User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
Happy book birthday to one of my favorite thrillers of the year! 🥂🥳📚
Another big, bold Wowza! This book captivated me from the first moment I started to read the intriguing opening and for 5 long hours, I pulled the plug off myself, rejecting to connect with outside world, ignoring my husband dearest who kept asking me why he didn’t have any clean shirt and how I achieved to burn takeout leftovers.
I didn’t hear my partying neighbors who recently turned their home into Airbnb circus or blaring German words from TV( Husband dearest decided to watch Dark’s last season without me as a punishment) I just kept reading and I have to admit: THIS IS THE BEST BOOK OF SALLY HEPWORTH! And FERN IS ONE OF THE MOST FASCINATING CHARACTERS I’VE EVER INTRODUCED.
The story is told by twin sisters: Rose and Fern, not only sharing a womb and awful childhood memories, but also sharing a big secret.
After her fertility problems and troubles of her marriage, Rose starts seeing a therapist and she is advised to keep a diary to pour out her bottled up feelings she has been keeping since her childhood. The twins’ story start with her diary pages tell us something tragic happened when twins were little. A boy was drowned. It seems like Fern is responsible of boy’s dying and Rose saved her sister from being held behind the bars by keeping her mouth shut.
And from the POV of the diary we realize their mother has sociopathic tendencies, targeting Rose ( because she takes the blames to protect her dear sister) by mentally and physically abusing her. Then after being overdosed, the sisters find themselves at the rusty wheels of foster care system.
When we read the parts of Rose, we start to empathize with her and we think how adorable, protective sister she is.
But when we read Fern’s parts, we cannot help but root for the character wholeheartedly. She is on the spectrum of Asperger’s syndrome, sensitive to light, voices, touch (when she has to attend a gathering at the crowded place she has to wear googles and earpods to protect herself), an efficient librarian: because she is highly intelligent, focused on details and the libraries were always her favorite place since her childhood. She also has abrupt, inappropriate social approaches but her emotional side, her directness, straightforward honesty makes her unique.
She loves her sister and sees she cannot conceive a baby so she decides to get pregnant and give the child to her sister. She meets Rocco at the library (but calls him “Wally” because with his hat and loose pants, he truly looks like the character from Where’s Wally) who is intelligent computer programmer, suffering from Autism as like her and her intention to give her sister baby and have sex with a stranger turns into an intimate romantic involvement.
As we continue to read both sides of stories, we start to question what if Rose is not who we think she is. Is she really a protective, caring, adorable sister or is she manipulative, controlling, irritating bitch who wants to turn her life into hell?
Or Fern has also secret sociopathic tendencies like their mother and harm people without thinking a second?
Read and enjoy each impeccably written characters to find out!
Overall: I loved the twisty, riveting, high tension, breathtaking pacing, well crafted characters. Fern and Wally stole my heart! No more words, I’m giving five gazillion stars! I just reviewed one of the best upcountry thrillers of 2021! Yayyyy!
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this incredible ARC with me in exchange my honest thoughts and review.
Rating: really liked it
There's only been one time that Rose couldn't stop me from doing the wrong thing and that was a mistake that will haunt me for the rest of my life.
Fraternal twins Fern and Rose are as close as two sisters can be. Fern has sensory processing issues, and Rose has looked out for her all her life. When Fern unexpected comes across a chance at love, secrets from their past start to surface. And soon, it's not at all clear who really is
The Good Sister.
I found the initial chapters of the book to be riveting. Both Rose and Fern are well-developed characters, and they really jump off the pages. Fern, in particular, with her unique difficulties, is so sincere and loveable. She tries hard to fit into the world around her, but she's constantly bumbling it up just a bit. The love story in here is my favorite part of the book, and it was a joy to read the interactions between Fern and Wally.
But to imply that this is a thriller of any kind is really stretching it. This is first and foremost a domestic drama, with just a hint of a secret in there to propel the narrative forward. I found the pacing to be quite slow, especially after the initial setup. Maybe I didn't have the right expectations going in, but I kept waiting for something exciting or shocking to happen, which didn't materialize. It was clear where the story was headed by the halfway point, after which all the suspense fizzled out. As a result, it started to lose steam for me, and my attention drifted away.
Still, the ending pulled it all together. It delivers the secrets that have been promised all along, and wraps everything up with satisfaction. While nothing truly surprised me, I did enjoy the story overall. It's my first time reading Sally Hepworth, and I'm impressed with her characters. They really made this story shine.
I think fans of women's fiction centered around intriguing family drama will very much enjoy this story, as long as expectations of shocking twists are kept in check.
