Member Reviews
I really was sucked in to this story at the beginning. Gabe and Pippa live near “The Spot” a well known cliff where individuals come to choose to end their life. Gabe has made a habit of talking them out of doing so.
Though, I did have to wonder why they were so okay with raising two young daughters so close to a known suicide spot where you could see people contemplating jumping from the window of their home, I still found myself drawn in to the story of Gabe talking every person out of it until the woman at the beginning of this story.
It turns out the woman who jumped isn’t a stranger and is connected to both Gabe and Pippa in unique ways. I found I became less interested as the story went on, as the twists weren’t the punch to the gut shock I’ve come to expect with thrillers.
Mental health and particularly Gabe’s ADHD is made a huge part of the narrative alluding to it influencing his increasingly erratic behavior (that I didn’t super love). As someone with ADHD who was diagnosed during adulthood it was immediately obvious this diagnosis was off/not the root of Gabe’s problems. Everything was very exacerbated and extreme for just ADHD. I did suspect something else and while things are revealed I am very happy for the verbiage that did not allow Gabe to blame his actions on his mental illnesses and lack of accountability and taking care of them properly. As an adult with a few different mental diagnoses, they are an explanation not an excuse but I’m also pleased to see neither was villainized as mental illnesses often are in fiction, especially thrillers.
Overall, I’m giving this one 3.5 stars.
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Sally is freaking the queen of twisty, jaw-dropping, domestic thrillers that keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time. I loved this book so much. I literally couldn’t stop reading once I started and haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since I finished.
Sally Hepworth is fast becoming a go-to author for me. She really knows how to keep the twists coming. It seems like everyone has something to hide in this thriller that takes place in a house at the edge of a cliff. Most people wouldn't choose to buy a house where people come to end their lives, but Pippa and Gabe thought it was their dream house. Until one day when a woman goes off the cliff while her husband is talking to her. Did he push her? Why did he even go out? Just when you think you have things figured out something new happens. Loved this story and the suspense will keep you guessing!
This is my 5th Sally Hepworth book and I really enjoyed it! I sped through this in two days, finding it hard to put it down. There seemed to be a few too many twists - but overall it was a fun and well-written thriller. I'll definitely read anything she writes!!
*Thank you to the publisher for providing my review copy.
Love the twist and turns in this fast paced thriller. Set by the edge of the sea and includes a main character who is a ghost, what's not to love?
I enjoyed this book for its original concept. I think Sally did a great job building up the character with his mental illness however I think most none professionals would even guess he was bipolar based on his symptoms so that part wasn’t really a twist for me. I would have liked it better if the tell tale symptoms slowly appeared making the reader work for the diagnosis. I love how she changes points of view and even allows a deceased character to have a voice. One of my favorite things about her writing is the way she shows different perspectives on the same event, it allows readers to sort out our feelings without picking a side. It’s easy to love and hate characters when we see things from one perspective but her writing style makes us dig deeper. I will definitely be recommending this to friends alongside all of her other fabulous works of fiction.
Haunting, gripping, and tragically beautiful The Soulmate captures a quaint cottage on a cliff that holds promises for a happy family while disguising some dark secrets.
From the outside Gage and Pippa may appear to be the ideal couple and family. Gage, the ever caring “suicide whisperer” has been known around town to save those who wander to their end. Yet one night, his attempt for savior is unsuccessful and what follows is a tale full of secrets. This kept me on edge and while I knew early on the truth, I didn’t know all of it. Packed with tiny twists and tense moments this was a thriller I couldn’t put down. I was pointing my finger in so many directions trying to uncover even darker secrets and what was revealed wasn’t what I expected. A perfect dreary evening read to curl up with.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my gifted copy.
I have enjoyed all of the books I’ve read by Sally Hepworth and this was no exception. They are often difficult topics with characters you arent sure you like or trust, but she keeps you on your toes for a while before unraveling the truth of everyone’s character. This book made me a bit sad which is also common for her books as they often feature a death up front and so you know right off the bat there cant be an entirely happy ending, but I enjoy her stories anyway.
Thriller that pulls you in immediately, a la Hepworth. Another domestic murder/thriller set in Australia. Love the short chapters and constant twists and surprises. Great, quick read!
3.5 stars // Short chapters, 2 povs and 2 timelines kept this twisty mystery high paced and quite a page turner. I also thought the dramatization of Pippa and Gabe’s marriage and the determination of where the line for “staying with your soulmate” is was well written.
Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC.
Gabe and Pippi are finally settling in their new home, atop the clifftops; however, their backyard seems to be a popular spot for suicides... Gabe and Pippi are seemingly soulmates, until one particular suicide that isn't so random, and out comes all the lies, twists, infidelity, and secrets.
The Soulmate had a lot of little, short chapters. I loved this! It kept me turning the pages to just read "one more chapter." Each of the chapters left off on a cliffhanger - which made this book so hard to put down! Sally Hepworth knows how to write a good suspense novel, and she continues to prove herself with The Soulmate. Highly recommend!
