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Her Daughter
“About parenthood, love, the mystery of estrangement and hope of reconciliation, this novel is a stunner” –Caroline Leavitt, New York Times best-selling author of Pictures of You and Days of Wonder
“I’m only telling you in case the police contact you. Esme was arrested, but I’m handling everything, and she doesn’t want to hear from you.”
That email from her ex-husband is almost the only information Alice Wilson has had about her twenty-three-year-old daughter, Esme, in the six years since Esme abruptly ended all communication.
As Alice, an environmental activist, scrambles to learn why Esme was arrested and what might happen next, she inevitably also rethinks the past. Her obsessive search up and down the California coast antagonizes her friends and jeopardizes her job. But none of that matters to Alice as she uncovers hints of a daughter she’d never known—and of her then-husband’s role in their estrangement, even while they were married.
Who is the Robert Corning who was arrested with Esme, and why did she pay his bail? Why did Esme become bulimic in college? Why is she continuing to push Alice away while still being chummy with her father? Most importantly, will Esme agree to meet with Alice? And if she does, will Alice say the wrong thing—whatever that wrong thing is?
“I’m only telling you in case the police contact you. Esme was arrested, but I’m handling everything, and she doesn’t want to hear from you.”
That email from her ex-husband is almost the only information Alice Wilson has had about her twenty-three-year-old daughter, Esme, in the six years since Esme abruptly ended all communication.
As Alice, an environmental activist, scrambles to learn why Esme was arrested and what might happen next, she inevitably also rethinks the past. Her obsessive search up and down the California coast antagonizes her friends and jeopardizes her job. But none of that matters to Alice as she uncovers hints of a daughter she’d never known—and of her then-husband’s role in their estrangement, even while they were married.
Who is the Robert Corning who was arrested with Esme, and why did she pay his bail? Why did Esme become bulimic in college? Why is she continuing to push Alice away while still being chummy with her father? Most importantly, will Esme agree to meet with Alice? And if she does, will Alice say the wrong thing—whatever that wrong thing is?
333 pages, Paperback
Published January 22, 2026
24 people are currently reading
3219 people want to read
About the author
Fran Hawthorne
19 books303 followersFran Hawthorne got sidetracked for three decades writing award-winning nonfiction, including eight books, mainly about consumer activism and business social responsibility. But she's been actually been writing novels since she was in elementary school.
Her newest--HER DAUGHTER--has just been published by Black Rose Writing. Kirkus Review said of it: "A deep dive into the pain of separation and hope for reconciliation conveyed with grace, realism, and empathy."
Fran has also published two other novels, including I MEANT TO TELL YOU (Stephen F. Austin State University Press, November 2022), a finalist for the SARTON AWARD, the ERIC HOFFER BOOK AWARD, the NATIONAL INDIE EXCELLENCE AWARDS (in both contemporary novel and women's fiction), and other honors.
Her newest--HER DAUGHTER--has just been published by Black Rose Writing. Kirkus Review said of it: "A deep dive into the pain of separation and hope for reconciliation conveyed with grace, realism, and empathy."
Fran has also published two other novels, including I MEANT TO TELL YOU (Stephen F. Austin State University Press, November 2022), a finalist for the SARTON AWARD, the ERIC HOFFER BOOK AWARD, the NATIONAL INDIE EXCELLENCE AWARDS (in both contemporary novel and women's fiction), and other honors.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
March 21, 2026
The parent-child estrangement in Her Daughter was heartbreaking. I was moved to tears at points, but at other times felt suffocated by the protagonist’s level of anxiety. It was an interesting way of getting me to sympathize with the daughter, Esme, who rejects the main character, Alice, (her mother), and leaves only hints of existence over the next six years.
The ice-out leaves Alice and the reader with so little information about Esme (or Dan, the father she went to live with) that everything feels off balance, and we know we’re not getting the whole story. Because the story is told entirely from Alice’s point of view, there is never any other. And Alice is so caught up in her own reactions that she evaluates herself moments after speaking instead of staying present with the person in front of her. She is so afraid of relating incorrectly that she cannot simply be. There is no rest for her under her own magnifying glass, and no rest for her daughter in her presence. She fills silence with plans for forward movement instead of listening, and that pressure freezes Esme.
Alice quenches her thirst to know her daughter wherever she can, and this gives us tender moments with Esme’s current boyfriend, Bobby, and others with Esme’s HS friend. These scenes feel like the first opening, they are sweet and surprising. There is a small circle of friends who support her and confront her, and there’s a parallel mother-daughter bond that helps Alice navigate. Underneath it all is the question, Who is my daughter? And who am I without her? By the end, Alice begins—just begins—to see Esme as separate. That recognition carries hope, but emotionally I never felt close enough to Esme to feel her interior shift. And at moments I had to put the book down, when Alice’s blindness felt especially acute. I sometimes felt asked to carry more of the devastation than she could bear herself—as though I had to hold the stillness she could not tolerate.
3.5
The ice-out leaves Alice and the reader with so little information about Esme (or Dan, the father she went to live with) that everything feels off balance, and we know we’re not getting the whole story. Because the story is told entirely from Alice’s point of view, there is never any other. And Alice is so caught up in her own reactions that she evaluates herself moments after speaking instead of staying present with the person in front of her. She is so afraid of relating incorrectly that she cannot simply be. There is no rest for her under her own magnifying glass, and no rest for her daughter in her presence. She fills silence with plans for forward movement instead of listening, and that pressure freezes Esme.
