Sixteen-year-old Audrey is pregnant and scared to death. What she chooses to do next will change her life forever.
Terms of Inheritance
Four sisters. A vast fortune. And a mother who thinks she knows best ...
Where there's a will, there's a way.
When multi-millionaire Jacki Turner is forced to take stock of her life, she sets her daughters a challenge - in order to inherit her vast fortune, each must fulfil a task that she believes will push them to become better versions of themselves.
Rose, an exhausted mother of three, must write and publish a children's picture book. Exercise-hater Mel must run the Gold Coast marathon. Isla, the eldest, must figure out who she is beyond her wealth and status, while commitment-phobic Jess must stay in a relationship for longer than three months.
For each, Jacki's terms seem an impossible task, bringing painful wounds to the surface and straining tenuous relationships. But when the sisters are faced with an unexpected turn of events, they must learn how to move forward and forgive, or risk losing it all.
This funny, poignant, brilliantly observed story about letting go of the past is perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty, Marian Keyes and Sally Hepworth.
Terms of Inheritance published by HarperCollins Australia
Praise for Terms of Inheritance
‘Moving, funny and sharp, and a plot that kept me guessing, this is a gorgeous novel for all mothers and daughters, told with real heart.’
Kelli Hawkins
author of All She Wants
‘A touching family drama with deft moments of heartache, humour and warmth.’
Nicola Moriarty
author of You Need To Know
‘Four sisters are challenged to become their best selves, embarking on a learning journey
that is as funny as it is tender. Upton has captured the steadfast but sometimes
fraught relationship between sisters with sensitivity and humour.
This book kept me turning pages, and I was genuinely anxious about how it would finish!
Clever, refreshing and satisfying.’
Sasha Wasley
author of A Caravan Like A Canary
'A delightful debut from an exciting new voice in Australian fiction, and an enjoyable exploration of the complex relationships between mothers, daughters and sisters.’
Rachael Johns
author of The Work Wives
‘Funny, warm and wise, and a delight from beginning to end. Michelle Upton brings warmth and humour to even the darkest corners of our lives. What a joy!’
Meredith Jaffe
author of The Tricky Art of Forgiveness
‘Funny, relatable and warm-hearted, this story is a joyful rollercoaster ride about ambition, determination, honesty and the shifting dynamics of a family under stress.’
Cass Moriarty
author of Parting Words
‘Told with bright, breezy wit and layers of love, Terms of Inheritance is a sweet and sharp fable of family fortune and of discovering who you really are. Upton brings us real women, all their foibles and strengths sparkling with truth and warmth.’
Kim Kelly
author of Her Last Words
‘A darkly funny tale about the meaning of family and the meaning of life. I loved how each of the four sisters had a different perspective on both. Terms of Inheritance is a humorous, heartfelt story of a family with all its imperfections. An absolute delight to read!’
Petronella McGovern
author of The Liars, The Good Teacher, Six Minutes
‘Laughter and loss, forgiveness, redemption—Terms of Inheritance explores what it means to be a family. A sparkling debut! With intelligence and humour, Michelle Upton, in Terms of Inheritance, explores contemporary family life in all its messy reality. Jacki Turner and her daughters—funny and daring, courageous and flawed—are unique yet entirely relatable.’
Penelope Janu
author of On The Same Page
‘The perfect book to pop into your beach bag.’
Maggie Alderson
‘A warm-hearted story about the ups and downs of mother-daughter relationships, and learning to let go of the past to become the best version of yourself.’
Rae Cairns
author of The Good Mother
‘An entertaining debut about fraught family relationships, and the importance of being true to yourself.'
Pamela Cook
author of All We Dream
‘Witty, warm and wise, The Terms of Inheritance by Michelle Upton is an uplifting story about family life as our biggest challenge and our greatest comfort.’
Sara Foster
author of The Hush