Reviews with content warning for Vomit - The Soulmate

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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mtnest's review

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challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.25

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kimveach's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

4.5

An excellent thriller. It kept me engaged from beginning to end.

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kelly_e's review against another edition

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mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.5

Title: The Soulmate
Author: Sally Hepworth
Genre: Thriller
Rating: 3.50
Pub Date: April 4, 2023

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for offering me a DRC and to Macmillan Audio for providing me with ALC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. #Gifted #Ad

T H R E E • W O R D S

Bingeable • Suspenseful • Dysfunctional

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Pippa, Gabe and their two daughters moved into their cliffside dream home with the hopes of starting over after a difficult period in their marriage. Their home is close to a cliff known as 'The Drop' - a spot chosen by many people to end their own lives. In the time since they've been living there, Gabe has prevented a number of people from jumping to their deaths.

One night, Pippa sees a woman hovering close to the edge of the cliff. So Gabe heads out to talk to her, while Pippa calls the police. Pippa sees them talking, but soon the woman plunges to her death leaving Gabe left standing there with his arms outstretched. Originally ruled a suicide, Pippa isn't convinced. When she discovers Gabe knew the victim, she begins to question everything.

💭 T H O U G H T S

Over the years, Sally Hepworth has become an auto-read author for me, and so it will come as no surprise that I was eagerly anticipating her 2023 release, The Soulmate, especially after seeing the stunning cover. This twisty story focuses on the highs and lows of marriage and ended up being simply an okay read for me.

What I liked:
• the cover. I was drawn to the stunning cover before reading it, and it makes even more sense now that I've finished.
• the short chapters. They allowed me to be easily drawn into the plot, and helped build suspense.
• dual timeline/dual perspective. Another tool that helps build suspense and fill in the backstory in a way that makes sense.
• victim perspective. Getting to read from a dead characters POV was interesting and unique. It added a different vibe to the plot.
• the audio. Narrated by Barrie Kreinik and Jessica Douglas-Henry, the audio was very well done. The different voices helped me keep track of each of the characters and their stories, and the pacing was easy to follow.

What I disliked:
• mental health as a plot twist. I had serious issues with how Sally Hepworth handled mental health in this book. From a misdiagnosis to yet another portrayal of someone with mental illness being dangerous it all just didn't sit well with me.
• the ending. There was so much tension building and marital drama that I'd expected some mind-blowing reveal, but in all honestly it the ending was a let down.

The Soulmate was definitely a page-turner with more drama than thrill. I thought the first half was very well done, but the second half tried to go in too many directions. While I enjoyed my reading experience this wasn't my favourite of hers. Something about how she handled mental illness rubbed me the wrong way. I'll continue to read her books though.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• domestic drama fans
• readers needing to get out of a slump

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"It's as if, while living your life, you view the world through a straw. You see only the tiniest sliver, all of it from your own perspective. Other people have their motives, their backstories, their feelings, but you don't know that unless they share them with you, and even then there's every chance they're lying or prevaricating. What strikes me most now is the audacity of people, walking around with such certainty while armed with only the scantest information."

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abruce19's review

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dark emotional mysterious medium-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

4.5

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