An excellent mystery centered around two marriages, murder, mental illness, infidelity, and a famous suicide spot, this novel threads two points of view in a total of four time frames without becoming a confusing mess. All of the characters are complicated and not caricatures and the mystery is well told and interesting. A fine domestic suspense

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for my review copy.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book.

I really like Sally Hepworth and will read anything by her that comes my way. But this one disappointed me. None of the characters are likeable or sympathetic and there were a LOT of "OH, COME ON!!" moments.

Pippa was never the girl that men gravitated to, so when Gabe, an attractive and self-confident man shows interest and basically takes over her life, she just goes along. And she still is letting him dictate everything in their lives. When he discovers he has a child by a woman who died, she takes in the baby, although she is only six months younger than her own daughter. But that was what Gabe wanted, so that's what she did. And she truly loves the little girl and considers her her daughter.

Eighteen months ago, Gabe was fired from his high-powered job in London and he decided they needed a change, so now they live in a lovely house that backs onto a cliff which is popular for suicides. But Gabe, with all his charm seems able to talk people out of jumping, even getting written up in the local paper. But this one time he doesn't save the woman. And no one is exactly sure what happened.

Thus begins a long and sometimes tedious story, slowly telling what happened, maybe why, and who the woman was that jumped (or fell) to her death that day. Told partly in flashbacks and partly in the present, and narrated by Pippa in both the past and present and Amanda, the woman who died, also in the past and present (wherever she is, she is watching).. But, really, it is Pippa's story and she is just so needy and helpless that I soon lost all patience with her.

The story is long, confusing and the ending is not really satisfying. I expect more from Sally Hepworth and I hope it like her next book better.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As usual from Sally Hepworth, this story was loaded with twists and turns galore 😮. Some I saw coming and some truly kept me guessing until the very end.

This was a great read that I finished in one sitting. I kept thinking one thing and then had to immediately change my thoughts when another twist was revealed. I love a good thriller/mystery with those moments, and that's why I couldn't put it down.

My only issue with this story was that I wasn't in love with any of the characters. They all had their moments, but honestly none of them were very likeable when push came to shove 😬. I couldn't find myself rooting for any of the characters, but that's not always a bad thing in a book like this.

Overall, I'd definitely recommend this one especially for fans of Sally Hepworth. Also, isn't this cover gorgeous!?

4⭐

Blurb:
It follows a husband and wife who have recently moved to a countryside home with their two daughters. They are soulmates (seriously their meet-cute was swoonworthy 😍), but their beautiful home lies on top of a cliff known as "the drop" where people often go to end their own lives.

Gabriel (the husband) has become famous for talking people down from the cliff, but their seemingly perfect life takes its own leap when one of the people on the cliff decides to jump. Or did they?

TW: Suicide, mental illness, infidelity, death of loved ones

This book was insanity personified. I truly believe that the whole “there’s a stranger living in my own home” was specifically coined for this book. Sally Hepworth took the idea of soulmates and twisted it into something well and truly frightening at the idea that you can never truly know who it is you are married to until certain circumstances arise that show a person’s true colors.

Told from the points of views of two similar yet very different women both in the past and present, The Soulmate brings into question fidelity and all a person is willing to do to be loyal towards their partner.

Pippa & Gabe
Amanda and Max

Two couples who are intertwined in a variety of ways both in the past and present and all it takes is the death of one of these women for all the strings tying up these marriages to start to unravel. Living next to the ocean for sure turns into a nightmare for one of these couples and what should have been a second chance at life ends up being the literal end.

This book was amazing and it had be reading it all in one sitting not being able to let it go and wondering just what in the heck would happen next!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a free digital copy of The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth for an honest review. Gabe and Pippa live on a tall cliff that has become a popular spot for people when they want to end it all. But since they've moved in, no one has actually jumped, because Gabe has a special gift of talking jumpers off the cliff side. Until one night...he doesn't. This was my first Sally Hepworth novel, and it won't be my last! I enjoyed it so much! The different POVs, the short chapters, the story structure, the twists, turns, and secrets. This book was wonderfully written and addictive. I sped right through it. Sally Hepworth really knows how to tell a story!

