Good Daughtering: The Work You’ve Always Done, the Credit You’ve Never Gotten, and How to Finally Feel Like Enough

by Allison M. Alford

A transformative look at the hidden work of adult daughters, offering a fresh perspective on caregiving, emotional resilience, and the power daughters have to shape healthier, more fulfilling family connections—for fans of both Susan Cain’s Quiet and Eve Rodsky’s Fair Play .

Daughters often grow up believing their role in the family is simple: love your parents, help out when you can, and carry on the traditions that bind you together. But adulthood reveals a more complicated reality—one where women take on the invisible labor of emotional caregiving, crisis management, and unspoken expectations that leave them stretched thin and unseen.

So, what is “daughtering”? If you’re a woman, it’s the unpaid, invisible work of holding a family together. In Good Daughtering, Dr. Allison M. Alford—a leading researcher in family communication—unpacks the untold story of adult daughters and the quiet, essential work they do. Drawing on years of groundbreaking research and personal interviews, she explores how societal expectations, gender roles, and generational dynamics shape the experiences of daughters in ways that are often misunderstood or overlooked.

From the subtle ways women navigate generational expectations to the emotional weight of balancing their own lives with the needs of their parents, Good Daughtering reveals the complexities of a role too often taken for granted. Full of sharp insights, relatable stories, and actionable tools, Dr. Alford’s approach invites women to reflect on their relationships, recalibrate their roles, and reclaim joy in their lives.

Daughters are most responsible for planning and saving for their futures and those of their families, and for supporting parents emotionally and practically as they age. More than a prescriptive guide, Good Daughtering is the long-overdue recognition of daughters who carry the weight in a family. It’s a roadmap for creating relationships that are not just functional but flourishing. This is the book every daughter deserves: an invitation to be seen, valued, and empowered in her role while honoring her own needs and desires.

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction, Parenting, Audiobook, Mental Health

240 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication February 17, 2026

Reviews

[RebeccaReadsTooMuch 💁‍♀️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t read too many self-help books, but Good Daughtering’s unique premise caught my eye. Mostly because I am personally in the thick of a “kinship shift” - defined by Alford as the time when parents become more reliant on you to care for them and lead the way. However, this book isn’t only about that stage of a relationship, and Alford does a nice job of including many daughtering relationship types and stages in her book.

While her book did provide some satisfying “a-ha” moments and reframing ideas for me, I think the biggest take away from reading this will simply be the personal awareness of the role of daughtering, especially the emotion work which is not as visible as the tangible physical tasks we more easily acknowledge.

Alford narrates her own audiobook, and I love the opportunity to hear this information directly from the source. She speaks her own words with clarity and conviction.

Overall this was a short, informative, thought-provoking book about a topic that deserves much more attention. I recommend all daughters give it a read. It would be a good one to invest in a copy and revisit every now and then as our circumstances and relationships change.

Many thanks to Harper Audio and Dey Street Books for the early copies.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

The term daughtering was new to me, but the experience of daughtering was absolutely not. As an eldest daughter through and through, this was a book written for me. I really liked how this was a blend of explaining what this is and how it shows up, offering space for reflection, and then giving considerations for a path forward. Obviously, every daughter is different, and there are some common threads that unite us all, and most of all, that we're talking about this stuff. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the look at this February 2026 release.

[Mersi · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS!

I didn't realize that I needed this so badly. Every daughter... especially the Oldest daughters. This book hurts in a good way. it girls stories at you that are 100% relatable and provides insight into my life that I desperately needed.

[Valerie Ramage · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high expectations for this book, which might be why I feel a little let down. It was a fine book, but I didn't find it earth-shattering.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

