Member Reviews

Sally Hepworth is the queen of the twisty twisted thriller. I consumed this in one day because every time I told myself I'd take a break and go to something else, she dropped another surprise and I'd have to read on.

Was this review helpful?

The Soulmate is my first read from Sally Hepworth & it did not disappoint!

I loved the short, quick chapters and really enjoyed the story being told from the two perspectives.of Pippa & Amanda. The story captured me from the beginning and I would have read it one sitting however, it took me longer to read (due to mommy duties) but I definitely spent my time rushing through every day activities so I could get back to reading!

There was enough suspense to keep you stuck and though the twists weren’t super shocking they were enough to keep me satisfied because they were more realistic rather than over the top. I would definitely recommend this book and I look forward to reading more work from Hepworth!

Thank you to NetGalley and St-Martin's press for the advanced reading copy provided in exchange for my honest review

Was this review helpful?

3 Stars ⭐️

This was my first book by Sally Hepworth.
As much as I loved the concept of this book it just felt like a drag. It was so slow. I thought with how short the chapters were, loved that by the way, that it would feel like a quick fun read but nope it was so boring. The twists were decent but not amazing. This book definitely left me underwhelmed and I’m so sad. However, I will still give her other ones a try.

Thank you Sally Hepworth, Netgalley & St. Martins Press for the ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Sally Hepworth is the undisputed queen of domestic thrillers and you cannot convince me otherwise.

This book had everything I’ve grown to love in a Sally Hepworth book:
-A family in which I am FULLY invested. I needed to know everything about Pippa and Gabe, their daughters, and Pippa’s family.
-Twists and turns that unravel throughout the book to keep me reading.
-An unclear idea of who the “bad guy” is with a fully satisfying final reveal.

This book is written in dual POVs with dual timelines, too. The chapters are super short, so you’re switching perspectives frequently. I enjoyed the constant change and I felt equally as invested in Pippa as I did Amanda and I cared just about the present timeline as I did the past.

The premise of The Soulmate is original, fresh, and new… but I found the character relationships, dynamics, and day-to-day very familiar. I absolutely LOVED this combination because it made the story feel realistic and that made it all the more eerie.

This book will keep you guessing, keep you reading, and definitely keep you entertained. It was an easy 5 star for me and one I recommend!

Was this review helpful?

This has to be the twistiest book I have read this year! This fast-paced thriller kept me on edge the entire time. This is my first Sally Hepworth book, and it will be the first of many. Before you read, make sure to check out trigger warnings.

This story is primarily told from the perspective of two main characters: Pippa and Amanda. It jumps between a "Now" and "Then" time frame, and I found it very easy to navigate the time jumps. Amanda's perspective was fascinating to me. I don't want to give it away, but I found it very believable, and it really helped me to understand her character. Pippa primarily drives the narrative of the story, and I found myself empathizing with her throughout the story. Pippa, along with her husband Gabe and her children live in a home that overlooks a cliff. Gabe is known for talking people off the edge of that cliff. But Gabe has secrets of his own. This is really a story about family and what it means to stand by each other. The question is, do you know who you are standing by?

I have a lot to say about this book, but I will be giving away too many plot points. I think this book is perfect for book clubs. There is so much to discuss and a lot of "What Ifs?" to really dig deep into.

The last quarter of this book moves at a whiplash pace. You will really need to hang on tight at the end. So much happens and it left my head spinning. It gives the reader a lot to think about.

This book releases in April of 2023. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced reader copy of this fantastic story. It will stick with me for a long time. I highly recommend this book!

Was this review helpful?

The soulmate. Told from two points of view- Pippa and Amanda- in both the past and the present.

This book begins by trying to figure out what really happened to the most recent person to “jump” at The Drop, a popular suicide spot. There is more to the story than you think. Amanda simply doesn’t jump to end her life.

This book wasn’t quite as thrilling as I’d hoped. It took me over a week to read it. I didn’t devour it as I’d planned to do. For that reason, I’ve rated it 4 stars. I would still recommend picking it up! It just wasn’t as page turning or mind blowing as I was hoping.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

Was this review helpful?

The Soulmate was a page turner that was hard to put down! The short chapters really made it easy to keep reading “just one more.” The story was told from two perspectives and had lots of twists and turns. Sally Hepworth is a great storyteller and I look forward to reading more of hers.

Was this review helpful?

ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
A non-linear time line? Unreliable narrators? Dead woman’s POV? A murder or a suicide? An incredible twisty book where I had no idea what was going to happen next.

Publication Date: April 4, 2023

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth
FORMAT: ARC eBook
GENRE: Domestic suspense
TRIGGERS: Mental illness, suicide, infidelity
RATING: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

First off, a huge thank you to @stmartinspress for hooking me up with this ARC through @netgalley in exchange for my honest review. Here goes…

I hate starting a new book. I really do. I’d rather skip ahead to the point— usually a hand full of chapters later— where I’m fully hooked. Well, this book got me there quick… like page one. From the moment I started reading, I just had to keep going. I enjoyed the vacillating viewpoints, the dual timelines, and the short chapters. I continually said “just one more” and then found myself up super late because I couldn’t put it down.

Hepworth excels at mental imagery and character development. You feel like you’re right there in the picturesque setting of Australia with the two main couples. The characters are relatable as they face everyday struggles and even some pretty exceptional ones. Marriage is tough and the exploration of these relationships is intriguing. You feel invested as their strengths and weaknesses are exposed.

