I made it about 40% and just couldn't continue - everyone was a mess, which I understood but I didn't feel compelled to root for these characters or pick the book back up.

Very enjoyable quirky drama involving two sisters and their dysfunctional families. These two main characters are extremely flawed and it is actually difficult to support either one, but I loved the supporting characters and the overall story. The portrayal of addiction seemed accurate to me in terms of actions that Mickey took to get what she needed but WOW - she hit some really low points. Overall I really flew through this novel and enjoyed the humor that helped to mask the dysfunction of the characters. Recommend to lovers of quirky characters and family dramas. Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for this ARC.

💜 FAVORITE DAUGHTER: Litfic

After their father’s death, a woman must attend therapy to claim her inheritance—unaware her therapist is actually the half-sister she’s never met. I really enjoyed this family drama with its blend of messy humor, emotional depth, and sharp commentary on addiction and family. The real draw for me was watching Mickey and Arlo’s growth as individuals—each woman, initially weighed down by their father’s passing, and their journey of self-discovery. Solid 4⭐️

this was a delightful book about horrible people (so again: could be my personal story).

i read a lot of this with my shoulders at my ears, which included several points at which i physically made myself put this book down because it was elevating my blood pressure and culminated in me giving in and devouring half of it in one sitting.

i love books in which everything starts out horrible and ends wonderfully for their soothing properties, but rarely do they feel as razor sharp and complicated and unforgiving and real as this one. it was very funny, and very tough, and somehow overall a good time.

bottom line: all my fellow forgiveness stans get in on this.

This is such a layered and messy story of estranged sisters and their complicated relationship with their father. Mickey and Arlo are both struggling is such raw ways that you can’t help but root for each other them—they’re both just trying to find a sense of belonging! This is a story of grief, addiction and sisterhood— recommended for fans of Coco Mellors and Emma Cline. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

An alcoholic father’s dying wish reunites two estranged half sisters in this debut novel. Learning of her father’s death from a newspaper obituary, kindergarten teacher Mickey Morris, born Michelle Kowalski, is not surprised that she’s not listed as next of kin; she hasn’t spoken to Adam Kowalski in more than 26 years, since he abandoned her and her mother for another woman and a new family. So she’s shocked to learn that he’s left her more than $5 million. The catch, as sad-sack estate lawyer Tom Samson informs her, is that Mickey—who struggles with a severe drinking problem that threatens her job—must complete seven therapy sessions before she can collect the money. The therapist her father has chosen is her younger half sister, Arlo, whom he has cut out of the will. Mickey and Arlo have never met, and neither knows that they’re related. This intriguing premise could have resulted in an outrageous situation comedy or tense psychological thriller, but Canadian author Dick instead creates a melancholy family dramedy to explore the nature of grief and the way two emotionally damaged young women can recover from the trauma of addiction and bad parenting. Unlike Mickey, who resented her absent father, Arlo adored and cared for Daddy in his final days. But she too has denial issues, especially accepting responsibility for a serious professional mistake. While Dick vividly captures the chaos of alcoholism and its impact on family members and friends, Mickey’s continual poor choices and Arlo’s questionable ethics eat away at the reader’s sympathy. Indeed, the only appealing characters are 5-year-old Ian, Mickey’s favorite student, and Daria, Mickey’s artist neighbor, whom Mickey betrays in the most appalling way.

A thought-provoking but imperfect portrait of family dynamics from a promising newcomer.

Arlo and Mickey are half-sisters. However, they never met and they've never spoken. Mickey's father abandoned her and her mother when she was a child. Arlo was devoted to their father and is struck with grief when he passes. However, Mickey is shocked to learn that she has been left with her father's considerable wealth with the caveat that she complete 7 sessions of therapy. The huge catch is that he engineered Arlo to be the therapist.
Neither woman is aware of who the other is right away. Inevitably, they figure it out, but is it too late to save their burgeoning relationship? Or each other?

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Viking for this digital e-arc.*

"Favorite Daughter" is fresh, funny, and profound. From the cover, I imagined the book would be a fun Chick-lit read, but I quickly realized that the writing, characters, and storyline are accomplished and original. I read this in one sitting and was disappointed when it ended. I highly recommend this book to readers interested in stories about sisters, family estrangement, mishaps, addiction, redemption, and love. Just wow! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. Pub Date is April 29th.

#FavoriteDaughter

I loved this one - the dynamic between the two sisters, the building suspense/drama. two imperfect but lovable girlies that i want to hang out with

In my reading journal I have five stars next to this book! Love this story of family, forgiveness and taking chances. What a great premise- very original. Goes straight to the heart of the possibility of finding lost family. Highly recommended!

I love the cover of this book and yes I do judge a book by its cover! The story of Mickey and Arlo kept me reading even though it got a bit predictable at times. I did want to know how it all worked out in the end and it wrapped up nicely.

Kind of messy and funny and unpredictable. I liked the strong female characters in this novel and that they behaved in ways I didn't expect. It does the tricky job of being both funny and touching.

This was engrossing and nail-biting because of all the psychic afflictions that layered onto each other. Functional and not-so-functional alcoholics, abandonment issues writ large, and mothers who fail their children in myriad ways abound. There's a cute kid and a prince of a guy, and both seem to be put in jeopardy, but the last chapters hint at redemption.
I think it's especially clever to make one of the main characters a therapist who delights in unpacking the issues of others while being willfully blind to her own. The other flawed main character is a kindergarten teacher so scarred by the adults in her life that she only wants to be around children.
This has hints of romance, but the meat of the book is slow and painful self-discovery that is nevertheless sprinkled with humorous situtations. Compare it to Laurie Frankel's Family Family.

2.5 ⭐️

I was really eager to read this after seeing some buzz about it on Goodreads. The description really hooked me and the beginning of the book starts out with a bang.
I found the premise to be really exciting, but the execution could use some polish. There are things that happen that just make no sense, like Arlo sleeping with the estate attorney. That felt like the author just throwing something salacious or shocking into the story for the sake of shock. Also, I found it wildly unbelievable that Arlo and Mickey took so long to figure out who the other was given that they meet first as therapist and client.
Overall, I think with some editing, this could be a decent book but it really missed the mark for me.

Favorite Daughter has a great premise and I was so excited to read this. Two sisters who don't know each other - to follow the terms of their father's will, the first sister must attend therapy sessions with her (previously unknown) half sister. Unfortunately, the "romances" and chunky writing style didn't work for me. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

I loved this novel about two sisters that meet in their young adulthood under the most unusual circumstances. The writing reminded me of Rufi Thorpe and I really appreciated her approach to mental health and addiction. I will definitely recommend this far and wide.