I absolutely love Hepworth’s writing. Her words just suck me in immediately. Gabe and Pippa live in the perfect house with their children.…..except it’s on a cliff and people keeping coming here to try to commit suicide. Gabe has successfully talked every single person out of committing suicide, until one woman.
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When it turns out Gabe knows the victim, so many secrets come to life. I don’t want to say too much because I was surprised but my main question is why in the heck did they live so close to a cliff with young kids?! Anyway, I digress. This one kept me reading. While, I didn’t like any character I still enjoyed the story.
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Thank you @stmartinspress and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a tough one to rate. On one hand, I disliked almost every character and thought they made the most ridiculous decisions. However, it was written in such a way that I was still totally invested and really enjoyed all the twists and turns. Not my favourite Hepworth novel so far, but still one I’d recommend to fans of twisty turny mysteries.

Told in alternating POVs between two women, set in both the past and the present, this story has a very unique way of bringing the victim's truth forward. I could not have predicted the twists and turns and what I thought to be true was not. This book had my interest right away, and the chapters were short, which had me saying 'just one more!' until I had read far longer than I intended to.

Having recently lost a loved one, this quote from the book really stood out to me: "But in death, you see everything. All perspectives, all motives, all backstories. It's overwhelming at first, wading through it all." You'll have to read the book to see how this plays into the twisty plot.

How far would you go for your soulmate? This book will make you think about it!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I think I have spoilt myself on thrillers where I only like really really good ones. Unfortunately this did not hit the mark for me.

Grant and Pippa live near a cliff that sadly many people have jumped to their death over the years. Grant is able to talk to and save multiple people from jumping. Pippa sees Grant talking to a woman one day at the cliff. Then the woman falls - did she jump or did her husband push her? Surely not! When Pippa find out that Grant knew this woman, then that adds another layer of questions and Pippa doesn't know what to think. There is a dual point of view between Pippa and the woman at the cuff. It makes you ask - Can you trust those closest to you?

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC.

Really enjoyed the Soulmate-I was disappointed by last years release, the younger wife, but this felt more authentic to earlier Sally Hepworth.

The Soulmate is another winner from Sally Hepworth. Pippa witneseses her husband, Gabe, trying to rescue his boss's wife, Amanda, from jumping off a cliff outside their coastal home. Gabe fails to save Amanda which leads to the conclusion that Amanda committed suicide. Pippa suspects that there was a reason why Amanda showed up on their property in tye first place. She learns that Amanda had a USB port that contains info that led to her demise. The port has gone missing. Pippa learns the port has information on it that could've led to such a tragic event. It also contains info that can effect the status of Pippa and Gabe's marriage.

I thought I guessed what was going to happen early, but Hepworth cleverly threw in a twist that caught me off guard. I was also surprised by how well the alternating POV's in each chapter between Pippa and the newly departed Amanda works. I don't normally like narratives when the victim speaks from the beyond because I find it distracting, but here it shapes the past events that led to Amanda's tragic end.

I also want to commend the author for how she portrays Gabe's deterating mental health with accuracy and being refreshingly honest with how Pippa handles the situation.

I discovered Sally Hepworth with her chilling 2021 release, "The Good Sister." With "The Soulmate" she has earned a spot on my authors I read list because she writes memorable page turners that are the right combination of drama, humor, and suspense.

✨Book Review✨

The Soulmate
By Sally Hepworth (@sallyhepworth)
Release Date: 4/4/23
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

If you’ve been around here for any amount of time, you’ve probably seen my rave reviews for every Sally Hepworth book I’ve read. I’ve loved them all! The Younger Wife and The Family Next Door are two other five star reads for me (with the other two book pictured here on my TBR).

Read if you love:
•Immediate action
•Multiple POVs (including one POV of a dead character)
•short chapters
•cliff hangers left and right—no pun intended 🫣

I read this book in just a few hours because I could not put it down. AND THE ENDING! Oh my word, don’t get me started!

This book kept me guessing, which I enjoyed. It kept me interested in knowing the ending and I’ll definitely recommend. Was my first by this author but I picked up a few others to give a try also

I received this book as ARC copy from @netgalley and @stmartinspress. This is my second book by Sally Hepworth and I was actually a bit disappointed. ⁣
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I thought the premise of the book was interesting and most of the girls in book club enjoyed it. I just could not bring myself to like the main character and I think she is what caused a lower rating for me 🤷🏼‍♀️

HOLY SCHNIKES ! 🤯

Trigger Warning:Discussion of Suicide.

