I am such a HUUUUGE Sally Hepworth fan.

I love her sense of humor and the way she crafts her stories. There's so many pieces to an overarching puzzle that keeps my brain working throughout the entire story.

Tully was a fabulous character. I feel like she had a touch of Fern's bluntness (from The Good Sister) and her chapters were definitely my favorite. I loved her inner monologue of processing her life and the weird turns it was taking.

Rachel was a bit of a wet blanket but I understand why. I think her character was extremely well developed and it was interesting that she was the younger sister yet she had to "mom" Tully a lot of the time.

Heather's POV was unreliable AF in the most delicious way. I was often finding myself #TeamHeather then in the next chapter thinking THAT'S A LIL WEIRD???? Overall she was a really great character.

I follow Sally on Instagram and have heard tales of her Auntie Gwen in her Instagram lives/stories and I'm just tickled that she was the inspiration for this book.

The narrators were all fantastic and my only complaint is now I have to wait months before Sally releases another book!!! Bravo!!!

Just meh. I never felt like anything huge or unpredictable happened. The middle felt like it dragged on and then the end felt more rushed. I found it really glossed over a lot of mental health issues instead of going more in depth. It also glossed over bigger triggers such a sexual assault. I didn't love any of the characters.

I found the narrator really good however!

Thank you to netgalley for this alc in exchange for an honest review

The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth

I have sat here for 3 days processing this book to figure what I wanted to rate it. I have been torn about this book. What I liked about the book was the writing is good and the characters with their secrets was well developed. The thing that got me to pause on this book is the ending it did not feel complete and left for the reader to figure it out. It was a real bad ending to a otherwise fairly good story.

The story is about Stephen Aston is trading in his wife who is in a nursing home at the start of the book. Stephen and Heather are at the alter getting married and then the story rolls backwards to the beginning. Tully and Rachel are the two daughters of Stephen and are not pleased with their father with his new love interest which happens to be the same age as them.

I thought that the story started off strong each person has some secrets and as you turn the page the secrets they each hold unfolds. There are some serious topics being discussed in this book like kleptomania, rape, violence,dementia, and family secret. I will be honest I was loving the book I was hooked until the end and that just agitated me.

The narrator for the audio-book did a fantastic job.

I am not against this author I would like to read some of her other works that so many people praise.

I would recommend this book it is very well written and it is worthy of the read for anyone who likes complex family dynamics and the younger wife delivers on this part very well.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Audio for a free copy of the book for an honest review.

4.5 ⭐️
I read the good sister last year and loved it. So I super excited about The Younger Wife!
The novel was well executed and the mysteries started almost from page 1.
I love the way Sally Hepworth writes. She has a special talent for creating mystery in all of her characters which I think makes the novel that much more suspenseful.
There was more than one thing going on and it had me going in so many directions. Great job Sally Hepworth! I can’t wait to read the next one.
I chose to listen to this book on audio and read it. The narrators were Barrie Kreinik, Caroline Lee, Jessica Douglas-Henry, and Zoe Carides. They were excellent and I highly recommend it.
Thanks Macmillan Audio and St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley.
I leaving my review on Instagram, Bookbub, FB, Goodreads, Amazon and Barns&Noble.

📖🎧BOOK REVIEW🎧📖
🌟🌟🌟🌟.5
PUB DATE: April 5, 2022
AUDIO: 9 HRS 18 MIN
PAGES: 352

OH MY STARS! Have you read this author yet? If not, what are you waiting for?

My first book by Ms. Hepworth was “The Mother-in-Law” and she had me hooked from the first chapter! She is an auto-read for me and I don’t waste time reading the synopsis. I can always count on her for an excellent read. The books I’ve read have been built around domestic drama and dark family secrets and filled with plenty of havoc.

The Aston family is a prominent family with loads of juicy, secret skeletons in their closets! The father—Stephen—is a distinguished and well-loved doctor. His two daughters—Tully and Rachel—are grown and living happy lives. Or are they? Tully is a mental mess, with hidden issues that go back to early childhood. Rachel has her own secrets. She’s a successful businesswoman but doesn’t date…..ever.

Their mother—Pam—has dementia, and is living in a care facility. Poor Pam rarely recognizes anyone. And she forgot to share her secrets before they faded away.

