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Birthright
Is an inheritance a privilege or a right?
Does it show love? Margaret, the matriarch of the wealthy Jamieson family, has always been as tight-fisted with the family money as she is with her affection. Her eldest daughter, Sarah, is successful in her own right as a wife, mother and part owner of a gourmet food empire. But it’s not enough to impress her mother. Always in the shadow cast by the golden glow of her younger brother, Sarah feels compelled to meet Margaret’s every demand to earn her love.
Does it give security? After a poverty-stricken childhood, Anita has claimed the social status she’s worked so hard to achieve by marrying Cameron Jamieson. Although they have a comfortable life, she’s never able to fully relax, fearing everything could change in a heartbeat.
Or does it mean freedom? Ellie, the youngest, has lived a nomadic and – according to her siblings – a selfish life, leaving them to care for their ageing mother. For her, freedom means staying far away from the strings attached to her inheritance, but she needs to consider her young son’s future as well.
As their mother’s health deteriorates, will long-held secrets and childhood rivalries smash this family into pieces?
Does it show love? Margaret, the matriarch of the wealthy Jamieson family, has always been as tight-fisted with the family money as she is with her affection. Her eldest daughter, Sarah, is successful in her own right as a wife, mother and part owner of a gourmet food empire. But it’s not enough to impress her mother. Always in the shadow cast by the golden glow of her younger brother, Sarah feels compelled to meet Margaret’s every demand to earn her love.
Does it give security? After a poverty-stricken childhood, Anita has claimed the social status she’s worked so hard to achieve by marrying Cameron Jamieson. Although they have a comfortable life, she’s never able to fully relax, fearing everything could change in a heartbeat.
Or does it mean freedom? Ellie, the youngest, has lived a nomadic and – according to her siblings – a selfish life, leaving them to care for their ageing mother. For her, freedom means staying far away from the strings attached to her inheritance, but she needs to consider her young son’s future as well.
As their mother’s health deteriorates, will long-held secrets and childhood rivalries smash this family into pieces?
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First published February 19, 2018
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About the author
Fiona Lowe
186 books646 followersMulti published, Fiona is very excited about her 2026 release, The Drowning a novel about a family, a holiday house and a dead body. Previously published with Berkley and currently with Harper Collins Australia, (HQ Fiction) Fiona's been the recipient of a RITA and two RuBY awards. Families and communities intrigue her and she loves creating characters you could meet on the street and enjoys putting them in unique situations where morals and values can blur and she begs the reader to ask themselves, 'What would you do?'
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 188 reviews
February 3, 2019
Birthright opens on Mother’s Day and anyone who has had a Mother’s Day that has been a little disappointing will immediately connect with Sarah.
Sarah is the oldest of the three Jamieson siblings. She is always trying to please her mother who must always be the centre of attention. Cameron, the middle child, is the mother’s favourite and she makes this fact very clear. Ellie is the youngest, estranged from the family for many years, she has recently moved back to the area.
Lowe has written a compelling family drama that includes many themes that faced by families everywhere; the struggle to look after your own children and an aging parent, sibling rivalries that spill over from childhood into adulthood, marriage breakdowns and family secrets.
As the story deepens and secrets emerge the characters reveal their true selves and motives.
I absolutely devour family sagas, immersing myself in their lives, their battles, their loves and their secrets. Birthright doesn’t disappoint. I swept through the story involving myself in the family, its ups and downs.
There is nothing dysfunctional about this family until you peel back the layers of respectability and display the hidden secrets.
Birthright is morbidly fascinating and heart-achingly sad. Interweaved between the betrayals, accusations and confessions is a beautiful love story.
My only complaint is the teenage son swore in front of his mother and was not reprimanded. The father then says the same word – not cool.
Content: infrequent coarse language, implied sex, implied child abuse.
This review is part of the Beauty & Lace Bookclub
To read the original review on Beauty & lace please visit http://bookgirl.beautyandlace.net/boo...
Sarah is the oldest of the three Jamieson siblings. She is always trying to please her mother who must always be the centre of attention. Cameron, the middle child, is the mother’s favourite and she makes this fact very clear. Ellie is the youngest, estranged from the family for many years, she has recently moved back to the area.
Lowe has written a compelling family drama that includes many themes that faced by families everywhere; the struggle to look after your own children and an aging parent, sibling rivalries that spill over from childhood into adulthood, marriage breakdowns and family secrets.
As the story deepens and secrets emerge the characters reveal their true selves and motives.
I absolutely devour family sagas, immersing myself in their lives, their battles, their loves and their secrets. Birthright doesn’t disappoint. I swept through the story involving myself in the family, its ups and downs.
There is nothing dysfunctional about this family until you peel back the layers of respectability and display the hidden secrets.
Birthright is morbidly fascinating and heart-achingly sad. Interweaved between the betrayals, accusations and confessions is a beautiful love story.
My only complaint is the teenage son swore in front of his mother and was not reprimanded. The father then says the same word – not cool.
Content: infrequent coarse language, implied sex, implied child abuse.
This review is part of the Beauty & Lace Bookclub
To read the original review on Beauty & lace please visit http://bookgirl.beautyandlace.net/boo...
February 21, 2018
Where do I start this book has left me speechless it is so good, from start to finish the characters come alive on the pages, the setting is fabulous and I got so invested in their lives that I was almost yelling at them as well as cheering some of them on, MS Lowe you rock with your fabulous words, I practically inhaled this story and my advice to other readers is clear your calendar for the day so as you can just read this one.
I don’t want to give too much away in this one, this is a story of a family, the Jamieson’s a privileged family in wealth and status but underneath there is a lot that is going on and has gone on in the past and now things are starting to come out, secrets are being uncovered and brother and sisters are disputing and arguing about the way things are being done and what should happen with the property and money.
Matriarch Margaret who has always held the power over her children Sarah, Cameron and Ellie is failing in health and this is starting to show in the family as it starts to break down not that they were always very close. Sarah is having marital problems has always been at her mother’s beck and call even though she has always known she is not the favourite, Cameron is married to Anita and is the favourite child and knows it and Elle the black sheep the one that was always in trouble, but can they work together or will break further apart with what is uncovered.
