This book was addictive! It’s definitely my favorite of Sally’s so far. I genuinely felt for our main characters. My only complaint is that while the twist did take me by surprise, I wouldn’t say it was mind blowing. Even so, I still couldn’t read this story fast enough!

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia met at a foster home ran by Miss Fairchild. They were constantly told how lucky they were, but no one knew the rules that Miss Fairchild had while they lived with her. Thankfully Jessica, Norah, and Alicia formed a very close bond while they were there.

Now as adults they are asked to return to the farm when a body was found under the home. They have to work together to figure out what actually happened and whose body was found.

I loved the different POV's and the short chapters. It was hard to read/listen to at times due to child abuse and foster children. Overall I loved the twist and turns in the book, the fast pace story line, and the ending.

Thank you Sally Hepworth, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book! It’s been awhile since I read a book by this author; but after seeing quite a few positive reviews I couldn’t wait tk dive in! This did not disappoint! I loved all the characters and the POVs going from different characters and also flash backs. The ending was good, even though I expected it; it was still worth if.

This book was so good! Held my attention from the beginning. The story was different and new. This author is so talented and so far hasn’t missed

Parts of this book were hard to read simply because they rang as so true to what I’m sure many many foster kids suffer through around the world. It had great twists and a satisfying ending; I couldn’t put it down after the halfway point.

This book was quite dark, but ultimately very good, and satisfying. Full of twists, turns, and misdirection--yet also the study of several multi-faceted characters--this was another satisfying thriller from Sally Hepworth!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy.

Thank you MacMillan Audio for the complimentary audiobook.

I saw a lot of mixed reviews on this so I was a bit hesitant to start this one, but I shouldn’t have doubted Sally Hepworth’s ability to suck me right into a story. This is definitely a twisted story with awful things that the girls faced but Hepworth writes in such a way that makes me want to keep reading. I listened to this on vacation and flew through it because I just needed to know the truth about the body found. I was questioning everything and loved the conclusion.

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Read if you like:
Multiple POVs
Short chapters
Unreliable narrators
Found family
Sister stories

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia were in the foster system as children and all ended up in the home of Mrs. Fairchild. From the outside, they were lucky to have been taken into such a good home. But the three women can never forget what happened behind closed doors throughout their time living there, and I was super interested to find out how each girl grew up to be different from one another, despite their shared trauma.

Dual timelines focusing on four different characters but all from third person point of view. I love the sections where *someone* is talking to the psychiatrist (Dr. Warren) and you learn their story of horrible abuse but don’t know who they are. This book was extremely twisted and made me want to keep reading- definitely was difficult to put down. The “before” chapters especially held my interest.

Some of the negative reviews I’ve seen for Darling Girls center around the difficult topics in this book, specifically child abuse. While of course it is not easy or enjoyable to read about horrific things happening to a child, I don’t believe it’s fair to give a negative review simply because of the heavy topics covered. I also feel that Hepworth explored these topics respectfully and knowledgeably.

As always, Hepworth’s writing was impeccable. She is truly one of my auto buy authors because of both her writing style and her ability to compose an intricate and interesting plot. Her storytelling ability is 10/10 and I definitely recommend this psychological thriller!

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth
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For as long as they can remember, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia have been told how lucky they are. As young girls they were rescued and raised by the same foster mother. When a body is discovered under the home they grew up in, it forces the sisters and their their time in the home into the spotlight.
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What I liked:
-This book was deliciously twisted. I didn’t want to stop reading it.
-The amount of secrets and suspicions here made it all the more of an addictive read.
-I guessed one thing but there were a lot of surprises.
-I loved the ending.
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4.5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 I was very impressed with this book and would suggest that all thriller lovers add this to their tbr right away!

Sally Hepworth is one of my favorite story tellers. The Good Sister is my favorite. Darling Girls is an interesting read. It kept me engaged throughout. Thing is as is with most dual timelines the before chapters were my favorite and I wished there were more! The story is good and the twist was cool. I highly recommend.

For as long as they can remember, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia have been told how lucky they are. As young girls they were rescued from family tragedies and raised by a loving foster mother, Miss Fairchild, on an idyllic farming estate and given an elusive second chance at a happy family life.

