I love Sally Hepworth and have read all her books. She is the master of domestic suspense that has a hearty nod to family dysfunction but (and I hate to admit this), I didn't love this one quite as much as her other books.

It starts off strong with the story being told by three POVs - sisters Rachel and Tully and Heather, their new stepmom. Tension builds nicely but as the story picks up, dysfunction after dysfunction is heaped onto this family. They were great, relevant topics, but it was too much, and not enough time or depth was given to any of the issues.

Hepworth casts doubt with a few red herrings, but the reasons for the twists and decisions of the characters felt weak, unsubstantiated and it felt like the story undermined some important issues. Everyone was a hot mess with emotional baggage up the wazoo and I didn't like how the men come off unscathed while the women are portrayed as weak and easy to gaslight. There were also some unbelievable plot points (the hot water bottle and the cake fix) that felt out of place and didn't add to the story.

The Younger Wife had enough to keep me turning the pages, but it was too much domestic drama and only a teaser of a thriller that led to an unsatisfying ending after all the bluster leading up to it. Sally Hepworth continues to be one of my auto-read authors and while this book didn't quite meet my expectations, I eagerly look forward to more from Sally in the future.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to St Martin's Press for my complimentary digital copy of this title given in exchange for my honest review.

I read this quickly, but I was less than thrilled with the last 25% of the book. The ending?? Ugh.
The characters all had faults or some sort of trauma that wasn’t really explored (but was easily solved) and were quite unlikeable. I’m disappointed because I loved the authors two previous novels. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a digital arc of this book.

The domestic suspense in this book revolved around two sisters and their father's pending marriage to a younger woman, while dealing with his current wife's dementia, and the secrets all of them are holding close.

The relationship between the sisters, Tully and Rachel was realistic. While the sisters have supported each other, they've never been as close as they have since their father, Stephen, introduced him to his new fiancée, Heather. I wanted to hate Heather, but I didn't - she was charming and sweet, and struggling with her own demons, and I would liked to have seen more of her in the book. Hepworth does a great job of weaving in the traumas that each of the sisters and Heather endured, and how it impacts their current lives. She also leaves the readers with a question - was Stephen as good as everyone believed?

This book seemed a bit lighter fare (despite the topics) than the author's previous books. I wanted to like it as much as her previous books, but the ending seemed to conflict with the evidence brought up earlier in the story, and seemed designed to leave the reader wondering if they could believe what the sisters and Heather believed about Stephen. I felt more gaslit than the characters in the book....and not in a whoa! I didn't see that coming way.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for giving me the opportunity to read an advance reader's copy.

I really enjoy this author’s writing, and I’ve read several of her books. I thought this plot was interesting and fresh, and for the first 2/3 of the book I was completely captivated. I found it suspenseful and I found the characters very interesting, if not all likable. It was definitely a page turner for me.

Stephen and Heather are about to be married. Stephen’s two adult daughters (who are actually older than Heather) are in attendance. But so is his first wife! Yikes! This is as good a beginning to a psychological thriller as I’ve read in a while.

I will admit that I was a little disappointed with the ending. I think people will either love it or hate it. But either way it gives you a lot to think about.

I traded off between an e-copy and an audio copy. I definitely enjoyed the reading experience on my e-reader, but I think the audio narration was even better!

Thank you to net galley for an arc of this book.

Stephen (a top heart surgeon) is about to get re-married, to a much Younger wife. Heather is an Interior designer, hired to re-decorate Pam and Stephen’s beautiful home. When Pam’s Dementia gets so bad she’s put in a home, Heather and Stephen start falling for each other. When Stephen announces his upcoming wedding, and Introduces Heather to his daughters Tully and Rachel, they are rightfully upset. First of all, Heather is their age, second of all their parents are still married!

But Rachel and Tully have problems of their own. Rachel doesn’t date, and has an obsession with baking. Tully is struggling with her kids and being forced to sell her beautiful home due to a bad investment.

Told from multiple perspectives, and flipping between the past and “The Wedding” we get an inside look as to who each of these characters are, and what secrets they are hiding. Is one secret so big, that they would hit another in their family with a candlestick?

I don’t know if it was marketing or totally a me issue, but I was expecting this to be more of a thriller. It’s not, it’s more of a family dysfunctional drama. I liked how each of the characters “problems” were discussed in this, and we were able to figure out why they were the way they were. While this was a plot driven novel, we also see huge character development as we see growth from each of the characters.

I'm a huge fan of Sally Hepworths books but I'm not really sure this one was for me. I do like how she weaves twisted drama together to intersect and create a crazy plot - but I had a hard time really liking any of the characters. I don't necessarily need to like all the characters, but I also kinda felt their storylines had some very random and unnecessary tangents. Some might even be considered harmful to certain readers.

