As someone who loved "the soulmate" by Hepsworth I was delighted to receive this ARC from net galley! I couldn't put this book down! It was dark twisty and unpredictable, just how I like my thrillers!! I enjoyed the multiple POV and timelines. Will definitely recommend to my friends looking for a solid thriller and will continue to read more of her back list!!

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia all met when they were placed in foster care with Miss Fairchild when they were young. Now older and loving their own lives, the girls are forced to relive that time of their lives after a body is found buried under their foster home. Told in alternating points of view, follow Jessica, Norah, and Alicia as they retell their time in foster while also learning about the problems that they are facing in life now.

This was a great thriller. When you think you know how this will end, you will be in for the shock you never saw coming.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to enjoy this book, but I just cannot seem to focus on this story.

DARLING GIRLS is another zippy, twisty, and dark thriller from Sally Hepworth.

Set in Australia and centered around three women - Jessica, Alicia, and Nora - who grew up together in an “idyllic” foster home. When a body is uncovered in the rubble of this home, the three reunite and uncover secrets from their past.

I love the way Sally Hepworth combines family dynamics and compelling thrillers and DARLING GIRLS does not sway from this winning formula. The relationship between the sisters is compelling and heartwarming, though at times underdeveloped.

The mystery elements of the story are relatively run of the mill. I guessed the ending coming a mile away, which is unusual for me, but could be due to the many Hepworth novels I’ve consumed in the last few years. The novel is also darker than her others, the subject matter centering on children made it quite hard to read at moments.

Overall: I will always reach for a Sally Hepworth novel when I want something propulsive, particularly if I need a book to break a reading slump.

Sally Hepworth did it again. One of the things I love most about her writing is that she is SO good at making you think one thing about someone's intentions, and then all of a sudden you get their point of view and it changes EVERYTHING. The way she writes her characters is amazing, and this one was no exception. This is definitely a heavier topic than her other books, but it was really well done.

Hepworth gets me with her twists and turns yet again!

Anytime I see a new book from Hepworth on the horizon, I know it’s a must read for me. Some of course are better than others, but if there’s one thing I can count on, it’s the wild twists and turns you don’t see coming.

I love how this story switches back and forth between present day, the past, and even further into the past. Having these three different storylines really help shape readers to understand why each character acts they way they do in present day.

DARLING GIRLS covers a lot of topics, with the main plot centered around foster care. While I am not an expert in what foster care is like, knowing how delicate of a topic it can be, it really seemed like Hepworth did her research to truly understand the nuances and everything that goes into fostering children.

The characters are well-written, engaging and painted authentically in their own flawed ways. There was never a question in how I felt each character would react to a situation!

I was sort of surprised how dark this story was. There are a ton of trigger warnings so please check out other reviews to see if this story is right for you.

Big thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC/ALC.

Content warnings: child abuse, death, emotional abuse, drug abuse, addiction, kidnapping, sexual assault

This book is wild! I thought it was so good and thrilling/mysterious. The ending bumped up a star for me cuz I wasn't expecting it! Fantastic book

A masterful blend of character-driven drama and plot twists.

>Darling Girls delves into the complex lives of three foster sisters: Jessica, Norah, and Alicia.
>The foster sisters were raised by the enigmatic Miss Fairchild. Their idyllic past shrouded in secrets.

>When a body is found under their childhood home, their lives unravel. They become witnesses—or perhaps even suspects—in a chilling murder investigation.

>As the layers of secrecy peel away, we see the bonds between the sisters tested. Their loyalty, love, and shared trauma shape their choices.

>The novel explores themes of identity, trust, and the haunting power of the past. Prepare for twists, revelations, and a journey into the shadows.

🎧Jessica Clarke’s performance is gripping. She breathes life into each sister, weaving suspense and emotion.

The reveal at the end was okay but ultimately this had too much content that I am just not on board with, which is ultimately a me-problem. I probably should have just DNF'ed this one but I normally really like Sally's books. *Trigger warnings for child abuse in many forms.