The twist at the end of this book defiantly got me. I was not expecting what happen to happen. This was my first Sally Hepworth and I am looking forward to exploring others she has written.
The beginning drug out for me a little but but about the 40% mark I was invested in what was going on and knowing what happened to the girls. There are defiantly characters that you will despise from the beginning of this novel and ones you will despise at the end. Jessica was not my favorite of the girls, but I see why she had her issues, and I was happy with how this whole story ended.

I read this so incredibly fast! I've never been disappointed with a Hepworth read and this is no exception. Following three girls from the same foster home, we see some psychological abuse these girls must overcome. Thankfully, they are able to leave the abusive situation. Fast forward 25 years and they are being drawn back to the same place they longed to never think about again. The secrets in this are juicy and the twists are even juicier.

This book was a little predictable but still was an interesting premise and definitely kept me guessing. I really thought I knew the ending until the very last page changed everything. I think this was an interesting look at a dysfunctional found family who is helping each other deal with the trauma they experienced growing up. I wish I could’ve seen more from the sisters after the fact of the main storyline, but it made sense to end where it did. The changing of point of view definitely kept this story flowing and would peak my interest in the other storyline as it came back up. Overall this was a decent read.

Sally Hepworth is an auto read author for me. All of her books are just easy to read. And they’re interesting! This one was no exception. I think if you enjoy any of her prior works - you’ll like this one

Sally Hepworth’s *Darling Girls* is a fantastic blend of suspense, emotion, and gripping storytelling. The book hooks you from the start with its mix of sisters, secrets, love, and murder.

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia are foster sisters who were supposedly lucky to be rescued by Miss Fairchild. But their childhood on her farm was far from the happy picture everyone imagined. Miss Fairchild had strict rules, and she was unpredictable and strict, leaving a lasting impact on the girls.

Hepworth brings these characters to life with vivid details. Jessica's quiet strength, Norah's rebellious nature, and Alicia's vulnerability make them feel real and relatable. Their bond as sisters, forged through shared trauma, is the heart of the story.

When a body is found under their childhood home, the sisters are thrust back into the past they tried to escape. They become key witnesses—or suspects—in the ensuing investigation. The plot thickens as they unravel long-hidden secrets and confront the ghost of Miss Fairchild's influence.

The writing is sharp and engaging, seamlessly moving between past and present. The suspense builds perfectly, keeping you on the edge of your seat as the mystery unfolds. Hepworth does an excellent job exploring deep themes like trauma, resilience, and identity, making the book as emotionally impactful as it is thrilling.

*Darling Girls* is a must-read for anyone who loves a good psychological thriller with emotional depth. It's a story about the ties that bind us and the secrets that haunt us. Highly recommended!

LOVED this book! I couldn’t put it down! It had twists and turns even on the last page. sally Hepworth is definitely one of my absolute favorites authors . Thanks to netgalley for an advanced readers copy (but my review is unbiased).

I love this author and this book was another thriller. The character, the setting, the storyline, the twists and turns. I couldn't put the book down.

I loved this psychological thriller by Sally Hepworth! I immediately became invested in the lives of these three women who grew up in foster care and what happened there. There are some twists and interesting reveals. Great story! 4 stars!

Darling Girls, by Sally Hepworth

Genre: psychological thriller

Three foster sisters: Jessica, Norah, and Alicia

I enjoyed the dual timelines, and multiple point of views. I especially loved how each of the sister's endings were presented. The author did a great job showing their bond to one another, as well as the psychological effects of abuse.

Without giving too much of a spoiler, I don't know that the last twist at the end was truly necessary.

I would recommend looking up trigger warnings.

I read this with a book club, and we all thoroughly enjoyed it, and had some great discussion. The one piece of feedback that I will give is I thought my copy had grammatical and spelling issues because it was an ARC, however the other members of my book club had completed copies, and saw the same, so I would recommend corrections in future prints, and editions.

Your star rating: 3

A big thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC,

I love sally hepworth she is awesome, but this book. I would give it a 4/5 usually im not one for going from timeline to timeline and multiple pov but she did it very well to where you didnt get lost. The twists that she adds to her books are right on time and i love it. I have seen where some people thought the last one was not needed and its a matter of opinion. I say keep writing and doing you.