This book had me hooked from the first chapter. It shifts between the past and present and is told in multiple POV. I found it to be an easy listen, and finished it in 24 hours!

This book does talk about mental health issues such as ADHD, PPD, and bipolar disorder. Sally Hepworth does a great job talking about both Gabe and Pippa’s mental health. She does it in a way that is tasteful without making the characters whole personality revolve around it.

I really enjoyed the book and how things came together in the end. I would absolutely love another book from Gabe’s point of view.

Gabe and Pippa move to a house that is an infamous spot in town- seemingly where people go when life becomes too much for them and they want to take it all away. Normally, Gabe is able to talk them down from the ledge (literally), yet this time he fails to stop a woman from becoming the next victim of the cliffs. Pippa, watching from her house and distracted with wrangling the kids, is sure that the woman jumped. But then she isn't quite sure once she realizes that it wasn't just any woman who went off the cliff- it was someone known to her and to Gabe. Told in alternating voices of Pippa and of the deceased woman, nothing is as perfect as it appears to be.

Holy lies, batman..the secrets, the betrayal and the DECEIPT. The short chapters allowed the pacing to continue rapidly and I felt I finished this in the blink of an eye. I thought that there were some spots that could've been edited out that maybe didn't pertain to the storyline or plot, but didn't necessarily deter from it. Following both Pippa and the woman who went off the cliff was an interesting take since it still brought us to the past and present for BOTH of those. It's been a while since I read a narrative from the 'other side'. I will say that I don't know if I would classify this as a thriller, it had elements of one but it was almost more of a mystery to me. The ending had me gasping out loud and I really thought it was perfect for THIS story when brought all together. I can say I typically don't like the way books end in this manner, but Hepworth did it justice IMO.

The audio narrator was LOVELY and it was a highly pleasant listen.

Overall I would recommend, but would caution that it is more mystery than thriller and includes sensitive topics like mental health and suicide.

Drama, dysfunctional relationships, secrets and twists make for an interesting story - The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth! I love her books and this one kept me on my toes throughout. I didn't see those twists or that ending coming - which is always a treat. Thank you for this early audio copy!

Secrets and lies is what most of this book is about! It is also a book dealing with mental health and family drama. It is seemingly being advertised as a thriller, but it is not, and I mostly enjoyed it throughout. From the book description sounding intriguing and having read several of Hepworth’s previous novels, I was ready for this one.

We have Pippa and Gabe who recently moved to this cottage on the extreme edge of a cliff with their young daughters. They are in for more than they bargained for since people seem to like to commit suicide on this cliff! Gabe has a knack of talking potential jumpers out of what they are doing until one lady shows up and jumps. Later on Pippa finds out that Gabe knew the woman who jumped and many questions start to come to mind.

We have both Pippa and Amanda as our narrators. Amanda’s narrations take place before and after her jump. Through both narrators the reader/listener find out all kinds of connections that come to a head. Some are unexpected: but remember its all about secrets and lies!

Part of the climax really wasn’t, it was more of a letdown. Ultimate motives really did not work for me. But the ending was ultimately satisfying as everything came together despite everything that occurred.

I did have some issues with the narrators. Their voices seemed so similar for me that it was hard to distinguish between Pippa and Amanda at times. For this particular book, I would say read it. I think I would have enjoyed it more that way.

So far this is the weakest novel by Hepworth for me, but she is still enjoyable and I look forward to reading more by her!

Many thanks to the publisher Macmillian Audio for granting me an audio arc to listen to and review.

Gabe and Pippa live in their dream house with their daughters in a small coastal town. Their home is situated right beside tall cliffs which recently seem to be the spot where people come to end their lives. Gabe is the one, time after time, that is able to talk these people off the cliff and back to safety. Until one woman shows up and he doesn't. The plot thickens when it is discovered that Gabe in fact knew the woman that ends her life. But did she jump? Was she pushed? Pippa is not convinced that her husband didn't push this woman. Their perfect life and deep dark secrets emerge as the investigation is in full swing.

This story definitely had me guessing. I was routing for Gabe and adored Pippa's unshakable characteristics. The more secrets that were revealed the more I wanted to close the book simply because I was getting irritated at Pippa and why she made the decisions she made. I was hoping for more gusto the end the book but overall I enjoy it. I gave it a 3.5/5.

The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth was unputdownable. I have loved every book I've read by Sally Hepworth and this book did not disappoint. Hepworth's books are extremely well-written and boast carefully crafted plots with well-developed characters and superbly sequenced plot points. The Soulmate had all of these same qualities. The audio quality and narrator were fantastic! You will LOVE the ride that only Sally Hepworth can provide!

