4.5/5
Let me start by saying, I love Sally Hepworth. The Good Sister is one of my favourite books so I had high expectations going into The Younger Wife and while this delivers, the ending was rather ambiguous and left me a bit flustered. In terms of writing extremely captivating domestic suspense novels, Sally knocks it out of the park - once I started this I had a hard time putting it down in anticipation of what would unfold next.

The Younger Wife is loaded with family secrets and complex dynamics surrounding a family that is seemingly perfect but as the story goes on, we begin to see the facade of perfection fall in more ways than one. One of my favourite things about Sally’s writing is the way she approaches difficult topics in such a gentle manner, bringing light to the darkness of tough topics. The characters are well developed and it’s easy to relate to both of the daughters, Rachel and Tully, especially with the approach that is taken when explaining the intricacies of their lives. The story is told from multiple view points, Rachel’s, Tully’s and Heather’s, I enjoy reading multiple POV books that are also character driven in the way this one was. Overall, I really did enjoy the suspenseful build up but was slightly disappointed at the end, that being said do not let that deter you from reading this book! Sally Hepworth has most definitely created another fantastic novel with an interesting storyline and compelling characters that will have you flying through the pages until the end.

Sally Hepworth is pretty darn amazing! The Good Sister was one of my favorite books from last year, so when I heard that she had a new book coming out this year I was beyond excited! The Younger Wife didn’t disappoint👏👏

I felt like this book was more of a family drama than a thriller, although there was definitely some suspense to this book. It’s the story of Stephen, a heart surgeon in his 60’s who has a wife with dementia, 2 daughters in their 30’s, and a new fiancé who is younger than both his daughters. They all have secrets, for the most part. Despite their issues, these characters were all so interesting. I found the character of Rachel to be very likable. They characters were well developed and the book was extremely well written. The short chapters and entertaining plot made this book an easy one to say ‘just one more chapter’ which would then turn into four or five!

I definitely recommend this book, as well as the others written by this author. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. So appreciative!!

Wow, what thrilling read! I really enjoyed the dynamic between this quirky cast of characters. Hepworth's effortless storytelling left me breathless with anticipation of each new revelation. This book was incredibly well done.

"The Younger Wife" was the first novel I have read that was written by Sally Hepworth. I found it hard to put this book down from the first page, throughout the entire story. The plot was unique and very thought provoking. The characterization was on point and really made you feel like you actually knew these characters, although there were many times when I did not necessarily like all of the characters and how they were depicted.

All in all, I would definitely recommend this book to all fans of domestic thrillers. There are many twists and turns, both expected and unexpected, which were used effectively to propel this story forward. I will definitely be checking out more of Sally Hepworth's books!

Trigger alert: physical and psychological abuse.
The Younger Wife, by Sally Hepworth, is a family suspense/thriller that will probably keep you up until the wee hours of the night. This is a well written story, the most of the main characters are interesting and likeable. Even though they were feeding off each other, somewhat, I still had a hard time believing that three of the main characters were all having the same type of revelations during the same time period.
Tully and Rachel Aston are meeting their father, Doctor Stephen Aston, and his "girlfriend", Heather for lunch. To their shock and dismay he announces that he and Heather are engaged to be married. He has no interest in a long engagement even though he's still married to their mother, who's currently an Alzheimer's patient in a nursing home.
Tully's and Rachel's immediate impression is that Heather is nothing but a gold digger who's pulled the wool over their father's eyes. The fact that she's younger than both of them is all the proof they need.
When Rachel finds something important that her mother hid who-knows-how-long ago, she goes on the hunt to solve the mystery. Soon, she's involved Tully and they won't stop until they get some answers.

The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth was not exactly what I was expecting, it wasn't really a mystery. What it was, instead, was a family drama that revolved around the effect of one man on the lives of five women who may, or may not, really know who he is. We, like these women, are kept guessing. Entertaining.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is a family drama, not a thriller. Two sisters are grappling with the fact that their father is engaged to be married to a much younger woman.
Even worse is that he is still married to their mother, who is in a care home. They don’t trust the new woman and they all have secrets.
This one is on par with this author’s other books, a quick, entertaining read!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an advanced readers copy of this book for my honest review.

While the latest novel by Sally Hepworth is a bit of a slow burn...the ending is I don't even know! You will love it or you will throw the book across the room. I liked it.. This is a book about an imperfect family that got off the rails somewhere along the way..

Recommended if you're looking for that next WTF read.