Alice quenches her thirst to know her daughter wherever she can, and this gives us tender moments with Esme’s current boyfriend, Bobby, and others with Esme’s HS friend. These scenes feel like the first opening, they are sweet and surprising. There is a small circle of friends who support her and confront her, and there’s a parallel mother-daughter bond that helps Alice navigate. Underneath it all is the question, Who is my daughter? And who am I without her? By the end, Alice begins—just begins—to see Esme as separate. That recognition carries hope, but emotionally I never felt close enough to Esme to feel her interior shift. And at moments I had to put the book down, when Alice’s blindness felt especially acute. I sometimes felt asked to carry more of the devastation than she could bear herself—as though I had to hold the stillness she could not tolerate.
3.5
March 3, 2026
‘There's no correct answer with teenage daughters'.
When Alice receives a text message from her ex-husband simply stating that, although their daughter, Esme, has been arrested, not to worry (or contact them) as he's taken care of it. As alarm bells start ringing in Alice's head, her worry becomes all consuming, because finding out just what happened to Esme might actually be slightly easier than actually finding her, let alone talking to her.
'Her Daughter' is an emotionally layered exploration of the complicated terrain between a mother and daughter. At its core, the story explores the simple truth: love between a parent and child can be both anchoring and combustible, often in the same breath.
Hawthorne captures the push/pull bond between Alice and her daughter in alternating timelines. Their relationship is tender yet tense, shaped by fierce protectiveness, unspoken resentments, and the daughter’s natural drive toward independence. All exacerbated by the ever shadowing presence of the narcissistic ex-husband who never ceases warping reality and gas-lighting their history, leaving Alice fighting not only for her daughter’s trust but for the integrity of their shared reality. The emotional realism is what makes this story compelling.
Demonstrating how emotional sabotage can be insidious, slowly eroding confidence and connection, Hawthorne resists easy resolutions, allowing the complexity of family bonds to stand as they are: resilient, fragile, and deeply human. This is a story about motherhood, autonomy, and the long shadow cast by a toxic partner, and above all else, how a mother's love and sense of hope never dies.
As a mother of two teenage daughters myself, I felt every ounce of Alice’s anxiety — that constant fear of saying too much, or not enough, and somehow getting it wrong.
'There were times when they'd truly been happy together, weren't there'?
When Alice receives a text message from her ex-husband simply stating that, although their daughter, Esme, has been arrested, not to worry (or contact them) as he's taken care of it. As alarm bells start ringing in Alice's head, her worry becomes all consuming, because finding out just what happened to Esme might actually be slightly easier than actually finding her, let alone talking to her.
'Her Daughter' is an emotionally layered exploration of the complicated terrain between a mother and daughter. At its core, the story explores the simple truth: love between a parent and child can be both anchoring and combustible, often in the same breath.
Hawthorne captures the push/pull bond between Alice and her daughter in alternating timelines. Their relationship is tender yet tense, shaped by fierce protectiveness, unspoken resentments, and the daughter’s natural drive toward independence. All exacerbated by the ever shadowing presence of the narcissistic ex-husband who never ceases warping reality and gas-lighting their history, leaving Alice fighting not only for her daughter’s trust but for the integrity of their shared reality. The emotional realism is what makes this story compelling.
Demonstrating how emotional sabotage can be insidious, slowly eroding confidence and connection, Hawthorne resists easy resolutions, allowing the complexity of family bonds to stand as they are: resilient, fragile, and deeply human. This is a story about motherhood, autonomy, and the long shadow cast by a toxic partner, and above all else, how a mother's love and sense of hope never dies.
As a mother of two teenage daughters myself, I felt every ounce of Alice’s anxiety — that constant fear of saying too much, or not enough, and somehow getting it wrong.
'There were times when they'd truly been happy together, weren't there'?
February 16, 2026
Wow! Such an emotional book. Alice is estranged from her daughter, Esme, who still has a relationship with her father and Alice's ex-husband. Alice receives a text from her ex one day just to inform her of her daughter's arrest, but also told Esme doesn't want to hear from her. But Alice cannot take that. She now needs to know what is going on, and figure out why it's gotten to this point. This truly has me on the edge of my seat. We get glimpses of things from their past, and some secrets begin to be exposed. A really done mystery, with family drama, suspense, hope, and truth. I really enjoyed reading this book.
Thank you to the publisher, author, and Suzy approved book tours for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to the publisher, author, and Suzy approved book tours for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
February 21, 2026
I was quickly caught up by the story here—while describing the novel as a mystery or thriller is going too far, it is definitely a page turner. Hawthorne keeps a tight focus on Alice, the novel’s main character, and yes, we sympathize with her, but her flaws and missteps are clearly evident as well—and the somewhat ambiguous ending for this reason seems just right…too much of a resolution would be a false note. I could have done with less of some of the repetitive descriptive flourishes (Alice’s Jimmy Choo shoes!), but the characters we do get to know come across as real people, not caricatures (well, Dan is maybe a bit one-dimensional). On the whole, this is a realistic, affecting drama, both engaging and thematically rich.
