3.5 rounded up.

I did enjoy this book, I found it fast paced and it held my attention, especially with the short chapters.
I love a multi pov book, with past and present, as well as before and after thrown into the story (iykyk)
dysfunctional family drama, as well as a small romance thrown into the story. I like how it began with the cliffhanger and how it ended up coming together.
I thought the ending could’ve been very different. I wasn’t a big fan of how it ended.

The Soulmate
Sally Hepworth

This book publishes on April 4, 2023 - I got my copy from Netgally - thank you kindly for the ARC copy!

Really enjoyed this book! Loved the mystery and how they address particular situations. I loved the true Soulmates which was a surprise at the end for me. I also loved the end and how the book came together.


✭ ✭ ✭ ✭/5

#bookish #bookstagram #booktok #book #readersofinstagram #readthis #goodreads #goodreadschallenge #bookchallenge #10/40 #sallyhepworth #thesoulmates

My Thoughts:

In alternating voices, the reader follows the characters in The Soulmate, from Gabe and Pippa to Max and Amanda. Their lives are linked, but not in a good way.

When one of them goes over The Drop, the famous place where suicides often take place, questions remain. What happened exactly? Where did the missing USB port end up? What secrets will change everything for them?

An intense read that went back and forth in time, this book gripped me tightly and earned 5 stars.

4.5 stars
I devoured this book. A quick, suspenseful read, and I loved how with all the twists and turns, more of the story for revealed and loose ends tied up.
Gabe and Pippa live in a cottage near "The Drop," a local spot for those who want to end their lives. Gabe has become locally famous for saving the potential jumpers, but at the beginning of the book he seems to fail.
The rest of the story unfolds in chapters either told by Pippa, Gabe's wife, or Amanda, the woman who died. Both women's chapters cover now and before, giving backstory that explains connections. It seems like it might be hard to follow but it is not at all.
This book is a fantastic examination of marriage, mental illness, betrayal, honesty, and what people are capable of related to their jobs, relationships, and families. As each new layer or bit of info was revealed, things that had happened made more and more sense.

Holy smokes! Sally Hepworth has done it again with The Soulmate! Talk about a twisted ride full of secrets that keeps you questioning everything and turning the pages as fast as you can!

What appealed to you the most in this book?

I absolutely love the way Sally Hepworth can write about family dynamics and dysfunctional relationships, especially when it comes to the relationships between spouses. This was a clever, deep and at times darker psychological thriller, but I was surprised to discover that there was so much more than just the main plot. Each character had their own story as they were dealing with their past and mental health issues. I was in awe with the way Hepworth was able to create multilayered characters and then weave their stories together with the main plot while keeping me on the edge of my seat the WHOLE TIME.

How was the pace?

I read this with Kaley and we both were flying through the pages as fast as we could. This really is a book you won’t want to set down, and I think Kaley said it best when she messaged me saying that each chapter is its own mini cliffhanger.

Do you recommend this book?

I highly recommend this captivating and masterfully written story. You won’t want to put it down, so don’t make any plans once you pick this book up!

Thank you, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley, for this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

In The Soulmate, we find the seemingly perfect couple of Gabe and Pippa who live in a beautiful home that is unfortunately located next to The Drop, a cliff that has become infamous as the sight of many suicides. Gabe has made it a personal mission, however, to help individuals who present to The Drop, and has actually talked numerous individuals from jumping and sealing their fate. This all ends one night, however, when a woman does jump, and the story unfolds coincidentally (or not) how this woman plays an important role in Gabe and Pippa's life.

This was a very quick and suspenseful read. I couldn't wait to figure out how the story played out. I hate to give too much information away because of the twists and turns, and I definitely don't want to spoil the book! I liked the short chapters because the story flew by. I also did not see many of the twists coming. I do feel like some of the story was a bit far fetched, and wonder if this is a book that has lasting power in my mind. While it was entertaining to read, I worry it's not one I'm going to remember a year down the road. I give this story a 3.75/5, and I do look forward to more books from this author because it is obvious that she can write a tale that keeps me on the edge of my seat and very entertained.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

Giving this one 3.5 stars, so rounding up to four.
I LOVED the short chapters. This was fast paced and kept me wanting to turn the pages. I enjoyed the dual POV, as well as the before and the after, as this gave an interesting view as the beginning starts off with a cliffhanger. There’s a bit of romance mixed in with little surprises. The ending was not what I was expecting, which is good! However, I felt like some of the chapters were very repetitive & for that I lost a little bit of interest, in turn taking away some stars.

