Member Reviews
I could not stop listening!! It was full of twists and turns and the narrators, Barrie Kreinik and Jessica Douglas-Henry were fabulous.
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The story begins with Gabe going out, as he has before, to try to talk a random lady out of jumping to her death off the cliff behind Pippa and Gabe’s house. Their dream home seems to be a popular suicide spot. However, this time his persuasive talk didn’t work and she jumps anyway. Or did she? And was it random? Pippa isn’t sure what she saw out the window.
And so begins a story of how two families intertwine and how all their sins come to the light. Gabe, Pippa and their daughters have secrets. Max and Amanda aren’t what they seem. It is told from the perspectives of Amanda, the one who jumped, and Pippa, who is left wondering what happened. It goes back and forth in time from the present to the stories that led them here.
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I gave this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. I was definitely hooked! I loved the audiobook. It was my first Sally Hepworth but now I’m going to go buy more! All the characters had likable aspects. Two characters I liked to the end. Two characters I changed my mind about. I definitely recommend it to anyone who loves thrillers, suspense, mystery type genres. Although to me, it was a little more family drama mystery than actual thriller.
Thank you to @macmillan.audio and @netgalleyfor a free audiobook copy in exchange for a fair and honest review!
Pippa, her husband Gabe, and their two little girls move into a new house located by a nearby beach. Their house is set back from a cliff drop off that is known for being a suicide spot. When Pippa or Gabe notice a person near the cliff's edge, Gabe goes out to talk to the person while Pippa calls the police. All of the people have walked away from the endeavor and Gabe is somewhat of a local hero. However, when a woman named Amanda falls to her death, and Gabe was with her on the cliff's edge when it happened, the question becomes - did she jump or was she pushed?
This story had a lot of suspense from the beginning and it kept a high level of tension throughout the book. There are two narrators for this novel: Pippa and Amanda. Each chapter begins with who the narrator is and if it takes place in the present or the past. The character of Pippa was easy to get a feel for early on as much of the story is told from her point of view. From the chapters narrated by Pippa, the reader learns about her immediate family, her extended family, and the town in Australia where they live. Pippa also provides some background history of her relationship with her husband Gabe, starting with when they met. Amanda tells her story, both from her perspective of things after she dies, and from before she dies.
It was fun listening to the audio version of this book. The narrator has an Australian accent, which makes the characters more realistic, since Australia is the setting for the story. She does a nice job of switching her voice so that it is easy to tell which character is speaking. The narration has pauses in all of the right places to help enhance the listener's feeling of suspense. I would listen to a book read by this narrator again.
Thank you to #NetGalley and #MacMillanAudio for an audio ARC of #TheSoulmate by #SallyHepworth - 4 stars
This book kept me entertained and burning through pages. What a hook it had! A woman thinks she might have witnessed her husband shove a lady off a cliff right outside their home? And now they are both lying to the police in different ways? I must get to the bottom of this!
Was this his mistress? Did he really try to save her? What’s on the flash drive?! Why is her one daughter creeping me out so much? So many questions and I got all the answers I asked, but not necessarily what I wanted. I thought the ending was clever, but a little boring at the same time. I know that’s weird, but if you read it, maybe you’ll understand! 😆
Sally Hepworth really knows how to keep a captive audience and I will continue to read all of the books she releases. I also think they would make fantastic movies or tv shows.
Thank you to @stmartinspress and @netgalley audio for the arcs!
The Soulmate was a fun, fast paced thriller. My first Sally Hepworth book but not my last. I think this would be a great introduction to thrillers-easy to digest and not very dark- but if you are an avid thriller reader this was a run of the mill story.
I really enjoyed the narrators on this one. The dual POV and timelines worked well in this book, clear and led into each other well. The twists were not too twisty or far fetched, not entirely predictable but nothing jaw dropping.
The storyline was not as dark as most thrillers but wasn't exactly cozy. Most of the characters were likable. Except Gabe. Gabe was terrible.
