The Soulmate
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Genre: Thriller
Author: Sally Hepworth
GR: 3.99

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

My Thoughts: This was a captivating thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I absolutely devoured the audiobook in less than 48 hours. Pippa and Gabe have been married for 7 years with 2 daughters and just purchased a house that rests near a cliffside that is both beautiful and dangerous. Unfortunately, this cliffside is a popular suicide point. Gabe becomes a local hero talking people down the cliff until he doesn’t. Is her husband who he seems? Can their love sustains his horrible tragedy?

Content warning of infidelity and mental health. This story is told in a dual POV, by Pippa and Amanda (dead) in two timelines, past and present. The past fills in the gaps for the future. While there is a central mystery happen, this more character driven than plot driven. The plot is very interesting premise. The characters were well explored and developed with mystery, intrigue, and creative. The author’s writing style is suspenseful, twisty, and brilliant. This is my first Hepworth book but will not be my last, I have added her backlist to my TBR.

I highly recommend picking up the audiobook on this one. This book is full of betrayal, deceptions, and secrets revolving around two couples. When you think you have it figured out, another plot twist with a surprising evening. I was invested in the story and it was hard to stop listening/reading once I started, I had to know how it ended, what the twists were. Go pick up this book today at the store or the library!

Hepworth's last novel, The Younger Wife, fell flat for me so I was anxious to see if this was a return to the things I've enjoyed in her previous novels.

It was.

To those looking on Gabe and Pippa appear to have a charmed life in their seaside home with their two darling daughters. The house does have a dangerous cliff in their backyard which is worrisome for the children's safety and for the people who have come to jump to their death. But charming Gabe has managed to talk everyone away from the ledge, literally and metaphorically. Until he doesn't.

Now begin the twists and turns and suspicions. Who was the woman? Did Gabe know her? Is he telling the police everything he knows? All this would have made for a routine suspense/thriller. But Hepworth give us complicated back story, inside peeks at relationships that aren't what they seem and the perspective of the woman who perished at the cliff.

I enjoyed this fast paced family drama and especially the thoughts of a dead woman, who can tell tales.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

On the outside, Gabe and Pippa look like they have it all. A beautiful home near a cliff, 2 adorable daughters and extended family that love them dearly... but now, Pippa is wondering if buying their home near the cliff was a wise decision. The cliff is a known site for people to jump, likely ending their lives. Enter, Gabe. Gabe is somewhat of a local hero in the fact that he has talked several individuals out of jumping. But when he doesn't get through to one and there are some odd circumstances around the case things get interesting.

Okay, Sally Hepworth. I literally finished this book in 24 hours. It was very good and obviously bingeable! I loved the dual narrator perspectives and the storyline. My only "complaint" is that certain things were really predictable, but overall, I really enjoyed it and would recommend to others!

Thank you to NetGalley, Sally Hepworth and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This had a whole bunch of twists and turns. So much so it actually took away from the story. Was really hoping to enjoy it more than I did.

📖My Thoughts📖

This was the first time ever that I was lucky enough to be granted an arc for a Sally Hepworth book, so that in itself cranked the excitement level way up to read this book! I’ve read one other book by this author, and can honestly say, man does she bring her “twisted” game to the table! The secrets, webs of lies and deceit, laced with utter misunderstanding is the perfect concoction for this book. The chapters are short, which for me is a plus. The writing just simply flows so elegantly. This was told in a nonlinear timeline with dual points of view making the story that much more intriguing. To say that the story was gripping, would be an understatement. I couldn’t put this one down. This is definitely a must read for those who enjoy thrillers and/or Sally Hepworth. The ending wasn’t what I was expecting, so that’s my only real criticism. It wasn’t bad per se, it just didn’t have the big bang of satisfaction I was expecting, but overall it was an amazing book. There is a strong theme of mental illness included throughout the book and I believe it was depicted very well.
Thank you Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Sally Hepworth for the opportunity to read and review this book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Soulmate was a quick-paced enjoyable read, it kept me interested enough to want to know what happened, I found it to me more domestic suspense than anything. This story followed Gabe and Pippa and their little family after they moved to an oceanside home overlooking a steep cliff. Gabe is a known hero for helping steer people away from suicide at the cliff by their home, until one day a woman falls from the cliff, and Pippa starts to suspect it didn't happen exactly as Gabe described.

What follows is a lot of back and forth between Amanda (the woman who died) and Pippa, as well as a lot of time jumps from past to present. The two POVs and the time jumps offer a bit more suspense, but ultimately I found many aspects of this book predictable or unrealistic. There are a few unexpected twists, but I didn't find this book gripped me like I hoped it would.

3.5 star read for me.

Please be aware of content warnings before reading this book, ie: mental health and suicide.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the chance to read this ARC for an honest review.

3/5

“The thing about marriage a lot of people don’t understand is that you don’t get everything. Some people get passion, others get security. Some get companionship. Children. Money. Wisdom. Status. Then there is trust and fidelity.”

Well, this one fell flat for me friends

This was my second SH novel – and I will say, Sally does a great job of writing domestic dramas involving dysfunctional families.

I did enjoy how two completely different martial issues were portrayed and the complexities that surrounded each union

I enjoyed the first half of this book MUCH better than the last half. I felt like there was an unnecessary plot point –

There weren’t any stand out moments, and the twists felt very sub-par.

The SUPER short chapters were a HIT for me and there was an *extra* pov chapter that was VERY intriguing and was my favorite part of the book!

This one felt more like mystery plot than a true thriller but it’ll still work for a Thriller Thursday post

Overall, the twists along with the “big reveal” were meh. This won’t be a read that will stick with me BUT gimme 1-2 page chapters ANY DAY!!

As always, I loved reading this with the #thrillabookstaclub!