This has the potential to be my FAVE thriller of the year, I’m not even kidding! I won’t stop thinking about this one for a WHILE!

Thankfully Overbooked Book Club chose this as our April read & we’ll all be discussing it soon!

“Has Daddy catched the frogs yet?”

…A four year old’s seemingly unheeded code for: Did Daddy save the person from jumping off the cliff?

…But children comprehend much more than we often realize.

“You cannot go to the beach without coming back feeling a little better.”

…True. Unless of course you’re going there to kill yourself.

In “The Soulmate” we first meet Pippa & Gabe Gerard with their “Irish” Twins Freya & Asha. They have what looks to be the perfect life in a quaint cottage with a beautifully landscaped garden & the sandy shores just within reach. But, they got a great deal on this particular house because behind it resides “The Drop” which has become a popular spot for people to end their lives.

Gabe has become a local sensation, being known to talk down at least 7 people off the ledge. How does he do it? What does he say to them? He listens, gives them a shoulder to cry on; encourages them to keep going.

Until one evening he lets a woman plummet to her death… & that’s when we meet Amanda. It’s through her that we realize The Gerard’s lives isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Amanda and Gabe knew one another, but how? Oh the webs we weave…

“You’re NOT involved in this, I think…YOU’RE NOT.”

“How many times have I been thrust into this kind of situation…one that felt impossible, like something I’d never get beyond? Each time felt acute and breathtaking and, without a doubt, like things couldn’t possibly get worse. But this time it was true.”

Told in Dual Timelines & Two POVs, Pippa then and now and Amanda before and after death.

This thriller truly took my mind to places it’s never been before; considering things I hadn’t even imagined. I promise you just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, you’re not even close.

5 ⭐️

💭Have you ever been SO attracted to someone’s voice that you feel it throughout your ENTIRE body?

I think was really hit me with a brick was when Pippa discusses (ch 21) how as a society we “…trust people based on the strangest, most arbitrary things, none of which have any bearing on whether or not you are inherently good.” Such as having small children or being elderly and enjoying gardening. It does make one ponder how very true this is 😬😳

What makes you consider someone to be “good?”

This book seemed too long for me. Felt like there was too much side things going on that made the book longer than it needed. I liked the ending.

Sally Hepworth, my new auto-buy author. Her domestic suspense novels are chalked full of red herrings, twists you don't see coming, and flawed characters who all look just guilty enough. "The Soulmate" had my attention from page 1 and I was eager to see how this domestic mystery ended.

Grant and Pippa lives have taken a dramatic and sad turn since their backyard, nicknamed "The Drop", has been attracting people who want to end their lives, and Grant has this unbelievable ability to talk folks off the ledge. Until he doesn't.

One death sets into motion truths and consequences Pippa and Grant have been struggling with in both their marriage and professional lives. Neither the victim nor her family believe Grant's story of what really happened at "The Drop", which leaves Pippa wondering if she's been living more of a lie than she originally thought. What unfolds is a fight for justice, for the truth, in both life and love. "The Soulmate" leaves readers wondering just how far you'd go to be with your soulmate -- you'll be shocked by the answer in this one.

Mental health and its impact on relationships are key themes in this novel set on a seaside cliff outside of Melbourne. Gabe and Pippa have had advancing careers, but as Gabe becomes hungrier for success in his media investment job, his mental health begins to slip. Mistakes and secrets surround Gabe and Pippa and their two young girls. Sally Hepworth novels are hard to put down. Readers are taken into then and now scenes that are interspersed with the observations of a recently deceased wife of Gabe's former boss. Hepworth novels are great escape reading.

I have enjoyed nearly all of Sally Hepworth's books, and The Soulmate was no exception. It's an entertaining thriller, and while it does dive into some serious topics, it is still a quick and easy read. I saw someone else call it a popcorn thriller, which seems like a good way to describe it! Grab a bowl of popcorn and get ready to devour this story.

The Soulmate is about a couple named Gabe and Pippa who live near a cliff that is known for suicides. One night Gabe sees a woman about to jump, but when he tries to stop her, he is too late. Soon it is revealed that the woman was Amanda, the wife of Gabe's former boss. And that's just the beginning of the revelations! As more secrets are brought to light, the story takes some twisty turns.

