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fadeddpages's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Suicide, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Murder, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Grief
booksofautumn's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Abortion, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Alcohol, Blood, Death, Grief, Alcoholism, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Infidelity, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Violence
nrogers_1030's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Suicide and Mental illness
Minor: Pregnancy and Infidelity
mtnest's review
- 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
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Grief, Mental illness, Alcohol, Infidelity, and Suicide
Minor: Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content
kaylasbookgram's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is a very addicting domestic suspense book! So many twists and turns that caught me off guard with each new secret coming to life. I loved having all the different POVs especially that of the victim gave the story an exciting perspective.
Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Death, Infidelity, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Grief, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Murder
riannacat's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Infidelity, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Alcohol, Death, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, Drug use, Suicide, and Violence
soobooksalot's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I read the majority of Sally Hepworth's newest, The Soulmate, in one evening. It's perfectly bingeable.
Pippa, husband Gabe, and daughters Freya and Asha, appear to be the perfect family. But any thriller reader knows this is never the case.
The story is told from the points of view of two characters. Each is in two time frames - before/after, and then/now.
I'm a big fan of domestic suspense and I did not see the twists of The Soulmate coming, built in along the way to keep us off balance. And I definitely did not anticipate the ending!
Great characters, excellent pacing.
Recommended!
For release on April 4.
Moderate: Alcohol, Sexual content, Death, Infidelity, Suicide, Grief, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Pregnancy
kelly_e's review against another edition
- 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
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."
Graphic: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death, and Mental illness
Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, and Infidelity
Minor: Addiction, Cursing, Vomit, Pregnancy, and Death of parent
overdosesleeson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Mental illness, Murder, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Pregnancy, Infidelity, and Suicide attempt
meganwhitis's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5
Moderate: Suicide, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Infidelity, and Murder