I received a review copy of this book from the author or publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I always look forward to Sally Hepworth’s books, she always writes such fun family drama/suspense stories with memorable characters. The Soulmate wasn’t my favorite by the author, but it was a quick and entertaining read. I never really warmed up to the characters, Pippa was frustrating as a narrator and I didn’t love the ghost POV. There were some things that didn’t fully add up in the plot and I was left with some questions with how everything wrapped up.

I split time between audio and ebook for this and while the narrators brought the characters to life, I found the before/after and then/now timelines along with changing POVs to be harder to track on audio.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the DRC and ALC.

This is my third book by Hepworth and in all three she does a great job of writing characters who are complex and multifaceted. However, this was my least favorite of the three I’ve read. I didn’t find myself needing to keep reading to find out what really happened. I also didn’t think a particular suicide made sense. It didn’t feel like it fit with the character we’d read about up until that moment . I like Hepworths other books a lot but this one fell short for me and lands around 2.5.

The audio for The Soulmate was done very well and I am grateful to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the alc in exchange for an honest review.

3.5
One of my most anticipated reads of the year and while I enjoyed it, I also feel a bit underwhelmed. I absolutely love domestic thrillers! First off, the title and book cover give the reader the feeling of excitement involving a loving relationship but on the edge of a cliff with crashing waves below leaving an ominous feeling...

I like how the book was structured. We have two marriages and we hear from each woman in a "before" and "after" setting. The event that it works around is a woman who fell, jumped, or was pushed off the cliff. As the reader you are basically trying to solve what lead to the cliffside event and what actually happened.

I thought the plot line was strong. I liked the voices of both women. Nothing was too over the top. Yet. Yet...it was a bit slow going. I noticed at the 70% mark I still hadn't been clued into any big reveal. I continued to feel this until the very end of the book. While the ending information was satisfying, I wished it had been spread out more throughout the book.

Final thoughts. It was good, it was entertaining, but I expected and wished for more.

Hepworth writes in a really readable way that was so enjoyable. I will definitely be reading her next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the advance audiobook.

I loved this audiobook. Of course the author also is one of my favorites. I highly recommend it. The narrator kept the suspense going which is difficult to do in different POV. Can’t wait to listen to more of her books. Thank you for the opportunity to listen and review this twisty and fun read.

I listened to this as an ARC audiobook from NetGalley! I enjoyed most of this novel, it was interesting to have an alternating POV from a deceased character to a living character, but it provided enough perspective to understand what was happening around the accident. That being said, there were a lot of moving parts going on (ie. infidelity, parenthood, mental health struggles to name a few) that overwhelmed my train of thought at times. It left me wanting more "umph" from the ending, but that's just because it wasn't how I anticipated it would end based on how many different directions it pulled throughout. But that's what a good author does, right? Overall, Sally wrote a pretty good story.


A side note: I visualized all of the characters as if they were from Bluey, since they both have Australian accents, which was pretty fun. :)

Thank you so much to MacMillan audio for providing an advance copy of this audiobook!

This is my 2nd Sally Hepworth book and I can say that I enjoyed this one much more than the other I have read by her.

This started off strong right away. Gabe and Pippa's home is right along a spot where sadly individuals go to end their lives. Somehow Gabe is always there to save the day, this time though he did not succeed. As the story develops, we learn the connection Gabe and Pippa had to the victim and was her death on purpose?

I really liked that we got the two different point of views - one from Pippa and the other from Amanda (the deceased). Amanda's point of view was both present and past tense which helped piece the story together.

Pippa is a very dedicated wife & will stand by whatever her husband says and trust that is being truthful in what really happened that day on the ledge. But Pippa has her own secrets that she is keeping for everyone. Gabe's struggle with mental illness could have gone a little bit deeper.

As the book went on though, I became less invested in the characters and just was waiting for the truths or the lies to come to light. This wasn't the best thriller I have ever read BUT I enjoyed it enough to keep going and needed to see the mystery through.

The thought the audiobook narrators had done a great job bringing both characters to life.

3.5

I enjoyed this book a lot more than Sally Hepworth's last novel. I would definitely recommend it! It was a fast paced read. I slowed down the narration to better understand.

🌊 The Soulmate - Sally Hepworth

4 ⭐️ - I am really enjoying Sally Hepworth’s library of domestic thrillers and her newest (coming out 4/4) is no exception! This one was thrilling, exciting, and once I got my shit together, (life happens sometimes 🤷🏼‍♀️) I couldn’t put it down! Short chapters and changing POVs.. this one was right up my alley!

Gabe and Pippa have their dream house on a cliff in a cute coastal town. Unfortunately, the dreamy looking cliff is a popular spot for people to try to end their lives. Gabe has been able to save many, until this most recent one. When Pippa discovers Gabe knew the latest victim, whom he couldn’t save, secrets, lies, and questions start to unravel..

