I just finished reading The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth, and I'm already hooked! This novel not only captivates you from beginning to end but also has a deep discussion around mental illness and how it affects those who care for them. The short chapters and alternating points of view between the characters make for a suspenseful and clever way of storytelling.
The story revolves around Amanda's tragic fall from "The Spot", a cliff behind Pippa and Gabe Gerard's home outside of Melbourne. As the identity of the deceased is revealed, Pippa realizes that she is the wife of Gabe's former boss, Max, and things start to escalate. What follows is a rollercoaster ride of secrets, betrayals, and surprising twists that kept me on the edge of my seat.
What I appreciated most was how the author handled a sensitive topic in a responsible manner, avoiding any harmful stereotypes. This is a character-driven novel that is sure to break any reading slump and can be enjoyed at any time of the year. Highly recommended for anyone who loves a fast-paced, exciting read.

The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth

Pub date: April 4, 2023
St. Martin’s Press

My rating: 4 stars Sally Hepworth writes great family drama mysteries with multiple points of view and wonderful twists, turns, and suspense. The Soulmate is my favorite Hepworth book so far!

Publisher’s synopsis: Picture a lovely cottage on a cliff, with sloping lawns, walking paths, and beautiful flowers. It’s Gabe and Pippa Gerard’s dream home in a sleepy coastal town. But their perfect house hides something sinister. The tall cliffs have become a popular spot for people to end their lives. Over the past several months, Gabe comes to their rescue, literally talking them off the ledge. Until one day, he doesn’t. When Pippa discovers Gabe knew the victim, the questions spiral. . . .Did the victim jump? Was she pushed? And would Gabe, the love of Pippa’s life, her soulmate . . . lie? As the perfect façade of their marriage begins to crack, the deepest and darkest secrets begin to unravel. Because sometimes, the most convincing lies are the ones we tell ourselves.

My review: I have read many of Sally Hepworth’s books and this one is my favorite. I didn’t want to put it down. I love it when a story shows you the murder at the outset and you spend the rest of the book piecing together the why and the how of what happened. The Soulmate does this so artfully with multiple points of view and jumping back in time. The characters and their relationships are great and the story is told in such a way that, throughout, I was questioning who were the “good” and “bad” guys. This is such a good portrayal of what people will and won’t do and what they overlook for the sake of their marriages and families. If you enjoy a domestic drama/mystery with twists and turns, interesting characters, and minimal gore/violence, I highly recommend The Soulmate.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to @netgalley and @Stmartinspress for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to @macmillian.audio for a free download of the audiobook.

This story follows Pippa and Gabe, who moved a picture perfect house on a cliff. A cliff that is used at times by people wanting to end their lives. On numerous occasions, Gabe has been able to talk people out of this decision…until the night he couldn’t. Gabe says she jumped, but Pippa swears she saw Gabe push the person. What really happened?

I have to say that once I start a book by @sallyhepworth , I never want to put it down. The Soulmate is no exception. Told from two different points of view, this book was engaging and full of plot twists.

4 stars

#books #bookishlife #booklover #readingisfun #iowabookstagrammers #iowabookstagram #netgalley #stmartinspress #macmillianaudio #ltbreaderteam #thesoulmate #sallyhepworth #smpinfluencers

The Soulmate
Written by Sally Hepworth
Genre: Dometic Suspense

Goodreads Synopsis: "There’s a cottage on a cliff. Gabe and Pippa’s dream home in a sleepy coastal town. But their perfect house hides something sinister. The tall cliffs have become a popular spot for people to end their lives. Night after night Gabe comes to their rescue, literally talking them off the ledge. Until he doesn’t.

When Pippa discovers Gabe knew the victim, the questions spiral...Did the victim jump? Was she pushed?

And would Gabe, the love of Pippa’s life, her soulmate...lie? As the perfect facade of their marriage begins to crack, the deepest and darkest secrets begin to unravel."
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This was my first novel by Sally Hepworth, and I will be reading more.

This book is entertaining from the very beginning. I loved that it is told from two POV's, one dead and one alive. The short, quick chapters helped the book flow well. The title is perfect considering this is a look into marriage, but a tumultuous one.

The only reason I am knocking this to a 3.5 star read is because I didn't connect or want to root for any of the characters, but then again, this is a suspense, so are you really supposed to?!

Thank you so much Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this awesome ARC in exchange for a review!

