Sally Hepworth is an auto-buy author for me. I received this book via Netgalley both as an e-arc & an arc of the audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion, so here it goes.

Three girls, Jessica, Norah and Alicia have all had difficult pasts. Brought together into a foster home, and all close in age, they grew up as sisters. Their foster mother, Miss Fairchild, seems like a dream. She is a loving, dotting mother... until she isn't. Miss Fairchild may have gone off the rails a time or two and the girls suffered because of it. She manipulates them, abuses them physically and mentally, and is just all around awful behind closed doors. I feel like Jessica, being her first foster child, really got the short end of the stick. At first she is loving and caring and calls her "darling girl" but overtime, and with more foster children joining their home, she is treated less and less like her daughter and more and more like a personal servant. In fact, poor Jessica is left to care for her sisters a lot of the time and Miss Fairchild is nowhere to be seen. There is so much wrong with the treatment these girls endure, and nobody can do a thing about it. Eventually, as the girls get older, they get to a breaking point and find a way out. They never see Miss Fairchild again.

25 years later, they are each contacted by police with a chilling call. A body is discovered in the yard of the home they grew up in and they are being asked to weigh in on the matter. It is going to be hard to retrace their steps and go back to their hometown, back to where they suffered and endured such a painful childhood. Banning together for support, they head back, assuming they are considered witnesses; but is there something more to the story? Are any of them suspects?

The story gets better and better as time goes on. You really get to know all the characters- their pasts and their presents. It is packed with edge-of-your-seat moments and surprising things just keep unfolding as we read on. There is a huge unseen twist which just blows your mind.

I love books that make you feel- whether that be angry or sad, etc. The way the story is written, we can absolutely feel all the emotions. I loved the characters and their sisterly bond. I enjoyed the story and the dual timeline which expertly pieces the book together and gives just the right amount of information at a time.

I really enjoyed the narrator! Her tone fit the story nicely and really kept me engaged. I will be on the lookout for other books read by her.

Huge thank you to the publishers, Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for providing me with copies to read, listen to, and review.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, NetGalley, author Sally Hepworth and narrator Jessica Clarke for the opportunity to review this book. This is the story of Jessica, Norah, and Alicia who as young girls were often told how fortunate they were to be placed in foster care with Miss Fairchild. However, people didn’t know what really happened behind closed doors and things were not as wonderful as everyone thought they were. It finally took the disappearance of a baby for the girls to finally be able to leave. Even though authorities felt the girls made the story up since no sign of the baby was found, they still were removed from Miss Fairchild’s care.
Fast forward to present day, new owners have bought the property the used to live on and in doing reinovations the bones of unidentified person is found. Police have everyone return to the area in order to interview them and try to discover if they might know who the victim might be. The answer is quite surprising to say the least. And I loved that at the end the author was fantastic about letting us, the reader, know how everyone is doing after the fact. I personally appreciate that because I had really enjoyed reading this book and gotten to care about these women. They are very well written and I think this is a great read.

I love Sally Hepworth’s books! The Darling Girls is filled with lots of twists and turns I want to add a trigger alert for child abuse. Is the foster home a safe refuge for the sisters? Then, the body shows up. Another good one from Ms. Hepworth.

Thank you #NetGalley, #MacMillanAudio, #SallyHepworth, #JessicaClarke and #DarlingGirls for the advance audiobook for my honest review.

Wow wow wow!!!! My head is spinning. I read this book in less than twenty-four hours. It had me hooked and I was unable to put it down until I finished the last shocking page!!! What a twist! Love love loved everything about this thrilling book, and I will be highly recommending it. I liked Nora the most and then Alisha. Jessica was not a fan favorite of mine. And Mrs. Fairchild, well, you’ll have to read the book and make your own decision.
This is my first book by Sally Hepworth but I already ordered three of her other books. I listened to the audio of this book and the narrator had a pleasant voice. Many thanks to the author, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I was sucked into this book from the moment I started. I loved the different characters and how their stories were all woven together through the flashback chapters.

The way this book had me hooked!!

I loved the flashbacks & the different points of views. Very interesting plot but that last paragraph!! The last paragraph got me to 4.5 ⭐️ just brilliant!

I loved seeing how they got to bond and get close.

A body has been found under the house of where Jessica, Alicia & Norah lived as children in a Foster home ran by Ms. Fairchild. Who was it? Who did it?

Darling Girls is a story about three foster sisters who spend a significant amount of their childhood living in the home of an unstable foster mom and the fallout of their adult lives due to abuse and neglect. Some of the story was difficult to read due to the sensitive topics but overall, I enjoyed it. There were lots of twists and surprises along the way and I want to especially thank Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my opinions.

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth is out April 23rd & definitely recommend checking this one out if you like dual timelines & multiple POVs.

This story revolves around 3 foster children, Jessica, Norah & Alicia, who become each other’s chosen sisters. They’ve always been told how lucky they are to have Miss Fairchild & live on a countryside estate. What people outside the house don’t know is all of the rules Miss Fairchild has for the girls and how quickly her mood can change.

