Family relationships are their very own private hell. Tough to navigate, messy and ugly at times. But, just knowing you have someone (or in this case several someones) in your corner makes life bearable. The ties that bind are strong yet impossibly fragile. So what happens when you add in a parent who seems to have chosen a favorite of their children...and it's not you? Where do you put all that and how do you navigate that minefield? Well, in the case of this story, you let it all fall to pieces and do your best to glue the shattered shards back together into something that resembles the life you think you know.

A very interesting look at how childhood experiences and beliefs shape who we are! There were multiple side plots that were not wrapped up to my liking, but the overall story had a good ending.

Vivienne and Patrick Fisher, along with their three daughters, Alex, Nancy and Evaand their families gather
to celebrate Vivienne's birthday in the countryside. When the three daughters are threatened by a falling tree,
Patrick's favorite is revealed. His choice will result in the three daughter and Vivienne reflecting on the past and
hurt feelings. Complex family drama. Flashbacks can be confusing due to the number of characters.
#TheAccidentalFavorite # HenryHolt&Company #NetGalley

Fran Littlewood has delivered yet another captivating tale, masterfully blending her signature humor with a chaotic family drama that is as beautiful as it is messy. The characters are intricately flawed, each grappling with their own set of challenges, which adds depth to the storyline. The narrative unfolds in a dynamic back-and-forth style, zigzagging through different characters and timelines, resulting in a wonderfully controlled chaos that enriches the overall experience.

I’ve rated this book 4 stars rather than 5 because, despite my deep appreciation for the story, I find it troubling when OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) is framed as a quirky and endearing trait rather than acknowledged as the serious mental health issue it truly is. Such misrepresentation not only perpetuates stigma but also detracts from the critical conversation about the condition and hinders individuals from seeking the help they need. It’s crucial for us as readers and writers to educate ourselves on these matters; let’s move towards more accurate representations in literature.

Thank you to the Publisher, the author and NetGalley for this ARC

This was 2.5 stars for me. The writing was easy to parse through and the only reason why I even made it to the end, but I felt like there were way too many perspectives (with Vivienne, Alex, Nancy and Eva getting their own chapters) and even then there was too much space given to each character's internal (very verbose and repetitive) monologue than an actual description of what happened. Was Eva not Patrick's daughter? Why did he save Eva and not Alex if all his guilt came from Alex's incident? All past incidents were mentioned and glazed over without proper details. So we see Eva crying at a modelling shoot. Okay? What happened after? How did she become a successful model? We also see no mention of how the parents deal with Eva falling pregnant so early on in her life, and the casual mention of rape when her sisters are trying to figure out why Eva is crying is ridiculous. That one instance really ruined the book for me. I was shouting, screaming, annoyed, frustrated, and quite over it by the end of the book. There were some cute moments between the sisters but even they were so saccharine they verged on excessive.

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for allowing me to read an ARC of The Accidental Favorite by Fran Littlewood, in exchange for my honest review.

Overall I enjoyed this book. It’s a compelling story of family dynamics and how family and memories help shape us into the individuals that we are. Lots of characters that at times was a bit chaotic for me to keep up with. If you like family drama reads this book is for you.

The Accidental Favorite is a raw story about sibling rivalry and parental guilt. Three sisters: Alex, Nancy, and Eva, join with their own families, and the grandparents, their mum and dad, to celebrate Alex's new daughter's naming ceremony, and mum's 70th birthday. The brood is staying at an exclusive rental house miles from London. As the story unfolds through chapters told from the point of view of each sister, the women's secrets are revealed. The person who is holding the biggest secret is Vivienne, the mum. As autumn rain storms, thundersnow, and wind swirl outside, the family is stuck inside this big glass house. The novel is intriguing and holds nothing back when it comes to parents who pick one child as their favorite. Excellent read.

I loved the premise of the story, as every family has perceived favorites. Littlewood does a fabulous job creating the simmering animosity that accompanies sibling relationships. There is always love, but underneath there is a constant comparison to one siblings that creates tension within those relationships. Littlewood explores those elements between the three sisters and the novel.

She’s smartly uses flashbacks to illuminate how and why the sisters feel the way they do. She also utilizes flashbacks in relationship with the girls and their parents. I was a little disappointed because the author hinted at a major issue within the family, and throughout the novel I was expecting a major reveal. When the reveal came, it wasn’t as shocking as I thought it would be based on the lead up to it. The ending seemed a little rushed as she tried to tie up all the loose ends. I feel that her ending was a little too convenient for the authentic, yet complicated, relationships that she created.

I'm not quite sure how I felt about this story. There was certainly a lot of drama and angst, but after a while, I really didn't care about this family. That said, this would be good for book clubs discussing families, secrets,and the relationship of sisters.

