The Favorite Daughter

By Patti Callahan Henry

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Bookshop at Water’s End, here is a lush, heart-wrenching novel about the power of memory, the meaning of family, and learning to forgive.

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.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Group
• Release date: Jun 4, 2019
• ISBN: 9780399583148

Patti Callahan Henry

Patti Callahan Henry is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of several novels, including Surviving Savannah and Becoming Mrs. Lewis. She is the recipient of the Christy Award, the Harper Lee Award for Alabama’s Distinguished Writer of the Year Award, and the Alabama Library Association Book of the Year. She is the cohost and cocreator of the popular weekly online live web show and podcast Friends and Fiction. A full-time author and mother of three, she lives in Alabama and South Carolina with her family. Find out more at PattiCallahanHenry.com.

Reviews for The Favorite Daughter

[susan0316 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love reading southern fiction and Patti Callahan is a fantastic writer in this genre. She has been a favorite author since I read her first book. With her new book, she has become one of my Top 10 Authors...one of the few authors that I will pre-order their books without knowing anything about them. Lena and Hallie are sisters - very close in age and each other's best friend. They live with their parents and brother Shane in a small town in South Carolina. When a terrible betrayal happens on her wedding day, Lena runs away from her home and tries to live a new life in NYC. She becomes a travel writer and travels all over the world, she has a small apartment and lots of friends and boyfriends but she hasn't been part of her family or spoken to her sister in over 10 years. When her father's illness makes it necessary for her to return home, she realizes that it will be difficult to be around her sister but that she has to endure it for the sake of their father. While Alzheimer's slowly steals their father's memories, the siblings rush to preserve his life in stories and in photographs. As the family tries to create a book of memories for their father, Lena realizes that it's time for her to look at some of her old memories to see if they are true or her perceptions.This is a wonderful novel. I enjoyed all of the characters, especially the father and I felt their love and concern for each other throughout the book. I hated seeing the sisters estrangement and their problems in re-connecting with each other since there was so much pain on both sides. The other fantastic part of this novel were the settings of the SC Lowcountry and Ireland - which are two of my favorite places to visit. The locations are described so well that I felt like I had taken a mini-vacation to both places at the end of the book.My prediction is that this is going to be one of the very popular books of the summer. I know that it will be in my top 10 list for 2019.Thanks to First to Read for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

[cherylk_44 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is a charming and heart touching story about family. I liked all three siblings, Colleen, Hallie, and Shane. It was nice to see Shane in the position of caretaker for their father. Usually, in stories this position is occupied by a female. I got the hostile feelings that Colleen felt towards Hallie but I was glad to see these two sisters reconcile. The vibe of the story was not filled with bitterness and sorrow but also joy, love, and memories. Oh and the sound of children. Hallie's two daughters were adorable. They helped to bring the two sisters together. Readers who are looking for a light read should check out this book. It will put a smile on your face. If this is your first time reading anything from this author; after reading this book you will want to check out other books.

[cats57_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Favorite Daughter by Patti Callahan HenryMy rating: 5 of 5 starsI very rarely recommend books to anyone as I know that peoples tastes are varied. However, I feel I must recommend this one to a variety of readers. First of all, I think that book clubs would get a wonderful bang for their buck with this book. This may sound as if it is a light fluffy read, but it is an intense, deep, soul searching, well-crafted read. It is a multi-layered story with dealing with a mystery, dealing with a loved one with an Alzheimer's and a long-ago betrayal by a sister.If you are dealing with anyone with Alzheimer's this may be a book you are interested in -unless you are looking to escape and then I recommend you stay far far away.I choose not to recap this book for fear that I might give something important away. I loved this book, but in some ways, I hated it too. It was an emotional roller coaster read for me. This book had me feeling anger, grief, curiosity, and discomfort.I felt anger at Coleen's family for how they felt about her sister (tho I could eventually understand it), frustration at what Colleens' father was going through and how it was handled and who eventually was blamed (sort of) for it conclusion.I disliked how the author went into length prose and overly deep inner dialoguing but I can see why it was done.And I really did not like nor seem to be able to connect with Beckett (you'll see!) Still, this was a rich and fulfilling read.

[lorikboyd · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

First book by this author, won’t be my last! Story is about Family; togetherness, betrayal, loss and ultimately forgiveness, but always love. Characters were just like family....sometimes you liked them and sometimes you want to throttle them. Every family has secrets, but very few are as big as the one Lena finds while researching her Dad’s past for a memory book. Have tissues handy! Thanks Library Thing for the ARC. Opinion is my own!

[dianekeenoy · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Loved this book! Another wonderful read from one of my new favorite authors from the Friends and Fiction group!

[kbranfield-837433 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

4.5 stars.

The Favorite Daughter by Patti Callahan Henry is a bittersweet novel of healing and forgiveness.

Ten years earlier, Colleen "Lena" Donohue's life is shattered on what should have been the happiest day of her life. Instead of marrying the man of her dreams, she flees from heartbreak and betrayal.  After starting over in New York, Colleen is now a successful travel writer who rarely goes home to visit her family. But after a shocking phone call from her younger brother Shane about their beloved father, Gavin, she returns to South Carolina.  Forced to face her father's heart wrenching diagnosis of early onset Alzheimer's, Colleen must also navigate her painful relationship with her younger sister, Hallie. Working on a memory book to help their father revisit his memories, Hallie and Colleen uncover a troubling discrepancy in the timeline of his trip to Ireland and the purchase of their pub in South Carolina. Are people mis-remembering when key events occurred?  And wiill this enforced togetherness help Colleen forgive Hallie?

Colleen has spent the past ten years trying to move on from her heartache but these long ago events have left her with deep-seated trust issues.  Although she does date, she has never had a serious relationship nor does she want one. Colleen's visits home have been scarce and with meticulous planning, she has avoided seeing Hallie. But with her father's diagnosis, the three siblings have no choice but to pull together for his sake. Will Colleen capitulate when everyone encourages her to let bygones be bygones? Or are there some betrayals that are too painful to forgive?

Gavin is much loved in their small community and his pub is a popular gathering place. Initially in denial about his diagnosis, he is eventually forced to accept that his precious memories are slipping away. Now that Colleen is in town, he is a little more forceful in his attempts to convince her to make peace with Hallie. But is it too late for his daughters to regain their once close relationship?

The Favorite Daughter is a captivating novel that is poignant yet heartwarming.  The characters are richly developed with all too human foibles. The storyline tugs on the heartstrings as Colleen, Hallie and Shane must face the heartbreaking truth about their father's diagnosis.  Patti Callahan Henry brings the novel to a moving conclusion that is quite gratifying. Readers of the genre are sure to enjoy this beautifully written, family-centric story.