Books & Literature

Book Review: Birthright, by Fiona Lowe

Does money make you happy? Is an inheritance earned or owed? A gripping tale of betrayal in a small Australian town as the Jamieson family show what wealth, status and prestige can do.

Does money make you happy? Is an inheritance earned or owed?

These are the questions you ponder as you read this gripping tale by Fiona Lowe. Based in a small Australian town, the Jamieson family show what wealth, status and prestige can do. They show you their two faces: the one the rest of world sees and the one that only the family sees.

Margaret is the matriarch of the wealthy, small town Jamieson family. She is a cold woman who is not very affectionate and who considers status and wealth to be very important. She has her two eldest children at her beck and call.

In a bid to gain her mother’s love, Sarah does whatever Margaret demands. Although a successful business woman, she feels as though she is lacking in her mother’s eyes. Sarah is a loyal daughter, a loving wife and mother, but it never seems to be enough for her mother. Her brother Cameron however, seems to do no wrong in their mother’s eyes.

Cameron’s life revolves around being the apple of his mother’s eye. He believes that he should have been the big success that his sister is, and resents her for it. Jealous of her wealth, he has a strained and uncomfortable relationship with Sarah and he makes her uneasy with his jealousy and competitiveness. Believing he deserves the family’s money, Cameron will risk his already shaky relationship with his sisters to get it.

Ellie, their youngest sister is different. She sees them only when necessary, which is generally when her sister demands it. Drawn back to the family home for the sake of her son, Ellie must face her demons and revisit the very memories that drove her away.

Australian Bestselling Author Fiona Lowe has written a tale of jealousy, greed, and betrayal. A perfect family from the outside, Fiona has captured the underlying torrents of this complicated family. Being set in a small Australian town, you can easily imagine the small-town culture, everyone knowing everyone, and the secrets impossible to keep hidden.

Fiona’s style of writing has you wanting to delve deeper into this family’s betrayal. This is a book that will have you question whether money brings happiness; whether you are owed an inheritance or whether you should earn it.

Reviewed by Rebecca Tscheresch
Twitter: @bek1357

Rating out of 10: 9

Distributed by: Harper Collins Publishers Australia
Released: February 2018
RRP: $29.99

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