Oh my GOD. This book did not let up the suspense and twists for a single chapter. Every time I thought I had the story figured out, I’d get a new piece of the puzzle and it wasn’t even close to what I thought was happening. And it was so fast paced. There was something happening every minute I was reading. I loved not only the alternating POVs of Pippa and Amanda, but also the Thens and Nows of the timeline. They went back and forth PERFECTLY. And the characters were all written so well and so complicated. Everyone felt a little unreliable which made the story even more mysterious. Not only was this a great domestic suspense novel, but it was a really good look at marriage and family and mental illness. This is my third Hepworth and now my favorite. I’m just blown away by this book. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
TW: mentions of suicide, mental illness, violence

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced digital readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

Great pacing and an interesting ending. This story kept me guessing and had some surprising moments. It's more than a thriller, it touches on some human issues as well. Thrillers usually get me hooked and then end up with an over the top twist that just upsets the story but this never made me pause with need to suspend belief. I will read more from this author again. I like her storytelling style.

This book had me hooked from the start.
I surprisingly enjoyed the dual pov/time line. I just read over that was a bit harder to follow, but this one was pretty straight forward.
The twists weren't very twisted but I still liked them .
I recommend this book and author.

While doing dishes one night, Pippa notices someone on the edge of the cliff of their dream home. He husband, Gabe goes out to talk to this lost soul, like the ones that have come before, but this time a life isn't saved. Pippa swears she noticed something funny about the interaction but it isn't till she realizes Gabe knew the victim that she questions their past.

This book kept me interested and looking forward to each chapter and answering questions that just kept coming. It was a two POV book that I thought I wasn't going to like. It ended up explaining a life I didn't know I needed to know. The characters were well developed and explained.

The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth. Thank you to the publisher for a digital copy of this book prior to publication. I have loved Sally Hepworth’s past novels and was very excited to read this one. I found the cliff setting (TW: suicide) very interesting in and of itself which prompted me to question whether I would knowingly purchase a house near such a popular suicide spot. The book reads easily although there are multiple layers to the story. I questioned the decisions of the main character but it fit with the plot. This was another great Hepworth novel that will stay with you after completion.

Thank you St Martin's Press for the gifted copy of The Soulmate {partner}

Genre: Mystery
Format: 🎧
Pub Date: 4.4.2023
Star Rating: ☆☆☆.5

“We trust people based on the strangest, most arbitrary things. None of which have any bearing on whether you or not you are inherently good.”

In this unique dual-perspective story, the reader looks at the relationship between two seemingly devoted couples. But, as in most domestic suspense novels, secrets lurk just below the surface. But the question is, how dark are these secrets, and how far are the couples willing to go to keep them hidden?

The Soulmate offered a relatively quick read/listen- I believe I finished it in just under 48 hours. The short chapters and interesting plot lines made me find many excuses to listen to my audiobook. And I loved the narrator too, so it was a delight to read.

I applaud Sally Hepworth and how she handled a particular element of mental health in her book. She did so with careful regard for those who do suffer from this while at the same time not allowing that character to fall back on their illness as an excuse. I see a lot of authors attempt to tackle mental illness with their characters, and they either get it all wrong, OR they create an offensive character. Sally Hepworth did a phenomenal job tackling mental illness in The Soulmate.

✌🏼Dual narrative
🗣️ Interesting perspective from one of the narrators
📖 Short chapters
🎭 More of a family drama with suspense
🙃 Ending left me a tiny bit underwhelmed

❌ suicide

You can find my full review on my blog (link in bio).

I recommend reading The Soulmate if you enjoyed reading The Wife Who Knew Too Much by Michele Campbell.

What’s the last mystery you read that had you 🤯?

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#TheSoulmate #SallyHepworth #Suspense #domesticsuspense #familydrama #bookreview #Bookreviewer #bookstoread #mybookishlife #bookobsessed #Bookrecs #netgalley #audiobook #audiobookadvocate #audiobooklover #booksbooksbooks #mybookaesthetic #Bookworm #bookbabe #bookstagram #currentlylistening #currentlyreading #stmartinpress

This was a unique concept. Edgy and atmospheric. I just kept turning the pages faster and faster to see how it was going to end. Many thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for review

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a good story and I enjoyed the discussion of mental illnesses. The format of the then/now and before/after chapters helped to make this story feel full circle.

It definitely wasn’t as thrilling as I was expecting but I enjoyed the twist at the end. A good story!

