The Soulmate

The Soulmate
By Sally Hepworth
Narrated by Barrie Kreinik and Jessica Douglas-Henry
Listening length: 7 hours, 44 minutes
Release date: April 4, 2023
My review: 3.5 out of 5 stars

"Listeners will be captivated as the narrators create tension and drop hints about the real problem in this “ideal” family."—Booklist on The Younger Wife

Get ready for a thrilling, addictive novel about marriage, betrayal, and the secrets that push us to the edge in Sally Hepworth's The Soulmate.

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.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press.

While I received a copy of this audiobook in exchange for a review, all opinions remain my own. Thank you NetGalley and Macmillian audio for the opportunity to listen to this novel.

This was a wild ride of a book. I never saw the ending coming and while I did enjoy the story overall, it felt a bit over the top. As someone who is in a relationship with someone with bipolar, the disease was painted a little bit inaccurately. I guess that could be the case for some people, but not for my husband. It made me uncomfortable. That's why the deduction in stars for me. I also hated that Pippa lied to her husband about such a big thing in their marriage. The whole thing could have been avoided if she were just honest. I guess that is part of the story, but it is still so frustrating to read that. It was a good book and I enjoyed it, but won't be reading it again.

I did enjoy this passage from chapter 79, it is from the viewpoint of the woman lost on the cliff that is under investigation: "While I've been in this liminal space, I've discovered things that most people never get to see. Things which have altered my perspective on the messiness of humanity.
It's as if, while living your life, you view the world through a straw. You see only the tiniest sliver, all of it from your own perspective. Other people have their motives, their backstories, their feelings, but you don't know that unless they share them with you. And even then, there is every chance they are lying or prevaricating."