YES, DADDY by Jonathan Parks-Ramage is such an intense debut novel! I found myself completely absorbed into this story and read the majority of it in one sitting! I loved reading this book! This novel is about Jonah, who moves to New York City, and enters into a relationship with an older, wealthier and more powerful man. There are so many layers to this book as Jonah navigates his life dealing with religion vs his sexuality, victimhood in the # MeToo era, revenge and forgiveness. The writing was compelling as it often used second person narration. I loved how the plot took several unexpected turns and there were some really emotional parts as well. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from this author!
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Thank you to HMH Books via NetGalley for my advance review copy!

Wow, I was not expecting what I got from Yes, Daddy. For some reason I thought it was going to be a summer murder mystery. It was not that, it was so much more.

This was a darker look at an age gap relationship. This is touches on financial abuse. This is looking at sexual abuse and the power that powerful men can have over those that have less. It also touches on cancel culture.

I really liked how Yes, Daddy was written. It was written like a letter. It really puts the reader into the story.

My only issue, is that I would have liked a bit more from the last two parts of the book. It wraps up pretty fast and it would have been nice to see more from the lead character and his life post what he had gone through.

Thank you NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the eARC of Yes, Daddy in exchange for an honest review.

Yeah no sorry, I lost interest Halfway through. I feel like this is the book where “it’s me not the book” I think it had more to do with the writing than with the book itself. The premise of the book really drew me in, it seemed different and like something that I’ve never picked up before.

But I just couldn’t find myself enjoying this as much as I thought I would. I feel like my mood kind of fell halfway threw and so I stopped myself because I knew if I continued then my review will go lower than needed. Will probably continue this or even start over somewhere in the fall. For “the setting and mood” lol. But for now, I think I’ll just stick to 3 stars

I’m a sucker for any title marketed as “Modern Gothic” and I was also tempted into reading this book as the author and I share an unusual surname. He is no relation, however, this is an intriguing debut from an author from Los Angeles. At times I thought it was stunningly powerful and gripping but for me it ran out of steam meaning I finished the book feeling a little flat from an author with so much potential.
This is the tale of Jonah, an aspiring playwright who sets his sights on seducing an older, successful dramatist who then finds he gets considerably more than he bargained for. As a character his motives are often very questionable which is no bad thing (see John Boyne’s “Ladder To The Sky”, for example, for another ruthless lead ) but some readers responses to this book may be affected by his limited likeability.
We begin at a trial so we know from the start that something has gone awry in their relationship, there’s an early twist and then a shuffle back in time to relate the whole story in a first-person narrative by the ambitious, emotionally damaged younger man. It’s not that long before it gets really good, at a point where Jonah feels woozy at a dinner party and although there’s not a hint of demonic possession here the tension of the writing and the surface of respectability hiding much darkness reminded me of Ira Levin’s “Rosemary’s Baby”, a book I love.
There are many plot turns along the way but the last third feels as if the build-up dissipates greatly to find an acceptable resolution and I rather think that this resolution might feel more acceptable to an American audience.
There are issues raised which are relevant to the #MeToo campaign and LGBT considerations here given a powerful, fresh dimension and I’m not sure how Parks-Ramage could have otherwise found his way out of the plot he has weaved but I feel he might have let his dramatic peaks appear too early in the narrative denying me the really splendid reading experience I thought I was going to get with this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book was so dark, tense and stressful but in the absolute best of ways. The writing itself is so well done, descriptive without dragging on, and the author built tension up by first dropping an anvil on our heads with the introduction chapter and then taking a step back to before said anvil hits, but leaving us with the memory of the pain of it.

You know what happens to some extent but the journey to get there is still just as harrowing and on the edge of your seat as it would be if you knew nothing, and I really enjoyed that. And of course you don’t know what happens AFTER until it happens, so you still have the element of surprise.

I’m being as vague as I can here so no one is spoiled if you couldn’t tell haha. It’s definitely a book you want to experience yourself for the first time. The experiences of the characters were so heartbreaking, and I just wanted to protect them, and I know you’ll all feel that too.