What makes someone your true Soulmate?
What defines a perfect marriage?

“Maybe the key to our marriage was that we didn’t make loud proclamations? Maybe, for us, love was something to be whispered. Or, perhaps, never spoken of at all”

This is my second novel by Sally Hepworth and it certainly did not disappoint. The Soulmate, a domestic suspense novel, absolutely captivated me. I wouldn’t necessary call it a thriller. Nevertheless, it had me on the edge of my seat for the few hours it took me to finish this.

I enjoyed the structure of this novel: 2 narrators, past/present, with short chapters that made me breeze through this ARC. I usually find relationship and character build ups slow and boring, but Hepworth made it enticing. I was able to really gage the relationship between Pippa & Gabe/Amanda & Max, which made this novel even better.

The ending was unexpected, and not the usual thriller ending. However, it tugged at all my ❤️strings and I was all for it.

I really love how this novel made me ponder about the meaning of marriage. What people portray as a perfect marriage doesn’t necessarily mean it’s perfect behind closed doors.

Thank you Sally Hepworth, St. Martin’s Press, & NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me an ARC copy of The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth.

Pippa has a great life. A loving sunbeam of a husband and two doting little girls. They live in a quaint cottage on a cliff in a quiet coastal town. With family close by and everything they need; it was a perfect spot. The only downside is that the cliff in their back yard is a popular spot for people to end their lives. Pippa’s husband, Gabe, has earned a reputation for being the angel that always talks people off the ledge. Literally. Until one night Pippa watches a woman slip through Gabe’s hands – or so she thought she saw. What feels like an unfortunate accident spirals into a deep web of lies, betrayal, and chaos. Does Pippa even know what really happened? And worst of all, does she really know the man she shares a life with?

The Soulmate was an interesting thriller set by multiple narrators. Every character felt unreliable and that seemed to add to the tension of the story. I don’t know why I wasn’t super invested in this book. I read it rather quickly and I was perplexed by all the turns these characters went through. I think I put too much of my personal input into how I would have reacted to these situations. Ie, I would have been long gone at the second red flag with Gabe. I also did not like any of the characters, but I think that was almost intentional. The author could have been showing that they are all broken people who live messy lives. There is a little bit of all of us in that. In the end, I would give this book 3.75 stars. Not my favorite from the author, however I will continue to read her books in the future. If you are looking for a thriller that keeps raising your eyebrows, give this one a try!

Sally Hepworth always does a great job at making her books very readable. Chapters end in a way that makes you need to keep reading "just one more!" Her storytelling draws you in quickly and her intriguing characters keep you there. The writing is easy and flows well.

This was a fun domestic thriller. The twists weren't expected which I appreciated. Nothing super memorial but a fun time while reading.

📚 Book Review 📚
Title: The Soulmate
Author: @sallyhepworth
Genre: Suspense / Thriller / Mystery
Date published: April 4, 2023
Primary Setting: Australia 🇦🇺

A huge thanks to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for providing me with a digital ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

📚Synopsis:
When a woman falls to her death from the cliff right outside Gabe and Pippa’s family home, Pippa desperately hopes they have nothing to do with the tragedy, but the evidence is slowly pointing towards the opposite. Pippa and Gabe try to keep their life on track and their family safe, but as more secrets and truths are revealed, the more their lives seem to be spiralling out of their control.

✍️ My review:
I really enjoyed this suspenseful story with interesting characters, multiple POVs, and unexpected twists. The idea that someone would choose to live next to a cliff where people have been known to commit suicide is beyond me (cliffs are a bit of a phobia for me), but it worked so well for this story. The author included some big mental health themes and I felt she presented a respectful and diverse take on them, but there could definitely be triggering content for some readers (see below). Definitely adding Sally Hepworth to my list of auto-buy authors.

⚠️ Trigger Warning: suicide & struggles with mental health

💕You might like this book if:
🔹you like suspense / mystery books that slowly reveal the clues through back-stories
🔹 you like stories to include diverse and atypical characters
🔹 you like characters who are desperately trying to make their lives work

TW: Suicide, infidelity, mental health

Gabe and Pippa’s dream home lies in a small town close to a cliff that is a notorious location for where people come to end their lives. Since moving there, Gabe has been able to talk down each person that has approached the cliff in an attempt to jump off. Until one, day he isn’t. A woman approaches the cliff and as Gabe goes out to try and help her, she ends up dead. Pippa’s world begins to spiral when she realizes that Gabe knew the woman and has not been completely honest with the police in his account of what happened. Did she jump? Was she pushed? Pippa is haunted by these questions and more as secrets come out revealing the cracks in here seemingly perfect marriage.

