Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced listen to Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth, read by Jessica Clarke.

Darling Girls is the newest thriller from the NYT bestselling author of The Soulmate and The Good Sister. I read The Soulmate last year and loved it, so I was very excited for this new book.

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia were rescued from family tragedies as young girls and raised by foster mother, Miss Fairchild. However, Miss Fairchild was not one to be crossed, and the girls suffered abuse under her unpredictable and strict care. Fast forward to adulthood - the girls have remained bonded by their childhood while still deeply affected by their past. When a body is discovered under the home they grew up in, the foster sisters find themselves thrust back into their past and questioning everything.

I thought this was an entertaining book and I never quite knew what the next twist or turn was going to be. Even to the very last page! However, the very topic of foster children being abused just didn't sit well with me. I had a hard time getting fully engrossed because of it. With that said, it was still a fast moving page turner and I was glad I had the chance to listen to the audiobook. I was feeling like it was a 3 star book for me, but the ending really fulfilled that thriller twist we're all after, so I give it 3.5 stars, rounding up to 4.

Another great novel by Sally! The relationships in this book were so twisted, but well portrayed. The "twist" (or twists) at the end provided the tie together we want. Absolutely loved, I binged in less than a day!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth

💀Blurb:
“For as long as they can remember, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia have been told how lucky they are. As young girls they were rescued from family tragedies and raised by a loving foster mother, Miss Fairchild, on an idyllic farming estate and given an elusive second chance at a happy family life. 

But their childhood wasn’t the fairy tale everyone thinks it was. Miss Fairchild had rules. Miss Fairchild could be unpredictable. And Miss Fairchild was never, ever to be crossed. In a moment of desperation, the three broke away from Miss Fairchild and thought they were free. Even though they never saw her again, she was always somewhere in the shadows of their minds. When a body is discovered under the home they grew up in, the foster sisters find themselves thrust into the spotlight as key witnesses. Or are they prime suspects?”

💀 Superb narration by Jessica Clarke describing characters with multiple POV’s. This book is so far my favorite of @sallyhepworth With a captivating plot she makes you love the sisters, their trauma bonded relationship, their past and future. Jessica, Norah and Alicia formed an unbreakable bond while they were fostered by the evil Holly Fairschild , thru secrets, childhood abuse and a countless amount of emotions they alone disentangled the biggest secret of them all.

Thank you @macmillan.audio for the ALC.

#DarlingGirls will be out 4.23.24 in the USA

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up!

ᴛʜɪs ʙᴏᴏᴋ ɪs ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴏғ ᴀ sʟᴏᴡ ʙᴜʀɴ / ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ ʙᴜɪʟᴅ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ. ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ᴍᴜʟᴛɪᴘʟᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇʟɪɴᴇs ᴀɴᴅ ᴘᴏᴠs, ʙᴜᴛ sᴛɪʟʟ ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴇᴀsʏ ᴛᴏ ғᴏʟʟᴏᴡ. ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛᴏʀ, ᴊᴇssɪᴄᴀ ᴄʟᴀʀᴋᴇ, ʜᴀs ᴀ ᴠᴇʀʏ sᴍᴏᴏᴛʜ ᴛᴏɴᴇ ᴛᴏ ʜᴇʀ ᴠᴏɪᴄᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀɴ ɪɴғᴇᴄᴛɪᴏᴜs ᴀᴄᴄᴇɴᴛ. sʜᴇ ᴅᴏᴇs ᴀ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ᴊᴏʙ ᴏғ sᴡɪᴛᴄʜɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀ ᴠᴏɪᴄᴇs ᴇᴠᴇʀ sᴏ sʟɪɢʜᴛʟʏ ᴡʜᴇɴ sᴡɪᴛᴄʜɪɴɢ ᴘᴏᴠs ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ᴊᴏʙ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴋɪᴅ ᴠᴏɪᴄᴇs! ɪ ᴡɪʟʟ sᴀʏ ʜᴇʀ ᴛᴏɴᴇ ᴡᴀs sᴏ ᴄᴀʟᴍɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪᴛ ᴘᴜᴛ ᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ sʟᴇᴇᴘ ᴀᴛ ᴛɪᴍᴇs 🫣, ʙᴜᴛ ɴᴏᴛ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ɪ ᴡᴀs ʙᴏʀᴇᴅ! ᴀʟᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜ ғʟᴀᴡᴇᴅ, ʏᴏᴜ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ɢʀᴏᴡ ᴛᴏ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ ᴍᴀɪɴ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴛᴏ sᴜᴄᴄᴇᴇᴅ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅɪɴɢ ᴡᴀs ᴠᴇʀʏ sᴀᴛɪsғʏɪɴɢ ! ɪ ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴡɪsʜ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴀ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴇxᴄɪᴛᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ.

📖 ʜᴜɢᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ @macmillan.audio ᴀɴᴅ @netgalley ғᴏʀ ᴛʜɪs ᴀʀᴄ ᴄᴏᴘʏ ɪɴ ᴇxᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴀɴ ʜᴏɴᴇsᴛ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ 📖

Firstly, I want to send a huge Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy of this absolutely heartwrenching thriller. I immediately connected with the book, having two sisters, one of them being a social worker. This book was really intense from start to finish, scattered with a little comic relief which at times had me laughing out loud (for example, when the bartender asks what they can get for Norah, she responds with: "A lobotomy. Make it a double.").

This book kept me guessing LITERALLY until the last chapter. And just when I thought everything was tied up in a pretty little bow, the last chapter happens and everything I thought I knew was blown apart, but in the best way possible.

The characters were so amazing. The sisters' personalities were each so unique and the way the author wrote them in the book made it feel like I personally knew each of them For the record, I'm Norah, my younger sister is Alicia, and my older sister is Jessica).

This book gives a heartbreaking glance into what life is like for foster children, the bonds they form, and the families that inevitably fall apart due to a broken system. I am so excited for its release so I can have everyone I know read it.

One of the easiest 5-Star Reviews I've given this year.

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