The Younger Wife - I absolutely adored this story. I couldn't put it down, like most all of Ms. Hepworth's books, this was filled with a difunctional family, all having secrets of their own and quite a few surprising twists and turns. And, then you start second guessing your own ideas!. Excellent! Thank you! #NetGalley#TheYoungerWife#StMartinsPress

Here we have the Aston family. They are a messy bunch. Stephen, the father, is getting married again... while his wife suffers from dementia in a care home. Rachel and Tully, the daughters... are not very thrilled by this news. Their reaction is amplified when they meet Stephen's prospective wife, who is the same age as them. Talk about weird!

Hepworth did a great job at providing likeable characters who were very relatable. They each had their secrets. She came through with the twists and a clever dual character narrative that contributed to a perfect recipe for a psychological family drama. I loved it!

My two dislikes: I wouldn't consider this to be a thriller, but I would consider it to be a domestic drama. It had enough twists to mess with my brain and make me question each character, but there was not enough mystery to be considered a thriller. Also! I'm not sure how I liked the ending of this one - I think I was hoping for something a bit more disturbing or unsettling. Thanks to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for the arc!

This book had a slow build. It is told in varying timelines from a present setting to about a year earlier. Readers are able to see Pamela’s decline with dementia and the beginnings of Heather and Stephen’s relationship. We also see the sisters’ relationship change over the year as they both begin to reveal some secrets of their own to each other- Tully’s marital finances and kleptomania and Rachel’s teenage rape.

I did enjoy the family dynamics because they were so messed up. For a family that seemed to pride itself on being close, or at least giving that appearance, they really knew very little about each other where it mattered. You can see the long-term effects of trauma permeating almost everything. I found it very plausible, especially as the girls began to question childhood memories.

It is clear to me as a reader that the sisters and now Heather have been gaslit by a master. Stephen is not as he appears, but who is he really? Without revealing too much, Stephen focuses a lot on appearances-- how he is perceived, his family perceived, and fiancée perceived by others. Because of this, he goes to large lengths to present a certain persona, so you never really know which is the “real” Stephen. His point of view and those of the women in his life offer varying pieces of the picture.

I appreciated how carefully Hepworth treated Pamela as a dementia patient. From my own personal experience, her decline and mannerisms as they appear in the novel seem very believable. It was heartbreaking to read about Rachel or Tully visiting their mom and her not knowing they were her daughters. So sad!

One thing I did enjoy learning about in this fiction novel is kleptomania as an anxiety response/addiction. Tully got a high from stealing. It was so much the object she stole just that she was able to do so without getting caught. I found that really interesting just because I know next to nothing about kleptomania, nor did I realize how serious for some it could potentially be.

My last thoughts are the abuse threads that run through this novel. Rachel was clearly raped as a teenager, did not report it, and it negatively impacted her romantic relationships until well into adulthood for her. She didn’t date despite wanting to. We know rapes are often under-reported and the long-term effects of rape vary widely. Rachel is suffering lots of trauma, and that trauma impacts how she views the men in her life. The storyline with Pamela saying Stephen ruined her life and gaslighting also may serve as a trigger to some who have experienced domestic abuse of some kind. It is never quite clarified by the end, but maybe that is the author’s point?

The ending is a bit frustrating! There is an epilogue that while I can see it ties up some loose ends, I found it to almost blunt the real ending that happened before! I may have given this book a slightly higher rating without the epilogue. Four stars will just have to do!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a good mystery. I would’ve enjoyed it if it was more of a thriller though. I honestly couldn’t like any characters. 🥴 I liked the alternating perspectives, but I feel like there was too much going on. I don’t understand how they came to the conclusion that Stephen was abusive, when it was the complete opposite with Pam.

Thanks to NetGalley for my gifted copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
The Younger Wife is a domestic thriller asking the question, “Did he do it?” Stephen is a 60 something we’ll respected doctor. His wife, Pam, has dementia and he’s now engaged to Heather, a 30 something interior designer Pam hire to redo the house. Stephen and Pam have two adult daughters with their own set of issues. This seems like the perfect family but as the layers are peeled back, you discover all the cracks.
3.25 stars. It was not fast paced for me like other reviews said but maybe I’m an outlier?

I just finished reading The Younger Wife, by Sally Hepworth. I would like to thank NetGallet for a copy of this book in return for an honest review. This book is a story about family and trauma and how childhood trauma affects adult life. It is a story about the relationship between fathers and their daughters, and daughters and their mothers, and the importance of truth and honesty and self worth.
The book is told from the perspective of three main characters who all have a relationship with the male main character. Two of them are his daughters, and the other is his soon to be wife. All the main characters are dealing with the trauma from their own secrets, which makes them relatable and intriguing. I very much liked the three main female characters, especially the way they bonded with each other.
The main story is the search for the truth as to who Stephen (the girl's father) really is. And the side stories of the three women in the book, make for a very compelling read.
I was instantly drawn into the mysteries and secrets of the women and wanted them to heal from their own personal trauma. The author did an excellent job of creating characters the I could feel empathy and compassion for.
The psychological thriller part of the book was the way the Dad (Stephen) dealt with the women in his life. Very subtle and well-written as well, and not entirely evil and not entirely good. I was constantly going back and forth between what I felt about him.
The book was well written, easy to read, and entertaining from start to finish. The ending was a good affirmation to remain true to yor instincts and to believe in yourself, which is a good lesson for anyone, regardless of age.
If you enjoy pshycholgical thrillers, I believe this should be on your need-to-read list. You will not be dissapointed. I certainly wasnt.