📚Good Daughtering
✍🏻Allison M. Alford PhD
Blurb:
A transformative look at the hidden work of all adult daughters who share the invisible load, from the eldest to the youngest, offering a fresh perspective on care, emotional resilience, and the power daughters have to shape healthier, more fulfilling family connections. For readers of both Susan Cain’s Quiet and Eve Rodsky’s Fair Play. Daughters grow up believing their role in the family is simple: love your parents, help out when you can, and carry on the traditions that bind families together. But adulthood reveals a more complicated reality—one where women take on the invisible labor of emotional support, crisis management, and unspoken expectations that leave them feeling stretched thin and unseen. So, what is “daughtering”? It’s the unpaid, invisible work women do to hold a family together—checking in, stepping up, and smoothing over—without ever considering its cost. In Good Daughtering, Dr. Allison M. Alford—a leading researcher in family communication—unpacks the untold story of adult daughters and the quiet, essential work they do. Drawing on years of groundbreaking research and personal interviews, she explores how societal expectations, gender roles, and generational dynamics shape the experiences of daughters in ways that are often misunderstood or overlooked. Whether navigating generational expectations or balancing their own lives with the needs of their parents, Good Daughtering reveals the complexities of a role too often taken for granted. Daughters are the ones who do the planning and saving for their futures and those of their families, and support parents emotionally and practically as they age. This book speaks directly to eldest daughters who become family anchors, and the middle and youngest daughters who take on different, but no less important, obligations and responsibilities of being a good daughter. Using sharp insights, relatable stories, and actionable tools, Dr. Alford invites women to reflect on their relationships, recalibrate their roles, and reclaim joy in their lives. Whether you’re paying the price for Eldest Daughter Syndrome or find yourself doing the work of caring for parents without recognition, it’s time to make your efforts visible and valued. More than a prescriptive guide, Good Daughtering is the long-overdue recognition of daughters who carry the weight in a family. It’s a roadmap for creating relationships that are not just functional but flourishing. This is the book every daughter deserves: an invitation to be seen, valued, and empowered in her role while honoring her own needs and desires.
My Thoughts:
As an only child and daughter, I related to a lot of the concepts in this book and appreciated the reminder. Things like how many of us think we’re not being the best daughters when we’re really doing the best we can with what we have, how daughtering is more than just visiting our parents and talking to them, it’s also the unseen mental and emotional energy we exhaust thinking about our role as a daughter too. That part was definitely reassuring. I also liked the reminder about boundaries and how to implement them, such as with unsolicited advice, doing half of what they ask and half of what you want to do in order to maintain autonomy, sense-making theory being about how talking about things and verbalizing them can help you make sense of your own thoughts to better communicate, and more..Alford provides a framework for understanding the emotional and logistical work that so many women carry within their families.
Thanks NetGalley, HarperAudio and Author?Narrator Allison M. Alford PhD for the Advanced Audio of "Good Daughtering" I am leaving my voluntary review in appreciation.
#NetGalley
#HarperAudio
#AllisonMAlfordPhD
#GoodDaughtering
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Maggie Driver · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Advanced Review Copy was provided by Dey Street Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book caught my eye on NetGalley because of the title, and while it had some little tidbits of good advice that were a nice reminder, it ultimately didn’t feel super revelatory in concept or learning like I thought it would. As an only child and daughter, I related to a lot of the concepts in this book and appreciated the reminder. Things like how many of us think we’re not being the best daughters when we’re really doing the best we can with what we have, how daughtering is more than just visiting our parents and talking to them, it’s also the unseen mental and emotional energy we exhaust thinking about our role as a daughter too. That part was definitely reassuring. I also liked the reminder about boundaries and how to implement them, such as with unsolicited advice, doing half of what they ask and half of what you want to do in order to maintain autonomy, sense-making theory being about how talking about things and verbalizing them can help you make sense of your own thoughts to better communicate, and more. The author suggested some interesting ideas that I liked, such as expanding FMLA to include acts of daughtering and the concept of the kinship shift and how our relationships and roles with our parents change as we age. The book uses words such as ‘daughtering’, ‘daughter rage’, ‘matrophobia’ and more throughout the book to elevate the often invisible work of being a daughter to larger society, but it honestly got tiring to read all these little phrases by chapter 4 and often seemed a little awkward. For example, I’ve heard of the phrase ‘matrescence’ before in relation to the transformation one undergoes when they become a mother, and though I have not read the book of the same name, the fact that the author of this book not only references that and uses the phrase ‘daughterescence’ as well to connect it, just felt awkward to me. I do believe that other women may relate to this book more or find it more revelatory in their own daughtering journeys, but it just didn’t hit the mark for me. Overall, I was glad that this book gave me some refreshers on family relations, but it may be more engaging and informing for someone else who connects more with it as a ‘new to me’ concept.

[Gloria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Daughtering by Allison M. Alford

I’ll be honest right up front: I’m not a self-help reader. You won’t usually find me wandering that aisle of the bookstore, and I don’t naturally gravitate toward books that feel like therapy sessions in disguise.

