Please note that I received this via NetGalley. This did not affect my rating or review.
Well not quite up to par with Hepworth’s other works. And it’s really only because the back and forth between two women in separate timelines just didn’t work after a while as well as the lack of depth on some of the characters especially after a bunch of things get revealed. For example, I get why Hepworth included Amanda’s point of view, but after a while it added nothing to the book, and honestly the whole plotline with how she is around and talking to “us” didn’t work. It kept taking me out of the book after a while.
“The Soulmate” follows happily married couple Pippa and Gabe. The two of them have been married for 7 years, but something (left unsaid for a long while in the book) happened and the two of them moved house to be by the sea. Specifically, their house is near a cliff which is a popular suicide spot. Do not ask me why Pippa said this was a good idea, especially considering all of the backstory we get on Gabe eventually. I realized this right here was one of the reasons why I didn’t give this one 5 stars. It just doesn’t work with what we find out later.
The story follows Pippa and Gabe after a 50 year old woman jumps from the cliff and leaves them and Pippa’s family scarred. Up until now Gabe has been able to talk would be jumpers down. But the mysterious woman, her potential connection to Pippa and Gabe, and some past issues may lead the police to start to unravel these two who consider the other one their soulmate. The book also follows another woman in this one (no spoilers) named Amanda. As I said above, Amanda could have been cut.
I could not with the character of Pippa. Especially after all of the reveals. I just felt tired, just like her sister. And I think I needed more there with Gabe. After a while I just didn’t have a good grip on his character.
That said, the other characters were so interesting, the reveals that come slowly but surely leave you gobsmacked and the writing and flow were great.
I called BS at that ending. It didn’t feel quite so satisfying as her prior books.