This is such a great story I finished it last night and I can’t stop going over what Sarah and Elle went through and Cameron’s behaviour throughout the story and the strength that Anita shows and Margaret what can I say other than I highly recommend that you pick this one up and fall into it like I did, thank you so much MS Lowe for a story that had me hooked from page one, awesome story. I have to say the epilogue is perfect I loves how everything turned out.
I don’t want to give too much away in this one, this is a story of a family, the Jamieson’s a privileged family in wealth and status but underneath there is a lot that is going on and has gone on in the past and now things are starting to come out, secrets are being uncovered and brother and sisters are disputing and arguing about the way things are being done and what should happen with the property and money.
Matriarch Margaret who has always held the power over her children Sarah, Cameron and Ellie is failing in health and this is starting to show in the family as it starts to break down not that they were always very close. Sarah is having marital problems has always been at her mother’s beck and call even though she has always known she is not the favourite, Cameron is married to Anita and is the favourite child and knows it and Elle the black sheep the one that was always in trouble, but can they work together or will break further apart with what is uncovered.
This is such a great story I finished it last night and I can’t stop going over what Sarah and Elle went through and Cameron’s behaviour throughout the story and the strength that Anita shows and Margaret what can I say other than I highly recommend that you pick this one up and fall into it like I did, thank you so much MS Lowe for a story that had me hooked from page one, awesome story. I have to say the epilogue is perfect I loves how everything turned out.
April 22, 2018
* https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
Birthright, the latest distinctly Australian family saga set piece from Fiona Lowe, marks my second outing with this popular author. After reviewing my first book from the established romance author, Daughter of Mine last year, I was very pleased to be gifted with the opportunity to review Birthright for Beauty and Lace Book Club.
Birthright raises an important question that strikes right at the nucleus of family entitlement. Should inheritance be considered a god given right or a gift? For the wealthy Jamieson clan of Victoria, this has become a matter of great importance in the wake of the declining health of Margaret, the matriarch of the family. Margaret’s inheritance sends the Jamieson offspring and their respective partners into a frenzy of sorts, as each family member debates their entitlement and worthiness in receiving Margaret’s legacy. At the same time, Margaret’s imminent passing acts as the catalyst for plenty of explosive family secrets, old rivalries and questions over claims of entitlement. It is one involving tale that pulls apart family relationships, questions of love, exposes betrayals. It also encourages the Jamiesons to search inside themselves, to discover their own family values.
Since I discovered the writing of Australian author Fiona Lowe and I joined her enthusiastic readers group, I have been looking forward to delving into the pages of her latest enthralling family saga. The high expectations I had going into Birthright were fulfilled, it was a welcome experience to spend my entire weekend with Ms Lowe and the rather complicated Jamieson clan! It took a little while to get into the beginning of this novel. I was almost a quarter of the way through before I felt satisfied with my understanding of the character set. A family tree with a list of the characters and their partners, as well as offspring at the opening of the novel may have assisted in my initial connection to this book.
Fiona Lowe’s life previous to being a fully fledged writer, working in the community health field, has put her in good stead for composing her rich family saga based novels. Lowe has a solid grasp on what makes families tick. She inherently knows what makes family units both thrive and fall to pieces. We witness this in the proceedings of Birthright. There were plenty of feuds surrounding these characters, as well as surprising secrets that were revealed and some entrenched feelings of resentment. I never knew what I was going to encounter next with the Jamiesons. It made for one highly addictive read!
I am certain Birthright will appeal to a wide audience. The main subject matter is an aspect of life and society that many have encountered. Personally, issues of inheritance have touched my own family and resulted in a permanent family estrangement. While I have also witnessed at number of inheritance claims disputed on my in laws side that rattled me to my core. The mind boggles as to the way people change once money is involved. It is a sad fact, but Lowe has her finger on the pulse in her examination of an inheritance being considered as a ‘birthright’.
Those who have experienced Lowe’s novels in the past have a fair idea of how she is able to expertly weave her narrative around a rich and natural Australian setting. Birthright is no exception, I basked in the luscious descriptions of the Victorian setting of Birthright. This aspect of the novel proved to be of great joy to this particular reader and I am sure it will offer the same response to all readers of this book.
Lowe’s approach to her characters is one of care and attention. Each character is incandescent, their individual light shines bright, but they are not without their flaws, which gives each an air of authenticity. The interplay that arises as a result of their complicated relationships and back histories gives much weight to this novel. The characters issue Lowe with enough fertile ground to cover serious issues such as elder abuse, sexual abuse, homosexuality, terminal disease and marital affairs. All these broader issues result in plenty of high drama, which plays out under the backdrop of the central inheritance tussle.
When the final page of Birthright was turned, a sense of relief and satisfaction washed over me. I think despite the fact that some of these characters behaved in a quite despicable way, they ultimately got what was coming their way.
The question of wealth is always a contentious issue and Fiona Lowe explores this subject area with great insight, wrapping the resulting family story up in one engrossing and highly readable novel. Birthright is one novel I would not hesitate to recommend to fans of Australian novels and those of love involving family saga style novels. I’m keen to order more from the talented Fiona Lowe.
*Please note that a free copy of this book was provided to me for review purposes through Beauty and Lace and HQ Fiction.
Birthright is book #37 of the Australian Women Writers Challenge
Birthright, the latest distinctly Australian family saga set piece from Fiona Lowe, marks my second outing with this popular author. After reviewing my first book from the established romance author, Daughter of Mine last year, I was very pleased to be gifted with the opportunity to review Birthright for Beauty and Lace Book Club.