But this one reached out and tapped me on the shoulder.

As a daughter and an only child, Good Daughtering hit in ways I wasn’t expecting. One section in particular really stayed with me: the idea that as our parents get older, they change. They can become more blunt, more entitled, more emotionally raw, not because they’re mean, but because they’ve lived. They’ve seen things shift. They care less about appearances and more about survival, comfort, and truth.

That perspective landed deeply for me.

When you’re used to your parents being the steady ones, the fixers, the providers, the adults in the room, it can be quietly jarring to realize the tables are turning. They’re still capable, still independent, but they’re changing. And at the same time… so are you.

This book gently explores that in-between space: the emotional weight of being “the daughter,” especially when you’re the only one. It acknowledges the pressure that comes with watching your parents age while still trying to build your own life, career, and sense of self. Society, and especially corporate America, rarely accounts for that invisible labor. The exhaustion. The mental load. The constant balancing act.

What I truly appreciated is that this book never felt like I was sitting across from a psychiatrist being analyzed. Instead, it felt conversational, validating, and human. Yes, there are reflective moments and small exercises that ask you to pause and check in with yourself, but they’re woven in naturally, not clinically.

Good Daughtering puts words to feelings many daughters carry quietly: the guilt, the responsibility, the love, the resentment, the fear, and the deep desire to “do it right” without losing yourself in the process.

If you’re someone who’s self-help-curious but hesitant…
If you’re navigating changing family dynamics…
If you’re a daughter trying to make sense of a new season of life…

I genuinely recommend this one.

It doesn’t tell you who to be.
It helps you understand what you’re already carrying and reminds you that you’re not alone.

Highly recommended
Thank you Netgalley and Harper Audio for the advance readers copy!

[Atlas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Daughtering: The Work You’ve Always Done, the Credit You’ve Never Gotten, and How to Finally Feel Like Enough
by Allison M. Alford

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to William Morrow for the ARC! 💐📖

Vibe Check
• Reflective and validating
• Quietly revolutionary
• Academic yet deeply human
• Perfect for daughters, caregivers, and cycle breakers

What I Loved
• Finally, someone put a name to the invisible work of being a daughter - that constant balancing act of love, obligation, and expectation.
• Alford blends research and heart beautifully, showing how family communication patterns shape our emotional labor.
• The book honors women’s unseen efforts without judgment, offering both recognition and release.
• I loved the real-life stories woven throughout - each one felt like an echo of a thousand quiet conversations I’ve had with friends about being “the responsible one.”
• It’s not just about caregiving; it’s about boundaries, identity, and self-compassion.

What Didn’t Work for Me
• Some sections lean heavily on academic phrasing, which can momentarily break the emotional rhythm.
• I wanted a few more practical exercises - the reflective tone is powerful, but actionable steps would have grounded it even more.

Why You Should Read It
• You’ve ever felt unseen in your family role or wondered why “being the good daughter” feels so heavy.
• You’re navigating aging parents, generational expectations, or caregiving burnout.
• You want to transform that invisible labor into something acknowledged, healthy, and fulfilling.

Favorite Line

“Daughtering is not just what we do for others; it’s the lifelong story we tell ourselves about what we owe, and what we deserve in return.”

Final Word
Good Daughtering is equal parts mirror and manifesto. Dr. Allison M. Alford gives voice to the women who keep families functioning, often at the expense of their own peace. This book doesn’t just name the unseen work; it invites us to step out of it with grace, clarity, and self-worth. 🌿✨

[Meg Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Daughtering by Allison M. Alford is a thoughtful, validating exploration of what it really means to be a “good daughter,” and it’s a book that quietly stays with you long after you finish reading.

I don’t usually gravitate toward self-help, but Alford’s premise felt immediately relevant. Like many women navigating changing family dynamics, I’m in the midst of my own kinship shift, and this book met me right in that tender, complicated space. What stood out most was how Alford expands the idea of daughtering beyond midlife caregiving. She shines a light on the emotional, mental, and relational labor daughters carry at every stage—work that is often invisible, even to those who benefit from it most. Through a blend of research, reflection, and gentle reframing, she gives language to experiences many of us have been managing quietly for years, leading to several deeply affirming “a-ha” moments.