This was my first Sally Hepworth book, and it won't be my last. The twists and turns kept me fully invested until the last word. The audiobook narrators were perfect@
Gabe and Pippa Gerard bought the seaside house overlooking the ocean without realizing that it was a popular spot for suicide jumpers. Gabe has since talked several out of jumping. He’s good looking, and charismatic, so it wasn’t surprising he’d be good at changing their mind. However, now a woman succeeds despite Gabe’s efforts, and this opens a whole can of worms, because Gabe knew the woman.
The story is told through Pippa Gerard, Gabe’s wife, and Amanda the dead woman, both in before and after chapters. I liked both women, which was nice because lately thrillers seem to be filled with unlikeable characters making it hard for me to completely enjoy. While neither were perfect, I felt for them and could understand their motivations, even when I didn’t always agree with their actions. I think Pippa’s story touched me just a little more.
The Soulmate was riveting from the first page! I listened to the entire book in one day, not able to stop because I had to know how it all turned out! There are several twists, and most I didn’t guess correctly, but had me thinking back on scenes and thinking “ah, that’s why…” I’m still thinking about the story making think I need to look up more by Sally Hepworth!
I listened to the audio version narrated by Barrie Kreinik and Jessica Douglas-Henry. I’ve enjoyed Barrie Kreinik’s narration in the past and loved her performance of Pippa’s POV! Her Australian accent is lovely to listen to. Jessica Douglas-Henry’s performance of Amanda was also well done. I highly recommend the audio version! I listened at my usual 1.5x normal speed.
4 stars!
"The Soulmate" by Sally Hepworth is an awesome mystery/thriller that's sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. Things are not as they appear as the past mixes with the present to tell the interwoven stories of two couples, Gabe and Pippa, and Max and Amanda. From the very first chapter, the stage is set with a terrific atmosphere, intriguing but shady characters, and a premise that promises more to come with the turn of each page. I could not put this novel down! There are so many twists and turns that I just *had to* keep reading. This is a fast-paced, engrossing read that will leave you unable to stop until all of its secrets have been revealed. The family drama intermingles with mystery and suspense to create one heck of a tale. I was not let down in the slightest. I am putting all of Sally Hepworth's novels on my TBR!
Barrie Kreinik and Jessica Douglas-Henry are great audiobook narrators! I wish there had been a little more variation across the voices they do for specific characters, but it did not detract from the awesomeness of this book.
Thank you to NetGalley, Sally Hepworth, and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC copy of this book! All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for my review.
This book was amazing, I loved all the twists and turns! I feel like she did a good job with the mental illness aspect of this book without using it as a crutch. Sally Hepworth is now one of my favorite authors and I will always read her books! Off to add the rest of her backlog of books to my expanding TBR!
THE SOULMATE
Sally Hepworth, Author Mystery/Thriller
Release Date: April 4, 2023
https://bit.ly/40BMFAv
When it comes to light that Gabe and Pippa’s dream home is famous for being the place where people wishing to commit suicide by jumping, things take a turn for the worse. Especially when Gabe is unable to save the last person who comes to the spot.
This was a book that I could not stop reading once I started it. It shows suicide from all perspectives and examines mental illness and the process for making a diagnosis and treatment plan. It kept me guessing until the very end which always makes it a 5 out of 5 stars read for me.
This was a great psychological thriller with many twists and turns. We two couples and their relationship and watch as the collide. Their actions shape their futures and change others. I dont know what else to stay without spoiling it. Its best to go in knowing nothing at all!
This is only my second Sally Hepworth book and they are always solid reads with lots of fun twists. The Soulmate had my hooked from the very beginning. The deep dive into the complexity of marriage, betrayal, and secrets was gripping. I had no idea who we could trust in this book and never knew what anyone’s ulterior motives were. The end had a twist I absolutely didn’t see coming and literally made me gasp. I can’t wait to read from this author.
This was my first book by Sally Hepworth and I found it a good fast-paced read! To me, this would be more a domestic suspense over thriller. It was very interesting watching these marriages unfold and understand how they consider the concept of soulmate. Overall, I was not completely thrown off by the twists in this one, but it was a enjoyable quick read overall!! I look forward to reading more from Sally Hepworth.
