This was so hard to put down but at the same time something was missing for me — I think a sense of deeper connection to the characters would have helped. Every character was really multilayered though, so that got me through my favourites' less likable moments (I'm specifically thinking of Mickey here) – it was clear a lot of care went into the portrayal of addiction and the effects it has across multiple generations of the same family. And without giving anything specific away, I thought the ending was really satisfying too!

An emotional and disturbing family drama. Michelle ‘Mickey’ Morris is a kindergarten teacher. She is also an alcoholic and is in financial difficulties. Arlo is a therapist, although she probably could do with visiting one herself. Mickey and Arlo are half sisters, although they don’t yet know it! A well written, character driven novel.

Briefly, when Arlo and Mickey’s father dies, after Arlo has nursed him for many months, both are shocked to find that his will leaves everything to Mickey, with one proviso. Mickey has to attend 7 therapy sessions! You’ve guessed it, with Arlo!

These are two flawed and rather complex women. Both have had bad times with their father, who was an alcoholic, but both have good memories of happier times when he was sober. This is a dark story but with humour to counter some of the darker moments. A tale of abandonment, grief and addiction but also about healing, family and love. A good debut novel.

Mickey Morris has just learned that her estranged, now deceased father has left her his entire fortune. It's substantial, to say the least - Mickey is set to be a multi millionaire. But it's conditional: she must attend seven therapy sessions with Arlo, her father's chosen therapist Mickey isn't in a good place: she's not doing well at work, her personal life is a mess, and she's becoming increasingly more dependent on alcohol to get through her days.

Arlo is spiralling - she has just found out that the father she adored has cut her out of his will, and she is determined to get to the bottom of where exactly her fortune has gone. She's also dealing with the repercussions of something that happened to a client, but she won't let that get in the way of treating her new patient, Michelle "Mickey" Morris.....

I absolutely loved this. Mickey was an absolute mess, but Arlo wasn't too far behind her - both women had a lot to work through, and both had more in common than they thought. The writing style reminded me a lot of Catherine Newman, and I absolutely loved the sharp wit that cut through the more serious themes. Yes, it's a novel about addiction, loss, and grief, but it's also a novel about sisterhood, love, and closure.

The lawyer character added a layer of (darkly) comic relief (I imagined him as a Sam Rockwell type) and I enjoyed his interactions with both women. The side characters didn't overpower the main storyline, they enhanced it.

I didn't expect to love this as much as I did, but it ended up being one of my favourite reads so far this year.

I really enjoyed this title, very likeable characters, and I will definitely be recommending. I look forward to more from this author.

I recently finished Favourite Daughter by Morgan Dick, and I genuinely enjoyed it. It’s a sharp, emotionally layered story that blends dark humor with some very real, raw moments.

The novel follows Mickey, a struggling kindergarten teacher dealing with alcoholism and financial stress. When her estranged father dies and leaves her a sizable inheritance, there’s a condition: she has to attend therapy sessions. What she doesn’t realize is that her therapist, Arlo, is actually her half-sister—who, in a twist of fate, received nothing from the will.

The dynamic between Mickey and Arlo is what really drives the book. Both are flawed, complex characters trying to navigate their grief and family baggage. Their therapy sessions are uncomfortable, funny, and at times, incredibly moving. Morgan Dick does a great job exploring themes like addiction, estrangement, and forgiveness without ever feeling heavy-handed.

The writing is sharp and engaging, and while the plot had a few slightly far-fetched moments, I didn’t really care—I was too invested in the characters and the emotional payoff makes it worth it. It’s a character-driven story that strikes a good balance between being entertaining and thought-provoking.

An involving story of messy family relationships. This got better and better as it went along and I felt more and more invested in the characters as it went. Great authentic portrayal of addiction with all the dark humour of real reactions.
I loved it.

This debut novel had me hooked with its messy, emotional family drama. It follows Mickey, a kindergarten teacher in her 30s with a complicated past. By day, she’s a dedicated educator, but when the final bell rings, she turns to vodka to quiet her troubled mind. Her father walked out when she was just seven, leaving her with a lifetime of unresolved feelings. When Mickey stumbles upon his obituary, long-buried memories resurface—not just of his chaotic, alcohol-fueled outbursts, but also of the dad who made her laugh and swung her around like Tigger.

Then, out of nowhere, Mickey learns she’s the sole heir to her father’s estate—but with one catch: she has to complete seven therapy sessions, already booked in her name, before she can claim the money. Enter Arlo, her half-sister, a psychologist who spent her father’s final months caring for him and naturally assumed the inheritance was hers. Now, the two estranged sisters, both scarred by the same man, are on a collision course, forced to confront their messy pasts.

This novel dives deep into the complexities of grief, addiction, and sibling rivalry, capturing the chaos and unexpected connections that come with confronting long-hidden truths. I listened to the audiobook, and the performances really brought these characters to life. A solid, emotionally charged read that kept me invested from start to finish.

Favourite Daughter is already one of my favourite books of the year. Mickey's father left when she was a kid, and she's never met her half-sister Arlo, until he passes away and Mickey finds herself in mandated therapy. The identity discovery of the two sisters is real dramatic irony and I ate up every second of it. I was equally invested in both sisters' journeys to reconcile their pasts and what they believed to the true about their father, and felt their emotional complexity was so richly drawn. If you love family drama, spirally thirty-something women and introspective fiction, then this is 100% the book for you.

