I rated this a 3.5 and rounded up, because this wasn't my favorite of her books but i couldn't put a finger on why. The plot felt slow in the middle and the characters were hard to attach yourselves too, which is something big that i look for in books

Throughly enjoyed this book with all its twists and turns. I also enjoyed the different points of view. It kept me entertained and I didn’t want to put it down.

Jessica, Norah and Alicia were lucky to be under the foster care of Miss Fairchild. She had a beautiful home and everything looked as it should and girls were given everything they could have needed. But not everything was as it looked from the outside.
This story has a dual timeline in which you go back in time to discover what really happened within the house. It's a tale of sisterhood, love and secrets. As adults the girls work together to uncover what really happened all those years ago.
A thriller you won't be able to put down.
4 stars
#netgalley #booklovers #thrillerbooks

ARC
PHENOMENAL. As both a book and audiobook, I loved this. Love the distinction between character POVs. The twist was really good, I was sure I'd figured it out, but of course the final twist got me. Love Hepworth's writing. Only reason it's a 4 instead of higher is because a few of the POVs felt dragged in the current timeline

The way I couldn’t put this book down, and ended up binge reading through the night (which I rarely do), switching between the book and audiobook. Sally Hepworth is one of the best when it comes to domestic suspense, and I just love her storytelling writing so much.

I buddy read this with my husband and had a hard time not giving anything away because I ended up finishing before him.

The story features 4 POVs, about three foster siblings with a past/present storyline. When bones are discovered at the home they were raised, everyone comes into question what happened.

With fast chapters and an intriguing storyline, it was the perfect thrill ride that kept me guessing, and would make the best beach or poolside read this Summer.

🎧I loved the audiobook narration by Jessica Clarke, and it was easy to switch between the print and audio formats, keeping me completely immersed into the story.

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧
🏠domestic suspense
❤️found family
🔍a story that will keep you guessing
📖multiple POVs

*many thanks to St Martin’s Press, Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the gifted copy for review

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth was DYNAMITE! What an amazing story with superb plot points and dynamic characterizations. I mean.... it blew me away. Not just the story, which was amazing but the writing.... the writing! Very, very clever! This is why Sally Hepworth is an auto-buy author for me! Great audio quality and narrator!

3.5 Solid thriller that kept me guessing. Great character development and written so well that I could easily differentiate between the girls. I have a tendency to get Sally Hepworth, Liane Moriarty and Rachel Hawkins books mixed up, so it’s great for fans of those books.
The story laid out very well, going between past and present as three precious foster girls who grew up in the same foster home find out a body was found under the house they grew up in. Compelling thriller. Fantastic narration. What a great job to be able to differentiate between so many characters!!

Darling Girls is a solid thriller. Well-written, good characters with engaging conversations, with a villain who is fun to hate and her victims who are fun to root for.

Norah, Jessica and Alicia are foster sisters who forge a strong bond, mostly due to the need to support each other and survive their unbalanced narcissistic foster mother.

Timeline bounces from Then and Now, and chapters bounce from each sister’s POV, plus and unknown woman and her therapist.

The mystery was a little weak, and some of the police procedures seemed far-fetched, but I was still there for every moment of the story and was very curious how the mystery would unravel.

Like a slightly ridiculous Law & Order episode that you may have seen already, but you are still completely tuned in.

I would give this 3.5 stars but here, rounded up to 4.

DARLING GIRLS

“Even after all these years, yearning for the love and attention of someone who couldn't give it to her was much more comfortable than actually receiving it.”

3.5/5 💫

Thanks so much to Netgalley for allowing me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth is an intense novel following the lives of three sisters; Jessica, Norah and Alicia. We see this story unfold from each of their perspectives, and Hepworth does an excellent job of making each perspective clear and compelling.
Although this is a great book for many reasons, I personally found it to not quite hit the mark in others. There is some difficult and upsetting content (I would recommend reading content warnings before picking up).
The last quarter or so of the book felt very rushed, and the twist at the end was not a great fit in my opinion; I felt it left multiple plot holes and just a bit of an icky taste.
Over all, this was a good experience but I think it had many flaws.

Darling Girls is one of the best books I've read this year so far. I absolutely love the characters, specifically our three protagonists Jessica, Norah, and Alicia. Sally Hepworth's writing is spectacular, and she seamlessly weaves past and present so we have a strong understanding of and empathy for these three "sisters." While I had predicted one of the major twists, I think that made my reading of the book all the more enjoyable, and the ending was perfect. I really enjoyed this book, and would highly recommend it to mystery lovers! The audiobook narration was excellent!

Sally Hepworth has done it again! A twisty story excellently written. The narration was perfect and flowed through the whole book. Definitely recommend Darling Girls, along with any other her books! Many thanks to NetGalley for this opportunity!

This was my second book by Sally Hepworth and I’m just not sure she is for me. This book was just ok for me. I listened to this one and the narration was fine- Australian accents which added to the story since it took place in Australia. I liked the multiple POVS from Jessica, Norah and Alicia and also the dual timeline to see what had happened to them when they were younger. The ending, while I didn’t expect, was very underwhelming to me.