The mystery of this story gripped me the whole time. Who was the victim, how were they connected, and who really was the bad guy here? I was addicted to reading to find out the answers. The short chapters and changing POVs made it easy to binge read and keep your attention. If you’re a fan of domestic thrillers, Sally Hepworth book, or are looking for a new book to get started reading with, this one’s for you!

Thank you @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for the early access to this audiobook! Keep your eyes open for this one published on 4/4!

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW

About:

The Gerard family -- Gabe, Pippa, and their two girls -- move to their dream home on a cliff in a sleepy coastal town outside Melbourne, Australia. Unbeknownst to them, the cliff on the property is a well-known suicide spot where people come to jump and end their lives.

While Pippa works to support her family, Gabe is a stay-at-home father... But he becomes known to the town for his other skill: his ability to talk folks down from the ledge. Since moving in, Gabe has talked several people down... that is, until a woman, who is later found to have a connection to the family, jumps.

Or does she?

Told in dual perspective (both Pippa's and that of the woman who died), in past/present timeline, The Soulmate takes the reader on a twisty, heart-pounding, WTF rollercoaster of a ride!

Thoughts:

Sally Hepworth does it again!!!!🙌🏼 This was so bingeworthy! I listened to the audiobook in one day. The narrators, Barrie Kreinik and Jessica Henry-Douglas, knocked it out of the park with their performances. This format really added to my experience and I would definitely recommend!!

Thank you Macmillan Audio & NetGalley for the gifted copy.

Short synopsis: Pipa and Gabe buy a beautiful new home, next to a cliff known for people diving off to their deaths. Gabe is the self appointed rescuer, but problems arise when a woman isn’t talked off the ledge.

My thoughts: I thought for sure I had the twist figured out, but boy was I wrong. So many unexpected twists and turns that kept me flipping pages. Gabe was suspicious from the very start, but I loved watching this story unravel and secrets be divulged.

I loved the dual perspectives between Pipa and Amanda (the woman who jumps off the cliff) and also the timeline changes. I loved how fiercely Pipa loved her daughters, and the personality they brought to the story.

The cover and the whole vibe is atmospheric and perfect for a great summer read. Sally sure knows how to write a domestic thriller that has you questioning those closest to you, and what secrets they may be keeping.

The audio was so well done on this, I am a huge fan of multiple narrators when we have dual perspectives and these two voices it so well together. They told the story seamlessly and added to the whole atmosphere vibe of the story. Very well done.

Read if you love:
- Domestic thrillers
- Short chapters
- Dual POV
- Unexpected twists
- Family dynamics
- Mental health rep

A domestic suspense full of secrets! Short chapters, dual narrators and timelines, with quite a few similarities as they each explore their relationship with their soulmates. They come together in the end to satisfyingly tie the story up. I enjoyed the mystery and the way secrets were revealed. I loved the mental health representation!! It was an integral part of the book and very well done.

The Soulmate has the delicious bite of suspense as told from the perspectives of two different women, one alive and one dead. I love the way the narrative goes back and forth from past to present and the unsettling feelings that evokes. I wasn't sure where the story was going and I was pleasantly surprised by the twists and the way the ending wrapped up all the loose ends and felt emotionally satisfying despite the sad circumstances.

An enticing title and premise that for me, ultimately fell flat. Excellent performances by the narrators however. Pippa and Gabe Gerard live with their two daughters in a cliffside home in Australia that's become a popular suicide spot. Since moving in, Gabe has talked 7 people back from the cliff, but when the eighth appears, he's not able to save her. But the story he tells his wife and the police seems off to her. Especially when we discover the dead woman, Amanda, is the wife of Max, a boss who fired Gabe. Amanda tells her story in before and after timelines, in a bit of a Lovely Bones kind of way, while Pippa relates hers "now" and "then". These two couples are intertwined in more ways than you'd first suspect, and they have secrets from their spouses and the other couple. The first half of the novel was enthralling and I really enjoyed it. But as more was revealed about Max's business and his marriage to Amanda and about Gabe's transgressions and lies to Pippa, I found it harder to root for any of them or to care too much. Some convenient devices and reveals that were less shocking than intended took some of the power away from the ending.

The Soulmate
By: Sally Hepworth

3.75 ⭐️ round it up to 4 because it kept me glued to the story

The house on the cliff.. would I live there absolutely not 😅
Multiple pov which I love goes from now and then. I personally like multiple pov because helps me stay on track and it’s easy to follow.
So much to this story from mental health to relationship troubles, family drama, lies,secrets. It’s easy to get lost in so much going on but I think the novel was done beautifully.
More of a domestic/drama mystery - thriller novel.
The ending tied up very quick.