Source: DRC via Netgalley (St. Martin’s Press) in exchange for an honest review.
Publication Date: April 4, 2023
Synopsis: Goodreads
Purchase Link: Amazon

Why did I choose to read this book?

This book was a spontaneous arrival in my DRC list on NetGalley. I want to thank St. Martin’s Press for putting me on whatever list I am on so that I keep getting to review Sally Hepworth’s writing. I am so grateful!

So technically I did not choose to read this one, BUT I would have because I enjoyed The Good Sister and The Younger Wife very much. I have reached the point in my book reviewing career(?) where I am starting to have a list of authors that I trust explicitly with my entertainment, and Sally Hepworth is definitely on that list.

What is this book about?

This book is about how difficult marriage is. That’s it, that’s the tweet. (Don’t forget to click the Goodreads link up above for a better synopsis of the plot.)

I mean, I think this book is about how men manage to train their women to carry all their burdens for them, both physical and emotional, by being gigantic babies. Being a wife means becoming a mother without ever giving birth. Being a manager, a psychologist, a care nurse, the bearer of guilt and worry so the husband isn’t bothered, because if the husband is bothered he gets angry/sad and has a tantrum, and for most it’s just easier to avoid the tantrum than to stand up and demand equal, decent treatment. And divorce is expensive, so your life just becomes about survival instead of being in a partnership where you thrive and learn to live your best life.

What is notable about this story?

This is the first book that I have read by Hepworth that kept me guessing about what was going on until the very end. I could not figure out who the bad guy was, or who had wronged who, or who was telling the truth or lying. The short chapters helped keep me hooked and moving through the story and the mystery was thick and tense right until the conclusion. It is very difficult to keep me guessing this long, so I wasn’t just pleased with the book I had just finished, I was impressed yet again by Hepworth’s writing ability. Book after book she just keeps writing amazing stories. HOW DO YOU DO THIS SALLY???

Was anything not so great?

Trigger warnings abound in this one, but nothing was so graphic that I would say not to read it. There’s a lot of suicide talk (the main couple lives in an ocean house that has “The Drop” in front of it, which is a place famous for having people come and jump to their death on the rocks below) and many mental illnesses are displayed. There is a lot of that imbalance of roles in a marriage, so if you know how this feels you may experience some anxiety as you read. But Hepworth handles all these topics so well that they never stray into the realm of disturbing, they remain in the real world and are portrayed realistically.

What’s the verdict?

4 stars on Goodreads and as always with Sally Hepworth’s work, it receives a resounding endorsement from me. It’s a perfect book to request from your local library to enjoy, and then return so another patron can enjoy it too! If you like psychological thrillers this book is definitely for you!

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Since reading The Mother-In-Law, Sally Hepworth has been one of my favorite authors. So when I had the opportunity to get an ARC of this book I jumped on it, and decided to buy a physical copy since she is such a beloved author!

Synopsis:

Gabe and Pippa have had a less than stale marriage over the years. Their love started off as with a fate encounter and blossomed from there but once Pippa married Gabe she noticed his erratic behavior; constantly switching jobs, drinking, lying and betrayal. Their house at the point was supposed to be a fresh start. That soon changes when a woman goes over the cliff close to thier home which is also a popular place for jumpers. The latest jumper, Amanda, is his previous employer’s wife. Now tangled in the investigation of the her death Pippa and Gabe learn they both had secrets in their marriage.

My Thoughts:

This wasn’t my favorite Hepworth but still a solid thriller! The ending was very satisfying and I loved how Hepworth wrapped everything up! I also like the dual timeline and hearing the POV from Amanda the woman who dies at the beginning of the book.

Ever since I read 'The Exorcist' as a young girl, I tend to peek to see if I can deal with the ending. This was one that I peeked at but it didn't spoil the story for me and only gave me part of the answer. Instead I was riveted. I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher through Netgalley. This is my honest and voluntarily given review. I love how the story was told by two points of view: the wife Pippa and the woman who went over the cliff Amanda. Flashing between the present and the past, we get to know the characters and what really happened on the cliff. I also love how the story dealt with fidelity, loyalty, and what is a soulmate. I love reading books by Sally Hepworth. She peels the layers off the characters so we really know who they are.

Sally Hepworth has cemented her place in my 'must-read' category for any of her upcoming books. She has the dynamics of a marriage down-pat, and writes psychological thrillers like no one else. The Soulmate starts with a bang, as Gabe and Pippa are finishing dinner with their daughters and see a woman on the edge of the cliff behind their house...not a completely unusual circumstance as this is a known location to commit suicide and Gabe has earned a reputation for talking people down from the literal cliff. His unsuccessful intervention in this case precedes the revelation that the woman is someone he and Pippa know, and the secrets that are forthcoming weave a very twisted tale. The novel is told from dual points of view, Pippa and Amanda (the woman at the cliff) and dual timelines--present day as the police investigation proceeds and the past as the reader learns about the secrets and how Pippa, Gabe, Amanda, and Max (Amanda's husband) and intertwined.

