Description

The unmissable novel from Fran Littlewood, the New York Times bestselling author of Read With Jenna pick Amazing Grace Adams – available to pre-order in paperback!

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AS FEATURED ON BBC RADIO 4 WOMAN’S HOUR
A STYLIST MUST-READ BOOK OF 2025
A SUNDAY TIMES ‘STUFF EVERYONE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT’ PICK
AN OPRAH BEST SUMMER BOOKS TO READ
A PEOPLE MAGAZINE MOST ANTICIPATED SUMMER BOOK
A BARNES & NOBLE BEST PAPERBACK JUNE 2026

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‘FABULOUS . . . God, I wish I had written it. Funny, dark, fascinating and UTTERLY convincing. On my QWJ (Queasy With Jealousy) Scale, I award it 16/10’ MARIAN KEYES
‘Once I picked up The Favourite, I did not want to put it down until the last page was turned’ LOTTIE HAZELL, author of Piglet
‘Wonderful and very funny. You’re in for such a treat’ GEORGINA MOORE, author of The Garnett Girls
‘Excellent. A detailed and fascinating look at the effects of sibling order in families and what it feels like to think your parent has a favourite child’ STYLIST
‘Tender, funny and truthful , Littlewood’s tale reveals long-held secrets, chronicles treacherous inner thoughts, and revels in the sweet , spiky nature of sisterhood’ MAIL ON SUNDAY
‘A powerful and emotional tale, rich in nuance, exploring loyalty, truth and the fragile nature of love’ WOMAN’S WEEKLY

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The Fisher family are on holiday . . .

Mum, Dad. And their three grown-up daughters
– Alex, Nancy and Eva – plus their young families.

Sisters with differences, yes –
but these are quickly glossed over.
This is not a family of secrets, lies or even half-truths.

Or so they tell themselves.

Right up until Dad accidentally drops a bombshell:
he has a favourite . . .

And suddenly everything unravels.
All the secrets. All the lies. The not even half-truths.

But might it take coming apart to bring this family back together?

PRAISE FOR THE FAVOURITE

‘You’ll be captivated by the well-drawn characters’ GOOD HOUSEKEEPING

‘So sharp, funny, pacey and incredibly well-observed. I loved it’ REBECCA WAIT, author of I’m Sorry You Feel That Way

‘Fabulous – funny and brilliantly claustrophobic on family dynamics’ LAUREN BRAVO, author of Preloved

‘Fran Littlewood has the incredible ability to write like she’s been observing you and your family for years’ ORE AGBAJE-WILLIAMS, author of The Three of Us

‘Sizzles with familial tension . . . Heartbreaking, candid and witty’ JUSTIN MYERS

‘Brilliantly funny, dark, insightful, wildly satisfying’ NATASHA POLISZCZUK

‘Has a cinematic quality . . . Every moment feels alive. Full of tender moments and thoughtful insights, The Favourite will be a favourite of readers, perfect with those with imperfect families – which is to say, all of us’ SHELF AWARENESS

‘What makes this sibling dramedy so delectable is Littlewood’s writing . . . All the nuances of sisterhood, daughterhood, wifehood, motherhood, divorcehood, and more are illuminated by this tale of spilled wine, slapped faces, and enduring family love.’ OPRAH DAILY

Publisher Review

Now and again I read a book which is so FABULOUS I get queasy with jealousy. This is one such book. God, I wish I had written it. Funny, dark, fascinating and utterly UTTERLY convincing. On my QWJ (Queasy With Jealousy) Scale, I award it 16/10. — Marian Keyes What makes this sibling dramedy so delectable is Littlewood’s writing… All the nuances of sisterhood, daughterhood, wifehood, motherhood, divorcehood, and more are illuminated by this tale of spilled wine, slapped faces, and enduring family love. * Oprah Daily * Fran writes like a wilder, more breathless Claire Lombardo . . . A huge talent. Set over the course of a family reunion that goes very wrong, THE FAVOURITE is a layered, textured story about the reverberations of the past and secrets in a family, and a psychologically astute look at love and relationships. It’s wonderful and very funny. You’re in for such a treat. I LOVED it. — Georgina Moore, author of The Garnett Girls You’ll be captivated by the well-drawn characters * Good Housekeeping * Fran Littlewood is an expert chronicler of family dynamics, and particularly the complex, competitive, and sparkling nature of sisterhood. Once I picked up THE FAVOURITE, I did not want to put it down until the last page was turned — Lottie Hazell, author of Piglet So sharp, funny and pacey, and incredibly well-observed, especially when it comes to the small but treacherous undercurrents that run beneath the family. I loved it. — Rebecca Wait, author of I’m Sorry You Feel That Way THE FAVOURITE is an absolute knockout – ferociously observed, fantastically funny and deeply relatable. I could not stop reading this dark-edged, pacy, moving novel and was consumed with thoughts about the characters whenever it wasn’t in my hands. Sensationally good — Rosie Walsh, bestselling author of The Man Who Didn’t Call There’s to be no Difficult Second Album Syndrome for Fran Littlewood. The Favourite starts with a (literally) cracking premise, and gets messier and more mysterious from there. It is darkly funny, keenly observed, and full of poignant, vivid images. — Tim Minchin A powerful and emotional tale, rich in nuance, exploring loyalty, truth and the fragile nature of love * Woman’s Weekly * Littlewood’s writing is sharp and dry, with a forensic feel for family dynamics and emotional blind spots * Sunday Mail *