Overall I recommend this to fans of intense thriller type adult books. This isn’t for the faint hearted by any means, definitely take care to think about any trigger warnings you might have (rape is quite a big one in this book) but if you’re up for it I think you’ll fall into the journey just like I did.

There are many things about this book I find hard to believe. It is hard to believe this is a debut book. It is hard to believe the topic is as dark as it is and yet I read it in one day. It is hard to believe a book I thought I would wind up skimming wound up keeping my attention so much that I read it in one sitting.

"The things we worship eat us alive." This is the perfect one line summary of this book. No doubt about it- this book is seriously dark. And reading it during the time of #MeToo can be intensely triggering. Not just for the abuse (which is substantial) but also because of the internet sensationalism and online bullying aspect. Anyone who has spent any time on twitter can tell you that. And yet, it was engrossing. Like other reviews, I found this biggest shortcoming is that the focus of the Hero's attention, the subject of his letter, we really know very little about. I wish this character was developed more. Also, our hero underwent an unimaginable amount of trauma. Even when I disliked him, and there are parts where it is very hard to get past his actions, I cringed at the idea that he would suffer more. And yet he stayed standing. Broken, but standing.

I am not sure if I exactly enjoyed this book- but it was engrossing and sometimes that is exactly what you want in a story. Something engrossing even when it is horrifying. Super impressed by this debut author and will be keeping an eye out for more from him..

The exact type of thriller that I love to take my time with and would love to revisit again at a later time. Dark and a difficult read at times, but absolutely worth it.

Yes, Daddy
By Jonathan Parks-Ramage

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Synopsis from goodreads:
A propulsive, scorching modern gothic, Yes, Daddy follows an ambitious young man who is lured by an older, successful playwright into a dizzying world of wealth and an idyllic Hamptons home where things take a nightmarish turn.

I’ve never read anything quite like this before. It was very dark, disturbing, twisted and hard to read at times. This book had some depth that I was not expecting. A coming of age story that sheds light on the #MeToo movement from a males perspective and the LGBTQ+ community, which isn’t present in a lot of fiction in general. However, this was extraordinarily written. Especially for a debut novel! It definitely stands out among other new novels.

I really did enjoy this book and I couldn’t put it down! At the same time, I absolutely despised one of the main characters.. I don’t think I’ve ever hated a character more than I hate Richard??? 🤢 Thinking about it now, I didn’t really like any of the characters but I was so invested in them.

This book has many trigger warnings so I recommend looking into that before picking this one up.

Thank you to @NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the eARC copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.

Have been looking for an LGBT book that's more on the darker, realistic side of the spectrum and this book definitely scratched that itch. Beautifully written, and at times, all too relatable. Gripping, raw, devastating.

2.5/5 - Gothic Coming of Age, LGBTQ+

Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

I wanted this to be a gay thriller. I would compare it more to a gothic coming of age, but definitely readable: I was able to finish this in a day.

<B>The courtroom shifted it's attention towards me, expecting me to tell the story I'd told only three people - you, your lawyer, and my mother.</B>

The dinner scene at the Hamptons was written so well, I could feel my own throat closing up with the conversation closing in on me. I found myself touching my neck and adjusting my seat out of pure discomfort. Parks writes with an edge that is perfect for a gothic setting and really allow me to immerse myself into the story.

<B>"The things we worship eat us alive"</B>

With themes of rape, false memory, power of money, dark side of fame this book is quite heavy that in a way it's good that it is quite short. However I felt myself wanting it to be longer. I wanted the characters to have more of a clear definition instead of Richard's friends all being portrayed in one clump.

<B>I was noise, I was air, I was nothing.</B>

It also felt like there could have been a lot more scenes and more events explored during the Hamptons component of the story. Again it felt rushed and I would have loved to explore the dynamic here a bit more, especially the relationship between Charles and Richard

<B>Desire places people in dangerous positions. This was a fact I'd yet to learn and something Richard knew all too well.</B>

It definitely focuses on internalised struggle of a religious upbringing, but it also focuses on a lot of other trauma and struggles to give enough details about one that I feel cloudied the message a little bit. It also didn't spend enough time exploring the power of different dynamics nor did it allow for much of an understanding of the relationships being developed. It was too short in some sections and too long in others

Although quite unique and still enjoyable despite the depressing and dark nature, this is a solid exploration of the dark side of fame and power.

