This is a story about soulmates.

I was so surprised by this book- none of what I thought was going to happen did, and it made me cry unexpectedly. @sallyhepworth spun a narrative that I thought couldn’t possibly tie up well (esp when I was at 85%!) but it did- out of nowhere she pulled it together and it ended perfectly. There’s a super unique narrative element that I won’t spoil for you, but I’m excited to hear what everyone thinks!

Thank you so much @netgalley & @stmartinspress for the eArc!

I couldn't put this book down... If you start this book and have any plans you better cancel them, this book will have you sucked right in from beginning to end.

Rating: ⭐⭐ (2)

The Soulmate, (Sally Hepworth, April 2023)

I'll cut to the chase: I didn't enjoy The Soulmate. I don't regret reading it by any means, it just...was not nearly as compelling or captivating as I'd hoped it would be.

A classic spousal "who is betraying whom" story, The Soulmate didn't have the execution necessary to avoid underwhelming the reader (me). I more felt like I was trying to get it finished so I could start my next book, than actually experience the ending. (Also, the thing that the whole book was leading up to....was disappointing. I read a whole book for that to be the reveal?)

I would love to discuss The Soulmate with others, because I have questions that I can't ask in a review -- not only because a review can't talk back, but because asking my questions would mean spoilers. I do think The Soulmate would be a great pick for a book club, for whatever that's worth! (Probably nothing.)

Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced listener copy. Onto the next!

Gabe and Pippa own a dream home on a cliff. But their perfect home is a popular spot for people to end their lives. Gabe has successfully talked several victims off the ledge. Until Amanda; he couldn’t save her. But when Pippa discovers Gabe knew the victim, she questioned whether the victim jumped or was she pushed?

Told in dual timelines from the perspectives of Pippa and Amanda, we learn how these characters are connected. This book starts off in a very binge worthy, attention-grabbing way but then…drops off. I felt like the story was going in circles with nothing really happening. Hepworth writes domestic drama like no other, but that’s exactly what this is, DRAMA, with a little suspense. It’s not a thriller so be prepared for that. The MCs were portrayed as women obsessed with their husbands and their storylines got really tedious and annoying. Unfortunately I was just left underwhelmed. I find that the formula for this author’s books just doesn’t work for me (and that’s ok.)

What I did like:
- Short chapters 🙌🏽
- Mental Health representation
- Ending felt cathartic
- Quick read (can be binged in a sitting)

This book was interesting and immediately drew me in.  There were so many twists and turns, and the more I read it, the more questions I had.   I really didn't know the direction the book was going to take, but it did get pretty dark, pretty quick. It discusses suicide and mental illness, so be aware of those triggers. 

It was both interesting and sometimes confusing to have two separate narrators in two separate timelines, but it added to the chaotic feel of the story.  Things kept happening that changed my perspective on the characters and the situation. I enjoyed the creative idea of having Amanda tell part of the story after she died.  Listening to each woman tell their tragic tale was both enlightening and sad.

Arguably, all the characters were questionable at some point.  The more I learned about Gabe, the more I wondered why Pippa stayed with him.  Amanda and Max's relationship was also confusing to me at times.  Did he care for Amanda?  Did he not? The actions and thoughts of these characters were interesting and kept me wanting to know more. They were both pretty tragic relationships.  This book highlighted the struggles of the people who have mental illnesses and the people who love them.  My only negative was the ending because I felt like it didn't do Max justice and went against his character. Overall, it was a solid read with an interesting and twisty story with equally interesting characters.

I received the audiobook of this arc, and will be leaving my full review under that copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this bard in exchange for an honest review.

Another great Sally Hepworth novel! The Soulmate captures your attention from the first page and pulls you through Pippa and Gabe's lives at a breathless pace. If you're a fan of domestic thrillers with twisty, turny plots, I highly recommend this book.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for an advanced copy of the novel.

THE SOULMATE
Sally Hepworth

Whoa, Sally!

Ok people, get ready. This one is GOOD!

If you for some reason have avoided reading Sally Hepworth’s books or dismissed her books thinking they are not for you, I beg you to reconsider. And this is my shot at getting you to read it.

I could not stop reading THE SOULMATE and I did not remember to take notes. I was halfway through the book before I took a breath and looked around.

It was that good.