Birthright raises an important question that strikes right at the nucleus of family entitlement. Should inheritance be considered a god given right or a gift? For the wealthy Jamieson clan of Victoria, this has become a matter of great importance in the wake of the declining health of Margaret, the matriarch of the family. Margaret’s inheritance sends the Jamieson offspring and their respective partners into a frenzy of sorts, as each family member debates their entitlement and worthiness in receiving Margaret’s legacy. At the same time, Margaret’s imminent passing acts as the catalyst for plenty of explosive family secrets, old rivalries and questions over claims of entitlement. It is one involving tale that pulls apart family relationships, questions of love, exposes betrayals. It also encourages the Jamiesons to search inside themselves, to discover their own family values.
Since I discovered the writing of Australian author Fiona Lowe and I joined her enthusiastic readers group, I have been looking forward to delving into the pages of her latest enthralling family saga. The high expectations I had going into Birthright were fulfilled, it was a welcome experience to spend my entire weekend with Ms Lowe and the rather complicated Jamieson clan! It took a little while to get into the beginning of this novel. I was almost a quarter of the way through before I felt satisfied with my understanding of the character set. A family tree with a list of the characters and their partners, as well as offspring at the opening of the novel may have assisted in my initial connection to this book.
Fiona Lowe’s life previous to being a fully fledged writer, working in the community health field, has put her in good stead for composing her rich family saga based novels. Lowe has a solid grasp on what makes families tick. She inherently knows what makes family units both thrive and fall to pieces. We witness this in the proceedings of Birthright. There were plenty of feuds surrounding these characters, as well as surprising secrets that were revealed and some entrenched feelings of resentment. I never knew what I was going to encounter next with the Jamiesons. It made for one highly addictive read!
I am certain Birthright will appeal to a wide audience. The main subject matter is an aspect of life and society that many have encountered. Personally, issues of inheritance have touched my own family and resulted in a permanent family estrangement. While I have also witnessed at number of inheritance claims disputed on my in laws side that rattled me to my core. The mind boggles as to the way people change once money is involved. It is a sad fact, but Lowe has her finger on the pulse in her examination of an inheritance being considered as a ‘birthright’.
Those who have experienced Lowe’s novels in the past have a fair idea of how she is able to expertly weave her narrative around a rich and natural Australian setting. Birthright is no exception, I basked in the luscious descriptions of the Victorian setting of Birthright. This aspect of the novel proved to be of great joy to this particular reader and I am sure it will offer the same response to all readers of this book.
Lowe’s approach to her characters is one of care and attention. Each character is incandescent, their individual light shines bright, but they are not without their flaws, which gives each an air of authenticity. The interplay that arises as a result of their complicated relationships and back histories gives much weight to this novel. The characters issue Lowe with enough fertile ground to cover serious issues such as elder abuse, sexual abuse, homosexuality, terminal disease and marital affairs. All these broader issues result in plenty of high drama, which plays out under the backdrop of the central inheritance tussle.
When the final page of Birthright was turned, a sense of relief and satisfaction washed over me. I think despite the fact that some of these characters behaved in a quite despicable way, they ultimately got what was coming their way.
The question of wealth is always a contentious issue and Fiona Lowe explores this subject area with great insight, wrapping the resulting family story up in one engrossing and highly readable novel. Birthright is one novel I would not hesitate to recommend to fans of Australian novels and those of love involving family saga style novels. I’m keen to order more from the talented Fiona Lowe.
*Please note that a free copy of this book was provided to me for review purposes through Beauty and Lace and HQ Fiction.
Birthright is book #37 of the Australian Women Writers Challenge
March 21, 2020
This is the first book I've read by Fiona Lowe and I enjoyed it immensely. I felt the characters were well drawn and believable. I liked looking at the perspectives of a character's self, verses how others see that character. e.g., for Sarah others see her as superwoman/supermum, while she just thinks of it as keeping everyone in her life (kids, husband, business) organised.
The nasty characters are consistent and well done. Boy, this mother is a piece of work!
Fiona Lowe has established a spot at the top of family saga/family drama writing in Australia, and I feel sure her newer works will only reinforce this.
The nasty characters are consistent and well done. Boy, this mother is a piece of work!
Fiona Lowe has established a spot at the top of family saga/family drama writing in Australia, and I feel sure her newer works will only reinforce this.
Read
December 31, 2020Dear Readers,
'Where there's a will, there's a relative' is a very apt statement. I wrote Birthright, because I wanted to explore, among other things, the tricky topic of family and money. Is inheritance a right or a privilege ? How do sibling rivalries and parental favorites impact on decisions? If one adult child is rich, does this mean they inherit less? And what happens when an elderly parent starts to fail and is open to coercison? I've also thrown in a struggling marriage, an estranged sister , a sister-in-law and one of the nicest men I've ever written, along with one of the worst. I hope you enjoy spending time with Ellie, Sarah and Anita as they navigate their lives, their family ties and a matriarch who isn't who she seems.
Happy Reading!
Fiona x
'Where there's a will, there's a relative' is a very apt statement. I wrote Birthright, because I wanted to explore, among other things, the tricky topic of family and money. Is inheritance a right or a privilege ? How do sibling rivalries and parental favorites impact on decisions? If one adult child is rich, does this mean they inherit less? And what happens when an elderly parent starts to fail and is open to coercison? I've also thrown in a struggling marriage, an estranged sister , a sister-in-law and one of the nicest men I've ever written, along with one of the worst. I hope you enjoy spending time with Ellie, Sarah and Anita as they navigate their lives, their family ties and a matriarch who isn't who she seems.
Happy Reading!
Fiona x
January 16, 2019
A great family saga with an interesting cast of characters but some quite unlikeable. What families do to each other can be very cruel.
January 11, 2023
What family complications! Fiona Lowe did not disappoint me. My favourite Aussie author. The characters were well depicted, some human, and some less so. So many heartaches and wrong turns but eventually worked out. Wish Sarah’s Dad had lived to see it.
April 7, 2018
3.5* http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspo...
My Thoughts
The premise of this book, as stated in the synopsis, ‘Is an inheritance a privilege or a right?’, is an interesting thought to ponder, especially for the Jamieson family in this particular situation. You put yourself in their shoes - are you simply entitled to the family inheritance? Should it be distributed evenly? Fairly based on recognition? What if you disagreed with the will? How far would you go to contest what you rightly thought was your entitlement?
