I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This was intense. Three foster girls become sisters not just by connection, but by the horrors and secrets they endured. Now they have to face those memories and the one and only Ms. Fairchild. Great story and unbelievable twists.

I requested this one because I love Sally Hepworth and I was not disappointed! We start to get to know the 3 main characters, sisters, plus a mystery 4th character who is seeing a psychiatrist in an unknown timeframe, and everyone has their issues.
We learn about the history of the sisters, who we find out are not related by blood, but through the strong bond they made as foster siblings. They are contacted by the police to be interviewed as a body has been discovered at their former foster home leaving the reader to wonder - are they suspects? Witnesses? Who does the body belong to?
Great character development with a great twist at the end left me satisfied with this one!

I absolutely loved every second of this book.

Darling Girls switches between past and present following the story of Jessica, Norah and Alicia and their time in the care of Miss Fairchild as foster kids.

I was hooked from start to finish. I loved the three girls and their stories, past and present. I will definitely be reading more from Sally Hepworth.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Totally sinister!

Absolutely loved Sally Hepworth’s newest novel. This novel tells the tragic story of 3 foster girls who go through hell at Wild Meadows foster home. The twists and turns had me holding on for dear life!

Darling Girls
by Sally Hepworth

Darling Girls is domestic thriller that will pull you into the sad and often dark world of foster care. Alicia, Jessica, and Norah will never forget their time at the farmhouse with Miss Fairchild. Together they survived that horrible place which created a special bond between them. Although none of the girls were left unscathed, together they did leave with what they needed the most, to feel seen, loved, and to be part of a family.

But when bones are found under the farmhouse decades later, Miss Fairchild's Darling Girls return to face her and the memories that haunt them to this day. Who do the bones belong to? Did they finally have proof of Miss Fairchild's abuse? Or did the horrors they faced turn one of them into a killer?

This book grabbed me from the start to the final twist, and won't be my last from Sally Hepworth.

Than you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge Sally Hepworth fan, and I think that most of the problems I had with this book have to do with the stage of the editing process it seems to be in. Aside from the typos, it felt like the bones (no pun intended) of the book are there, but it needs more polish. It doesn’t feel as tight as her other books, and some of the storylines seemed a little extraneous to the book as a whole. For example, while I understand showing Norah’s run-in with Kevin was a way to show both how much she resorts to violence and how she uses her sexuality to her advantage, ultimately I think that storyline could be dropped without losing much from the book. I did love the ending, though! I have no doubts that when this book has been fully edited, it will be another hit!

Sally Hepworth's "Darling Girls" is a poignant and emotionally resonant exploration of the complex bonds of sisterhood, secrets, and the enduring power of love. With her trademark storytelling prowess, Hepworth delves deep into the lives of her characters, unraveling their intertwined histories and hidden traumas with exquisite sensitivity. The three Darling sisters, distinct in their personalities yet united by a shared past, are brought vividly to life with authentic voices and relatable struggles. Hepworth expertly navigates themes of motherhood, identity, and forgiveness, creating a narrative that is both heartrending and heartwarming in its portrayal of the complexities of family relationships. The novel's compelling dual timelines add depth to the mystery at its core, keeping readers eagerly turning pages. "Darling Girls" is a beautifully written, emotionally charged tale that reaffirms Hepworth's status as a master storyteller, leaving readers with a deep appreciation for the enduring strength of sisterly bonds and the healing power of truth. A must-read that tugs at the heartstrings and lingers in the mind long after the final page.

I've read most all of Sally Hepworth's books & really enjoyed them all, so I had very high expectations for her latest, "Darling Girls", and they were actually exceeded. I really enjoyed this story of three foster “sisters”, who grew up together for a few years back at the Wild Meadows foster home in Port Agatha. Jessica, Alicia, and Norah are now all grown up, when they each get a phone call 25 years later about the discovery of human bones where their foster home was. Could it be their very cruel and abusive foster mother, Miss Fairchild? I did think there was a bit too much child abuse & endangerment, though I never found it gratuitous, it was a necessary plot device. I was heading for a 3 star review when the ending just blew me away! WOW! The author delivered & how! My sincere thanks to Net Galley & the publisher for the complimentary DRC - my pleasure to review it.

