Reviews with content warning for Death - The Soulmate

I was a little afraid that the narrative style choice was going to be kind of gimmicky, but I thought it worked pretty well. But also goddamn, can women stop dating super annoying and damaging men? At least this is super realistic. The husband is just such a nightmare. The female characters in this book seem to fall into the trope of women being too emotional to remember to be logical. And I do not like that.

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janin's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

it was alright, the short chapters made it a pretty quick and entertaining enough read. nothing too exciting happens, and there was barely any tension built because the cliffhangers (pun unintended) were usually resolved quickly. also i disagree with the 50% of you that said there was "strong character development"; did we read the same book? but! i am satisfied with the ending, so overall, it was fine.

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bek_p87's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

This was several thrilling mysteries and domestic dramas rolled into one. The ambiguity inherent in the central mystery - did the woman jump, or was she pushed? - kept everything moving forward, but ultimately wasn't the most interesting part of the story. I enjoyed the multiple points of view and timelines, and how they all came together at the end.

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mriou310's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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jessicar86's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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madanxiety's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Has Big Little Lies energy (referring to the show - I've never read the book), except the "mystery" is a lot more obvious - the protagonist just takes forever to wake up from the denial. Still, it hooked me quite quickly, which is why I was so upset when I realized that I'd started it super late into my loan on Libby and it was returned before I could finish it. Now, two months later, I finally got it loaned again and finished it!

I appreciate how messy it is. I also like how and when certain details/twists are revealed. You're certainly weaving around major things before finally reaching them.

Idk I'm just left feeling like "THAT was a book." It's not like revolutionary, but it does what an entertaining book ought to do.

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meredith_williams_'s review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

The Soulmate was the first mystery I’ve read in awhile. The book centers on a married couple who lives on a cliff side and frequently has to deescalate strangers’s suicide attempts. On the night of an unsuccessful rescue attempt, the wife grows suspicious of her husband’s potential involvement. I really liked Hepworth’s writing style. Her pacing keeps the story moving and she does a great job of flipping between timelines to slowly release key information about the relationships between the main characters. Having one of the characters narrate from beyond the grave was also a really interesting style choice that added to the overall intrigue. I didn’t love how a lot of mental health issues were sensationalized for the purpose of the plot. I understand the appeal and I think it happens frequently in the genre, but in my opinion it’s reinforcing some negative stereotypes. A few of the reveals were also a little over the top. But overall I will read more of Hepworth’s work. If you’re looking for a quick, entertaining, and dramatic read, I recommend The Soulmate.

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