“That it doesn’t change the fact that you made a life-altering decision without discussing it with me?”
With so much to consider from varying viewpoints, this became a long story. Perhaps a tad too long for my liking, as I felt some sections could have been shortened. Undoubtedly it is well written with a strong cast of characters who provide a most thought provoking family saga - the key word there would be provoking and I will get to that in a moment. Of course, families do not get along all the time, at the best of times, and many will relish this confronting and at times, difficult drama filled situations. In many ways it held potential as some situations or characters had recognisable dilemmas.
‘After all, who in their mid-forties, sandwiched between teenage children and ageing parents and with so many people making demands on them, didn’t crave time on their own?’
Apart from the hefty size of the tale, I struggled with a couple of other things. Firstly, these people were at times downright brutal to each other. Early on it did not sit comfortably with me but towards the end I did not enjoy how rude and confrontational they were to each other. There are some really unlikable characters here. The second thing I found difficult was the array of issues - everything from spousal affairs and vasectomies, to homosexuality and sexual abuse - just to name the main ones. It was just too many and too much and became overwhelming and ridiculously drama filled.
Overall I enjoyed some of the story and some of the characters - I had a lot of respect for Ellie and how her part played out and would have loved to learn more about the father, Kevin. But on the whole, there was just too much bitterness for me to swallow and many characters were too difficult to connect with as their infighting went to a whole new level.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
My Thoughts
The premise of this book, as stated in the synopsis, ‘Is an inheritance a privilege or a right?’, is an interesting thought to ponder, especially for the Jamieson family in this particular situation. You put yourself in their shoes - are you simply entitled to the family inheritance? Should it be distributed evenly? Fairly based on recognition? What if you disagreed with the will? How far would you go to contest what you rightly thought was your entitlement?
“That it doesn’t change the fact that you made a life-altering decision without discussing it with me?”
With so much to consider from varying viewpoints, this became a long story. Perhaps a tad too long for my liking, as I felt some sections could have been shortened. Undoubtedly it is well written with a strong cast of characters who provide a most thought provoking family saga - the key word there would be provoking and I will get to that in a moment. Of course, families do not get along all the time, at the best of times, and many will relish this confronting and at times, difficult drama filled situations. In many ways it held potential as some situations or characters had recognisable dilemmas.
‘After all, who in their mid-forties, sandwiched between teenage children and ageing parents and with so many people making demands on them, didn’t crave time on their own?’
Apart from the hefty size of the tale, I struggled with a couple of other things. Firstly, these people were at times downright brutal to each other. Early on it did not sit comfortably with me but towards the end I did not enjoy how rude and confrontational they were to each other. There are some really unlikable characters here. The second thing I found difficult was the array of issues - everything from spousal affairs and vasectomies, to homosexuality and sexual abuse - just to name the main ones. It was just too many and too much and became overwhelming and ridiculously drama filled.
Overall I enjoyed some of the story and some of the characters - I had a lot of respect for Ellie and how her part played out and would have loved to learn more about the father, Kevin. But on the whole, there was just too much bitterness for me to swallow and many characters were too difficult to connect with as their infighting went to a whole new level.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
April 3, 2018
This book actually raises a few interesting questions. Are we entitled to all the things our parents have worked for and accumulated, simply because they are our parents? Should people be able to choose what they leave to people and in what proportions? If you leave your fortune to your children, should you divide it equally? Or should you take into account the fact that some might be wealthier than others and need your assets, less, in a way?
Margaret is the formidable matriarch of a wealthy family – country aristocracy. She lives in a very large house and has various investments which have made her more than comfortable. Her health is deteriorating rapidly and her three children are faced with not only questions over how to manage her ailing health but with how the family assets will be divided. Some more than others, are determined to get their fair share….or more than their fair share.
Now a lot of people say you should never talk about money – and in fact one of Margaret’s children is reluctant to ask about or look at the will, because that breaches her privacy. I think for the most part there’s an understanding in a family that anything in terms of assets or money will be left equally to any children. Looking at the will isn’t necessary or something that even crosses some people’s mind until it’s necessary – but what if you felt like you were being left out or another sibling or person was favoured? Would you want to look then? Would you feel entitled to an equal share? Would you be willing to contest a will if you felt you’d been treated unfavourably? It’s a long messy process complicated by grief and feelings of anger and hurt.
There’s a lot of squabbling in this book. The three siblings (oldest Sarah, middle and only son Cameron and the youngest, free spirited Ellie) are constantly fighting like my two children, bickering back and forth about the most trivial of matters, even before anything complicated begins. Margaret it seems, is a narcissist who has raised her children to regularly compete for her love, frequently withholding it for various ridiculous reasons and her three children have paid the price of her vicious character in various ways. Sarah is a doormat, desperate for her mother’s approval or love, never receiving it no matter how far backward she bends for her. Cameron is grasping and spoiled, raised to believe that he’s perfect – the quintessential country heir. He’s selfish and scheming, jealous of Sarah and her husband’s success with their goat’s cheese and bitterly scathing of Ellie. He’s condescending and shitty to his wife and believes that the world owes him. Only Ellie was a character I had any real interest in and sympathy for. Her childhood was by far the worst and only the prospect of the most perfect job had brought her anywhere near her childhood home. Ellie tries to distance herself from her mother as much as possible, much to the chagrin of Sarah, who feels as though Ellie should assume some of the responsibility now that Margaret is becoming forgetful. Personally, I didn’t blame Ellie for not wanting much to do with any of them, coming to only the family dinners she couldn’t get out of for the sake of her young son to spend some time with his cousins. Sarah is sanctimonious and Cameron sneering.