This balanced being a surprisingly dark story with a lighthearted approach, not wallowing too much in how awful the whole situation is. The writing style is sharp, especially for a debut. I found both of our leads intensely unlikeable and in many ways, that feels intentional. Mickey and .Arlo are two women raised by the same father - with very different points of view but his poor qualities brought out in them nonetheless. The way these sisters navigate each other was fascinating to me. I'd definitely read another by this author.

This was emotional and got me in many parts of the book.
I thought it was well written and I just wanted to keep reading.
Thanks for the tears!
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was hooked on this book right from the start! I keep finding it hard to get into new books, but loved this one right from the first page. Seen a few comments about the cover of the book, but i personally really like it, it’s different and stands out from others. It was darkly funny and heartfelt at the same time.

Mickey Morris is a kindergarten teacher who loves her job and is very good at it. But she also loves vodka. She prides herself on not having the first drink of the day until she's on the bus home from work. However one day she has to stay late to look after a child whose parent hasn't collected him. A call from an attorney changes the course of her life. Her estranged father is dead and Mickey has been named in his will. With conditions. Arlo's beloved father has died - she's organised the funeral, spent all her time with him while he was dying and then learns she is not inheriting his fortune. And to top it all she has a new client in her therapy business who is attending reluctantly as a condition of her father's will. The same father - who will figure it out first? So follows a developing relationship, mishaps and finally a breakthrough. I enjoyed getting to know the characters with all their faults. #netgalley #favouritedaughter

This was a fun read! Two sisters who are complete strangers, unknowingly brought together by their shared father after his death. It deals with some pretty deep content (addiction, poor mental health, grief, complex family dynamics) in a way that doesn’t feel preachy or too dark. Most of the characters are chaotic but quite likeable, the storyline moves along at a good pace so it’s very easily readable, it’s definitely worth the read!

I really enjoyed reading this book and wasn’t sure at all which sister’s side to be on. It was thought provoking as shows there’s always something more to a story than you first believe. I will be recommending.

A really great plot and hard hitting. A bit of a slow one, so I kept dipping in and out. But, having been affected by addiction in my life, I could relate in some ways. It's not easy, and it was well written.

Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

A dark, emotionally raw story about addiction, grief, and the messy ties that bind us, this novel follows two estranged half-sisters navigating the fallout of their father’s death—and his devastating final betrayal. Mickey, a bitter, self-destructive alcoholic, and Arlo, a self-righteous therapist with a blind spot for her father’s flaws, are both deeply unlikable yet strangely compelling. The book doesn’t shy away from difficult themes—ethical failures, abandonment, and the damage done by those we trust most—making for a disturbing but thought-provoking read. It’s uncomfortable, complex, and hard to look away from.

Inheritance, Abandonment, and Sisterhood:
Morgan Dick’s debut novel, Favorite Daughter, explores themes of loneliness, addiction, and the complex interplay between nature and nurture, all within the framework of a fractured family dynamic. Told through the perspectives of two estranged half-sisters, the novel unpacks grief and inheritance in a way that is both thought-provoking and emotionally layered.
The story follows Mickey, a woman abandoned by her father at a young age, and Arlo, her half-sister who grew up in his shadow. Upon their father’s death, Mickey unexpectedly inherits his wealth—but only under the condition that she undergoes therapy. Unbeknownst to her, the assigned therapist is none other than Arlo. This setup provides rich ground for exploration, as both women wrestle with their shared yet vastly different experiences of the man who shaped their lives.

In my opinion, while the book effectively raises compelling questions about family bonds and personal identity, its pacing can feel slow at times, making it difficult to stay fully engaged. But those with half-siblings, I think will find this a fantastic book as I am sure many of the feelings discussed in this book would make it a compelling read

If you like gritty realistic 'warts and all' family drama then this will be for you but I didn't really like it.
Mickey's father left when she was young leaving behind a mountain of debt. When he was there, he was often drunk a d abusive. In his new relationship he had another daughter, Arlo, who was Daddy's little girl and she nursed him devotivally when he was ill. Imagine her shock when their father leaves all his money to Mickey rather than Arlo but with a condition: Mickey must have 7 therapy sessions using vouchers bought by the dad and the therapist is Arlo.
The story is told alternately by Arlo and Mickey and at first, they don't realise they are Michelle and Charlotte spoken about in the will. Arlo (Charlotte) realises at first but doesn't tell Mickey(Michelle). This was a huge sticking point for me as it's a conflict of interest for a therapist. The other is that Mickey is a functioning alcoholic and has issues making relationships. Consequently, she made some questionable decisions.
The mothers of the sisters weren't likeable either. And 5he plot was slow at times.

So... I think this was a well-crafted, well-written book, so like in terms of the book's merit, it would probably get a 4-star and I can see why people would enjoy it. And I did enjoy it for a period of time. However, this is the most stressful, anxiety-inducing read ever! The characters continually make the WORST possible decisions, which just make their lives get worse and worse. Also, I was unaware that Mickey was an alcoholic (TW for that in a major way) and I have never read from that perspective before... and I never wish to again. That's not to say that that isn't an important perspective to read from, but I personally just never want to read from that perspective again, because the second-hand anxiety it gave me was not fun. I was sort of expecting this story to be like kind of funny and dramatic, with these two sisters eventually figuring out who the other one was and coming together, but instead it was just stressful and honestly a little boring. So, the book is probably a 4-star if this is your sort of story, but for me, I did not have a good time and I rate based on enjoyment, so a 2.

unfortunately this book just really wasn't for me. I could see what the author was trying to do but the incessant cliches, 'coincidences' and insufferable narrators I just couldn't do it. I do reckon some people would really enjoy this, i just clearly wasn't the right audience.