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November 11, 2025Fran Hawthorne's Her Daughter follows the disturbing story of Alice, a woman who over the course of the novel finds herself estranged from both ex-husband and daughter and seeks desperately to regain contact with the adult daughter Esme. Readers may initially sympathize with Dan, but will soon question his response to Alice's early misstep and wonder just how far he will take things. Many will then turn to rooting for Alice, as her pain and distress are clearly highlighted in chapters that cover more than twenty years of motherhood. Yet why does Esme break so decisively with her mother? This is a story that verges on becoming a psychological thriller--there are hints of real evil--but it remains in the women's fiction lane with its relentless focus on Alice's maternal instinct and her attempts to understand where--or if--she went wrong as a young mother.
Readers who have experienced estrangement from a beloved child will likely find this a novel to contemplate.
Readers who have experienced estrangement from a beloved child will likely find this a novel to contemplate.
December 11, 2025
This family drama focuses on a flawed woman, an imperfect mother, as all women and mothers are flawed and imperfect, but who truly loves her child. But the child she wanted, against her husband’s wishes, becomes a tool which he uses to torment her. The result is a page-turner of a story, as Alice fights to stay in her daughter’s life while her vengeful ex subtly manipulates the daughter into hating her mother.
After years without hearing from Esme, Alice gets a message from her ex: Esme has been arrested. Alice sets off to find her daughter, tracking down leads, desperate to know what is happening. Piece by piece, she learns about her daughter’s past and present, bringing up more questions.
Her friendships fraying, her work suffering, Alice can only think of finding Esme. But If Esme can be found, will Alice say and do the right things to get her daughter back into her life?
Heartbreaking, domestic noir with a glimmer of hope at the end.
Thanks to the publisher and Caitlin Summie Hamilton Marketing for a free book.
After years without hearing from Esme, Alice gets a message from her ex: Esme has been arrested. Alice sets off to find her daughter, tracking down leads, desperate to know what is happening. Piece by piece, she learns about her daughter’s past and present, bringing up more questions.
Her friendships fraying, her work suffering, Alice can only think of finding Esme. But If Esme can be found, will Alice say and do the right things to get her daughter back into her life?
Heartbreaking, domestic noir with a glimmer of hope at the end.
Thanks to the publisher and Caitlin Summie Hamilton Marketing for a free book.
January 28, 2026
📚Her Daughter
✍🏻Fran Hawthorne
Blurb:
"A deep dive into the pain of separation and hope for reconciliation conveyed with grace, realism, and empathy." –Kirkus Reviews
"About parenthood, love, the mystery of estrangement and hope of reconciliation, this novel is a stunner." -Caroline Leavitt, New York Times best-selling author of Pictures of You and Days of Wonder
"I'm only telling you in case the police contact you. Esme was arrested, but I'm handling everything, and she doesn't want to hear from you."
That email from her ex-husband is almost the only information Alice Wilson has had about her twenty-three-year-old daughter, Esme, in the six years since Esme abruptly ended all communication.
As Alice, an environmental activist, scrambles to learn why Esme was arrested and what might happen next, she inevitably also rethinks the past. Her obsessive search up and down the California coast antagonizes her friends and jeopardizes her job. But none of that matters to Alice as she uncovers hints of a daughter she'd never known-and of her then-husband's role in their estrangement, even while they were married.
Who is the Robert Corning who was arrested with Esme, and why did she pay his bail? Why did Esme become bulimic in college? Why is she continuing to push Alice away while still being chummy with her father? Most importantly, will Esme agree to meet with Alice? And if she does, will Alice say the wrong thing-whatever that wrong thing is?
My Thoughts:
Fran Hawthorne's Her Daughter follows the disturbing story of Alice, a woman who over the course of the novel finds herself estranged from both ex-husband and daughter and seeks desperately to regain contact with the adult daughter Esme. As a parent, it's difficult to imagine being totally estranged from your child and even more difficult to realize that the husband that you once loved, is the person who has engineered the estrangement. Alice loved being a mother to her daughter Esme and was hurt and confused when her daughter decided to live with her dad and his new wife when she was 15. Time passes and now Esme is 23yo and hasn’t spoken to Alice for 6 years.This is a story that verges on becoming a psychological thriller--there are hints of real evil
Thanks NetGalley, Black Rose Writing and Author Fran Hawthorne;for the complimentary copy of "Her Daughter" I am leaving my voluntary review in appreciation.
#NetGalley
#BlackRoseWriting
#FranHowthorne
#HerDaughter
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✍🏻Fran Hawthorne
Blurb:
"A deep dive into the pain of separation and hope for reconciliation conveyed with grace, realism, and empathy." –Kirkus Reviews
"About parenthood, love, the mystery of estrangement and hope of reconciliation, this novel is a stunner." -Caroline Leavitt, New York Times best-selling author of Pictures of You and Days of Wonder
"I'm only telling you in case the police contact you. Esme was arrested, but I'm handling everything, and she doesn't want to hear from you."
That email from her ex-husband is almost the only information Alice Wilson has had about her twenty-three-year-old daughter, Esme, in the six years since Esme abruptly ended all communication.
As Alice, an environmental activist, scrambles to learn why Esme was arrested and what might happen next, she inevitably also rethinks the past. Her obsessive search up and down the California coast antagonizes her friends and jeopardizes her job. But none of that matters to Alice as she uncovers hints of a daughter she'd never known-and of her then-husband's role in their estrangement, even while they were married.
Who is the Robert Corning who was arrested with Esme, and why did she pay his bail? Why did Esme become bulimic in college? Why is she continuing to push Alice away while still being chummy with her father? Most importantly, will Esme agree to meet with Alice? And if she does, will Alice say the wrong thing-whatever that wrong thing is?