My heartfelt thanks for the copy that was provided for my honest and unbiased review.
Rating: really liked it
The Good Sister is a tale of two sisters, Fern and Rose, who rely on Rose to help Fern with her quirks. Rose slowly reveals the past and the sisters are now confronted with the future. Only....who should decide what the future is? And what really did happen in the past?
The first half of the book was extremely strong, and I LOVED almost every single minute. Fern is a very analytical and literal person who often relies on rules to help her manage societal interactions, many of which are hilarious. There were so many laugh out loud moments (possibly some tricks that I should consider implementing). It was really such a joy to read the first half.
But then I remember oh wait, isn't this book supposed to be a thriller? For the second half of the book, it was largely predictable and crafted to throw in the thriller element. Personally, I believe that this book would have been better off just focusing on Fern than introducing the thriller component. However, it was still a very enjoyable read, and it was really well laid out - clear who was speaking. I definitely enjoyed this one!
If you like being "in the know", Sally Hepworth has a new book coming out, October 25, 2022 entitled The Soulmate. I am certainly going to check it out!
2022 Reading Schedule
Jan Animal Farm
Feb Lord of the Flies
Mar The Da Vinci Code
Apr Of Mice and Men
May Memoirs of a Geisha
Jun Little Women
Jul The Lovely Bones
Aug Charlotte's Web
Sep Life of Pi
Oct Dracula
Nov Gone with the Wind
Dec The Secret Garden
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Rating: really liked it
Fern and Rose are twins, not identical, as different as two people can be. Fern is fair, slender, and tall while Rose was a shorter, plump child, with darker hair. Eventually Rose was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes while Fern struggles with sensory processing disorder. Rose had been the more outgoing child while Fern had and still does shrink from noises, light, smells and all the things that bombard her senses. Rose is Fern's protector and this protection continues into their late twenties, even as Rose marries and Fern lives in a small apartment near Rose.
Rose is an interior designer and Fern is a librarian, a job that Fern loves as much as she loves her never changing routine. I'm so fond of Fern, with her colorful clothes, shoes, skirts, and overalls. She is great with both children and the elderly, at the library, but DO NOT ask her to help you with the printer or photocopiers because she'll pretend she didn't hear you or pretend she hears someone calling her in another part of the library. And Fern will discard your food if it's too stinky...I think I might have a bit of Fern in me.
Rose's diary tells us that Rose and Fern had a painful upbringing, via a cruel, mood changing mother, a mother who always favored Fern over Rose. When Rose and Fern were twelve, Fern did something very, very bad and Rose helped make up a story so that what Fern did wouldn't be discovered. This bad thing is what reminds Fern that she can never really be on her own, that she'll always need Rose to look after her and fix her mistakes. Still, Fern is very good at her job and she is well liked by her co-workers and the library patrons.
Rose and Fern are so very close, Fern needs Rose to survive, it's as if they can't tell where one really begins and the other ends. But things in the past might not be as they seemed and things in the present might not be as they seem. One of these women wants something so badly that she'll do anything to get it.
Publication: April 13th 2021
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.
Rating: really liked it
***HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY, DON'T MISS THIS ONE***
This is the second book I’ve read by Sally Hepworth and it’s phenomenal. It’s so much more than I thought it was going to be, part family drama, part mystery, part exploration of how people on the low spectrum of Asperger’s syndrome function in our society.
Rose Castle and her sister Fern are twins, but they could not be more different. They even look very different. Fern is tall and willowy, Rose is short and “round” as her mother always called her.
These two have had a difficult childhood, raised by their mother who has her own mental issues, they once spent an entire year living in libraries and their car. This was fine with Fern as she loved books. Very early on she learned that she could get lost in the story and not think about her day to day life.
This novel is told from two points of view, one is told in Fern’s voice as she tells us about her childhood and how Rose has always been there for her. Fern works as a librarian and loves her job, she thrives on routine and organization. One day a man enters the library whom she assumes is homeless because of his overall appearance. They start having some great conversations, she learns that he lives in a van by his own choice. He doesn’t need to have a lot of “things“. They go on a few dates and realize that they really have a lot in common. His name is Rocco but Fern calls him Wally because of the silly hat he wears which reminds her of the “Where’s Wally” character. Fern finds herself experiencing love for the first time.
Meanwhile we learn from Rose’s diary that she is more manipulative than it seems at first. She looks out for Fern but also keeps her from maturing by constantly telling her that she is forgetful and unable to be counted on. A very sad event happened when they were children and Fern has always felt responsible, Rose constantly holds this over her. You will learn a lot more about Rose during the novel. She has her own ideas about how she wants the future to play out.
