Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan for the ARC!

I enjoyed The Mother In Law by Sally Hepworth, but didn't love it- I'm so glad I decided to request this audiobook because I really liked it. The narrator was easy to listen to and I found myself looking forward to my commute so I could find out what happened in this twisty story.

Jessica, Alicia, and Norah consider themselves sisters; they grew up in the same foster home with under the watchful eye of Miss Fairchild, who keeps the girls off-footed and afraid throughout their childhood. The grown women still question what really happened in Miss Fairchild's home, and all are struggling in their own ways to cope with the abuse that she put them through. When infant bones are found under the house, the women return to town to help the investigation by digging into their past, unearthing trauma, and the truth, in the process.

The characters in this book were well drawn- each of the three women were compelling, especially in their responses to what happened to them when they were children. Miss Fairchild herself was unsettling, and a big reveal at the end tied everything together and wrapped up the story nicely. I found some of the descriptions of the abuse in the house, especially towards younger kids, upsetting, but not so upsetting that I turned the book off. Definitely something for readers to keep in mind.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and really enjoyed the narrator. I would definitely listen to an audiobook narrated by Jessica Clarke again.

Hepworth is an autobuy author for me after reading The Mother-In-Law! I love the complexity of the families she writes about. Although some call her a women’s fiction writer I would say she’s more of a domestic thriller writer. She was also the first famous author to follow me on bookstagram !!

About the book,

Jessica, Alicia, and Norah have considered themselves sisters after spending time together at Willowbrook Meadows with their foster mother Miss Fairchild. The book is told from all of the sisters' perspectives from the past and the present. There is also someone talking to a therapist but the reader is not told plainly who that is and must infer until it’s revealed at the nearly end of the story.
The treatment these girls were given was all the worst things that goes through a person’s mind when thinking of foster care.

Years later when the women have moved on with their lives but still remain close there are infant bones found under the house. The three are summoned to the town of Port Agatha for the police to conducti their investigation.

My thoughts:
I loved all the idiosyncrasies of each of the sisters. Norah really stood out to me with her brazen personality and take no crap attitude especially when dealing with men. Jessica is the mother hen to the other two with her successful business of organizing other people’s homes. Alicia has become a social worker, to help bring some good to the foster care system. Each of them have found different coping mechanixms to overcome the trauma of their childhood. I was able to guess some of the secrets before they were fully revealed but tI didn’t see the big twist at the end coming! This is probably my favoirite book from Hepworth if not right up there with The Mother in-Law!

Thank you for the early advanced copy! I really enjoyed the audiobook and thought the narration was fantastic!
I was very invested in the setup of the story and couldn't wait to dig into the mystery it promised. The pacing at the beginning hooked me right away, and I was sure the body under the house was going to be Ms. Fairchild. The final twist about Ms. Fairchild was great. Turns out she was the real monster all along!
But then things kinda slowed down once we found out she was alive. It felt like the story lost its steam in the middle.
Rating this one was tricky because it had me glued to the pages, but it also left me feeling pretty disturbed. I liked how the author switched between past and present with the foster children storyline—it kept things interesting. However, I think they dwelled a bit too much on the abuse stuff, and I wish she'd spent more time developing the characters. Overall though, the story flowed well, and there were some surprises I didn't see coming mixed in with the stuff I could predict. It's definitely a book that'll keep you turning pages, even if it's a bit heavy at times.

I recently finished Darling Girls , and I must say, it took me on quite the journey. From the very first page, I was hooked by its intricate plot and dynamic characters. The author skillfully weaved a web of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the very end.

What I loved most about the book were the unexpected surprises sprinkled throughout. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, another curveball was thrown my way, leaving me eagerly turning the pages to uncover the next revelation.

And oh, the ending! It was nothing short of shocking. Without giving away any spoilers, I’ll just say that it left me reeling and contemplating the story long after I turned the final page.

In conclusion, I wholeheartedly recommend Darling Girls to anyone who enjoys a gripping, suspenseful read filled with surprises. It’s a rollercoaster ride of emotions that you won’t want to miss.

This audio was top notch! Immediately from the beginning, I was totally hooked. This was my first book by Sally Hepworth and I was very impressed. Along with being a complete page-turner, I was enthralled by the sisters and their experience in foster care. I appreciated hearing their past story and how they've evolved into adults while carrying their trauma. Fantastic book!

What a game changer an audiobook is! I was lucky enough to snag an audio and e-book copy and I'm so glad that I had the chance to experience both. The narrator was wonderful, and I easily followed along with who was who within the story. The sister element is a favorite of mine and this was multi-layered. The past and present timelines were well done and tied the story together and the addition of the therapist notes added a twisty element. This was a story that kept me guessing and still found a way to shock me at the end. Well done.

Focusing primarily on three women, Norah, Jessica and Alicia, the narrative moves between their time in foster care and present day, when they are drawn back to the town where they lived in foster care, as a body as been found underneath their old foster home.
There is also a fourth pov, a woman speaking with her therapist, though is it unclear until the end exactly who the speaker is.
As the story progresses, we learn more about the trio, their unhappy lives with Miss Fairchild, their foster mother, and their current, somewhat tumultuous lives. Each has been impacted by the cruelties Miss Fairchild inflicted upon them while she was supposed to be giving them a safe place to grow up, and as a result they only had one another.

I really enjoyed the way the story unfolded, learning more about each of the women, and their current lives and childhood, and wicked Miss Fairchild. The puzzle of who the body was seemed a little drawn out.. who it could be... it seemed odd in the beginning that there was an unclear answer as to whether it was an adult or child? Sure a precise age would take some forensics but adult vs child. seems a little easier to estimate immediately, but otherwise I enjoyed the unfolding drama of wondering who it could be.