I love all things Sally Hepworth and this one did not disappoint. Gabe and Pippa decide to move their family to the house on the cliff, a well known area where disaster occurs. Gabe is the one who continually rescues those who stand at the edge contemplating their next move. Then one day a woman is seen at the edge and Gabe goes to rescue her, the only probably is that he doesn’t and she ends up off the edge of the cliff. Now the question is how did this happen? Did she really fall or was she pushed?

This fast paced thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat as you navigate through family secrets and lies. Will the true come out?

I absolutely loved this book! Nothing is as it seems in Gabe and Pippa's marriage! Gabe, Pippa's husband, has a history of literally talking suicidal people off the ledge. One day, he is unable to. His wife, Pippa, tries to help him cope until she realizes he knew the victim. Coincidence?

This was my first Sally Hepworth novel, and it won't be my last!

I love mystery/crime novels but because I read so many of them it’s hard to truly surprise me with an ending. However, that was not the case with this one! I honestly couldn’t put it down and kept reading every second I could. I loved the twists and turns and it truly kept me guessing. Very content with the ending

What begins as a question of one man’s innocence as a witness to a suicide becomes a massive, intertwined, totally compelling and unputdownable story about family drama, secrets, and identity in The Soulmate. Hepworth’s writing is so engaging and her ability to unravel family dynamics is so well done that I always breeze through her books (and this was no exception). One of her best in recent years, I believe!

Sally Hepworth knows how to write a bingeable book, that’s for sure. This book had my attention from the get go and I couldn’t put it down. Did it seem predictable? Sure. But I honestly didn’t mind that too much with this book. My only complaint really is the ending, if I can even call it a complaint. Overall it was a really fun read.

—t h e s o u l m a t e—⁣
There is magic in the books of @sallyhepworth. I have read four so far (will read the rest someday) and every one genuinely surprised me. Yes with the plot twists and turns but also in the way she seamlessly creates tense thrillers built on complex relational dynamics. Less a “whodunnit” mystery and more a “omg that relationship is effed up” thriller. ((TW/CW: suicide)⁣
—⁣
The Soulmate follows golden couple and loving parents Gabe and Pippa who live on a seaside cliff, an infamous spot for people to jump off. Gabe successfully talks many would be jumpers down but one night, he is unsuccessful. However many questions remain. The book unravels both the mystery behind the victim who seemingly ended her own life and the complex history of Gabe and Pippa’s relationship. And, as expected of books I love, nothing is as it seems.⁣
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I really enjoyed this story - well paced and expertly plotted. The dual timelines (one in the aftermath of the jump, the other all the events leading up to it) worked very well and kept me hooked to the end. ⁣
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This book is out now! Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the chance to read it. ⁣
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#bookreview #thesoulmate

This one is about Gabe and Pippa a middle age couple with two cute daughters who live across the street from a dangerous drop. Gabe has been recognized for talking people out of jumping. One day there is an unexpected person by the drop from Gabe's past. Who ended up jumping...little does Gabe realize that all of his decisions may come back to haunt him and Pippa. (trying not to give anything away). Just read it if you like thrillers!!

This was a suspenseful one! I really liked that it was different than a lot thriller that I read. I felt like the ending was unexpected yet bittersweet. I enjoyed the short chapters and alternating perspective and timeline. It brought more details and made the story more interesting. It just goes to show what some may give up or put up with for love.

Read if you enjoy:
❤️‍🔥Thrillers
👩🏼‍❤️‍👨🏼Complicated families
🧠Mental health
🤟🏼Short chapters
⏱️Alternating perspective and timeline

I received an ARC from St Martin's Press and NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

This story takes place at a beautiful cottage on a cliff located in a coastal town. Sounds like a dream home, right? Well, it's residents Gabe and Pippa thought so too. However, the cliff by their house draws in people who are wanting to unalive themselves. Gabe has a gift of negotiating with these people and usually is able to talk them out of jumping, however, one day, he's not so fortunate and he doesn't succeed in saving someone. Questions begin to arise, and I will leave it at that because I don't want to spoil anything.

I'm not a big domestic thriller fan, but I found Sally's writing style to be more intriguing than others. I was engaged the whole time and absorbed into the story. It's definitely a book you can easily immerse yourself in to and binge read.

