Favorite Daughter - by Morgan Dick (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A darkly funny debut novel about two estranged sisters who are unknowingly thrown together by their problematic father's dying wish

Mickey and Arlo are half sisters. But they've never spoken and never met. Arlo adored her father--but always lived in the shadow of his magnetic personality and burdensome vices. Meanwhile, their father abandoned ​Mickey and her mother years ago, and Mickey has hated him since. When she receives news of her father's passing, Mickey is shocked to learn that he's left her his not-inconsiderable fortune. The catch: Mickey must attend a series of therapy sessions before the money can be released.

Unbeknownst to either woman, the psychologist Mickey's father has ensured she meets with is her half sister, Arlo. Having cared for her beloved father on his sickbed, Arlo is devastated to discover he's cut her out of his will. She resolves to learn where the money went and why.

Working together as therapist and patient--with no idea that they're in fact sisters--Arlo and Mickey soon get under each other's skin. Arlo, eager to outrun a mistake in her professional past, is keen to redeem herself with her new client. But Mickey is far from the model patient. As Mickey's personal and professional lives spiral out of control and Arlo uncovers the truth about who her new patient really is, the sisters find themselves on a crash course that will break--or save--them both.

Review Quotes

"Morgan Dick somehow manages to be light and funny while covering real, heavy family dynamics. When Mickey receives the news of her estranged father's passing, she learns that she's been left behind a large fortune. The catch: She must attend a series of therapy sessions before the money is wired...led by the psychologist half-sister she's never met before."
--TheSkimm

"So stunningly fresh and darkly funny that every page surprised me. Morgan Dick doesn't just craft a clever plot--she writes brilliantly about grief and addiction and inheritance and, yes, redemption."
--Catherine Newman, author of the New York Times bestseller Sandwich

"I am in such awe of Favorite Daughter--the characters, the plot (delicious!), the various voices, the deliberate tenderness. This is a serious and important book, but it's also charming, funny, and sweet."
--Marian Keyes, author of My Favorite Mistake and Again, Rachel

"A gripping, deeply honest and tender story, with characters that wove their way into my heart and stayed there. Dick's writing is witty and packed with insight, making her a new favorite author of mine."
--Natalie Sue, author of I Hope This Finds You Well

"A vast and ambitious novel of sisterhood, generational trauma, redemption and forgiveness. Morgan Dick writes with a rawness and ferociousness that will take your breath away."
--Kirsty Capes, author of Careless and Girls

"I found it refreshingly dark and dryly funny, as well as perceptive and moving on the nature of addiction. Morgan is great at dialogue too, especially when she's showing people talking at cross-purposes. I loved how understated the humor was."
--Rebecca Wait, author of I'm Sorry You Feel That Way

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

"Dick's hard-hitting debut...hits hilarious highs and devastating lows as the two women grapple with the destructive ways they've coped with their father's noxious legacy. The result is charming, cringe-inducing, and poignant in equal measure."
--Publishers Weekly

"[Morgan] explores topics like mental health and addiction with warmth and panache."
--Booklist

About the Author