DNFed - I chose to DNF this book in the past. I am typing as a review so it doesn’t harm my %. I haven’t chose to pick the title back up.

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. And thank you to @macmillan.audio for a free download of the audiobook.

A Haunting and Heartfelt Tale

Darling Girls is a captivating and thought-provoking novel that delves into the complexities of trauma, friendship, and the enduring power of the human spirit. Sally Hepworth masterfully weaves together a gripping narrative that is both haunting and heartwarming.

The three main characters, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia, are complex and well-developed. Their bond, forged in the crucible of their shared past, is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. The author skillfully explores the lasting impact of childhood trauma, and the ways in which it can shape their lives.

The dual timelines, alternating between the past and the present, create a sense of suspense and mystery. The gradual unveiling of the dark secrets of Wild Meadows keeps the reader engaged.

While the pacing is somewhat deliberate, it allows for a deeper exploration of the characters and their relationships. The ending, though bittersweet, is satisfying and leaves a lasting impression.

The audiobook narration for Darling Girls is exceptional. The narrator skillfully brings the three distinct voices of Jessica, Norah, and Alicia to life, enhancing the listening experience and making the characters even more relatable.

Darling Girls is a powerful and poignant novel that will stay with you long after you've finished reading it.

4 stars

#books #bookishlife #booklover #readingisfun #iowabookstagrammers #iowabookstagram #netgalley #stmartinspress #macmillianaudio darlinggirls #sallyhepworth

A dark and riveting exploration of complicated family ties, shared trauma, and the secrets we keep to survive. The story follows three women—Jessica, Norah, and Alicia—who were all raised by the enigmatic and deeply flawed Dr. Darling. When they reunite after his death for the reading of his will, long-buried truths surface, forcing them to confront the past and the impact he had on their lives.

Hepworth masterfully intertwines the perspectives of the three women, creating a layered narrative that alternates between the past and present. The psychological tension is palpable as each chapter peels back new layers of manipulation, love, and betrayal. With her trademark ability to balance emotional depth with suspense, Hepworth keeps readers hooked until the shocking conclusion.

Perfect for fans of domestic thrillers and family dramas, The Darling Girls is an intense, thought-provoking read that lingers long after the final page.

I’m a little late to the Sally Hepworth party, but after reading this I needed to dive into the back list. It was mysterious without being scary and kept me guessing. I really enjoyed it.

Kind of twisted especially the end. Overall a good read, and I enjoyed how the girls all kept in touch as sisters over the years. Them trying to figure out who the baby was and seeing the back and forth between then and now was surprisingly smooth which made for a good read. Overall I did enjoy this book.

One of my go to authors for suspenseful reads! This one packed quite the emotional punch that I wasn't expecting. There were some really good twists (I never see them coming anyways). Can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to be an early reader! All opinions are my own.

📖 BOOK REVIEW

🎧 DARLING GIRLS by Sally Hepworth
5 stars

Genre: thriller
Did I cry: no
Published in 2024

💭: i absolutely loved this book. Everything about it. I loved each of the sisters and how they were slowly introduced to the reader one by one. As awful as it was, i really appreciated the way the foster mom’s relationship with the girls was depicted slowly and almost exponentially. It felt realistic and helped the reader develop a true, strong abhorrence for the situation and for miss fairchild herself. There were a couple different plot lines to follow which was fun to try to piece them all together. Once the reveal happened i had no other thoughts except BRILLIANT‼️

The pacing was perfect, giving us enough that i was never bored or uninterested, but holding enough back that i was so eager to keep reading. The ending was also really good. I felt like it tied the beginning of the book into the end and i just don’t know that there could’ve been a better ending. It didn’t appear to be the most mind-blowing twist (or so I thought🫢😌) but i don’t particularly feel that it needed to be because it made the book so complete… and then i kept reading🤭 The audiobook was fantastic & i definitely recommend!!

