Sally Hepworth writes twisty page turners that leave you looking for more. I definitely enjoyed this book more than others of hers. The novel is set in both the past and the present between their time in foster care, and the now, when the girls return to the home for a discovery of bones on the property.

I enjoyed how it created an unknown around the police discovery, but also created a detailed look at the past life and abuse that these girls endured.

let me be clear - this book was dark. It did not "feel good" but it was raw, emotional, and well written.

Definitely would recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Wow!!! This was such an amazing book! I love a story about the horrors of foster care and this one did not disappoint. The book switches between the POVs of three foster sisters that survived a horrific experience in a foster home called Wild Meadows. Jessica, Alicia, and Norah all come from different backgrounds and they all end up in Miss Fairchild's care at what appears (from the outside) to be an idyllic place to grow up. It doesn't take long for each of them to realize that is not the case. The three girls are close in age and create a sisterly bond that follows them to adulthood. Even as adults, they still hang on to and process their childhood traumas in different ways. Jessica is a bit OCD and keeps her husband at an arms length at all times. Norah stays in trouble with the law. Alicia works as a social worker to try and prevent the atrocities that she experienced as a foster child, but she does not allow herself any type of personal relationship with anyone except her foster sisters.
The twists and revelations in the story are so well done and most of them were unexpected. The end of the book will literally leave you with your jaw hanging open. Absolutely recommended!

3.5 ⭐️

Whenever I have the opportunity to read a new Sally Hepworth book early, it goes straight to the top of my overflowing TBR pile! 📚📚📚

After all, I have never given one of her books less than 4 stars-with most earning 5 stars……until now.
Although, I think it’s impossible for her to write a BAD book-this just wasn’t a favorite.

Jessica, Norah and Alicia share a bond that takes them back decades, to when they were girls, and they lived on a farm with a wicked foster mother named Miss Fairchild. They may not be sisters by blood, but they are as close as three sisters can be.

When bones are discovered buried under the farmhouse of their childhood, they are summoned by Police to tell what they might know.

The story opens in the office of Dr. Warren, Psychiatrist- but which woman is speaking with him?

We then alternate between the PAST and the PRESENT, examining both through the viewpoints of all three girls/women. It isn’t confusing at all, but I rarely enjoy spending half of a book with children, especially those who are being ABUSED in FOSTER CARE.

But, that’s a “me thing” as the book has all 5 star ⭐️ reviews so far!!

As ALWAYS, Sally Hepworth writes another SHOCKING ending, which will probably be met with more mixed feelings! I always ENJOY them (extra half star for the surprise reveal!) regardless of how DISTURBING or UPSETTING the ending might be.

And, I only hope that this time, she gets to KEEP the ending she wants!!

Expected publication date: April 23, 2024

Thank You to St. Martin’s Press for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

If Hepworth writes it, I'm going to read it. I often devour her books in less than 2 days. They are always so entertaining and twisty.

This book was no different, I enjoyed reading it on vacation and will definitely be recommending it.

OMG! Go Sally! This is definitely her best book, so many twists and turns. Just when you think you have reached the end..nope! Another twist on the last page! 5 well deserved stars! #NetGalley

This was one of the best Sally Hepworth books I have read! The twists and turns kept me guessing the entire time, family secrets, murder, so much drama.

Wow!!!!!!! Mrs Hepworth, I am deeply moved and in awe of your work. I owe an amends for not having read you sooner. Please continue to write awesome books!

The story-- Jessica, Norah, and Alicia are sisters. Sisters by a bond through the foster system, not by relation. As adults, they are contacted and told there has been a discovery of human bones in the ground of their foster home. Perplexed, they decide to travel back to the town and find out what's going on. Who do the bones belong to? Was it murder? Who did it? Are they suddenly suspects even though they were only children?

The story has two timelines- 25 years in the past and current time. Which I love, btw, especially when a story is told right and it all comes together. Told from different POV.