As well as the stress with Margaret, most of the siblings have other things going on in their lives. Sarah’s husband is distant and soon she discovers the reason. Cameron’s wife Anita is desperate for security and although she’s willing to contribute, she’s unaware of the lengths her husband will go to in order to secure what he wants. And Ellie is facing being homeless with her young son and questioning a burgeoning friendship. There’s quite a lot of story in this book and it makes for an engrossing, easy read. Despite the fact that this is quite a chunky book at almost 500p, I read it in a day. I did feel that the beginning was a tiny bit slow and the ending felt a bit rushed – some of the really interesting stuff happened off page and I would’ve liked that to have been included because it felt a bit important after a long lead up.
I don’t have any of the answers to the questions this book poses really (every family situation will be different and I only know how it is in my family and how I feel about it) but I have to say I struggled with Margaret as a character and her attitude towards her children and towards others. She was a very difficult person to like – the book talks a lot about how she was charismatic and seemed to be well liked within the community but I mostly saw her interacting with her own children and her remarks were acerbic and bitter. I have no trouble believing how much she would’ve probably enjoyed the drama and hurt feelings that would result from an uneven distribution of wealth. It was interesting that so many women in this novel forged a strong connection as a result of one woman who had spurned all such connections with other women. Perhaps that was the best outcome from so much negativity.
I enjoyed this story but the characters (I really only liked Ellie and her love interest) made it difficult to connect with them for a large portion of the book and made it seem like a pack of spoiled children fighting over lollies. It was just enough to make this a book I liked but ultimately, didn’t absolutely love.
***A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for the purpose of an honest review***
Margaret is the formidable matriarch of a wealthy family – country aristocracy. She lives in a very large house and has various investments which have made her more than comfortable. Her health is deteriorating rapidly and her three children are faced with not only questions over how to manage her ailing health but with how the family assets will be divided. Some more than others, are determined to get their fair share….or more than their fair share.
Now a lot of people say you should never talk about money – and in fact one of Margaret’s children is reluctant to ask about or look at the will, because that breaches her privacy. I think for the most part there’s an understanding in a family that anything in terms of assets or money will be left equally to any children. Looking at the will isn’t necessary or something that even crosses some people’s mind until it’s necessary – but what if you felt like you were being left out or another sibling or person was favoured? Would you want to look then? Would you feel entitled to an equal share? Would you be willing to contest a will if you felt you’d been treated unfavourably? It’s a long messy process complicated by grief and feelings of anger and hurt.
There’s a lot of squabbling in this book. The three siblings (oldest Sarah, middle and only son Cameron and the youngest, free spirited Ellie) are constantly fighting like my two children, bickering back and forth about the most trivial of matters, even before anything complicated begins. Margaret it seems, is a narcissist who has raised her children to regularly compete for her love, frequently withholding it for various ridiculous reasons and her three children have paid the price of her vicious character in various ways. Sarah is a doormat, desperate for her mother’s approval or love, never receiving it no matter how far backward she bends for her. Cameron is grasping and spoiled, raised to believe that he’s perfect – the quintessential country heir. He’s selfish and scheming, jealous of Sarah and her husband’s success with their goat’s cheese and bitterly scathing of Ellie. He’s condescending and shitty to his wife and believes that the world owes him. Only Ellie was a character I had any real interest in and sympathy for. Her childhood was by far the worst and only the prospect of the most perfect job had brought her anywhere near her childhood home. Ellie tries to distance herself from her mother as much as possible, much to the chagrin of Sarah, who feels as though Ellie should assume some of the responsibility now that Margaret is becoming forgetful. Personally, I didn’t blame Ellie for not wanting much to do with any of them, coming to only the family dinners she couldn’t get out of for the sake of her young son to spend some time with his cousins. Sarah is sanctimonious and Cameron sneering.
As well as the stress with Margaret, most of the siblings have other things going on in their lives. Sarah’s husband is distant and soon she discovers the reason. Cameron’s wife Anita is desperate for security and although she’s willing to contribute, she’s unaware of the lengths her husband will go to in order to secure what he wants. And Ellie is facing being homeless with her young son and questioning a burgeoning friendship. There’s quite a lot of story in this book and it makes for an engrossing, easy read. Despite the fact that this is quite a chunky book at almost 500p, I read it in a day. I did feel that the beginning was a tiny bit slow and the ending felt a bit rushed – some of the really interesting stuff happened off page and I would’ve liked that to have been included because it felt a bit important after a long lead up.
I don’t have any of the answers to the questions this book poses really (every family situation will be different and I only know how it is in my family and how I feel about it) but I have to say I struggled with Margaret as a character and her attitude towards her children and towards others. She was a very difficult person to like – the book talks a lot about how she was charismatic and seemed to be well liked within the community but I mostly saw her interacting with her own children and her remarks were acerbic and bitter. I have no trouble believing how much she would’ve probably enjoyed the drama and hurt feelings that would result from an uneven distribution of wealth. It was interesting that so many women in this novel forged a strong connection as a result of one woman who had spurned all such connections with other women. Perhaps that was the best outcome from so much negativity.
I enjoyed this story but the characters (I really only liked Ellie and her love interest) made it difficult to connect with them for a large portion of the book and made it seem like a pack of spoiled children fighting over lollies. It was just enough to make this a book I liked but ultimately, didn’t absolutely love.
***A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for the purpose of an honest review***
January 26, 2021
This is my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it. The characters were distinct and unique with interesting back stories that played into their personalities. The story line seems predictable yet there are unexpected turns that definitely add to the plot.
I will be reading more by Fiona Lowe.
I will be reading more by Fiona Lowe.
December 27, 2020
Wow what a great read!
It was so validating to finally find a book that delves into the experiences of dealing with a narcissistic parent and the lifelong affects on each of the children and their relationships, and with each other.
As with all of Fiona's books, I love reading the point of view of many of the characters, and how the same story affects each of them.
It was so validating to finally find a book that delves into the experiences of dealing with a narcissistic parent and the lifelong affects on each of the children and their relationships, and with each other.
As with all of Fiona's books, I love reading the point of view of many of the characters, and how the same story affects each of them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2024
Brilliant family saga!