And now there is a fiancee—Heather. Stephen throws everyone for a loop when he introduces them to Heather for the first time. And announces they are engaged. First of all, he’s still married to their mother. And second, Heather is younger than both daughters.

Excerpt:
“Their smiles are painted on, unconvincing, but then who would be pleased to see their father marry a woman young enough to be their sister? And while their mother looks on to boot.”

This is only a taste of the enticing secrets in this turmoil-filled thriller! I highly recommend.

I enjoyed both the audiobook and e-book. Sincere thanks to Macmillan Audio / St. Martin’s Press for this complimentary ARC that was provided through NetGalley. This review is my honest opinion.

#theyoungerwife #sallyhepworth #macmillanaudio #stmartinspress #netgalley #advancedreadingcopy #inexchangeforreview #lovetoread #bookreviewer #coloradobookstagrammer #coloradoreader #addtoyourbookpile #bookrecommendation #bookworm #fortheloveofbooks #springread #kindleread #justfinishedreading #psychologicalthriller #thrilleraddict #thrillersofinstagram #readingaddict #readersofinstagram #lovereadingbooks #bookaholic #booknerd #bookworm
#somanybookssolittletime #favoriteauthor

The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth

A big thank you to @stmartinpress for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy of The Younger Wife! Publish date for this book is April 5, 2022 and it is currently available for pre order.

Rachel and Tully get the shock of a lifetime when their dad announces over lunch with his new girlfriend that they plan to marry. Heather, this new fiancée, it bears noting is younger than both girls. The girls immediately feel a sense of betrayal as their father is still technically married to the girls’ mother, Pam, who is in failing health due to her battle with dementia.

This is the third book I’ve read by Sally Hepworth and they never fail to impress. This one had me hooked from the jump with the scene at the wedding. Hepworth does a sensational job of balancing suspense with family drama in a combination that is just right for my tastes. This one definitely ended up taking a different turn than I was expecting, but not in a bad way. The epilogue, while frustrating to some, was so powerful to me. It highlights the persuasive power of gaslighting. The victims of his abuse didn’t even see it for what it was due to his slick nature, a master manipulator. Even though the end with Heather becoming so close with the girls and their family, it was nice to see her get a happy ending.

This book tackles some heavy topics, which was what I loved so much about The Good Sister. However, I do want to tack on a TW for those issues. Domestic abuse, rape, binge eating, kleptomania, depression, manipulation and gaslighting were all explored as it was revealed that no one in this group was free of some kind of coping mechanism to deal with stress and turmoil. These girls didn’t know what their own sisters were experiencing for years and we as a society need to do more to de stigmatize mental health issues.

I highly recommend this for anyone who enjoys psychological suspense, thrillers, and family drama.

4.5/5

I really enjoy Sally Hepworth's writing, and this one was no exception. It is told from multiple POVS, but only has a few main characters so its easy to keep track of everyone and the story being told. After reading the description, I thought this would be similar to many other domestic thrillers I've read, but it actually ended up being quite different. I would classify this more as domestic suspense and not really a true thriller, as I was anxiously waiting for a twist that never came. Even as the ending came, I was waiting with baited breath for some huge twist, but it just never happened and I was left with a satisfying, yet simple ending. I really wanted to be shocked but I wasn't. I thought the characters were all really interesting and had good development, but I almost wish we had gotten a bit more of the sisters growing up. I think the ending also had a lot of missed opportunities to shock the reader that Sally just didn't take. Overall though I did really enjoy this. I loved the audio narration and it was a quick listen. I loved the overall theme of women empowerment, taking back our power, and trusting our instincts. Great messages in this. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

There wasn’t a whole lot that I enjoyed about this book. The audio was well done. The family drama was okay. I found the whole story to be very drawn out. A slow burn for sure. I don’t see this as a thriller at all, more of a family drama. The characters were not likeable and I found myself skimming and skipping sections of the book. The ending was just ridiculous too and unjustifiable to women and the topic at hand.

I was really intrigued with the beginning, and then I felt the story fell a little flat. I was really looking for more in depth moments from Heather, but it really felt like the focus was put on the money Rachel found. I think I would have enjoyed the story more if Heather was the main focus and Rachel unraveled the money mystery as a background plot. I also felt the chapter regarding Tully at the end of the book was completely unneccessary and took away from the last chapter.

