Favourite Daughter by Morgan Dick

A dark exploration of trauma, addiction, and the complex ties between strangers connected by blood

I read Favourite Daughter by Morgan Dick as an ARC through NetGalley. The premise immediately caught my attention: Mickey, whose father abandoned her and her mother years ago, finds out he’s died—and left her his inheritance. But there’s a condition. She must attend a set number of therapy sessions with Arlo, a woman she doesn’t know. What Mickey doesn’t realize is that Arlo is her half-sister. Arlo, on the other hand, knows about Mickey—she just doesn’t realize that Mickey is now her patient.

The book tackles heavy themes like addiction, codependency, childhood trauma, and abuse, and it doesn't hold back from showing the damage these leave behind.

The Premise
The premise is strong and emotionally loaded: two women tied together by a father who failed them in very different ways. One was left behind, the other raised with him—but neither escaped unscathed. That setup had me expecting a slow, emotional unraveling of secrets and pain, with perhaps some sort of reckoning or deeper character connection by the end.

The Execution
While the themes were there, the execution didn’t fully meet my expectations. The storytelling often jumped abruptly from one moment to the next—sometimes right into the middle of a new scene or emotional beat—which made it hard to stay grounded in the narrative. It was disorienting at times and made it difficult to connect deeply with what was happening. That said, I appreciated the dual perspective. Hearing from both Mickey and Arlo allowed for a more layered understanding of each woman’s internal world.

The Characters
I found most characters in this book unlikeable, but I could still feel empathy for them. Mickey and Arlo are both shaped by deep wounds, even if their behaviors aren't always easy to sympathize with. Their flaws made them feel real, though their decisions often left me frustrated. This isn’t a story about redemption or reconciliation—it’s more about the long-lasting effects of abandonment, and how trauma shapes the way we relate to ourselves and others.

Writing and Pacing
The writing wasn’t always easy to follow. It had a raw quality, which suited the subject matter, but the pacing was uneven. Some scenes felt rushed while others lingered, and transitions were often abrupt. It sometimes felt like I was dropped into the middle of something without context. That made it harder to stay emotionally invested, even though the content itself was intense.

Final Thoughts
Favourite Daughter deals with important and difficult topics, and I respect that it doesn’t try to wrap things up neatly or make its characters likable. It’s a heavy, uncomfortable read at times, and I think that’s intentional. Still, it didn’t fully deliver what I expected based on the premise. It was alright—just not quite what I hoped for.

Rating: 3/5

Genre: General Fiction (Adult)

Release Date: May 1, 2025

Publisher: Viking, Penguin Random House