I've been a fan of Sally Hepworth ever since I read The Secrets of Midwives. Her books have gone from emotional stories to domestic suspense/thriller over a short period of time. Her latest offering, The Younger Wife, will keep you on the edge of your seat, wondering what will happen next.

This was a really interesting story that had so many different layers. While there was a thriller element, it also contained some of the emotional bits that Sally's earlier novels drew me in with. I liked seeing the perspectives of all three women, including the subject of this novel, Heather. There was a lot more to the story than what I was initially expecting and there's a strong focus on mental health throughout (trauma, addiction, etc.). I can't say too much of what goes on as to not spoil it and to leave readers guessing the way I did the entire time. The climax will leave readers questioning everything... I still can't stop going over it all in my mind!

Overall, really well done and memorable. As always, I eagerly await Sally's next novel!

Movie casting suggestions (I figured if Liane Moriarty's books can move to America, then so can Sally's):
Tully: Rebecca Rittenhouse
Rachel: Britt Robertson
Heather: Nina Dobrev
Stephen: Jon Tenney
Pam: Lauren Holly
Darcy: Zane Holtz
Sonny: Tom Hopper

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this advance reader’s copy.
.
First of all, this isn’t my favorite from Hepworth, but it’s probably going to be the most talked about. It took me until around 55% to be truly invested in the story. There were a slew of heavy topics introduced, and I just could not see how all of the seemingly unrelated content was going to come together. But then - whoa - it came together and if I’m being honest, it was really uncomfortable. My advice - grab a friend or read with a book club, because there are THINGS TO DISCUSS. 😳 Did I like it? Was I horrified? Was I gaslighted in a story about gaslighting? I’m honestly still trying to process my thoughts on this one. One thing I know for sure - I’ll read whatever Hepworth writes next.

I could not put this book down! It was great. The perfect amount of suspense but with some sweet moments sprinkled throughout as well. I couldn’t wait to see what happened to all of the characters at the end, and stayed up late to finish The Younger Wife.

This is the second Sally Hepworth novel that I’ve read, and this one is hands down my favorite of hers. I just loved it and can’t wait to read more of her books. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advance release digital copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

The Younger Wife is a thriller by Sally Hepworth that takes place in Australia dealing with a unique situation in a family. Tully and Rachel's dad announces he is getting married to his much younger girlfriend, but happens to still be married to their mother who is dealing with dementia. The premise is interesting and I was hooked at the beginning, but the middle and end seemed to drag. There was no climax with that big twist I was waiting and hoping for. Instead it just kept going and it ended with a whimper. While it didn't thrill me, I still greatly enjoyed this book and rooted for the characters, hoping for that happy ending for them. The conclusion of the novel made you think and question all that happened in the story. Definitely not the thriller I was looking for, but still a look into human behavior that keeps you thinking long after its finished.

Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this novel! I could not put this one down. I just peaked at the first paragraph and was sucked in right away. A mighty suspense domestic drama of a book. A man called Stephen, practically oozing with charm and eerily observant, is marrying a young woman, younger than his grown daughters. So we are all assuming she's the problem.
And we meet his daughters Tully and Rachel. They are interesting fleshed out characters. One is a bit neurotic and the other is a bakery wiz who uses food to deal with a rape that happened at age 16.
But then there is Pamela who is Stephen's wife who he is divorcing to be with the new one. Pam is also dealing with dementia so she hardly knows what's going on.
And what is going on?
Some hints and gaslighting pointing towards some physical and wicked emotional abuse. Is he or isn't he an abuser.
That's what people are complaining about, the ending. We don't really know. And there is a death to answer for which leaves the open endedness a little unsatisfying. But to me, the ending, although yes, not so tidy, still I give any book at this terrible reading time in my live (I'm looking at u pandemic) that keeps me glued to the pages and I can burn through in two sittings gets all the stars.
Sally Hepworth is everything that I continue wanting Liane Moriarty to be. But Liane seems to be losing her edge. Sally had me at Midwives and I'll follow her anywhere.

The Younger Wife
By Sally Hepworth

Stephen Astor is a successful doctor, a great husband, a wonderful father and attentive grandfather. Pam, Stephens wife, started a remodel job on their family home with a young pretty decorator, Heather. It wasn’t long before Pam’s dementia took hold and the family moved her into the care facility for her dementia.
Rachel, daughter of Pam & Stephen, is a remarkable baker but has her own issues she deals with while Tully, the other daughter, married to brilliant lawyer Sonny, is a lifetime kleptomaniac. On the outside, they all seem like a perfect family. But are they?

