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cmbohn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Gaslighting
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Violence, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, Miscarriage, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Eating disorder, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, and Alcohol
Minor: Rape and Murder
edhyndman's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Murder, and Domestic abuse
caitlinosullivan4's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
What I really want to know is, why didn’t Heather have marks on her neck when he choked her!? Does he know some special doctor way to do it that doesn’t bruise? Surely not. This is the part that is lingering and making me question the whole thing.
But then again… surely Sally wouldn’t write a whole novel about how the “good bloke” is wrongly accused and really is a good bloke all along?
I’m so intrigued to hear others thoughts.
Moderate: Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Alcoholism, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Violence, Sexual violence, and Rape
heatherv's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Dementia, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Death of parent and Alcoholism
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Rape, and Grief
destiny929's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Dementia, Alcoholism, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Death of parent, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Murder, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Chronic illness, and Domestic abuse
booked_with_meg's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Moderate: Rape, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Murder
kelly_e's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
3.0
Author: Sally Hepworth
Genre: Thriller
Rating: 3.00
Pub Date: April 5, 2022
T H R E E • W O R D S
Psychological • Dynamic • Lacking
📖 S Y N O P S I S
THE HUSBAND
A heart surgeon at the top of his field, Stephen Aston is getting married again. But first he must divorce his current wife, even though she can no longer speak for herself.
THE DAUGHTERS
Tully and Rachel Aston look upon their father’s fiancée, Heather, as nothing but an interloper. Heather is younger than both of them. Clearly, she’s after their father’s money.
THE FORMER WIFE
With their mother in a precarious position, Tully and Rachel are determined to get to the truth about their family’s secrets, the new wife closing in, and who their father really is.
THE YOUNGER WIFE
Heather has secrets of her own. Will getting to the truth unleash the most dangerous impulses in all of them?
💭 T H O U G H T S
I've been slowly making my way through Sally Hepworth's backlist over the past few years, and next up was The Younger Wife. I'll preface my review by saying I was way less interested in this one than some of her other books, and my gut ended up being on point.
What I like:
• the prologue. It created so much tension, intrigue and suspicion. I needed to find out how it would all play out.
• multiple perspectives. I thought this structure suited the storyline perfectly, giving glimpses into each woman's life.
• the heavier topics. This one takes on A LOT and Hepworth does so in a sensitive manner, which I appreciated.
What I didn't like:
• the characters. The fact that the women all come across as unreliable and each of the male characters comes across in a good light didn't work for me at all.
• the ending. Underwhelming and predictable. Also some loose ends.
Despite hooking my interest in the beginning and containing some serious topics, my attention quickly waned as the story progressed. By the end, it just felt like a meh and forgettable read. With that said, I look forward to continuing in exploration of Sally's books.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fans of family drama
• readers who like books that read like a soap opera
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Perhaps the very worst people still had some good in them. And perhaps the very best had some bad."
Graphic: Gaslighting, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Dementia, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Eating disorder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Addiction, Infertility, Pregnancy, Rape, Miscarriage, Violence, and Abortion
Minor: Murder
emardesen's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Physical abuse, Gaslighting, and Mental illness
Moderate: Dementia, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Miscarriage, Murder, and Terminal illness
carlytenille's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Death, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Rape, Alcohol, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Physical abuse
hgunsch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Addiction, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Chronic illness, Rape, Toxic relationship, Death, Dementia, Sexual violence, and Alcoholism
Minor: Pregnancy, Murder, Death of parent, and Miscarriage