I have loved all of Sally Hepworth’s previous books so I was thrilled to get an ARC copy of her latest novel, “The Soulmate.” Unfortunately, as explained below, the current novel was not as enjoyable as her previous works.

In “The Soulmate”, Gabe and Pippa with their two daughters, Freya and Asha, move into a cliffside home in Portsea, two hours from Melbourne. At first, they couldn’t believe their luck when they found the house for a reasonable rate in a desirable seaside location. They soon discovered the reason for the low price: their house abuts the “Drop”, a famous spot where suicides jump off the cliff to their death on the rocks below. Gabe has become famous locally for dissuading jumpers from going through with their plans to hurl themselves off the cliff—that is until one evening when a woman falls to her death in front of him. To Pippa from her vantage point looking out the window at the cliff, it almost seems as if he pushed her, but she doesn’t want to believe that of her husband. Soon she discovers that the woman who fell to her death is Amanda, the wife of Gabe’s former boss from Melbourne, adding to her anxiety.

The point of view alternates between Gabe and Pippa in the past and present, and Amanda in the past and after her death (narrating from the grave), which was a bit confusing at times. Disclosures about Gabe and his past are slowly revealed, which should have added anticipation but instead felt slow and uneventful. Most of the story appeared to revolve around mundane activities such as Gabe and Pippa’s child rearing responsibilities—bath time, bed time, meals, preschool, etc, which does not make for an exciting thriller. Moreover, the ending was somewhat ludicrous and the final reveals felt a bit rushed. On the positive side, the characters were fully fleshed out and the cliffside house was atmospheric, but these positives were not enough to offset what felt to me like a lackluster story.

Thank you St. Martin's Press ​and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book.
Sally Hepworth is my favorite mystery/thriller author. She continues to produce storylines that draw me in every time. Twists and turns throughout - yet everything seemed as though it could reasonably occur. Add this to your list for best thrillers 2023.

Torn, that is how I felt after finishing this book. So many lies, both intentional and not, And I guess the ending can be considered “happy” but what a terrible way to live. And still, is this considered “justice”? I found this book sad, just sad. It is a engaging read, but nothing much good comes from this one. Deep, sad, engrossing read.

Wow! This is my first time reading a Sally Hepworth book, and I immediately want to go purchase more of her work. I find that very often I can anticipate what’s going to happen while I’m reading a book or even watching a movie. However while reading the soulmate there were so many twist and turns that I got whiplash. It was a roller coaster and I love the fact that there were so many unexpected surprises. After reading the synopsis, I was like well we all know where this one is going, but it was such a thrilling roller coaster.

I just love Sally Hepworth. She brings incredible depth to issues in a way that hooks you from the beginning!!

Murder? Suicide? Love Triangle? Perfect marriage or just a façade? Soulmate has all the key elements and keeps the reader rushing to the conclusion of this thriller. Told through multiple perspectives and different timeframes, the story unravels in many twists and turns.

It is a story of marriage, mental illness, and relationships as it compares two distinct families: Pippa and Gabe and Max and Amanda. The story opens with Amanda going over “The Drop” with Gabe, unable to save her. He’s known as a legend in the area, persuading many people from committing suicide from this precarious spot on their oceanside property. From there, author Sally Hepworth gives insight into these characters’ marriages and shaky relationships.

Hepworth exposes the true soulmates to a surprising ending. Their marriages are not as they seem, as finally revealed. I enjoyed this tale told from many perspectives, and it was a very quick read. I thank NetGalley for allowing me to read and review it.#NetGalley #Women’sfiction#Thriller

A tale of hope and heartbreak and the strength of family bonds. The book title seemed ironic since the marriages are based more on agreement than romantic love. And yet there is commitment through life's best and worst times. This book delves into mental disorders in such a foundationally realistic way that you are able to feel both the drain to your soul and the family's struggle to pull you through. This is more a story about misunderstandings and mistakes rather than anything sinister, so you can really feel everything along with the characters. And the way the author introduces the fullness of the events not only clarifies what actually happened, but also clarifies how everyone got where they are at each point. The story is seamless and heartfelt, and, at the end of the book, I feel that the the book title is indeed perfect! I loved the story!

Sally does it again with the ultimate domestic suspense novel! I could not put this book down. The plot kept me hooked as well as the different perspectives from each character, done in a Before and After format. It was such a unique experience reading from a dead characters vantage point as well. I also loved the way it was organized in the book with short chapters labeled with the charters name and whether it was from the before or after POV. The book was also filled with twists and turns that I never saw coming!

The book also discusses multiple issues many families and individuals deal with (mental illness, suicidal, infidelity, money issues and many more) which made it much more relatable. I could not recommend this book more! It was such a fun ride.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for an ARC!

I received an ARC of, The Soulmate, by Sally Hepworth. I thought this was a good book, but it was sometime hard to follow, jumping back and forth between present and past, and characters. Is Gabe a hero or murderer? What is a Soulmate? What length would you go for your soulmate?

Two Australian couples - Pippa and Gerard, Amanda and Max. From the outside, two good marriages. So why does Amanda jump to her death from a cliff in Pippa and Gerard’s back yard? Max is a lifelong mental health and suicide prevention advocate and is convinced Amanda would never take her own life. Gerard, the one who tried to talk her down, insists she did.

The mystery of what really happened to Amanda, and why, was compelling and filled with surprises. The book is narrated from “then” and “now” timelines from the perspectives of Pippa and Amanda. I was briefly put off by Amanda’s “now” chapters as she was narrating from a post death point of view. I grew to appreciate it and, in fact, her omniscient view point provided a layer of poignancy to the story. As the story unspools from the viewpoints of these two women, the tragedies of miscommunication, differing perceptions, the paths that lives take and the choices that are made, pull at the heartstrings and at times made me want to shout at the characters.