I really don’t want to ruin this great story for anyone. It’s a wonderful novel with lots of surprises and twists. The characters are well developed and I was so invested in the story I stayed up until 1:30 am to finish it!!
I can recommend this book to anyone who enjoys drama, mystery and family relationships with amazing characters.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss.
This novel is set to publish April 13, 2021.
Rating: really liked it
“My sister holds the key to my sanity.”3.5 stars
The Good Sister is a highly entertaining, psychological thriller/domestic drama about twin sisters, and the lengths one sister will go to get what she desires, even if it means costing her twin her sanity.Twin sisters Fern and Rose are extremely close. Fern is on the spectrum, and Rose makes sure her twin is taken care of, something she has done since they were children. When one twin needs something, the other is there.
But one of these twins is CRAZY, so crazy that she tries to steal what her sister holds most dear. This book emanates a heavy sense of foreboding, and I was quite tense while reading. I was reluctant at times to turn the page because I was scared to read what was going to happen.
However, at a certain point, quite early on, it becomes obvious what’s going on. If you read a lot of thrillers, the plot is going to feel predictable. The sense of foreboding lifts and then it just becomes a drama, drama, drama. But I enjoyed the drama! There is something about this book that made me want to keep on reading, and that something was one of the characters. I don’t want to say which one, as it would be a potential spoiler, but this character had me flipping the pages. I loved her and was rooting for her.
The Good Sister is fast-paced with some good twists and turns. It spins out of control towards the end and gets a little messy, but I loved one of the characters, and I enjoyed seeing the other one get what she deserved! I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
My reviews can also be seen at: https://deesradreadsandreviews.wordpr...
A diabolical and compelling read filled with emotional drama that tugs at the heartstrings and entertains with its twists and turns. Twenty-eight-year-old twin sisters Rose and Fern are completely different in both looks and personality. Fern works as a librarian. She's not your typical librarian. She wears her hair like Princess Leia (it’s practical!) and she’s partial to bright and sparkly clothing adorned with things like rainbows and unicorns. Fern takes her job VERY seriously. However, if a patron needs assistance with the photocopiers she’ll do almost anything she can to avoid them. Rose is married and works as an interior designer. She’s quick to point out that she’s the type “who designs office spaces, not the type who chooses scatter cushions.”
The sisters spend a lot of time together. Fern has dinner at Rose’s house at least three times a week.
Rose’s husband, Owen has been in London working for the last three months. Rose was not able to accompany him. She needed to stay to help Fern. Rose has always felt the need to protect her sister. They had a difficult childhood with a very manipulative mother. Something happened when they were twelve years old that changed their lives forever. Only Rose and Fern know what really happened that day. It’s a secret they have both kept all these years.
Some people find Fern very peculiar. She has sensory issues and gets overloaded easily by bright lights, loud noises, large groups of people, and more. She also has difficulty reading social cues. These things can make life difficult for Fern. Rose understands all of this tries to make things easier for her. Fern appreciates how much her sister does for her. That’s one of the reasons why she wants to help Rose fulfill her lifelong dream.
“This could be my chance to pay Rose back for everything she’s always done for me.”But things don’t always go the way we think they’ll go.
And sometimes, things aren’t always what they seem…
Will the secret the sisters are keeping finally come to light? And what if that isn’t the only secret being kept?
I loved this book!!
This was the perfect read to help me escape from reality for a while. Sally Hepworth writes about family drama in a way that’s often relatable. There were many endearing characters in this novel and the interactions between them had me laughing out loud at times.
The story alternates between Rose and Fern’s point of view and includes flashbacks to their childhood. Some things may seem obvious but I feel like the author intended it to be that way. So while I did figure out a few things early on, I was so engrossed and entertained that it didn’t bother me at all.
A clever story about family dynamics and dysfunction, manipulation, complicated relationships, and of course secrets!
I'd like to thank the publisher for providing me with a copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.
Rating: really liked it
This is a Psychological Thriller that I have saw so much about it. The first Fern chapter I read I know that the Fern character has Autism, but the book never says that is what she has. I do not want to say to much about the book because it being a thriller I want to not give away anything. The characters are developed very well, and the storyline was great. The twisted where not super big, but they where really good. I loved everything about this book. I am so glad I decided to read this book. If you love psychological thrillers then you should give this book a chance. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (St. Martin's Press) or author (Sally Hepworth) via NetGalley, so I can give honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.
Rating: really liked it
Just finished an Unboxing & Review Video for a PR box sent from St Martin's Press along with Once Upon a Book Club's March boxes (YA & Adult)! And whew! What a wild ride. LOVED LOVED LOVED the books this round!