Overall, a satisfying an enjoyable read with a lot of twists and turns!



Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I received a free copy of this book from Macmillan Audio through netgalley.com. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Wasn't exactly sure where this was going in the beginning but was quickly sucked in . The story travels back and forth in time from when Jessica, Norah and Alicia are children to the present when they are contacted by the police regarding the remains of a child found buried under the pool at the old foster home. There are also chapters with one woman speaking to a psychiatrist but we aren't sure who it is until the end.

No one believed them when they relayed how Miss Fairchild, their foster mother treated them. Now they are adults, broken by their experiences each afraid to get close to other people. There were many things happening in this book, each of the characters had their own stories and situations while they are also dealing the police investigation and the new information that the bones found were of a dead child.

The ending was completely satisfying as it tied so many things together and didn't leave you wondering about little details, like how did Miss Fairchild always know things and seem one step ahead all the time.

Fantastic book with great narration by Jessica Clark.

Another great one for Sally Hepworth. I really enjoyed this psychological thriller. I appreciated the way the story was told, past and present . There was a good amount of suspense and though it touched on the subject of foster children and the abuse that can occur it was done well. I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the narration. Thanks to NetGalley for the privilege to read and review this book.

Thoroughly enjoyed this audio ARC from Sally Hepworth. Hepworth is one of those authors I will always pick up. The story of the 3 “sisters” and their time in a foster home really dug into the girls’ backgrounds and made you feel as if you know them individually. The narrator did an excellent job of making you feel their emotions. The twists also definitely kept me guessing. Loved this one!

When going into this book it is very important to be aware of potential triggers, some include:

Foster homes
Child abuse
Murder
Sexual abuse
Drug abuse

Pros:

I like that basically all the questions and problems in the story are resolved by the end, you aren’t left wondering who did what or why.


Cons:

It took a while to get into this story for me because of the bouncing between multiple viewpoints.

This was a rough book. It is a hard reality that too many children get placed into horrific home situations and go on to have trouble their entire lives. Seeing it play out in a story that is detailed is painful and could be triggering for anyone who experienced such things.

4.5 stars rounded up

Wow! I’ve read several Sally Hepworth books and this one is another great one! I really enjoyed listening to the story and it made the dialogue super enjoyable.

Just when you think you’ve got the plot figured out, the story shifts. A great read, good twist and characters that made me want more

Thanks to NetGalley + Macmillan Audio for the advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

I don’t read many domestic thrillers, but man was this a wicked read! A story about secrets, shared sisterhood, and surviving in an abusive Foster home.

Three woman (sisters now) who were brought up together in the same foster home are contacted by the police when a body is discovered underneath that home during a renovation. Are they possible key witnesses or prime suspects?

I listened to the audio and the narration was so well done. We are given 3 POVs from each sister and they are all completely different. Having formed a strong sisterly bond while growing up with the unpredictable Miss Fairchild, they stick together even in adulthood. It was so much fun trying to figure how who the bones belonged to and then who did it. While I wouldn’t call it fast paced, it was not slow either. The story unfolds with flashbacks of there past which gives insight as to why they did the things they did as children. Everyone has secrets in this book but it was definitely worth the read to find out what they were.

Definitely be sure to check the trigger/ content warnings for this one as there are some very heavy things presented in this book,

4.5 stars

This was gifted to me by Netgalley & the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Sally Hepworth is back with her newest book, titled "Darling Girls" and does that name ever do the book justice. We are following three different women, all with quirks. Jessica, Norah, and Alicia all have their own things that they are working on, but these three have a bond that is not shakable. It dates back decades of time from when they were all in a foster home.

They all broke away from the horrid Miss Fairchild, who was their foster mother. They thought that they could run away and be free from her, only to find that their past follows them for far longer than they could have imagined.

As per usual, the author comes back with another BANG. I always enjoy the commentary and awareness that Hepworth brings into her novels. This is another big win for me, and I think that if you have enjoyed any other works from the author you will also enjoy this one. I highly recommend picking this up when it comes out!

I was really hoping this would be one of my best books of the year, however it fell somewhere in the category of meh. Within the middle of the book, you kind of figure out what’s going on, and still the book dithers on. It was a quick, thrilling read, however. And if you’re looking for something that doesn’t dive too deep, then this is the book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I got an email from NetGalley asking if I wanted to read and review this book, and since I enjoyed The Soulmate by the same author, I figured why not! Plus, after reading the first couple sentences of the synopsis, I knew this book would be right up my alley.

Considering that there were four POVs (three in third person, one in first person) and only one narrator, I found that I was able to keep each perspective in line. I liked how each perspective came together through the use of the dual timeline — I was invested in both the “then” and “now” storylines.

I wouldn’t say I was completely blown away by the ending, but I think that was because the pieces of the puzzle were given to the reader in such a methodical way that we were able to piece things together by the end.

This is my second time reading a novel by Hepworth and it won’t be my last!

My first by the author, and will not be my last. I love the full cast of characters and how on edge I was the whole time.

3.5 rounded up to 4

This is my first Sally Hepworth book and I enjoyed it. It’s a solid thriller that kept me guessing.

I didn’t love the audio narration. The narrator used the same voice for all three POVs and I was constantly confused as to which POV I was listening to. I think I would’ve liked this book better if I physically read it rather than listened to it.

I loved this book so much. The twist at the end was jaw dripping. I felt so bad for the girls feeling gaslit, but it added to the story. Great writing and great characters.

The multiple POVs and dual timelines in this story were great. There was lots of drama and I enjoyed the way the ending came together.