Oh boy. Families are sure complicated. Families sure come with baggage. And ALL families have secrets.

That is never more evident than in Sally Hepworth's latest "Darling Girls."

As someone who is passionate about adoption and foster care, I didn't know whether to be repulsed by the evil Miss Fairchild....or appreciate the multiple complexities to her character. (The end I should have seen coming (as it is customary in the suspense genre) but I still was a bit surprised.) All of the three girls who had been under Miss Fairchild's care at Wild Meadows, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia, all have memories of growing up....and as you might imagine, not many are positive.

I very much enjoyed this book and I know others will too!

Fast paced thriller that pulled me in right from the start and kept me there until it was over. Not especially shocking and maybe the ending was a little overly explained (although I'm sure some people love that there so zero ambiguity left) but overall a good read. There were multiple POVs and timelines selectively switched between to keep you engaged.

I’ve read several books by Sally Hepworth, and I was so thrilled to be granted an advanced digital copy of her newest release.

Darling Girls drew me in from the very beginning and was another suspenseful and emotional ride from this fantastic author.

Told from multiple points of view and bouncing between the past and present of three foster sisters not bound by blood, but by shared trauma and experiences.

Hepworth always keeps you guessing and just when I thought I’d had it all figured out and wrapped up, she left me with a final wallop.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and the author for the advanced readers copy.

This book kept me guessing the entire time. I wanted to see how it would end. I found all of the characters to be very unlikable and I found it hard to connect with them. The ending did surprise me and I don't know how I didn't see it coming. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it.

Darling Girls is the first book I've read by Sally Hepworth. I was hooked from the very beginning! I'm not going to repeat the synopsis of the book, but I will tell you what I enjoyed. The story unfolds with the telling of the past or present of each character. You learn what each girl went through during childhood & where they are in life currently. I can feel the emotions each girl is portraying. The story kept my attention & I wanted to know what happened. Another interesting aspect that the author put in the book was someone is meeting with Dr. Warren, a Psychiatrist, & telling their "life story" - it never states who it is & keeps you guessing until the end. I really enjoyed how Ms. Hepworth wrapped up the ending with a twist.

If you are looking for a fast paced psychological thriller, then pick this book up! I will say if child abuse is a trigger for you, then you may want to skip this one.
I can't wait to read more books by this author!

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, & the author for voluntarily letting me read this book & give my honest opinion.

This is my new favorite book by Sally Hepworth. Thank you SMP for the gifted copy!

I really loved this book. The dual timeline gives us the story of Jessica, Norah, and Alicia, three girls that lived with their foster mom, Miss Fairchild. We learn about their time living at the farm, and how it was not as ideal as some thought. Years later, a body is found buried on the farm - who is it and how did it get there?

The twists built up and then kept coming. And that ending - holy sh*t. I’m sure some people would figure it out but I tried not to - and all I can say is whaaaaaat!

Ahhh, this was one of those books that captured my attention. It was a really captivating psychological thriller with a twist I didn't see coming. I have read a couple books by Sally Hepworth and really enjoyed them. The before and after timeline, with little pieces of the puzzle make it fun to try to figure out what happened. The ending was chef's kiss. I love how everything was wrapped up, personally I like endings that don't leave you with more questions.

This book took several turns that I didn't anticipate, and I love that. I was definitely engaged the whole time and waiting to see how this was going to play out. I was a little disappointed in the ending, but really enjoyed this book as much as others from Sally Hepworth. If you're a fan, this is worth the read!

I’m always excited for the new Sally Hepworth novel and this one is a great story. It focuses on three sisters who were all in a foster home together and bonded as though they were biologic sisters. They are protective of each other and love each other, sometimes more than they love themselves. They have similar experiences from their time in the foster home and never want to return to the town. But when bones are discovered underneath the foster home, they are duty bound to return to answer questions from the police.
As they are forced to relive their adolescence by returning to the home and recounting events that defined their childhood years.
There are twists and turns throughout. I especially appreciate the fact that each character has a unique arc that is explored through the entire book.
Highly recommend.
#DarlingGirls #NetGalley #StMartinsPress

This multi perspective book was kept me interested along the way. I kinda guessed it, but not with the twist that came. Centered around a foster home that has a trio of teen girls that form a sisterhood - and a dual timeline in adulthood. Given their trauma, were things as they remember or what the adults saw?

