The Favorite Child by Emma Robinson is a heart-wrenching, emotionally charged thriller that stays with you long after you read it.

Parents are not supposed to have a favorite child, but deep down, they just might even if they don't like to admit it and try their best to not let it show.

When the main character and her husband found out they were expecting they were thrilled, they were overjoyed when they found out it was twins and over the moon when they found out it was boy/girl twins. Their ideal family all in one go.

Going from zero kids to two was chaotic but they learned over the years that their son Ben would need their help more then his twin Mollie. Ben's mom thought she was doing her best to give Ben the best shot at life, but didn't realize that it might come at the cost of Mollie.

Years ago they had a house fire, and the kids mom had to choose which child to push out to safety first, she chose Ben. So when Mollie goes missing her mom can't help but wonder, is she to blame? Did Mollie know Ben was the favorite?

This was an emotional read for me. I have read alot of books regarding missing children but this one was absolutely brilliant. I cared about the characters so much and I highly recommend to everyone.

Thank you to NetGalley & Bookouture for the chance to read this book!

Decently Paced, pretty good read, for a special needs parent with another kid this book really hit home on a lot of topics.. Very good book, deeply informative and I would say from personal experience probably pretty accurate based on the family's feelings of the whole thing. So I'm giving it 5 stars just for touching on such a deep topic, I think just about every parent has thought "What would i do in a fire, how would I get everyone out!?" Living with guilt as a special needs mother is, thinking you have done everything wrong, second guessing yourself with little everything you do. Idk if the author is special needs mother or not but She definitely was spot on with everything, and I'm sure with the silblings feelings towards the primary parent as well.

I have been in a reading slump recently, but I shot through the second half of this book. The main character is very likeable, especially as the story progresses and you understand the decisions she has had to make for her family and the difficult situations she has been in. I think, at the beginning, I judged her quite harshly, but as the novel progresses she really grows as a character and learns from impossible decisions in her past.

I also really loved the twins’ characters. Mollie and Ben both provide really important representation that many will relate to in some way. Ben with his high support needs autism and Mollie being a young carer. Parents and siblings of children with significant additional needs face many challenges and it’s important the whole family feels supported. I found this book to be an exploration of those challenges and some of the difficulties that can arise through not having support. There is a mystery and thriller element as well, which is very gripping. The ending is hopeful and satisfying.

Emma Robinson is an amazing author. Her books are always well researched, well written and highly emotional and The Favourite Child is no exception. It deals with complex issues in a sensitive way and as always, with this author, it had me reaching for the tissues. Absolutely fantastic.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

The Favourite Child by Emma Robinson is a family drama that delves into the struggles of raising twins with very different needs. The story focuses on a boy with autism and his twin sister, who becomes entangled with an online predator. While the premise is intriguing, the execution felt a bit predictable and lacking in originality.

The novel touches on real and difficult themes, such as the emotional toll of parenting a child with autism and the dangers children face in the online world. The tension between the parents as they try to balance their children's needs is certainly a relatable aspect, especially in a family torn by the demands of raising two very different children. However, the conflict felt a bit formulaic. The family drama, though emotional, didn’t provide many surprises along the way. The separation of the parents, the son's needs, and the daughter’s encounter with an online predator all follow a fairly familiar trajectory.

One area where the book succeeds is in its portrayal of the son’s autism. The author clearly put in effort to show the struggles and challenges faced by children with autism, as well as the impact it has on the family. Yet, for the most part, the characterization felt more like a checklist of issues rather than a deeply original or fresh perspective on autism or family life.

Similarly, the daughter's involvement with an online predator is a significant part of the plot, but the way it unfolds was somewhat predictable. The danger felt real, but the path to its resolution lacked the tension or unpredictability that might have made it feel more compelling.

While the book’s writing is solid and accessible, it didn’t take many risks with its storytelling. The emotional arcs of the characters felt somewhat linear, and as a result, the journey towards resolution felt a bit expected. For readers seeking a thought-provoking or unpredictable exploration of family life and the complexities of raising children in today’s world, The Favourite Child might feel a little safe and conventional.

In conclusion, while The Favourite Child does tackle some important themes and offers a relatable portrayal of family life under stress, the story itself lacks the originality or depth that could have made it stand out. It’s an okay read for those who enjoy family dramas, but it doesn’t bring much new to the table in terms of plot or insight.

Poignant! The favourite child is a brilliant read. A story of family, drama, additional needs and sacrifice.

Molly and Ben are twins, the story follows their family and how they navigate traumatic events, work life balance, autism and more. It is an emotional read as we follow their parents through some tough decisions.

I love Emma Robinson’s books and this one is no exception.