A very good book. I was engrossed from the beginning. I loved the writing. I give it 5 stars and a strong recommendation.

3.5 Stars Rounded up.

I thought it was a well written. Stephen, a older man who's current wife is suffering and deteriorating from dementia has married a much younger woman named Heather who, consequently, is the same age as his two daughters Rachel and Tully.

It's written with all three women's POV and Sally Hepworth did a great job at giving each woman a distinct personality as well as suffering from various forms illness from kleptomania, eating disorders, sexual and domestic abuse.

It is deeply engaging and I read the whole book in two days as it kept my interest. Why is Heather marrying Stephen so young, what is the root of all these women's problems. Hepworth did a great job in creating a well paced thriller.

The ending was...... Not good in my opinion. There seemed to be too much confusion in the end and we were not given a clear resolution. Or a "why?"

Y'all, this thriller was one wild ride. That ride also went to the very last pages. This was such a captivating piece. I don't know that I've read a thriller before where I legitimately didn't know what to think about who - not to mention, the questions continued to evolve!

Hold on, let me give you some plot to work with. This story begins with a tragedy at a wedding, but you aren't quite sure what has happened. Pieces of this start to be revealed as the story goes. The wedding is Stephen Aston's. He's a man who has been married, er, is married. His first wife has dementia, and he has now fallen for a (literal) younger wife. His family has some hesitations about this new direction . All of the drama folds into the story as you have to figure who things what, does what, and ultimately what happened. This one hooked me from the first words, and it didn't let me go until the very last. It is a MUST READ thriller!

Family drama, secrets, suspicion, and lies galore! In Sally Hepworth's newest domestic suspense novel, sisters Rachel and Tully navigate their father falling in love with Heather, a woman around their age and decades younger than their father, while he's still married to their mom, who is in a care home with full-stage dementia. Intrigued yet?! 🤯 The drama unfolds quickly from there as we learn about the days leading up to the wedding.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book. I connected with the characters immediately and loved the multiple POV narrative. The chapters ended with little cliff hangers that sometimes got picked up by the next character or were left hanging while you read about another development! It was really well executed and keeps the reader turning the pages. I do wish, though, that the character development had been fleshed out more, especially for Heather, the younger wife. I felt like there were so many threads left unexplored. And the ending was a bit anti-climatic for me. But still a solid ⭐⭐⭐⭐ read.

Thanks so much @netgalley @stmartinspress and the author for the ARC. This releases April 5, 2022!

3.5⭐ rounded up.

The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth is an engaging psychological family drama with a mystery at its core.

The story begins in a wedding chapel where Dr. Stephen Aston, a respected and charismatic surgeon in his sixties, marries a younger woman in her thirties surrounded by family and friends. In attendance are his two adult daughters and their mother , Stephen's recently divorced ex-wife who suffers from dementia. Something happens at the venue which only the family witnesses. What really happened and who did what? We, along with the wedding guests, are left guessing and all is not revealed till much later.

The larger part of the narrative switches between Stephen's daughters Tully and Rachel and his 'younger' fiance/wife Heather. The authors delves deep into these characters and we get to know these women , their relationships, traumas and struggles and their motivations in a sequence of events leading to the fateful day of the wedding. The author touches upon issues of dementia and mental health , kleptomania, eating disorders , domestic violence and rape in the process of unravelling the complicated dynamics behind a seemingly functional family.

Some of the characters and their backstories may have needed a little more exploration but this does not detract from the overall reading experience.

A slow burning page turner with riveting narrative , Sally Hepworth's The Younger Wife does not disappoint ! Definitely recommend adding this book to your to-read list.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Well, I have read and enjoyed other books by Sally Hepworth but this one is not a winner..at least not in my book. The premise of the book is that an older doctor is about to wed a much younger woman..despite still being married to his ailing, current wife. His two adult daughter are the prominent in the story..each with her own issue. I found the characters fairly flat and one dimensional…and predictable.. One overcomes a serious psychological trauma in a snap….. after meeting an impossibly perfect man. The too good to be true doctor turns out to be just that.
What turned me off completely was the ending. Will not give it away but I find it a huge problem and very dismissive of women. Not sure what the author was thinking in penning this odd twist but I think many will agree.

The first 10% of this book made me doubt my decision to pick it up. The prologue was like OK YES! Then it started and I was more ok no. It felt like a slow drip drip drip of information and feelings and fluff but then it just clicked and a good fluidity of the story came about. From that point on I was hooked and could not put it down until the last page. Buuuut then the ending was hard to digest because this doubt that was a big cloud floating around from page to page never cleared away! Where was the sunshine that brought it all together?!? Ughhh. So for all the bad and good then great then meh I give it a 3.5 stars.

Tully and Rachel are sisters and their dad Stephen is married to their mother named Pam. Pam and Stephen had planned to redesign their magnificent home with an interior designer named Heather. Fast forward and Pam has severe dementia and Stephen and Heather are going to get married. At the wedding someone has been hurt severely but we don’t know who. The story switches back and forth and you get the POV from Tully, Rachel, Heather from before the wedding and an unknown guest at the wedding.

It sounds like a lot but it transitioned quite smoothly. A lot is built upon past traumas and how people cope differently. It was a good read just a bit disappointed with the ending.

Thank you netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

I have read several books by this author and really enjoy her style. Like her other books, this one starts off strong and reels you in quickly. I struggled with this book, however, because it felt as though there were multiple “issues” with every character. Three of the main characters dealt with some very serious trauma in the past which caused them to have unhealthy coping mechanisms in the present. It seemed like overkill. I’m glad I stuck with the story because it was good overall. True to form, Hepworth threw in a slightly unexpected ending but not a total shock. While this book was solid, I didn’t love it as much as I have Hepworth’s previous books.

Do we really know our family members all that well? What secrets do they keep? How does silence effect relationships? All these theme are explored in this book as sisters Rachel and Tully grapple with a father that they think might be an abuser, a mother with dementia, a father that is about to remarry a much younger women, and so much more. Told from different viewpoints and faulty memories this is a riveting story of family secrets. Sally Hepworth has another winner in this book.

Sally Hepworth does it again with The Younger Wife. As always, I loved her characters, the storyline, and the mystery. Five stars!

Thank you to Net Galley, Sally Hepworth, and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to preview this book.

Wow! Wow! Sally Hepworth does NOT disappoint!

Hmm is Dr. Stephen Aston a bigamist? He is about to marry Heather Wisher, who is in her early thirties thus ‘the younger wife’ meanwhile he is still married to Pam, who is a few years older than he is so she is ‘the older wife’! Well it true that Pam’s health has deteriorated and she currently does not recognize any family member and is in a nursing home for early Alzheimer’s. Also true that Stephen is going to divorce her.
The plot starts with the wedding and then moves to the year earlier when Stephen first met Heather.
Then goes returns to present and lets us know what really happen at the wedding.

Wedding: We know that something seriously bad happened at the wedding. There is a female scream, blood, and the call asking if there is a Doctor in the House!

A year ago: Stephen and Pam hired Heather as an interior designer as they are remodeling. However, when Pam’s dementia is getting worst she has to be moved to a nursing home for care; Stephen soon finds that he has met his real soulmate with Heather. His plan is to divorce Pam.
Stephen wants his adult daughters Rachel and Tully (Natalie) to meet Heather and invites them to a luncheon. They are not pleased with this; Tully in particular believes Heather is after their father’s money. He is a heart surgeon and doing very well.

Stephen wants them to meet Heather and tells Tully to “put on her game face”.
• Smile
• Be Curious
• Keep it together
• Fall apart later at home when no one sees you!


Tully knows all too well how to “put on her game face”!
Her problem is the falling apart at home ~as she has some strange ways of coping.

Story is told from the POV of Heather, Rachael, and Tully
These three ladies have several things in common: reading their stories kept me turning pages.

Oh and there is also an unknown narrator who is giving us information about the wedding.
This all lead to a lot of drama.
This is my sixth author,: Sally Hepworth story ~ I am a fan. The other five novels were also excellent.
I am a big psychological thriller fan. I expect four things:
> Expect twists and twist and turns!
> Be suspicious of everyone!
> The most obvious person didn’t do it!
> There will be many secrets!

Yep all four!
We discover many of the secrets early on ~ Depression, Drinking, Abuse, Kleptomania, Poor Financial decisions.

Don’t want to give too much away. But didn’t that ending coming but it was great!!

I always enjoy reading the Authors and/or acknowledgements. As they typically give us the inside scoop to the story. Yep we find out Ms. Hepworth’s inspiration for this story!

Want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for an honest professional review.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for April 5, 2022

Hepworth does it again! A page-turner that keeps you guessing and characters that are interesting and multifaceted! I thoroughly enjoyed this read and would highly recommend it.

I found my first Sally Hepworth book in London - 10 years ago - while traveling and I eagerly await anything new that she writes!! The Younger Wife did not disappoint!

The book is fast paced because you are anxious to understand what is going on! However you need to slow down and take your time with it because there are twists and turns and a lot of intricate parts of this family drama. Each narrator has her own story to tell and I loved getting to know them, changing my mind about them and then changing my mind about them again as the total story was revealed.

Thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for the chance to read early....I am recommending everyone I know put this on their TBR list!!

I thoroughly LOVED every bit of this book. From the pacing to the differing characters, everything about it kept me entertained and wanting to read more. When I finish a book in one or two sittings its a great one for me and this book delivered! I cant stop thinking about the immense amount of gaslighting and narcissism pictured in this book. It took my breath away and i really hope it gets people discussing in book clubs or in small groups - narcissism what it means and how it can impact someone on the receiving end of it. Brava! 5 stars for me!

Thank you Netgalley and Publishers for this advaced copy in exchange for my honest review