This is my fourth book with Sally Hepworth, and I believe my favorite. She had a flair for writing complex female relationships, with the male characters almost an afterthought. They aren’t important to the story. This one actually is a bit different, as you have the characters of John and Dr. Warren playing small parts in the mystery woman’s therapy sessions.

The story rotates between the voices of three foster sisters and a fourth mystery woman, as they go forth in both present day and flashbacks to the past. By 2/3 through you can figure out who the mystery woman is, and make guesses as to how this story unravels. The very last chapter will throw that theory for a loop. I can’t decide if the last chapter actually WORKS- it is a trademark last minute twist, but it also unravels a good chunk of the story that has happened already. I’m on the fence as to whether it was necessary. Considering where the therapy session is taking place, and the situations that have occurred to get here, it might work. It’s certainly not out of character for her but is it just for shock value?

The characters are women who are deeply flawed, all have grown up through horrific circumstances that have left deep emotional scars. These horrific circumstances are your trigger warnings..the entire plot line is child abuse, with a touch on rape, sexual abuse, child death. Be warned going in that it’s not an easy read.

Thanks to Sally Hepworth, St Martins Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of this domestic thriller. It is certainly a strong read for 2024!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for this ARC. Overall I liked the story. Three young women, Alicia - who suffers from low self-esteem, Jessica - who is a little OCD, and Norah - who has anger issues, share a bond after growing up together in foster care with Miss Fairchild as their foster mother. When they are called back to their former foster home by the police after the bones of a child were found under the house, Alicia, Jessica and Norah all face their time at Wild Meadows. Sally Hepworth's new novel is written from the POV of Alicia, Jessic and Norah as well as Miss Fairchild. It was a good story with an interesting storyline that was engaging and kept me interested. It wasn't as thrilling or page-turning as The Soulmate, but I still enjoyed it.

Who is buried beneath the foster home called Wild Meadow? For three sisters who spent their childhood there, secrets are being revealed. The story of Wild Meadows is told through several timelines which kept me thoroughly engaged throughout. I loved this book. Highly recommend.

Lacks depth but makes for an entertaining page-turner

3.5 stars

Darling Girls is a compulsively readable thriller about three girls whose suffering in a foster care home bonded them together as sisters. 25 years later, their pasts collide with the present when a body is found under the house of their suffering.

The narrative is divided between the three sisters:

Jessica: the one who follows a rigid set of rules and strives for perfection. She is also hiding a big secret.

Alicia: the one who tries to give back but runs away from relationships.

Norah: the one with anger issues who can snap at any moment.

There are also a few chapters narrated by a woman recounting her past trauma.

The timeline alternates between the past and the present. I enjoyed the chapters focused on the past vs. present drama.

Blinded by their trauma, the sisters can’t see what is happening right in front of their eyes.

There is a bit of a mystery, and there is much to unravel with their foster mother’s story. I wish Hepworth had gone deeper into exploring the darkness behind the abuse and the results of suffering from such abuse.

The three women are magically cured after the events wrap, and each gets a happy ending.

This is a fast-paced, quick read with some good twists and turns. There is a major twist revealed in the final chapter, which seems to be Hepworth’s formula as of late, so it was not surprising to me.

Overall, a good read--I just expected something a little darker and more sinister.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.