My Thoughts:
Fran Hawthorne's Her Daughter follows the disturbing story of Alice, a woman who over the course of the novel finds herself estranged from both ex-husband and daughter and seeks desperately to regain contact with the adult daughter Esme. As a parent, it's difficult to imagine being totally estranged from your child and even more difficult to realize that the husband that you once loved, is the person who has engineered the estrangement. Alice loved being a mother to her daughter Esme and was hurt and confused when her daughter decided to live with her dad and his new wife when she was 15. Time passes and now Esme is 23yo and hasn’t spoken to Alice for 6 years.This is a story that verges on becoming a psychological thriller--there are hints of real evil
Thanks NetGalley, Black Rose Writing and Author Fran Hawthorne;for the complimentary copy of "Her Daughter" I am leaving my voluntary review in appreciation.
#NetGalley
#BlackRoseWriting
#FranHowthorne
#HerDaughter
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
January 24, 2026
As a parent, it's difficult to imagine being totally estranged from your child and even more difficult to realize that the husband that you once loved, is the person who has engineered the estrangement. That's exactly what happens in this new book by Fran Hawthorne. Alice loved being a mother to her daughter Esme and was hurt and confused when her daughter decided to live with her dad and his new wife when she was 15. Now Esme is 23 and Alice hasn't talked to her at all in over 6 years. She really doesn't know what is going on in Esme's life until she gets a text from her ex husband that Esme has been arrested.
As Alice works to find out why her daughter has been arrested and what if there is anything she can do to help, she remembers back on her happier years with her daughter. She searches obsessively up and down the California coast to try to get information and her quest causes estrangement from the friends who have been there for her for years. Her search even jeopardizes her job as an environmental activist but she only cares about finding her daughter. As she uncovers hints, she realizes that she didn't really know her daughter at all. All she wants is to find her daughter and talk to her and maybe start to heal the estrangement. She's also very worried that if/when she finds her daughter, she may say the wrong thing to her that will increase the bad feelings her daughter has for her. No matter what else is going on, she wants to find her daughter.
I really liked the way the book is written. As Alice is searching for Esme, there are small nuggets of the past thrown in. Is Alice to blame for prioritizing her job? Is her ex to blame for creating the estrangement by constantly talking about Alice to his daughter in a negative way? Or is there blame for all three of them.
There were times in the book that I didn't like Alice at all but other times I identified with her feelings. No matter how I felt about her and her obsessions, I was still hoping for her to reconcile with her daughter. But as with life, there are no black and white endings and despite the emotions, the ending is perfect given the conflict within the family.
This is an emotional must read book about a mother/daughter conflict that has split into pieces and a mother who is trying to understand why as she hopes for reconciliation.
As Alice works to find out why her daughter has been arrested and what if there is anything she can do to help, she remembers back on her happier years with her daughter. She searches obsessively up and down the California coast to try to get information and her quest causes estrangement from the friends who have been there for her for years. Her search even jeopardizes her job as an environmental activist but she only cares about finding her daughter. As she uncovers hints, she realizes that she didn't really know her daughter at all. All she wants is to find her daughter and talk to her and maybe start to heal the estrangement. She's also very worried that if/when she finds her daughter, she may say the wrong thing to her that will increase the bad feelings her daughter has for her. No matter what else is going on, she wants to find her daughter.
I really liked the way the book is written. As Alice is searching for Esme, there are small nuggets of the past thrown in. Is Alice to blame for prioritizing her job? Is her ex to blame for creating the estrangement by constantly talking about Alice to his daughter in a negative way? Or is there blame for all three of them.
There were times in the book that I didn't like Alice at all but other times I identified with her feelings. No matter how I felt about her and her obsessions, I was still hoping for her to reconcile with her daughter. But as with life, there are no black and white endings and despite the emotions, the ending is perfect given the conflict within the family.
This is an emotional must read book about a mother/daughter conflict that has split into pieces and a mother who is trying to understand why as she hopes for reconciliation.
January 29, 2026
Wow! Fran Hawthorne, the Author of “Her Daughter” has written an extraordinary, emotional and intriguing novel about family relations and estrangement. The Genres of this well-written and intense novel are :Women’s Psychological Fiction, Women’s Divorce Fiction, Mothers and Daughters, Family Fiction, Suspense, Mystery and Fiction. Can you imagine the anxiety, stress, and tension of not being able to see or hear from your daughter, after a divorce situation? When Alice Wilson, an environmental activist, and her husband Dan first got married, they agreed on not having children. A few years later, Alice changes her mind and wants a baby, but Dan still is firm that he does not. When Alice did get pregnant, and has a little girl, Esme, Dan would constantly criticize and try to gas-light Alice's role as a mother. Alice and Dan divorce, and have a custody agreement. As time goes on, Dan gets more time with Esme, until he has her most of the time. Dan remarries and has two more children. He appears to be manipulative and controls the timing of contact and Esme’s activities. In what appears to be a toxic situation, Dan has been also controlling the information to Esme about her mother.
After several years of estrangement between Alice and Esme, Alice gets an email from her ex-husband, Dan, that Esme had been arrested. During the separation, Alice did hire a detective to find out how Esme was doing. Alice starts to investigate with the help her friends, what is actually going on with her daughter. When an opportunity is created for Alice to see Esme for one hour, Alice is anxious and conflicted what she should say or do. I appreciate how the author discusses the importance of communication, mental health, family, friends, love and hope. I highly recommend this thought-provoking and captivating novel.
