I was utterly captivated by the book, and I owe my enchanting experience to my dear friend Marie, who shared this literary journey with me. The characters became my companions, their essence so palpable that I felt their every emotion. Just when I thought I had the plot figured out, the author masterfully deceived me, leaving me in awe and earning the story an imaginary Oscar in my heart.

The ending was a whirlwind of emotions, a perfect blend of surprise and satisfaction. I found myself both saddened and overjoyed as the main characters discovered each other and forged a remarkable friendship. Their bond was so genuine that even in the face of adversity, they stood together, proving that solidarity in tough times is the most profound testament to friendship.

Throughout the book, I was moved to tears and laughter, my heart swelling with a myriad of emotions. Sally Hepworth's storytelling prowess is commendable, weaving a tale so poignant and heartwarming that it left me profoundly grateful for the experience. Thank you, Sally Hepworth, for crafting a narrative that touched the depths of my soul and left me with a heart full of emotions and a mind brimming with admiration.

Anything Sally Hepworth writes I will give a chance. Her stories are consistently bing worthy and this one was no different. I started last night and didn't stop until now. I really love the genuine bond between the sisters and how they each handled their trauma as adults. Mrs. Fairchild was sufficiently awful and a satisfactory villain for this drama. I wouldn't term this as a thriller. Maybe a light psychological thriller. The plot is fast paced and the ending fit perfectly with the book. The only corrections I would recommend before the final print is heavy correction of spelling errors, punctuation errors, and grammatical errors. If you enjoy female led thrillers/mystery/drama I recommend this.
Thank you to Sally Hepworth and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.
3.5 stars

Three women are called back to the place where they lived with an abusive foster mother when bones are unearthed there.

The timeline alternates between the past and present, interspersed with therapy sessions for a character whose identity quickly becomes apparent. While the foster sisters understandably have issues resulting from their trauma, I found the offbeat tone of the present-day storyline incongruous and distracting. The past storyline dealt sensitively with a difficult topic, but I thought the mystery was weak, using intentionally delayed information and a twist that undermined the motivations of the antagonist.

4.5/5

What an original story!
The ending was so crazy. I can’t believe it. You actually started feeling bad for Ms. Fairchild.
The story goes between then perspectives of Jessica, Norah, and Alicia. Sisters, who met in foster care under the car of Ms. Fairchild. It goes between the past and present of the three girls and Ms. Fairchild.

Definitely worth the read! Sally Hepworth doesn’t disappoint.

Well done, Sally Hepworth. I was invested in each of the three sisters and thought I knew what had happened at Wild Meadows Farm. However, as the story evolved, I kept guessing and was proved wrong every time.
I was also moved by the degree of mental anguish and relationship barriers children face as a result of their experiences with abusive adults such as these.
Thank you to the publishers at NetGalley for the advanced reader copy to review.

Sally Hepworth does it again! Darling girls is a story of the broken foster care system and the awful and often invisible psychological abuse of those in power. The trigger warnings are vast in this book, and in many parts it was very hard to read. I admit I had more than one nightmare while reading this book before bed. That said, I still give this book 5 stars for the incredible storytelling and redemption.

This is the story of three women who were in a foster home together and now consider themselves sisters. A skeleton is discovered under their old home and they come together to figure out who it is, Each woman had a very different childhood and I enjoyed each character. I enjoyed this quick read, but I found the surprise ending a little forced

I loved this book so much. About 3 sisters journey through foster care together, at one house in particular years ago, it’s been knocked down recently and they found bones under the house !? Very good book just in all I loved it. I never read books again but I would definitely love to have a copy of this book !

The story that keeps on giving until the thrilling end. So many times throughout the story I thought I had it figured out, BUT I didn’t. What a great surprise! This psychological thriller has so much energy. We travel through the lives of three foster sisters; Jessica, Alicia, and Norah. They are adults now but their earlier lives at Wild Meadows, the home of foster mother Miss Fairchild, was an unfortunate nightmare while in her care.

The girls stayed close as the years went on. They have adult lives now but childhood traumas creep into their lives daily. One day, the police investigate a suspicious circumstance that occurred at Wild Meadows many years ago. The girls must return to their old foster home and face their demons while trying to help figure out what happened.