Each of the women had some VERY serious problems and I guess maybe that was the point - to cast doubt about their mental health and stability? But it kinda seems like it's done before - and I'm a little tired of the unstable, unreliable woman narrator trope. I think their backgrounds and present situations all felt a bit over the top and not really fleshed out enough to add enough to the plot for me - but it also just kinda made me very sad for everyone.

It's hard to review without giving spoilers, but I thought of two really kick-ass endings that would have made this so much better without leaving a bad taste in your mouth. Not that I'm a writer or even could ever dream of creating a plot like this... but the end felt cheap. A bit unrealistic (yes, I know - it's fiction) but it didn't feel like something that would happen based on the information given - but also, I don't like that the open ending was left to the reader to create their own assumptions - that ultimately drive to a conclusion that feels icky to women?

I don't even know if any of that makes sense. I just felt like this was a bit all over the place and the ending was not my favorite.

Thank you Netgalley for this audio edition of The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth.

Tully and Rachel are both terrified to learn that their dad is marrying another woman even though he is still not divorced from their mother who has Alzheimer's. Add insult to injury, their new "step-mom" is significantly younger than their dad, making her more of a peer than a mother figure. It would be hard for most people to consider her intentions pure, and not just gold digging.

Heather is Stephen's new fiance and thrilled to be a part of a healthy new family. She doesn't want anyone to know that her past is actually riddled with abuse and shame. But are her new step daughters going to ever warm up to her? And is Stephen the warm and kind man that he has convinced her that he is?

I have mixed feelings about this book. First, maybe I'm too desensitized by books that present abuse as super raw, loveless, and overt. I would never generalize what abuse looks like because it's specific to each situation, but I think what the author was trying to do was to present a more subtle version of it, one full of gaslighting and love bombing. Plus, I think it's easy to forget that one of the things that deeply complicates abuse is how much love is woven within it. I appreciate being offered that perspective, while at the same time, frustrated that I too felt to be on unstable ground throughout the story.

TW: sexual assault, domestic abuse

Another hit by Ms. Sally Hepworth. I previously adored Hepworth's book "The Good Sister" and was eager to get my hands on her latest. I wasn't disappointed in the least.

Hepworth chooses not only compelling plots and characters but brings up important and relevant subject that bear further discussion! In The Younger Wife I found not only a glimpse into a variety of relationships (parents to children, siblings) but also sexual assault and rape, eating disorders, kleptomania, dementia, and domestic abuse. Putting down this list, you might think the subject matter is too heavy to tackle but Hepworth is able to shed a light on these relevant issues without overwhelming the reader.

In The Younger Wife we hear from three women: Rachel and Tully, sisters, and Heather, their soon-to-be new stepmother who is actually younger than they are. The things you'd expect from this relationship are there, jealousy, irritation, discomfort, a desire to fit it. But there is a deeper issue at hand for each woman, each have their own demons and own secrets.

There is a fourth perspective as well, a guest at Heather and Stephen's wedding. Where we quickly learn something violent has happened. The wedding takes place in the present but each woman's covers events leading up to it. The alternating timelines really help develop a sense of anticipation as you try to piece together exactly what violent burst has taken place at the wedding ceremony.

I felt that this was much more than a suspense or thriller novel, it's a contemporary drama that deals with serious issues and I got a lot out of reading it.

I would highly recommend this book!

I have loved Sally Hepworth’s other books, but this one was my least favorite. I struggled to like any of the characters much. I also couldn’t fathom how Tully and Rachel had kept these enormous secrets without family members or friends noticing something and offering support. My favorite part in the story was the hot water bottle mystery - which was fantastic. Loved how the author took a real event in her life and created this whole story around it. Will definitely read her next book despite not loving this one.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. The expected publication for The Younger Wife is 4/5/22.

Who doesn't love a domestic read. Well written as always from this author. This one had it all pulls you in till the end.

Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

Natalie “Tully” and Rachel’s sixty-year-old father is getting remarried even though he is still married to their mother. No problem, for him, as he will divorce his wife who is suffering with dementia. {Already I am not liking his cavalier attitude}. Moving on, the wedding scene is bizarre as their mother goes up to the altar to stand near her husband’s soon to be young bride. When the newly-wed couple leave to sign the register, an altercation breaks out and blood is involved. The two daughters and the new bride have been keeping past secrets that have impacted their lives. How will they move on, together, after the wedding? I never quite got engaged in the story or with the characters and the ending was disappointing. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

Sally Hepworth is one of my favorite domestic thriller writers, and this book was just as good as I had hoped.

This one centers around a family’s struggle to determine if father and husband Stephen is a violent man. His ex-wife has dementia, so even though she has not nice things to say, she can’t be trusted. His fiancé Heather believes he may be violent, but her drinking problem could be putting a spin on things. His two daughters have their suspicions but no proof.

I really enjoyed watching this drama unfold and all of the anxiety that came with it.