They leave their hometown and only return together years later when bones are discovered under the house - they want to know who it is but in the meantime start to become suspects.

In true Hepworth style, there’s even more going on than is revealed to the reader and that leads to lots of twists towards the end.

This was a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for the eARCs in exchange for an honest review.

This is definitely a heavier book as far as thrillers go as child abuse is at the center of it, so keep this in mind as you go in. I'm having a bit of trouble putting my finger on why I didn't love it, but I have always been fairly critical of thrillers and I don't usually love books about child abuse. So, that could be partly why.

It did suck me in as I loved the concept of three sisters, now grown up and being called back to the foster home where they grew up where an investigation is being launched. From here, we get back and forths for each of the sisters... how they came to Miss Fairchild's and where they currently are as adults. We learn what happened in their foster home and much of it is definitely a bit hard to read an quite sad. We also learn how their childhoods are still likely affecting them today.

There is a twist that I didn't see coming near the end and I always appreciate that in a thriller. I would say Darling Girls will definitely be well received by most, though I certainly don't think many people will declare it their favorite Sally Hepworth thriller of all time.

This was my first Sally Hepworth read and after “Darling Girls”, I will definitely be seeking to read more of her books.

Brief Summary:
Set in Australia, three women, Jessica, Norah (with an “H”) and Alicia, experience family tragedy as young girls which lands them all in the foster system. The three of them end up at the picture-perfect “Wild Meadows”. The estate belongs to Holly Fairchild, a beautiful young woman that appears to be the safe haven the girls need after their traumatic childhood. Quickly it’s determined that things are not quite as they seem with Mrs. Fairchild. The girls deal with psychological manipulation and abuse which forms their unbreakable bonded sisterhood for years to come. They would do ANYTHING for each other…

25 years later, a body is discovered under the idyllic Wild Meadows estate during excavation for a new fast food chain restaurant. Jessica, Norah and Alicia are called back to the small town by a Detective, trying to solve the case of the unknown remains.

The women all face their past head-on as they recount their time at Wild Meadows and navigate adulthood baring the burden of what they know.

Perspectives:
The book is told in a third person, with each chapter being either Jessica, Norah or Alicia’s story. There’s also a fourth which is an unknown person, sharing their life experience in a therapy session to psychiatrist Dr. Warren. Is it one of the girls? Someone new? You’ll have to find out! Additionally, there is a dual timeline which shares prior childhood experiences and current happenings of all the girls.

The Narration:
I appreciate that a narrator with an Australian accent was used, considering the book is set in Australia. Otherwise I found the narration somewhat mediocre. I feel I would have rated the book higher by .5 if I had read the ebook instead of listened to the Audiobook.

Final Thoughts:
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I think it would’ve been interesting to have the story told in first-person, with each chapter a different person. I understand though, that this could have given away too much, too soon. I could’ve done with a different narrator (or perhaps just read the ebook instead), but overall I really liked the book and look forward to more Sally Hepworth!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, Sally Hepworth, and NetGalley for sending this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a brilliant thriller about three girls who bonded over their difficult experience in foster care. The story was told from their POV in the past as children and in the present as adults. I didn't know what to expect when I picked this up and I was blown away. Every part of this book was well thought out and well written. I was highly invested in all three sisters and reading about their journey from foster care to adulthood. I can't believe I've never read a Sally Hepworth book before but this certainly won't be my last.

Trigger warnings: rape (off-page), child sexual assault, child abuse, domestic abuse, death of a child

Many thanks to Sally Hepworth, NetGalley, and St Martin's Press for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Expected publication date April 23, 2024.

I had anxiously been awaiting for this new book by Sally Hepworth and it did not disappoint. Another great read that made it hard to put down and has twists up to the end that I didn't see coming! The story moves from past to present as it tells the story of three girls who were placed in a bad foster care home and the impacts it had on their life.

The audio narration was another great listen by Jessica Clarke. Her voice is soothing even as she is talking about some heavy content.

I finished listening to Darling Girls a few weeks ago and have been struggling with my review. I have read 5 of Hepworth's other books and loved them. Which is why I struggled with this review. I was disappointed with the book. I felt it was predictable.
I did enjoy learning about the 3 girls through their backstories much more than present day.
The narrator was great. I will definitely read more of Sally Hepworth's books but this one just didn't do it for me.
Thank you Netgalley and MacMillan Audio for advanced copy.

I will admit that it’s been almost half a year since I read this book. I was so excited to read Sally Hepworth’s Darling Girls that I read it months before its publication date. Even though it’s been a while since I read the book, I still remember it clearly.

Jessica, Norah and Alicia were fostered under the care of Miss Fairchild, who was emotionally and physically abusive. The book takes place 25 years later when someone’s remains were found at the foster home. We get to know each of the three women through a series of flashbacks and how their past has shaped their present.

I enjoyed the relationship between the three “Darling Girls.” It was nice to read a story where female friendships are portrayed in a positive manner. Miss Fairchild’s character was also well-written, especially as we learn more about her past. The ending was definitely a shocker, and the book came together in a very satisfying way.

