Deliciously chaotic and diabolically brilliant, FAVOURITE DAUGHTER is the story of two women on the brink who find themselves connected by one thing: their father. The problem is, neither of them actually know it. Dick writes with humour, skill and authenticity on many serious topics (death, grief, addiction) and so, manages to deliver a truly page-turning read. An extraordinary debut that everyone should be reading in 2025.

Mickey and Arlo have one thing in common: their dad, but they never met until their dad died and brings them together through his will.
He abandoned Michelle (Mickey) and her mom when Mickey was just a kid, and left them with his debts. Mickey is now a primary teacher, she loves her job, but also pushes people away and is an alcoholic.
Arlo is a therapist and Mickey is her currently client, however they do not know they are related.

A fantastic book, the characters have depth and the story is narrated from the daughters' point of view. It is funny despite talking about grief, and redemption. I did cry reading the end. Love!

Favourite Daughter follows sisters Mickey and Arlo, brought together after their father’s death. He leaves his fortune to Mickey, but only if she attends therapy—with Arlo as her therapist.

The book explores addiction, grief, and family struggles. it’s a heartfelt look at forgiveness and healing and is perfect for those of us who enjoy emotional family drama reads.

This book was fascinating- the dad definitely had some issues, to be manipulating his estranged daughter to spend time with his disinherited daughter from beyond the grave was quite something but I disliked him from the beginning after disinheriting his doting daughter without warning- so sad for her to question everything she had done for him while grieving. I thought this book wrote beautifully about addiction, depression and the complicated relationships that come with these issues. I was utterly absorbed and really liked the sisters, would definitely recommend.

A mag mixed up book that covers such hard topics as families breaking down alcoholism and life just being really really tough. Two sisters that don’t know each other are united when their dad dies and yet only one knows about their relationship.. the author and picks the wounds bruises and damage that alcoholism does to relationships especially family ones in a sensitive way. The book also focuses on the little things in life that are just so hard to do when alcohol is a crutch or when money is tight or when life is just a huge huge struggle.. the issues of mental well-being are dealt with delicately and ultimately the message here is Hope despite things being so hard.

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.

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.

I really don’t like the cover; the colours, graphics and whole appearance I find offputting. Which, of course, confirms the ‘don’t judge a book’ adage. The rather infantile and YA look of the cover belies the content of this original and unusual story. Morgan Dick’s debut is a masterpiece of observation and comment about so much. It’s not packed with action, but there’s plenty of emotional drama as themes of depression, alcoholism and familial dysfunction are explored. A nasty father dies and leaves unexpected wealth to one of his daughters. It’s life changing. The other, doting caring daughter is left out. From these pieces of lives destroyed and reconstructed comes a tale of unexpected depth and warmth. Very refreshing, totally engaging and a surprise. I really enjoyed it.

I was asked to review this by NetGalley and was glad I did.

Well written and although the characters were not to my taste. This was powerful with protraying grief.
Micky is living her solitary life and happy in this life. Then she is notified that her estranged and absent father has died and left her a large inheritance. To claim it she needs to attend seven therapy sessions that he had already paid for in advance!!! She would like not to attend and really say no but it came down to the fact she needed the inheritance.

Arlo has been left out of the will even although she cared for him up till his dying day!

I too would be reeeling at this - families !!!

I found some of this a bit heavy to read through and uncomfortable too.

A good read and recommended.

Loved this story of Mickey and Arlo who have the same dad but have never met until their dad died and left everything to Mickey as long as she attended seven sessions with a therapist.
When Mickey visits Arlo and starts to talk about her father Arlo realises that she is her sister who her father left everything too even though Arlo looked after her father when he was dying. Mickey has anger issues as her father walked out on her and her mum when she was seven which she feels is why she does not trust any man.
This is a story about two sisters who find a way through their problems while dealing with difficult mothers and emotions a brilliant read.

I really resonated with this, my dad died in 2022 from liver failure and I had only been in contact with his for 3 years beforehand as we were estranged grieving him has been difficult and my sister and he were really close- fab writing, really understood grief and addiction

Imagine that the father you were devoted to and took care of right until the end cuts you out of your will. Now imagine that the father who unceremoniously dumped you and your mother and who you had no contact with since left a veritable fortune to you in his will.