Listening to Alford narrate the audiobook added another layer of connection. Her voice is calm, compassionate, and steady, making the experience feel less like a lecture and more like a conversation with someone who truly understands the weight of these roles from the inside. This isn’t a prescriptive or clinical read; it’s warm, human, and reassuring. The simple but meaningful exercises at the end of each chapter offer space to pause and reflect on what you’re carrying—and why. While I occasionally wished certain sections went a bit deeper, the overall impact is undeniable. Good Daughtering brings long-overdue visibility to a role so many women perform instinctively and without acknowledgment. It’s a short, insightful, and much-needed book that I can easily see myself returning to as life—and daughtering—continues to evolve.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Dea · Rating 5 out of 5]

"There's a lot of good science that demonstrates that daughters are more connected to their mothers throughout their lives than they are to any other individual person."

As a daughter raising a daughter of my own, this book felt like a warm hug. There are so many resources for the many stages of womanhood, such as puberty, matrescence and parenting, and menopause, but very little time and effort has been devoted to exploring the concept of "daughtering." Being a daughter entails lifelong, ever-changing responsibilities and expectations, and the love and acknowledgment that Dr. Allison Alford bestows on this is empowering and heartwarming.

The book was very approachable, and every chapter ended with interactive activities. My favorites were the Likert-scale questions, which give you a total score and show how adaptive (or maladaptive) your current role (or perception of it) in the family is. I also found the chapter on how to face the process of parental aging to be extremely helpful and thought-provoking. There were also countless examples of how to handle confrontations, manage expectations, and embrace one's role as a daughter without losing oneself to it.

Overall, I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars for being engaging, helpful, and perfectly concise. Thank you, NetGalley and HarperAudio, for the opportunity to read an advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

[Jackie Sunday · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a relatively new term: daughtering. It’s all about the relationship a daughter has with her parents on different levels: emotional, financial and basic needs.

You can’t help but to think about your role as a daughter while reading this book. My mother would have laughed and said, “Well of course, you are the good daughter.” And yet, she said the same thing to her other three daughters – one that had the job of caring for her at the end of her life. We do what we can depending upon circumstances in life.

This book is packed with information on what it takes to be a part of a family with social activities, commitments and communications. For some, relationships get complicated and it takes work to manage the interaction and invisible lines of being in the daughter role. There are also great examples from others.

The circumstances with daughters are all over the map but this book may be helpful for women with doubt about the expectations and in need of encouragement. There are exercises at the end of the chapters that offer a way of reaching out with various situations. It’s the first book that has been written specifically for daughtering – a positive plus for women.

My thanks to Day Street Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of February 17, 2026. The views that I share are my own.

[Kayleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was nice to see a term to describe parts of what has been popularly referred to as "eldest daughter syndrome." Good Daughtering does a really good job of explaining the concept of daughtering and documenting how it shows up in real life. Daughtering is described as the unpaid, invisible work that is done to hold the concept of a family together- checking in, stepping up, and being the person to smooth things over when needed. This book speaks directly to eldest daughters who become family anchors, and the middle and youngest daughters who take on different, but no less important, obligations and responsibilities of being a good daughter.
The author suggested some interesting ideas, such as expanding FMLA to include acts of daughtering and the concept of the kinship shift and how our relationships and roles with our parents change as we age.
This book hit home and someone with guarded contact with my parents- all while knowing that I will likely be the person who has to show up if something went wrong.
I think this would hit home for those millennials who have had to help their parents navigate a constantly changing world and might be dealing with some of the delicacies of aging parents.

Good Daughtering is due to be published 02/17/2026 and I received an advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for my review.

[Melis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the clinical approach to daughtering — a concept most people wouldn’t even pause to consider. After all, daughtering is something you're born into and expected to instinctively excel at, without any real language to describe the emotional and invisible labor it actually involves. What Dr. Alford does so brilliantly is name and unpack that invisible work — the emotional caregiving, logistical thinking, and unspoken expectations that are woven into so many daughters’ lives. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC — this book was eye-opening in the best way. Rather than preach a one-size-fits-all approach, it blends research, reflection, and relatable insight to make the unseen work of daughters suddenly feel visible and valid. I found myself nodding along and reflecting on moments I’d never given language to before — especially the subtle, mental load that often goes unnoticed even by the daughters themselves. This is one of those books that will stay with me long after I finish it — not just because it reframed a familiar role, but because it finally gives that role the recognition it deserves.