This book was such a wild ride!

It started as a typical thriller, but then it turned and I quite liked the turn.

The characters were great, the storyline was surprising, and it was overall a really good book. I enjoyed it immensely.

An ARC was provided by NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review

**4.5-stars rounded up**

The Soulmate is the latest release from the Queen of the Whiplash Reveal, Sally Hepworth. As I quickly rediscovered with this story, Hepworth likes to keep you shook.

In this story we mainly follow Gabe and Pippa, a married couple with a beautiful cliffside home. Unfortunately, that cliffside sometimes attracts people with unsavory intentions. Gabe has talked people off that ledge more than once. In fact it has happened so often they've even received coaching from the local police on the proper steps to take when they encounter a possible jumper. Because of this, when they spot a woman on the ledge one day, it seems almost natural for Gabe to go out and approach her. To try to help.

Pippa is initially watching her husband talking to the woman. She hopes he'll be able to talk her back from the edge. Pippa turns her head, just for a moment and when she looks back, the woman is gone, Gabe's arms left reaching into empty space.

As the inquiry into the woman's death begins, it is revealed that Gabe actually knew her, unbeknownst to Pippa. What was said on the cliff that day? Did Gabe have a motive to push her? If so, what could it possibly be. Pippa is hurt, scared and confused. The couple has no secrets, do they?

I listened to this audiobook in one day. Once I started, I was quickly pulled into this web of ever growing secrets and reveals. It was impeccably told. Hepworth drew me in from the start with a fascinating premise and an interesting couple. Pippa and Gabe were so glossy on the surface, but I just knew there was more to them both than was initially revealed. Boy, was I right!!

I love how Hepworth frames her stories. The pace and reveals are so much fun, you cannot help but be sucked into the lives of her characters.

This is the third novel I have read from this author and I have felt that way about every one of them. The plots are just so compelling, it's almost impossible to stop. Every chapter leaves you wanting more; more answers, more drama, more revelations. It's a whole experience.

I would absolutely recommend Hepworth's work to anyone who enjoys twisted Domestic Dramas with enough scandals, lies and secrets to keep your head spinning.

Thank you so much to the publisher, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I had a ton of fun reading this and look forward to whatever wicked web Hepworth is going to spin for us next!!!

Ms. Hepworth does it again with a style all her own. A page-turner that grabbed me from the first scene. An intricately interwoven story told as they author does best with strategically placed reveals that only heighten the reader’s enjoyment. The characters were very real and prove that you never know what goes on behind closed doors. A solid, enjoyable read. Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The "Queen of domestic suspense," and master storyteller Sally Hepworth (a favorite author), returns following, The Younger Wife with her latest highly anticipated addictive domestic thriller, THE SOULMATE.

A deep dive into family dysfunction: the good and bad sides of marriage. Guilt, love, loyalty. How far will they go for their family's sake? What wouldn't you do for your soulmate?

No one does twisty and dysfunctional better than Sally! I adore her, a big fan, having read all her books and all 5 STARS. She and her family light up social media and leaves a smile on your face.

As Sally quotes: "I like to think of it as a murderous love story. Unconventional, of course, but that's what I do."

AGREE!

Hepworth creates an atmospheric setting with her eighth novel, drawing you in from page one. Gabe and Pipa Gerard have been happily married for seven years with two daughters. They have purchased their dream home that overlooks a cliffside ocean with breathtaking views in a small coastal town outside Melbourne, Australia.

The cliff has been a popular spot known as "The Drop" for people to end their lives. Seven people have walked away. Gabe has become a whisperer who talks people down. Gabe makes people feel safe. The media calls him an angel.

Now, the eighth person was not so lucky.

When Amanda Cameron, the wife of Gabe’s former boss, Max—shows up near the cliff, Gabe goes out to work his magic as usual. However, this time the woman goes over the edge to her death. Was it a suicide?

When Gabe fails to save the eighth, a sordid web of secrets begins to unravel, pushing bonds of loyalty and love to the brink...