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

This book was a refreshing read for me. Was it also incredibly sad and evil? Absolutely. I have read another book by Sally Hepworth (The Soulmate) and one thing I enjoyed about that book, and this one, is that the author manages to take a mystery and completely contort it into something that I haven't read before. Even when I think I am figuring out the ending, and even if I'm right, there are other twists and turns that change everything. It makes the reading experience intriguing and satisfying.

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia met at different points in childhood when they were placed with Miss Fairchild at Wild Meadows. Jessica arrives first, then Norah, and at last, Alicia. When Jessica first arrives, Miss Fairchild dotes on her and even tells Jessica that she can call her "mummy" if she'd like. But once Norah arrives, everything changes. When Alicia comes, the treatment becomes even worse. Miss Fairchild exploits and humiliates the girls, finding what terrifies them, and inflicting it on them. She then starts taking in baby girls, and when she becomes annoyed with them, the girls take turns caring for the babies before they are placed elsewhere.

This story alternates between the present day when a body is found beneath Wild Meadows, and the subsequent investigation, and the past, as each girl arrives at Wild Meadows, and their shared experiences.

This book flows easily. This is one of those stories where you could easily start and finish in a day and feel like no time has passed. The author kept me fully engrossed throughout the story. Even with heavier subject matter, it was well-balanced and was thoughtfully and tastefully written.

Because this story alternates between the past and present, we see characters having their everyday lives occurring as they are being pulled back to Wild Meadows and the past. And with everyday life come problems. Each character has their flaws and ways their trauma manifests in the present day. I appreciated that the author shows that, but also showed some of the consequences of choices that have been made. With this subject matter, it's easy to want to give the characters a buttoned-up, happy ending, and call it good. But the author leaves no stone unturned, and the reader gets to experience the fulfillment of the characters having a complete ending.

A nice 5 star book from Sally Hepworth! What a master storyteller! This book is phenomenal and is one of my favorites this year! A suspenseful journey that had me feeling so many emotions. This is one of those books that you will still think about years down the road. Such a dark side to the foster care system, but the love these sisters shared was heartwarming. I loved all three and their very different personalities. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the copy of this eARC.

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth
#thriller
#netgalley published 4/23/24
#foundfamily

4 POVs. 2 timelines. All clearly marked. Not confusing at all. Pulled me in right from the start as per her usual. SH weaves a great story of the girls horrible little life living with their foster mom. The story is about 3 foster kids from one house, now sisters. All grown up with their all slightly messed up lives. Only to be called back to their hometown bc bones were found under the now demolished house. Who will be suspect? Who is telling the truth?

I don't think I want to say anymore. Don't want to give anything away. So we'll done! That's why SH is an auto-buy author for me.

#arc #darlinggirls #sallyhepworth @sallyhepworth
#bookstagram #bookreview #bookrecommendation #booknerdsbookreview

This is my first Sally Hepworth book and it won't be my last. Thankfully, she has a backlist I can get to!

I loved this book! Three foster girls return to the house that they grew up in, as there is an investigation happening from human remains that were found. This book is told from two time lines of before and after they escape Miss Fairchild, their foster mom. I enjoyed the fact we got all POV's from the girls - it really added to the suspense.

I did guess a few twists and turns but there were a few that totally got me! I couldn't read this fast enough.

There are a few triggers to be aware of, so be sure to look at those before jumping into this.

After reading The Soulmate last year and absolutely loving it, I can say I went into this one with very high hopes….
Darling Girls did not totally meet my expectations but was still a very enjoyable read. I found the multiple POVS to be very distinctive and easy to follow but at times I did find myself getting a bit bored or just not feeling the excitement to pick up the book. What I did really enjoy was the final twist as it’s not what I had guessed was going to happen. Overall, a very solid 3⭐️ and will definitely still continue to pick up more books by Sally Hepworth in the future!

Dark subject matter but there’s also something hopeful about it, in the connection the sisters have with one another. Their upbringing, which we glimpse in flashbacks told by different sisters, is traumatic but they survived by having each other. And there’s something nice about that and it gets them through their present unknowns as well.