Listened to the audiobook via BorrowBox
Published by Bolinda/HarperCollins audio
Read by Rebecca Macauley
Duration: 15 hrs, 48 min. 1.25x Speed
Listened to the audiobook via BorrowBox
Published by Bolinda/HarperCollins audio
Read by Rebecca Macauley
Duration: 15 hrs, 48 min. 1.25x Speed
April 6, 2019
This books was amazing. The characters and topics raised had me enthralled. To watched the progress of all the characters in this story, I was hooked. Even weeks later I can't help but revisit a situation or characters inner dialogue and be in awe of how the author brought the narrative together. This book will stay with me for a long time.
May 20, 2025
A well-paced family drama that dives into inheritance, secrets, and the complicated bonds between siblings. I enjoyed the way the story moved between past and present, revealing how each character’s upbringing shaped their views on legacy and belonging. Despite their personal struggles, the siblings found common ground, ultimately choosing fairness and unity for the next generation. A solid read with emotional depth and satisfying closure. 4 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 6, 2021
This is one of those books where the characters linger in your mind long after closing the final page. It's difficult for me to think of beginning another book just yet.
This Canadian reader is discovering several Australian authors, and loving every one of them.
This Canadian reader is discovering several Australian authors, and loving every one of them.
February 5, 2021
Wow - what a great story. Loved the tangled family dynamics and skeletons in the closet. The characters were all well-written and believable. Sadly, so is the story line. Will look for more from this author.
April 9, 2018
Devoured this in a day, a real page-turner.
If you're a fan of sweeping family saga like I am, you'll thoroughly enjoy this!
If you're a fan of sweeping family saga like I am, you'll thoroughly enjoy this!
May 14, 2023
This was a great captivating read. The point of views of the three different families were equally interesting to read and I was able to engage with all of the main characters. This book interestingly describes the drama created by a wealthy family’s will when the family is dysfunctional and lacks real closeness. The ending was enjoyable and not predicable.
January 6, 2019
Really enjoyed this one!
March 21, 2018
Birthright was a fabulous story which captured my attention from the 1st page until the very last. It was a very interesting and thought provoking family saga, touching on some very sensitive subject matters with a wonderful and diverse cast of characters to add to the mix. I'm not saying that you'll necessarily like all of them though. I know I didn't. I won't say much more but highly recommend this book. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
June 19, 2020
Birthright. Another delicious read from Australian author Fiona Lowe.
Is an inheritance a right or a privilege? This caught my eye and I immediately picked this up to read. ( In South Africa where I was born there is a debate raging at present, about as to whether inheritance should be given to the state and not the children) so it was quite pertinent. Well, what can I say! What an amazing read. I adored this book, the small town the characters and the story immensely. Three very different families and a matriarch make-up the Jamieson family in the story. Fiona Lowe has such a gift for describing her characters in detail and make you love them (or dislike them a lot) that you almost believe you are part of the story. Everyone has their own opinion on who should inherit the family home and fortune. This causes rifts and derision within the family and leads to some interesting and shocking secrets being revealed. Sarah and Ellie, the daughters have had their own challenges, and as the story progresses you find out how this has affected them and there lives. Cameron the son is the “rightful heir” of the family home, but is this fair and should he get the house because he is the oldest son? Camerons wife Anita is an integral part of the story and supports her husband's wishes in most things, but is everything all that it seems? If you are looking for a page-turning Australian family saga then I recommend reading this.
Is an inheritance a right or a privilege? This caught my eye and I immediately picked this up to read. ( In South Africa where I was born there is a debate raging at present, about as to whether inheritance should be given to the state and not the children) so it was quite pertinent. Well, what can I say! What an amazing read. I adored this book, the small town the characters and the story immensely. Three very different families and a matriarch make-up the Jamieson family in the story. Fiona Lowe has such a gift for describing her characters in detail and make you love them (or dislike them a lot) that you almost believe you are part of the story. Everyone has their own opinion on who should inherit the family home and fortune. This causes rifts and derision within the family and leads to some interesting and shocking secrets being revealed. Sarah and Ellie, the daughters have had their own challenges, and as the story progresses you find out how this has affected them and there lives. Cameron the son is the “rightful heir” of the family home, but is this fair and should he get the house because he is the oldest son? Camerons wife Anita is an integral part of the story and supports her husband's wishes in most things, but is everything all that it seems? If you are looking for a page-turning Australian family saga then I recommend reading this.
April 3, 2020
Breathtakingly good - stayed up until 4am to finish this masterpiece.
May 19, 2018
4.5 stars
Family drama......this book is loaded with it! The engrossing story consists of generations of greed and generosity, love and hate, interesting plot, diverse cast of characters and all the bells and whistles to keep you, quickly, turning the pages.
Family drama......this book is loaded with it! The engrossing story consists of generations of greed and generosity, love and hate, interesting plot, diverse cast of characters and all the bells and whistles to keep you, quickly, turning the pages.
October 17, 2019
The reviews are so good I wanted to like this book but in the end I gave it away. The first few pages are about someone waking up on mothers day disappointed. The detail of thought and action in every second was painstaking to read and I could already see the chore ahead in this heavy paged novel. I stuck with it for the first chapter and summed up that this chapter was about character introduction. There was nothing to hold my interest and the pages were dialogue heavy.
September 9, 2019
A good little read, set in country . Predictable in places but enjoyed while on holidays!
February 4, 2021
Brief synopsis from the book cover:
Is an inheritance a privilege or a right?
Does it show love? Margaret, the matriarch of the wealthy Jamieson family, has always been as tight–fisted with the family money as she is with her affection. Her eldest daughter, Sarah, is successful in her own right as a wife, mother and part owner of a gourmet food empire. But it's not enough to impress her mother. Always in the shadow cast by the golden glow of her younger brother, Sarah feels compelled to meet Margaret's every demand to earn her love.
Does it give security? After a poverty–stricken childhood, Anita has claimed the social status she's worked so hard to achieve by marrying Cameron Jamieson. Although they have a comfortable life, she's never able to fully relax, fearing everything could change in a heartbeat.
