Birthright

By: Fiona Lowe

Narrated by: Rebecca Macauley

Length: 15 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

An addictive story of the relationships between siblings and of deceit, betrayal and revenge.

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?

©2018 Fiona Lowe (P)2020 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Critic reviews

"A readable and thoughtful book. It has winner written all over it." (The Weekly Times)

Birthright

I didn’t get into it until about halfway. I stuck with it because it reminds me of my siblings and me. I’m glad I stuck with it because it is an excellent story once the inheritance questions come in. The narrator is very good with the different characters. Her voice is lovely. I’m looking forward to more by the author.

Great book

I had to stop this audio several times. It was so true to my own experience, I honestly couldn’t believe it. But the author lives in a different country and knows no one in my family- oh dear, to think there are other families ,even fictional ones like mine😧 In addition to the great, developing story line, and character development, this book contains an important subject matter. Readers: think, plan carefully and put family/ relationships first, always.

Interesting story!

I thought the characters were well developed and the ending realistic. I'm going to check out other books from this author.

Wow, what a story!

Families are very complicated and it shows in this story. Add money and aging parents to the mix and what a disaster.

Words

I was very disappointed with this book, was really looking forward to it because of my own wonderful memories of visiting Australia for one glorious month in 1998. I fell in love with the people, history, flora and fauna of this magnificent land. Truly had I been a young woman at the time I am not sure that I wouldn’t have tossed all to the wind and emigrated as soon as the ink dried on the paperwork.

So why the disappointment? Four chapters invested in a sincere effort to understand the narrative found me totally flummoxed. I could barely understand one sentence due to the Aussie dialect. I didn’t have that problem while there at the same time I also had an abundant amount of real and wonderfully helpful locals to draw upon for anything I didn’t understand.

This is no reflection upon the author she being Australian herself. The error is mine and mine alone.

Words can and often do carry their own connotation according to the nation, social customs not to mention various dialects. While there my grown son and self were constantly involved with the locals having great fun over our words for various items. One such incident comes to mind vividly.

Son being a man full grown soon found himself smitten by the charms of one of the local ladies. He asked her out for dinner, researching and locating the most romantic local residence for elegant dining. Flowers, fine wine, moonlit table on the balcony above the rugged river below. No effort too intense in order to make sure she was accorded the best.

They ordered their meal then proceeded to enjoy each other’s company via conversation over a nice glass of wine. Son has always been more of a water or beer drinker as he is a cattleman used to being out on the land most days. There wasn’t a water glass in sight but there was a narrow white china bowl with ice and a wedge of lemon on the edge. So he upped it and drank the whole in one gulp.
The lady friends eyes widened considerably but she said nothing. The next waitress was asked for a refill which as soon as poured he again gulped right down. Now both the lady friend as well as the waitress are staring at him. Then the lady friend broke out in laughter explains to him that his minuscule water cup was really a finger bowl. He observed its true use then they went back to their conversations.

He lived through that learning curve with a minimal amount of embarrassment the next though he’ll remember until his dying day.

Dinner was served son notices that the shrimp was obviously finger food he was unable to find something suitable upon which to wipe his hands so he calls the waitress over and states quite clearly that he needs a ‘napkin’. The whole dining area is now looking at him, the waitress is bright red and stammering the lady friend jumps to his rescue requesting of the waitress the proper name for the item desired. Once everyone stopped looking and went back to their own meals the lady friend informs him under her breath that a napkin is a feminine hygiene product. That what he wanted is referred to as a ‘freshet’.

I was sort of hoping that she might just end up being a daughter in law, she was such a lovely person in every manner. Alas that one got away but we will never forget that magical land down under, those memories are there forever.