The way Hepworth builds her characters and immerses us into their life is remarkable. It was as if I was watching a mini series and each time I put the book down and picked it back up, I was watching the next exciting episode. This is a true thrill ride that doesn’t slow down around corners.

A perfect mystery read for anyone who loves a good story that will make you laugh, cry, sit on the edge of your seat, and be thankful you aren’t one of the characters living the horror. This would be a great book to movie! We can hope!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this book.

Sally Hepworth is an auto-read author for me. This book, while not my favorite of hers, did not disappoint. The book was filled with twists and turns and kept me guessing and eager to read more. Ms. Fairchild is an odd character, and I like how the past was weaved with the present. I did not anticipate the ending. Worth a read.

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia may seem normal on the surface, but they all carry some serious baggage. The women aren't sisters by blood, but they've been through things together that most sisters never experience. As foster children, they grew up under the roof of Miss Fairchild's disturbing home. Miss Fairchild was a master manipulator who enjoyed inflicting harsh punishments and psychological torture. Living with Miss Fairchild left the three women emotionally scarred with lasting memories of the abuse. An event forces the women to return to the town they never thought they'd see again - police found bones under the home where they were fostered. Who do the bones belong to? And why to the police want to interrogate the three women?

I will read anything that Sally Hepworth writes. I love her stories, the way she tells them, and her damaged (and sometimes disturbing) characters. Darling Girls is a suspenseful thriller that touches on some difficult subjects. I couldn't wait to see how the story unfolded and it didn't disappoint!

"Darling Girls" by Sally Hepworth is an engaging story that blends mystery and women's fiction. It focuses on three girls who become close friends while living in a foster care home run by a cruel woman named Holly Fairchild. Holly manipulates and mistreats the girls, leaving emotional scars that haunt them long after they leave her care.

The story centers on Jessica, who arrived at the home when she was just five years old, desperately seeking Holly's love but feeling isolated due to Holly's controlling behavior. Norah, who's eleven and often uses violence to protect herself, and Alicia, a gentle twelve-year-old who joins them, complete the trio. They endure Holly's abuse for nearly two years until it becomes unbearable, forcing them to face the horrors of their past.

The story then jumps ahead 25 years, showing the aftermath of their experiences. Jessica's life falls apart as she battles addiction and struggles in her marriage after a drug theft incident. Norah grapples with her inner demons and the possibility of going to jail. Alicia, now a social worker, helps other children find safe homes but faces her own insecurities, which affect her chances of having a healthy relationship and family.

A discovery under the old foster home prompts them to return to the place where they suffered, leading to a confrontation with their painful past and the hope for healing.

The story explores the mystery of what happened in their past and whether one of them might be a killer or if something even darker is at play.

This emotionally charged story moves between the past and present, giving us insight into how the three women have evolved and coped with their difficult past. The revelations in the story are surprising and touching.

Each of the three main characters is compelling. Norah's mix of sarcasm and vulnerability makes her endearing, and Alicia's kindness makes her a likable character. Jessica's complex character slowly reveals itself, making us empathize with her.

The story's climax had me eagerly waiting for a well-executed twist. As a result, I wholeheartedly give "Darling Girls" a five-star rating. This complex and emotional story sheds light on women's empowerment and mental health, adding depth to its dark and sad themes.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Wow! I’ve read other books from Sally Hepworth, but this might be her best yet! Told in different perspectives and jumping between time periods, this was a page-turner that managed to dole out several surprises, right up to the very end. The final reveal was a shocker!

Sally Hepworth wove a tale that sucked me right in. Alicia, Jessica, and Norah became sisters by choice during their youth. The girls met in a foster home where they shared an unpredictable foster mother named Miss Fairchild.

Darling Girls follows the stories of the sisters growing up in foster care and learning about their adult lives was so intriguing. I loved the characters and their storylines. Also, they mystery of who the bones belonged to and what had truly happened when the girls were young kept the pages turning. I also have to say that I was totally surprised by the twist at the end, and that is VERY rare for me.

This story is a can’t-miss for thriller fans. Do yourself a favor and grab it now! I also loved The Soulmate, so I think Hepworth is officially an author whose books I will be automatically adding to my TBR from now on.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read and review this ARC!

Sally Hepworth has done it again! This book, Darling Girls, was by far my favorite that she has written.