My reading rep code: MIRANDAREADS10
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Rating: really liked it
3.5 stars. To be clear, I consider a 3 star rating to be a good, enjoyable read.
Sister relationships are complicated, and fraternal twins, Fern and Rose, have a more complicated relationship than most.
Fern is on the spectrum and has sensory processing disorder. Rose has been her best friend and protector since they were young children growing up in an abusive household. Fern knows she could never make it on her own. She is indebted to her sister for many things and comes up with a plan to repay her that you know will not be as uncomplicated as Fern believes.
This seems to be a pretty straightforward story but things are not as they seem. After the halfway mark, there are a few surprises and twists in store. The story is told in a dual perspective from Fern’s point of view and in flashbacks to their childhood through Rose’s diary.
I loved Fern’s quirkiness, innocence and good heart and I fell in love with her friend Wally. I loved the library setting and Fern’s job as a librarian, as well as her love of books and reading.
Which sister is the ‘good sister’? Are either reliable narrators? Is someone lying? Was I right to root for one of the sisters? The ‘good sister/bad sister’ story has been done before. Was it predictable? Yes. Did I care? No. I still found it an engaging fun read that I read on the beach in one day at a time when I needed an easy page-turner.
Recommended for fans of women’s fiction with a side of humor, romance, and light suspense that won’t stretch your ‘little gray cells’ too hard. This will be a good one to throw into the beach bag next Spring/Summer.
• I received a digital copy of the book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
• *Publication date 4/13/21 by St Martin’s Press
• This was a buddy read with Marialyce, one we both found to be an easy light read.
Rating: really liked it
I can't believe I originally put this on my SKIP-IT list! The cover and the title made me think I wouldn't like it. Luckily I paid attention to other reviewers who obviously know better than me because I loved this book!
The writing and the plot were so captivating that I probably would have read the whole thing in a single sitting if I could have.
And Fern 😍..... What a great character. She really added to my enjoyment.
I'll definitely be reading anything Hepworth puts out in the future.
Rating: really liked it
**4.5-stars**Fern and Rose are fraternal twins, and as often happens with twins, they are opposites in many ways.
From the outside, the difference seems clear; Rose is the responsible one, while Fern is the quirky one.
The Good Sister follows both of their perspectives, gaining an inside view to their fascinating relationship.
Rose has placed herself in a quasi-caregiver role for Fern, who is codependent in her interactions with Rose. So much so, that when she discovers Rose cannot become pregnant, she decides to have a baby for her.
This may seem like an odd statement, but once you meet Fern's character and learn a bit about the way her mind works, it actually makes sense.
Through flashbacks to their early life, it is clear that Rose has always felt the need to protect Fern. Firstly, from their mother, and later, seemingly, from herself.
When they were kids, Fern did something bad. Throughout the course of the narrative, what that is, comes to light. Poor Fern has let this one event, although admittedly horrifying, define her.
As Fern starts to follow her new plan to become pregnant, she learns things about herself she never knew. She also begins to see things about Rose she never noticed either.
I was oddly captivated by this story. I wouldn't consider it to be a Thriller, but I'm not sure what else to call it? An eerie character study?
Regardless, I found it to be interesting as heck. I couldn't take my eyes off the sh*tstorm evolving on the page!
It was really fun watching it all play out. I was impressed with the pace at which Hepworth reveals the truth behind Rose and Fern; so well done, it kept me engrossed the entire time.
I would absolutely recommend this for Readers who enjoy complex familial relationships. This was my first novel by this author, but I am looking forward to picking up more.
Thank you so much to the publisher, St. Martins' Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review! I appreciate the opportunity to provide my thoughts.
Rating: really liked it
This was my first Sally Hepworth novel, but after reading this, it definitely won’t be my last … this was really good! I was expecting a psychological thriller, but it’s more of a domestic suspense/mystery and family drama heavy on the psychology. What surprised me most though, was the unexpected heartwarming romance that drove much of the plot. I went in expecting cold, calculating, hand-twisting characters and was met with Fern and “Wally”, one of the quirkiest, most charming and sweet pair I’ve seen in a book of late, and I’ve met a few this year. Jayme referenced Eleanor Oliphant in her review, and she’s spot-on as far as Fern’s personality is concerned - just add in debilitating sensory issues with light, sound and touch, and the similarities are there.
