About the Book
Ten years ago, Lena Donohue experienced a wedding-day betrayal so painful that she fled the small town of Watersend, South Carolina, and reinvented herself in New York City. Though now a freelance travel writer, the one place she rarely goes is home—until she learns of her dad’s failing health.
Returning to Watersend means seeing the sister she has avoided for a decade and the brother who runs the family’s Irish pub and has borne the burden of his sisters’ rift. While Alzheimer’s slowly steals their father’s memories, the siblings rush to preserve his life in stories and in photographs. As his secret past brings Lena’s own childhood into focus, it sends her on a journey to discover the true meaning of home.
My Review
The Favorite Daughter is a layered story about love, betrayal, and the strong bonds of family. Lena was an interesting character to follow – still not recovered from the betrayal she discovered on her wedding day, but trying to keep up with her new path in life. When her beloved father begins to succumb to Alzheimer’s, she returns to her hometown – and the sister she once adored. We also have a bit of a suspense angle thrown in here that I figured out pretty early on, but it was still enjoyable to watch the siblings uncover a family secret. There were parts of the story that caused me to tear up, and the underlying theme of the strength of a family was incredibly sweet to read. An emotional and touching read that I would recommend.
4 stars