Emma Robinson is definitely an author to look out for. Her books are always well written with great characters that capture your heart and this was every bit as good as I hoped it would be.
The Favourite Child tells the story of a mum trying her best to navigate life with twins, molly and Ben, but one is severely autistic and requires an extra level of care and attention.
I really enjoyed this book, and the characters were so well written, with different points of view, which made the story even better.
Beautifully written as always!

Erica and Andrew are parents to twins Mollie and Benjamin. Andrew is a police officer and it was when he was working night shift that Erica woke up to smoke in the house. Grabbing the children, she managed to escape the house. They then bought another house that they loved.

It was when the children were around two that Erica noticed that Benjamin seemed to be lagging behind Mollie in social development. It wasn’t long after that he was diagnosed with a difficult autism. Erica is the one to help calm him.

Now, Erica and Benjamin live in an apartment about away from Andrew and Mollie as Benjamin attends a special school. It is difficult for all of them because Erica only gets to spend a few hours on Sunday with Mollie while Benjamin has a caregiver.

When Mollie is caught stealing money from her favorite teacher’s purse, Erica is shocked and tries to find out why she did it, but she refuses to talk about it.

This story spotlights how having an autistic child can present so many difficulties and challenges for the entire family. The love one has for their special needs child is immense and parents and siblings want only the best life for this child. If you know of someone with a special needs child or just want to learn more about it, I highly recommend the you read this book.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Favourite Child was an action paced novel full of family drama. I really enjoyed that the story had many topics it tackled from struggles in marriage, trauma, special needs child, siblings, teen drama, and love. The story was well written and as I was reading the book I felt connected to the main character Erica. Every mom can sympathise with Erica and the battle she goes through both emotionally and at times physically. We take on so much guilt and put so much pressure on ourselves to do everything right but sometimes we fail.
Erica is struggling to raise her twins who are both unique and special. Ben is autistic and takes up all of Erica’s time and Mollie struggles with feeling like the forgot child. She loves her brother but wishes her mom noticed her too. Everyone is struggling in some way and Erica can feel her daughter and her marriage slipping away. How can she balance the guilt of the past, Ben’s challenges, raising a teenage daughter who seems to hate her, and saving her marriage to a man she truly loves. No matter how hard she tries she just can’t seem to get it right.
When Mollie makes a life changing decision the whole family will be affected, both in good ways and bad. The family will need to come together and figure out a new way to move forward, hopefully together.

Thank you @bookouture & @netgalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

In this emotionally charged novel, a mother must make a gut-wrenching decision while rescuing her young twins from a devastating house fire. Years later, her decision continues to have ramifications as she navigates the challenges of raising her twins, one of whom has special needs.

This character-driven story (which kept me fully engaged) explores themes of guilt, parenting, and the strains that can arise within a marriage as a couple deals with the profound impact of choices made in moments of crisis. Read this if you enjoy character-driven family drama novels.

This is my second Emma Robinson now, with the first also being an arc copy and it shows that Robinson is a very easy to read writer, with her work not being too complex / difficult to follow and an easy to read almost popcorn thriller.

Robinson delivers another emotional read, with multiple layers for the reader to unpack.

Have you ever had that conversation with your Mum over who her favourite child was during a sibling row? This story takes that conversation to a whole new level, and how can a parent even begin to make this decision?!

This author wades very carefully around some sensitive subjects, without pushing opinions in the readers face.

A mother will always put her children first - but at what cost?

Reading in Between the Wines book review #21/125 for 2025:
Rating: 4🍷🍷🍷🍷
Book: The Favourite Child
Author: Emma Robinson
AVAILABLE NOW!!!

Sipping thoughts: This was the most heart-wrenching book I've read in a long time. Working with children, this depiction of a child with autism wasn't only spot on but also just another aspect of sadness. Having multiple children can be hard because no matter what, at any given point, one will feel like they are getting less or more attention. This was a very well, written family drama.

Cheers and thank you to @Netgalley and @Bookouture for an advanced copy of @TheFavouriteChild.

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A heartbreaking story of family life with a child who is different, and all the consequences of actions taken . Every emotion possible was triggered but this really was an amazing book.
Many thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in return for my honest review

I put myself through the emotional wringer everytime I read a book that involves kids that have been hurt or gone missing. Robinson is the queen of writing said books and her books should come with tissues as standard!

Although I have no children of my own, surely you can't choose to favour one child over another...arent they both equally as important?

The story drew me in immediately and had me hooked right until the final page was turned. Robinson's characters are complicated, credible and for the whole extremely likeable.

A multi-layered well written family drama.