As children, Jessica, Norah and Alicia were placed with Miss. Fairchild. From the outside, Miss. Fairchild was loving and life on her farm idyllic, the girls were lucky. In reality, the girls were subjected to unpredictable behavior, strict rules and abuse. Years later, the police call after finding a body on the property and want to ask the women questions. What happens is a heartbreaking and thrilling story of their childhood and what really happened with Miss. Fairchild.

What I liked: Let me pick my jaw up off the floor because that ending shocked me. I’m usually decent at guessing endings of thrillers and while the twist makes sense, I also was completely caught off guard. Way to go Sally!

I could not stop listening to this one. The flashbacks interspersed with the present-day details what the girls went through and how they are coping (or not). The story moved at a fast pace, keeping the reader engaged and guessing what would happen next.

Each character really felt like a separate person with a clear voice and motivations.

What didn’t work for me: I really liked this one, but I do think it’s darker than some of Sally’s other books and readers may want to look up content warnings before starting it. There were some difficult to listen to moments.

For the audiobook, I wish there were separate narrators for the different characters.

Who should read it: Grab this one for your beach/pool bag! You enjoy domestic thrillers and liked Hepworth’s other books.

Another amazing book by Sally Hepworth! I have yet to find one of her books that didn't impress me. The characters were so well developed and the story had me hooked from start to finish!

I feel like this book was more of a fiction book with a mystery subplot, not that this book was actually a mystery. There was nothing thrilling about this or even a little bit mysterious. I was more so interested in the characters in the story than the actual plot itself, which isnt always the best thing when you're supposed to be interested in the actual plot considering its supposed to be a mystery/thriller. I also didnt love the ending of this book. It was just a bit too slow moving for me and it felt like a slog to get through

I started reading Sally Hepworth a few books ago. I have enjoyed her books up until her last, The Soulmate, which I thought was quite awful. I debated whether to pick up her latest, Darling Girls, and am happy I did.

Darling Girls is a thriller that follows three foster sisters who all lived at Wild Meadows many years ago with their foster mother. When a body is found under Wild Meadows, the sisters must face their past and the maniacal woman who made it hell.

Darling Girls is narrated through two timelines – the past and the present, each examining both the viewpoints of all three foster sisters – along with an unidentified character telling their story to a therapist. Hepworth excels at creating multiple timelines that are easy to follow and differentiate. However, in this novel, the past timeline outshone the others and was the most interesting. I also think that switching between timelines created an inconsistent pace. Yet, I hardly noticed as I was enthralled with the story and wanted to uncover its mysteries. But, if you prefer only edge-of-your-seat thrillers, Darling Girls may not be for you.

The plot of Darling Girls is dark and ends with a twist (undoubtedly for shock value). For me, this story’s strength is the relationship between the three sisters. Although not related by blood, the three girls bond through their childhood trauma and act as a family going forward. The clear love and support they have for one another shined and ingratiated the story with me. As far as the final twist is concerned, I think some readers will love it, some will find it unnecessary, and others will start thinking of possible plot holes it causes. Your enjoyment of this novel really depends on the amount you critically examine books.

Often when a book has multiple protagonists, their identities and personalities blend together until they are undistinguishable. Hepworth created the three foster sisters with unique personalities that allow readers to easily recognize who is who. I found this to be a strong point of the book, although I wish their voices were as distinct as their personalities.

Overall, Darling Girls is a dark, entertaining thriller that will make you think both about people’s capacity for evilness and where the world redeems itself. I do recommend Darling Girls, but I acknowledge not everyone will love it.

Sally Hepworth can do no wrong in my eyes! I have loved all of the books I have read by her and Darling Girls was no exception. One of the best books I have read all year!
*I would definitely check trigger warning before reading as it does have some heavy topics.*

Darling Girls is the recent release from Sally Hepworth that focuses on three foster girls that live at the same foster care home run by Miss Fairchild. At face value everything seems perfect for the foster care home but the experiences of the foster kids is completely different. The three girls Jessica, Norah, and Alicia are abused and manipulated by their foster mother in a narcissistic environment that the girls bond over.