For what should be a dreary story, it plays out nicely. Even saving some surprises for the very end.

Sally Hepworth is one of the very few authors that I clear my calendar for when she releases a new book. What sets Hepworth's books apart is how different the subject matter is in each book. Other authors I follow have a somewhat formulaic way of telling a story, and if you like their style that's not a bad thing. You know what you're getting. With Hepworth, all I know is that there will be a murder, probably. But the story around that murder is always so varied. And the murder is never the main point. The books are character driven, and an observation on the crazy things people do within their structured worlds.

I won't go into the details of the book as many other reviewers have done that. I'll just say that it was a fun, solid read that I sped through in two days. Was it my favorite of her books? No. But it was still a solid five star read for me, the criteria being it was highly entertaining and I couldn't put it down. There was a twist at the end that I really enjoyed, although it seemed to upset some people. I'm not sure why. I will say that this book had a bit darker tone than I've found in some of Hepworth's books. Maybe it was because it tackled the subject of foster care, and children being mistreated is always a sensitive subject. But even the villain was more evil than usual in her books. In the past, even though Sally's books usually deal with very serious subject matter, I often find myself laughing and smiling. Not so much with Darling Girls. It was pretty dark.

I hope Hepworth keeps turning out a book a year, and I don't know where her many varied ideas come from, but I love it!

Thanks to NetGalley, Sally Hepworth, and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a big fan of Sally Hepworth so when I saw this ARC was available, I grabbed it immediately! I LOVED The Soulmate and had a strong feeling that I’d enjoy this one too.

Why 4 stars:
- I quite literally could NOT put this book down! I read it in one day!
- The 3 sisters have such different personalities, it keeps things interesting! I can’t decide who was my favorite sister
- Trauma bonded them from a young age and they’ve been there for each other ever since <3
- Just like The Soulmate, this book really made me want to travel to Australia!
- Miss Fairchild reminded me of a mix of Nanny Carrie (any One Tree Hill fans?!), Nurse Ratched, and Miss Trunchbull. Sounds like a peach.
- I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for adoption. While I don’t know all the ins and outs of the system, I do know that foster care isn’t always an ideal situation for kids. This book showed the scary (and some sweet) parts of that world. My heart breaks for all the kids who have had bad experiences through foster care.

“Being loved had been the goal of her life.”

If you are a fan of Sally Hepworth, read this book. If you’re not a fan of Sally Hepworth, read this book. It will not disappoint! Thanks so much Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC!

Oh My Goodness. If I had not already been a fan of Sally Hepworth, I would have been sold on her after reading this book. Three foster care girls bonded through their shared experiences, travel back to the scene of their unfortunate foster care home. This story is told in both the present and past seen and told through the girl's voices. Absolutely thrilling to read, a psychological thriller done in its best.

If you are looking for a thriller that you are absolutely unable to put down, filled with complex, flawed characters and twists that had my jaw dropping, look no further!

Darling Girls is an exploration of family, trauma and secrets. As young girls, Norah, Jessica and Alicia all found themselves in the care of their foster mother, Mrs. Fairchild. While each of them ended up in her care due to different circumstances, that horrors that they endured were done so together. One day, when things go too far, the girls find their voices and speak up for themselves, looking for help. But nothing is as it seems, and trauma is not an easy thing to run from. Years later, a body is found on the estate on which they grew up, and their pasts are brought right back into the terrifying present.

I loved this novel. We get multiple POVs, each of which were interesting. I never found myself rushing through one POV to get to another. They all had such unique voices and experiences, and were so different from one another. The small chapters with the clinical notes in them were so good as well! I could not put this book down until I figured out what was happening. The pacing was perfection, and just when you thought things could not get more horrifying, they definitely did. The mystery was done so well, and had me guessing until the very end. And, oh, that ending! I think I just sat there for like ten minutes when I read the last page. It was just so good! I definitely recommend this psychological thriller, but be sure to check trigger warnings first if you are unsure.

Read if you like:
Psychological Thrillers
Found Family
Suspense/Mystery
Multiple POV
Shocking Twists