I am new to reading Sally Hepworth, my first of hers being The Soulmate, which I thought was okay at best. However, this novel, Darling Girls, had me pleasantly surprised. The story has a past/present timeline that follows three girls, Alicia, Jessica, and Nora, who grew up in foster care at The Wild Meadows. I loved exploring the girl's three personalities, formed from their trauma at the Meadows. Jessica has severe anxiety and OCD and may or may not be barely managing to keep her head above water using prescription meds. Norah is highly sexual and has a violent, angry history that keeps her one step away from jail. Alicia feels like a burden and has little self-worth but tries hard to prevent others from going through what she went through. This, and their thicker-than-blood bond, is because of Miss Fairchild and her rules. But that all changed when they went to the police many years ago. Bones have been found under the Meadows, and the past is present. Just whose bones are hidden under the house? And what exactly happened all those years ago at the Meadows when the girls never saw Miss Fairchild again?
I loved this slow-build mystery that explores the psychological damage that can be done by a childhood full of hate and abuse. I found it interesting the girls were affected differently, and they coped with it differently, too, despite enduring the same trauma. The characters are interesting, and the story is heart-wrenching. The book alternates between past and present perspectives of Jessica, Norah, and Alicia, and a psychiatrist's office, but which girl is he speaking to, and what dark secrets is she hiding? I sometimes struggle with keeping track of alternative points of view and connecting to the characters in these types of books. However, this one was emotional and was not confusing in the slightest. I immensely enjoyed the depth of characterizations Hepworth provides. However, some definite trigger warnings come from this book due to it involving child abuse. I figured out part of the twist early in the book, which decreased its rating. However, the rest of the twist was a great surprise, keeping it a four-star read.

Bewildered, belittled, and baffled.

Three young girls share their timelines as foster children in the household of Miss Fairchild, and then how their experience has challenged their adult lives. This story leads us through childhood memories, the outcome of their upbringing, and finally a shocking end.

This book is another good reminder to treat others with kindness, as we don’t know what people have been through within their lives/past. This story wasn’t what I expected it to be, and still thinking about this sad, yet startling mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy of Sally Hepworth’s latest novel!

OKAY - Wow. WOW?! This might be my favorite thriller that I read this year. Between the multiple point of views and the fast paced writing this book was so entertaining and dare I say... thrilling? (I had to ok)

This book had me guessing from the first page and I am honestly exhausted in the best way possible from reading it.

***Please note this ARC had many errors. I typically don't notice tiny mistakes but this had so many that it was frustrating at times.

Sally Hepworth does an amazing job with thriller, showing the intricacies of post-foster care lives and some challenging mental health issues the characters have to face. An entrancing read!

The discovery of human remains sends disrupted the lives of three girls who were under the care of the foster mother from hell. You always did what you were told to do because the consequences could last a lifetime. Alicia, Jessica, and Norah created a family within the confines of that house, only to have it come back to push them to answer questions of loyalty , forgiveness and survival for all three. Each woman has reasons for returning, each has a stake in the truth.

This was a great read. It kept me interested and wondering what was going to happen next. The story is about three girls who the foster care system failed to keep safe. While the 3 were not biological sister, they bonded as if they were so they could deal with their with their situation and the foster mother.

As the story progressed, you thought you had it all figured out and exactly what would happened to wind the story up. There was a twist in the last few chapters that I didn't see coming. Yet, the last pages created another twist!

Read carefully and pay attention to who is who and what time/city they were in. You may even want to re-read the story knowing how it ended.

Thanks NetGalley. I like Sally Hepworth’s books, and this is one of her best. A story about foster “sisters” and an awful existence they had to endure at the hands of their foster mother. Twists and turns galore, right up until the last page! Great job. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

This book was a wild ride! I knew to expect twists and turns because I've read many of Hepworth's books, and this was no exception. Sometimes I had a hard time reading about how the girls were treated - I had to remind myself it was fiction - and I suppose that shows how great the writing is! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This one will most certainly keep you guessing! You will keep guessing what is going to happen to only find out that you are horribly wrong! If you are a fan of books that are told from a variety of perspectives this is one you will not want to miss. Might make you think a little about the foster care system and what happens in those homes!

I just finished this book and I'm still trying to wrap my head around everything that happened. The story keeps you guessing and the final plot twist lands in the last chapter!

The three main characters were interesting enough, but I didn't really love them. Sure, I wanted them to be ok and loved their bond with each other but didn't feel equally attached to them (I mostly rooted for Norah). Ms. Fairchild was an intriguing villainish character, portrayed as a narcissistic and emotionally manipulative woman.

The novel is gripping, suspenseful, page-turning- pretty much a roller-coaster ride. The reader sees two timelines- the past and the present from each of the 3 MCs perspectives. I found all of their backstories interesting as they shaped them in both timelines.