4.5 stars rounded up

Sisters, Rachel and Tully are upset to find out that there father, Stephen is marrying Heather, who is younger than both of them. What’s worse is he’s still married to their mother. When Rachel discovers a note with a strange name on, her and Tully try to figure out what happened in their parents’ past.

Sally Hepworth does it again. She has a great way of combining chick lit into domestic suspense. This book started out with a bang at Stephen and Heather’s wedding, and I was enthralled throughout. I had a hard time putting the book down.

There’s a lot more to this book then the mystery of what happened at the wedding. Hepworth delves into these characters’ pasts and created unique issues for each of them. Rachel’s story was my favorite, and I loved her character.

My only issue was with the ending. I felt confused about a couple of things from the last few chapters. I have heard that Hepworth made some changes and clears some things up in the finished copy though so I’ll have to check it out when it releases next week.

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

Sally Hepworth's books can always be counted on to pull me in, keep me hooked until the last page and provide some interesting twists. The Younger Wife follows right along with the others and I was pulled in from the beginning.

This book provides a little bit of everything -- troubled family drama, anxiety that presents in different ways, dealing with dementia in a parent, the father moving on with a much younger woman, bankruptcy, sexual assault, abuse, alcoholism, gossipy neighbors and so much more.

The story revolves around the lives of the Astons -- Stephen and his daughters, Tully and Rachel. In addition, there is his soon to be ex-wife, Pamela who is suffering from dementia and his girlfriend, Heather who is younger than his daughters. Tied into all of this is a mysterious narrator that pops in and out of the story. You don't find out who that is until towards the end. It's all a quite salacious and inventive tale that keeps the reader guessing the whole time trying to figure out which theory is right.

It's a fun and twisty story. However, it does touch on some serious issues that can't be taken lightly. The Younger Wife is well-written and is definitely another hit for this author.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

This is a Netgalley ARC review. All opinions are solely my own.

The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth will take the reader on an emotional roller coaster.

This is written from several points of view and none of them are insignificant. When the book started I thought I could see where this was going: older doctor leaves sick wife for younger version and daughters aren't thrilled. Yeah. It goes there a bit but the twists this book takes are surprising.

I was most intrigued by the very different psychological disorders that this book explores. I was really glad that Rachel's backstory was not what I thought it would be.

There are definitely triggers in this book so proceed at your own risk.

This starts with a shocking act of violence at a wedding but who is injured, how are they injured, and who did it isn't revealed until the end. Heather is marrying Stephen, father to Tully and Rachel, with Stephen's ex-wife Pam, who suffers from dementia, in the audience. Told from the POV of Tully, Rachel and Heather, this is all about secrets- the secrets within a family and the secrets we keep even from ourselves. Tully is a wife and mother- that's her identity- with a problem. Rachel is a baker who has buried herself in her business. You, like Heather, likely will guess the reason early on. Heather has worked her way out of her troubled childhood into a career as an interior designer. And Stephen, the man who binds everyone together, has a secret too. Who is Fiona? Heather prompts, inadvertently, the fall of the house of cards in this family. Unusually for this sort of thriller she's not, well no spoilers from me. Hepworth takes on a number of hot button issues in this page turner. I cared about these women - all of them - more than I expected to. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Excellent read.

Ohhhhhhhh my goodness this book was completely unputdownable!!! Just when I thought I knew where it was going, it twisted and turned and then freaking whacked me upside the head with an earth shattering ending!!! The Younger Wife has a writing style reminiscent of Liane Moriarty’a earlier books. Fast paced family/domestic suspense! I laughed. I gasped. And I sighed and groaned when I had to do real life stuff. (And don’t tell my kids’ dentist but I flaked on my daughter’s appt today so I could keep reading!!! Shhhh 😉 Don’t worry… I rescheduled it for day after tomorrow when I take one of my other girls!)
This was my favorite Hepworth book to date!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy. I really wanted to like this book, but I am so tired of women writing female characters as hysterical, drunk, stupid, unsure, and/or unreliable. I thought it was going to turn out okay with the man getting what he deserved in the last 10% of the book, but then he basically got a redemption story in the epilogue. What an odd choice.

The Last Mrs Parrish meets the Girl on the Train. What happens when your Dad decides to marry the interior decorator when he’s technically still married to your Mom with dementia? We (the audience) starts at the wedding, where something goes terribly wrong and then we play catchup. I absolutely love books where the chapters are the characters. I liked learning about Stephen’s two daughters - the neurotic Tully, the broken Rachel and of course the younger wife, Heather. Excellent book. Could not put it down.

I have just read The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth.

The story starts off with a wedding. The groom is a heart surgeon, the bride younger that the grooms two daughters, and the ex-wife has dementia.

This was the second book that I have read by this Author and found this one very interesting. It kept my attention throughout it, and I thought the characters were especially unique and certainly not perfect, or without issues.

I did enjoy it, and especially the dramatic ending.

Thank You to NetGalley, Author Sally Hepworth and St. Martin's Press for my advanced copy to read and review.

#NetGalley