After several years of estrangement between Alice and Esme, Alice gets an email from her ex-husband, Dan, that Esme had been arrested. During the separation, Alice did hire a detective to find out how Esme was doing. Alice starts to investigate with the help her friends, what is actually going on with her daughter. When an opportunity is created for Alice to see Esme for one hour, Alice is anxious and conflicted what she should say or do. I appreciate how the author discusses the importance of communication, mental health, family, friends, love and hope. I highly recommend this thought-provoking and captivating novel.
March 1, 2026
Alice and Dan appear to be the prefect couple. Both have good careers, they are married, house and now comes a baby. However Dan never wanted children and had alway made that very clear with Alice. But Dan seems to accept this in his life and seems excited about the baby but as time goes on, we slowly start to see a very different side of him. He seems to get more mean, angry and manipulative with Alice. So when the two divorce, she can hardly believe how things unfold with custody of Esme and all he does to undermine her every chance he has. As Esme grows, it seems that Dan has also used his manipulation on her, and soon she turns her back on her mother as well. Alice has always done everything she can to fight for Esme, and now she has lost her too and to the man who has taken everything from her. Every aspect of Alice's life with Esme is controlled by Dan and she hopes things will change once Esme turns 18, but it seems she only gets more distant from Alice. After Dan notifies her that Esme has been arrested and he is taking care of things does Alice decide she really needs to do whatever it takes to get back into Esme's life and tell her the truth about everything. Will Esme be open to seeing Alice or has Dan done enough manipulative damage that there is no chance to change things? This was a sad but often true story of what happens with many children in split households. Often one parents can and will manipulate to get what they want. I enjoyed that the author often gave us glimpses into the past to show the slow change in Dan and how things evolved over time. Thank you to the author for the complementary novel and to Suzy Approved Book Tours for the complementary novel. This review is of my own review and accord.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Six Stars for HER DAUGHTER
You’re in for a real treat with this beautifully told tragic tale of a modern-day American family gone astray. (Don’t be misled by the pedestrian title and prosaic cover.) Fran Hawthorne deftly weaves the story of a dysfunctional Southern California family awash in lies and self-deceit and drowning in an endless cycle of intra-family miscalculation and concomitant revenge with seemingly no end in sight until the very end. And what a heck of an end! If you like fast-paced psychological action coupled with emotionally enticing character descriptions, you’re sure to enjoy this well-crafted story. There’s never a jaded moment; it’s a real page-turner. Apropos of “emotionally enticing character descriptions” are nuggets like “Stop. Take a breath… She couldn’t. Her breath couldn’t find its way out of her lungs” or “His pat on Alice’s shoulder was as weak as the plop of a leaf.” Simple yet striking and memorable. Miscellaneous word constructions like that peppered on almost every page with never-know-what-next-to-expect action will pull readers onto the next page to the last. HER DAUGHTER is a winner from start to finish.
---Ron Roman, Author of the apocalyptic doomsday thriller “Of Ashes and Dust” (Histria Books), Finalist for the 2023 Chanticleer International Book Award (CIBA) for Global Thrillers
You’re in for a real treat with this beautifully told tragic tale of a modern-day American family gone astray. (Don’t be misled by the pedestrian title and prosaic cover.) Fran Hawthorne deftly weaves the story of a dysfunctional Southern California family awash in lies and self-deceit and drowning in an endless cycle of intra-family miscalculation and concomitant revenge with seemingly no end in sight until the very end. And what a heck of an end! If you like fast-paced psychological action coupled with emotionally enticing character descriptions, you’re sure to enjoy this well-crafted story. There’s never a jaded moment; it’s a real page-turner. Apropos of “emotionally enticing character descriptions” are nuggets like “Stop. Take a breath… She couldn’t. Her breath couldn’t find its way out of her lungs” or “His pat on Alice’s shoulder was as weak as the plop of a leaf.” Simple yet striking and memorable. Miscellaneous word constructions like that peppered on almost every page with never-know-what-next-to-expect action will pull readers onto the next page to the last. HER DAUGHTER is a winner from start to finish.
---Ron Roman, Author of the apocalyptic doomsday thriller “Of Ashes and Dust” (Histria Books), Finalist for the 2023 Chanticleer International Book Award (CIBA) for Global Thrillers
January 23, 2026
How did Alice get here? The only way she knew about her 24-year-old daughter's (Esme) arrest was an email from her estranged ex, Dan.
Fran Hawthorne's new release begins with this shocking reveal, then takes us back to the beginning of Alice and Dan. Along the way we also get a glimpse of the many avenues Alice is pursuing to find Esme and offer help. To reconnect.
Here are some things I really liked about this new title:
👩The book is from Alice's perspective. While she and I are quite different, we both dearly love our children. I can imagine how painful it would be to have a child cut you out of their life without warning. Fran Hawthorne gives us a window into that place and we must not look away.
👭Alice has a friend named Roz who has known her since childhood. What a valuable sounding board and support a friend like that can be.
😎The sunny California setting. Alice loves living near the beach and I would too. With a storm and arctic air on the way, a day at the beach sounds like heaven.
🤩While there are many difficult days chronicled in the book, the ending is quite hopeful. Alice has a new outlook on her close relationships and confidence for the next chapter.
