The Soulmate

An absolute page-turner!
Once I dived into the lives of Gabe and Pippa, a seemingly normal married couple, I couldn't look away.
Once again Sally Hepworth delivers a readably, voyeuristic look at everyday life, but with hidden depths that make you not want to put the book down.
Devoured it in a weekend.
Thoroughly enjoyed!

This book initially captivated me with its immersive atmosphere. The serene description of the house situated by the drop, inhabited by a family of four, set the domestic scene. The first major event triggered an intense back-and-forth with the police, keeping me on the edge of my seat, questioning who was responsible and unfolding the tense situation.

However, I must admit that after reaching 60% of the book, it began to feel repetitive and monotonous, losing its initial allure. In my opinion, it could have easily been shortened by at least 25 pages without compromising the story.

The ending took me by surprise as one of the characters acted in direct contradiction to their previous behavior throughout the book. This decision to abruptly kill them off left me puzzled. Perhaps this character had been silently grappling with mental health issues all along, successfully masking them from others. It was an intriguing twist, leaving me with questions and speculation.

Overall, as a first read from this author, I did enjoy it, despite the shortcomings I mentioned earlier.

I enjoyed this book. First, the title. Who exactly are the soulmates? In this story we get two marriages, both from the outside, look storybook perfect, two couples ideally suited. Then Sally Hepworth does her beautiful work of layering the issues, the cracks, the history. And it gets oh so juicy. I find her characters particularly well written, realistic in the examination of their daily lives and then also mental health issues. She handles it here with such deft. There is also intrigue and mystery and really great alternating POVs. I do love the Australian setting. Another good one.