Sally Hepworth does it again! Just about every time I thought I had this one figured out, there was new information given to throw me off. I love when a thriller can still surprise me! The setting of this one was fun and unique. I also loved the look into being a wife and mother. It took me about 75 pages to really get caught up, but then I couldn’t put it down!

The Soulmate was a fast-paced story about relationships, fidelity, secrets, betrayal, and the quest for your soulmate. The novel centers around 2 couples, Gabe & Pippa, and Max & Amanda. Gabe works for Max so the couples are acquainted. Gabe & Pippa own a beach house on a cliff overlooking the ocean. One fateful night Amanda plunges from the cliff to her death. The story tracks the before and after of her death as pasts are revealed and secrets, both work & personal, are uncovered. As the police piece evidence together what does it mean for Max, Gabe, and Pippa? To what lengths do you go for your soulmate?
Thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for this ARC. This is my honest review.

Sally Hepworth is known for her domestic suspense novels with complex family storylines. In this book, it is about two intertwined married couples. No different from her other books, this book is bingeable.​​​​​​​​
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The two wives tell the story, but it's Amanda - After POV that pulled me in, seeing everything through a new light. It was so unique and well-done. I am not going to say more about this POV, but it was easily my favorite.​​​​​​​​
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As for the twists and surprise factor, I was expecting more. Or maybe I was missing something. And the final twist, I predicted correctly pretty early on.

I have decided that Sally Hepworth books are not for me. This is the third one I’ve read. I haven’t enjoyed any of them. I mean they are fine but they don’t wow me. The characters in this weren’t likeable.

I always love a good Sally Hepworth novel! The soulmate did not disappoint, I really loved the dual perspective throughout the entire ready of the book, it definitely kept things interesting. The ending was a total WOW moment for me and the plot had me flipping the pages quicker than I ever have!

It is a slow burn at the beginning, but once it gets going…it does not stop.

Read if you like:
Slow burn, but then gives you whiplash at the end lol
Dual POVs - Pippa and Amanda
Discussion of mental illness
Domestic drama
Atmospheric setting by the ocean

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinpress for the advanced readers copy.

Sally’s books are amazing! I’m a huge fan of hers. This one is by far my new favorite! It’s Soo plays with your mind and leaves you wondering what if it’s this when you aren’t reading. It’s a must.

Thank you @netgalley for the eARC and @macmillan.audio for the ALC!

This is only my second book by Hepworth, but I enjoyed the light and quick read it was. I mostly listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the narration! The beginning had me intrigued, but then it quickly became a bit predictable. I also wasn’t a big fan of Gabe and Pippa’s marriage nor the choices they made in life 🥴 But I enjoyed the victim’s pov and watching how things unfolded before and after the fall.

I found this book to be an overall ok, middle-of-the-road type read. It wasn’t as thrilling as I’d hoped. I also wouldn’t see this one as a thriller but probably more of a suspenseful mystery/domestic suspense.

This book grabbed me from the very beginning. It kept me wondering what was going on, but the big reveal was a bit of a let down for me.

The Soulmate" is an absolutely captivating novel that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Sally Hepworth masterfully weaves together the lives of two complex and relatable characters, Pippa and Gabe, creating a story that is both heart-warming and heart-wrenching. The novel explores themes of love, loss, and the power of human connection in a way that is both thought-provoking and deeply moving.

Hepworth's writing is simply beautiful, with vivid descriptions and perfectly crafted dialogue that bring the story to life. Her characters are multi-dimensional and feel like real people, with flaws and quirks that make them all the more endearing. I found myself rooting for both of the main characters throughout the book and was thoroughly satisfied with the ending.

Overall, I would highly recommend "The Soulmate" to anyone who enjoys a well-written and emotionally engaging novel. This is a book that will stay with you long after you turn the final page. 5 stars!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

As previously noted with Sally Hepworth's books, I've felt she did a great job building her characters and setting up the story to reel you in and keep you hanging until the end. Once again, this story starts out with a bit of mystery. A house on cliff, known for it's jumpers. And then it's someone our MC"s know and the secrets begin spilling out slowly. I felt this story tied in well together, even with the POC of our jumper to add more detail to the story. I felt Hepworth did a great job with a realistic ending and tied up all of the loose ends.
Recommended for fans of Hepworth, Mystery and suspense with a touch of a ghost story ...

The Soulmate was a solid (but lighter) domestic thriller in line with other books by this author! The main setting was amazing and this read had lots of great twists and turns, especially at the end! Multiple POVs and interesting characters. I enjoyed the “after” timeline in this novel quite a bit. Themes of mental illness, family drama, infidelity and marriage. Makes one question “could you support your partner if they did something illegal?”

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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review and opinion.

The Soulmate is a novel of domestic suspense. Sally Hepworth sets the story in Australia where Pippa and Gabe, along with their two young daughters, have moved into their coastal dream home. Their home is within view of The Drop, a cliff, where unfortunately tormented people have come to jump to their death. Gabe has, in fact, already saved seven people from taking their lives by approaching them and talking them out of their plan. He is featured in news articles about The Drop, and with his movie star handsome looks and charismatic nature, this makes for a fascinating and popular news feature.

When Pippa witnesses Gabe’s attempt to save a woman who actually goes off the cliff and dies, and then eventually finds out that Gabe knew her, doubt and suspicion creep into their lives. The story is told from Pippa’s point of view, and the point of view of the woman, both in alternating then and now timelines. Through this way, the author gradually reveals more and more about Pippa, Gabe, their relationship, lies and truth, perception and reality. The tension and suspense are palpable and grow as the story progresses.

The twists and turns in this novel were surprising and they made for a great story. There is a theme of mental illness and how it affects a family, which the author handled very carefully; it was very well done.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.