THE SOULMATE stars Gabe and Pippa. They live in an affluent community and their house sits on a cliff known around their neighborhood as THE JUMP somewhere at the edge of the world. It is a popular site for wayward souls to ponder taking their life. And Gabe is known for being an earthbound angel, talking them down frequently being a guiding light a voice of reason in their time of despair.

One night a woman shows up at THE JUMP and Gabe resumes his usual role as a caring confidant talking the woman down, and giving her reassurance.

But unlike most days this night ends with more questions than answers. And Gabe and Pippa’s marriage is suddenly on rocky ground, much more perilous than the cliffs outside.

Oh, boy I loved this one. I read it in two sittings and I could not put it down to save for anything else going on in my life. I read the first half lightning-fast and was so absorbed I forgot to take notes. It feels like you’re running downhill, and the momentum created was fierce.

The writing is quick and smart and agile. There was twist after twist and even when I thought I had enough I read more. The characters are life-like and their troubles are something you’ve heard before. The story was intricate yet uncomplicated. The book does deal with mental health, and I felt that the author and her sensitive readers did a fantastic job with the mental health representation.

THE SOULMATE comes out on April 4, 2023. Get your hands on it, and read it, it’s good! You can get an early copy through Book of the Month, and it is an option for March.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the advanced copy!

THE SOULMATE…⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Gabe and Pippa are soulmates who's history together has been anything but uncomplicated! Just when they think it's all behind them and they can finally settle down along the coast, tragedy strikes when someone jumps from the cliff behind their home. Gabe initially claims to not know the person but the truth is quickly revealed that it is Amanda, the wife of Gabe's former boss. Pippa finds herself questioning what she saw out her window that fateful day and Gabe's innocence and involvement with his former boss but Pippa harbors guilt and responsibility as well! Did Amanda really jump? What was Amanda's purpose in coming to Gabe and Pippa's home? What is Amanda's husband guilty or capable of? What is responsible to otherwise seemingly perfect Gabe's fluctuating moods over the recent years? And, who are the true "Soulmates"?

The Soulmate is a roller coaster of drama and suspense full of jaw dropping surprises at every turn!! By far my favorite Sally Hepworth book to date! You won't be able to guess what's coming next! The only drawback was the character behaviors were a bit far fetched but overall I had a hard time putting it down and really never knew what was coming next!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Sally Hepworth is a master at taking a picture and twisting it just enough to have the reader wondering what is true and what isn't. Pippa sees her husband, Gabe, at the edge of the cliff behind their home with a woman. She sees his hands stretched out towards her. And then she sees the woman go over the cliff. Did he push her? Did she jump?

This book contains all of my favorite aspects of a Hepworth novel. There is a picture-perfect marriage where all may not be as it seems. Gabe and Pippa and their two beautiful daughters seemingly have an idyllic life so what could Pippa have to be worried about? There are varying points of view. The book goes back and forth from Pippa to Amanda (the woman who went over the cliff). Both viewpoints are told in the present as well as the past so you get to see so many secret aspects of everyone involved someway in the event. Everyone has their secrets. What Hepworth is great at is keeping you guessing right up to the very end. And I mean...the end. Just when you think you're wrapping up and have it all figured out, she throws another curve at you. She is a master at taking family dynamics and turning them on their side to tell a mysterious and captivating story.

I continue to be a huge fan of Hepworth and recommend her to everyone I possibly can. Read this book. You will not be sorry you did.

* I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book. All thoughts are my own.

2.5 stars

Unfortunately, I really didn’t like this book. I didn’t care for any of the characters, though I felt a little sad for Amanda. I found Pippa to be a bit annoying. I really just couldn’t root for any of the characters and just accepted it when Pippa thought that maybe Gabe had pushed Amanda. So much of the book was boring to me and was not as exciting as other trillers. I appreciate what the author was trying to do with Gabe’s mental health because it was obvious something was going on but it also felt like it just wasn’t what I wanted in this story.

I also disliked the ending entirely. That’s where this book dropped from 3 to 2.5 stars for me. Personally, would not recommend this book but some people may like it.