This book is much more than a mystery. Per the title, this is a story about soulmates - marriage and commitment, love and loyalty - and the complexities of relationships. Love is complicated, unexpected, beautiful, and messy and all of this is displayed on the page in the lives of these four characters. At times I liked each of them, at times they each annoyed me, but in the end they were all just human doing their best to live and love.

The plot reminds me of cross between Lianne Moriarty and Gillian Flynn in all the right ways, but remains unique to Sally Hepworth’s unique style. In the acknowledgments, Hepworth says she would “like to think of it as a murderous love story” and that is exactly what she delivered.

Sally Hepworth does it again. I really enjoy her work in the domestic suspense genre. This is her latest book which doesn't come out until April.
This family has so many secrets! Pippa and Gabe are soulmates...right? After reading this story, it changed my idea of a soulmate.

Gabe and Pippa have a great relationship with beautiful daughters and a close knit extended family. When tragedy strikes, we began to see this family unravel. The twists and turns were shocking. I don't want to give anything away, but you definitely need to read this book.

I will say Pippa kind of annoyed me at times. She was a little delusional about what was really going on around her. I wanted her to snap out of it and get a clue lol.

I received a copy of The Soulmate via NetGalley to read and review.

I give The Soulmate 4.5 stars rounded to 5. The first chapter had me hooked and chapter by chapter the author kept peeling back deeper and deeper layers of the story. The twists don’t stop until the very end. Most of them I didn’t even have a sense they were coming!

I have yet to read a book by Sally Hepworth that I didn’t love. She has a way of bringing her characters to life and sucking you into their drama. This one was twisty and suspenseful to the max!

If you’re already a fan, you’re going to love it! If you haven’t had a chance to read her books yet, this is your sign- pick this one up!

I’m so excited to read her short story, Uncharted Waters, that just came out this week too 🤗

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Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the complimentary ebook!

Pub Date: 4/4/23

This book is very unsettling, but in such a good way. Told in both past & present tense by two narrators, this is an excellent read about marriage, loyalty, and murder. I found both Pipa and Amanda to be unreliable narrators. Each woman has her secrets and fierce devotion to their husbands (both of whom have secrets of their own). A suspicious death opens up old wounds, and nothing is as it seems. Just when I expected one thing, a twist popped up and left me wondering all over again I found this to be very well written and the plot flowed well. It’s a great fast paced thriller and I definitely will recommend this to everyone.

Final review coming soon!
Thank you to Sally Hepworth, St. Martin’s Press, and Netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest thoughts!

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Do I believe in soulmates? Yes, yes, I do. In Sally Hepworth’s new book titled The Soulmate, I am immediately intrigued. This story did not disappoint, and I predicted a blockbuster book when published on April 4, 2023. Our story begins with Gabe and Pippa’s overview, After which we get the tale from Amanda and Max’s point of view. Four different characters with similar stories, but they are not 100% the same. To their friends, Gabe and Pippa are happily married with two children. Our other couple, Amanda and Max, are equally happily married. What makes a soulmate? Soulmates would be considered people who perform on the same page, have the same dreams, respect each other, and have many more positive characteristics. These two couples would be considered soulmates until someone falls, jumps, gets pushed, or commits suicide. As the story continues, you will be questioning everyone’s motives including the solidity of their marriages. I won’t give away the plot, but this is such a good book, a fast read, and I guarantee you’re going to like it. I look forward to April next year. @sallyhepworth #TheSoulmate @stmartinspress @netgalley #suicideornot #mentalillness #family #love #sacrifice #marriage
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I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to NetGalley, and St. Martins Press for the opportunity to read this book. Pub Date: April 4, 2023.

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I hate to say that I had never heard of Sally Hepworth, but after reading The Soulmate, I will be seeking out all of her books.

Gabe and Pippa and their two children move to their dream house, a cottage on a cliff overlooking the sea. The cliff however has become a place where those with suicide on their mind come to jump off. Gabe has a gift of bringing them back to their senses, until one night, when he couldn't stop a woman from jumping. or.........did she fall, or was she pushed? Did he really not recognize her?

This incident kicks of the story of the present and the past with the narrative coming from Pippa and also the dead woman. A great telling. Who is Gabe and what has he done? What has led up to this moment in the lives of Gabe and Pippa? This story is filled with suspense and some fear and you just can't put it down. I read it in one day. Loved it!

Thank you St. Marin's Press and NetGalley for offering me this book as an early read.

First off, everything Sally Hepworth is a hit for me. I just adore her and was so excited to see one of her books as a "read now" in NetGalley. I dropped all of the other four books I was reading to start this one.

The Soulmate was very fast paced and I enjoyed it thoroughly. It's not my favorite of her books but still a good 3.5 stars.


Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an ARC of this book

4 solid stars
Sally Hepworth has quickly become a favorite and a “buy now ask questions later” author 😄
This book is no exception. The tension is high and the characters well developed. The twists keep coming. I read it in a single sitting. I highly recommend.

Ah, Sally's done it again! The Soulmate kept me gripped from cover to cover. Hepworth expertly utilizes the narrative technique of switching between perspectives with an added twist (the details of which I won't spoil here). Each chapter ends on a, ahem, cliffhanger - you won't want to put it down.

A compelling story through and through. 5 Stars.

LOVED!! it has a definite nail biting "omg what happens next?!" vibe. You will never see the twist coming!