Member Reviews
A gripping domestic thriller that explored the cracks beneath a seemingly perfect marriage. Pippa and Gabe live in an idyllic cliffside home with their two daughters, where Gabe has developed a reputation for talking down people contemplating suicide at the cliff's edge. But when one woman falls to her death, Pippa begins to question whether Gabe really tried to save her—or if something more sinister occurred. Hepworth did a fantastic job creating envy for Pippa and Gabe’s picture-perfect life, only to unravel it layer by layer. The suspense built beautifully, and the twists kept me hooked until the end. A compelling read with a dark, emotional edge! Excellent on audiobook!
I will say that this was one of those books that you were like oh yeah... I've totally figured it out... only to be proven completely wrong in like the very next chapter. I cannot tell you the number of times I was reading and then something would happen and I'd be shocked because I really didn't see it coming. The author does a really good job with the misdirection and intentional misleading... and it really does showcase the ways the characters have told themselves such convincing lies. I honestly spent most of the book questioning my assumptions about things. Eventually I just stopped and was even more shocked by the big reveals that the author dropped into the storyline. And it was like they were no big deal... which I think is also indicative of Pippa and Gabe's relationship. They hide from so much.
The book was a little slow for me at points and it didn't feel like much was happening. Which, in all fairness, when the main event happens in the first chapter it doesn't really leave much anticipation building. Everything else is just a look at what led up to that event and what happened after. It was interesting to get this view of Pippa and Gabe's "perfect" marriage and to realize just how imperfect it was. It was interesting to have Amanda's point of view in the story, because it was like the polar opposite of Pippa's. I have to admit that this was one of those books that I didn't see the end coming. I however don't think it felt too much like a thriller. It honestly felt like a just a story about two vastly different marriages. Overall, it was an interesting read with lots of twists and turns.
This was my first read from this author and I’m glad I read it. I love a good mystery that holds my attention and that was certainly this. Definitely an interesting read. I will have to look into the author’s other work. Narration was good.
*NetGalley review*
What a one to choose for my first Sally Hepworth book! I thoroughly enjoyed the pacing of this story, the short chapters, and how it jumped back and forth between characters and timelines. I was engaged throughout and did not see the twist coming. Although you knew who was involved in the fall from the beginning, it was interesting to see the why and what all led to that point. I will definitely be reading more of her books in the future! Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Sally Hepworth for the opportunity to read and review The Soulmate!
This was a great read ! Very interesting and had me on the edge of my audiobook!I love the book cover and narration .
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Barrie Kreinik and Jessica Douglas-Henry. I listened at a 1.5x speed which is my usual speed and the pace was good. I enjoyed the emotion both narrators brought to the characters and found the different voices to be clear and distinguishable. I highly enjoyed the listening experience of the audiobook and the two opposing narrators made the story more engaging.
I listened to this book in one weekend. Very twisty and suspenseful. Looking forward to her next great read.
👍: right away it starts out as a page turner that'll keep you guessing!
👎: the ending was sooo anticlimactic that it practically ruined the whole book for me. I was like, that's it?! All this hype throughout the book was for this? There were also some answers left unsolved, which really annoys me in a book. I was disappointed, this could've been such a good book.
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Thank you to Netgalley for an advance release copy of this book!
A wonderful domestic suspense with varying timelines, interwoven stories of couples and little clues of what’s to come sprinkled throughout the story. Just when I thought I had things figured out the author would send me in a new direction. The varying timelines had me a bit confused at first but I was able to pretty quickly catch on to how the story was being told and enjoyed this unique approach.
Sally Hepworth has become a must-read author for me. She really drew me into this story, and I really was hooked on the story line. I wanted to see where the story would end up. The narration was excellent as well and made for an easy relaxing listen. This may be one of my favorite books of hers that I have read.
This was entertaining though I did see where the story was headed. Not great, not bad. Not that I’ll remember a few weeks from now. Still a solid 3 stars for ‘middle of the road’.
Sally Hepworth has such a gift of writing some really great psychological thrillers. This one kept me glued to the pages. Unforgettable!
