Author: Fiona Lowe
ISBN: 9781489246745
RRP: $29.99
Publisher: HQ Fiction
Copy: Courtesy of the Publisher
Fiona Lowe is a prolific Australian author and Birthright is her thirtieth novel. Her writing craft was honed writing romances until she decided to tackle bigger stories, broader subjects and the possibility of not so happy endings. Now Fiona Lowe writes contemporary Australian family drama sagas, we read Daughter of Mine this time last year and I loved it, so was thrilled to be able to offer Birthright.
Birthright brings us the story of the Jamiesons, an ageing mother and her three children. Margaret Jamieson is the wealthy matriarch whose health is deteriorating and that leaves minds to wander to the legacy she will leave behind.
The declining health of the head of a wealthy family offers endless story scenarios, and I’m sure that the minefield of inheritances is something that many will be able to relate to. A lot of the time it isn’t until after the passing that the claws come out as everyone fights for what they believe is their rightful share of the family estate. Sometimes the infighting starts in anticipation and that makes for addictive reading.
Margaret Jamieson may be the matriarch but she has always enjoyed her role as family puppet-master as well. She has three very different children and the thought of a hefty inheritance unearths long held childhood sibling rivalries, secrets and betrayals. Lowe will keep you guessing, and compulsively turning pages to see if the bonds of family can withstand the lure of wealth.
Wills and inheritance raise a lot of questions, and sometimes a lot of bitterness. Is an inheritance a right of birth or a privilege earned by the benchmarks of the person bequeathing it? Does the esteem you are held in have a direct relationship with the size of the inheritance? Does it offer or withhold security or freedom? These are all questions that are often bandied about in a time where emotions are already running high with grief and loss leaving a family raw. The perfect breeding ground for bitterness, resentment and feuding.
I look forward to locking myself away with Birthright sometime very soon, but in the meantime 20 of our Beauty and Lace Club members are already reading Birthright thanks to Harlequin, so please be aware there may be spoilers in the comments below.
Birthright is available now through Harlequin and from Angus and Robertson Bookworld, Booktopia and where all good books are sold.
I devour books, vampires and supernatural creatures are my genre of choice but over the past couple of years, I have broadened my horizons considerably. In a nutshell – I love to write! I love interacting with a diverse range of artists to bring you interviews. Perhaps we were perfect before – I LOVE WORDS!