Ugh, this book really is heartbreaking. Emma Robinson writes beautiful stories that are both thought provoking and heartbreaking. I partially related to this book and to Erica so I really felt it deeply. Erica has spent a lot of time caring for Ben, who has autism. I don’t have children with autism, but I do have a developmentally delayed child, who is also speech delayed and has ADHD (he’s also had some previous medical issues that have resolved). He just needs our attention more than my older son. While my older son is neurodivergent with his ADHD, he is very independent and can ask for help when he needs it. My younger son cannot. So I kind of feel like my older son is the “glass child.” We do tend to overlook him sometimes because we’ve had to focus on our younger son. This book has opened my eyes some.

I don’t want to give too much about this book away, but there is another very important aspect of this book. It has to do with navigating teenage life for young girls, but that’s all I’m going to say because I want people to read this book and be as surprised as I was that the book went this way. Based on the story lines of this book, I think that this book would be an excellent one for a book club discussion.

Emma Robinson wrote in this book, “Don’t look at his world through your eyes, look through his eyes” and I think this quote is going to stick with me for a long time. It really makes me think differently about both of my children. Thank you Emma Robinson for writing such a beautiful, honest, raw book.

Wow what a book! An emotional rollercoaster that will make you smile, and then choke back tears. I absolutely loved it. It’s a very clever idea, and not implausible. A five-star review from me.

When Erica and Andrew find out they are having twins they are over the moon. They love the fact that they are having both a boy and a girl (Ben and Mollie), but the shock that Ben has Special Needs threatens to break up the family as Ben needs a lot more support than Mollie. However, when Mollie goes missing, it throws the whole family into panic. For the first time, Mollie is everyone’s priority. Erica hasn’t ever got over feeling guilty about something that happened when the twins were small, and she takes Mollie’s disappearance very hard. Can Erica and Andrew work together to ensure Mollie, and Ben, are safe?

A book full of raw emotion. Guilt, stress, happiness, betrayal, devastation and so much more. The characters are both likeable and relatable and Mollie seems like someone I could have as a good friend. A great story - I finished it in a day!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/222661535-the-favourite-child

https://maddybooksblog.blogspot.com/2025/03/the-favourite-child-by-emma-robinson.html

Thank you for ripping out my heart and putting it back together.
Erica and her husband have teenage twins. Mollie is a typical child while Ben needs some extra attention. Erica is doing her best but then there is a house fire and she has to pick one child to help. She chooses to help Ben first. Both children were safe but Erica worries that Mollie thinks she favors Ben over her.When Mollie goes missing, her worst fear comes true.
As a mom, I know how hard it is to balance motherhood. You want to do the best for ALL of your children. I learned that treating everyone fairly doesn’t mean treating everyone the same! This is a MUST read recommendation for me, especially if you have more than one child. I look forward to more books by Emma Robinson. Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
#TheFavouriteChild #EmmaRobinson #NetGalley #Bookouture #BooksOnTour #BookLove #Bookstagram #NewBook #ILoveBooks

No parent should ever have to choose one child over another. Erica, a mother of teenage twins, faced this difficult decision. Despite her fervent love for both Mollie and Benjamin, she knew Benjamin’s needs were paramount.

As a child on the autism spectrum, Erica’s dream of Benjamin attending a school tailored to his needs led her to the painful choice of living apart from her husband. But this also meant living apart from Mollie. She believed Mollie would be better off with her father, staying in her current school without losing the friendships she cultivated.

Mollie’s challenges were unsurprising, given the family’s split. Visitation between parents and children became difficult, testing Erica’s bond with Mollie and her relationship with her husband.

Does Erica favor one child over the other? The cracks in the relationships in this book become more evident. This sensitive and heartbreaking read takes an unexpected turn, tugging at your heartstrings even more than the perception of favoritism. Mollie faces difficulties and dangers that might have been avoided if Erica hadn’t separated the family.

I was captivated by the portrayal of the story. While we primarily see Erica’s narrative, we also get Mollie’s perspective, giving the book immense depth. As a parent and a grandparent, this heart-wrenching story made me question whether I could have made such difficult decisions and navigated such treacherous waters. I was fully immersed in this beautifully written story and couldn’t put it down. Emma Robinson’s storytelling tugged at my heartstrings, and I really hoped for a happy ending for all. Kudos to another exceptional story, Ms. Robinson.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Where's my tissues!. . . . . . . . . . The Favourite Child by Emma Robinson was another book, that just took my breath away and made me cry, several times. Sniff Sniff! But, every book Emma has written, has been written beautifully, she writes from her heart and this book was no different and you will be gripped from the very first page The Favourite Child was a great emotional page turner.

I highly recommend this latest book by Emma, but if you are going to read it whilst on your holiday sitting by the Pool I highly recommend You are hidden and have your sunglasses on! Plus, a few tissues hidden in your sun bag! You will need them lol. - Just beautiful.