Pippa and Amanda bring the story to life as they tell it in alternate points of view and from different times (before/after and then/now). As is true with every relationship, does one ever know the full story and what are people willing to overlook to project a certain image? The start felt a little slow as you learned some of the background and how we got "here". The last quarter of the book was where I felt most invested in what was happening and there were more twists and turns then I was expecting; the last pages held my attention more than the rest of the book. The Soulmate is solid read and was comparable to the other books I've read of her's (she seems to be a 3 star read for me), fans of Hepworths might find this a little more enjoyable then I did. The Soulmate comes out April 4th and would be a great addition to your TBR if you're a fan or find the synopsis intriguing!
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Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

A fun, fast paced, twisty thriller.

I had a lot of fun reading (listening) to this one. It was interesting seeing things through the multiple pOV's. Especially from Amanda's (a dead woman) viewpoint.

There was so much that linked these people together, and so much that was only parts of the story.

I was not a fan of Gabe. He seemed a mess of a person. There were parts where he seemed so kind, like talking people off the cliff. But once you get more into the story, he had a lot of issues. More so than just his mental health. He just wasn't always a good person to his wife.

Pippa, for the most part seemed decent, besides one thing, which kind of kicks this whole sequence of events off. Well, kind of. Again Gabe is a big part of this mess to begin with....

But, the end! I really liked the end. Though I can't say too much about it.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing this Advance Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review!

I absolutely love Sally Hepworth's books. To me, they are the perfect thriller. It's not going to keep me up at night or make me paranoid to be home alone, but it's twisty, usually involving family drama, mostly unusual circumstances, never overdone tropes. Literally perfect!

That said, this was probably my least favorite Sally Hepworth book. Her other stories have had more unique twists than this, and I was really hoping for a bigger twist. Honestly though, any Sally Hepworth book is still so much better than most thrillers for me, so I am still very happy I read this and already can't wait for the next one!

Gabe and Pippa have the perfect marriage, perfect family, perfect home in a perfect town... except they really don't. Their home is directly in front of a notorious spot for suicide in their town, and this combined with other things we learn about their marriage reveals that everything is not always as it seems!

Twisty thriller about marriage and fidelity and mental health. Pippa and Gabe move to a house on a cliffside, a popular suicide spot, it turns out. Gabe turns out to be an effective whisperer to those who come to jump, convincing each of them to abandon their intentions. Until he doesn’t. And the one who plunges from the cliff has many secrets, secrets which involve Gave and Pippa.
It was compelling to listen to and read (I switched back and forth from audio to ebook), and it’s crafted well, with several reveals and tight pacing. I wouldn’t want to hang out with any of the characters, but they were developed well and unique individuals.
One part of the ending bugged me a bit, but I can’t say more without spoiling. If you’re a fan of thrillers, I think you’ll like this one!
Thanks to the publisher for the advance copies.

What do mental health problems, marital and family secrets and a troubling death equal? One REALLY GOOD thriller! I've been dying to read this and I'm so glad I got the chance to early. It was amazing!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

I reaaaallllyyyy wanted to love this book because I feel like everyone who had read it did. But I could not get into it. I felt like it dragged. I did push through and finish it.

There were twists at the end that I did not expect but nothing mind blowing. I do appreciate a mental health representation. I felt like the plot was a bit flat. There was so much potential with this book, but I never felt hooked.

I may be in the minority, but I just did not connect with this book.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for a copy of The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth.

It was fine. Probably my least favorite of the four books of hers I've read. I know going into her books that they are going to be more family drama than suspense so I've set my expectations.

It was an easy read, I liked the dual points of view from Pippa & Amanda and I wasn't quite expecting the ending. It was a solid 3-star book from me.

The Soulmate officially comes out in the US on April 4th.

This was such a fast read for me! If you love short chapters - this is the thriller for you. For me, the plot fell a little flat and I didn't really care much about any of the characters. I loved the dual POV and timelines of this one ~ helped make it feel a bit twistier and left you on your toes a few times.

Excited to read more of her books. Recommend this one!
Pub day April 4

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to be an early reader!

Pippa and Gabe live in a beautiful house on the edge of a cliff. Gabe has become famous for saving the lives of multiple people who have come to jump. Until the night that he isn’t able to save Amanda.

Now Pippa realizes that Gabe knew Amanda and that their lives are more intertwined than anyone thought. And Pippa has to discover the truth to keep her family safe.

This book started off strong but the ending fell flat for me. Things happened that were just came completely out of left field for the characters. It’s told in dual timelines and dual perspective. There were some twist thrown in throughout the book, with a big reveal at the end. Overall, 3/5⭐️

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.