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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
#netgalley
What if your inheritance came with a side of mandated therapy… led by your half-sister… who doesn’t know you exist? That’s the deliciously dysfunctional premise at the heart of Favourite Daughter, a twisty story soaked in grief, vodka, and complicated family ties, underpinned by daddy issues galore.
Mickey, a jaded kindergarten teacher with a taste for Russian Standard and a streak of self-destruction, learns she’s been left $5 million by the father who walked out when she was five. But there’s a catch: she must complete seven therapy sessions to unlock the cash. And the therapist? Arlo, her half-sister, utterly unaware of the connection, who adored the very man Mickey loathed.
It’s messy. It’s murky. It’s morally dubious. And honestly, it works—to an extent.
This isn’t sharp satire or slick thriller; it’s more of a poolside read with a darker emotional pull. Addiction, abandonment, and inherited trauma bubble beneath the surface, wrapped in sharp dialogue and unexpected tenderness. Mickey’s voice is unfiltered and painfully honest. Arlo’s grief is complicated, blurred by professional boundaries and personal blind spots.
Does it land the emotional punch it promises? Almost.
The premise is strong, a dramedy - fresh, clever, full of promise, but the execution doesn’t quite deliver the emotional depth it reaches for. It’s grand, in that very Irish way: solid, engaging, just shy of something special.
Overall, a debut with bite, booze, and a bruised heart. If you like your fiction messy, complicated, and lived-in, this one’s for you.
Many thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read via NetGalley. As always, all opinions are my own. Favourite Daughter is available now.
What if your inheritance came with a side of mandated therapy… led by your half-sister… who doesn’t know you exist? That’s the deliciously dysfunctional premise at the heart of Favourite Daughter, a twisty story soaked in grief, vodka, and complicated family ties, underpinned by daddy issues galore.
Mickey, a jaded kindergarten teacher with a taste for Russian Standard and a streak of self-destruction, learns she’s been left $5 million by the father who walked out when she was five. But there’s a catch: she must complete seven therapy sessions to unlock the cash. And the therapist? Arlo, her half-sister, utterly unaware of the connection, who adored the very man Mickey loathed.
It’s messy. It’s murky. It’s morally dubious. And honestly, it works—to an extent.
This isn’t sharp satire or slick thriller; it’s more of a poolside read with a darker emotional pull. Addiction, abandonment, and inherited trauma bubble beneath the surface, wrapped in sharp dialogue and unexpected tenderness. Mickey’s voice is unfiltered and painfully honest. Arlo’s grief is complicated, blurred by professional boundaries and personal blind spots.
Does it land the emotional punch it promises? Almost.
The premise is strong, a dramedy - fresh, clever, full of promise, but the execution doesn’t quite deliver the emotional depth it reaches for. It’s grand, in that very Irish way: solid, engaging, just shy of something special.
Overall, a debut with bite, booze, and a bruised heart. If you like your fiction messy, complicated, and lived-in, this one’s for you.
Many thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read via NetGalley. As always, all opinions are my own. Favourite Daughter is available now.
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
funny
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Just me coming back with yet another contemporary lit fic this year. This was a decent debut. The premise is interesting but the characters are not the most likeable. The book explores heavy topics such as dysfunctional families, grief, addiction, and dealing with the everyday after the loss of a loved one. I love reading books about the complexity of human relationships, but this was a bit of a frustrating read at times. I mean, both of the main characters are train wrecks that commit ethically questionable things that were glossed over and easily forgiven (I'm looking at you Mickey). Everything is resolved too neatly given what the characters are going through, especially all the professional dilemmas Mickey and Arlo face. The way these things played out was definitely unrealistic. I struggled to connect to the story or characters. I did finish the book though, so that's something. The themes are heavy but the way it is written isn't, if that makes sense. Would I go out of my way to recommend it to people? No, probably not.
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is a debut novel and it is absolutely brilliant. I really enjoyed this read, from the extremely complex and toxic family dynamics to the struggles that Mickey and Arlo have to face. I love how the author depicted two different girls, who should have been very much the same considering they are sisters, and yet their lives are the complete opposite. I love that they were both so individual, that their relationship with their dad was certainly not healthy and that they both carry this with them in different ways.
I really loved the writing, I felt connected to the story, it was emotional and raw and just so good. I think that this story really shows you how hard life can be, it takes you through multiple struggles, allows you to fight with wrong and right and also shows you the consequences of any decisions. I really loved Mickey's character, even though she really is a piece of sh*t by some standards, I think that she is entirely relatable, she's impulsive and selfish and an alcoholic and seeing her struggle in this story really gives you a new perspective.
Arlo is a different sort of person, she's controlled and she's diligent and she's a people pleaser to the core. But she also does some questionable things, and on the contrary, she is also incredibly selfish, which really helps portray that life is not black and white. This story was hard and messy and heavy and infuriating and frustrating and heartbreaking with characters you hate to love and love to hate and it absolutely delivered!
I really loved the writing, I felt connected to the story, it was emotional and raw and just so good. I think that this story really shows you how hard life can be, it takes you through multiple struggles, allows you to fight with wrong and right and also shows you the consequences of any decisions. I really loved Mickey's character, even though she really is a piece of sh*t by some standards, I think that she is entirely relatable, she's impulsive and selfish and an alcoholic and seeing her struggle in this story really gives you a new perspective.
Arlo is a different sort of person, she's controlled and she's diligent and she's a people pleaser to the core. But she also does some questionable things, and on the contrary, she is also incredibly selfish, which really helps portray that life is not black and white. This story was hard and messy and heavy and infuriating and frustrating and heartbreaking with characters you hate to love and love to hate and it absolutely delivered!
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes