Darling Girls just feels different from the rest of Sally Hepworth's books. She has taken on some serious issues of childhood trauma not to be taken lightly. Then adds her domestic suspense twists she is known for with a healthy dose of snarkiness which allows for some relief from the heavy subtext.

Sisters by circumstance find themselves still thick as thieves many years after leaving their foster home and brutal caretaker. When bones are found beneath the home in which they lived, back they go to face their own ghosts and how it has impacted them in their current adult lives.
In between chapters of then and now, the reader will find someone sharing within the context of therapy. Eventually, that mystery will be solved. What's more, there are some great plot twists which provide a satisfactory reading experience - if you like some seriously damaged villains.

4.5 Stars

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and an early e-copy via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Things I appreciated about this one:
The page-turning plot that you expect from Sally Hepworth, complete with twists to keep you guessing.
The friendship between the sisters and the unconditional love they had for one another.
The rich character development.

Things I did not appreciate:
I was not ready for the content of this one - the blurb did not prepare me for the darkness.
Child abuse.
References to sexual deviance.
The ending -- way too violent for my taste, and perhaps unnecessary?

I've read several books by this author, and typically enjoy them, but this one was just too much for me. I almost DNF'd it within the first 10-20 pages, but thought perhaps that was too soon. Trigger warnings abound with this one. Not for sensitive readers.

This book was fantastic! I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it. I loved reading from the POV of Jessica, Norah and Alicia. It just added so much depth to the story and helped you understand what they experienced under Miss Fairchild’s care. Miss Fairchild is what you would expect and is truly an awful person. I do think this book could be triggering for some due to the content, so keep that in mind after you read the synopsis.

An interesting story of foster care, how it can be and what can happen to those in it. There were plenty of twists and turns that weren't expected.

From the very first chapter of Darling Girls, I was hooked. I loved the way that these sisters chose each other, supported one another and became each others family. I loved the way the alternate POV's and the back and forth between past and present kept me guessing at what had happened and what was going to happen next and I loved the heart that Sally Hepworth put into the story. The line at the end of the story, about Alicia and Meera being the lucky ones, melted my heart. The additional twist at the end was the perfect way to keep me invested and thinking about the story, long after it was finished.

Thank you NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy.

TW: this book is not for you if you are triggered by child abuse.
Set in Australia, the book follows the stories of 3 foster children who become sisters of the heart and the abuse they suffer at the hands of their foster “mother”. It’s told mostly in flashback format for the abuse and then it switches to now.
The only issue I had in the way the book changes POV and time from chapter to chapter was trying to keep everything straight in my head. It all wanted to blur together.
The story was a solid read.
I received a ARC of this book, all opinions are my own.

I have never wanted a book to be more successful than Darling Girls. I’m terrible at writing reviews but here I go- I could not have loved this book more. Well written characters- I actually laughed out loud a few times and also got a bit teary. Mystery, evil and a bond between sisters that felt authentic. I have enjoyed all of Sally Hepworths books but this solidified my undying loyalty.
Thank you for the early copy!

First of all, I read everything that Sally Hepworth puts out. I've been saving this book, waiting for closer to pub date, and just to know I had it waiting for me.

Sally Hepworth does an amazing job in writing and creating her characters. Along with that I tend to love her plots and twists and this book had some great ones. She also writes in a way that I read her books with speed and never wonder how many pages are left.

That said, I struggled a bit with this book, but more because of the content, it was just so sad and on the disturbing side. I can handle dark and sad all day long, but this one got to me more that I cared for. The neglect and abuse shown towards children just bothered me enough that the writing itself along with some twists left me feeling somewhat "meh" about the book. I think it's a me issue and is more because of life circumstances, mood and previous reads that brought me to this conclusion.

I highly anticipate Hepworth's next read!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the gifted eARC.

This book just proves that Sally Hepworth really can do no wrong, as far as I’m concerned! I hit a minor reading slump early on (though it had nothing to do with this book), or else I definitely would’ve devoured it sooner. It was an excellent read that left my jaw on the floor!

I loved the multiple POVs and how the book showed both past and present timelines. It showed how the main characters- Jessica, Norah, and Alicia- were both as children and adults, and how things they each experienced in their childhoods played a big role in adulthood. My heart broke for them seeing the awful abuse they were forced to endure- no child deserves that. But seeing how they bond and work together both past and present was wonderful. It really goes to show that family is more than blood, which was a great theme for this book.

Speaking of, I thought each main character was presented strongly. Sally Hepworth has a way of showing tremendous growth in her main characters that’s strong yet realistic. They don’t become perfect, but they definitely grow and learn from their respective experiences by working on their flaws. Seeing Jessica, Norah, and Alicia address their issues and how they’re working to become better people as a result was both touching and wonderful to see. After all the awful things that they’ve been through, they all deserve happy endings.

The plot was excellent too, constantly keeping me guessing and unsure of what to expect. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, a few twists and turns changed everything! Also, that final chapter left me SPEECHLESS. It threw me for a loop- and I loved it.

This was an amazing domestic thriller, though I recognize it won’t be for everyone. If you think you can stomach such upsetting subject matters (again, please check TWs if need be), I recommend this!

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m just going to patiently wait until the next Sally Hepworth novel.

Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

In all the books I’ve read by Hepworth it seems she’s very good at diving deep into traumatic events and self reflection. The women in this story had so many things to unpack l, which was very interesting l, and I appreciated the found family narrative. The twist at the end wasn’t surprising but was done well so overall I think it was on par with what I’ve come to expect of Hepworth’s work. I tend to find her books good but not excellent, so if you’ve previously enjoyed her books I’m sure you’ll enjoy this one.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the alc and St. Martin’s Press for the arc via Netgalley.

Can’t wait for everyone to get their hands on this one. This is my new favorite by Sally! Really enjoyed the story and the twist and turns!

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia survived hell growing up at Wild Meadows, where their stepmother made lives a nightmare day in and day out. Now, as adults, they’ve tried to distance themselves from the world of their childhood. That is until a body is found underneath the home during its demolition and the girls are requested to come back to the town they fled 25 years before. Confronting their past may break them, but it may be time to finally open the door the shut so long ago and get rid of all the secrets they’ve been holding onto all these years.

This book is told from three POVs along two timelines: each of the three girls, in the present day and back when they were foster children at Wild Meadows.

I really flew through this book. It was a complete page turner that just kept throwing twist and turn at you everywhere you looked. It was like every time you thought you got a handle on things, BAM!, something came in and upended your theory. The author, as in other books of hers I’ve read, just knows how to keep you on your toes.

The characters are also so well done. I was rooting for each of the three women, even with all of their flaws….and trust me, they are all very flawed. I mean, once you see what they’ve been through it makes sense. But they were so well drawn out and layered, and you felt like you really got to know them.

The central mystery was really amazing and I was really impressed with how it turned out. That’s all I’ll say.

And I’ll just say pick this one up. Then read more of Sally Hepworth’s work. It’s worth it.

Never will there be a Sally Hepworth book that I will not be running to read. This is my fifth book by the author and one of my favorites. I keep finding myself thinking about the story of the sisters and Miss. Fairchild. The ending was very well done. Highly recommend!! Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy.

This really didn't feel like the typical Sally Hepworth novel to me. It didn't have the propulsive plot I have come to expect from her. I didn't feel invested in the characters or what happened to them, and I didn't enjoy the abuse aspect. I wish more time had been spent on developing each sister as an adult, and I wish the mystery had been more of a big reveal.

Another suspenseful, keeps-you-guessing novel by Sally Hepworth! Jessica, Norah, and Alicia have tried to leave the past in the past, but a new police investigation brings the past to light. Told from three different perspectives as well as flashbacks from the past, this novel continues to build suspense until the very end. I enjoyed how the author explored each of the character's current struggles and feel that she accurately portrays the impact of childhood trauma, I would recommend this novel to readers to enjoy multiple perspectives, suspense, and strong character development.

This was a really interesting book that gave me a lot of anxiety! It contained some unsettling subject matter but it was handled well, and made for a great story about the bond of sisters and mystery that kept me guessing.

Darling Girls is an intense psychological mystery that keeps you guessing. Once you think you have it figured out, there's an unexpected twist. Three girls are fostered by a sadistic foster mother, and they soon bond as sisters. Because of the abuse they suffered as children, each is struggling with different issues as adults. When a body is discovered buried underneath the foster home, they're contacted by the police and travel to the place where they were brought up. Told in the past and the present, each sister is a unique voice and fascinating story. I loved them all, especially sassy Norah. There are quite a few laughs to break up the suspense. This was a great listen.

In what is Sally Hepworth's heaviest novel to date, Darling Girls is set a foster home where the three foster children are abused by their foster mother. While Hepworth handles this topic well, this is definitely a tough book to read. It is clear Hepworth did her research here and was well informed on the topic. I urge those with triggers to take care before picking this one up.

Thank you to St. Martins Press for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Sally Hepworth does it again! Darling Girls is the story of three sisters, in spirit, if not by blood, raised together in foster care, by Miss Fairchild. Starting in present day, as adults, the sisters learn of a body discovered under Miss Fairchild’s house. We then learn, throughout the novel, about their years at that house and the suffering they endured.

I really enjoyed the character development of Jessica, Norah and Alicia. There were also a few twists that, while not totally surprising, added to the story. And the ending was very satisfying! I have read several of the author’s novels and they are all so good and this one certainly was too!

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this digital ARC.

Sally Hepworth has given us another page-turning domestic thriller with a fascinating premise. Unfortunately, the execution struggled to impress me and did not deliver to the extent I expected based on her previous works.

The story switches between perspectives as well as timelines, providing context and history but also propelling the present-day story forward without a pause. The mistreatment of the three girls at such a young age was difficult to read about at times, but it painted a vivid picture of their life at Wild Meadows and the trauma they've carried with them into their adulthood.

Compared to the other books she's written, I felt like this story was more clunky, lacking the finesse of some of her other works. The execution of the foreshadowing and using cliffhangers seemed more forced and clumsy than I was expecting, like Hepworth lost her footing and was trying a little too hard. The same goes for the character development - the way they behaved was so extreme with no real context or explanation that would account for that, not even the fact they were raised in an abusive foster home. They seemed more like caricatures than real people I could relate to.

Even though the version I was reading was an ARC, this copy had more typos and formatting issues than I've ever seen in an ARC before. I had high hopes for this book, and I'm sad to say it did not meet my expectations. I'm so befuddled because all of her other books have been such hits for me - hopefully this was just a fluke.