The story started pretty slowly for me and was hard to get into. Around the middle, it started to get more interesting and I was intrigued to find out what had happened. I enjoyed the characters and the relationship between Tully and Rachel. Unfortunately I really did not like the ending at all. It felt like it ruined the whole book for me.

3 stars

This book by Sally Hepworth was a good read, but not as big of a hit for me as The Good Sister.

The Younger Wife is a domestic suspense novel told in 4 viewpoints - present day at Stephen and Heather's wedding, and also the viewpoint of his two daughters Rachel and Tully.

Stephen is a well beloved doctor who has been seemingly devoted to his wife, Pam, who is now suffering with dementia and in a assisted living home. He meets the beautiful and younger interior designer Heather as he starts a home renovation project. As they work together and fall in love, Stephen decides to divorce Pam and marry Heather and move on with his life.

We are let into the background and lives of his daughters as we find out they're both dealing with trauma in their lives in very different ways.

We also begin to wonder if Stephen is as loving and caring as he wants people to believe.

I did enjoy the book and the story, however, I am getting a little tired of the gaslighting storyline. Why, in 2022, are we still writing about men making women believe they are clumsy, or accident prone, or a little too tipsy, or too drunk, when they are being flat out abused. I hate that part.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

It was fine...until the ending? The dementia excuse? I am sorry but that's a HUGE no from me. I wish I hadn't wasted my time.

The Younger Wife explores the complexities of family dynamics and relationships. The author's writing style and the characters' depth and complexity make this book very enjoyable. The storyline is gripping and emotional, with a number of unexpected twists and turns. It is a well-written, engaging read that fans of women's fiction and family drama will enjoy.

This book got me going from the get-go. I wanted to slap pretty, young Heather (have to keep it nice) and you don’t want to know what I wanted to do to Stephen. URG! I just couldn’t believe that Stephen thought it was okay to divorce his wife Pamela, to marry Heather. Seriously?! I know what you’re thinking, that this happens all the time but the deal is ….. Pamela has Alzheimer’s and is living in a nursing home. Stephen is basically having an affair and now, he wants to get rid of his baggage.

Meanwhile, Pamela and Stephen’s adult daughter’s Tully and Rachel are surprised of their father’s announcement. How could their father act this way towards their mother? The daughters decide to take some action to help their mother while at the same time protect themselves. I enjoyed the many surprises and the endless twists this book provided. I’m getting used to endings like these, not saying that I’m liking them but I feel it gives up readers something to talk about. Great story. 4 stars
I received a copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to St. Martin's Press and to Sally Hepworth for the opportunity.

An interesting puzzle, in the first half anyway, but I didn't like the ending. I may try another book written by this author, but this one wasn't for me. It is not a thriller but a family drama/mystery with a lot of stupid women. I realize the purpose of the book is to keep the reader guessing, wondering what really happened-- were these women drunk, or crazy, or are being gaslit, or all of the above--and that aim is achieved. It gets annoying and frustrating however when there isn't a single woman we can admire. Can't we please have at least one woman with sense and intelligence who can make rational decisions and judgments?? And an ending that is clear and makes the journey worthwhile?

Another Sally Hepworth book that didn’t disappoint. I love a good domestic thriller and will pickup anything Sally Hepworth writes.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

What a delicious little thriller! I thought this was a super fast read and would be great for a beach or pool day. I thought some elements didn’t really add to the story (sister being raped) but overall I really enjoyed and devoured in like 1 day.

I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.

I've read and enjoyed a number of Sally Hepworth's books and "The Younger Wife" was another winner from this author. Since this was an ARC that I'd had sitting on the shelf for nearly a year, it contained the original ending. Like many reviewers I was disappointed in the end but by now I had read that it was revised in the published version so off I went to the library to get a copy. I definitely like the revised ending better than the original but I feel like the reader is still left to draw their own conclusions. Overall, I enjoyed the book and found it to be a real page-turner. There are some triggers that readers should be aware of such as alcoholism, eating disorders, rape and dementia although most of them are pretty much skimmed over.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press via Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book even though the book has been available for purchase for nearly a year. My bad! All opinions expressed are my own.