Thank you @stmartinspress and @netgalley for this advance copy. This is the 4th book I’ve read from Sally Hepworth, and it might be my favorite. The action pulls you in from the very first chapter! Hepworth’s murderous domestic suspense novel is pure page turning entertainment.

Two couples believe they are married to their soulmates. The only thing asked in their marriages was that they would be faithful. This story is told by the wives in alternating chapters before and after an apparent suicide, or was it? Their lives intertwine because of their husbands and their secrets both personal and in business.
This is a very good psychological mystery.

The perfect bingeable mystery/thriller! Lots of twists and turns to keep you intrigued and dying to know what happens next. I loved the dual POV and dual timeline chapters (which were also super short!) - this story dives into marriage and how far you’ll go to protect the ones you love.

I really enjoyed this one. The pacing was excellent, the multiple POVs were easy to distinguish, and the twists didn't feel completely out of left field. I couldn't put it down once I got into it!

This book contained a very interesting, packed plot - full of lies, secrets, family drama, dysfunctional relationships, illegal dealings with coworkers, and mental health issues. Most of the characters for me were not likable (who also made terrible decisions!) and although the synopsis sounded like a thriller, it turned out to be more of a family drama. I usually don’t read many Sally Hepworth books because of this, but the cover and synopsis really caught my eye and I thought it may have been different!

I recommend this book if you enjoy reading:
- Dysfunctional family dramas
- Suspense and twists
- Betrayal
- Short chapters
- Different POVs - Before & After, Now & Then
- A POV from the victim (while she’s dead and alive)

A real life look at the highs and lows of marriage and the rationale behind the choices that are made. This book is well beyond what I anticipated. Although this is my first Sally Hepworth book it will not be my last!

Garbled imitation of classic tropes in an ambitious novel that checks a lot of boxes but doesn't come together

The Soulmate starts off with a married couple, Gabe and Pippa, who have moved to a house atop a cliff. It is a hazardous spot where the mentally ill are known to take their lives. Since moving to the house, Gabe meets each potential jumper and talks him or her away from the ledge. This time, a woman falls from the cliff. Only Gabe knew this woman. Did she really jump or was she pushed? And what other secrets will be revealed?

This book was underwhelming primarily as a result of its characters. The Soulmate has two narrators and two timelines (a then and a now timeline). It felt like the author was trying to create morally grey characters, imperfect people; however, the characters were just not likeable.

Thinking back to morally grey or "bad" characters that I loved, they seem to share three common characteristics: intelligence, great quotes, and humor. But these elements were missing in The Soulmate, leaving the reader with no one to invest in.

In terms of storytelling, it also felt like this book was aiming to read like Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, but the prose didn't work. At the very outset, we know that someone died, and then we go back in time and have all of these revelations.

Unfortunately, the prose with all of its very short sentences set a tone of hysteria. And the journey through this book wasn't enjoyable as the characters were so underdeveloped.

Loved the fast pace chapters and alternating POV and timeline. This was a solid thriller that you can read before bed. Not too spooky and it keeps you guessing right up until the end.

Thanks Netgalley for the arc.

read this in one sitting! possibly the best thriller I’ve read so far this year behind Hidden Pictures…loved the multiple POV and timeline aspects, so many twists! Gabe’s character was a little predictable but the connection to Max was no….not sure how i feel about the cliff nonsense…4 stars may go up to 4.5

🌟🌟🌟🌟.5
Your soulmate…when does loyalty end?

Sally Hepworth became one of my favorite authors when I read “The Good Sister”. It’s one of the best books I’ve read! The author’s writing is engrossing and addictive.

“The Soulmate” examines relationships, marriage, trust, and betrayal. Told in past and present by Pippa and Amanda.