Fern and Rose are fraternal twins - Fern being taller and more fair and pretty and Rose being more petite and fleshy. Since childhood, Rose has always taken the role of protecting the more innocent-minded Fern from the things in her world that overwhelm her due to her sensory processing disorder. Rose has also protected Fern from their mother’s narcissistic ways, taking the blame for all her sister’s mistakes, so she would never get in trouble, despite it putting a strain on her relationship with their mother. Unfortunately, one of Fern’s childhood mistakes is very big, and the two women have spent a lifetime keeping the secret of what really happened.
At least that’s how Rose’s journal tells it.
Now adults, Fern is happily living the single life as a librarian, and Rose is struggling in her marriage to Owen, trying to save her marriage and desperately wanting a baby. When Rocco (or “Wally”, as Fern calls him, due to his similarity to the Where’s Waldo character) comes into the library one day, Fern sets in motion a plan to help her sister fulfill her dreams.
Life has other plans … and those plans get messy.
For all the feel-good aspects of this book, I have to say my stomach was in knots for a good three-quarters of it. The dysfunction between the mom and her daughters, and the smothering dysfunction between Fern and Rose created an uncomfortable but necessary tension that lingered through the whole book. I thought the whole book was really enthralling, but if I had to find one flaw in the story - and it’s a minor one for me - I thought the transition into the ending was pretty abrupt. One second the threat is there, and then POOF! It nicely and neatly isn’t. The saving grace was the explanation for events afterwards. I’ll knock off a half-star for that, but since I’m rounding up it still gets an enthusiastic 5 stars from me and a ‘heart'y recommendation!
★★★★ ½ (rounded up to 5) ❤️
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Rating: really liked it
4.25 stars ✨
Before anything else , I had zero expectations from this book like I wanted it to be good because all the new releases have so far been a huge disappointment for me. But SUPRISE this turns out to be really good.
Moving on, the beginning almost felt like a fun contemporary novel albeit with a sense of dread building with each word.
[...]
Sisterly relationships are so strange in this way. The way I can be mad at Rose but still want to please her. Be terrified of her and also want to run to her. Hate her and love her, both at the same time. Maybe when it comes to sisters, boundaries are always a little bit blurry. Blurred boundaries, I think, are what sisters do best.
[...]
I was all set with my grey cells and blanket to solve this case but it turns out this isn't a thriller it's more than that. It's a dark, sinister , conniving and different take on sisters relationship.
Let's break it into sub points :-
👭
Plot thing A domestic thriller about two sisters - Fern who is quirky sister with certain sensory challenges while Rose who is a type A over protective sister and their mother who is sociopath or is she? We also get to see a romantic angle between Fern and this man Wally which was really refreshing .
At its core this book is an exploration about family relationships. The plot overall was subtle, realistic I’d say, in terms of the characters and the situation.
👭
Narration It’s told as a dual narrative – Rose tells hers in the form of diary entries whereas we get Fern’s inner thoughts and daily life as she’s living it. It was an effective way of telling the story and an efficient way to depict the events from both POVs. I enjoyed reading both views though Fern’s view was like a breath of fresh air with her ways of understanding things and simplicity of living.
👭
Characters I really like Fern. She is passionate, intelligent, hilarious and seriously witty. Rose on other hand was ugh? I can't say much because you know. But Characterisation wise the book really stood strong.
👭
Twists / ending The first half of the book laid foundation about past and present of both the sisters lives. Midway through the book I guessed what's gonna happen and trust me it's no rocket science almost everybody must have guessed it but what surprising is the fact I was still shocked at the end though things worked out the same way I predicted but it was so satisfying seeing the events unfold the way you predicted. I was impressed.
👭
Setting This is a special point I wanna talk about in particular. Fern work in a library and I love how her love for books has been explored in this book and how library play a major part in our lives. It showcased that in the community, a library is much more than just a place to borrow a book.
Bottom line :-
Sally Hepworth writing is phenomenal and I am looking forward to reading more of her books. But overall this book was engrossing , endearing and chilling. Read this if you are looking for something more than a thriller.
Rating: really liked it
4.5 ⭐
WOW!! No, I didn't expect
The Good Sister to grab my attention from start to finish. This is very suspenseful and intense family drama. The story is well written and the voice narration gives a mellow feel, but underneath something about the sisters just isn't right.
Fraternal twins, Rose and Fern are unique with completely different personalities. Fern has sensory processing disorder. Rose protects Fern since childhood and continues to do so as adult. Their mother, unreliable and had many boyfriends. I thought I've read too many books with these "moms", but Sally Hepworth somehow made this fresh and addicting. Readers get a glimpse of their childhood from one of the girl's journal.
I had my suspicion, but still uncertain if I will get slap with an ending twist. I was cringing the last two hours of the book. Awesome!!