I loved this mystery, at least until the conclusion, which I thought was a little bit of an eye-roll. The ending did not ruin the book by any means, just was a bit cliche in my opinion. I would recommend this book for anyone who loves a good mystery, with a bit of real-life love story and family drama mixed in.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital ARC of The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth. The opinions in this review are my own.

Thank you #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for this eARC! You can read The Soulmate when it is published April 4, 2023!

4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

"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?"

This book centers around two couples. There are lies, betrayal, and secrets. The ending left me feeling heavy. I found myself rooting for one couple in particular, and somewhat despising the other pair. The chapters were short (which I love), and aside from a couple slow points, it kept me engaged!

The Soulmate is a well-crafted thriller about secrets, marriage and mental health. It was propulsive and entertaining.

Having read several of Sally Hepworth’s books before, I couldn’t wait to start reading The Soulmate. Told from multiple points of view and dual timelines, this book did not disappoint.

Pippa and Gabe are a happily married couple who have recently moved into a new home. Their property runs adjacent to a cliff which they quickly learn is a popular spot for suicidal persons. Gabe has become a bit of an expert in talking people off the cliff while awaiting a police response.

That is until the day a woman is seen on the edge of the cliff.

The author unfolds a series of reflections about the health of individuals and of their marriages. Backstories and secrets are also revealed. The story is well-crafted giving the reader just enough information to have them guessing what will happen next. Mental health is discussed and the author writes this with respect. The conclusion is satisfying.

I recommend this book to readers who enjoy Mysteries & Thrillers.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for the ARC’s of this book and audiobook. The thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.

NetGalley Review — my rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth
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I enjoyed this one a lot! Took me a couple days to get through but I loved the two POVs and two timelines. I really enjoyed the plot and the reveals as they came.
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Dropped a star off because I didn’t feel like the twist was enough (if that makes sense), and it did drag at times.
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All in all, recommend this one for sure. Snag it next week! It releases April 4, 2023!
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Thank you to @stmartinspress for the ARC!
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#thesoulmate #sallyhepworth #stmartinspress #netgalley

There's something about Sally's books that just gets me hooked from chapter one. I love the twists, and I love that they're usually predictable domestic thrillers, but they can still have a little twist that you didn't see coming.

This one was an interesting thriller, full of affairs, and something unique: chapter POVs of the person who was murdered. Or was it a suicide? Or an accident?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED how this story was told with dual point of views and different time periods within those views. It was so gripping and had me on the edge of my seat throughout. I could not put this book down and devoured this book in a few days. This was an amazing thriller!

4.5 rounded up!

After reading the last 3 books published by Sally Hepworth I was excited to get a copy of The Soulmate, and I was not disappointed. It's was exactly what I love about Sally Hepworth's books.

I think this is a love story in the end. A story about what we do for love and the hold that it has on us. The secrets we keep, those we'll never know, and how they guide our lives.

There are multiple POVs (one from a dead woman) that give insight into the different sides of this story. Twists and turns that aren't shocking, but move the story along and make it compulsively readable.

There is talk of mental illness and suicide, and I can't speak to the representation here so check out those reviews of people who have better insight than me and can speak better to that.

Gabe and Pippa find their dream house overlooking the ocean, on a high cliff that is known for its jumpers. Gabe saves suiciders' lives by stopping them when he sees them at the cliff and convincing them to change their minds and live. But the novel's suspense begins when Gabe fails to save another jumper, Amanda, who turns out to be the wife of Gabe's ex-boss, Max.

Gabe turns out to be a very interesting and curious character, with a mental illness that makes him erratic, unpredictable, involved in shady dealings at work. His wife Pippa stands by him as Max demands the return of sensitive information that could compromise Max's business dealings.

I was kept in suspense wanting to know if Gabe had allowed Amanda to jump or if he had pushed her off the cliff. And who is the soulmate?

An entertaining thriller, suspense novel and domestic drama.

Gabe and Pippa buy their dream home high up on a cliff, but little do they know... this is a cliff where people go to jump, ending their lives. Gabe, being the charming chap that he is, has had success with talking people 'off the edge'. But, not this particular day when the jumper, jumps, or... was she pushed?

I've read a few of Sally Hepworths books and they are always twisty with a bit of crazy. This one is no different. I enjoyed all the twists and turns, sometimes getting dizzy along the way. After reading I had to ask myself, was that a good or bad thing. Definitely good! I enjoyed this one for sure and was invested in it. I had to know the truth about what happened on that cliff. But, not only that, I had to know the secrets that were being kept.

