Wow! That's all I have to say! This book was amazing! It had a strong start and was nicely paced. All throughout the book I felt as if it was a solid 4 but the ending immediately took it up to a 5 for me!
Jessica, Alicia, and Norah are three girls who were rescued from family tragedies and placed in foster care, living with Miss Fairchild, their now foster mother. Jessica was taken in by Miss Fairchild at the young age of 4 and everything seemed so perfect. Miss Fairchild treated Jessica as if she were her own daughter.. up until another foster child came along- Norah. Norah was a wild child, even into her adult years. Once Norah showed up, Miss Fairchild instantly started treating both girls terribly. (Abuse triggers in this book.) Not too long after another foster girl arrived- Alicia. Throughout their years of living with Miss Fairchild they've experienced an intense amount of abuse, both physically and mentally. As unfortunate as it was, they did gain a sisterly bond from it.
25 years later the girls are contacted by the police in regards to a body found buried underneath their old foster home. The girls knew how abusive Miss Fairchild was to not only them, but to the babies she also housed. For me, this point was when the book peaked to 5 stars!

I enjoyed this book, I loved the multiple POV, and I appreciate how the author gave us both past & present events, helping us get to fully understand the characters.

Spoiler (but not really a spoiler) .. I just feel the need to say Miss Fairchild is truly mentally unstable. She's nutty, and it added so much umph to this book!

Thank you to NetGalley for this amazing read!!

Darling Girls showcases how the bonds of sisterhood can survive the most treacherous of conditions. Hepworth shares the stories of three sisters and the formative years they spent at Wild Meadows with their abusive foster mother. Enough information was omitted throughout the story that I understood the general premise of the story, but there were hazy pieces that didn’t click into place until the twists and turns unfolded at the end of the book. This was a wildly horrible tale about the tragedies that humans can endure and the importance of family, chosen or given, to survive those hurdles.

Thank you to NetGalley.com for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook!

I was so excited to receive from NetGalley.com an advanced audiobook of Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth who is one of my favorite authors. The audiobook is narrated by Jessica Clarke. She has such a pleasant voice, and did an exceptional job altering her voice for the many female characters. I highly recommend listening to the audiobook.

Darling Girls is a psychological thriller that tells of the relationships between three girls and their evil foster mother (she reminded me of Joan Crawford/Mommy Dearest). It bounces back and forth in time from when the girls were living with their foster mother to present day where bones have been discovered in the home where the girls grew up. Did they have anything to do with murder? You'll have to read this gripping book to find out!

I can't wait to read another Sally Hepworth book and will definitely be on the lookout for more books narrated by Jessica Clarke.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC (advanced reader copy) which comes out April 23rd. Solid mystery and a sad story of things that can happen in foster care. This is my third Sally Hepworth book, and she is proving to be a solid author :).

I liked all the little twisty lies in this story. I have taken a liking to SH's books. This is probably at the top of the list. I would've loved to know more about Miss. Fairchild. It definitely shows the effects your upbringing can have on you. If you're a thriller fan, you won't be disappointed.

A psychological mystery with a villain you'll love to hate? Check! Jessica, Norah, and Alicia grew up together at Wild Meadows. Though the bond they've forged together is stronger than that of sisters, they've tried to put the past (and all of its painful memories) far behind them. But when a body is discovered on the property, the three women must return and face their former foster mother, Miss Fairchild, who was in turns loving and volatile. No one believed the girls the last time they spoke up. Are they being called back as witnesses, or suspects?

I loved the various portrayals of strength in each of the three women, and how they ultimately dealt with the conclusions provided. I enjoyed the turns taken where ~someone~ was talking to a therapist, but it was clear that <i>something</i> more was going on. I appreciated how even the well-meaning characters were, in the end, flawed people who failed and ultimately fed into Miss Fairchild's narrative. I would read this one a second time in hard copy when it comes out!

Sally Hepworth’s BEST NOVEL YET!

Jessica, Norah and Alicia are sisters. Well, not biologically, but they were raised in the same foster home, which made them closer than most sisters. As far as everyone could tell, they were rescued into a loving foster home, with an angelic foster mother. Their lives couldn’t have been better to everyone on the outside. Until human remains are found under the home, and everyone starts to question, was this the foster home from hell? Or the foster children from hell?

I loved this page turner! I was so captivated by this story and Hepworth truly knows how to draw you into these characters. The character development was *chef’s kiss*. It was an absolutely un-put-downable audiobook that had me guessing until the very last chapter. If you need a good thriller, GRAB THIS ONE!! SO GOOD!!!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this audiobook!