4.25 --

The first thing that you need to know about DARLING GIRLS by Sally Hepworth is that it is NOT a thriller, hardly even a suspense; this is more of a domestic drama centered around child abuse.

Told via multiple POVs and past and present timelines, it tells the story of 3 girls fostered by the same woman (a deranged lunatic, in my most humble opinion) and the adults they become. The 3 are called back to the small town after the discovery of human remains on the property of their former foster home.

If child abuse is a trigger for you, walk away right now - do not pass go, do not collect $200, do not read this book. Triggers aside, it is a quick read with great storytelling.

I loved that we got each sister’s perspective to discern how each of them were individually impacted by the events in their childhood and saw how their temperament as children, amidst their circumstances, became evident in how they lived their adult lives. The ending was the icing on the cake (and you know I love cake... and icing). There is one CSI boo-boo that made me raise an eyebrow but I will leave that for the spoiler discussion.

Recommend to a friend? Yes, for the excellent storytelling, unless any of the following triggers you: child abuse, emotional abuse, gaslighting (and more that will be spoilers if I mention them here).

This book was such a page turner! I loved the short chapters that continuously kept me flipping the page and the multi POV really added to the mystery of who was who and who was telling the truth. Multiple twists caught me off guard which is so satisfying when reading a mystery/suspense/thriller. I will absolutely recommend this book to friends and family.

As is the norm for Sally Hepworth, this book had a great big twist! I love being surprised by books and this author never lets me down. I was a little confused part way through because I was convinced that a different character was in the therapy sessions, but it all clarified itself for me at the end. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

Enjoyed this much as I enjoy Sally Hepworth novels, in that way that I find them all kind of depressing but entertaining and fairly unexpected.

4.75 ⭐️ I loved this book!! The twists twisted, each sister was equally insufferable and lovable at the same time. I love Sally Hepworths writing and this book is now one of my faves!!

The ending really was 🤯 I’m admittedly the worst and always try to guess the ending of a thriller, some of it I guessed, and some of it truly shocked me.

Full review and links to social will be posted as soon as possible.

I'd like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This one has wildly dramatic. I couldn't get enough. This book was really dark also more so than this author’s other books. I loved the back and forth with the different POV's from the sisters.
Please be aware of all the triggers in this one, because I wasn't aware of any of them. Also keep in mind this isn't necessarily a thriller, so don't have that mindset going in.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for providing me this Digital Advanced Readers Copy of the book!

Oh my goodness!!!! This book had me in my toes, I definitely enjoyed it, I could not put it down, the chapters were so good and short, it was very easy to follow. I liked how the author just kept on going with many different stories on how the characters were going through. This book definitely made for psychological thriller readers, I definitely recommend it!!!

I am not always a fan of slow burn mysteries, but Sally Hepworth is pretty good at balancing that with compelling characters.

Jessica, Norah and Alecia all end up as foster children together with a foster mom that is less than ideal. She looks the part on the outside but is abusive to the girls. These three, a mystery person, and a psychologist tell the story in the present, where a body has been found at their home, and the past, where the girls met.

I liked that each of the three girls have such distinct personalities. It made the unraveling of their lives and secrets much more fascinating. Not all are likable but they had something about them that I wanted to know more. They are strong and battling their past.

Jessica Clarke did a good job of balancing the seriousness of the plot with the compelling characters. She expertly brought all the voices to life.

This was a quick, page turning read. Although I will say this is not my favorite Hepworth book. Her most recent books seem more forced and less natural, though still good, worthwhile reads.

I really enjoy reading Sally Hepworth. This one kept me turning pages and kept me guessing. The relationship between the girls and the stories of how they lived their lives was told well. I’ll read anything Hepworth writes.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This can be a difficult read. The story is about how a specific foster parent treated the children in her care for years. That being said, I loved how the story focused on the three older foster children, and how even years later, they considered themselves sisters. The way the story unfolded, and how everything was revealed was great. I found myself gasping with each reveal. When I thought I had it figured out, something else would be revealed that had me questioning myself.

I definitely recommend this novel.