Stephen requests a lunch with his daughters Rachel and Tully. To the girls surprise, Heather accompanies Stephen and they announce that they are getting married. He will divorce their mother and marry Heather.
Is Heather only out for the money? Why did Rachel find a stash of money her mother had hid? Secrets are coming out but who has the answers.

I really enjoyed reading The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth. As the first story of hers that I have read I am excited to read some of her other stories.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the advanced copy for my honest review.
#netgalley #theyoungerwife #sallyhepworth #stmartinspress

It hurts me to give this book this rating, so I'm going to try to explain why the best I can.

I'll start with what I loved about it... Like every other Sally Hepworth book I've read, this is more of a family drama than it is a psychological thriller. Also, like every other SH book I've read, the plot never goes where you think it will. It never fails, just when you think you've got it all figured out, BAM!, she inserts the mother of twists. Her character development is like no other. You really get to know the ins and outs of these characters, even if you don't necessarily like them. Her characters' relationships are always complicated and convoluted, yet somehow hearty and strong. And finally, I'm a sucker for unreliable narrators, I just can't get enough of them.

Ok, so now to where it all went south for me: THAT ENDING!!! UGH! That's pretty much it. I'm having a hard time getting past or over that ending and I felt it pretty much ruined it for me. :(

Bottom line, was I captivated and entertained while reading The Younger Wife? Yes!
Will I read anything and everything Sally Hepworth writes? Absolutely!

A big thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to review this novel.

Release Date: APRIL 5, 2022

The book takes off from the first page and will have the reader engaged and reading late into the night. The Aston family has issues. Stephen is a successful cardiac surgeon, still married to Pam, who suffers from advanced Alzheimer’s disease and resides in a care facility. Imagine the shock and surprise of his two grown daughters, Rachel and Tully, when he invites them to a luncheon to meet Heather, his very young fiancé. Tully and her husband are about to lose their home due to a bad investment. Tully also has a shameful secret. Her sister, Rachel, is obsessed with cooking/baking, and hasn’t dated anyone since she was 16...almost 20 years ago. Nobody stops to think there could be a reason for it. Tully and Rachel’s father, Stephen, is about to get married to a woman named Heather. The only problem is, he’s already married to their mother, Pam. However she has dementia and he plans on divorcing her. As for Heather, she’s younger than both Tully and Rachel, but is going to marry their father. Heather has a dark past, and she wants to keep it hidden. Not everyone will make it past Stephen and Heather’s wedding unscathed. This is a brilliant exploration of memory, as well as early trauma affecting our perceptions and beliefs. An uninvited guest narrates the opening scene: she might be middle aged woman and till the first half we don’t learn who she’s and what her intentions to attend this wedding. But it seems like she knows a lot about Stephen and her family. As we read the POVs of three women we realize both of them deal with serious issues, keeping secrets from each other. This is amazing psychological thriller keep you hooked up till the end. I liked how the author wrapped up the entire execution.
The author is a fantastic storyteller. Special thanks to NetGalley, the author and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy,

Rachel and Tully, sisters in their thirties have reluctantly agreed to have lunch with their father, Stephen and meet his new girlfriend. Interior designer, Heather. Heather met Stephen and his wife Pam while working on a makeover for their house. Pam unfortunately is now living in a nursing home and Stephen and Heather have become close while the design work was being completed. Nevertheless, Rachel and Tully are shocked when Stephen announces that he and Heather are getting married, just as soon as he can divorce Pam.

The novel opens with Stephen and Heather’s wedding, where not all goes as planned. It’s such a riveting beginning that it dragged me right into the book, wanting to know about all these interesting characters and their lives. And boy, does this family have some issues! I felt compelled to keep reading to find out about all their secrets and how these were all going to resolve. The novel is a perfect mix of character driven domestic suspense with a touch of psychological thriller.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read The Younger Wife. Highly recommend this book to others.

I will pretty much read anything Sally Hepworth wants to write, so I was very excited to get my hands on this one. I love a good domestic thriller. I love a good unreliable narrator and a cast of less than trustworthy characters. I love a good death and controversy scenario in the opening pages of a book.

I feel like Hepworth nails it when it comes to books involving complicated family dynamics and relationships. If you have less than ideal family relationships, there's a good chance she is going to hook you with one of her many books. I was less than sold on the ending, but I feel like the ambiguity and uncertainty of the ending actually paired well with the uncertainty of the characters throughout the book.

The only thing that bums me out about getting this early is that now that I've finished the book, I have to wait even longer for her next one.

We’re off to the chapel to celebrate the wedding of Stephen and Heather.

On the guest list, of course, are Stephens’ two daughters, Tully and Rachel. Also on the list, is Stephens’ first wife. Yikes!

