguing in the home, and of course, the final answer to the hot water bottle mystery seemed to disprove the “running away from home” theory.

—I initially believed Stephen strangled a drunken Heather until the medical staff questioned the fact that there were no fingerprint marks. (Admittedly that one is up in the air because my research shows that fingerprint marks are only left 50% of the time.)

—The implication that dad was strangling Pam in the church vestibule didn’t ring true to me. If he was indeed strangling her, he would have been facing her and placing his hands on her throat, but that is not how the author described it. He was behind her and holding her back because she needed to be restrained.

—Aren’t most violent men prone to angry loss of control? Does it seem reasonable that a violent offender would be as stealthy as Stephen was presented to be? I’m not buying it.

It was an interesting mystery left open for readers to ponder and discuss. For that reason, I’m glad I took a second pass on this book and my intended three rating becomes a four. :)

Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read and review.

Unfortunately, this one was not for me. I will not be putting up a review on my handles so as to not mislead others as I truly feel everyone should make their own judgment and read it still. I will try this author again with another book. Thank you for the chance to read and review this one. I appreciate all the connections I've made.

This one was a highly anticipated read for me, but when I got to it, it didn't quite live up to expectations. It was a hard one for me to decide how I felt and how to rate it because the book left me feeling meh and a bit confused as well after it was all over. It was a mixed bag for me leaving it at a solid 3 stars.
I've never read a book by this author before so maybe this is her style and others didn't get mixed feelings over the story, but it left me feeling uncertain about a lot of what I read and what was the actual story or truth to the story. This very much was like a story with an unreliable narrator for me and I don't know if I've ever read a book with this unreliable of a narrator before and I'm not sure I enjoyed it.
It did keep me guessing to the very end and kept me interested enough to read it all in one sitting because I wanted to figure it out and know what was going to happen and what the ending would be. It is still keeping me guessing about parts of it, which I don't like as much. This did have some possible triggering materials in it for me and others in regards to abuse, divorce, theft/shoplifting/kleptomania, rape - past reference no details on the page, eating to deal or not deal with the effects of trauma/rape and such.
This was about two sisters that have to learn how to deal and cope with their elderly father falling in love and marrying a younger woman while their mother suffers from dementia in a care facility. A lot of things come to a head at the wedding and leave you wondering if the truth you know is really the truth or not.
If you like this author, unreliable narrators, or this type of mystery/thriller then make sure to check it out. Thanks so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for letting me read and review this story. All thoughts and opinions are my own.