I will say, there were times where the story was slow for me; however, it did not make me want to stop reading. If you're a fan of SH, or a fan of twisty psychological thrillers I would recommend giving this one a go!

4ish stars

This was a captivating, suspenseful story right from the beginning. It was definitely one where no one was fully reliable, and several of the characters were well-rounded and realistic enough that a lot of flaws or issues were front and centre to the story. I mostly enjoyed how the story unfolded, and I didn’t expect the final twist(s). I’m not really sure why…but I liked (not loved) this one. Either way, it was a fun story, it’s interesting to connect the title to the actual plot/characters, and the cover is gorgeous.

Wow what a fantastic read. It had it all mystery, and suspense. This is the first book I read of this author. You bet I'll be read more of her books.
This book had me hooked from the first page I couldn't read it fast enough. But I did read it in 2 days

Thanks net gallery for this fantastic read

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"The Soulmate" is a domestic suspense novel that follows the story of Gabe and Pippa, who have recently moved into their dream home by the seaside. However, their picturesque surroundings soon turn dark as they discover that their home is located on a notorious suicide spot. Despite Gabe's efforts to talk down potential jumpers, one night he is unable to save a woman, leaving Pippa questioning what she really saw that fateful night.

The novel is told from multiple perspectives and timelines, with short, quick chapters that make for a compelling read. While the plot touches on several themes, some characters' actions and motivations left me scratching my head. Pippa, a successful lawyer, often turns a blind eye to red flags, making her character's choices difficult to understand.

While the author's writing style is easily digestible, the story may feel somewhat predictable and familiar to fans of the genre. Additionally, some plot points, including the use of a character with mental health issues as a possible suspect, may come off as tired tropes. However, the unique perspectives and the surprising twists and turns throughout the story do keep the reader engaged. Overall, "The Soulmate" may not be a standout in the genre, but it is still an enjoyable and suspenseful read.

This book grabbed me right from the beginning!

It was fast paced and had a few twists that I didn’t see coming, I read it in 24 hours. It actually pulled me out of a pretty deep reading slump.

The characters are totally relatable, and I could honestly feel where Pippa was coming from during the whole thing.

I wanted a little bit more from the ending, but overall it was a great read. I don’t want to give anything away so I’ll just say that one element had me scratching my head. However, Sally Hepworth delivers again!

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

I am a huge fan of Sally Hepworth and have enjoyed all the books I've read by her! Overall, I enjoyed this book. First, I really appreciated the different perspectives from characters, especially from Amanda's POV "beyond the grave". I also loved the character development of Gabe and how as readers we started thinking of how he was a perfect husband to not so much,

There were definitely some twists I wasn't expecting that I loved and overall I really enjoyed this book (of course!)

As I had thoroughly enjoyed Sally Hepworth's previous novels, I was really excited to receive this ARC and it did not disappoint.
Twisty and well-written, I think this one will be a hit for book clubs.
Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for the advance copy to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Gabe and Pippa have found their perfect home to raise their daughters - a seaside cottage with amazing views. The only problem, the cliff the house sits upon is a well-known suicide spot. Over time, Gabe has convinced several people to step back and walk away. However, one night, he isn't so lucky. When it is discovered that Gabe knew the victim, Pippa starts to question if her soulmate could do the unthinkable. Did the victim jump, or were they pushed?

This was my first Hepworth book, and I found her writing easily digestible, with short, quick chapters. This was fast-paced, and despite not loving the book, it was a page-turner. While I didn't love the overall story, I enjoyed Hepworth's writing enough to try some of her backlist.

This story contains two POVs, one is fairly unique, and I won't discuss it at length in case people want to be surprised. I commend the author for the interesting POV, but it didn't work for me. It just felt out of place in this type of story. Many of the characters are cookie-cutter and flat. Further, this book does what so many thrillers do, takes a person with mental health issues and makes them the possible bad guy. I am honestly so over this. Hepworth does make some attempts to show what treating mental health can do for a person, but it just wasn't enough for me. Just stop it.

The story interweaves themes of betrayal, love, secrets, and fidelity, which unfortunately didn't work for me. Ultimately, there is an underwhelming amount of tension, and the ending fell flat for me. There are no characters to root for, and honestly, some of the characters should be ashamed of themselves. I am looking at you Pippa's family.

I found the book unremarkable. However, this is getting a ton of buzz, and perhaps, I am just the outlier with this one. If you like Hepworth, I would say give it a try,

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martins Press for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This novel was easy to read with its short chapters and fast pace. Overall, I liked it but didn’t love it. I think this is because I never really could get invested in the characters. I have read many of Sally Hepworth’s novels and this is my least favorite, perhaps because of the major themes of this book.