[Rhiannon 🤍✨🐀 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daughtering, otherwise commonly described as eldest daughter syndrome is really deep dives in this self help book.

Now let me start off by saying I have been in therapy for going on 5y now for “daughtering” so a lot of this I have worked through and broken down prior to reading this book - had I read this book 5y ago it would have been earth breaking to me.

I think this book talks about a lot of things that tend to fall on daughters shoulders and relationships that aren’t properly balanced, along with unhealthy behaviors we gain just to feel like enough - I really think anyone struggling with family balance should read this book, especially if you are just starting to dive in to moving forward and making boundaries ect

There are worksheets through the book that make the ALC solo tough and I really think this should be an immersive read at minimum, however the narration by the author was great so I have no complaints there.

Thank you HarperAudio Adult, Dey Street Books, and NetGalley for this ALC in exchange for my honest review

[Chelsea Walsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Allison Alford's Good Daughtering is a deeply relatable and validating book that shines a long-overdue light on the invisible labor performed by adult daughters. Drawing on her extensive research and personal interviews, Alford provides a framework for understanding the emotional and logistical work that so many women carry within their families. This is not just another self-help book; it's a profound recognition of a reality that often goes unnoticed, even by the daughters themselves.

The book is powerful in its ability to give voice to a quiet but universal struggle. Alford expertly breaks down how societal expectations, family dynamics, and gender roles conspire to place this heavy, unpaid load on women. The mix of research-backed insights and compelling storytelling makes the content feel both authoritative and intimately personal.

[Laila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Daughtering is one of those books that quietly rearranges something inside you. Alford takes the roles and expectations placed on daughters and names them with clarity and compassion. As the eldest daughter myself, I felt so much of what she was saying on a level that was both validating and emotional. The way she lays out the invisible work daughters do, checking in, carrying the emotional load, smoothing conflict, stepping up even when no one asks, felt like someone finally describing experiences I’ve lived for years. Her blend of personal narrative, cultural commentary, and research makes the book feel both grounded and tender. It made me reflect on the patterns I learned growing up and the responsibilities I still carry now. It’s a powerful read that I would recommend to anyone who feels stretched thin by family expectations.

[Amanda Hodde · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an Advanced Readers Copy of Good Daughtering from Goodreads giveaways.

As an almost 50 year old daughter to parents 75-80, I have been recognizing the increase in my parents need for my assistance with things. More so physical assistance at this point as they are cognitively healthy.

We have a good relationship so I went into reading this book already happy with my role as their daughter. I had no need to work through current issues, but I was able to use this book to look forward at the role I will want to hold as they do continue to age.

This book has great prompts to look deeper into your relationships, eye openers of why and how you may be feeling with situations. I would recommend this book to anyone whose parents are aging, regardless of good or bad relationship.

[Kelley Shepherd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Goodreads for the ARC from a giveaway win!

I was intrigued by this book - as an only child/daughter, who is now raising a daughter - about the dynamics of adult daughters and their parents. Reading, I often reflected on my own relationship with my parents. I enjoyed the anecdotes the most, and it was interactive and reflective with the activities.

I think reading this during a busy season at work wasn’t the best, because I would skim over the more academic parts. I would’ve eaten this up in a Sociology or Women & Gender Studies class. I think all should read it, as we all know daughters in our lives.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Dey Street Books and HarperCollins for the ARC.

Allison Alford’s Good Daughtering is a basic introduction into familial systems specifically the role of daughters within family, culture, and society. While Alford is insightful and makes her research into Daughtering easy to understand, this book barely scratches the surface of the content. I wouldn’t say this book reaches a wide audience, yet the audience it does reach most likely has a foundational understanding of familial dynamics so Good Daughtering doesn’t add any new information. As well, it’s disappointing to see an author advocate for use of AI to keep relationships within a family cordial and respectful.

[MJ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two stars is a generous rating for this book.

I feel like I was completely hoodwinked. I thought this would be about how to better your relationship with your parents, but it ended up being so surface level that it wasn’t even helpful.

The author never talks about what to do in unhealthy relationship relationships with parents. She briefly discusses going no contact, but then says she would suggest you don’t do that. To me, it seems that the author wants daughters to simply put up with parents’ bad behavior as it’s just “they are changing and so are you.”

