I loved the idea of this book - two sisters thrown together by their father's death but they don't know it.

The characters are generally unlikeable - except Ian and his uncle. I wonder whether the idea was to write flawed characters who were relatable.

Although I kept going back to the book to see how it would end I I can't help feeling that this is a missed opportunity. I would loved to have actually known more about Arlo and Mickey, and how they ended up as they were. It was difficult to see how an alcoholic could end as a primary school teacher and someone with so little emotional intelligence could end up as a therapist.

The writing itself was good but I would have liked more depth to the characters.

Mickey is broke and when her estranged father leaves her a fortune, she has no option but to undertake the therapy he insisted on before obtaining the money, Her therapist, Arlo has her own problems. Can the 2 complete his wishes? Enthralling reading, very enjoyable.

Favourite Daughter was a genre I don't normally go for but intrigued by the synopsis.

Mickey's father left when she was young, Arlo grew up with her father caring for him during his battle with alcohol. When he passes they are both brought together unknowingly. The inheritance is left to Mickey but with a clause that she has to attend the prepaid therapy sessions, her therapist being Arlo. The sister her dad left her for.

Both women grapple with the impact of their father's behavior, and neither is eager to confront their own flaws. The alternating chapters, written from each sister's perspective, provide valuable insight into their lives—offering a nuanced understanding of how they experienced life with (or without) their father.

I found the book compelling, with its exploration of family dynamics and personal growth. The side stories added depth and kept me engaged, though I wouldn't call this a personal favorite. That said, it was an interesting and thought-provoking read that kept me curious until the end

Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this!

I will always be seated for a book featuring a despondant protagonist (or protagonists, in this case!) coming to terms with their father's death in their own unhealthy manner. 🙏

I had so much fun describing the plot to my boyfriend when he asked what I was reading. A lot of moral/ethical quandaries lie in these pages, almost all of the characters should be deeply unlikable but their complexities make it impossible not to root for or feel some sort of affection for them (yes, even Tom, who I basically just pictured the bank manager from Fleabag for)

The only element I didn't love was the blackmail attempt, I just thought it was unnecessary to the overall story and Mickey was honestly going through enough 💀 Evelyn's disappearance and reappearance is also just sort of glossed over and I thought Mickey would have more feelings about that what with her own experience of parental abandonment.

A really good start to my 2025 reads though! Super compelling debut from Morgan and I'll definitely be keeping my eye out for more of her work.

wanted to read Favourite Daughter when I read the blurb. It sounded like something I could get lost in. Mickey and Arlo are complex characters and the author does a great job of fleshing them out. I didn’t like everything about this book. Some characters have silly names like Pantsuit and Sports Bra which was pointless and grated on me. The complex characters and the gradual reveal of the link between Mickey and Arlo is what kept me turning the pages. I found this an entertaining read and I’d recommend it.

Mickey and Arlo's father dies -- the fact is they don't know they're related until he does. This is a really cool premise on which to base a novel, and there is much about this novel that I enjoyed: the writing is good but the vitality of the characterisation was a bit weak in places. I'm minded to say the fact that I knew the plot by the blurb was a bit of a hindrance, but I'm not sure how the publishers could get round that. Worth a read, for sure. My grateful thanks to the publishers and to NetGalley for the ARC.

Enjoyable read with an interesting premise.
Two half sisters, Mickey and Arlo’s lives after their father dies.
Mickey is an unlikely kindergarten teacher - she is complex, difficult to like. Quite a fresh take.
Arlo is likeable, but less interesting.
3.5 stars.

Had high hopes of this book and started out by really liking Mickey. However things soon went downhill. Giving characters silly names like Arlo, Pantsuit, Sports Bra makes zero sense. There wasn't a single likeable character in the whole book. The whole premise was completely unbelievable. Slow paced and actually boring. Things happen and then spontaneously resolve with no word of explanation (Ian's mother). Why? The lawyer is guilty of gross misconduct and so actually would Charlotte have been if she hadn't been so dim and recognised her sister earlier. Animal cruelty always is a huge negative.
Hugely disappointed in this book

I have struggled through the first half of the book. I am sorry to report that having tried several times to get into the story, I have failed and I can’t finish it.

I adored this book. Arlo and Mickey are beautifully drawn characters- so complex and real. I particularly enjoyed Mickey’s perspective and was greatly moved by her slow realisation that she was dependent upon alcohol and how this was affecting her life.

Oh, my days. This is such a good book - it had me hooked, mouth dry and heart pounding from the get-go.

Not gonna lie, I've had a bit of a dry patch with books lately, all a bit meh and samey but this is so the opposite of that and I just loved it.

It's difficult to say more without spoiling it for others but it's a stonking great start to my 2025 reads.

Highly recommend.

A tale of two sisters who do not know they are sisters (well half sisters to be exact) until a good chunk of the way through the book, both being manipulated by their now dead father.
The plot got a bit too twisted for me in places and I found it difficult to believe that neither woman worked out the truth sooner or at least suspected there was more to their relationship than counsellor and client.
There were also several sub themes in the book that I would have liked explored better- Ian's mum for one- vanishing and returning and noone battling an eye!
A readable book but perhaps needed a bit more depth to the characters.