Sally Hepworth falls short of her previous novels in her latest, the Younger Wife. Readers are supposed to find Stephen Aston magnanimous – loving husband, wonderful father, successful cardiac surgeon, blah, blah, blah -- but how so when he already is married and is making plans to divorce his Alzheimer’s-inflicted wife Pam to marry a woman younger than his adult daughters? Furthermore, his daughters are hanging out with the new younger wife-to-be instead of being up in arms that their father would treat their mother this way.

Everybody has secrets in this story, except seemingly for Stephen with his outward cheating on his sick wife. He takes the new woman to dinner with friends of his and Pam’s. Only one person rings true in that scenario – a friend of Pam’s who stands up for the ailing wife. Stephen also takes the homewrecker to professional functions.

While Stephen seems to be living out in the open with his mistress, readers learn that both of his daughters have serious problems as well as does his mistress -- problems involving rape, kleptomania, and alcoholism
While readers usually have to brace themselves for a mind-blowing ending in Hepworth’s books, this time they will be puzzling over it instead.

Having read all of Hepworth’s novels, I found myself disappointed in this one, hoping it is just a one-off. She is the bestselling author of eight novels including The Good Sister. She lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her family.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting February 25, 2022.

I would like to thank St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.

Tully and Rachel’s mother, who has dementia, lives in a care home. Meanwhile, their father is dating someone only a few years older than the sisters. So imagine their surprise when their father announces he intends to marry Heather. Of course, they’re upset and more so because he’s still married to their mother. This stilted family is carrying a lot of secrets, and because no one really communicates, it will be interesting to see how they come to light.

The Younger Wife is also a book that draws you in from the very start. I liked the slow unfolding of the story, the alternating perspectives from the women, and the secrets they’re carrying. I read reviews before writing my own, and some people are upset with the ending. But, I don’t know, I liked it. It’s not what I expected, but that’s okay because it worked with the book’s overall theme. Overall, this is a super fun read from the very start. Thank you, St. Martin’s, for sending this along!

As all of Sally's books, this book kept my attention the whole time. It was fast paced and gripping. I loved all of the characters and couldn't put the book down. I wish I had a new Sally book to read every week!

Tully and Rachel are shocked to learn that their dad is engaged to Heather, a woman younger than both of them. The bigger problem is that he’s still married to their mom who’s living in a dementia ward. Things in this family get messy really fast. The story is told from the time they first meet Stephen’s fiancée to the events that take place at the wedding.

This book is one that can definitely be finished in one sitting; it’s a quick read and the writing just flows. With that being said, there isn’t a whole lot of excitement happening. However, somehow I wanted to keep reading to find out how if things would get more sinister. They did not. Not really. I wouldn’t call this a thriller, more like domestic suspense.

Told from the perspectives of Tully, Rachel and Heather, I really liked the rich character development. They are each fighting their own demons and I found their storylines very engaging. The frustrating ending left me with more questions than answers. I’m not sure where to rate this one but I’m between 3.5 - 4 ⭐️. I did enjoy it although I wasn’t really blown away.

If you love domestic drama, you’ll want to read this book!

(4.5⭐️) Whip smart and deftly written! I finished this domestic drama/suspense in mere hours. Full of intrigue and brilliantly layered, nothing is as it seems in Hepworth’s newest novel, proving she continues to be at the top of her game.

The novel begins at the wedding of Stephen Astor. His ex-wife and future wife both stand at the front of the chapel alongside him, his daughters, and grandsons. In any other family, with any other man… this situation would be outlandish. But Stephen is no ordinary man.

He and Pam were happily married for decades until dementia stole her away. And now, their grown daughters, Tully and Rachel, must get used to a newer, younger interloper to their family. Just who is Heather Wisher, and how did she get her claws into their father?

I love a good family drama, and this one is addictive and compulsively readable. Not only does it unfold in short chapters, the alternating point of view adeptly developed the characters in a way I felt I knew them deeply while also not at all.

This book does have a lot going on. But I found that actually made this plot work all the better.

That ending! It’s a DOOZY, and you’re definitely going to want to discuss it. Some people will love it. Some will hate it. But most of us never had it all figured out… Utterly brilliant!

Don’t miss the author’s note at the end. Hepworth’s reflection on her dear aunt and the hot water bottle that set this all in motion endeared me even more to The Younger Wife.

Many thanks to Sally Hepworth, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book.

Are we women unreliable narrators about our own lives? Or do we just come to disbelieve and doubt our own experiences because we let the men in our lives do the narrating for us?

