The Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth, what can I say about this book but wow. The abuse that takes place in this book is hard to read, but I do realize that it happens more than I would like to think of in the foster system. There was plenty of twists and turns, and not sure exactly who was telling parts of the story line until very late in the book. Three young girls build a unbreakable bond living in a house full of abuse. Was great to see each one redeeming themselves in the closing pages of the book. I would recommend this book to others.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, and I am leaving my review voluntarily.

"𝐖𝐞'𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐬."

Sally Hepworth is a must-read author for me; she does domestic dramas with a touch of mystery so well, and this one does not disappoint.

I listened to and read this one; both ways captured my attention and had me speeding through. No matter how Hepworth’s prose is delivered, it is always compelling. Narrator Jessica Clarke had a great inflection when she read which was easy to follow; her Australian accent helped me dive into the Australian setting easily too. Hepworth weaves a few different narratives: the past of foster sisters Jessica, Norah and Alicia at Winding Meadows, the present day sisters point of view after the discovery of bones at Winding Meadows, and the therapy sessions of an unknown first person narrator. I found all three sisters to be sympathetic and I was cheering for all of them as they confronted their defence mechanisms for survival. Miss Fairchild, the sisters’ foster mother, was a total narcissist and I anxiously awaited her downfall (making for a perfect antagonist). Although a darker tale for Hepburn, with its focus on the ways the foster system can fail the children in its care and the abuse that can be suffered, it is powerful and poignant. There are some very well placed reveals that had me gasping, alongside an ending that is both smile-worthy and gasp-worthy.

Darling Girls is a story of survival, empowerment, gaslighting, safety, sisterhood, and the search for love. It is bingeworthy and I think might be my favourite Hepworth novel yet. Thank you to St. Martins’ Press, MacMillan Audio, and NetGalley for the ARCs!

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia were raised by a foster mother named Miss Fairchild. Everyone thought the girls were lucky to have someone taking such good care of them but all isn't as it seems. The wonderful life everyone thinks they have is filled with rules. When the three got the chance they left Miss Fairchild behind freeing themselves from her grasp. When a body is located under the house they grew up in the girls become witnesses but will they remain that way or will they soon be looked at as suspects.

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth delves into the lives of Jessica, Norah, and Alicia, three foster sisters raised by the enigmatic Miss Fairchild on a secluded estate. Despite the idyllic facade, their upbringing was marred by rules and the looming presence of their foster mother. When a body is discovered on their former home's property, the sisters find themselves entangled in a web of secrets, love, and murder. The narrative weaves between past and present timelines, exploring the complexities of their relationships and the haunting specter of Miss Fairchild, keeping readers on edge until the final revelation.

However, while the premise held promise, Darling Girls didn't quite hit the mark for me. The constant shifts in perspective between past and present disrupted the flow of the story, making it feel disjointed at times. While I anticipated some twists, others blindsided me. Additionally, sensitive topics like child abuse and CSA warrant trigger warnings for readers. Ultimately, this book fell short of my expectations.

Thank you NetGalley and Sally Hepworth for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love Sally Hepworth's writing, but I think Darling Girls is my favorite yet. Yes, the subject matter is dark, but I just really loved the characters of Jessica, Norah, and Alicia and their bond. Each struggles with their own demons, even as adults, but they support each other no matter what, and, when they're called back to the scene of their childhood foster home, secrets of the past are revealed, leading up to an ending that blew my mind.

In the world of psych thrillers, this one stands out and is to be applauded because it is uniquely original and outstandingly written. The story of three young women who suffered abuse at the hands of their foster parent is compelling and heart-wrenching at the same time. I could not drag my eyes away from the page as I read the stories of Jessica, Alicia and Norah, all affected in different ways by their stay with Miss Fairchild. When the bones are unearthed at their old home, they feel that they must go back and confront the evil there, but at what cost to them do they return? I enjoyed getting to know the well-rounded characters, but I mostly enjoyed the dual timeline and the twists in the plot. The ending was such a surprise that I think I gasped audibly! Sally Hepworth tells a story that is engaging, realistic and horrifying at the same time as she offers a glimpse into possibly a hopeful future. The title and the entire book were perfectly suited for each other, and the plot clipped along at a fast pace that kept me on the edge of my seat waiting for the next revelation.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16th CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

This book kept my attention from the very first page to the very last page! This book did NOT disappoint! I would definitely recommend this book to all my reading buddies!!

