This is my third Sally Hepworth book and definitely my favorite! I was immediately captured within the first paragraphs, and it kept me very interested until the very end. I love the before, and after timeline for all three women which really showed us how they became the women that they are. There were a few twist along the way, and a big one at the end, which I did not be coming. There were parts that were difficult to read… Nothing extremely explicit, but it definitely broke my heart to see what these women went through in childhood. I really felt so many emotions while reading this and honestly enjoyed the journey. I think this is the book that will stick with me for a long time, and I highly recommend!

Thank you, netgalley advance copy of this audiobook.jessica Clarke did a really great job. I’ve narrating the book, especially given, that she was narrating. Multiple perspectives. The audiobook was truly great!

the last chapter was a shock. It wasn’t so much a mystery as it was an edge of your seat type of book. fast paced and engaging. loved it.

Three sisters with a shared traumatic experience in a foster home are drawn back to their childhood home when I body is discovered underneath the house. Their tortured past unfolds as they try to discover who the remains belong to..

This is a well written mystery/suspense novel. There was no wasted words. Each one was used to paint relatable and complex characters and weave a shock worthy take. I love a good mystery where I can’t predict the ending, and this one was definitely one of those! A captivating story until the very end. This book is a must read if you like mystery and suspense.

Thank you to Macmillan audio and Netgalley for an ARC for my honest review.

3-1/2 stars for a suspenseful, if at times confusing, story of three young girls growing up in foster care with a bizarrely uncaring, often brutal, foster mother. I'd guessed part of the ending well before it was revealed, but there was still one more twist at the end.

The audiobook was well narrated by Jessica Clarke.

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia grew up in the care of Miss Fairchild—holding onto secrets and traumas well into adulthood. The discovery of a body brings them back together at this childhood town to face new fears.

Great narration, easy to listen to and engaging. Entertaining and fast paced. Multiple character POV and duel timeline keeps it moving forward and has you piecing everything together; linking the past to the future. Decent character development and twist.

I listened to Soul Mates by this authors last year and loved it. When I saw another audiobook, I didn’t question and just accepted (thank you NetGalley and MacMillan audio). I immediately appreciated the narrators speed. I normally listen at 1.5-1.75x because I need a bit faster speaking speed or I zone out easier. This narrator was perfect. I had it at 1.25x and couldn’t go faster, or I’d miss parts haha. Also, her voice and intonation was lovely to listen to, and differentiate between emotions and characters.

The story wasn’t what I expected at first. I thought it was going to be more thriller, but realized about halfway it was more so domestic drama. This however isn’t a bad thing. The drama is very interesting and keeps you wondering about these characters and their past and current lives. There is an unknown voice / pov which is interesting to try to figure out. Also, there was a jaw dropping reveal that caught me off guard. I can’t believe I didn’t see it coming, but it did make sense and I probably should’ve haha. I guess I’m rusty at guessing thrillers twists.

I would def read more from Sally Hepworth and have had good luck with the narrators for her stories.

Wow. Darling Girls is a psycho thriller that will keep you interested with its twists and turns! It took me a while to get into it but once I got into it I couldn’t put it down. The story follows three women in present day and each of their entangled pasts. The ending shocked me. I thought it had ended a chapter before and then was pleasantly surprised at the end. Definitely recommend!

Fantastic writing by Sally Hepworth and fantastic narration by Jessica Clarke made this audiobook a big winner for me!

Jessica, Norah and Alicia are not biological sisters, but as children, they formed an unbreakable bond while living with Miss Fairchild, their temperamental and abusive foster parent. Now adults, they have been contacted by police investigating the discovery of human remains found under the house where they lived all those years ago.

The story is told in the timelines of now and then and as such, we get to know the three sisters as the adults they grew up to be and through flashbacks to their childhood we learn the exact reasons why each of them became who they are now. In addition to the perspective of each of the sisters, the story is also revealed from the additional perspective of some patient sessions with a doctor of psychiatry.

I love a story that is told over different timelines and the pacing of this one was done impeccably well. Both the past and present timelines kept me intrigued throughout without any major reveals until almost the very end.

I cannot say enough about how good this book was! I loved it and will definitely look for other books by Sally Hepworth in the future.

With thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.

This caught me off guard and I really liked it! I went in without a lot of expectations because I’ve never read a Sally Hepworth book before- but I loved her writing style. It reminded me of Alice Feeney or Liane Moriarty. Well-developed female characters with a twisty mysterious storyline.

3.5 Stars
I was super invested in these characters and the mystery of the body found - though some parts were heavy and made me feel sad. I was shocked by the twists and enjoyed them except for the last chapter (personally, I feel like the story was better without that final reveal) and I did see some of the reveals coming but overall, the mystery aspect was done well in my opinion.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC!

Loved this Ione and am so glad I picked it for my book of the month pick so I can have a copy of my own!

Wait, what?! 😳😳😳

This is my kind of book; suspenseful and fucked up! It reminded me of Lisa Jewell’s writing because it is full of family secrets and drama. There are no dull chapters. You keep getting more info changing your perspective at every turn. Great read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced release copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow I thought I had it all figured out and I was wrong did not expect that twist to the story. I loved the sisters and the writing was incredible. I have read her book The Soulmate and it was a 5 star read. Darling Girls is a 5 star read for me too. Amazing author she kept me so interested. Blessed to get to read this ARC.