Darling Girls is told from the voices of three foster sisters - Jessica, Norah and Alicia, along with the Dr. Warren, the psychiatrist. The sisters are now grown and telling this story from present day and from the past when they were girls growing up with Miss Fairchild on her beautiful farm, Wild Meadows. All three girls grew close living with Miss Fairchild, as they needed each other living with someone like her.

As adults they find out a dead child is buried under the home they grew up in, and they think they know who the child was and fear being accused of this child's death. They lived in fear throughout their childhood and even as adults.

Hepworth tells a twisty tale that kept me reading and listening to the very end and appreciate the background in her Author's note in her Acknowledgements Page. However, there are some cringey moments and plenty of triggers of the horrors that children go through in this story. Like the author, I hope every child is loved and cared for by their family, foster family or adopted family, but also know that there are plenty who aren't cared for as they should be.

The author, Sally Hepworth, will be at Fabled Bookshop in Waco on May 1 and I look forward to meeting her after having read a number of her books!

My thanks to Net Galley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillian Audio for advanced copies of the e-book and audiobook. I really enjoyed Narrator Jessica Clarke who I assume is Australian. I loved her accent and telling of this story!

I was beyond excited to have the opportunity to listen to an advanced copy of Sally Hepworth’s newest domestic suspense thriller Darling Girls and I was not disappointed. This novel was a solid 4.5 star read and one I thoroughly enjoyed. I finished in two sittings and could not put it down. The story was well written with plenty of twists and turns to keep you enthralled until the very end. Jessica Clarke did an amazing job bringing these characters to life. I highly recommend everyone read Darling Girls when it is released on April 23, 2024.

Thank you Macmillan Audio, author Sally Hepworth, and NetGalley for this Advanced Listening Copy.

This is unfortunately a DNF for me. Made it to 50% and I really struggled to get there.

Thanks for the advance copy

Oh, Sally Hepworth, your wickedly twisted mind never disappoints! Darling Girls lures in you from the opening sentence and puts you into a stranglehold until the very last secret is revealed. Like all of Hepworth's books, you think you know what's happening only to find yourself picking your jaw up off the floor. In my opinion, this book is right up there with The Good Sister which is a benchmark for me in the psychological thriller genre.

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia grew up in the foster system; all residing at Wild Meadows in the care of Miss Fairchild. Their time at the farm house is not idyllic and the girls bonded as foster sisters to escape the new traumas inflicted on them. Now adults, the sisters are forced to confront their past when bones are discovered buried on the grounds of their former home. Each of the sisters is grappling with the effects of their individual and shared traumas. When the police call them in to answer questions, it is uncertain whether they are seen as witnesses or suspects.

This book is packed with secrets. lies, suspense, and a mystery to be solved. Overlying it all is love and devotion among the sisters. They are each other's fiercest protectors and will sacrifice anything to protect each other. Hepworth delivers a home run with Darling Girls. The narrative navigates between past and present telling a captivating and cruel story. The unwinding gives the reader insight into the characters while bringing the reader to the stunning conclusion. Sally Hepworth weaves a tale with precision and empathy. Her characters are fully realized and deeply flawed - and you won't soon forget them.

Jessica Clarke does a phenomenal job of bringing the characters to life through her outstanding narration. Her talent allows the story to slowly unravel while giving each of the sisters a clear and distinct voice. Brava for a terrific performance!

Darling Girls will be released on April 22, 2024. Mark your calendars. It's a must read. If you are not already a Sally Hepworth fan, you soon will be!

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

Sally Hepworth is a master story teller. This story is a well crafted twisty psychological thriller. Th story and main character hooked me. The format of having the three storylines was fantastic.

My second read through (this time via audio) is going swimmingly!!! The best way I can describe this book is if Annie the musical took place in Australia, but more creepy and sinister (as a body is found on the property the children once called home)!!!

⭐️DARLING GIRLS out APRIL 23rd⭐️

5.0⭐️

Thank you to @macmillan.audio for the ALC review copy of this book!

#darlinggirls #sallyhepworth #macmillanaudio #stmartinspress


This book was horribly wonderful! The dual timeline was seamlessly integrated and not at all choppy, which allowed you to see what actions in their child book attributed to their dysfunctional adulthood. I several times screamed at the book for someone to care about the young characters which was both frustrating but also seems pretty true to real life in the foster system. If I was to recommend this to someone with the least words I would say it was “modern day ‘Annie’ but darker and set on a farm”. Miss Fairchild gives major Miss Hannigan vibes🫣🥴

I haven't read all of Sally Hepworth's books, but everyone that I have read, I have enjoyed immensely. This is probably one of my favorites so far. It is also a little different than her others as well, which I also enjoyed.