Thanks to Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC of The Soulmate
Pippa and Gabe have purchased and moved into their dream house, located atop a cliff in a coastal town. There's just one issue: the cliff is a popular spot for death by suicide. Gabe becomes somewhat of a local hero, talking people off the ledge, until one night, he abandons his usual protocol and a woman dies.
I liked the short chapters and steady reveal of new information, to flesh out the plot. The Soulmate's narrators, Barrie Kreinik and Jessica Douglas-Henry, did a fine job. But I felt this one lost steam and became a bit repetitive toward the end. I also couldn't quite suspend disbelief as much as I think I needed to, to fully enjoy it. I'd have liked more focus on their relationships and less on the business dealings -- the latter seemed sort of shoehorned in.
Overall, I'm disappointed this one didn't exactly work for me, but note that many friends have really enjoyed it.
Pippa and Gabe have moved to a new home overlooking a cliff. It has wonderful views but it is known as the spot where people like to end their lives. They have even saved a few lives. But, there was one that they could not save. And Pippa is now beginning to wonder if Gabe had anything to do with this lady’s death. Did he push her or did she truly jump?
I flew through this book. It is intense and very addicting. I had several plots rolling through my mind as I was listening. I also found Gabe very entertaining. He is a changeling and the way I perceived him at the beginning is not the way he actually turned out. Same for Pippa. They were not as they seemed.
Now, I will say, I was not a big fan of how this book ended. And this is why I gave it a 4 star and not a 5 star. The ending just didn’t fit. But boy did I enjoy the ride getting there!
The narrators, Barrie Kreinik; Jessica Douglas-Henry, we’re amazing! I love it when there is a tag team. Just makes the story more real!
Need a book which changes on a dime…THIS IS IT ! Grab your copy today.
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤!
I love Sally Hepworth books, every one is unique and different in their own way but fantastic. This story was twisty, dark, disturbing and kept me at the edge of my seat from start to finish. I loved it!
Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this complimentary audiobook.
https://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeemx/
Thank you to Netgalley, McMillan Audio and Sally Hepworth for allowing me to listen to an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book for an honest review.
✨ Trigger warnings: mental illness, suicide, and depression. ✨
Every family has secrets, right? Even families with a couple that considers themselves to be soulmates, right?
Gabe and Pippa have been soulmates for years. They’ve poured every ounce of their being and existence into each other…or so they thought. They make a leap of faith and purchase their dream house in a quaint, sleepy coastal town in Australia despite one large concern. A cliff behind their home, rumored to be the perfect place for someone to end their life.
Once they move into their home, they wonder how they will keep their daughters safe, as well as individuals wanting to end their life behind their house.
Gabe becomes known as a local hero for talking to and guiding people away from the ledge of the cliff almost every night until one day he wasn’t able to save, Amanda. Why wasn’t he able to save this woman? What was different about this situation? Is Gabe connected to Amanda. Did he push her off the ledge? Is there adultery within their marriage? What other lies haven’t come to the limelight?
I found this story to be less of a thriller than a family/domestic drama with some surprising twists. However, it was still very enjoyable and the drama within the family kept me guessing consistently throughout. The secrets and twists were slowly revealed with one big revelation at the end.
What I liked:
💕 The concept that a couple can be soulmates and have an unwavering love regardless of lies and infidelity.
💕 The slow unraveling of secrets. The reader was given tidbits throughout and the characters were often shocked by new secrets.
💕 The setting: Australia (loved the reference to Tim Tam Cookies, yum!).
💕 Love the curiosity and wonder found within Gabe and Pippa’s daughters.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for accepting my request to audibly read and review The Soulmate.
Narrators: Barrie Kreinik; Jessica Douglas-Henry
Published: 04/04/23
It's publication day -- Sally Hepworth did not disappoint me. I'm going to discuss the elephant in the room: I did not notice two narrators. I was not confused at any point. Does that mean the narrators did a great job? I think so. Getting the name for this review is when I saw there were two.
