So this book started with a kid named Ian, which was kind of confusing because as far as I am aware there are no children named Ian in Britain, only men over 50.

Jokes aside I really enjoyed Favourite Daughter. It is a fun, lighthearted read with an interesting storyline. I really liked that the chapters are split between the daughters, so we see their dual personalities and the way they have grown up with/without their father and without each other. For Mickey life has been tough and she’s always been with just her mother, apart from a few years her dad was around, but he was a drunk. For Arlo, it seems Perfect Dad has always been around. Their livelihoods shape them into who they become as young women, and how one mans will suddenly throws them unexpectedly together.

The sisters are completely different. Mickey is humble, frightened, Arlo is privileged and pretty insufferable. It makes for a great parallel as the book goes on, both sisters seem to unravel after the news of their father’s death and the reading of the will. The book builds towards a car crash style catastrophic event, and eventually it becomes pretty clear that their father has not only messed up Mickey, but Arlo and her mother have their own demons.

The story line with the lawyer was kind of weird and felt forced, like he was really just a filler character for plot gaps?

Kindergarten teacher Mickey finds out about her estranged father’s death in the obituary in the newspaper.
She finds he’s left her a substantial inheritance, but wants her have 7 sessions with a therapist before she can access the money.

Her half sister Arlo nursed her beloved father to his last only to find out that she has been cut out of his will.

The two sisters are in for more shocks and are forced to face some home truths as they deal with the aftermath of their father’s death.

An emotional and well written book that kept me engrossed to the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy to review.

Mickey's father deserted her and her mum many years ago leaving them destitute and in debt. He moved on,got married ,had a daughter,Arlo and made a fortune. All that didn't stop him being an alcoholic who needed people to clear up after him and put up with his abusive behavior.

Mickey's father has died and he has left her his fortune. Arlo's father has died and he has deleted her from his will.
I did really enjoy this book although it's not a bundle of laughs. The two women in the story don't realise how alike they both are and how they both have suffered damage at the hands of their father. The book shows us how an alcoholics behaviour affects his whole family and has long lasting damage.
No more spoilers. This is an interesting book and it's hard to put it down.

Favourite Daughter by Morgan Dick

Mickey and Arlo are half sisters from their dad's two marriages. When their dad dies, he leaves his fortune to Mickey on the condition that she attends therapy... with psychologist Arlo! He leaves Arlo nothing, despite the fact that she nursed him to the end, and despite the fact that he had no real relationship with Mickey!

I loved everything about this book. The characters, the issues it deals with, the humour despite the grief and the terrible behaviour of the dad... everything! I couldn't put it down and could imagine it as a Netflix series as it was so vivid. Very VERY highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

ARC REVIEW - FAVOURITE DAUGHTER BY MORGAN DICK

"It isn't my fault that I'm like this but it's my job to get better"

Firstly, I can't believe it's a debut, it's impeccably written, touching so sensitively but accurately on raw and taboo subjects.
So, let's get into it. Mickey is an alcoholic kindergarten teacher in denial. Estranged from both her parents, her father when she was a little girl and her mother some years later when she couldn't cope with the toxicity Mickey brought to her life. Mickey's life remains toxic. Alcohol fuelled drama, along with isolation from everyone except her drinking buddy neighbour. Mickey learns from the newspaper obituary that her father has died. Drowning any possible feelings that might surface with this news in the bottom of a vodka bottle, Mickey then discovers that he's left her alot of money, over 5 million dollars. However, her inheritance comes with conditions.
Arlo is Mickey's half sister although the two have never met. Working as a psychologist, she soon learns that the father she regarded so highly, nursed to his death and covered up many of his own alcohol fuelled mistakes, has been left nothing. This uncovers feelings for Arlo that her father did not always deserve to be placed so highly on the pedestal she saved just for him.
No spoilers here, but this book is as raw and real as they come. Morgan has clearly researched these topics or has had some sort of encounter with them as the relatable accuracy is immaculately served to us with expertly crafted characters and feeling.
The denial Mickey displays with her addiction does not over shadow her deep passion for her job. We are witness early on to the devotion she
has for the children in her class, even though one might wonder how the two can safely and adequately mix.
Tackling the issue so sensitively of abandonment, Morgan displays the generational curse so often handed down to children of addicts but also flips the script and shows us, as with Arlo, that this is not always the case. Abuse, addiction, grief, abandonment, validation, trauma, this book has it all & I can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy.

5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ is not enough.

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!

A story of two sisters who don ot know each other, both grew up in widely differing home lives and are so different. The story deals with so many emotions in a very clever way, death of a parent, addiction, alcoholism, mental health issues to name just a few. The story is full of humour at the same time as dealing wih these serious issues and has a good pace. I did not particularly like the characters or identify with them but they were very well described. I loved the way that the sisters and their family and friends were so well intertwined. A book that I did not want to put down as I wanted to know the final outcomes of all the issues that had been discussed in the story.