Each one of the girls come out scarred emotionally and mentally from their experiences in the house. As they get older they all realize that each of them have ended up suffering in their own ways. Jessica ends up with an addiction to drugs that she has stolen from the homes she works at. Norah uses her body to use men to get tasks completed at her home, and Alicia self sabotages any potential for love.

The three girls forge an unbreakable bond that is put to the test when they are forced to return to their foster home. The police notify the three that the body of a child has been discovered buried on the property. While Jessica isn't thrilled at the idea of returning, the other two are determined to find closure.

What the girls don't anticipate is running back into their foster mother as the crime scene is investigated. The return of Miss Fairchild in their lives stirs up all sorts of emotions and memories as the girls recall the past and deal with the present. During their return to the town they grew up in , truths are discovered to be lies and the girls reconnect with other foster girls that were raised at the foster home.

Through Darling Girls the narration is split between Jessica, Norah, and Alicia's past and present along with a doctor report of a patient discussing their past. As the reader delves more into Darling Girls the patient is revealed and the body of the child is revealed to be an unexpected child.

All together Darling Girls is a book that did not disappoint. In Hepworth's fashion there were some great twists and turns. All together a great suspense thriller that comes highly recommended. Until next time, Happy Reading!

This was a twisty one! I really like Sally Hepworth and was very excited to receive this ARC. I wanted to know how it would end from the first page. Already looking forward to her next book!

Darling Girls is the newest book from Sally Hepworth set in Australia. This is an interesting thriller told from the point of view of three young women, who were foster sisters living at Wild Meadows in Port Agatha. Their foster mother, Holly Fairchild, had two personas; the one the public saw as a loving women who took in young orphaned girls, and the other that was mean, emotionally abusive and more to her foster daughters. Jessica is the first foster child, 5 years old and will do anything to get Miss Fairchild's love and approval, Nora an 11 year old who has lived in several foster homes and learned how to protect herself, and Alicia who is 12 and moved in temporarily while her granny was in the hospital. When granny dies, she becomes a permanent foster child and struggles to adapt after her loving home. It is 25 years later and the girls are now adults, and don't think much about their time at Wildwood Meadows, but they all get calls from the police. Bones have been found on the property, can they come meet with the police.

Darling Girls is told in a dual timeline. We meet the girls when they are living with Miss Fairchild and what their lives were like. We also see them in the present, twenty-five years later, what they are doing, how their lives have turned out and what effect their lives as foster children had on them. They are close, calling themselves sisters and will do whatever they need to in order to help, support and protect one another. There is another POV that pops up throughout the story, that of a young woman speaking with a therapist. She didn't have a very good life and I was intrigued, yet saddened by her story. This isn't what I would call a thriller, but a suspenseful story with some surprising reveals/twists. The effects of trauma on a child, coupled with abuse (verbal, emotional, lack of food etc.) and how that affects a child plays out in various ways. The book has a slow plot, with the build up of the girls' story, then the mystery of who the bones belong to. I didn't know if I liked Norah, Jessica or Alicia very much, but based on what they went through and how it affected their lives, I sure felt for them. I was pulled into the story right from the first page and when that reveal came at the end, it all made sense to me. Besides the slow pace, and some repetition of their early life, I enjoyed this story. It wasn't a difficult read, but it does paint the foster child program in a negative light. Please read the author's notes about her research . I know not all foster parents and homes are like this one, but there are some and even one is too many.

Fast-paced mystery by Sally Hepworth! Great start to summer reading. Unputdownable! Sometimes revenge is the sweetest feeling there could ever be.

#revengeissweet #bookish #mystery #bookstagram

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book. My reviews can be read on my GoodReads account here: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1335387-kelly

I really enjoyed this one! Such a good audiobook narration. I loved the story, and it should be no surprise that Sally Hepworth wrote such a captivating one.