Thank you to the author, Black Rose Writing, and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review. Happy Publication Day -- January 22, 2026.
Fran Hawthorne's new release begins with this shocking reveal, then takes us back to the beginning of Alice and Dan. Along the way we also get a glimpse of the many avenues Alice is pursuing to find Esme and offer help. To reconnect.
Here are some things I really liked about this new title:
👩The book is from Alice's perspective. While she and I are quite different, we both dearly love our children. I can imagine how painful it would be to have a child cut you out of their life without warning. Fran Hawthorne gives us a window into that place and we must not look away.
👭Alice has a friend named Roz who has known her since childhood. What a valuable sounding board and support a friend like that can be.
😎The sunny California setting. Alice loves living near the beach and I would too. With a storm and arctic air on the way, a day at the beach sounds like heaven.
🤩While there are many difficult days chronicled in the book, the ending is quite hopeful. Alice has a new outlook on her close relationships and confidence for the next chapter.
Thank you to the author, Black Rose Writing, and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review. Happy Publication Day -- January 22, 2026.
January 19, 2026
5.0
* Thanks to chsummie of Caitlin Hamilton Marketing for including me on this tour!
Torment, yearning, desperate…
When Esme turns 15yo, she announces to her mother Alice that she is choosing to live with her father Dan and his new wife Penelope. Time passes and now Esme is 23yo and hasn’t spoken to Alice for 6 years.
Alice of course wants to reconcile. But where to find Esme and how to approach her? What to say (and not to say)? Alice just wants to know WHY. .. No matter how bad things get, Alice still hopes for a reconnection.
AVAILABLE Jan 22, 2026.
THOUGHTS:
* A+ for originality! I have not read anything similar to this!
*Beautifully written tragic story. Emotional tale - nothing is easy.
*”A veneer of normalcy” - it’s about the appearance “of normality, not the reality.”
*Painful history of a fractured relationship. Alice doesn’t know the cause of this estrangement. Is it her fault?
*Family drama, estrangement, bullying, revenge, & guilt themes. Domestic noir story - psychological tension, control, and betrayal.
*Bittersweet ending.
*Dan was one of the most obnoxious characters I’ve ever read about. What a bully.
*This book sure made me feel thankful for what I have!
* Thanks to chsummie of Caitlin Hamilton Marketing for including me on this tour!
Torment, yearning, desperate…
When Esme turns 15yo, she announces to her mother Alice that she is choosing to live with her father Dan and his new wife Penelope. Time passes and now Esme is 23yo and hasn’t spoken to Alice for 6 years.
Alice of course wants to reconcile. But where to find Esme and how to approach her? What to say (and not to say)? Alice just wants to know WHY. .. No matter how bad things get, Alice still hopes for a reconnection.
AVAILABLE Jan 22, 2026.
THOUGHTS:
* A+ for originality! I have not read anything similar to this!
*Beautifully written tragic story. Emotional tale - nothing is easy.
*”A veneer of normalcy” - it’s about the appearance “of normality, not the reality.”
*Painful history of a fractured relationship. Alice doesn’t know the cause of this estrangement. Is it her fault?
*Family drama, estrangement, bullying, revenge, & guilt themes. Domestic noir story - psychological tension, control, and betrayal.
*Bittersweet ending.
*Dan was one of the most obnoxious characters I’ve ever read about. What a bully.
*This book sure made me feel thankful for what I have!
February 22, 2026
This is a drama filled book about a mother, Alice, that hasn’t had contact from her twenty four year old daughter, Esme, for six years.
At the beginning of the book, Alice gets an email from her ex-husband, Dan just, saying that Esme has been arrested.
During the rest of the book, Alice is searching the whys of Esme’s arrest and trying to see if she can help Esme in any way.
The book also goes back in time and we see the progression of the disintegration of Alice’s marriage as well as the slow decline of Alice and Esme’s mother daughter relationship.
This book is full of manipulation tactics by Alice‘s husband, Dan, which is infuriating. It is such a powerful read about the depth of motherhood. There is also an interesting subplot about Alice and her best male friend from high school.
At the beginning of the book, Alice gets an email from her ex-husband, Dan just, saying that Esme has been arrested.
During the rest of the book, Alice is searching the whys of Esme’s arrest and trying to see if she can help Esme in any way.
The book also goes back in time and we see the progression of the disintegration of Alice’s marriage as well as the slow decline of Alice and Esme’s mother daughter relationship.
This book is full of manipulation tactics by Alice‘s husband, Dan, which is infuriating. It is such a powerful read about the depth of motherhood. There is also an interesting subplot about Alice and her best male friend from high school.
November 2, 2025
Nobody gets off the hook in Fran Hawthorne’s beautifully written tale of parental estrangement. Alice admits to being obsessive, and is all too truthful about what it costs her in her work and her life; Dan is cruel and untrustworthy; and Esme slips from here to there like a will o’ the wisp, clearly in pain, searching for answers. Ironically, she finds a safe harbor in the arms of a young man who is also struggling to find his way in the world. This is a painfully honest book driven by Alice’s yearning. One aches for her to find the magic key to break through, but nothing is easy in this twisting, turning emotional journey. Hawthorne gives us a bittersweet ending that is just right. HER DAUGHTER is a cautionary tale, wrapped in love and aching loss.
February 12, 2026
There is so much drama in this novel and it's all pointed at one character. This book will make you sad about and even more mad about estrangement.