I loved this book 🥺

Mickey & Arlo, half sisters but with completely different upbringings. One being daddy’s little girl and the other spiralling out of control after being abandoned by him when young. They are unknowingly threw together as part of their dad’s dying wish despite not knowing each other, spoken or met. Arlo being his daughter who looked after him on his final days and devoting her life to him learns she is no longer part of his will. And Mickey, who has been granted a whole chunk of money as long as she goes to therapy. The therapist being Arlo. They meet, get under each other’s skin and work through their lives despite not knowing the half of it.

This book is a special one and I feel like it will be for a lot of people. Mental health is a recurring theme throughout and shown in many different ways. As a reader, I felt like I was really put into the shoes of the characters and that their struggles were also mine. There’s some happy times, devastating times, emotional and some questionable choices in the characters come across, but I feel like it really touches on the seriousness of how mental health can be. A story of chaos, love, demons, moral dilemmas that is full of raw emotion and honesty.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin UK for the opportunity to read this brilliant book!

Brilliantly chaotic, totally absurd yet very readable. The depiction of addiction was spot on and the characters annoyingly likeable in a weird way.

I will admit I struggled with this book but it may have been because I haven't read a book like this in a long time. It was a nice story about 2 sisters who didn't know each other and alot of other subjects I.e death of a parent and alcoholism and how their problems brought them closer.

Drama and bittersweet sadness in a 'hidden identity' emotional family crisis.

4.5 stars

This all started with one man, who has died before the story begins. Father to two girls by two mothers, years apart, an alcoholic, but remembered fondly by each girl, now grown.

But the father's effect on both their lives becomes ever more obvious as the plot unwinds. The plot is contrived, but has to be to have the two meet without knowledge of the identity of the other, to allow us to see the differences and how the same man has had almost two completely different lives.

Mickey's father has just died and left her 5 million. But only if she goes to see a therapist. Fuming at this, decades after he left her and her mother with debt, the secretly-alcoholic kindergarten teacher resolves to go through with it.

Arlo's father has also just died. She spent months nursing him before his alcohol-fuelled demise. Never having wanted for anything, her father had made money and lavished it on her and her brand-covered mother. Arlo had wanted to be the psychologist she now is since the age of 10. And now she has a new patient. And found out she's been taken out of her father's will, for someone else.

The stage is set for therapy sessions that the reader anticipates. Much comes out about both the half-sisters, their father and how his parenting has affected them from childhood to adulthood, in different ways - though not always so different.

I found the portrayal of Mickey's relationship with alcohol realistic, it felt the author knew what this might be like, it was upsetting to see a dedicated teacher of young children putting herself in this position and unable to stop herself.

Eventually of course, we expect the sisters to find out who the other is. But what will happen when they do, with a doctor-patient relationship, $5 million in the mix and two mothers both grieving/reeling?

Unusual premise, but I did like the delving into the psyches of both women. With a few helpful forays into friendships and mother-daughter relationships with both mums and a charismatic neighbour of Mickey's providing lighter moments and insight.

There are also two male characters, both potential will-they-won't-they love interests as well as professional/parenting storylines that bulk the book out with subplots that fit well into the main narrative. I liked them both, to be honest.

This felt quite honest and did keep me reading - I needed to know how the sisters would eventually reconcile or otherwise.

Interesting plot and one for fans of delving into psychology.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

Well, that was a S L O G. This book potentially could have been right up my street, messy family secrets and sister drama but somehow it managed to take all that juicy potential and turn it into a slow plodding, yawn fest. I felt myself clicking the kindle to the next page just one too many times. I kept reading thinking 'surely something is about to happen' and then many pages later I still was waiting. The characters were meh, leaving me not rooting for one nor the other, the twists were more like gentle nudges, and the suspense was just poor. By the time the big reveal rolled around I was actually totally checked out.

That being said, the premise was genuinely interesting, I can totally see why I picked it up in the first place but unfortunately the execution did not deliver.

Final verdict - flat like a Diet Coke.

I loved this book. Just what I was looking for and it came at the right time. I devoured it in a day.

Favourite Daughter by Morgan Dick is a captivating novel that I found utterly gripping from start to finish. It felt like I was watching real life unfold in front of me, with each and every turn of the page.

Favourite Daughter unfolds through two distinct character, that of Mickey and Arlo (Charlotte) - two estranged half-sisters reunited by their father's surprising last wish outlined in his will. We see the impact of their father's final wishes on the sisters' lives and in their relationship. Such a cleverly written book, filled with raw emotion, and characters that feel incredibly real.
Mickey, a kindergarten teacher, is clever and practical, participating in seven therapy sessions for the pure reason to secure her inheritance. This is the only reason she is attending. Despite battling alcoholism, Mickey showed that she cared greatly and she did everything in her power to support a child in her class. I really liked Mickey. Mickey's battle with alcohol addiction was portrayed powerfully, making me hope that she would resist taking that next drink. I was rooting for Mickey all along.