As the ceremony concludes not everyone will make it out of the chapel unharmed.

This was an extremely well-developed thriller. First and foremost…it kept me on the edge of my seat, constantly guessing who was hurt. And never knowing who the real culprit was right up to the very end.

So…Who exactly is the victim here? Or for that matter who was the culprit?

Once again, Sally Hepworth has knocked it out of the ballpark with a top-notch thriller that everyone will be buzzing about!

A buddy read with Susanne.

Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press

This book was so unexpected. I spent the entire story trying to figure out the villain. Was he or wasn't he? Very intriguing story and it kept me guessing.

Sally Hepworth is a master of the domestic thriller. The Younger Wife follows the Aston family as they navigate the father, Stephen's, upcoming nuptials to Heather. Heather is younger than Tully and Rachel, Stephen's daughters, which is one of the reasons they are not thrilled with the match. We know that there is an "accident" of some sort at the wedding, but we are then taken back in time to when Heather is introduced to the family.

I think one of the best parts of this story is the level of uncertainty the reader feels as it progresses. Are things as they seem? Are the women being gaslit? I did not see the ending coming and was left thinking about it after it was over.

Intriguing read. I must say this one kept me guessing on what was going on to the very end. It was also very hard to put down! I would of loved to have had a couple more chapters with Rachel and the ending was a tad bit confusing but overall I really enjoyed this book!! Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the advance copy!!

When their Dad announces his engagement, it all seems utterly inappropriate to his two 30-something-year-old daughters. First of all, his fiancé is their age and second, their dad is still married to their mother who suffers from Alzheimer's. But that is just the start. As the story goes on, we discover that the two sisters and the fiancé all have additions that are threatening to ruin their lives and rob their happiness, and then there is something off with the Dad as well. Lots of issues and twists with this one and as always, Hepworth's books are so very readable and hard to put down.

Book review posted to blog: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend.com/

WHOOP!!! Sally Hepworth is BACK!!

The Younger Wife will keep you on your toes till the very end..and that my friends is wholly gratifying!

I adore Sally Hepworth. I cannot tell a lie. She is one of my favorite domestic suspense/mystery writers. That said, a few of her books have been what I’d call stinkers. (So sorry!). Most however, have been absolutely brilliant and I’m happy to say that The Younger Wife falls into that category.

It’s got drama and lots of it!

Tully and Rachel are sisters. They’ve never been particularly close, but that’s about to change - now that their father Stephen is about to get married again. The problem of course is that he’s still married to their mother, Pam.

You seriously can’t make this stuff up! (Ha!!!....Or Well, I guess Sally Hepworth actually can!!)

Baaawaaahhhhaaaahhhh!!

To say this was a wild thrilling ride is an understatement! While I consider myself quite the armchair detective, I admit to getting this one wrong. Kudos to Sally Hepworth for keeping me on the edge of my seat!

A fabulous buddy read with Kaceey!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley for the arc.

Posted to Goodreads and Twitter.

Hope is a middle aged baker from Cape Cod with a dying grandmother, Rose. When Rose seems to reveal some shocking family secrets, Hope travels to Paris in order to investigate. She finds the long-hidden love story about Jacob and Rose who fell in love during war time when Germany occupied France during WWII.

Well written and timing worthy of being called a page-turner. I historically based novels are your thing you’ll want to add this to your list.

I am still digesting the ending and I'm not sure how I feel about the ambiguous nature of it given we can't be sure if the women are delusional. I wish we had gotten more childhood memories from Tully and Rachel so we had more information. But, it was propulsive and a different enough take on the unreliable narrator to make it interesting.

Thank you so much to the publisher for a free netgalley of this!

I enjoyed this one! Sally Hepworth always gives me a book that I can read in one sitting. And sometimes this is just what I need.

This one had many twist and interesting plot lines. I loved the two sisters in this story, and how the story unfolded. While The Other Sister (Hepworth's last release) was one I easily figured out, this one kept me guessing. I thought I knew where it was going and then at the end, Hepworth took it some place else. And I was like "Oh my word".

Highly recommend Sally Hepworth's newest book!

Did he or didn’t he?
That’s what keeps ringing in my head twelve hours after finishing this book.

Steven Astor is getting married to the much younger Heather. His two daughters Tully and Rachel are a bit upended by this, considering he’s still married to their mother, Pam. Pam has early onset Alzheimer’s and doesn’t know her family most days.

Tully and Rachel have issues, MAJOR issues that I feel we’re a little glossed over, rushed through, not given adequate closure to.

The ending just … I can’t. It really would have been golden if not for three things that stick in my mind and none were resolved or explained.
A great quick read no doubt, and I’m so grateful to the publisher for access to my review copy.