What I did enjoy was the dive into such deep subjects such as dementia, domestic violence, anxiety, and kleptomania, to name a few. Without those subjects, I probably would have only given the book 2 stars. Overall, not my favorite read, but also not on my "could have done without" pile.

Special thanks to NetGalley and a Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.

What it simply comes down to is this... this book was not for me. I disliked most (or all the characters), so that didn't help. I didn't like the ending. I didnt really like the beginning. I had an overall very hard time getting into the book to even begin
To top it off, I really didn't like the person reading in the audio book. When the speaker went to mimic the child's voices I almost turned off the book right then and there.

The Younger Wife is the new domestic thriller from Sally Hepworth.

"Well loved cardiologist, Stephen Ashton is getting married again. His new bride is the young and beautiful Heather. His first wife is currently living at a care facilty for dementia patients. She still comes to the wedding. After the vows the wedding party including Mom and daughters Tully and Rachel head back to sign the register. There are screams and the minister rushes out covered in blood and screaming for a doctor. Is someone hurt? What happened?"

Hepworth begins at the wedding with an unknown POV. We think someone is hurt but we have no idea what has happened. The story goes back a year and gives us the leadup to the wedding. This is a slow burn. Hepworth takes some time to reveal the sisters and Heather and Dr. Ashton. And this is a family with a lot of issues. I found myself pulling for the sisters and for Heather. I like that Hepworth doesn;t wave a literary magic wand and make everything better. Seems like it's more realistic.

No spoilers but there is a character you will despise by the end. I like the mini-epilogue. It's like "I've done all of these things to these characters - let them have a little happiness somewhere in the book."

Multiple narrators in this audiobook - wonderful performance from the whole cast.

If you like a slow-burn domestic thriller and you're looking for your next beach read, this is a good option. (especially if you like yelling at fictional characters)

So this is the second book that I have read by Sally Hepworth and I’ve got to say, she does family/domestic thrillers really well! I am impressed as I rated this 3 ½ to 4 and The Good Sister 4 stars. Something about family dynamics, the good and the bad, that Sally captures so well.

Dr. Stephen Ashton is set to divorce his current wife Pam and marry Heather, a much younger woman that is close in age to his two daughters Tully and Rachel. Of course that’s a story we hear often, an older man marries a younger woman and adds cracks to the family foundation.

The sisters have their own interesting dynamic, both holding on to secrets that if they shared with one another sooner, they would have found support and a deeper understanding for what has shaped them into the women they are.

As dad moves on with younger woman Heather, the sister’s mom Pam who is suffering from dementia often has outbursts that provide what appears to be glimpses into the relationship her and Stephen had prior to her memory loss. It also turns out Heather has her own secrets from her past and to top it all off, her and Stephen’s relationship may not be as perfect as they are portraying it to be. And what is Stephen hiding from his past?

I am still a little unsure how I feel about how this book ends but because of the way in which you are never really sure whose truth is the truth and it keeps you wondering and guessing the whole time, and also, this was an audiobook for me and the narrators and their amazing portrayal of the characters really drew me in, I feel it deserves a good rating.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy to review. I am very impressed with Sally and I believe this novel will impress readers/listeners.

I just discovered Sally Hepworth a few weeks ago, but I’m hooked! The Younger Wife is a story of three young women and years old family secrets. Each woman is harboring secrets that she must face. This book is told from each woman’s point of view and is fast paced. I fully enjoyed it. My only big complaint is that I received the audio book and it took me much longer to finish that if I’d been reading it for myself!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in return for an unbiased review.

A multi-cast narrated book that pulls you into a dysfunctional family. Each unique voice lent a raw personality to the characters, and this is definitely the way to enjoy the story. Sally Hepworth always writes stories that draw you in and slowly reveals a somewhat surprising reveal. although this particular story was not surprising. I enjoyed most of the journey, but was ultimatley left dissatisfied with the ending.

Be prepared for an unexpected ride with Sally Hepworth's "The Younger Wife." It is a complex and twisted story of a family with more hidden secrets than an entire suburban neighborhood. Its presentation as an audiobook with a British narrator is a plus, adding flavor to the nuances and subtleties of a dry sense of humor. Hepworth is among the best in the craft of storytelling, and this story emphasizes why.