This story follows three sisters Jessica, Norah and Alicia who found sisterhood through surviving their foster home mother, Miss Fairchild, together. When the estate they spent their foster care at is being demolished, a body is found, sparking an investigation that will force these sisters back in time to revisit the town, people and the place they worked so hard to bury and never think of again. To make matters worse, they become suspects in the investigation and must face their past to find the truth...

I loved the characters and the story was captivating and intrigued me right away. I thought it was a bit predictable in some cases, but I was so wrong! I did not see the ending coming and was shocked! I also loved the multiple POVs and the dual timeline of past and present. I definitely recommend listening to this one!!!

✨𝐑 𝐄 𝐕 𝐈 𝐄 𝐖✨

𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐇𝐞𝐩𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡

WOW! This one was super good! Thanks to @stmartinspress for the ARC & audiobook copy. I both read & listened to this one because I had to find out how it ended! This is also a BOTM choice this month so I definitely recommend checking it out 👏🏼

👍🏼: I loved the alternate POV’s & timelines as three foster sisters are forced to return to their foster home where they experienced lots of trauma to help with an investigation. There were sooo many great twists & turns, especially in the last 20% of the story leading up to the last pages!! These are my favorite type of mystery books, where you are truly surprised up until the end!

👎🏼: I wish I would’ve paid more attention to the side characters, especially when listening on audio. I started to get slightly confused at times with new characters continuing to come in throughout the story.

Overall, such a wild ride! LOTS of TW’s though- so message me! But I was entertained & super surprised by how everything unraveled 👏🏼 I’ve been loving @sallyhepworth & can’t wait to read more by her!!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
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#darlinggirls #sallyhepworth #aprilbooks #stmartinspress #mysterybooks #mysterybookreview

Sally did it again. I read her ARC on my kindle but the audio was something else. I really got into the characters. So well done. I wanted to know what happened and who did it but also didn't want to know---if that makes sense at all. Will be recommending!

"Darling Girls" by Sally Hepworth is a novel about three sisters who, despite not being biologically related, are very close to each other. Each of them faced some form of childhood trauma before Ms. Fairchild fostered them. Although Ms. Fairchild provided them with a roof over their heads and food, she fell short of the love and care the girls needed from a maternal figure. As a result, the three girls formed a bond that helped them deal with Ms. Fairchild, which lasted through their adult years.

One day, the sisters discover that the house they grew up in with Ms. Fairchild was demolished, and human remains were found buried under the house. The three women return to their hometown to help with the investigation, which brings back past emotions about Ms. Fairchild and their childhood experiences. This twisty psychological thriller had me repeatedly yelling, "Are you serious?". I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves an excellent psychological thriller full of unpredictable twists.

I want to thank Macmillan Audio for gifting me a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Darling Girls is another excellent thriller by Sally Hepworth. I have read and enjoyed almost every book she has written. Once again we have a compelling and fast-paced story. I don't enjoy reading about bad things happening to children, but the author did handle it well. The characters were well developed and I enjoyed the dual story lines and seeing how they eventually merged. As always with her thrillers, it was a bit dark and twisty. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was excellent.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Sally Hepworth's 'Darling Girls' delves deep into the complex dynamics of foster sisters, exploring the nuanced ways in which trauma shapes relationships. The narrative intricately weaves together the individual and collective adversities faced by the sisters, showcasing their unwavering support and unconditional love for one another. This bond of solidarity and protection forms the heart of the story, offering a poignant commentary on the power of familial ties forged in adversity.

This book takes you on a wild ride through some unexpected twists and turns that reveal the depths of human immorality. The story ends with a mind-blowing revelation that shakes the very foundation of the narrative. The twist is cleverly executed through an unreliable narrator, leaving a long-lasting impression on the reader, and demonstrating Hepworth's exceptional ability to tell a story.
The audiobook experience is further elevated by the exceptional narration, which stands out for its authenticity. The Australian narrator brings a unique and compelling voice to the story, enriching the listening experience in a way that is both rare and memorable.

"Darling Girls" is not just a story about the resilience of the human spirit; it's a testament to the intricate layers of human emotion and the unbreakable bonds that hold us together.

Jessica, Norah and Alicia are sisters, but not by birth. They met as foster children under the care of Miss Fairchild, who is anything but what her name suggests. As adults they hoped to never think of her again, but when police call requesting that they come in because human remains were found under the house they spent time in, they are forced to revisit their childhoods.

Honestly, Sally Hepworth can do no wrong. The characters were extremely well developed and they felt like they all could be real. Miss Fairchild was basically Professor Umbridge (Harry Potter reference) and I cannot be convinced otherwise. I didn't have any trouble keeping the characters straight and the entire story slapped. This book was seriously such a wild ride. And that ending?! I'm traumatized! But I also want more.

Also, consider adding trigger warnings to this one... I was not effected but I could see some women/moms being upset by some of it.

^My prior review of the eBook, which I read months ago. I wanted to do a re-read closer to the pub date since I'm going to Sally Hepworth's book tour on 4/22! The audiobook was absolutely amazing - thank you for granting me access! The narrator did so well and I had no trouble keeping anything straight. I always forget that Hepworth is Australian but the narrator's accent was a pleasant surprise - so well done! This story was just as good the second time around... and seriously how did the ending STILL blow my mind so much?! I already read the book! Seriously so so good. I LOVE when thrillers have a twisted ending.

Having both read and listened to this one, I think I slightly preferred reading it with my eyes, but honestly that could just be because that's what I did first. I will be recommending both formats to everyone!