The audiobook narrator was great and did a great job of creating unique characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia were lucky to be raised in a good home by a loving foster mother - Miss Fairchild - or so they’ve always been told. In reality, their home life was not perfect. Miss Fairchild had high expectations of them and was very unpredictable. One day, they found a way to escape Miss Fairchild, and they never saw her again.

Until now. A body has been found buried under their old foster home, and the three foster sisters are called in as witnesses. Or maybe, suspects.

This was my second read from Sally Hepworth, and I enjoyed it! The audiobook was great - the narrator did a fantastic job! I thought there were some interesting comments made about grief and coping with trauma. Some heavy topics are included, and were a bit tough to read, so make sure to check trigger warnings.

This definitely felt like a bit of a slow burn as far as thrillers go. There was a lot of focus on the relationships between characters, especially in the past. The resolution in the present timeline was a bit of a letdown, but there were some fun twists along the way.

Darling Girls
by Sally Hepworth
5/5

Darling Girls kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time!

This book is heartbreaking and captivating, it is a sad and beautiful story about 3 foster girls (Jessica, Norah and Alicia) who carry on their relationship through adulthood. It does a great job of weaving in some thoughtful points about trauma while never missing a beat in the fast paced story. They endured many hardships at the hands of their foster parent Holly Fairchild and are still dealing with some of it into their adult lives!

The author did a lovely job of tying up loose ends at the end and I never saw the ending coming!! Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s press, and Macmillian Audio for the opportunity to read and listen to this book! Jessica Clarke, the narrator of the audiobook, was amazing to listen to! Add this to your TBR, it is out April 23, 2024!

Audiobook version: 4.5 stars. The narrator, Jessica Clarke, did a great job too! Please be mindful this book does have some tough and sensitive subjects so check trigger warnings if necessary. I think this may be one of my favorites from Sally Hepworth. There were some unexpected twists in the end that got me. The book bounces back and forth between timelines, and I think this was well done because it didn’t cause confusion but helped explain the story as everything unfolded. I don’t think I can say too much in this review as I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone but I do think this was a pretty good thriller that was more of a slow burn with everything wrapping up quickly in the end. My rating is heavily based on the last part of the book as that’s where all the good parts of the story unfolded. This was one of those books when it finished I was left thinking “Whoa!” due to the ending. Thank you very much to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and Sally Hepworth for an advanced copy! 💕

As a fan of Sally Hepworth since I read The Mother-in-Law, it is always interesting to see what challenging topic she will tackle next. Darling Girls is a dual timeline story of three girls who formed strong bonds at the seemingly idyllic estate in Port Agatha, Wild Meadows. The estate houses foster children and is managed by Miss Fairchild. What should be a reprieve from unfortunate situations is revealed to be terrible and abusive. The wounds inflicted by Miss Fairchild has varying effects, particularly when she became displeased. Jessica is a people pleasing, organized overachiever who has veered into unhealthy territory yet still yearns for Miss Fairchild’s affections. Norah is brash and strong, but only participates in transactional relationships and whose propensity toward violence has her nearing severe legal punishment. Alicia is a social worker striving to do her best for children currently in the foster system, but keeps herself from true intimacy. Early in the book, all three are called by the police after a body has been found buried at Wild Meadows. The foster sisters travel back to Port Agatha to provide information about their time in Miss Fairchild’s care and to uncover details about this possible crime. As the story unfolds, the reader learns the perils of abuse and the lingering effects of trauma. It is amazing how an elaborate story is crafted from such a small circle of characters. I was quickly invested in what would become of the “Darling Girls” while the mystery played a secondary role. The struggles and eventual outcome was both redemptive and disturbing. Make no mistake, this is a difficult and dark story. The multiple episodes of abuse were hard to read and it is a testament to the author’s skill that it did not lead to utter despair. Normally, I steer away from books featuring child harm, however, I trusted the author enough to continue. The ending may prove divisive for readers and I am still deciding how I feel about it. The narration by Jessica Clarke was beyond just a standard reading. There were several moments where her portrayal really added to this story. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A twisty thriller that focuses on the relationships of three foster children that have been placed in a seemingly perfect foster home with Miss Fairchild - but really is NOT what it seems. You get the perspective of the three sister (not related, but close and all placed in the same home) Jessica, Nora, and Alicia. Each has suffered from the treatment in the foster home, and still struggles today with addiction, violence, and burying their feelings.
When a body is found in at the site of the foster home after it is demolished, the girls come together and return to the town to be interviewed by the police. Meanwhile, an anonymous narrator is telling a tale of parental death, remarriage and abuse to a counselor. Throughout the book we flash back to what happened in the foster home, and then hear about each young woman's struggle today. Of course, there is a twisty ending - a satisfying thriller. I listened to the audiobook courtesy of Netgalley.

This book was hard to read in the beginning as it detailed the life of 3 foster children in a terrible home. However, as the book went on, I became obsessed with the characters and the mystery, and I couldn’t put it down. I enjoyed reading about the sisters’ relationship and background. It definitely had a fun twist at the end!