I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to read and review this book. Thank you very much.

I am late to post this review, however did hand sell this title in my store over the Mother’s Day period multiple times.

This book is a master piece of suspense and family dynamics, it flowed well and left me wanting more!
It is important, I believe, that this book comes along with some trigger warnings as some readers may some of the themes confronting.
Nevertheless, this is a great book by Sally Hepworth!

This is my first time reading Sally Hepworth and I can see how she is cementing herself as a key Australian author. I thinks she is well suited to the fans of Liane Moriarty. The first chapter intrigues and hooks you, and I like her narrative style and how she alternates the story between past and present.

*Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.*Sally Hepworth has become like Jodi Picoult for me - which is to say, I will absolutely devour each and every one of her new releases. And 'The Younger Wife' is no different. I have actually read it twice already and as it is my book club's pick for February, I might try to fit another read in before our meeting. What to say about 'The Younger Wife' other than that you will be hooked from the very first page. I think what I love about Hepworth's books is that the characters and settings are so real. We know the people in these books. Or at least, we know people very like them. The title refers to Heather, a young woman who is set to marry much older Stephen Aston. However, like all wonderful domestic thrillers, all is not as it seems in the lives of Stephen or his two grown up daughters, Tully and Rachel. A thoroughly enjoyable read. I can' wait for Hepworth's next offering. Also, if you don't already, follow Hepworth on Instagram - she is hilarious.

Rachael and Tully have been caring for their mother, who has dementia, while dealing with their own stressors in life. When their Dad introduced them to his new girlfriend, Heather, they’re not exactly thrilled that she’s the same age as them – or that their dad is actually still married to their mother. Upon hearing they’re getting married, the sisters both start to turn to their individual ways of coping.

Heather has come from a pretty terrible upbringing and can’t believe she’s about to get married and move into her dream house. A perfect life is on the horizon, but something awful happens on her wedding day.

The Younger Wife begins with an important event at the wedding and then flicks back and forward throughout the book, leading up to the revelation of who caused what happened and who it happened to. This was such a clever book and there were so many topics woven into the story. Family abuse, mental health, sexual assault, addictions, childhood trauma, romance and more. There was more than one mystery to solve here and I thoroughly enjoyed piecing it all together!

The Younger Wife is a brilliant domestic thriller I recommend checking out!

I haven’t yet met a Sally Hepworth book I haven’t liked, and this latest release, The Younger Wife, is no exception. Twists and turns abound, underpinned by a dark narrative of a family in crisis. Tempered with Hepworth’s trademark wit, The Younger Wife is a novel I found impossible to put down. Highly recommended.

The Younger Wife is Sally Hepworth's new domestic thriller and what a book it is! I don't think I have ever read a book with every character having issues!!
It starts with a wedding and ends with the wedding! First of all there is Stephen - the groom, who has two daughters from his previous marriage - Tully seems to have it all but in fact is a closet shoplifter, Rachel has beauty and talent but is hiding an incident that has affected her whole life and she finds comfort in food. Heather is the new bride who thinks she has found the man of her dreams - or has she?

This book was full of intrigue with chapters alternating between Tully, Rachel and Heather and kept me totally absorbed until the end. The characters all were hiding things that were not revealed until well into the plot, so you were gradually drawn in and then it was a roller coaster ride until the end.

I've read all of Sally's books and I hope this one gets picked up for a screen adaptation - it would be fantastic!!

The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth was an enjoyable read about the Ashton family who are facing a range of dramas. It is complicated but intriguing with great character development and interactions that add depth to the story.

The story starts with the wedding of Dr Stephen Ashton, who has just recently divorced his wife Pamela who is a nursing home suffering from dementia. His wife to be is a young interior designer, Heather Wisher, who has dark secrets of her own.

The story moves from the current wedding to past events from the perspective of each of the characters in the story.

The two daughters, Rachel and Tully, are rocked by their father’s relationship with Heather, who is younger than that are but at the same time they both embroiled in their own dramas.

Tully, who has her own dark secret, and husband Sonny have their own problems as with bad investments they have to sell their magnificent home and move out of a very prestigious area with their children.

Rachel, is making a living baking speciality cakes and hasn’t dated anyone since she was 16….. there are developments here too.

While divorced from Stephen, Pamela is kept in the loop of the family and in her confused state she keeps saying some strange things about Stephen which lead to further complications with Tully and Rachel endeavouring to solve the issues that have arisen.

With lots of twists and turns the story gradually unfolds with a lot of unexpected outcomes.

Highly recommended domestic drama with lots of family secrets!

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher Pan Macmillan Australia for a copy to read and review.

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 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. After all Heather is younger than both of them, so why the rush and why is she interested in marrying a man who is thirty years older than her anyway?

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. Highly recommended!