I will add that I am not big on thrillers and usually read romances. I don't even remember why I requested this book, but the read was surely memorable. In my comfort genre, I don't mind reading triggering themes of self-harm, some manipulation, sexual harassment, death of loved ones, or even miscarriages. But the same ideas escalate to a whole different level in this book, with it being centered on physical and mental childhood trauma. It may not be the best place to start as a newbie in mysteries, but I recommend it nonetheless. (I've read thrillers before and this one wouldn't let me sleep)

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a complimentary e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed Darling Girls! It is very fast paced, but still “meaty” and thrilling. It follows Jessica, Norah, and Alicia, three women who grew up as foster sisters. For years the girls suffered mercilessly at the hands of their foster mother Miss Fairchild. Twenty-five years after escaping her cruelty, the ladies are contacted by the authorities and learn their foster home had been torn down and human remains were discovered buried underneath. Now, they must return to the place of their trauma to try to piece together what happened. Hepworth did a great job of revealing the events one by one, each one more intense than the last. She also strategically dropped clues in order to cast suspicion in all directions, at times in the main characters themselves. It’s a really quick read, but still satisfying.

have been a fan of Sally Hepworth and was excited to see a new book! This in her typical style is a slow burn (not a negative at all). I felt myself continually saying “oh no!” and “well they are screwed” throughout the book. The storyline had me attempting to come up with some theories and some nonsensical ones because i just wanted to know the end game of the book! But that is such a positive in a thriller for me. I love how I was trying to be a detective and figure out this book. Once the plot twist happens you are like well I was completely wrong; exactly what a good twist does!

Warning: The book does talk about the foster care system and the trauma that can be involved in it. Overall I enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend.

I received a free advanced copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

𝒲𝒾𝓁𝒹 𝑀𝑒𝒶𝒹𝑜𝓌𝓈 𝑜𝓇 𝐻𝑜𝓊𝓈𝑒 𝑜𝒻 𝐻𝑜𝓇𝓇𝑜𝓇𝓈

Special thanks to Sally Hepworth & @netgalley for this ARC.

My Review::
⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟(3.75)

This is my ☝🏼st sally hepworth book, and was this a doozy. Although it was a slow burn, the end of every chapter left me craving more. I needed to know what I was missing.
**If I didn't have stupid work, I probably woulda finished this in one sitting. But ya know..... sleep and stuff. Lol **

This shows you the gruesome and unkind side of fostering, which in many cases can be the norm for a lot of kids. People can act this way for many reasons, which is sad considering these kids just need a good home and some love.

This books plot was different than any I've read before, and I totally didn't guess "the bad guy". It actually had me mind blown once it was revealed in the end.

I will say, though, that this book left me wanting more throughout it. Even though it had me turning the pages, I wanted more action.

Pub Date:
Apr 23, 2024

QOTD❓️⁉️❓️
What a book you picked up from "insta hype" that was good but not as good as you hoped?

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This was another great story by this author. I’m never sure what to expect when I read a Sally Hepworth title and she didn’t disappoint!

Hooked from the start. I love Sally’s writing. She knows how to draw you in and does really well with the twists and suspense you never know how it will go.

I read an advanced reader's copy of Saly Hepworth's forthcoming book Darling Girls thanks to the publisher and NetGalley in return for an honest review. I enjoyed this one. The book is about three women who were all foster children on a farm under the "care" of Miss Fairchild. Their foster-mother was anything but caring. It was an abusive environment and the three girls (all tweens at the time) bonded and consider themselves sisters.

From the beginning of the book we know bad things happened at "Wild Meadows" and the women are all requested to travel there to meet with the police. The facility had been closed and razed to the ground, And bones were found. The question is whose bones? And what did the girls have to do with it, if anything. The book uses a fairly standard motif of alternating chapters from the perspectives of the three main characters (Jessica, Norah, and Alicia) and chapters take place in the present and "before." I think you can see where this is going. Over time we get closer and closer to identifying what happened and, maybe, whose bones were found.

There is much more to the story, but it's a fun read and I think will be a great summer beach read once it hits the bookshelves in the spring of 2024.