Alice hasn't spoken to her daughter for 6 years (the daddy cut off all communication) and then she gets word that Esme had been arrested. As Alice tries her hardest to connect with people who knew (and might still know) Esme she teeters on the cusp of losing a lot more.
There is a psychological cruelty in Dan, the ex of Alice. It got to the point where if I knew this guy for real, I would want to punch him. Every new lie coming out of his mouth made me scream out loud (once in school carpool line waiting 😬 )...I did NOT like when Dan was on page. But this was a page turner!
Alice hasn't spoken to her daughter for 6 years (the daddy cut off all communication) and then she gets word that Esme had been arrested. As Alice tries her hardest to connect with people who knew (and might still know) Esme she teeters on the cusp of losing a lot more.
There is a psychological cruelty in Dan, the ex of Alice. It got to the point where if I knew this guy for real, I would want to punch him. Every new lie coming out of his mouth made me scream out loud (once in school carpool line waiting 😬 )...I did NOT like when Dan was on page. But this was a page turner!
March 1, 2026
As a mother, this was a heartbreaking read. It shows not only the struggles with a very toxic divorce, but even worse, the estrangement of a child from a mother.
My heart went out to Alice, as her cruel ex-husband was manipulating and pulling strings. But honestly, as her daughter grew into an adult, I didn’t much like her either; I didn’t understand her motives.
This is full of conflict, not just familial, but the author shows how one’s personal drama can affect friendships as well. The story left me very thankful for the open and honest relationship I have with my twenty-something-year-old children.
3.5⭐️ rounded up
Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours and @hawthornewriter for this gifted book.
My heart went out to Alice, as her cruel ex-husband was manipulating and pulling strings. But honestly, as her daughter grew into an adult, I didn’t much like her either; I didn’t understand her motives.
This is full of conflict, not just familial, but the author shows how one’s personal drama can affect friendships as well. The story left me very thankful for the open and honest relationship I have with my twenty-something-year-old children.
3.5⭐️ rounded up
Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours and @hawthornewriter for this gifted book.
March 4, 2026
The engaging first-person narrator of this story is Alice, the mother of a beloved but estranged daughter. Alice will stop at nothing to find out where Esme has gone, why she has cut off contact, and how Alice might restore their once close relationship.
Alice may be naive but she's not stupid. And her love for her troubled child surmounts every obstacle. Slowly, Alice puts the pieces together--a nasty ex-husband is part of the explanation--and her eyes open as she follows the trail.
Hawthorne is a master of plot, and one chapter drives you to the next. Alice and Esme are fully-drawn characters, as is Esme's boyfriend. The characters are all quite different from each other but linked by blood and love.
The ending is rewarding without being soft or predictable. Highly recommend this!
Alice may be naive but she's not stupid. And her love for her troubled child surmounts every obstacle. Slowly, Alice puts the pieces together--a nasty ex-husband is part of the explanation--and her eyes open as she follows the trail.
Hawthorne is a master of plot, and one chapter drives you to the next. Alice and Esme are fully-drawn characters, as is Esme's boyfriend. The characters are all quite different from each other but linked by blood and love.
The ending is rewarding without being soft or predictable. Highly recommend this!
March 22, 2026
Thanks to Goodreads and Hawthorne for the opportunity to read and write an honest review of Her Daughter.
A heart wrenching story of an imperfect person (as we all are) and the complications of relationships whether in marriage, family dynamics, or friendships.
Although this family drama was gripping, emotional, and well-written, the flow seemed somewhat off-balance. Since the story was totally from Alice (the mother’s) point of view, I learned very little about Esme (the daughter), leaving me wanting to know more about her thoughts, feelings, and struggles.
Looking for an emotional book, a thought provoking novel about parent-child estrangement that offers a glimmer of hope, make Her Daughter your next read.
A heart wrenching story of an imperfect person (as we all are) and the complications of relationships whether in marriage, family dynamics, or friendships.
Although this family drama was gripping, emotional, and well-written, the flow seemed somewhat off-balance. Since the story was totally from Alice (the mother’s) point of view, I learned very little about Esme (the daughter), leaving me wanting to know more about her thoughts, feelings, and struggles.
Looking for an emotional book, a thought provoking novel about parent-child estrangement that offers a glimmer of hope, make Her Daughter your next read.
November 21, 2025
Manipulating others to get what we want is something even toddlers know how to do. In adults, when the manipulation is subtle and gentle, it’s usually benign. But when it becomes a power struggle, it can be nasty and tear relationships apart. Hawthorne masterfully explores the devastation such behavior can have on the guilty and the innocent alike in this tale of a doting mother, her ex-husband, and the daughter at the center of their conflict. Her well-developed characters reveal both the motivations of and the emotional impact on everyone caught in this web. But is anyone truly innocent in this case? And will reconciliation ever be possible?
February 18, 2026
Fran Hawthorne has written a moving, well-written novel about estrangement between a mother and daughter. The main character, a prickly narrator, is distraught because her daughter hasn't spoken to her for six years. The novel jumps between the past and the present as it tries to explain the bad blood between the two of them, and the fallout from the mother's bad divorce. My own quibble is that we spend a little too much time with the mother not seeming to understand her own failings. However, by the end of the novel she's had to take a hard look in the mirror, and come to an understanding about herself that for much of the novel seemed to elude her.