This is definitely more of a slow-burn, and I think part of what I loved so much about this book, is the anticipation of what kind of thriller/suspense/mystery is this? Will there be a murder along the way? How do the girls escape from the foster home? Is that even part of this mystery? That made it more intriguing along the way.

I do want to mention that if you have spent any time in the foster care system, have delt with an abusive parent/guardian, this book may trigger you quite a bit. There is also A LOT of gaslighting, so I want to prepare those who have a past with that before they listen/read this book. I also like that Sally Hepworth wrote all the issues that happened along the way in foster care system. The issues that arise from it, and how difficult it is to be raised in the system and find adequate, if any, support.

Really glad I was able to read this before it was officially published. And I definitely recommend!

Darling Girls is a heartbreaking story of a foster home and the girls who grew up there but it is told in a way that wasn't so hard to hear. The resilience of these girls was inspiring. The character development helps to immerse you in the story and the plight of the characters. There were many twists and turns that keep you guessing until the end. This was my first Sally Hepworth and it won't be the last.

Jessica Clark is an excellent narrator with great pacing and a pleasing voice.

Thank you to Net Galley. Macmillan Audio, Sally Hepworth and Jessica Clark for the opportunity to preview this audiobook. The opinions expressed are my own.

#DarlingGirls #NetGalley #MacmillanAudio #SallyHepworth #JessicaClark #suspense #thriller

This review would not automatically post to Goodreads from this website so I posted it here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6331986374

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC! I knew nothing about the book other than its genre and author and was drawn to it after loving Sally Hepworth’s previous novel. I found myself intrigued by the mystery throughout and endeared to the characters quickly. I loved that Jessica, Alicia, and Norah were all such different characters and their bond was very special. My favorite being Alicia, but all three characters had such satisfying endings. Definitely check trigger warnings as this has some rather traumatic scenes and depictions of abuse.

I found this to be so different from the previous book of Sally Hepworth’s I read, but nonetheless compelling, unsettling and intriguing!

I recently had the chance to read Sally Hepworth's latest novel, "Darling Girls," thanks to an advance audiobook copy from NetGalley. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint!

From the first chapter, I was once again hooked by Hepworth's storytelling. She has this knack for keeping you glued to the narrator from beginning to end. What I loved most was how "Darling Girls" felt different from her other books—it involves three sisters who meet in foster care.

The characters in this one really stole the show. Jessica, Norah, and Alicia—Hepworth brings them to life in such a way that you want them to be your sisters. Each obstacle they face, I wanted them to quickly find a solution! Chapters flow from past to present, and how they all tie together will make you want to flip ahead.

And let me tell you about those twists and turns! Just when you think you've got it all figured out, she hits you with another curveball.

Foster Mom Miss Fairchild might be one of the worst characters I've ever had to listen to. As each chapter goes on the reader will hate her more.

"Darling Girls" I just couldn't put down. It's gripping, it's suspenseful, and it'll keep you guessing until the very end. If you're after a page-turner that'll have you staying up way past your bedtime, look no further. Sally Hepworth has done it again!

What in the world did I just read?!?!

I absolutely loved Darling Girls by Sally Hapworth. This one was a slow, slow burn but I enjoyed the lead up and the back story on the three main characters, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia.. Jessica Clarke did a fantastic job with the narration and I finished Darling Girls in one sitting. I couldn't stop, I had to know where the story would go and how it would end.

Now, I am glad I had the audiobook, because the speed is slower on this one and to be honest I am not sure if I could have been as engaged if I did not have the audio.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

Darling Girls is an outstanding story that had me absolutely in love right from the start. The characters were so easy to relate to and love! She did an insanely good job of providing us likeable, relatable characters.

Darling Girls ticked all my boxes! It was an absolute page-turner with the most insane ending. I will be thinking about this book long after reading it!

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.

Sally Hepworth, you have outdone yourself. Darling Girls is a book that keeps you guessing until the very last page. The sisters are each very unique characters that make you wonder if you can really trust them, over and over. Hepworth paints the picture of Jessica Norah, and Alicia's upbringing in their foster home that was pure hell. They have moved on from what happened in their past, but find themselves back to where it all began. Their foster mother, Miss Fairchild is looked at by most as the perfect caregiver, but behind closed doors that is very much not the case. In the end, history reveals itself. This thriller is a page-turner that you won't want to put down.