Just when you think it’s predictable and you have it figured out, Hepworth inserts a perfectly timed plot twist. I love how she drops little nuggets and breadcrumbs along the way, leading up to a literary bomb. I do have to say that the ending blew me away. I personally did NOT see it coming!

This is the second book I’ve read from Sally Hepworth and I love her twisty, fast paced style. She’s Australian so the vocabulary is an added bonus. I also loved The Mother-in-Law, which is equally as good.

I definitely recommend diving into this one because it was really really good and would likely appeal to many readers. The bad news… The Soulmate doesn’t drop until April of 2023 so you’ll have to wait to get your hands on this gem! Oh and I absolutely loved the cover. Should have led with that, lol.

Was this review helpful?

I could not put this addictive novel down. Short chapters told from alternating viewpoints of the wife and the dead woman had me constantly saying "just one more". Really enjoyed this twisty suspense novel.

Was this review helpful?

This book kept me engaged from start to end. I read it on my kindle and I could not put it down. I love a thriller that keeps the reader on their toes and continues to give surprises. This book does just that!

Was this review helpful?

Entertaining with lots of twists and good sense of place. I did have a problem that one of the major narrators is dead. Writing from the perspective of a dead person is always questionable, but in this book the reader knows she is dead. After thinking about it for while, I do think it was rather gimmicky and felt that the author was tryin to show off her writing skills.

Was this review helpful?

Sally Hepworth is one of my auto buy authors as she always fleshed out the characters very well and I love the unexpected turns her novels take.

The Soulmate definitely follows in that same vein. Gabe and Pippa are living in their dream house, in a cottage by the sea. On the surface everything is perfect: 2 lovely daughters, close family, a loving marriage. But diving deeper, you can see this is just what they want the world to see. Since living in their cottage, Gabe has talked 7 people out of suicide from the cliff ledge until 1 night when he does not succeed. From Pippa's vantage point, it looks almost like he pushed her. Why would her husband do that?

Told from multiple perspectives, you soon realize how intertwined the lives of both the jumper and Gabe and Pippa are. Nothing is just a coincidence. A tangled web of lies, mental illness, failed job prospects and marital infidelity before finally coming to the truth.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4. Thanks to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

Was this review helpful?

Told from three different perspectives, The Soulmate is the story of Gabe and Pippa who are living what seems to be the perfect life in their seemingly perfect cottage by the sea.

I say seemingly because that cottage by the sea happens to be at the top of a cliff, a cliff where people notoriously go to take their own lives.

In the time that Gabe and Pippa have lived there, Gabe has managed to save seven lives, has managed to talk seven people off of that cliff, and has begun to feel like it's something he'll always be able to do, and that is where we meet Amanda.

Through twists and turns, we find two families connected in ways I never imagined, lies and betrayal in many forms are at the heart of this one and I was hooked from the first few chapters.

Sally Hepworth is quickly becoming one of my go-to authors for a good suspense book that will take me out of my reality and put me into someone else's.

In my mind this is a solid four-and-a-half-star book, the only thing that kept it from being a five for me was the jumps in the timeline, it was done well, but it's just not something I am a fan of.

Can we just talk about the cover for a moment, it is beautiful and the perfect little glimpse of what you're getting when you open this book, I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover but this one is just perfection.... at least in my opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance copy of this ebook I have voluntarily read and reviewed it and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Sally Hepworth is quickly becoming one of my go to authors. This one sucked me in right away and kept me guessing. I really enjoyed it! The ending felt a tad rushed to me but otherwise it was wonderful!

This book is told from multiple perspectives and timelines but is easy to follow and the transitions are seamless. One of the POVs is from a dead woman, which is normally not my thing, but even that did not give me any pause.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for this advanced reviewer copy!

Was this review helpful?

This book hooked me right from the start. I loved it. It was a quick easy read and I finished it on a day. Definitely recommend. Not telling the story because I don’t want to ruin it.

Was this review helpful?

A subtle yet entertaining thriller, I enjoyed this one! Not my favorite Sally Hepworth, but an enjoyable one I’d still recommend!

Was this review helpful?

3.5 stars rounded up. Great domestic thriller where Gabe and Phipps live on the coast near The Drop, a place where many people go to commit suicide. Gabe can usually talk then down, but not on this day. This book delves into the lives of regular people with regular family problems……sort of. Mental illness, infidelity, family, strength are all major points in this book which make it a very enjoyable read. I like characters that you can relate to, not the perfect couple.
This author writes great characters and a great storyline time and time again.

Thanks to St Martins Press and NetGalley for the arc copy of this book for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Just like "The Good Sister' this is a twisty, well constructed story. The story is told by the female parts of two married couples, Pippa & Gabe and Amanda & Max. As the story progresses, it becomes obvious that their lives are intertwined in unexpected and horrific ways!

Thank you NEtGalley for the chance to read and review this ARC.

Was this review helpful?

Sally Hepworth is a go to author for me after reading Mother-in-law years ago. The Soulmate was a fast, page turning novel that was written in multiple point of views. I flew through this novel and although most of the story is revealed throughout the reading, the ending was a surprise. Overall a fun, enjoyable read. Thanks to Net Galley for the advanced copy.

Was this review helpful?