The story is told from two points of view-- Pippa and Amanda (from the dead). The chapters are short and it makes for super fast reading. I don't know that I liked either Pippa or Amanda all that much, but I was still interested in learning their stories and finding out what happened. Hearing from Amanda's perspective from beyond the grave added an intriguing twist to the storytelling method.

These stories tend to hinge on the big reveal at the end, and in the case of The Soulmate, I thought it was a decent ending. I was not blown away or extremely shocked by the reveal, but it seemed a fitting end for the story, and I was fine with that.

I would recommend this one to anyone who enjoys fast-paced and entertaining thrillers!

There are two couples, with ties to one another, that could be vying for best soulmates. Gabe and Pippa are the Australian parents of two young girls. They live in their dream home on the cliffs just above the ocean, where Gabe has made a name for himself as a sort of suicide whisperer. The cliff behind their house is a famous suicide spot, nicknamed the "Drop," and Gabe has spent hours talking many potential jumpers out of taking that drastic move. Pippa (the breadwinner of the family) and Gabe (the stay-at-home dad) have made it through some very tough times and are now a supportive team based on a common ideal of loyalty.

Max and Amanda are a somewhat older couple who have never had children but have built a strong foundation on their common goals and values. Max is an uber-wealthy tech company owner while Amanda manages the domestic side of his life flawlessly. Their bond is less emotional than that of Pippa and Gabe, but it is no less strong, based as it is upon a common ideal of fidelity.

The two couples' stories collide when Gabe and Pippa see a woman at the Drop. Gabe goes out to help and, for the first time, is unable to save her. When the police arrive to begin an investigation, Gabe's story doesn't fit with what Pippa thought she saw out of the window. Thus begins a trip for the reader into the past. Hepworth moves us through time, providing glimpses into how Gabe and Pippa, and Max and Amanda, became more than just married couples, but also soulmates. Given to us in small doses, the couples' stories intertwine keeping us turning the pages as we attempt to figure out what the characters' relationships are and how they led to the fate of the woman at the Drop. All four characters are extremely well developed. In spite of mistakes each has made, Hepworth makes us care for them all and wish for the best for each.

The plot is quite complex, told from the perspectives of Pippa and Amanda…past, present, and near future. There is a strong sense of closure as the book draws to a close, both for the characters and for the reader. The tragedy of what happened on the cliff that day, and how each of the four characters is complicit, makes sense in a surprisingly comforting manner. The writing is very strong. In addition to a twisty and engaging plot and fully developed characters, Hepworth has given us beautiful and evocative writing about the location.

Because of the relationships that drive the plot, there is a bit of romance in this novel. However, the romance feeds the plot, rather than vice-versa, moving the book out of the realm of romance into that of a mystery/suspense novel. In the audio version, Amanda's and Pippa's characters are voiced by two different readers, and this helps to differentiate them as the book moves through time and perspective. The narrators bring each of the women's personalities to life, adding to the experience of listening to the book.

This is the first book by Sally Hepworth that I've read, although she has written many. I will definitely be looking for her in the future as well as reading some of her earlier novels.

H

The Soulmate
Pub Date: April 4, 2023
eARC: Netgalley, St Martins Press
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Soulmate is a fast-paced domestic thriller. The various twists and turns kept me guessing and I loved that I didn’t figure it all out before the reveals started to come.

Gabe and Pippa live in a small coastal town in their dream home but it’s set on a big cliff where people over the years have gone to end their life. Since moving in, Gabe has been able to talk people out of their decision to jump until he can’t. Pippa thinks she sees him with his arms outstretched, was he reaching for her, did he push her? Everything starts to unravel when she realizes he’s hid that he knew the jumper. Pippa starts to wonder what else her husband has been hiding from her.

This book kept me guessing until the end. It is a good story with well developed characters and a lot of mystery.

This book was very engaging, with super short chapters that make you keep reading "just a few more minutes". The premise of this really intrigued me, and I really enjoyed Hepworth's novel, The Good Sister. Comparatively, I did not enjoy this as much, but I still liked it. I think overall, the plot, along with its twists. ended up missing the mark for me a bit. There isn't much that's shocking or particularly interesting about the main plot points. However, it was super quick, and I had a good time with it. It just seems a bit forgettable compared to other suspense novels I've read.

This story follows the points of view from two women. It goes back and forth from past and present, which seems to be the current trend in many books these days. The author does a good job keeping the storyline moving and interest flowing. There were a few twists I did not expect, but it was not anything that wowed me. It was a decent book. I give it a solid 4 🌟.