Arlo and Mickey are half sisters who are unknowingly thrown together following the death of their father. Mickey drinks. Arlo is a therapist.. Her therapy has not prepared her for grief. She loved her dad. She is unsure how she will live her life without her dad in it. Mickey has agreed to attend mandated therapy as a condition in the will to inherit from her father.. Arlo is at a loss. She has not been left anything in her dad’s will. ‘Favourite daughter ‘ is beautifully written. It is a tender, funny novel about to people who have only one thing in common - their father.. Morgan Dick’s debut novel is brilliant.

Morgan Dick’s debut book, Favourite Daughter, is a darkly funny and compelling tale of estranged half-sisters Mickey and Arlo, whose lives collide due to their late father’s manipulative final wishes. Combining sharp wit with emotional depth, this story is an engrossing exploration of family secrets, betrayal, and the possibility of redemption.

Mickey and Arlo could not be more different. Mickey has harboured resentment towards her father for abandoning her and her mother years ago, while Arlo cherished him, despite his flaws. When Mickey learns of her father’s death and discovers he has left her his considerable fortune—with the condition that she attends therapy sessions—her world is upended.

Unbeknownst to both sisters, the therapist Mickey must see is none other than Arlo, who has her own reasons for agreeing to take on this mysterious new patient. Recently cut out of her father’s will after caring for him in his final days, Arlo is determined to find out what has happened to the inheritance.

The double perspective, alternating between Mickey and Arlo, adds significant depth to the narrative. Each sister’s point of view reveals their complex emotions, motivations, and past traumas, keeping readers second-guessing their actions and decisions. This narrative device cleverly builds tension as the truth of their connection inches closer to discovery.

The plot is fast-paced and full of twists, with the sisters’ sessions veering from poignant to combative. As their secrets come to light, both women are forced to confront not only each other but also their complicated relationships with their father and their own identities.

One of the standout features of Favourite Daughter is its setting, which provides a fresh backdrop rarely seen in modern literature. The dynamic between Mickey and Arlo, coupled with the sharp dialogue and moments of dark humour, keeps the book engaging and impossible to put down.

If you enjoy stories with layered characters, unexpected twists, and a touch of humour amidst family drama, Favourite Daughter is a must-read. It’s a brilliantly executed exploration of sibling relationships and the messy legacies left behind by flawed parents.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

I could not decide what I thought of this book - I found it absorbing but was not sure that I enjoyed it.

Two sisters are manipulated by their alcoholic father who died in his early 60s - in his will he disinherits one and the other has to undergo therapy before receiving her share. Therapy provided by her sister to undo the damage he caused by leaving her.

Both sisters have been profoundly affected by his behaviour and his death but neither wants to admit their failings. Both of their professional lives and personal relationships have been profoundly affected by their experiences.

The novel explores their struggles to accept what has happened to them and to find a way forward.

I found this book a hard read - the themes are traumatic - but ultimately it is a hopeful book.

One Father, two siblings who are unaware of one another. Depression, alcoholism and familial dysfunction. When the Father dies he leaves his wealth to one daughter, but not the caring one. But conditions of the will bring them together and a story of a family upended because of strange wills ensues.

I feel icky about giving such a low star rating, because I haven’t written a book and I am conscious that the author of this one might read this review and it will be a horrible start to their 2025. I’m sorry :(

This book made me feel as icky as leaving as 1 star rating makes me feel. Maybe I took it all a bit too seriously, but so many things which maybe were intended to be sweet or funny left a gross taste in my mouth? The conduct of Tom, Arlo and Mickey in their various job roles was horrible. When Arlo nicked the cat I felt really, really sad. Things seemed to happen at breakneck speed without the necessary character development that would result in me caring/believing, eg. Chris and Arlo’s ‘romance’, Arlo’s weird birthday event, Arlo taking Ian home, a small child even being called Ian?! I sound very miserable about this book, and I really am sorry for it. The premise was great and the author can clearly write, but this all felt like a half-realised idea which could have been executed a lot better.

Absolutely brilliant, loved it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me an advance copy, I will definitely be recommending.

Ah, "Favourite Daughter". I thought it would be an easy, funny story about two siblings finding each other (in more ways than one) in unusual circumstances. Sadly, it was not. The story was messy, disconnected and uninspiring.

I expected something completely different from this book, certainly not a narrative of a 30-something loser alcoholic making random awful life choices throughout the story. None of the characters were likeable or interesting enough, the story was very slow-moving and seemed to be going nowhere. I found actions of the two main characters (two sisters) completely random and bizarre, even worse was the lawyer in the story - I cannot believe how unreal his behaviour was! All in all, a very depressing book with, in my opinion, quite poor attempt at humour. I didn’t enjoy it at all.

No twists. Just depressive story about family trauma, alcoholism, abusive relationships and abuse of client confidence in various professions.

I am grateful for the opportunity to review the book.

3.5 🌟
• It's messy but is lacking in heart. I never felt connected to the story or felt for our characters beyond a basic human level. For all the emotions on display here it still somehow felt detached. I had the same level of personal interest as when reading a thriller, I was there for the ride but afterwards I'm not going to think about this very much.

• It did show the damage that is still present even years down the line when someone is raised by an emotionally abusive parent, I just hoped it would have delved a lot deeper into that. I wanted a lot more internal reflection and emotional depth. I'm chalking up my disinterest to the style in which it was written, it made use of that dry british prose (even though it was set in the USA) that I've always found to be devoid of emotion. I'm disappointed because it had potential to be more than what it was. The synopsis over promised because that's what I expected going in and instead I got this. Considering how the plot went maybe this would have worked better as a thriller?

Cw: alcoholism, parental abandonment, suicide, emotional abuse.