Or does it mean freedom? Ellie, the youngest, has lived a nomadic and – according to her siblings – a selfish life, leaving them to care for their ageing mother. For her, freedom means staying far away from the strings attached to her inheritance, but she needs to consider her young son's future as well.
As their mother's health deteriorates, will long–held secrets and childhood rivalries smash this family into pieces?
My rating:
Plot: 4 out of 5 stars
Writing: 4 out of 5 stars
Character development: 4 out of 5 stars
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars
Recommended for readers of:
Women’s Fiction
General Fiction
Review:
This is a well written book about the complicated and often complex relationships between siblings and their parents. It also gives a good insight how the dynamic of relationships changes as children become adults and the moment the roles reverse and it’s the parents who now require care instead of the children. The story flowed well and the plot was well set up, it kept me entertained all the way through. The characters were interesting and as in real life some were nice and others not so much. Their actions were explained in great detail and their traits consistent this made them realistic.
Overall:
This is an interesting well written book that gives a good insight into family relationships; you get it all the good, the bad and the ugly. It made the plot very realistic and captivating. The characters are true to life and show both good and bad traits. This made them appear true to life. If you enjoy a good family saga, this one is for you!
Is an inheritance a privilege or a right?
Does it show love? Margaret, the matriarch of the wealthy Jamieson family, has always been as tight–fisted with the family money as she is with her affection. Her eldest daughter, Sarah, is successful in her own right as a wife, mother and part owner of a gourmet food empire. But it's not enough to impress her mother. Always in the shadow cast by the golden glow of her younger brother, Sarah feels compelled to meet Margaret's every demand to earn her love.
Does it give security? After a poverty–stricken childhood, Anita has claimed the social status she's worked so hard to achieve by marrying Cameron Jamieson. Although they have a comfortable life, she's never able to fully relax, fearing everything could change in a heartbeat.
Or does it mean freedom? Ellie, the youngest, has lived a nomadic and – according to her siblings – a selfish life, leaving them to care for their ageing mother. For her, freedom means staying far away from the strings attached to her inheritance, but she needs to consider her young son's future as well.
As their mother's health deteriorates, will long–held secrets and childhood rivalries smash this family into pieces?
My rating:
Plot: 4 out of 5 stars
Writing: 4 out of 5 stars
Character development: 4 out of 5 stars
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars
Recommended for readers of:
Women’s Fiction
General Fiction
Review:
This is a well written book about the complicated and often complex relationships between siblings and their parents. It also gives a good insight how the dynamic of relationships changes as children become adults and the moment the roles reverse and it’s the parents who now require care instead of the children. The story flowed well and the plot was well set up, it kept me entertained all the way through. The characters were interesting and as in real life some were nice and others not so much. Their actions were explained in great detail and their traits consistent this made them realistic.
Overall:
This is an interesting well written book that gives a good insight into family relationships; you get it all the good, the bad and the ugly. It made the plot very realistic and captivating. The characters are true to life and show both good and bad traits. This made them appear true to life. If you enjoy a good family saga, this one is for you!
February 20, 2021
I really struggled to get into this book. I did finish it bc I rarely DNF a book but this one almost got there. What should’ve been an easy read about a family squabbling over past hurts and inheritance was, in reality, a slow boring slough featuring a host of either boring or terrible characters.
This book would’ve benefitted from editing out extra stuff that I think were supposed to be twists but really just muddled the story - Noah (and his conception story) was a useless character, all the random children who were away at schools or overseas were useless, Edmund was useless (as was the backstory of his wife and daughters), and Luke’s random dead wife backstory was also useless. The author could’ve better spent this time describing the Jamieson family dynamic over the years to draw you into how we arrived at the current situation. Instead time is spent on random things and the rushing of what should be pivotal revelations. The gay father angle have been explored and processed through the lens of the adult children (although him randomly having AIDS was awkwardly inserted and served no purpose), the paternity revelation (which then turned into an incest revelation) barely took up a page, no mention of Cam’s relationship w his dad - instead we just random pages and side stories about cheese making, new local restaurants, and the stereotyping of the closeted gay son joining the school musical. Really...just a mess of a story - writing was decent for the genre but someone should’ve stepped in during editing and gotten things on track.
The most interesting character by far was Margaret herself - what does happen when a narcissist hell-bent on maintaining a strict public visage becomes mentally infirm? She wasn’t likable in the least but made a complex and interesting villain. I would read a book about Margaret’s backstory and marriage by itself.
Overall, not good but I’ve read worse. Author apparently needs more honest feedback from editors and test readers about narrative distillation and how to identify the intriguing parts to expound upon.
*DISCLAIMER* I try to review books on their own merit or against the author’s other works. I recognize that it is not equitable or useful to compare emerging authors against long-established authors.
This book would’ve benefitted from editing out extra stuff that I think were supposed to be twists but really just muddled the story - Noah (and his conception story) was a useless character, all the random children who were away at schools or overseas were useless, Edmund was useless (as was the backstory of his wife and daughters), and Luke’s random dead wife backstory was also useless. The author could’ve better spent this time describing the Jamieson family dynamic over the years to draw you into how we arrived at the current situation. Instead time is spent on random things and the rushing of what should be pivotal revelations. The gay father angle have been explored and processed through the lens of the adult children (although him randomly having AIDS was awkwardly inserted and served no purpose), the paternity revelation (which then turned into an incest revelation) barely took up a page, no mention of Cam’s relationship w his dad - instead we just random pages and side stories about cheese making, new local restaurants, and the stereotyping of the closeted gay son joining the school musical. Really...just a mess of a story - writing was decent for the genre but someone should’ve stepped in during editing and gotten things on track.
The most interesting character by far was Margaret herself - what does happen when a narcissist hell-bent on maintaining a strict public visage becomes mentally infirm? She wasn’t likable in the least but made a complex and interesting villain. I would read a book about Margaret’s backstory and marriage by itself.
Overall, not good but I’ve read worse. Author apparently needs more honest feedback from editors and test readers about narrative distillation and how to identify the intriguing parts to expound upon.