When Pippa discovers Gabe knew the victim, the questions spiral...

Did the victim jump? OR was she pushed? What secrets and admissions will be made after the woman's recent death?

Pippa is a lawyer, and she finds herself lying to the police. Does she doubt her husband? Gabe has had mental health issues in the past. Pipa is also hiding secrets. Gabe also has secrets.

We hear from two POVs: Pippa (then and now) and Amanda, the woman from the cliff— (before and after).

Nothing or no one is as they appear.

With tension mounting between Max and Gabe, there is also the missing mysterious flash drive. Are their lives in danger? The author combines suspense, betrayal, love, danger, and infidelity to keep readers turning to the final explosive conclusion as secrets unravel.

SALLY DAZZLES! Twisty and highly creative. Her best yet! The best thriller for mental health, marriage, and domestic suspense. Top Books of 2023.

A warning needs to come with THE SOULMATE. Wait to start reading until you have time to read the entire book. Unputdownable! I finished at 3:26 am and started before I went to bed.

I was fortunate to receive the e-book and the audiobook. I read the e-book about eight months ago and then listened to the audiobook more recently, which was fantastic.

AUDIOBOOK: 🎧 Narrators Barrie Kreinik and Jessica Douglas-Henry gave a captivating performance! I could almost hear the waves crashing at the bottom of the cliff.

As always, Hepworth pulls out some major shockers and is a master at twists, marriages, secrets, and deception in marriage. She covers some highly charged topics of mental illness, health, family pressures, parenting, child-rearing, career stresses, adultery, and more with compassion and sensitivity. Highly recommend!

Thank you to #StMartinsPress #MacmillianAudio and #NetGalley for a gifted ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review. Also purchased the hardcover copy. #SPMInfluencers

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@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 💙Stars +
Pub Date: April 4, 2023
April 2023 Must-Read Books

OMG this one kept me guessing! It was a fast read in that I had to know how it was going to end.

Pippa and Gabe had a meet cute and a quick courting that is what romantic dreams are made of... so much that Pippa may over look some of Gabe's most concerning qualities...

Then Pippa and Gabe move to the coast to their dream house... one problem.... it is right at a cliff that is frequently used by people who no longer want to live. Gabe has a charming personality and is able to help many people walk away from the cliff alive... until one night that changes everything. Does Gabe know the woman? Did she jump? was she pushed? Who can you believe?

How far will you go to help the one you love even if you aren't sure you should be protecting them?

This is my second novel by the author and there is no doubt that she is well versed in plot twist. I liked it…I didn’t love it; it just didn’t have me engrossed. I wouldn’t consider this a thriller or even suspenseful, but it is a good mystery. The story is crazy, but a good crazy! Up until the very end I was trying to figure out why.

Sally Hepworth is simply a linguistic genius! This story has an array of layers that you peel back page by page. The story begins with an alleged suicide off of a cliff that has been known as a prominent spot for people to jump from. Pippa and Gabe Gerard's home sits right next to this spot and Gabe has rescued many people from a treacherous fall. Pippa is absolutely enamored by her husband, despite his murky past alongside an undiagnosed mental illness. She has stood by his side through many battles but her loyalty is what she always promised him. The wife of Gabe's former employer (Amanda Cameron) happens to appear on the cliff and Gabe attempts to save her and she falls to her tragic death. The story truly unfolds from here shedding light on more of Gabe's darkness along with the truth about Amanda's fall. This story has countless twists and turns and the ending left me feeling saddened but also happy. I enjoyed the whirlwind of emotions invoked by this book!

This is one of my favorite reads from Sally Hepworth and I truly appreciate being approved for an advanced copy!

Great author and perfect narrators. The synopsis was interesting and the book was even better. I loved the dual storylines and it was an intriguing psychological thriller. This will definitely be a popular summer read!

4/5

“Funny how love can remain, despite everything.”