Then we meet Arlo who is a therapist herself and the therapist! Through their sessions, not only does Arlo discover she has a half-sister she did not know about (due to them being known by nicknames) but that she had also been left out of her father's will. Arlo struggles with this and does not understand why, leaving her feeling both confused and very hurt. Arlo cared for their father in his final days, while Mickey had been estranged from him since she was young. It did not make sense to Arlo.

This was the start of Mickey and Arlo's fathers plan to get them together and to start talking. He knew exactly what he was doing when he put the clause in his will.

Mickey and Arlo's complex relationship, with misunderstandings, secrets, and lighter moments, creates an emotionally engaging and captivating read.

The setting is very personal, taking place mostly in the therapy room and I felt like I was an invisible person in the room witnessing everything that was said and watching their reactions. It was an incredible read.

This book is a very hard and raw read but there are lighter moments too. The challenging themes of abandonment, grief, alcoholism, addiction, and trauma are addressed with such incredible skill and sensitivity. But it is a book that shows that even in life's darkest moments, you can discover resilience, regain hope, and forge a path to recovery and healing.

I loved how the story explored identity and belonging, as Mickey and Arlo reconciled with each other, who they were themselves and their understanding of what family means to them. Families are so complicated, sometimes filled with love, often there is conflict, and there can be moments that shape our lives in unexpected ways and moments that can change us forever.

Such a thought-provoking book which I highly recommend. An incredible debut and I look forward to reading more by Morgan Dick.

Thank you to Penguin Books and Viking for my advanced copy. This review is based on a NetGalley ARC provided in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.

@currentlyreading__
Book 17 of 2025


Thank you to the author, publisher and @NetGalley for sending an advance copy ahead of publication on 1st May. This book was utterly DEVOURED on my sun lounger and I am bereft it’s over. I deliberately didn’t re-read the premise of the book and from the first chapter I was HOOKED. Mickey (Michelle) receives a call to notify her that her estranged father has died. Devoted Arlo (Charlotte) is devastated by the death of her father; after all she has clipped his toenails, mopped up his vomit, researched the most nutritious food for him and met with palliative care staff. It wasn’t enough - he died and with him, part of Arlo has died too. Mickey and Arlo are brought together in the most unusual of circumstances - Arlo as Mickey’s therapist (although both women are unaware of their true identities). In order to claim her sizeable inheritance Mickey’s father has arranged seven sessions of therapy (as he left when she was seven)… How kind!

This book spoke to me on so many levels. The portrayal of grief was raw, on point and the fact that this had a dual PoV was brilliant in delving deeper into the psyche of these chaotic unknown to each other sisters. I love the fact that the dad Adam Kowalski plays such an integral role in the story and he is dead before the story even starts.

There are heavy topics, all of which are dealt with sensitively and with real heart - alcohol addiction features heavily as well as co-dependency. It doesn’t sound like a holiday read when I mention the heavy issues but believe me when I say that this is amazing and Morgan’s characters will live with me for a long time.

#bookworm #iamreading #bookreview #kindle #bookreviews #bibliophile #bookreview #mustread #bookobsessed #bookrecommendations #booksofinstagram #bookstagram #morgandick #favoritedaughter #favouritedaughter

Mickey hasn’t seen her father since she was a young child, she is astounded to learn after his death that he has left her a large amount of money in his will.
Arlo has been loved by her father her whole life and is devastated to learn that after caring for him in the last few months before he died that he has left her out of his will.
Two half sisters who have never met now struggle to cope with the death of their father.
A story about family, relationships and forgiveness.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin UK, Fig Tree for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have to admit I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. At it's core is a story of the trauma of loss, grief and addiction which could be really hard going, but Ms Dick, while acknowledging the sadness and fraught relationships, manages to inject humour and optimism and the possibility of redemption and forgiveness of self and others. I look forward to reading more of her work
Thank you to netgalley and Penguin Books for an advance copy of this book.

Brilliant book. Well developed characters. I really enjoyed it and would use in the classroom. Beautiful plot.

People are so complicated.

THIS BOOK, I could not put this down. These characters felt so real to me, Morgan really made me feel like I was living inside the brain of both Mickey and Arlo. I felt every inch of pain that they felt, and I resonated so much with some of the thoughts and emotions that came up.

The plot was so unique and unlike anything I’ve read before. This kind of writing style is what I live for, I love books that make you feel human. This validated so much for me, it honestly felt like therapy, in the best way.

Five stars, Morgan Dick is one of my new auto-buy authors for sure.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ (4/5)
A sharp and unflinching look at family dynamics, rivalry, and the burden of being “the good one.” Morgan Dick delivers a voice that’s biting and honest, with emotional beats that land hard. Complex, compulsively readable, and perfect for fans of family-driven fiction with an edge.