I enjoyed this book, but I don't think it was one that will stick with me, for a few reasons. First, I felt it was a little slow. I didn't necessarily feel compelled to keep reading like I normally do with a thriller. That could have been due to the heavy subject matter, as it was DARK. You should definitely read the trigger warnings if you are affected by heavy subjects involving children and abuse. It was very hard to read at times because of how horrible the story was. It was probably trending as more of a 3-star read for me, but the ending put it over the top to a 4. I know many people loved this book and couldn't put it down, so if it sounds like something you'd be interested in, I would recommend giving it a try!

I enjoyed this book! It wasn't so much thrilling, as a solid mystery with a dark undertones (TW of child abuse). This was definitely a character-driven, bit of a slow-burn story which I personally love. It reminded me a bit of THE SOULMATE in that sense. My favorite part of the book was the relationship between the sisters. while the mystery of the bones took a backseat in terms of engagement. There is also a bit of a mystery of who is speaking with the psychologist, but I believe it became obvious pretty early on. Even still, I enjoyed those chapters until the end. The epilogue has one of my least favorite book tropes/types of reveals, which I won't name due to spoilers, but it did drop my enjoyment of the book a bit. Overall though, this was an enjoyable read and I recommend it for those who enjoy character-driven mysteries. The narrator did a great job and I'm glad I had the audio in addition to my digital copy so I could read the book continuously throughout my day!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for my ARC/ALC in exchange for an honest review.

If you are looking for a thriller to keep you wanting more, you need to read this one! I couldn't wait to unravel the history of the 3 sisters, the secrets, and the truth at the end.

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia are more than just friends. They are sisters, bound together not by blood but from surviving their childhood in the foster care system. As adults, they live very different lives but are always there for each other. When a body is discovered at the site of their former foster mother’s home, they return to the area they had tried for years to leave in the past. As more clues are unearthed, and their foster mother shows up unwanted, stories from their childhood begin to surface, and the women begin to wonder if they are witnesses or suspects.

I will read every Sally Hepworth book until the end of time, and I enjoyed parts of Darling Girls, but this one was not my favorite. I thought the pace was slow and the ending predictable, but I still enjoyed the characters and the way the story came together. I thought the narrator, Jessica Clarke, did a fantastic job and really lured me into the story. 4 stars.

This was my first Hepworth book and I’m a fan! I loved the bond between the three foster sisters. The characters in this book are so vibrant and well developed. The characters will be dancing around in your head for days after you finish this one 💙.
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Jessica was Miss Fairchild’s first foster child. She was the rule follower, the one who yearned to be loved (by anyone). Norah was the second, the one who had been tossed around the foster system. The one who learned to throw the first punch at an early age. The beautiful one with her hackles up. And then there was Alicia, the one who came with jokes, warmth, and kindness. The one who knew what it was to be truly loved. The one who understood that what Miss Fairchild gave them was absolutely not that. Miss Fairchild has a dark side that only her foster children see. When the body of a child turns up under her house decades later, the police call on the sisters to help piece together the crime. But will they become the prime suspects?
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The sisters in this book are ride-or-die and I am 💯% here for it. I love Nora’s 3 I’ll-mannered rescue dogs (who she named after the first thing they destroyed 😆). Alicia is the social worker with the big heart, and Jessica is the one who appears to have it all.
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This one is filled with all the dark secrets, twists, and turns. I devoured it. Did not see the end coming!
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Thank you to @macmillan.audio for this audiobook. The narration by Jessica Clarke is perfection 🤌. You can get the physical or audio of this book as a BOTM add-on!
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Darling Girls - Sally Hepworth
4.75/5⭐️
🎉Out Now!🎉
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“Being loved had been the goal of her life. Loving someone in return...that was just showing off.”

This is my first read from Sally Hepworth and I enjoyed it! I love a book with multiple perspectives and time lines. Lots of twists and turns in this one - you won't be able to keep up with the chaos. Great narrator who brought the characters to life. The ending kind of made me mad (it's not what *I* wanted - lol) - but it was a great, fast-paced, psychological thriller.

I've read several Sally Hepworth novels. Darling Girls has been my least favorite. I had a hard time remembering all the characters' back stories and current situations with all the changing voices and time periods. Important details were slow to be revealed. The book was interesting enough but I don't think it was Hepworth's best attempt.

I love a well written psychological mystery and Darling Girls did not disappoint! The author really showed her talent for storytelling with the use of past and present timelines to leave the reader curious and intrigued. I was also surprised at how much I came to care for the characters. This is the story of three foster girls and the bonds they forged together in a dangerous home. In addition, there is a focus on mental health awareness and women's empowerment that I really valued in this story. The audiobook had amazing narration done by Jessica Clarke. Her voice really brought the characters to life and gave them an extra layer of depth.

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.