What a page turner this book was!! Though I was busy, I read this book in 3 sittings and couldn’t put it down. Jessica, Norah and Alicia aren’t not biological siblings but foster sisters with a shared past and trauma. When bones are discovered at their childhood foster home, they must return to face their past. Told from different perspectives and in dual timelines, this book was dark and so good. This book played with my emotions a lot! The twist at the end….perfection!

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This is one of those cant put down books and I stayed up way too late reading it.
25 years ago three young girls find themselves in the same foster home - Wild Meadows run by the very unstable Miss Fairchild. They form a bond stronger than blood that lasts into adulthood. Now as the home they once lived in is being demolished, bones are found and they are forced to confront the horrors they faced all those years ago as well as perhaps find closure and healing for they trauma they each still carry.

I loved the way the author wrote these characters, each with a unique voice- I especially was enamored with Norah the rebel, who uses her fists to solved her problems, but has all the love to give to her three rescue dogs- Thong, Couch and Converse- each named after the first thing they destroyed. I wont spoil the ending, but there is a nice twist.
Lots to discuss at book club- including the sentiment that children of adoption or foster care are not LUCKY, the don’t need to be grateful. They are there because of tragedy that happened to them, and a loving home is the least that they deserve. Recommend

“It’s unimaginable, isn’t it?” Miss Fairchild said, looking from Jessica to Norah to Alicia. “To think that someone would hurt a child.”

This was my first Sally Hepworth book. Everyone I know raves about her stories and writing, but this wasn’t as spectacular as I believed it would be. It was good, but did it live up to the hype?…. Meh.
We follow three foster sisters : Jessica, Norah, and Alicia. All three of them follow certain tropes. Jessica is needy and craves attention, Norah is a troublemaker, and Alicia is kind of just… there. During their time at Meadows Hill with their new foster “mother”, Miss Fairchild, psychological and physical torture begins. The commentary on how dark the foster system can be was great and something that I think should be touched on more, I really loved to hate the flashbacks of the girls and their time with Miss Fairchild.
Present day, there is a mystery happening that brings the three sisters together to face their traumatic past at Meadows Hill. Bones have been uncovered under the house after it is demolished. Detectives are trying to figure out what happened, and who these bones belong to.
Unfortunately, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia just all feel so flat as adults. They have little side conflicts that are happening, but I truly couldn’t care less about any of them. They were dull and felt lifeless.
As the mystery goes, I DID enjoy that. The twists were fun, even though a TAD bit predictable.
The real meat to this book was Miss Fairchild herself. The character study into her was phenomenal. I wanted to know more, honestly. I wanted more insight into her life, her issues. You find out the most in the last chapter, but I want a whole book based on HER. There’s just so much potential in her as a mentally unwell and depraved woman.
All in all, a quick read and twisty domestic thriller with interesting secrets, the importance of found family and trauma bonding, and a crazy evil foster mom.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All of these thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wow. The second to last paragraph of this book practically made me vomit and also filled me with rage at the same time. Darling Girls truly doesn’t let up until the very last page and will leave you with your jaw on the floor.

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia are foster sisters who’ve grown up and managed to escape their monster of a foster mother while maintaining their unbreakable bond. But when bones are found buried under their childhood home, Wild Meadows, the women will have to confront their past traumas and come face to face with their tormentor.

This book was flawlessly written. Each character is developed beautifully and their back stories, while heartbreaking, are thorough and incredibly deep. I feel like very few authors are capable of the character development and arc that Sally Hepworth can create amongst her main characters. Character development was truly spot on and made for an easy, endless page turning read.

My only “criticism” is that it overall felt a little anticlimactic. Don’t get me wrong, this book is heart wrenching, devastating, empowering, and thought provoking, but it lacked a wow factor somewhere for me. I was expecting something more suspenseful but maybe that’s my fault for going into it that way.

Darling Girls does have Secrets of Us (Lucinda Berry) vibes so if you enjoyed that wild ride of a book I can assure you that you will devour this as well!

Overall, Darling Girls gets 4 out of 5 stars from me because it was written so well and executed flawlessly; but it wasn’t my favorite Sally Hepworth work (looking at you, The Soulmate).