ARC BOOK REVIEW: The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth
PUB DATE: April 4, 2023

I want to first start by saying thank you to Sally Hepworth, St. Martin’s Press, and Netgalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Pippa and Gabe live in a cottage that so happens to be next to a cliffside that is known for individuals showing up who want to end their lives. But since Pippa and Gabe have moved in, Gabe has been able to save every person who has shown up to “the drop”, that is until one day he doesn’t. When the tragedy of life is lost, the police investigate a little bit longer than usual which has people wondering, it was the death an accident or was intentional. Was there more to the story that Gabe, Amanda, Pippa, and Max wanted to believe?

This was my very first book by Sally Hepworth and the Soulmate was done in a very unique and creative way. I love how Hepworth used the “past and present” perspectives along with the “after” perspective of Amanda. I haven’t encountered a book that has this perspective of an “after”, and how she had Amanda looking down at the situation unfolding presently was pure genius. I ate this book up in two days and yes, it grabbed my attention, keeping me interested, unfortunately, the ending fell shorter than “the drop”. I thought the conclusion was poorly crafted; she built up such an incredible plot only to arrive at an anti-climactic end, in short, it was bland and generic; this is why it lost a star for me. Nonetheless, if you want a fast-paced novel that makes you wonder about the actual truth that lies in a dark time, then this one is definitely for you. It was a great quick suspense thriller.

It's been a while since I've read a Domestic Thriller and I really enjoyed this one. There are dual POVs and nonlinear timelines.

The first POV is Pippa, a lawyer, mom of two, and wife of Gabe. The second POV is of Amanda, photographer and housewife who goes over the edge of a cliff while talking to Gabe.

Uncovering the truth from the lies, this read is fast paced while exploring relationships, motives, and deceptions. My favorite character was Amanda and the relationship she had with her husband Max. The relationship between Pippa and Gabe was stressing me out but I absolutely loved Pippa as a mom.

My gripe with this one was the feeling of getting beaten over the head with descriptions of how attractive Gabe is. I GET IT, HE'S HOT.

Holding my full attention from the first chapter until the epilogue this book is easily one of the most unputdownable ones I've read so far this year.

Sally Hepworth has certainly earned her reputation for writing unputdownable thrillers and she's done it again!

Loved the dual POV in this twisty thriller that really left me guessing and left my JAW ON THE FLOOR.

I won't say much more to give anything away, but know there are SO MANY surprises!

Fast fun read! A thriller about marriage, secrets, and betrayal.

"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."

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Sally Hepworth, and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

I was shocked at how much I enjoyed this! I've seen Sally Hepworth's books everywhere, but I always get wary about mystery/thriller authors who are super popular because sometimes I feel that the books can be repetitive. However, The Soulmate felt like a fresh read that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading with a few genuine twists I didn't predict. I haven't read a book so quickly in a few months; I was hooked from the beginning, and I was truly drawn into the world of Pippa, Gabe, Max, and Amanda. I liked the way the story was told, going both between tenses and between narrators. It helped to reveal the story and its many layers in different ways that kept me guessing throughout. For a domestic thriller, I thought it was well done, and I enjoyed getting to see the different sides of everyone's stories. I do wish Hepworth would have explained some plot points better, as there were a couple of loose ends that the story would have benefitted from fleshing out a bit more, but none took away from my overall reading and enjoyment of the story. I definitely look forward to checking out her other works now!

Pippa and Gabe live near The Drop, a popular suicide spot, and that Gabe isn't able to save this mysterious woman one day. Pippa begins to question it, which she should.

But really what this book is about is marriage, and how it looks from the outside versus the inside. The book is told in alternating POVs, between Pippa and Amanda (the woman from The Drop), as well as alternating timeliness, before versus after. This book is mostly about the characters, their secrets, and how everything is connected, the death at The Drop just happens to be the event that sets the path to reveal in motion.

Another twisty thriller from Sally Hepworth. She really knows how to create atmosphere and tension. I could nearly hear the waves crashing at the Drop Off and picture the craggy cliffs outside Pippa's home. I always appreciate the subplots in her books that seemingly separate each other only to come to a satisfying cathartic climax. Once again she kept me guessing until the end. It certainly was a white knuckler. I look forward to her next offering!