The Soulmate
Fiction
St. Martin's Press
April 4, 2023
Advance reader copy
336
Free from publisher via NetGalley
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.
My review:
3.5 stars
Not my favorite from this author, but man was it ever bingeable! I love this author, and was thrilled to meet her on her US book tour last year. Her writing is captivating and I literally can't tear myself away from reading, even if the overall book isn't jiving with me. The main problem I had with this book is that I didn't like any of the characters, and I think you were supposed to feel something for at least some of them. I wanted to shake some sense into Pippa (who must have Tammy Wynette's Stand By Your Man on internal repeat!). The book alternates between Pippa and Amanda, in both past and present times. There is a little bit of a ghostly element, which is not really my thing, although I can see how it added to the story. I'm also left feeling kind of icky about the mental health representation. It was done well, but not handled well by the characters. The conclusion was mostly satisfying, so I was left with a better feeling about the book in general.
An absolutely riveting read, but not entirely my cup of tea. Overall exploring themes of marriage, fidelity, workplace, shady business practices, suicide, and the idea of having a soulmate. I've decided after reading this that I don't want one!