The novel, filled with quirky and colorful characters, is sad, funny and complicated -- all at the same time. There's a current wife with dementia in a nursing home, a husband preparing to marry a much younger woman, and daughters and partners who haven't decided yet to welcome the new woman. Past affairs, crimes and violence can't remain secret for long as each character begins to face past -- and present -- circumstances. The ending is unexpected, but so are the parts between start and finish.

This was a great story that kept me engaged from the very first chapter. Alternating between different perspectives allowed the reader to fully understand the family dynamics and added a richness to the story that would not have been possible if it had not been in that format. I loved that it was a mystery that could almost read like a beach read but was full of heavy and important topics like addiction, trauma, and abuse. It also gave voice to the situations of abuse where the person is so deeply abused that they don't even know what is happening to them. I did think the ending was a little to neat and could have been more messy. The entire novel seemed realistic until the end when it was all tied up perfectly but I would still recommend reading it.

absolutely loved this author’s earlier book “The Good Sister” so when I saw another book by the same author I was so excited and knew I had to read it.
_____________________

Rachel and Tully are two sisters in their 30’s, they are slowly adjusting to their mom, Pamela, being in an assisted living facility when their dad, Stephen, drops a bombshell at dinner - he’s engaged, to Heather, a woman younger than his own daughters. But he is still married to their mom…Why does Stephen want to marry her so quickly while his current wife is still alive? Why is he pushing this new woman so heavily onto his daughters?

Five points of views round out the story well:
•Tully - the impulsive, shoplifting addict dealing with financial ruin.

•Rachel - the perfectionist, burying herself in food (baking and eating) to numb her past trauma.

•Heather - the “posh” fiancé hiding behind her secondhand designer items because she is so desperate to escape where she came from.

•I won’t spoil the fourth and fifth narrators.

No one is exactly who they seem in this family. Money and security can be a great motivator. It’s scary how someone can ignore their own gut instincts in exchange for them.

The book timeline bounces between the wedding day and then flashes back to the engagement announcement and the year leading up to wedding day. The ending - Wow. Just wow. I never saw it coming.

TW: sexual assault | domestic violence

First off, I would not consider this to be a thriller. If you enjoy family drama with a little bit of mystery - this one is for you! There is a lot of dysfunction going on in this family that will leave you questioning who is reliable. I was anxious to see who the mystery wedding guest was and what exactly happened at the wedding! I will say that I started off disliking the sisters, but once I started learning their secrets I was pulling for them in the end! Still wondering about that ending

#TheYoungerWife:

What did J. Cole once say? Or, George Bush once say for that matter? 😂 “Fool me one time, shame on you. Fool me twice..”

Here’s the thing. When I go into a Sally Hepworth book, I know I’m getting a family drama with a little spice of mystery/thrill. If you’re going in for a solid thriller, you’ll be disappointed. If you go in for a solid mystery, disappointed. The more you know 💫 But, this was a miss for me this time, and that’s okay.

Overall, the story was intriguing. Are these people really who they say they are? Can family secrets stay secret? I felt like I listened more to hope some folks would get some sense knocked into them. There’s one major part I was literally screaming at my phone because OF COURSE you should believe it, it’s already happened. Like.. that’s why you’re in the situation right this moment? But regardless, I really enjoyed the sisters dynamic and how they got closer to each other throughout the book. There are some heavy topics that were discussed so.. nonchalantly? I guess is the right word, and I just didn’t feel like they were handled properly or added anything to the plot? Still kind of confused why they were added.

I did get to listen on audio and thought the audio was done wonderfully by the cast of folks to portray all the women in the book. They had great banter and really held out the hopelessness of gaslighting in their voice.

Unfortunately, this was a solid miss for me. This had the potential to really be a huge hit, but just fell flat for me on some of the storyline and those triggers that were just kind of the thrown out there. Thank you Minotaur and Macmillan Audio for the gifted copy. The Younger Wife is out April 5th!

Great narration and a gripping story. I’m always impressed by Sally Hepworth’s novels and this was no exception. The characters were all much more complex than they first appeared and the story was excellently plotted- there were twists and surprises that were unexpected but in hindsight the author laid the groundwork for each one so nothing was unbelievable or contrived. Plus I’ll listen to ANYTHING Caroline Lee narrates as she’s amazing. Another win for Hepworth!