I read this book while I was visiting Australia. Honesty, I think I liked it even more given the context.

Stephen Aston is a respected heart surgeon, and he's getting married again...to a much younger woman. His daughters are not exactly pleased by the whole thing, especially as their mother is still somewhat in the picture. Their mom has Alzheimer's, but every now and then she says something lucid that has her daughters wondering what's really true. Heather (the younger woman) has a few secrets of her own, but she's desperate to become a real part of the family.

I enjoyed the pacing of this story, and seeing the truth start to unfold. I wouldn't say any of the characters are particularly likeable, but I don't really think they're supposed to be, honestly.

If you enjoyed Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty I think you'll also really enjoy this one. It has similar Aussie family vibes along with the mystery aspect.

Content warning for domestic abuse.

This book was wonderful and grabbed my attention from the beginning. You have to love books that make you question the actions of EVERY character. Sally Hepworth books are lways a win.

Each Sally Hepworth book is a surprise in its own way. As the story opened, I eagerly was waiting to see the premise that would be unfolding. I loved the character development and the plot filled with suspense.

I love everything that Sally Hepworth writes! Nobody writes a domestic thriller like she does! I have a hard time with the sub-genre, but if Hepworth writes it, I'm sold!

Sally Hepworth does it again with this thriller! This book starts off at a wedding and there's *gasp* an uninvited guest. I knew from the start that this was going to be good. I loved that we got all of the perspectives of the women within the chapters and how all the secrets were slowly revealed. The ending was.... dramatic. I've heard there's a few changes to the final copy so I'll be curious to read the updated version.

It was a good book and I like that they didn't leave till the end who the narrator at the beginning is. I also liked that you could see glimpses of this certain character's manipulation but it was described vague enough to leave you feeling confused along with the main women. I didn't like the epilogue. The "new" information it provided didn't really add anything to the story or to my understanding of anything. It maybe explained about the money and provided context but this wasn't context that I needed to know.

In The Younger Wife, adult sisters Tully and Rachel are dismayed to hear their father announce he is marrying Heather, a woman younger than both of them. Their mother is still alive and married to their father too.

While both sisters may peg Heather as a gold digger who’s only after their prominent heart surgeon father’s money, Rachel and Tully have different coping mechanisms for their day to day life, which they turn to in dealing with this latest development. The story alternates POVs between Rachel, Tully and Heather, who it seems each have something they’re hiding. The sisters are also determined to get to the bottom of newly looming family secrets.

Like the other Sally Hepworth books I’ve read, I enjoyed this story of domestic drama. Rachel was my favorite character. I listened to The Younger Wife audiobook with multiple narrators who all did a good job.

This book had an intriguing premise, an interesting opening, and characters so fascinating that you can't stop reading. I liekd that we got multiple POVs. I just wasn't satisfied with the ending. It's much more of a family drama than a mystery/thriller.

The plot is very similar to a book I have read in the past - man abusing wife, gaslighting.
Heather - the much younger woman, engaged to Stephan, lack of self worth and self esteem.
Tully - Oldest daughter, neurotic, unhealthy coping mechanisms
Rachel - Youngest daughter, struggling to solve the mystery of a large sum of money her mother had hidden
I enjoyed the writing, the characters - it held my attention, but I wouldn't recommend.

Synopsis:
THE HUSBAND
A heart surgeon at the top of his field, Stephen Aston is getting married again. But first he must divorce his current wife, even though she can no longer speak for herself.

THE DAUGHTERS
Tully and Rachel Aston look upon their father’s fiancée, Heather, as nothing but an interloper. Heather is younger than both of them. Clearly, she’s after their father’s money.

THE FORMER WIFE
With their mother in a precarious position, Tully and Rachel are determined to get to the truth about their family’s secrets, the new wife closing in, and who their father really is.

THE YOUNGER WIFE
Heather has secrets of her own. Will getting to the truth unleash the most dangerous impulses in all of them?

Review:

Sally Hepworth does it again with another domestic suspense that I couldn't stop turning the pages of! She knows how to add all of the right touches of suspense, twisted ideas, and dysfunction. It was a fun read and I will of course pick up the next book she writes!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this book!