This gave me the ick so much I would never recommend it to anyone.

[Jaden Alaze · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title and description initially caught my eye. This book was insightful and shared a lot of research-based information. However, there wasn’t anything truly groundbreaking or transformative about it. I really enjoyed the author’s take on the kinship shift and how your dynamic with your parents changes as you get older and roles start to shift. I could definitely identify with a lot of the topics discussed throughout the book.

Overall, this was a solid and easy read. Since a lot of self-help books tend to drag, I appreciated that this one stayed interesting and well-paced.

This Advanced Readers Copy was provided by Dey Street Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Bethanie Grimwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

First I want to take a moment to thank Netgalley for the Advanced listener copy of Good Daughtering.

I greatly enjoyed this book! As someone who has always struggled with feeling like maybe I wasn't a good enough daughter, this was a perfect listen for me. It was relatable and helped to make me realize that there is no right or wrong way to be a daughter, we are all just out here doing the best we can! This is coming from someone who's " friend" constantly told her that she could never have the same relationship with her mom because they were better at it. It was refreshing and I have already recommended it to my sister.

[Karianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those books that I think is needed but also its own downfall. Daughtering was a new word but a known concept. For this reason, much of the book feels like common knowledge that’s being put to paper instead of new insight. Granted, I am reading this book as an oldest daughter. I think it’s an important book to have in the literature, but its impact is more likely to be felt by domino impact as opposed to initial publication. The audiobook narrator was easy to listen to and enjoyable. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC and ALC!

[Stephanie04 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book in exchange for a honest review.
As a daughter and first born, I could relate to this book so much. It's true that society doesn't seem to recognize the pressure put on daughters to help their aging parents and other family members (especially the part about a lot of work places being okay if a parent needs time off for a sick kid, but not being accepting of a daughter needing to be off to help a sick parent).
This book will give you a lot of food for thought.

[Lexi readingwhilehot · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was some goooooood reading. I find the best books leave me with more questions than answers, which this one rose to my top of 2025 reads. I wrote down so many notes, for myself and my relationships, for my therapy clients, for my mom and her mother…. The way the author set up the concept was clear, different cultural expectations and variations were explored using really high quality sources. I’m a white reviewer but I thought the author did a good job holding nuance around power and oppression.

Quizzes at the end of the chapters for reflections were great. I would recommend this to so many people, and find it could start healing dialogues within so many families!!

[Alaina Quintin · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an only daughter who became caregiver for an elderly parent at a young age, I found this book comforting at some points and emotionally challenging at others. Although it wasn’t necessarily any new information to me, it perfectly describes the ever changing dynamics of daughters and parents as we age. I could see this being a great conversation starter/tool to help navigate the difficult paths and societal pressures of daughtering.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to receive an ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

[Charlie - disableddaydreamer | itsbarbieparis (looking for mutuals) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio for providing the audiobook format but my review remains my own.

I needed to read this as an eldest daughter in a weird situation. I felt extremely seen and it gave me some perspective that I needed as I learn where I want my boundaries to be and how I navigate an “older daughter” archetype in the family. This comes with unique challenges that I don’t see talked about enough. Hearing and seeing others had the expectations and understanding they did, was nice to read. Overall written well and while informative it it’s not a dry read.

[Ellie Larkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperAudio Adult, and Dey Street Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Was this book groundbreaking? No, at least not for me. But was it super interesting? Absolutely! Being an eldest daughter (and not just a daughter), it was fascinating to learn about the concept of daughtering and what it looks like for others. This book won't change my life, but it has definitely left me with a lot to think about.

I think that if you're a daughter, regardless of your circumstances, you should give this a read. It was thorough and taught me a lot!

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audio of this book. While the term daughtering is new to me, being a daughter and the responsibilities that come with that are not. I enjoyed how this book not only explained that there are many different ways to daughter, but also gave insight on how all aspects of our lives affect the way we do daughtering, as well as the way daughtering affects the rest of our lives. I enjoyed the activities at the end of each chapter, as it gave some personal feedback.

[Murphy Hall · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

I found this book to come from a very privileged place. I was hoping to find a book to give my clients to read when they are daughtering in a toxic way. This book did not provide much information I would be willing to pass along to my clients.