Pippa instantly fell in love with her charming husband and had a whirlwind relationship. Everyone loves Gabe. What’s not to love? He’s an incredible guy, mostly. Pippa can excuse Gabe’s blunders easily. He’s passionate, very intelligent, bores easily…the list goes on. After a rough spot in their marriage, they move to a cottage by the cliff’s edge and they discover its popularity among those wishing to end their lives. But Gabe uses it as a chance to put his charisma to good use and becomes somewhat of a local hero by talking people off the edge. He’s successful with the first seven attempts. Then Amanda appears and she is Gabe’s first failure. Pippa is in the house and only sees a glimpse of Amanda’s back before she goes over the edge but Gabe’s police statement doesn’t quite match what she saw. When the body is identified, she’s stunned to find out that they knew the woman and Gabe didn’t report that either. Where does her loyalty end?

Amanda narrates from beyond. After her leap from the cliff, she describes her complex marriage and the events that lead to the moment on the cliff edge. The lives of both couples are intricately connected through massive secrets! Her chapters are so interesting and illuminating!

Once the elaborate secrets begin to emerge, we’re blasted with one immense shocker after another. I couldn’t stop reading! The characters are multi-layered and passionate…SO fascinating to read about. This is another terrific read by the author!

Sincere thanks to the author and St. Martin’s Press for providing this gifted ARC through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

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I will read any book Sally Hepworth writes but sadly her newest book, The Soulmate, is my least favorite to date. Don’t get me wrong - I still enjoyed and don’t regret reading it…but I didn’t LOVE it. The short chapters lend itself to a very easy and quick domestic thriller read and I didn’t see the twist coming which is always a plus, but I just felt like something was missing. If you’ve read all her other books I would say it is still worth a read - if you haven’t though I wouldn’t suggest starting with this one because I don’t think it does her justice. The Good Sister is my favorite hands down.

Thank you to St Martin’s Press for the ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. I definitely recommend reading this one - the short chapters in particular kept me engaged!
One of the books I had on my kindle when I was in Rio last month was The Soulmate. I had only read the blurb and seen the cover, but as I was sitting reading something else on the northern end of Copacabana Beach, I was looking up at the closest mountain and saw there was a house (actually it’s a fort) built right into the cliff. It's a bit more remote than the cliff near Gabe and Pippa’s house in the book, but I had this image in my mind as I was reading the book.
I enjoy diving headfirst into a domestic thriller to break up all the romance I read, and this #thrillerthursday I’m spotlighting The Soulmate! The book comes out in a few weeks, and I read it last weekend. Once I started it on Saturday, I knew I had to finish it before returning to work - the writing and the story enthralled me immediately. So I warn you not to start it unless you have planned time to finish it!
I like how Sally takes an ordinary situation and just pushes a few buttons to make it something crazy you didn’t see coming - but it still seems plausible. Not only is she a talented writer, she’s hilarious on Instagram! I was lucky enough to meet her when she came to Boston last spring.

Umm… did I read the same book as everyone else?
It’s been getting rave reviews but it’s a nah from me.

Pippa out here running through a field of red flags and ignoring every single one.
Gabe was a turd.
Is Asha a psycho child or is she a sweet, vulnerable girl? Make a decision.

Liked:
Dual POV, bounced around on the timeline, fairly accurate glimpse into the career of a trust & estates lawyer, Pippa’s family standing by her side

Disliked:
Oh so much. Namely, Pippa and Gabe. She’s naively defensive & obsessed with her husband; he’s too manipulative & selfish.
The book was repetitive.
And who fanatically uses USB drives anymore? Amanda honey, please use Google Drive for all your shizzz.
Could all of Gabe’s behavior be chalked up to mental illness? Idk, I’m no expert. But this pissed me tf off: “He knew the buttons to press, the things I needed to hear. It was cruel and comforting and humiliating in its mind-fuckery.”
Hard pass.

Rating:
A very, very generous 3 stars, only for the names (Freya!), Amanda & Max grew on me, and being set in a coastal town

Thank you to @Netgalley and @StMartinsPress for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

FOR NETGALLEY ONLY:
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Posted to Goodreads: 3/16/23