This is the second time I've read this novel within 12 months. My first review is here. I'm relieved to find that I've given it the same rating.

So why am I reading it again? For discussion with my U3A crime fiction discussion group.

So this time I want to put down some of the things about the book that I want to discuss with them. So Spoiler Alert. Particularly if you have not yet read the book.

Should Stephen Aston be divorcing Pam (his wife with dementia) and marrying again?
Were you shocked at the age difference between Heather and Stephen?
Do you think Heather should have agreed to marry Stephen and then allow him to discard Pam?
How have Tully and Rachel reacted to stress in their lives?
Where did the money in the hot water bottle come from?
Who was Fiona Arthur?
Was Stephen abusive? What evidence is there?
Was Stephen's death justified?
What issues did the book make you consider?
What did you think of the structure of the book: the narration by a person at the wedding; the fact that we know something dreadful has happened but not exactly what; the continued intervention by this narrator; her final toast to Stephen. ( )

Another page turner from Sally Hepworth. Four stars because it has been a while since I’ve read a book where I just wanted to keep reading. I loved the short chapters told from different viewpoints, the dysfunctional characters and the easy to follow plot. Kept me engaged so this was the perfect holiday read. If you’re into contemporary family drama (think Liane Moriarty’s earlier novels before they became way too big), then you’ll enjoy this book. ( )

I have been reading Advanced Reader Copies for years so I am prepared for some alterations prior to it being in its published form. I will often listen to the audio version when published to compare with usually only minor changes to people's names for example, addition or subtraction of sentences. This book had a very different ending from ARC copy and what went to print. This book was also first published in Australia and I understand that it also underwent the same transformations. To avoid spoilers I will just comment that verbal and physical abuse are addressed in this novel and the changes relate to how the story is resolved, if there is one.

It is narrated from different POV with addresses the women involved with Stephen Ashton, a heart surgeon, who is looking to remarry yet again at age 60 to Heather Wisher, a much younger woman at 34 years old who was hired as their interior designer. Meanwhile, Stephen is getting a divorce from Pamela whose health is declining due to Alzheimer's disease. It is difficult to write a spoiler free review given that both versions I've read lead down a confusing path. One version aimed to address some unresolved questions that weren't clear in the other version. It really felt like two different books in the end for me. Basically, all the women in the novel have encountered some sort of abuse whether revealed and discussed or ignored. There is a final twist in the end with the epilogue which occurs 3 years prior to the story which I don't think clarified the plot for me in anyway. ( )

Awesome as Always

Another novel by Sally Hepworth that I loved from start to finish MINUS one character!

Sally Hepworth’s newest book, The Younger Wife, is a domestic thriller that follows the dysfunctional Aston family. Stephen Aston is a 63-year-old heart surgeon who is engaged to 34-year-old interior designer Heather. The only problem is that Stephen is still married to Pam, who is in a nursing home and suffers from dementia. Stephen plans on divorcing Pam so he can marry Heather, although Stephen says that the divorce is on paper only, that Pam will always be a part of his family. Stephen’s two daughters, 37-year-old Tully and 35-year-old Rachel, are not too happy with this arrangement and as family secrets start to unravel, they are determined to find out who their father really is.

That synopsis sounds more sinister than the book really is. While this was not a heart thumping read, it was a great mystery with interesting and relatable characters. The story opens with Stephen and Heather’s wedding. The whole family is there including Pam. After the ceremony is over, they all go into the back of the church to sign the registry and it is there that someone is hurt. We do not know who is hurt, how bad or who did it. All we know is there was a scream and then the pastor comes out to ask if there is a doctor in the house and the pastor has blood on her. The story then goes back in time
Each of the three main characters are flawed and have secrets which makes this a page turner because you are invested in the development of the Daughters and even Heather and Pam.
Tully is married and has two small sons. Not only has her husband lost a substantial amount of money in an investment, but Tully is also a kleptomaniac. I had a lot of sympathy for her because she felt there was no one she could talk to while trying to be perfect for everyone.

Rachel was my favorite character. After an incident that happened when she was sixteen, Rachel has given up on men, that is until she hires a new delivery guy for her bakery business, named Darcy. Darcy is able to finally break down the walls that Rachel has put up.

Heather was a character I thought I was going to hate, but actually ended up liking. This is the third novel I have read by Sally Hepworth it will be getting a high rating just like the others. So, if you like domestic thrillers about dysfunctional families with lots of secrets, then Sally Hepworth’s The Younger Wife is the book for you. # I Am Totally Obsessed! ( )

I worried that I'd be disappointed at the ending because of a few other reviews I'd read. Thankfully, that didn't happen!
The daughters, Tully and Rachel, and the soon-to-be young bride to their father, Heather, are three women with big issues, but they are also women I'd want as friends. I loved their heart and vulnerability, and how they slowly deal with said "issues."
Even though you pretty much know things aren't going to turn out well at the wedding for someone in the family (it's the opening scene) you aren't sure who it is until near the end.
I liked the ending, it was fulfilling enough that I didn't rip the earbud from my ear (I listened to this on audiobook) and instead breathed a sigh of relief that I enjoyed the ending.
I read The Good Sister by this author and I really enjoyed both books!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of this entertaining story. ( )