Gabe and Pippa have moved into their dream home in a small coastal town. It isn’t until after they’ve settle in that they discover that the cottage is located near a cliff that has become a popular spot for people to commit suicide. Gabe becomes invested in these people and develops a reputation as someone who can talk them off the ledge. But, things change when he’s unable to save a woman and Pippa discovers that her husband knew her.

The story has several points of view (Pippa and the unfortunate woman) and it also moves between time frames as well. Ms Hepworth is a master of this type of storytelling and her talent certainly shines in The Soulmates.

I have read several books by Sally Hepworth and have enjoyed all of them for different reasons. But, her latest book, The Soulmate, just didn’t resonate with me the way the others have.

The story was interesting and I was anxious to find out how it would all end. But, at the same time I really didn’t have a lot of empathy for any of the characters. None of them really ever appealed to me and, as a result, I didn’t seem to enjoy it quite as much as I expected to. Nevertheless, I still think Sally Hepworth is a fine author and I will definitely pick up her next book.

This book had me hooked from the first page. The setting is beautiful and somewhat mysterious with the 'suicide cliff' in the back yard. The characters are well-rounded and interesting, and the plot is unusual and intriguing.

The story is told from two viewpoints, past and present. I liked the way the chapters are labeled with who is talking so I didn't have to spend 5 minutes every time they changed to figure out who it was.

I love books with twists and it seemed this one had a twist every few pages!! It left me wondering until the very end.

The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth is a mystery/thriller that explores the idea of how a marriage is not as perfect as how it may look from the outside. The book follows two couples and explores both the good and bad things about all these charcaters. I also liked that there was discussion of mental illness. There were a lot of plot twists in this book so if you like that then check this book out. At one point it seemed like there were too many twists but this was still an intriguing read! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a review!

I have enjoyed the 2 sally hepworth books I’ve read, in general shes great for domestic suspense.

This is about a couple named Gabe and Pippa. They just bought their dream home in a costal town that happens to sit on the edge of a cliff. It comes with a catch- The cliffs have become a popular spot for people to end their lives. Gabe is charming and his calming presence has helped him hone his gift for literally talking people off the ledge. He’s convinced 7 people not to do it- until 1 night, he’s not able to.

When Pippa discovers Gabe knew the victim, the questions spiral...Did the victim jump? Was she pushed?

And would Gabe, the love of Pippa’s life, her soulmate...lie? As the perfect facade of their marriage begins to crack, the deepest and darkest secrets begin to unravel.

I enjoyed my reading experience! It kept me company at the park and I lie that didn’t have to pay too close of attention to get the gist. The story is told from two POVs, Pippa and Amanda, two women with their fair share of strife and secrets in their marriages.

The author is thoughtful about her presentation of mental illness- though i was nervous. It’s also about MI and the effects it can have on the entire family. I like how as the story went on, the layers of the onion got peeled back. Lots of secrets and lies- this was a great read, especially as we come into summer.

I absolutely loved this book! It was a quick paced novel, that I read in one sitting. I loved the little breadcrumb clues throughout the novel that added to the twist in turns while reading which ultimately lead to the final twist at the end, this novel kept me on my toes and I am highly recommending the book for book club.

This was more the study of 2 marriages than the thriller I was expecting.

I did look forward to picking it up but it wasn't my favorite Sally Hepworth or my favorite thriller.

Pippa and Gabe have just moved to new house, perched on a cliff known as The Drop. The spot is notorious for suicidal jumpers and since moving in Gabe has talked a few off the ledge. But when a woman shows up one day and appears to jump after speaking with Gabe, no one can be sure of exactly what happened. As the book unfolds, we learn the story of Gabe and Pippa, and Amanda and Max. Nothing is as it seems - not the marriages or the family or the relationship or the ‘suicide’. This one kept me reading and guessing late into the night. Lots of suspense and a few twists make this a compelling read.
*Thanks to NetGalley for proving me with this free ebook in exchange for an honest review.*

Is there such a thing as a soulmate? Is there someone who is designed especially for you? Amanda and Pippa both seem to believe this to be true. Amanda sees Max in that light while Pippa views Gabe as her life force. Appearances prove to be deceiving as truths are revealed and lives are changed forever. So many questions remain unanswered. Is Gabe a savior and hero? Is he merely misunderstood, or is something more sinister lurking beneath the surface of his benevolent facade? Lines between right and wrong are blurred as this slow burn domestic thriller unfolds. Secrets may be deadly and a lie may be more dangerous than the truth. Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for my copy.