Meet Arlo and Mickey, half-sisters who have never met, and who are thrown together because of their father's stipulation that Mickey attend counselling before she can be granted her money, and Arlo ends up being the psychologist.

This sounds like a pretty contrived premise but somehow it works. The respective situations that the half-sisters find themselves in are deeply sympathetic. The father's presence is very real despite him being dead before the beginning of the story. Several sections make you want to shout at the main characters, but even that works well. There is a lot going on here and, without giving spoilers, I felt that the ending really pulled everything together in a very satisfying way.

Thank you to Penguin General UK and Netgalley for the ARC!

This is phenomenal - I read it all in less than a day

Favourite Daughter is a dual-POV novel that follows Mickey and Arlo, half-sisters who have never met, daughters of an alcoholic and verbally abusive father who has just passed away. Mickey and her mum were abandoned by her father when she was seven, but her life is still in many ways tied to his as she desperately doesn't want to be like him, but perhaps they're more similar than she cares to admit. Arlo was raised by her father and took care of him all her life. Even though she feels like she has things figured out and adores her father, perhaps she doesn't realise the impact he has had on her life. After passing away, their father leaves Mickey a lot of money, but the catch is she needs to complete seven therapy sessions before having access to it. Arlo is left out of the will and feels betrayed, but imagine how she'll feel when she finds out her new patient is the half-sister she's never met who was given the money that was initially meant for her.

This book is incredible!! These characters are so messy, raw and real that I couldn't help but feel such a fondness towards them; I kept rooting for them and also being mad at them...It gave me all of the feels. The pace of the novel, with its short chapters, amplifies this impulsive and chaotic vibe, and the dual-POV is an amazing way of getting a deeper understanding of these characters, as we have access to both their inner thoughts and external perspectives on them.

Raw, chaotic, and painfully real - Favourite Daughter is a book that you'll have a hard time putting down! I can't recommend it enough.

Thank you so much to Viking Books UK and NetGalley for the e-ARC!

Such a sad story on the face of it, but the interwoven stories of the two daughters from different wives of a controlling alcoholic father is an involving read with uplifting moments within it.

Late leaving this review because I forgot it was an e-ARC (in a good way!)

I devoured this novel! The tension between Mickey and, well, everyone was inticing. Arlo's expansive feelings and dubious actions. As I write this I realise that Mickey and Arlo are total mirrors to each other.

This wasn't the novel I thought it would be, it was more.

The story is about two sisters, who share the same dad, but have never met. Micky’s dad left and never returned. He then went on to have another wife and his daughter Arlo.

After the death of their father brings them together, without them even knowing. Will the reality of their lives bring them together or tear them apart.

This book deals with some serious issues with family relationships and addiction. It is such a good read

I’m not sure what I expected from this novel but I requested an ARC from @NetGalley because I liked the sound of the blurb.
The cover wasn’t especially eye-catching, but there’s nothing I disliked about it either.
However, it belies this great story.
Full of heart, honesty and raw emotion, Morgan Dick’s novel about two sisters who discover each other after the death of their alcoholic father is gripping and bursts with character growth.
Charlotte (Arlo), the dutiful daughter who nursed her millionaire father through the final stages of his illness, is devastated when her entire inheritance is left to the step sister she’s never met. Well, hadn’t met, until her dysfunctional father made therapy a condition of Mickey’s (said step sister) inheritance. Did I mention that Arlo is a therapist?
You can imagine the chaos and moral dilemmas that abound as a result of this irresponsible plan. Mickey has her own troubles, not least of which is an alcohol dependency, along with complete ignorance that her therapist is her step sister.
Definitely check the trigger warnings on this one, but definitely read it!
It’s a story about love, compassion, facing your demons and battling the little buggers on a daily basis. It’s a story about finding your truth and getting up, no matter how many times you get knocked down.
I lost myself in this story. Five stars from me, with thanks to NetGalley and Penguin UK for the chance to read an ARC.
Favourite Daughter releases on 1 May.

This book smacked me round the face. What a stunning narrative, expertly woven together with gorgeous prose. A stark look at grief and addiction, and the monsters they can bring out in us. This one will stay with me for a long time.

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.

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!

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

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.

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.