Good Sister

This is definitely a well done psychological family drama. I highly enjoyed Fern’s character and thought she was well written.

I was pleasantly surprised by this one! I was a bit indifferent at the beginning, just not really feeling super attached to either sister and not really knowing where it was heading but by the end.. my jaw was on the floor.

The Good Sister made me smile over Fern’s sweetness, swoon over Wally, and gasp every time Sally Hepworth revealed another layer of Rose’s manipulation. This domestic thriller delivers poisonous sisterhood, buried childhood secrets, and a villain who made me increasingly furious with every chapter. Fern Castle believes her twin sister has spent their entire lives protecting her. Rose helps Fern navigate relationships, autism sensory overload, and the guilt attached to a mysterious childhood incident. Fern sees an opportunity to repay that devotion after Rose shares her struggles with infertility. She decides to find a random man, become pregnant, and give her sister the baby. Sweet Fern approached surrogacy like a perfectly reasonable item on her to-do list. I wanted to reach through the pages and protect her innocence. Fern was such a caring and memorable character. Her descriptions of the library captured why these spaces matter so deeply. The library gives her structure, purpose, and a community that respects her needs. Her coworkers were patient without treating her as incapable. Their kindness allowed Fern to thrive on her own terms. I also appreciated the care given to Fern’s autism, sensory sensitivities, and uncertainty surrounding social expectations. Wally brought so much warmth to the book. He was thoughtful, romantic, and adorably awkward. He never asked Fern to become easier for him to understand. He listened, respected her boundaries, and found ways to make her feel comfortable. Their relationship was tender without becoming overly polished. I loved watching two people who communicate differently discover how perfectly they understand each other. Rose belongs in the psychological thriller hall of shame. Her control over Fern becomes more disturbing as the truth begins to surface. I was proud of their mother for warning Fern about custody of the baby. That was around the time I started to be suspicious of Rose's true motives. A mom always knows her kids. The final chapter confirmed that Rose remained every bit as manipulative and terrible as I suspected. It was a wicked finale. Hepworth keeps the chapters moving and reveals information at exactly the right moments. Several twists made me gasp aloud. Barrie Kreinik’s narration added suspense without overplaying the drama. She captured Fern’s directness, vulnerability, and warmth beautifully. Pick up The Good Sister if you love domestic thrillers, complicated sisters, unreliable perspectives, and shocking family secrets.

This was really good! I think the cover is really misleading. I think it would be a better cover of a young girl librarian in a library to get the better idea of what this book is about. I loved the twist and the ending but I felt like the lead up to the climax took a little too long and it was predictable how it was going to unravel so it didn’t need the last 30% to develop.

Fantastic story about sisters and what can happen when there are secrets and lies. I don't want to give too much away. This story is so well written with well developed characters, even if one of them isn't likeable. It won't take you long to figure out who is the good sister. Things aren't always as they seem. I wouldn't call this a psychological thriller, rather a family drama with some surprises and twists. The story is told through 2 POV's; Fern and the diary of her twin sister, Rose. There is dysfunction between the mom and her daughters and an uncomfortable smothering between Rose and Fern. There is also a heartwarming romance between Fern and Wally. When Fern decides to help her sister have a baby, plans go sideways very fast. There is a childhood secret that Rose is holding over Fern but is it really how things happened? I'm not sure how a book can be heart-warming and wonderful and funny and heart-breaking and sad all at the same time but Sally Hepworth manages to to just that.