*DISCLAIMER* I try to review books on their own merit or against the author’s other works. I recognize that it is not equitable or useful to compare emerging authors against long-established authors.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2021
450 pages
5 stars
Families...what a loaded topic.
This is the story of the Jamieson siblings and their formidable mother, Margaret. Sarah is the eldest and is married to Alex. Cameron is the favorite middle child and his wife is Anita, whom he calls Annie. Ellie is the youngest and is judged to be a wild child who goes her own way. They all have secrets, as does Margaret. She has some very big ones.
Sarah and Alex run an internationally famous cheese factory, complete with their own goats. Cameron fancies himself a shrewd businessman who owns a real estate company. His practices are somewhat questionable. Anita had a catering business and would love to get it started up again. She adores her husband and can't understand why his sisters can't seem to stand him.
Ellie is the single mom of Noah. She lives nearby in a communal sort of situation. Two of her roommates are lesbians, so of course, the entire family thinks she is a lesbian too. She works in social services, assisting people in finding jobs and living situations.
Margaret rules the family with her airs and by withholding her approval of her children, except for Cameron who can do no wrong. Her health is failing. Her memory is poor. She blurts out some explosive secrets to Sarah who begins her own investigation of the past. What she uncovers is startling and answers some questions she has always had. When Ellie reveals more, Sarah is sent into a tailspin.
Dealing with their own dramas and problems combined with their mother's eventual death and...The Will!!!
This book is remarkably well written and plotted. The transitions are flawless; the book flows seamlessly. I was so involved in the story that I did not want to let it go. I was sad to see it end. This is my first book by Fiona Lowe, but it won't be my last. How could I have missed this author? I immediately went to Amazon to look for others of her novels.
5 stars
Families...what a loaded topic.
This is the story of the Jamieson siblings and their formidable mother, Margaret. Sarah is the eldest and is married to Alex. Cameron is the favorite middle child and his wife is Anita, whom he calls Annie. Ellie is the youngest and is judged to be a wild child who goes her own way. They all have secrets, as does Margaret. She has some very big ones.
Sarah and Alex run an internationally famous cheese factory, complete with their own goats. Cameron fancies himself a shrewd businessman who owns a real estate company. His practices are somewhat questionable. Anita had a catering business and would love to get it started up again. She adores her husband and can't understand why his sisters can't seem to stand him.
Ellie is the single mom of Noah. She lives nearby in a communal sort of situation. Two of her roommates are lesbians, so of course, the entire family thinks she is a lesbian too. She works in social services, assisting people in finding jobs and living situations.
Margaret rules the family with her airs and by withholding her approval of her children, except for Cameron who can do no wrong. Her health is failing. Her memory is poor. She blurts out some explosive secrets to Sarah who begins her own investigation of the past. What she uncovers is startling and answers some questions she has always had. When Ellie reveals more, Sarah is sent into a tailspin.
Dealing with their own dramas and problems combined with their mother's eventual death and...The Will!!!
This book is remarkably well written and plotted. The transitions are flawless; the book flows seamlessly. I was so involved in the story that I did not want to let it go. I was sad to see it end. This is my first book by Fiona Lowe, but it won't be my last. How could I have missed this author? I immediately went to Amazon to look for others of her novels.
October 8, 2021
Birthright by Fiona Lowe is a family drama which pits three siblings against each other as it asks the question: is inheritance a privilege or a right? Margaret is the matriarch of the wealthy Jamieson family. She has been as tightfisted with the family money as she has been with her affections. Sarah is the eldest child and although she and her husband, Alex, run a successful business. She feels she must meet her mother’s every demand in order to earn her love. Her sister-in-law, Anita, grew up in poverty and now lives a comfortable life with a social status, married to Sarah’s brother, Cameron. But she lives in constant fear that everything can change in a heartbeat. Ellie is the youngest, as lived a nomadic life as she is determined to stay far, far away from the family strings. As their mother’s health deteriorates, the siblings begin to truly wonder who will get what and fight and scheme to make sure each other gets what they deserve. But soon long held secrets and childhood rivalries threaten to tear the family apart.
This is my first book by Ms Lowe and I can say it probably won’t be my last. Birthright was like experiencing a soap opera on the page. With the twists and turns of a good drama, the reader is left guessing about each character’s motivations and schemes as they fight over their mother’s secret will, a will that she has refused to show any of them. Who gets what? And who has been left out? From the very beginning, the characters and their stories draw you in. Immediately, it becomes apparent who is scheming who out of their inheritance but will they win? It is a question that kept me glued to the page. I enjoyed how each character was written with realism as they have their own flaws, demons and motivations that neither makes them the heroes or the villains. There are a few characters that can be easily disliked but in the end, no one escapes this drama unscathed. There are a few shocking moments as the secrets are revealed. I look forward to reading Ms. Lowe’s other titles. I highly recommend Birthright.
Birthright is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook.
This is my first book by Ms Lowe and I can say it probably won’t be my last. Birthright was like experiencing a soap opera on the page. With the twists and turns of a good drama, the reader is left guessing about each character’s motivations and schemes as they fight over their mother’s secret will, a will that she has refused to show any of them. Who gets what? And who has been left out? From the very beginning, the characters and their stories draw you in. Immediately, it becomes apparent who is scheming who out of their inheritance but will they win? It is a question that kept me glued to the page. I enjoyed how each character was written with realism as they have their own flaws, demons and motivations that neither makes them the heroes or the villains. There are a few characters that can be easily disliked but in the end, no one escapes this drama unscathed. There are a few shocking moments as the secrets are revealed. I look forward to reading Ms. Lowe’s other titles. I highly recommend Birthright.
Birthright is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook.
February 1, 2021
This is a very interesting story about siblings , inheritances , family dynamics , trust and marriage. Two sisters and their brother fight over their parents’ money and their inheritances while they learn many family secrets that may jeopardize their own marriages and their lives . I enjoyed reading about the characters with their marital and emotional issues and how they solved them.
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