Jessica, Norah and Alicia are forced to return to the town they grew up in and to face their past when bones are found under their childhood foster home. Told through all of their POVs and with flashbacks to the past, this story is masterfully unwoven and had me guessing until the last page. I am a Sally Hepworth fan, and this felt like a classic domestic suspense but with a fresh take on ‘family’. I enjoyed the sisterhood and that while the characters were dealing with a lot of darkness and trauma, they remained solid for each other. The pacing felt right to me and things were revealed at a great pace. The last twist shocked me!
Thank you St. Martin’s Press for the copy through NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Holy cow, Sally Hepworth has done it again. Everything about this novel was sheer perfection. I loved the three sisters and the epic bonds that they shared. From past to present, I couldn’t get enough of them. Their stories broke my heart and I wanted to adopt them all myself! Hepworth put so much emotion in this book that took readers on a wild ride. She tugged at every heartstring which is how you know it’s a great novel. The twists were incredible and I never in a hundred years saw them coming. This might be my new favorite Hepworth!

This was a typical thrill ride from Sally Hepworth! I’ve read a few of her books and they were all so good and this one was no exception.

I loved this mystery. There were twists and turns all throughout and I couldn’t get enough. The struggles that the girls went through broke my heart but they never stopped fighting. This was such a great read!

This was a quick read! Not entirely thrilling but definitely kept you in suspense, had twists, and of course, I always appreciate a story with great female friendships! I also appreciate a good husband in a thriller! What a rarity.

Thank you to @netgalley for providing me with an advance reader copy on exchange for an honest review.

BOOK REVIEW: Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth
2024 Publication Date: April 23

⭐️⭐️⭐️

T.I.M.E. Most Anticipated Books Of 2024

Pages: 359
Genre: Thriller
Sub-Genre: Domestic Thriller
T.I.M.E. Jalapeno Rating:️ N/A
Time Period: Contemporary
Location: Melbourne Area (Australia)
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

I love Hepworth and her writing, but this story was dark and unsettling the whole way through. It just made me sad. I liked the pacing and how I started to get a sense of where the story was going and how it all unfolded at the end. 3 start story with a 4 star ending.

Ooof, Darling Girls is dark and twisty and sad and terrible and a page turner. Definitely check the content warnings because there are MANY. That said, I was hooked. Out now if you're up for a dark twisted read.

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

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

I really enjoy everything I read from this author and this book did not disappoint. And the ending was the chef's kiss!! If you are a thriller fan I'd pick this one up.

I devoured this novel! Jessica, Norah, and Alicia are torn from reality and brought back to their tumultuous childhood when human remains are found on the grounds of Wild Meadows. The three foster sisters travel back to provide insight for investigators, all while trying not to get sucked back into the trauma of their upbringings. Bouncing between past and present, and the perspective of all three girls, the story of the past is gradually brought to light and the events of the past catch up to them. But who is sharing the truth? And are they hiding secrets that could come back to bite them?

I just could not put this book down. I was sucked in right from the beginning and I truly had no idea what was going to happen. I love a good mystery that keeps me guessing, and this time, Sally Hepworth executed a great mystery. Highly recommend.

After reading several previous releases by this author, I was very excited for Darling Girls. Audiobook is my preferred format, but was able to have it on audio and print. Many readers will enjoy this one with sisters that are foster children. However this is about the extent of my enjoyment, as the story didn’t seem to keep me drawn in nor did I feel like the cover match with what I was hearing. I will say the last chapter might make people reconsider their opinion, so I am glad I finished. Sadly, this wasn’t a favorite by the author.

Jessica, Norah and Alicia were foster sisters for a short time. Always told how lucky they were. But there were secrets in that house of abuse, both physical and mental. Now it is years later and they are adults, each with their own baggage.
The house they had lived in was taken down and they found a body buried under the house. Now they have to o n for questioning. Miss Fairchild, the foster mom shows up as well.
I liked getting to know all 3 girls and how they ended up the way they did. We also know someone is taking to a psychiatrist and the things that are said is also very disturbing.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's for the book to review.

A very solid suspense story about three foster sisters who are drawn back into the traumas of their past when a skeleton is found on the grounds of their former foster home.

It's an intense book with scenes and themes that may not be for every reader (pretty terrible child abuse)

The twist at the end felt unsurprising to me, but I remain a huge fan of the author and will read whatever she writes. I'm interested to see if the audiobook has a full cast, because that would make for an interesting listen!

I sadly couldn't get into this as much as I did with other Hepworth books. The pacing just felt so incredibly slow to me. When I got halfway through the book, I realized that it felt like basically nothing had happened, and the mysterious / suspense aspect just wasn't doing it for me.

I liked the idea of it, and the ultimate ending was satisfying, but I don't know, the overall experience of reading this one just wasn't for me, and it wasn't my favorite Hepworth book.