Pub date: 4/4/23
Genre: thriller/domestic suspense
Quick summary: Pippa and Gabe are soulmates - but when a woman Gabe knew commits suicide on the cliffs near their home, Pippa begins to suspect Gabe had something to do with it.
The cover just screams thriller to me, and it was the perfect book to bring on my beach resort vacation. Gabe was suspicious from the start, and I was turning the pages so quickly to uncover his secrets. I really liked Pippa as the MC - she was clearly very devoted to her daughters and to finding out the truth about Gabe - even if it ruined their relationship. The narrative included the perspective of the dead woman Amanda for additional clarity, and I loved how everything fell into place at the end. Plenty of twists, and I did not see them coming!
This is another solid thriller by Hepworth, and I'm sure it will be in a lot of beach bags come summer!
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Sally Hepworth has written a heckuva psych thriller with The Soulmate. Just when you think you know what is going on, you most definitely don’t.
Pippa and her husband, Gabe, own a house by a popular cliff. Unfortunately, it is popular for people who want to jump off of it. The setting is almost as important as the characters.
The story unfolds from two perspectives, Pippa’s and Amanda’s. The latter’s chapters are…unique. I’m not going to give away why, but it is one of the more clever plot threads I’ve read in recent memory.
The action jumps between Pippa and Amanda (and “now” and “then” for each of them), but it is never confusing. In fact, the author does a great job of keeping the action moving even though it is not linear.
This is partly helped by how each character often drops a hint at the end of the preceding chapter before the action shifts to another time period.
I also liked that it was ambiguous about who the soulmate was to whom. Each woman had their own opinion on the matter, and each believes in their version of love and commitment. But it turns out only one of them is correct.
Without giving anything away, the author also tackled a very sensitive subject (mental health) with respect. And it weaves into the plot in important ways that are slowly revealed over the course of the book.
I was up late reading The Soulmate. It is the kind of psych thriller that you can lose yourself in. Sally Hepworth continues to write books that I can’t wait to read.
This review was written based on a digital copy of the book from St. Martin's Press.
**For more reviews like this, please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks.**
A thrilling story again from Hepworth! This one will keep you guessing until the end and kept a good pace throughout. Highly Recommend!
The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth
Available on April 4th, 2023
Pippa and Gabe live in an "idyllic cottage with a picture-perfect view" in Australia...or do they? Located near tall, dangerous cliffs, the spot has become a popular suicide destination. Gabe saves lives repeatedly, but one night a woman jumps to her death.
Is there a catch?
Pippa realizes Gabe knew the victim and questions his story. Did Gabe push the lady or did she jump? Is there a reason Gabe would lie to Pippa? How well does Pippa know her soulmate?
Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for sharing this incredible book with me. It captivated me from the first page. This exciting thriller is yet another Sally Hepworth hit!
Thank you to SMP for a gifted copy of this ARC! All opinions are my own.
Sally Hepworth never disappoints! I could not stop reading this one - I HAD to know, did he push her or not? How do they all know each other, etc? So many questions and I was dying to know the answers, so I kept turning the pages even though it was well past my bedtime. This book is a dual POV and very cleverly done. It touches on how mental illness can affect a family and how far one would go for love. Some twists definitely surprised me and the ending was sad but I loved the story and couldn't stop thinking about it for days.
TW: infidelity, mental illness, suicide
First I want to thank Netgalley and St-Martin's press for giving me the opportunity to read The Soulmate before the publication date.
4 ⭐️
At first it was a little confusing to read the two love stories in parallel, but the more I got into it, the more it became clear.
It was overall amazingly twisty, I wish I had no responsibility so I could read the novel in one sitting, but I had to mom. 🙃
The Soulmate made me want to read more of Sally Hepworth novels, I just LOVED her writing.
0.75/5 stars! This mystery thriller hooked me early on. However, the further I got, the more frustrated I became. As someone who works with individuals dealing with mental health concerns, this book was bullsh*t. It was like "ahh yes I will use mental illness as a plot device; but in the most disrespectful way possible." This book was a horrid representation of genuine mental illness or disorder. Because of that, I can't recommend it to readers.
I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Pippa has a perfect life and husband. Or does she? The characters and events are hardly what they seem at first glance. Question everything and everyone. The plot kept me riveted, as my assumptions and perceptions were turned upside-down. The setting of this book definitely has a huge role in propelling the plot: is it idyllic or sinister? Indeed, you must read to find out. Masterful book by an expert in psychological suspense. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
Soulmate takes us to a beautiful location in Australia with an adorable family. The tension is built going back and forth in the timeline with 2 different narrators. I will admit I'm not a big fan of the dual timelines but I happily read along because I adore Sally Hepworth. The setting was. cool and she brought the intrigue. I did get bored with all the back and forth in the timeline and would have liked to not meander as much but the ending it was great and I felt very satisfied with the overall story and outcome.
I do recommend!