Review of The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth

Sally Hepworth has brought some new narrative tricks to the table, and I’m here for it! But did The Soulmate impress me with some big twists? Check out my Review of The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth.

The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth

Published on April 4, 2023 by St. Martins Press. Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance reader copy for review.

Synopsis of The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth

There’s a cottage on a cliff. Gabe and Pippa’s dream home in a sleepy coastal town. But their perfect house hides something sinister. The tall cliffs have become a popular spot for people to end their lives. Night after night Gabe comes to their rescue, literally talking them off the ledge. Until he doesn’t.

When Pippa discovers Gabe knew the victim, the questions spiral…Did the victim jump? Was she pushed?

And would Gabe, the love of Pippa’s life, her soulmate…lie? As the perfect facade of their marriage begins to crack, the deepest and darkest secrets begin to unravel.

What Other Books Has Sally Hepworth Written?

Sally Hepworth is an Australian writer of women’s fiction and thrillers. She’s written The Secrets of Midwives (2015), The Things We Keep (2016), The Mother’s Promise (2017), The Family Next Door (2018), The Mother-in-Law (2019), The Good Sister (2020),and The Younger Wife (2021). Dates are Australian publication and U.S. dates may vary.

Review of The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth

I read The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth last year and overall found it had good character development but felt that it was more issue-driven women’s fiction than a true thriller.

In The Soulmate, Hepworth works with a more thriller-ish narrative structure. The story starts with a traumatic, dramatic incident. Then the narrative moves between present and past and between two narrators, one alive and one no longer alive.

As most of us who’ve read Thrillers With a Big Twist know, this kind of narrative is usually used to set up a BIG TWIST.

So I was waiting and waiting. I was speculating and guessing as to what Sally Hepworth was up to.

Yes, there were some reveals in the end. No, they were not as shocking as I hoped. But I still enjoyed the book a lot.

Here’s my take on The Soulmate:

I think that, while really enjoyable to read, The Soulmate is still more women’s fiction than thriller, as I’d argue that, as the title suggests it explores the idea of a soulmate. Do we have one? And if we do, what happens when we find out our soulmate is flawed, as we all are. How much will we put up with? Do someone’s wonderful qualities outweigh their terrible ones? If you love books with a philosophical bent, you will enjoy The Soulmate.

I liked the jumpy narrative, and I’m not always a fan of those. It kept me guessing.

I’m not always a fan of the narrator from the afterlife, but in this case, it really worked for me.

I feel like The Soulmate did fizzle a little at the end. As a story of two women in love with imperfect men, it succeeded. But it did give me all the thriller vibes and then, in he end, wasn’t really a thriller.

My advice: go into The Soulmate with an open mind and enjoy the journey!

There’s a lot to talk about in this one, so I hope you’ll join me in my Spoiler Discussion for The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth!