I have loved everything Sally Hepworth has written. This was not my favorite. The beginning is rather slow with the three sisters. Then the story gets moving, but there were no huge, surprises, or twists. Which is fine. But it just calls for a stronger story that I felt like this one was.

After a slow start, this was a story that really picked up--and yet somehow continued to remain a slow burn throughout. There was layer after layer of half-truth, manipulation, and long-stemming consequences that took time to unravel as everyone seemed to be an unreliable narrator as the story progressed.

The bond between Jessica, Alicia (my personal favorite), and Norah really propelled the action. Character development was deep and complicated. Pacing took a while to get going, but then worked. Red herrings and twists kept the intrigue up.

Overall: 4 stars
I'll tell my students about: child abuse, trauma, mental health issues, foster care system, LGBTQIA+, language, sex, alcohol, physical violence, sexual assault/rape, drug additiction

**Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the free ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.**

I love Sally Hepworth and this was another winner for me. I feel she writes females characters, and the relationships between sisters, very well. Whether those relationships are mostly antagonistic or, in the case of this book, loving and supportive.

If you love a good slow burn with lots of true darkness simmering in the background, you will love this book ( and if you haven’t read all of Sally Hepworth’s other books - you should!
The horror that is Mrs Fairchild seemed so real to me
As I read this, and I enjoyed the tease of the gradual unfolding drama.
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book through Netgalley, many many thanks to the author Sally Hepworth and the publisher for the exciting opportunity to enjoy the book! 5 stars for me , you don’t want to miss this one!

3.5/5 - I wasn’t so sure about this book given its slow start. I have read at least 3-4 other books by this author and had been drawn in almost instantly. In the end i would say i like this book but it’s definitely not her strongest work.

"Darling Girls" by Sally Hepworth is a wonderful thriller with many twists and turn. The reader can't help empathizing with the main characters, Alicia, Jessica, and Norah even as there are hints they might be involved with an unsolved crime. These three grew up together in foster care with a cruel foster mom. Although they would like to forget the past, they came together to confront it when they are all forced to return.

This took me a long time to finish, because when are you in the mood to read that book about child abuse? I did want to be with the characters, though. They all felt so real and in need of closure. Also, the mystery was building throughout, so at a certain point I had to know. Nearly the entire second half felt like a strong finish. I'm still reeling from what everyone in the book experienced, though. (Everyone but one.)

😭🥺👀 - I did NOT expect the content of Darling Girls. Not only was the ending explosive... but I had a feeling about what I was going to be reading and just couldn't look away from the page!

The three sisters/main characters are such an interesting mix!! I think they're character developments were absolutely my favorite part of Hepworth's latest. How people tackle their survival.. whether in the form of feral instincts or strict organization - it's insane what people will do to make their way in the world. And for the world's most vulnerable (i.e., children) ... is it any wonder what they turn into when faced with such horrors?

As soon as I started reading Jessica's character - I was immediately hooked on Darling Girls. Something happens to people to make them need that form of control, and I found this passage to feel insanely relative to my own life:

'Nothing-nothing!-vexed Jessica more than tardiness. Except perhaps messiness. And people who cut corners, or people who missed RSVP deadlines. Jessica always RSVP'd to invitations the moment they landed in her hand or inbox. Then she diarized the event, made a note in her Organization app to buy a gift, if necessary, and created a block of time in her calendar to ensure she had an appropriate outfit to wear.'

I don't think I can explain the level of stress relief it brings to know that you don't have to waffle over any decisions the day of if you've grown up in a chaotic household!!

NOTES:
- CWs: foster care system, s3xual abuse, mental health problems
- Somewhat of a resolved ending - but the trauma of the situation will always remain of course.

**Thank you to St.Martin’s Press & NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤

Sally Hepworth has an incredible knack for creating emotionally charged thrillers that have you guessing until the end. This book was no exception!
Three foster sisters are brought back to the house of horrors where they spent a few years with a calculated and unstable foster mother. The story is told in the past and present. I loved trying to figure out what really happened and I was shocked at the ending.

This was a great read! One of Hepworth's best, I'd say. Little surprises popped up throughout the story, which switches between the past and the present in a few different POV. It wasn't entirely unpredictable, but it was fun and was definitely hard to put down.

Thank you for the ARC. The twists in this book were so good. I thoroughly enjoyed one. I would definitely recommend it

Thank you, NetGalley for this ARC! Sally Hepworth does it again. I was so engrossed in this one. I couldn’t wait to finish for the twists. Multiple points of view, but only about 3, so not bad if that’s not your thing— I liked the characters and was just enough character development for me.

Major triggering warnings! There is an audience that will be unable to read this because of this. But artfully twisty and page turning as Sally Hepworth does.

I very much enjoyed this book. The characters were well developed and the story kept me engaged throughout. I would recommend this book to others. Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC!

This book was enjoyable in many ways. I was constantly wondering what the end game was and was always surprised by the plot development. This book kept me on my toes until the very end and I was still feeling surprised by the time I finished it. It was a quick and enjoyable read!

A captivating story about the dark side of foster care ! I was sucked in to the complexities of the sisterhood and their individual stories.

Beautifully written, amazing well developed characters, the beautiful details Involved… I enjoyed every moment of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Sally Hepworth's newest masterpiece, Darling Girls. This is the story of three extremely different young women who were raised in foster care in the most inhumane of situations.. Despite their traumatic upbringing, Jessica and her two chosen sisters Norah and Alicia have found their own paths. They are emotionally scarred but their unbreakable bond keeps them resilient.... until human remains are found at their former foster home and the investigation opens up the most devastating wounds.

This is a heart-wrenching story that will grip you from the very first page. The imprint that the sisters leave on your heart will not soon be forgotten.

What a twist! I thought I had it all figured out, but wow was I wrong! Sally Hepworth has done it again with an amazing cast of characters that you really connect with and a story that continues to shock you until the final paragraph. I highly recommend this twisty read to anyone looking for a story to dive into that doesn't let you up for air! Thanks to #netgalley for this ARC.

Sally Hepworth delivers again! Hepworth alternates point of views throughout the text of the four main characters. The text alternates from the past and present creating a wide scoop of character development. A body is found under an old foster home. The three main characters used to live at the foster home and had challenging time living there. They are being questioned about the old bones found on the property. Miss Fairchild was their foster parent. Her point of view also alternates leading the reader to not know who to trust. The I couldn't put the book down because I needed to know the ending!