October 7, 2025
This is a this beautifully crafted and emotionally gripping family drama, in which a mother’s long estrangement from her daughter will tug at readers’ heartstrings. Using parallel timelines, Hawthorne drops historical clues as to what might have caused the separation, and then plants us in the middle of Alice’s anguish as she strives for answers, questions herself, and aches for even a crumb of communication with Esme. Your compassion for both women will soar as you read this very relatable and realistic story.
November 3, 2025
Her Daughter by Fran Hawthorne is a wonderful, complex novel I really enjoyed.
This is an incredibly well created family drama.
The estrangement of mother (Alice) and daughter (Esme) was heart wrenching, leaving me tearful.
The story is told in parallel timelines, and I enjoy the pieces of information that are dropped by the author that indicate what might have led to the estrangement.
The characters are well written, complex, flawed, and fleshed out.
I really enjoyed the way that the family dynamics were written.
Highly recommend!
This is an incredibly well created family drama.
The estrangement of mother (Alice) and daughter (Esme) was heart wrenching, leaving me tearful.
The story is told in parallel timelines, and I enjoy the pieces of information that are dropped by the author that indicate what might have led to the estrangement.
The characters are well written, complex, flawed, and fleshed out.
I really enjoyed the way that the family dynamics were written.
Highly recommend!
February 20, 2026
Alice isn’t a perfect mom but her love for her daughter is undeniable, which makes the estrangement all the more heartbreaking. As she desperately searches for Esme after her arrest, the story unravels past and present, revealing just how complicated their family dynamic is. I found myself torn between sympathy and frustration with every character. It’s emotional, tense, and full of questions about blame and forgiveness. Even when Alice drove me crazy, I couldn’t stop rooting for her. A gripping, messy, and ultimately hopeful read.
February 20, 2026
Wow. What a suspenseful novel of estrangement, toxicity in a relationship, and a mother's desire to be there for her child and be a part of her life. Alice's ex-husband creates a strong divisive atmosphere that alienates Alice from her daughter and, as a mother, it was hard to imagine and emotional to read about. Her daughter, Esme, unfortunately seems to be a pawn in a larger game he's playing. This is a well-written, thought-provoking story that offered a bit of hope at the end and will stay with me.
I received a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
I received a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 1, 2026
HER DAUGHTER is an emotional story in the women’s fiction genre. The story centers around a mother and daughter’s relationship. With past and present timelines, the story of their estrangement gets revealed bit-by-bit. You will likely hate Dan, the main character’s ex. Kudos to the author for creating such interesting and complex characters. I was hooked from the first page!
Many thanks to Fran Hawthorne for my gifted copy.
This review will be shared to my Instagram account (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the future.
Many thanks to Fran Hawthorne for my gifted copy.
This review will be shared to my Instagram account (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the future.
February 12, 2026
This one broke my heart. 💔
Her Daughter is an emotional family drama about a mother and daughter separated by years of silence, unanswered questions, and complicated relationships. When Alice learns her estranged daughter has been arrested, she’s forced to revisit the moments that led them here.
With dual timelines and deeply flawed characters, this story explores blame, regret, and the hope for reconciliation in a way that felt painfully real. Highly recommend.
Her Daughter is an emotional family drama about a mother and daughter separated by years of silence, unanswered questions, and complicated relationships. When Alice learns her estranged daughter has been arrested, she’s forced to revisit the moments that led them here.
With dual timelines and deeply flawed characters, this story explores blame, regret, and the hope for reconciliation in a way that felt painfully real. Highly recommend.
February 12, 2026
𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱?
Honestly… I can’t. And that alone made this book hit hard for me. I didn’t even know how to feel most of the time because it was such an emotional rollercoaster.
I had a bit of a conflict with the characters. I didn’t like them most of the time, but with this kind of story, it felt expected.
This is a story about family conflict, reconciliation, love, and hope. A thought-provoking read.
Honestly… I can’t. And that alone made this book hit hard for me. I didn’t even know how to feel most of the time because it was such an emotional rollercoaster.
I had a bit of a conflict with the characters. I didn’t like them most of the time, but with this kind of story, it felt expected.
This is a story about family conflict, reconciliation, love, and hope. A thought-provoking read.
February 19, 2026
This book left me achy.
As the mother of a 20-something, I can too easily put myself in Alice’s shoes.
How far would I go to find my kid? Help my kid?
Answer: All the way.
And then some.
Inner pit of emptiness aside, this book was fantastic. The characters were real and raw and the ending was, if not Happily Ever After, at least Hopefully Ever After.
Gotta go hug my daughter.
As the mother of a 20-something, I can too easily put myself in Alice’s shoes.
How far would I go to find my kid? Help my kid?
Answer: All the way.
And then some.
Inner pit of emptiness aside, this book was fantastic. The characters were real and raw and the ending was, if not Happily Ever After, at least Hopefully Ever After.
Gotta go hug my daughter.
February 27, 2026
You know those dreams, where your Significant Other does something wretched and you wake up pissed at them in real life?
Husband brought me chocolate and backed away slowly after I finished this book.
Dan made me feel truly stabby.
HOW DARE HE.
Homicidal thoughts aside, this book was GOOD. Tender and heartbreaking and ultimately hopeful, I can’t wait to find more from this author.
Husband brought me chocolate and backed away slowly after I finished this book.
Dan made me feel truly stabby.
HOW DARE HE.
Homicidal thoughts aside, this book was GOOD. Tender and heartbreaking and ultimately hopeful, I can’t wait to find more from this author.
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