WOW, this was an intense read that is going to stay with me for a very long time. First of all, let me tell you that this book is NOT about what you think it’s about. At ALL. And nope, I’m not going to tell you what it IS about plot-wise because that mystery unraveling is way too good to spoil.

I will tell you about the themes I loved. It’s about complicated women and their difficulties in relationships with men…and how it all starts at home in your childhood with your father. It’s about gaslighting. It’s about women not trusting themselves, even when they have all the evidence in front of them. It’s about female friendships, sisters, love, how you see your family from the inside versus how everyone else might see your family as outside observers. And it’s about good relationships with men vs. bad ones.

Gosh this was an intelligent, tricky, twisty book with really deep and interesting ideas and themes. Sally Hepworth is such an intelligent, creative, feminist author. She impresses me more with each book she writes. I didn’t think any book could beat her last one but darn it if she hasn’t done it again.

And that ending! Boy is it divisive, but I loved it and marveled at the fantastic execution of the ending twist (which to me was not actually a twist but consistent with the whole book). I won’t spoil it but I’ll just say this - don’t let the very select pieces of narration at the ending gaslight you like one of the characters (and all of that character’s admirers) gaslights others all throughout the book. If you read this book, and you believe the lived experiences of the characters, you know what happened. #BelieveWomenNarrators ;)

This book has a little something to say, and I am just so impressed with Sally Hepworth and how she executed this. It was a legitimately scary, surprising, and important book — a better Big Little Lies. I am going to read this book again just as soon as I finish processing it now that I know the ending, and I can tell it will be a whole new reading experience the second time.

Hats off to Sally Hepworth for once again creating compelling characters, a super gripping plot, and an important social message in a roller coaster ride of a read. One of my favorites of the year and I’m sure it will remain that way come December.

Thanks to St. Martin’s, NetGalley and the talented author for such a fantastic and clever reading experience. LOVED it!

I enjoyed the overall story, but I’m not sure how I feel about the ending. I would have liked more closure with some of the characters, too. This book definitely kept me entertained the whole way through.

Another score for Sally Hepworth. Was very excited to get my hands on this one after reading her last book. There are plenty of characters in this that you will either love or hate. You will question many of them several times.

The twisty reveals are exceptionally well done and this was a true thriller. I kept running into the end of a chapter and immediately having to start the next. I’m sure you will have the same experience.

The ending did throw me for a loop and I might’ve thrown my kindle in response.

Once again, I wish we could leave half stars! I give this book 3.5 stars. The beginning of the book was SO GOOD. I was so angry at the husband, Stephen Aston, for even thinking of getting remarried while his wife was still alive. The ending is where the book kind of lost it for me. I felt like what I thought might be the case when I was about 20% into the book is exactly what happened. There wasn't any suspense left. No plot twists. So I wound up finishing the book feeling slightly let down. I did appreciate the growth of the female characters, but overall, I probably won't recommend this one to others. Thank you for Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC. PS I loved The Mother in Law by Sally Hepworth, so definitely read that one if you haven't!

I found this book to be intriguing & had a hard time putting it down. I thought the storyline was interesting. Two sisters are dealing with their father wanting to divorce their mother, who is slowly disappearing due to dementia, in order to marry a younger woman. They are also dealing with their own issues in their lives. There are lots of twists & turns in this book. Highly recommend!
Thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

A page-turner of a mess! A family full of secrets narrated by three women: Rachel, Tully, and Heather. Stephen is married to Pam, who has dementia. Stephen begins a new relationship with Heather and they decide to get married. Stephen expects his two adult daughters, Rachel and Tully, to accept Heather into the family and "play nice". Heather is 30 years younger than Stephen - about
Rachel's age. Rachel has an issue - she hasn't dated since she was 16 and hasn't told anyone why. Tully has a secret vice that she can't control. Heather is hiding her family history. And Stephen, all the women are wondering about Stephen, who is he really and what is he hiding?

This was an engrossing story that kept me wondering. I never knew who to believe - all the narrators are unreliable. And the ending! I still don't know what was real and what was imagined. The book was definitely a page-turner and I enjoyed it. I liked the writing style and hope to read more by Sally Hepworth.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on April 5, 2022.

The Younger Wife is a page turner with the right mix of character study and suspense. The ending will leave you questioning everything you just read and will make for lively book club discussion! This book explores the addictions of the three main female characters but it’s Stephen that we should really be worried about. If you liked Sally Hepworth’s previous novels, this one is a must read!