The audiobooks is fabulously narrated by Barrie Kreinik & Jessica Douglas-Henry.
Thank you, Sally Hepworth, Macmillan Audio, & netgalley for my copy! All opinions are my own.
📖🎧BOOK/AUDIOBOOK Gabe and Pippa believe that they have found the perfect home; a cozy cottage on the edge of a cliff. It's quiet, the view is beautiful, but it is also a place where people come to end their lives. Luckily Gabe has been able to stop many of these poor souls from making a decision to end it all, but then one day he can’t. To make matters worse Gabe knows the jumper, information he doesn’t openly share with the police. As the investigation gets underway Pippa starts to have her own questions.Would Gabe lie? What could he be hiding? Is she really Gabe’s soulmate? Is he her’s?
The Soulmate was a little bit of a letdown for me. I found Gabe and Pippa to be borderline annoying, and their marriage had dysfunctional written all over it. I did like the way in which the story was presented. The reader gets to see the story through the eyes of Pippa as well as Amanda–the woman who died at the cliff–and her perspective as a ghost. I enjoyed Amanda’s sections much more than I did Pippa’s, which made it hard to get through the novel at times. Unfortunately I think the ending is the only thing that surprised me in the whole book, an ending that did fit rather well. Overall The Soulmate was a bit of a letdown.
The one thing I really liked about the audiobook is that there were two narrators, one for Pippa and one for Amanda. I felt like this allowed for the characters to have their own personalities to go along with their individual voices. Both narrators had good inflection and change in pace, creating suspense and curiosity, but they still couldn’t make the material within the novel more enjoyable.
The Soulmate is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and anyone who enjoys a good mystery. It's a suspenseful and addictive read that will keep you guessing until the very end.
This book did not work for me at all. It was so painfully slow and I kept getting bored. I ended up not finishing it but I made it over 50 percent. The narrator was great, it was just the plot.
Sally Hepworth’s writing isn’t bad, but it’s not my style. It’s a lot of anxious inner dialogue of her main characters, almost all women, and it’s a lot of self-doubt. It gets annoying quickly. But her saving grace is that the plot lines are juicy — and this one is JUICY. The characters felt just the right amount of flawed. The plot lines weaves together to great twists and an an Aha Moment at the end. Audiobook narrator was great, too.
"The Soulmate: A Novel" by Sally Hepworth was an intense and intricately woven story that had me utterly engrossed. I found myself wondering why I had waited so long to read it. The narrative was expertly crafted, and the plot was rich with layers, keeping me on my toes throughout.
The story revolves around four main characters, and I constantly found myself thinking I had it all figured out, only to have my assumptions challenged. It's a masterful work of storytelling where nothing is as straightforward as it seems. The characters' lives are tangled in ways that keep you perpetually questioning their true motivations and secrets, leaving much hidden beneath the surface.
The central mystery of whether the main character jumped or was pushed sets the stage for a story that deals with weighty themes such as suicide, murder, mental illness, infidelity, and a marriage of convenience. Hepworth's narrative draws you in from the very first page and holds your attention until the unexpected conclusion.
I must also commend the audiobook version of this novel. The narration was absolutely top-notch, enhancing the overall experience and bringing the characters and their secrets to life.
"The Soulmate" by Sally Hepworth is a thrilling and captivating novel that I couldn't put down. I ended up reading this one in 2 sittings (which would have been one had I not needed to sleep). This book deserves 4-stars for its compelling storytelling and engaging dual POV narrative. I enjoyed having two separate narrators for both of the women and think both narrators did a fantastic job bringing their POV to life.
One of the standout qualities of this novel is its ability to draw you in from the very beginning. I found myself completely engrossed in the storyline and the uncovering of secrets.
Amazing setting, fast paced, and lots of lies and hidden secrets, what’s not to like?! More of a family drama than a domestic suspense for me but I enjoyed!
The queen of domestic drama does it again! Such a fun read from start to finish. The narrators did a great job setting the scene and honing into their respective characters’ psychology. Recommend this quick read!