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the opportunity to read this ARC before it’s scheduled release date of April 23, 2024.

4.5 rounded up
Sally Hepworth does it again
Stayed in late into the night to finish. Nice mix of characters (Norah is my favorite) and easy to dislike antagonist. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This book is 4.5 stars from me - knocked down from 5 because the content got a little dark. A plethora of trigger warnings here…

This psychological thriller focuses on three foster girls (Jessica, Norah, and Alicia), their time with abusive foster parent Miss Fairchild, and ultimately how their time under her care left lasting impacts. The girls are called back to their foster home when human remains are found beneath the house, and readers are brought back and forth between present day as the investigation unfolds and decades ago when the girls were living under the same roof.

The characters are all deeply flawed, but not unlikeable. The plot is quick and propulsive; I generally preferred current day because the girls’ youth was very dark to read at times. Sometimes the plot was a little predictable, but there were plenty of twists along the way to keep it all very entertaining. The ending was not as untied as I prefer but the very last chapter was a great final twist! I couldn’t put this down!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

THIS BOOK.
Kept me hooked from page 1. I wish I could read it for the first time again! Tied together beautifully, until the end. Completely threw me out of my comfort zone. Brilliant.

Possible trigger warning for foster homes/child abuse/addiction

I've liked Sally Hepworth for a long time but this book really won me over and solidified her as one of my favorite authors. Wow, can she write! Each book I've read from her has consisted of a unique storyline and it seems like no matter the heaviness of the content her writing still contains a great deal of, dare I say, charm? I really enjoy the way she writes and I get sucked in quickly.

This is my favorite book from Hepworth. I wasn't able to read it all in one sitting due to daily demands, but I found myself sneaking glances at the book whenever I got a free few minutes. I devoured it. I loved it. I wish I could read it again with fresh eyes.

The way Hepworth just gives you a little info at a time has you guessing until the very end about what actually happened. I don't know what else to say without spoiling parts of the plot so I"ll leave it at this... do your future self a favor and pre-order this book. You'll be completely engrossed in it the second it arrives at your doorstep and it will give your mind a much-needed escape into the Australian world of Sally Hepworth. And know this: I'm quite jealous you get to read it for the first time!

Thank you so much to the author and to netgalley for allowing me to review such a captivating read!

3.5 Stars -- I'm a big Sally Hepworth fan, however, this one fell a bit flat for me. Darling Girls follows three women who grew up in foster care together. The story alternates POVs as well as between the past and present. Flashbacks are interspersed with the current event of the women returning to the town where they grew up, when a child's bones are discovered beneath their foster home. The story was interesting and with adequate twists, however, for some reason I found the writing a little too "tell me" and not enough "show me". I felt like I was being told what to think about the characters rather than allowing their actions and attitudes to do it for me. The characters were portrayed in a starkly cliche approach, which grew irritating at times. Overall, though, this was a fast-paced read with an interesting story line that would make a good match for someone looking for a quick, twisty mystery.

I really like books by Sally Hepworth so I was really happy to receive this ARC. Although this wasn't my favorite of hers, it was still a good book.

The story revolves around 3 girls who are all sent to the same foster home. The woman they are sent to live with is mental at best and psychotic at worst.

The girls bond over their shared experiences and wind up feeling life they truly are sisters. When a body turns up under the house where they lived as foster kids they are called in by the police. Who is the body under the house, what happened, if it was murder, who did it?

The book does a good job of letting each of the girls tell their own story and how their past has affected their present way of living.

I enjoyed getting to know each of these girls and rooted for all of them to be okay in the end.

Another stunning novel by Sally Hepworth! Wow this was so good. A gripping and beautifully outlined story with a dark, twisty ending! I will definitely be recommending this. Longer review will be posted when the pub date gets closer.

Another Hepworth to keep me up past my bedtime!

TW: child abuse, foster care, sexual assault, benzodiazepine abuse

Fantastic story of non-blood sisters sticking together against all odds. The power of sisterhood, the resiliency of children and the impact our childhood has on adulthood.

If you’ve enjoyed her previous work you’ll love this one. I couldn’t put it down I just had to know what happened and I did not see it coming!