THE SOULMATE by Sally Hepworth

 

My thoughts

Another good thriller from Sally Hepworth. 

There are two couples: Pippa and Gabe. Amanda and Max. Two, not timelines exactly, but times. Before and after. From Amanda's prospective and from Pippa's. These two couples are on a collision course that may do so much harm. Or it may help some heal. Move on. Find happiness. Either together or apart. Whichever way it all starts at the jumping off place. Literally....

Pippa and Gabe love each other so much it is crazy. Pippa can barely breath away from Gabe and he just can't seem to cope without her. Their's is a love story for the ages. Soulmates if you will. But what about all the secrets. All the lies. All the things that are not what they seem. When the trust is tested. Limits are broken. What happens then. Do you bury your head in the sand and pretend all is well.... Maybe you do. For the sake of your daughters. But what about for your sake?

Amanda and Max have a more conventional marriage. It was not really a marriage of love but more a marriage of necessity. For them both. Yes they care about each other. Very deeply. They are friends. They get along and they make a promise. Always be faithful. This fits for Amanda after the life she's seen her mother go through. Until it's not. Until she is looking at things from the other side. Until that day on The Cliff... 

Gabe has many issues and Pippa deals with them very well. She helps him in every endeavor he starts. He does ask a lot too. I was all set to dislike this man but he grew on me. I felt bad for him for some things. But I like Pippa too. Even though I thought she was crazy to put up with Gabe at times I still like her. She just needed to find what truly made her happy. 

Max was a hard one to like for a bit but he also grew on me. I liked that he was so involved with suicide prevention after losing his mother and brother do suicide. I felt for him after his wife fell from the cliff. There were times when I wanted to push him off but then this book gave me the thrill I was waiting for and didn't even see coming. The moment it happened I actually gasped out loud. I did not see that coming. I didn't see a couple of things but the big thing was a shocker for sure. Well played Ms Hepworth. Well played indeed.

My favorite line despite it all is:

"Pippa," he said, "I thought you'd stay forever."

My second favorite:

So, here we are. Finally, it makes sense, what I've been doing here-stuck in this strange space between life and death. I've been waiting for him; the love of my life. And now it's time to go....

Thank you #NetGalley, #SallyHepworth, #StMartinsPress. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

Five huge stars and I do highly recommend it.

Synopsis

Prepare yourself for a thrilling, addictive novel about marriage, betrayal, and the secrets that push us to the edge in this latest book from the bestselling author of The Good Sister and The Younger Wife.

Picture a lovely cottage on a cliff, with sloping lawns, walking paths, and beautiful flowers. It’s Gabe and Pippa Gerard’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. Over the past several months, Gabe comes to their rescue, literally talking them off the ledge.

Until one day, 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 façade of their marriage begins to crack, the deepest and darkest secrets begin to unravel. Because sometimes, the most convincing lies are the ones we tell ourselves.