Member Reviews
This book! Wow! It had me hooked from the first pages. Short chapters, multiple POVs, interesting characters, suspense, plot twists. You name it, it’s here!
The story starts with someone jumping from a well known suicide spot outside the cliff side residence of Pippa & Gabe. Gabe has become a town hero having talked several recent jumpers down from their attempt. But what does Pippa see through the window this time? Is everything as it seems? She questions her own mind but knows there must be an explanation.
Through the story, we get a glimpse into the lives of Pippa and Gabe as the author moves from past to present in their story. Plus she gives us the perspective of the jumper, past but also present as her spirit watches what is happening around her. This might seem like a lot of storyline to keep track of, but the author makes it work with short, suspenseful hapters that keep the pages turning.
The twists. Could the author have placed any more? I don’t think so. There was something new around every corner. I loved it!
The only drawback was it might have wrapped up a little too neatly at the end; maybe a bit rushed for all that had happened.
Overall, I loved it and would recommend it if you are looking for a twisty suspenseful read!
Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book kept me on the edge of my seat and second guessing until the very end! I loved the glimpses into the past that would give hints as to what actually happened, but still questioned everything. There was great build up and it was paced very well.
Sally Hepworth is one of my go to authors and ever since I first read her book The Mother-in-Law I have eagerly anticipated each new book by her. I am probably in the minority here but for me The Soulmate was an OK read. I had expected to love it and for some reason just could not get into the storyline and did not much care about either of the main characters. There was enough of her twisty thriller aspects to keep me reading but I felt the book could have used tighter editing and about 100 fewer pages.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing an advance copy of “The Soulmate” in exchange for an honest review.
Sally Hepworth has written an engaging mystery / thriller about a family rife with secrets that just happens to live with a seaside cliff in their backyard known as “the drop,” where every year, some people jump to their deaths. Pippa’s husband Gabe is known for talking many of them off the cliff, but one night, a woman jumps. From that moment, secrets begin to unravel. How is the woman, Amanda, known to Gabe and Pippa? Why did Gabe and Pippa move from Melbourne to the beach, and why are Pippa’s relatives always coming around? Through the novel we learn more about Gabe’s connection to Amanda and her husband Max, and watch as he and Pippa grapple with their situation. We also hear from the dead woman, Amanda, in both flashbacks and musings from beyond her watery grave.
While I didn’t love this book as much as others of Hepworth’s, it did keep me reading to find out how all the pieces fit together. A solid four-star read.
Another solid Suspense from Sally Hepworth! I really enjoy her writing! The Soulmate had two POVs that went back and forth between the before and after of Amanda falling from the cliff to her death. Was it an accident? Well you’ll just have to read to find out. There are sooo many twists and turns that by the end, I was exhausted!
OMG this book had me hooked from the 3 page!! I seriously read it in 2 sittings. I devoured it it was so good!
WOW, Sally Hepworth does it again. The way she weaves her stories from beginning to end and then pulls it all together in a neat little package with a bow on it just blows my mind. Another one of her books I could not put down.
This is told from a 2 person point of view. that goes between past and present and is easy to follow.
Thank you #NetGalley #StMartinsPress and #SallyHepworth for the opportunity to read this book as an arc.
#TheSoulMate
Hepworth's books are very readable and this one is no exception - but given my feelings with The Younger Wife (which I thought was very problematic with its' gaslighting and making victims question if they are being abused, when they very much were), I couldn't help but be a bit bothered with the mental health rep in this one.
Unfortunately this was not the book for me. I do not enjoy or want to read stories that include any element of paranormal, hence I generally avoid certain authors or certain genres. Having read Sally Hepworth before, and generally most thrillers are an explainable ending, I figured this would be a safe option for me. But with an entire POV from a character after they die…. I don’t feel comfortable with it at all. Hepworth is a masterful writer, but the element after death makes it a no for me. Adding this to the synopsis would be beneficial, just something like “story told by Pippa and the mysterious woman who jumps.” Or something just to give the reader a hint there is that after death element.
Another great read from Sally Hepworth!
The things people will justify and ignore when their soulmate is the one involved. Pippa has forgiven Gabe so much and they seem to be on a upswing when the woman appears on the cliff. This mystery women is the beginning of the unraveling of the tale of love, loyalty, fidelity and murder. But who is at fault and how will it end?
The undercurrent of instability ran throughout this novel. As a reader you are never sure how to feel about the characters. Are they good and pure of wrong doing or are their bad choices actually calculated decisions designed to hurt. Brilliantly written and I had to read in one sitting to find out how it ends,
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.
I am such a big fan of Sally Hepworth and this one does not disappoint - some unexpected twists, a little plot misdirection and some very flawed, complex characters. The story is told in past and present POVs of Pippa and Amanda. Pippa’s story is at the forefront, but Amanda’s POV provides more context and background. Overall, I loved and disliked all the characters in equal measure. 4.5 ⭐️
Sally Hepworth is so good at intertwining her characters’ lives. It’s a fun task to attempt figuring out the common thread. The Soulmate was both captivating and intricate. I look forward to her next puzzle.
This was a quick fast paced read. I wanted to keep reading to find out what was going on. There were lots of twists and turns and I enjoyed learning more of the truth as the book progressed. I really like the perspective of Amanda and how the story flipped between the present and past. Would recommend if you are looking for a physiological storyline!
The atmosphere and setting provided an extra character to this fascinating story. It takes a while for the pieces to begin coming together, and once they do it’s a wild ride.
Sally Hepworth is a master storyteller. Which is why I requested this book. However, once I realized that one POV is from a deceased character I had to check out. Reading about spirits of any kind is not in my wheelhouse. I avoid all books or genres that include it. I greatly appreciate the publisher for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review. Which is why I'm being 100% transparent. This book just isn't the book for me.
I appreciate getting an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. I really enjoyed reading this one. The story jumps in with the action of a woman jumping off the cliffs while a man tries to talk her out of it.
Of course, that's not all there is.... obviously those people know each other. It's not what I expected though and the mystery of the connections kept me interested in the book. The narrator's switch as well as switch in time. This made it appealing for me too.
Ultimately it's the question of what does it take for a marriage to work? I really enjoyed it and will recommend to my friends.
This is my 2nd Sally Hepworth book and it was just enjoyable as the first. This book had a bit of everything, mystery, suspense, even a love story. I didn't guess the ending, but I really liked it and it was better than I thought it would me. I highly recommend it!!
If your in a reading slump this book will get you out of it.
Usually I don't like when chapters go back and forth between past and present, but this book kept me wanting to get to the next chapter as soon as possible.
Thanks NetGalley for advance copy.
Sally Hepworth is a superb story teller. This book hooked me immediately with the first chapter. I was engrossed into the lives of Pippa and Gabe. And then with Amanda....her whole "after' perspective was so clever. It was such a unique way to show more sides to the story from her own external point of view. I loved how the timeline was set up to build up the story and set the stage for what had occurred at The Drop. I wanted to scream when Gabe was diagnosed with ADHD because as a social worker I was like NO IT IS NOT. But. I digress. I just really really enjoyed this book. The story, the family drama, the mystery.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC. I am a huge Sally Hepworth fan so was excited to read this. Just like all of her other books this was very bingeable. No one writes characters and domestic dramas like Hepworth.
This story follows two couples and I feel like the back blurb of the book is only like the first 20 pages. I'm marking off one star because the ending was just okay to me. Usually Sally's book end with something that makes me think and this didn't have the same effect. Still great writing though!