An audiobook that kept me absolutely entertained and audibly GASPING out loud while grocery shopping 👏 So many twists. So much TEA!

[short description] Pippa and Gabe has moved to their dream home in a coastal town. But their new home is not as perfect as it seems. The tall cliff near their home is a popular place for people to end their lives. Dun dun dun. Gabe has saved many lives, talking them off the ledge. Until he fails and a woman falls off the edge. The death of the victim changes Gabe and Pippa’s life. Did she jump or was she pushed??

I really enjoyed this one so much! I felt like there were so many new twists introduced every chapter, and the plot CONSTANTLY THICKENS. Every time I think I know what’s gonna happen I get thrown a huge curveball. The way everything came together at the end was absolutely perfect!

The only thing that I didn’t like so much were some of the characters. Some were a little annoying, but hey, it’s part of the storyline! You’re not meant to like every character lol

Read this if you like:
• Then/Now Chapters
• Dual POV
• Drama + Secrets
• Short Chapters
• Domestic Thrillers (?)

Thank you to @netgalley @sallyhepsworth @stmartinspress and @macmillan.audio for an advanced copy for an honest review. I truly enjoyed this one! This book is available on April 4th and I believe you can pick it for BOTM!

I’ve been reading Sally Hepworth’s books for years now, and must say that her writing gets a little more dark and twisty with each new release. She has a moody vibe going on, and I like it. She truly is the queen of domestic suspense, and I really love how she blends family drama, marriage issues, motherhood, mystery and uncertainty so fabulously. In The Soulmate, Hepworth gives her readers a “behind closed doors” look at two marriages. Both are unraveling, intense, and extremely complicated. In true form, the author isn’t afraid to get down to the nitty gritty, and really dissect these two complex relationships. I’m not going to say very much about the plot because Hepworth’s novels are best enjoyed if you go in blindly. I’m quite certain that you’ll be pleased with the author’s latest if you’ve read and enjoyed her work in the past. I gotta say that the conclusion/big reveal was a bit anti-climactic in my opinion. I was expecting something with a little more shock value, so that was a bit of a bummer. But oddly enough, I didn’t mind all that much because the build-up was just so well done. If you’re able to go the audiobook route for this one, I say go for it! The narrator did a phenomenal job as her voice matched Hepworth’s moody vibe just perfectly. My attention didn’t waver one bit. Overall, this one was a winner for me, and I highly recommend it. The Soulmate releases next week - Tuesday, April 4th! I give it 4/5 stars!

I've never read/listened to a Sally Hepworth that I didn't love. There's just something about her writing style that just makes it so easy for me to fall into the story and completely immerse myself into the characters' lives, and The Soulmate might be my favorite yet. Not only does Sally confront the issue of mental illness in a way that is both heartbreaking and realistic, but she also interweaves the complicated relationship between Gabe and Pippa and creates a totally additive novel that definitely kept me listening, The Soulmate is a one-sitting bingable novel that I loved and will be recommending to all my bookish friends. I can see it being on beaches and poolside everywhere this summer! The narration by Barrie Kreinik and Jessica Douglas-Henry is stellar!!

This book had a very interesting way of incorporating a duel perspective narrative, as one of the people was talking after their death as they looked on at life still playing out for the other members of the story. It also had past and present storylines which I enjoy for purposes of context.

This novel provided an interesting perspective on "Soulmates". The world likes to imagine that if you find your Soulmate then everything will be perfect and easy. It is far from that and this book showcases that well. Both Pippa and Gabe and Max and Amanda's marriages are far from perfect and, at times, hard to imagine anyone being willing to withstand. The idea that this is what "Love" looks like in a marriage is hard for me to sign up for.
Both stories are pretty heartbreaking in the grand scheme of things. Amanda and Max's due to what felt like a lack of communication. Whereas Pippa and Gabe had loads of communication but still kept hurting one another.

I liked the way it showed that no relationship is truly as it seems. It brought focus to the fact that we all really need to be more honest and communicative in our relationships in order for them to be truly have healthy and prosperous. So much can be misconstrued by withholding information even if you think you're protecting the person.

The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth
Narrated by Barrie Kreinek and Jessica Douglas-Henry
Entertaining domestic thriller as always with this author. Provided a bit of a puzzle but not a real mystery. In this story there is a lot of guilt going around and most of the adults should have felt guilty about something but some were much worse than others.
The wrong diagnosis was very annoying because the correct diagnosis was so obvious. I did think the twist was going to be something slightly different. Still. the ending was satisfying.
Narrators were very good although I was not familiar with either one before this.
Also enjoyed the Aussie-isms.

Gabe and Pippa don’t know that their new home (which is on the side of a cliff) is a popular spot for people to attempt suicide. Gabe has been successful at talking people down, until he’s not. After the identity of the latest person who jumped is revealed, Pippa begins to question Gabe’s innocence.

Sally Hepworth is officially an auto buy author for me! Her stories are always entertaining and the best on audiobooks! The short chapters pulled me in and kept me listening all the time. Gabe’s mental health was focused on in a way that I thought was really well done. Gabe and Pippa’s relationship was complex (as most marriages are) and I liked reading about them. I was less invested in Amanda’s timeline and there wasn’t really a big twist.

Wow, you want to talk about plot twists! The Soulmate was an excellent story telling with complex characters with something to hide, heart pounding suspense, and a stunning conclusion. I was grabbed from the first page and couldn’t put it down. The novel is told from the point of view of Amanda and Pippa. Alternating from past and present. What’s even better is that the chapters are short!! I don’t know about you but short chapters makes the book fly.

Sally Hepworth’s style of writing is superb. She entices the readers with details of the marriage, betrayal, and the dark hidden family secrets without giving too much away while keeping you engrossed. This one was amazing and left me speechless. A must read!

