"Look at you, my darling girl."
Cute, right? Yeah, until you read this book

This is easily my favorite Sally Hepworth book so far! We get multiple POVs, short chapters, likable characters, dark moments, and great plot twists! All of this can make a domestic thriller great, but the fact that Hepworth pairs it with the awareness of the foster care system, childhood, sisters, and even luck made it that much better.

It was definitely a wild ride and I loved every minute!

The way my jaw DROPPED reading that last chapter… I cannot recommend this one enough and I hope you add it your 2024 TBR!

Thank you NetGalley, Sally Hepworth, and St Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Expected pub date is 4/23/2024

Salt Hepworth is an auto-buy author for me so I was pretty excited to recieve this advanced readers copy of Darling Girls. I really enjoyed this book and the end was a total wtf moment! If you're a fan of Ms Hepworth, you'll definitely want to add this to your list!

4.5 rounded up. Love Sally Hepworth. Any new release is an immediate addition to the TBR pile. Loved all the twists and slow release of secrets. Deducted 0.5 for the epilogue but only because I’m being picky.

Thanks to St Martins Press and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Such a shocking and twisty read. The ending of this one left my jaw on the floor. I quite literally could not put this one down. So good.

Jessica, Norah and Ashleigh were all foster children at the same estate when they were little. Jessica was the first, when she lost her mom at four years old. Ashleigh was the last, thinking that she was only there for respite care. They grew up as sisters, and have a shared bond of their terrible time they shared with Miss Fairchild.
Things get interesting when they are called back to that town when a police investigation discovers human bones buried underground. It means they will have to relive unpleasant memories to help assist with the investigation.
As usual, Sally Hepworth doesn't disappoint in her art of story telling, and weaving multiple tales inside of the same story.
Thank you to #netgalley for this #arc.

My goodness! My first book by Sally Hepworth and it won’t be my last. I loved the characters each getting to narrate their side of the story and the pieces fit beautifully. The twist in the last several chapters, you think you know it but then it gets even twistier. I loved the environment of a children’s group home, talking about foster care and some of the tragedies of it but seeing the girls become sisters in more than one way was perfect. The villian of this story was one of the best portrayed narcissists ever.

Do yourself a favor and pick up this book ASAP. This is the second Sally Hepworth book I have read and it sure didn’t not disappoint.
The story alternates between three sisters points of view. The reader quickly learns that these are foster sisters who were brought together under Miss Fairchild’s foster home. The story starts strong when bones are found under Miss Fairchilds home. As the reader is finding out what’s currently happening, we also get bits of information on each sister’s past. We quickly learn that their experience with Miss Farchild was anything but pleasant.

This novel is crafted beautifully and makes it almost impossible to put down. Both past and present timelines leave you wanting to know more. The twists are unpredictable and will leave your jaw on the floor.

Disappointed in the story & characters--unexpected after being a fan of the author's and enjoying most of her books greatly, especially her last.

With thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for this e-ARC.

Sally Hepworth writes a tragic tale of the bond between sisters, even if they aren't sisters by blood. Three sister who were raised in the same foster home are forced to confront their past in this fast paced thriller with twists at every turn. I highly recommend it!

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Jessica is finally enjoying life with the success of her business. She learns that their was something found when they were tearing down the house. This brings back bad memories of her and her sisters childhood. She likes to bury the past and move forward. This book grabbed my attention from the start.

When skeletal remains are discovered underneath their former foster home, three sisters return to the site and to their memories to uncover the mystery of who it could be. This is a psychological mystery (I don’t consider it a thriller) that alternates between the three women’s viewpoints as well as between the present and the past. It is compulsively readable, well written, and an emotional read. There are definite triggers for child abuse (especially psychological abuse). But it is also the story of strong sisterly bonds and dealing with the aftermath of childhood trauma. I loved it and highly recommend it!

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for an advanced reader copy.

DNF @ 22%
I have enjoyed some of Sally Hepworth’s older books, and I am generally a fan of her writing style and unique storytelling approach.
But unfortunately her newer books have contained too much rough content for me to read as relaxing entertainment.
Although the characters seemed to be compelling and multi-layered, I didn’t find them to be likable. Plus, it contained a high concentration of harsh material in just the first quarter. To list out a bit:
- language & drug abuse
- consistent negative portrayal of kids within the foster system, along with foster parents and social workers
- Multiple off-hand references to sexual harassment
- Explicit child abuse
- Detailed lesbian kiss
- Fantasizing suicide

I read for joy and entertainment. That being said, I do not appreciate the above material in my fiction books.

I received a complimentary ebook in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

This is my first Sally Hepworth book and it will definitely not be my last. What a page turner!

Alicia, Jessica and Norah are foster sisters, and are met with a phone call investigation about their foster home when they were children. Having to face their dark past, including their more than unfair foster mother Miss Fairchild, we uncover more of what they went through and how much of a hold Miss Fairchild has as adults.

This became an instant favorite in the psychological thriller category. You wanted to know more about their past and became immersed in their current life. By the end, you're hit with the realization that not everything is true and some characters are not what they seemed the entire book.

Darling Girls will have you bite your nails from beginning to end and you may need a few days before starting your next read.

Releases April 23, 2024!

I didn't even read the synopsis of this book, I just requested it immediately! I went into this one with high expectations because I LOVE this author's books! I read it in two sittings because it was that good!

Another Knock-out by Hepworth! The beginning drew me in, the middle kept me hooked and the ending was shocking! I really felt for the characters and grew to love them each along the way.

This book was absolutely amazing!! I was hooked from the very first page. I read it in one sitting. I was DYING to know what Miss Fairchild was going to do next. One of the best books I’ve read in a long time! 5/5 stars.

*Trigger warning for child abuse and sexual abuse*
Another amazing book by Sally Hepworth. "Darling Girls" follows the life of 3 foster children who grew up in Wild Meadows, flashing between present day and past when they were under Miss Fairchild's care at Wild Meadows. Recently, Wild Meadows was torn down and there were human bones found underneath, which prompted the police to request all the foster children to return to Wild Meadows so police can try to understand who the bones belong to. This book is so twisty and one that is truly hard to put down, but there are definitely some parts that are hard to read. Overall, I loved this book and I can't wait for others to be able to read it! Thank you to the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Another great Sally Hepworth book! I didn't want to put the book down. I couldn't wait to get to the end but also didn't want it to end. The characters were relatable and felt real. The storyline was great. Some parts seemed like a bit of a stretch but even real life has those events sometimes. Sally Hepworth has become an author that I will Auto buy books from, even without knowing what they're about.

**trigger warning: child neglect, abuse, death**

4.5 stars!

“Well, as you may or not be aware, Wild Meadows has recently been demolished. And while excavating, the construction workers uncovered human remains. Bones, really.”

Three foster sisters, Jessica, Alicia and Norah met in Wild Meadows under the care of Miss Fairchild in the early 90’s. The girls remained close into adulthood, and when they each get a call from a detective asking for help with an investigation into their old foster home, the women band together nervously to relive their past.

They weren’t believed before when they tried. Would they be believed now, or would they become suspects?

Absolutely loved this! Kept me intrigued from page one all the way to the last page! Love the twist and turns that kept me on my toes and guessing and still never guessed the correct ending. Love it and will recommend to everyone.