Thank you Netgalley for this arc. This is by the same author that wrote Amazing Grace Adams, which I loved! It's Vivienne's 70th birthday and her and her husband, Patrick have a great family, wonderful daughter, and their husbands, and grandkids all come to celebrate her. Patrick reveals his favorite daughter and it stirs up a bunch of secrets and family drama between the sisters. There was so much drama, but it was so good and fun to read.

Family sagas aren’t always my jam, so I was cautiously optimistic about The Accidental Favorite, and it doesn’t disappoint in the drama department! Basically, the whole story builds to a messy, frantic crescendo, but it works. There is A LOT of dysfunction in this family– a lot of it is entertaining, but a lot is also very cringy. I was pleasantly surprised by the commentary woven throughout of being a daughter/mother/woman and all the…everything… that entails in today’s world. Ultimately, this book is an inside look at how special (and messed up) sister relationships are and how most of us with sisters wouldn’t have it any other way.

The very emotional story of a family bursting apart at the seams from hurts, grievances, resentment, and deep held secrets. The whole family comes together on holiday to celebrate their mother’s seventieth birthday but an incident early on brings all the angst of the sisters they harbor in insecurities and problems.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A crazy family weekend brings three sisters and their parents together filled with flashbacks and revelations. Each family member carries their own secret which could bring them together or tear them apart. Nice story about the bonds and struggles of family. Would read again.

The Accidental Favorite by Fran Littlewood
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
Book Goal - 6/60
Publication Date - June 24th 2025

Alex, Nancy, and Eva, middle aged sisters away on a family vacation with their parents, kids, and significant others for their mother’s seventieth birthday. At the start, a near fatal accident almost occurs where their father saves one sister but not the other two, spiraling each sister and their parents into memories of the past and the wonder and anxiety of if their father has a favorite child.

I really enjoyed this book. It tackles such an array of topics: aging, parent child relationships, sister relationships, in the trenches of strained-to-your-limit motherhood, older motherhood to an infant, feelings of inadequacy, atonement for past sins in the present, guilt, and a lot more, but under it all Littlewood subtly emphasizes a deep sense of love between siblings. What I also really enjoyed was Littlewood created a heavy sense of familial drama, but with an ending I thought was very much believable without being over the top and I respect that a lot! Can’t wait to read her backlist debut of Amazing Grace Adams.

A big thank you to @netgalley @_franlittlewood and @henryholtbooks for letting me read the book for an honest review!

I enjoyed this book but at times it was difficult to keep up with all of the characters. and the writing was a bit chaotic. I felt the story dragged on a bit but I do love reading about sibling dynamics and I found the childhood flashbacks interesting.

I wasn't sure about this one for pretty much the entire time, but I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since I finished. This book left a mark, I loved it.

I love stories centered on family, so I was extra excited to read this book! The premise hooked me immediately. While the story started a little slower, I was quickly drawn into the world of the Fisher family and the complex dynamics among them, all their messiness and secrets. The multiple POVs following the sisters and their mother were all very well-done, and I also enjoyed the inclusion of flashbacks throughout, even though they were initially confusing to follow. Overall, I'd give this one 3.5 stars rounded up to 4, and would definitely recommend for anyone who enjoys a family dramedy and/or fans of books like Ann Napolitano's Within Arm's Reach and Coco Mellors's Blue Sisters! Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for the ARC.

This was a messy, messy family and I loved all of their awkwardness and secrets. Throughout all of the drama it was clear that the sisters always loved and supported each other (even when biting each other), so even when it seemed like shit was going way off the rails, it still felt reasonable and solvable. I definitely needed some Nik closure, though.

The Accidental Favorite by Fran Littlewood was an okay read for me. I enjoyed the alternating narration from the 3 sisters and the mom. I was intrigued to find out how everything would turn out and the ending was good. This book would definitely give book clubs a lot of discussion material. Thanks to NetGalley as well as Henry Holt & Company for the advanced digital copy.

I requested this book because I love stories involving sisters, especially 3 sisters, as I am the oldest of 3 girls. This book was a beautiful character driven novel about the people in our families and our lives, and how our thoughts and opinions and feelings change, but the love is always there. Like all families, this novel's family is full of secrets, drama, love, loss, and forgiveness. While I think it will resonate most with families of sisters, I think any one can relate to these characters.

The short synopsis is that at a family gathering, a tree falls almost on top of three sisters, and the father only lunges to save one of them. This turns into years of pent up trauma and emotions coming out during a three generation family vacation.

The beginning was a little slow, but as it picked up pace in the end I couldn't put it down. I connected to some characters more than others, but overall it was a good family drama read.