25 years ago-- The three girls are taken to a woman, Miss Fairchild, who lives alone. Let's just say.... Miss Fairchild is a hideous woman. As you can imagine, their foster lives are unhappy ones.

You know how in books that have child abuse can become too much? Too descriptive. Horrible to imagine? For example- the book If You Tell by Gregg Olsen. It was a gawd awful true story of child abuse. Well... this doesn't even come close to that. Yes, it is sad... but not deeply depressing IMO.

What I loved the most were the characters. I felt connected to them in so many ways. Alicia, Jessica, and Norah experience pain through childhood that ultimately leads to strength and an unbreakable bond. I was not only rooting for them, I was connected to them. Chemical dependency is mentioned, as I have been a recovering alcoholic for 20 years.... I felt connected. I too have been a victim of abuse. However, today I am a survivor!

--- Definitely read the Acknowledgements! It's extremely important to the story and the research Hepworth went through. I was moved. I will definitely be thinking about this book for a while.

--Trigger Warnings-- Child Abuse, sexual abuse (nothing descriptive), addiction, and death of a child. I hate to read about these things, but Hepworth told these things without ripping my heart out. No descriptive scenes.
*5 huge ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
* Thanks to NetGalley, Sally Hepworth, and St Martin's Press for an advanced copy for my honest opinion.
*Expected publication date April 23rd 2024

I always really enjoy Sally's books and this one was no different! It was hard to read as a foster parent, but the thriller was really well written, with constant turns and emotions and well written characters your heart ached for.

Before writing my review, I want to extend a huge thank you to NetGalley, Sally Hepworth, and St. Martin's Press for gifting me the ARC of this book! I appreciate you trusting me with an honest review!! It was a privilege to be able to read DARLING GIRLS before publication.

This was my first book from Sally Hepworth, and I absolutely, positively loved it!! I’ve been wanting to read one of her books for quite some time, and I was beyond thrilled and super excited to receive the ARC of DARLING GIRLS!! Where to begin??

Well, the premise was fantastic— and within minutes of starting the book, I knew without a shadow of a doubt this was going to be one I couldn’t put down. What an understatement that was, too. Had I not had a life I needed to get back to, I would have finished the book in one sitting!! (But 2 kids and 4 dogs make that impossible!!)

At its heart, DARLING GIRLS is a poignantly written psychological thriller revolving around a decades old mystery. Our three protagonists—Jessica, Norah, and Alicia—are like sisters in every sense of the word that counts. Their enduring bond was forged in childhood as a result of shared trauma at the hands of foster mother, Miss Fairchild. The physical and emotional abuse inflicted on the three young girls by Miss Fairchild was not easy to read, I must admit. And as your love for the sisters grows, so too does your hatred for their foster mother. You begin to feel fiercely protective of Jessica, Norah, and Alicia as they are forced to endure the horrors and humiliation of a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Who says monsters aren’t real?

The nightmares of their childhood spill over into adulthood, impacting every aspect of their lives. Happiness is hard-won, especially considering the depth of their psychological scars. But escaping Miss Fairchild as children was only the beginning because the past was always there, waiting in the shadows to resurface in an inexplicable way.

I must say, I enjoyed Sally Hepworth’s writing style immensely!! Her ability to skillfully move between the past and the present made the narrative flow seamlessly. There was no confusion in the timelines, and using this style of writing helped more fully develop our characters. As you near the end of the book, the mystery at its center is explained brilliantly, but not without heartbreak and sadness at the revelation. And one final twist had my head spinning in disbelief. Wow!! Didn’t see that coming!!

So if you enjoy thrillers with long buried secrets, edge of your seat suspense, twisty twists, and lovable dogs (I LOVED the dogs), you should definitely add DARLING GIRLS to your TBR list. It’s not a book you’ll soon forget.