From page one I was hooked, and was really happy to see the storytelling play out. The story is not over-the-top. After I finished I was playing the book back in my mind, and realized there really was only one possible cringe-worthy moment, but that is debatable and for spoilers sake and really because this is new being released today, no details. The story makes sense, and as a reader these are my favorite books. I love good storytelling. Imagine meeting your neighbors for the first time and over the years all that you share. That is this book.
Hepworth does throw in a few F words, and I was stymied. I had to take a minute after the second one, and lose the conversation I was having with myself about quotas and are authors paid a few extra bucks for using profanity. She used them in a juvenile way. I was asked my thoughts thus far during some YouTube reading sprints, and the hosts laughed. I explained an automatic loss of one star for F words. Standards are subjective.
Overall, I enjoyed The Soulmate, and my time with the book was well used.
Sally Hepworth is a must read author for me and she always delivers. She serves up relatable characters, complex plots, and twists I never thought to expect.
The Soulmate was an interesting read and pretty unique. The characters weren't particularly likeable but they were definitely human and I kept wanting to give Gabe passes because he was a good dad. But, this is one of those novels that's an onion and as each layer is peeled, you just know you don't have the full story yet. I was so frustrated with Pippa for her naivety but in true Hepworth fashion, I was still rooting for her.
I loved peeling back the layers on this one and it went places I never would have expected at the beginning.
I listened to the audio and thought the narrators were great. They do have Australian accents (which is a plus for me!) but I listened a bit slower than my usual speed just so I didn't miss a single word.
If you love a fast paced, contemporary novel with a bit of thrill, Hepworth is your gal and The Soulmate will be a stellar choice.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy,
Sally Hepworth can be hit or miss for me. I loved The Good Sister and thought a little less of The Younger Wife. This one falls between the two for me. It is a solid story and I love her writing style. It is just so easy to read. But It seems like mental illness gets the short end of things in this one. I thought she was phenomenal when writing an on the spectrum character in The Good Sister. She showcased Fern’s struggle in life without making it a social issue, while in this one mental illness gets the bad end of the stick. I did read about her research and personal experience on the subject and still felt this way. But that was really all I didn’t like.
She does such a good job of setting the scene of the house on the cliff. I felt like I could see and feel it. So many secrets and lies and I didn’t see some of them coming. She is so good at giving you all the details you need to know and framing them in a way that you can’t piece the truth together until the end. The dual POVs of Gabe’s wife and the suicide jumper does a great job of showing Gabe’s actions without him being a narrator.
Not only are we reading about the suicide cliff, but the inner workings of the marriages of the two couples and how mental issues can affect a marriage. While I didn’t love the characters, I was caught up in how this one would play out and I read it in a couple of days.
I was lucky enough to have both a reading and listening copy and loved both equally and flipped back and forth as my schedule permitted. I’m such a sucker for accents and thought both Barrie Kreinik; Jessica Douglas-Henry did a great job of making the story come alive.
As always I was entertained and can’t wait to read her next book.
The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth
Special Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for providing me with an Audiobook copy of The Soulmate.
Other than being familiar with the genre, I went into this title blind. I feel like the experience is better for me that way. I thought this book was great. I love how not only does the story bring you in and take you on this journey that is intense on so many levels that literally had me on the edge of my seat and the characters on the edge in the story as well lol.
I love how the book had multiple point of views. In my opinion multiple POVs give the story and characters more depth. I appreciate that because it make the story more authentic (even though its fiction lol) and enjoyable to me. Both marriages had struggles which is also accurate in real life and I liked how the author depicted that in the story as well. I am not gonna lie though, I was not ready for the ending. The twists that take place in this book are totally unanticipated and will literally having you feeling like someone just pulled the floor from underneath you! But if you're like me, you love that experience when reading.
This was my first time reading a book by Sally Hepworth, I am looking forward to checking out more of her work. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book and I appreciate very much the chance to read it. 4 stars.