I enjoyed reading the book and listening to the audiobook, narrated by the fabulous duo, Barrie Kreinik and Jessica Douglas-Henry! The performance was spellbinding. An engaging listening experience. Highly recommend the audiobook.

The Soulmate is my first Sally Hepworth novel, but it won’t be my last. The story explores the cracks that exist in seemingly perfect marriages and relationships while delivering a thrilling mystery. It follows two narrators who each have two timelines. Pippa is the first who narrates the “Now” and “Then.” She is married to Gabriel (Gabe) Gerard and the two of them have just moved to a cliffside cottage outside of Melbourne with their two daughters, Freya, and Asha. Unfortunately, the cottage is near “The Drop,” which is a popular suicide point. Gabe has made it his mission to try and help talking people off the ledge, until one day he can’t, and the woman falls. While Gabe’s story claims he was trying to help the woman, Pippa is not convinced.

The woman who fell provides the other POV in the “Before” and “After” timelines. Amanda, who has been married to Max Cameron, considered him her soulmate. Her chapters go through her marriage and life that slowly tie together with Pippa’s chapters. Like most other stories, the two seem separate until the author puts them together piece by piece. I liked how the two were brought together as it felt plausible in their connection. At first, I found myself more intrigued by Pippa’s story as Amanda’s seemed more straight-forward by comparison. By the end, I enjoyed Amanda’s, but I maintained my higher intrigue with Pippa’s as I had a lot more questions that I wanted answered.

As the cracks in the marriage between Gabe and Pippa are apparent almost in the very first page, I wish that this was drawn out a little longer. Pippa seems to worship Gabe’s looks and puts him on a pedestal saying how he is perfect with everything. I loved the idea of painting their marriage as perfect at the beginning of the story, but I wish it was done with a little more polish. Before the main mystery starts to reveal itself, the novel gives me a lot of questions. The first automatically is why Gabe and Pippa were still married, as I could not connect to it as loving and lasting. The second is the cliff itself as seemed odd they would live there knowingly when they have kids at home to protect and just the general mental health that would come from witnessing multiple suicides. I also questioned the authorities as they seemed to do nothing for the safety at the cliff and just accepted it. Aside from these questions, and many more related ones, the story does keep you hooked once you move past these, and the main mystery begins. Overall, the general mystery was well-done, but the logistical details needed a little more work for it to all come together for me.

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read this enjoyable novel. The opinions expressed are completely my own.**

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.

This is another unputdownable novel from Sally Hepworth! I read it in less than one day. As the sibling of someone who’s been diagnosed with bi-polar disorder, I thought Sally handled the subject with accuracy and care. The anxiety and worry that comes with supporting someone during manic and depressive episodes. The length of time it can take to get a diagnosis and duration of time it can take to figure out medication and care plans. All of this against the backdrop of a suspenseful plot line that ends in the suspicious death of one of the characters. The end felt a little anticlimactic for me, but it was still a quick, suspenseful book that’s worth the read!

Sally Hepworth is one of my fav authors. I love her writing style and the unique settings and complex characters she includes in all her books. THE SOULMATE has all that. It is a gripping thriller that centers on Gabe and Pippa, a couple who move into their dream home, a charming cottage on a cliff in a quiet coastal town. However, their idyllic life is shattered when people begin to use the cliff as a popular spot to commit suicide. Gabe becomes a hero, talking people off the ledge night after night, until he fails to save someone. When Pippa discovers that Gabe knew the victim, she starts to question everything. As the plot unfolds, the secrets of their seemingly perfect marriage are exposed, and the reader is left to wonder who is telling the truth.

I have been following Ms. Hepworth’s IG account and enjoy her family life posts. I recognized some of her husband’s personality in Gabe (the addiction to online shopping is a dead giveaway) and a bit of herself in Pippa. This made this book even more enjoyable.

I found the story interesting and it definitely drew me in but I kept waiting for the big twist and sadly, I never got it. There were several things that happened that could be construed as the twist but they didn’t grab me and were easily explained away so they didn’t have the big bang I wanted. The characters were fine but I didn’t connect with any of them. This was a quick, easy read that I enjoyed but I was hoping for a much bigger twist.

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 listened to the audiobook version of this book which was narrated by Barrie Kreinik and Jessica Douglas-Henry. Their performances were articulate and believable and added to this already great story. I was able to listen to the book at my usual 1.5X speed. Those readers who enjoy audiobooks will appreciate their performances.

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.

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?

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.

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,

I listened to this on audio and enjoyed both narrators. This takes place in Australia, but the accents were easy to understand.

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 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. I alternated “reading” between the audiobook and e-book. The narrators were very good.

This book is so twisty! I literally didn't have a clue how it would end the whole entire time. The plot was fantastically laid out, you never know the next move. We had unreliable characters and two narrators who didn't have all the info. It was a fascinating journey to go on. I actually really liked how it ended. It was a satisfying way to wrap it up. The story deals with a lot of heavy elements. Drug addiction, infidelity, criminal activity, but it all ties in seamlessly to the story. Thoroughly enjoyed this. And the narrators were fantastic!

This was my first book by Sally Hepworth and I was not disappointed. I was hooked from the start. I think the story flowed at such a good pace. Nothing felt too rushed to me. I liked the short chapters and the different POVs.

The narration was great. I really like that there was a different narrator for each POV. I can't wait to read more books from this author!! Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for the copies of the book!

Oh my goodness! This was so fast paced and kept my listening well into the night. I read a lot of thrillers and mysteries, and this one is a stand out from the average book. The characters were interesting and kept me guessing what they would do next. There were some twists and turns along the way, and the ending was surprising. I had such a great time with this one and the narration was fantastic. I would highly recommend this one!