Thank you to st martins press and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Holy moly. This was a fantastic book!! I’ve read a few of Sally Hepworth’s novels and this by far is my favorite. The characters, the twists and turns and the ending. Wow!!
I will definitely be recommending this book to everyone when it is published!!!

This book kept me on my toes. Right when I thought I had it all figured out a new piece would be revealed in the plot and it would all change — all the way to the last page.

This book had heavy moments as you get a grim view at how some foster homes can be. But by the end I enjoyed seeing the growth of the characters and how they could become healthy individuals despite a rocky upbringing.

I love Sally’s books and this one is no exception.

Wow! What did I just read?! I couldn't put it down! Twisty and shocking until the very end. I 1000% recommend!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my copy of Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth in exchange for an honest review. It publishes April 23, 2024.
There's a reason why Sally is my favorite thriller author! I cannot, will not, put these books down once I start them. I don't sleep, I don't clean, I don't want to do anything until I find out the ending! Yet again, this did not disappoint. Well-written, super interesting, and the characters each have things going on that I wanted to know more about!
There are some hard things that happen in here, pertaining to various forms of abuse, but I do not want to spoil anything.

Sally Hepworth, you had me wide-eyed and gasping on the last page! Great job!

Alicia, Jessica, and Norah are sisters for life after their time at Miss Fairchild’s creepy foster home. Years later, when a body is found buried there, they are called in for questioning and all the lies and secrets from their foster years start coming out.

This book is about found family, the affects of childhood trauma and living your life after trauma. I thought it was very good.

Thank you to Net Galley for this Advanced Reading Copy.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of “Darling Girls”. Sally Hepworth is one of my favorite authors. I have read all of her other works. That being said, I had trouble with this one. The characters were difficult to relate to. They didn’t come across as real. The story kept me going and I’m glad that I finished. Once again Ms Hepworth delivered a great ending.

Shut. The. Front. Door. What did I just read??! NEVER EVER have I drug myself through the first 25% of a book in almost a week to RACE through the last 75% in barely a day & a half. Couldn’t get into but once I did, thrilled I did. I always love Sally H books so not sure why the first drug for me….This such a twisty, suspenseful story with plenty family drama thrown in. Loved Norah, Alicia & Jessica so much, even flawed (or just human) though they were. Could you blame them?? Miss Fairchild was something serious. And, boy, at the conclusion, you’ll see just HOW SERIOUS!! 4.5 (slow beginning) rounded up because the majority was at least 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Buckle up! This book took me through an emotional ride from the very beginning. The way I wanted to jump in this book and save those girls!

I think the author does a great job keeping the reader engaged the entire read. I was always reeling to find out the next thing about the 3 girls and their foster mother, Miss Fairchild. I loved how everything played out and how all the twists and turns happened. My jaw was on the floor for the last 20% of the book.

If you are looking for a fast paced, emotional thriller, look no further!

Darling Girls is my first thriller in a while that I enjoyed reading for its entirety. It had a great build-up, and the last chapter really blew my mind. All three sisters were likable and Miss Fairchild was a great villain. It was easy to feel the manipulation through the pages. The story also depicts how tough it is being a number in the foster system and the lasting effects of being in an abusive and manipulative childhood as you become an adult. This story is easily binge-able and may be devoured in a single night!

Thank you to NetGallery and to St.Martin’s Press for giving me a copy of the book.

Okay, this book really and truly blew me away. I am obsessed with Sally Hepworth's brain. I cannot wait until this book releases and I can discuss with all my reading friends.

Multiple POVs, back and forth timelines, a murder, and unreliable narrators?! SIGN ME UP. This is honestly everything I need in a book to be happy, but Sally just really took it to another level. Every page had me questioning what was real and who was lying. The story was super intriguing and Sally's short chapters make every book easily bingable. So obsessed with this one! Coming April 2024.

Thank you Netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book kept me hooked from the beginning. Just as I thought I had figured something out I was wrong. Every time. It starts off with 3 foster sisters as adults and alternates between now and the past to tell their stories.