The story takes us through 3 women who grew up in foster care and the bause they suffered at the hands of their foster mother. As adults, the girls think that they’ve left the trauma behind them, but when a body is found under their old foster home, they’re forced to head back to the place they never thought they would return to again.

I absolutely loved the ending of this book. The last page was thriller gold and gave me all the Ashley Audrain ending vibes.

This is a must read.

Jessica, Norah and Alicia are sisters, but not by birth. They met as foster children under the care of Miss Fairchild, who is anything but what her name suggests. As adults they hoped to never think of her again, but when police call requesting that they come in because human remains were found under the house they spent time in, they are forced to revisit their childhoods.

Honestly, Sally Hepworth can do no wrong. The characters were extremely well developed and they felt like they all could be real. Miss Fairchild was basically Professor Umbridge (Harry Potter reference) and I cannot be convinced otherwise. I didn't have any trouble keeping the characters straight and the entire story slapped. This book was seriously such a wild ride. And that ending?! I'm traumatized! But I also want more.

ARC note: this one had a ton of spelling and grammar errors - it was distracting. I know it's an ARC and that's what I signed up for, but it did feel like a lot more than usual. I normally don't point this out with ARCs but it felt like it needed saying here. I still loved the book and will definitely buy a finished copy to add to my shelves!

Also, consider adding trigger warnings to this one... I was not effected but I could see some women/moms being upset by some of it.

Oh the SECRETS!!! This is a thriller that shows the dark sides of the foster system; including abuse and failure of the foster system. The story takes place in Australia and does an amazing job keeping the reader engaged with the twists and turns. As I was getting closer to the end and thought I had all the factors figured out, I found that there was more that I did not even consider to be a part of the characters’ stories. It addressed so many mental health diagnoses amongst all the characters which also made it interesting. A part of thrill of the book was through some of the perspective changes between different characters and time frames, but this aspect also proved a little confusing.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Apr. 23, 2024
Alicia, Jessica and Norah in every way that counts, even though they aren’t biologically related. After spending time together at Miss Fairchild’s foster home, the three grew close as they tried to navigate Miss Fairchild’s ever-changing moods. Now, the women are adults with lives of their own, and although they still struggle with their past trauma, they have tried to move beyond it. Until the day when police officers tell them that they found a body buried underneath their old foster home. Alicia, Jessica and Norah will have to revisit old wounds, and uncover dirty secrets, in order to find justice.
“Darling Girls” is the sixth novel I’ve read by Australian author Sally Hepworth. Like “The Good Sister”, “The Younger Wife” and “The Mother-in-Law”, I found “Girls” to be compelling and engaging.
Alicia, Jessica and Norah all take turns with the narration but there is also a portion of the novel that is told by an unidentified person, whose tale is told through visits with a psychologist. As the plot unfolds, I made some speculations about who the unidentified narrator could be, and it wasn’t until the ending was near that I was able to ascertain the speaker’s identity. Hepworth has a way to keep a reader guessing, and I was immediately pulled in.
The three women are unique enough to differentiate between them, and their sisterly relationship is endearing and charming. As experiences from their past are revealed, I immediately felt a mixture of anger and sympathy, and hoped for retribution (which Hepworth delivered in spades, thank goodness).
The crimes and abuse that took place in the foster home are difficult for some to read although for me, since I work in the field, I was not affected by it (yes, I’m jaded) however I was still able to empathize and want justice for the women. I appreciate Hepworth’s research for this novel as well, and her ability not to paint all “foster kids” as “dangerous criminal in the making”. Believe it or not, this is a unique perspective and I appreciate Hepworth’s compassion.
Anything by Hepworth earns top billing, in my view, and I look forward to what she creates next!

I found Darling Girls to be a very quick and easy read. In this story, we go back & forth in time and look into the lives of 3 foster sisters - Alicia, Jessica, and Norah. In the present, when they are each notified that a body was found on the property of their former foster home, past traumas resurface. The author takes us on a journey through time to piece together the puzzle of what happened to 3 young girls... and the unidentified body.

I've struggled with this book because I absolutely adored all of Sally Hepworth's other novels and I have the biggest fan girl crush on her as a person (especially with that adorable new pixie do!) and I really really really really wanted to love this book.

But the characters we just not sympathetic to (for?) me. I know, I'm a horrible person because who hates the orphans? I guess I do.

I am so sorry Sally....