•

This was one TWISTY read! The story felt like one massive knot that you slowly unravel till the end, it was easy to follow and kept me on edge. The story is told in two POV’s, Pippa’s in present and past and also the woman who died Amanda in both pre and post her death. It was interesting to read Amanda’s POV post death as she observes everything happening around her acknowledging that she knows she’s dead and slowly revealing everything that lead up to her death. I was more invested in Amanda’s story than Pippa, I honestly could care less for Pippa and Gabe their characters made me SO angry 😡 I really enjoyed the writing style of this one, I don’t want to reveal too much as I would say this is one best to jump in blind to and put the puzzle pieces together along the way. Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This title will be available for purchase on April 4th, 2023

This was a satisfying thriller/mystery about a woman who falls from cliff to her death. The author slowly uncovers how the woman was related to the family that saw her fall and the circumstances regarding her death. The pacing was perfect, it kept me turning the pages to find out more, but the truth wasn't revealed until the end and wasn't easy to guess.

SYNOPSIS:

About a year ago, Pippa, Gabe, and their daughters, Freya & Asha, moved into their dream home, a cliffside home in a coastal town a few hours outside of Melbourne. Pippa’s family, including her parents, her sister, & her sister’s wife, also moved to the coastal town to be near Pippa.

When Pippa‘a family moved, they didn’t know about “the Drop”, which is a spot where several people have had attempted suicide on cliffs near their home. In their year of living there, seven people have attempted suicide, and Gabe has saved them all.

One day, a woman, named Amanda, comes to “the Drop”, and Gabe goes out to assist. When the woman falls to her death, a mystery forms. Did she commit suicide? Why she pushes? What happened to her?

MY THOUGHTS
- I loved this book.
- This book is told from multiple POVs, including Pippa’s and Amanda’s.
- This was a page-turning, engaging read, and I found it hard to put down.
- I was very satisfied with the ending.
- The book explores lots of great themes: healthy relationships, toxic relationships, secrets, mental illness, support systems, foundations of marriage, etc.
- Hepworth does a good job in setting up slow reveals to the many twists and mysteries peppered throughout the story.
- Hepworth explores different stages of relationships, and those descriptions felt real to me. It was interesting to slowly take note of things as well.
- I loved the cover of the book, and I’m always excited when solid cover art matches up with a great book.
- I also thought Hepworth handled mental illness well in the book. Without giving away anything, I’ll just say I appreciate she didn’t demonize mental illness or use it as a convenient justification for actions.


TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4.5 stars rounded up to 5. Page-turning, engaging thriller with satisfying ending.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. It's due to be published on April 4, 2023.

Once again, the author has kept me guessing until the end. She tells this story layer by layer, drawing us in. Don’t try to guess how it is going to end, just enjoy.
This story is told in two different viewpoints, Pippa and Amanda. Their telling of the story is every other chapter. Where one leaves off, the other one continues in a different view.
I was thrilled to get this book. Loved it.

Short review:

Gabe and Pippa appear to have a perfect life. That is, until one day when someone jumps off the cliff that is by their house. Gabe was outside with the woman, and it appeared to be that he was helping her, but was there more to the story? Now as Pippa navigates the situation, all of their family secrets come to the surface. Who was the woman? Why did she jump? How does Gabe know her? The Soulmate proves there is more than meets the eye..

I enjoyed this book. I really thought the different perspectives was a cool way to tell the story. The whole time I was trying to figure out why it was called the soulmate, and I thought the reveal in the end was a great tie into the title. Overall, I would recommend this book to people who are looking for a thriller and family drama.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with this work of art in exchange for an honest review.

read the whole thing via audio but never felt into it. brief synopsis: purportedly perfect couple saves people from suicide on a cliff. till maybe they’re not perfect, & maybe they don’t save people? content warnings for suicide and infidelity.

A very quick, easy to read thriller. Some great characters with serious flaws, enough emotion to keep you turning the page, and enough foreshadowing to wonder if something terrible would happen in the end - the stakes were high enough. This thriller in particular had a fairly benign ending where everything(?) sort of turns out ok for the family. With the two little girls, the sister, her wife, new baby, mom and dad, and even husband are all ok in the end, and I actually enjoyed it.