Talk about summer reading! But with a dark side. I absolutely loved this book and recommend throwing it into your pool bag, but knowing your are in for some tough stuff. This is not a thriller, but is fast paced and definitely has some shock value. There are many many trigger warnings here, but very worthy of a read if those are not triggers for you.

Oh my gay gods - this book! There’s so much going on within these pages, it took a while for me to digest my feelings about this dark and raw book.

This is a really poignant story about so many topics. For me, I think the way trauma and how it impacts people different is the standout. I was moved be seeing writing about older, powerful gay men taking advantage of younger gay men, something I have seen and endured myself in various settings, but have never found captured in books. The critique about how nuanced the MeToo movement truly is was startling and eye opening because things aren’t straight forward when trauma and it’s effects are considered.

Religion played a big part of this book too; Jonah is the son of a pastor at an evangelical mega church and undergoes harmful conversation therapy. This book really captures the toxicity of religion while also speaking to people looking to their faith when times are tough. I, as well as many LGBTQ+ folks, have a complicated relationship with religion and don’t know if I would turn to any god, if I ever hit rock bottom.

This book will leave you with a lot to mull over once you finish it.

A Tour de Fierce!

A tour de force and a sensational debut. Calling “Yes Daddy” an important #MeToo book only scratches the surface of this powerful, riveting and heartbreaking work. “Yes Daddy” is not just about the powerful playwright Richard who seduces, gaslights and eventually horribly hurts and abuses Jonah - it’s also about evangelical religion, the “ex-gay” movement, conversion therapy, love, power, privilege, and ultimately, the literal father/son relationship.

This book is unflinchingly honest - you can feel its truth at a gut level. Powerful, thoughtful, and at times hard to read, it’s an excellent OwnVoices / LGBTQ contribution as well as a story of childhood made human and relatable to all folks, whether or not you’ve gone through what Jonah has. I fell in love with Jonah as a writer, a New Yorker, and a broke, ambitious kid who had no clue what he was getting into with his crush on that accomplished and sophisticated older gay writer. The book has hints of Bright Lights, Big City and Rules of Attraction at the beginning before descending into something much darker and more visceral.

I loved reading this talented author’s work and can’t wait for his next. I expect big things from Jonathan Parks-Ramage, and I’m happy to have discovered him on his way up. 4.5 stars for a fantastic novel from a talented and compelling novelist with even more room to grow and shine.

WHAT. A. BOOK.

When I first saw @philsbookcorner post about 'Yes, Daddy' this past winter, I knew I had to read it. I was lucky enough to get an eARC months ago, and I’m honestly kicking myself that it took me this long to actually read it.

For a book that was highly anticipated by me (and by others) I can tell you, this exceeded ALL of my expectations. I was floored.

Jonah is a young, gay man with evangelical roots, struggling to make it as a writer in NYC. He’s a waiter, estranged from his parents, a little bit shallow in that way that all 20-somethings are, but he has a plan!

One night, he meets Richard, an older, successful playwright and they immediately hit it off. Pretty soon, Jonah is living the high life. Food, clothes, rent paid, and an invitation to spend the summer in the Hamptons at Richard’s compound with some of his rich and famous friends.

What could be better?

But wait...things aren’t what they seem, and Jonah finds himself in a modern day, gothic horror shitshow reminiscent of du Maurier’s Rebecca, but ten times more fucked up.

“Desire places people in dangerous positions.”

This book’s existence is so important. I don’t think I’ve read a book that captures the power dynamics between a much older gay man, and a young gay man. When we talk about the MeToo movement, we very rarely talk about that in relation to the young men who have also suffered and been abused, and quite frankly, it’s time.

Some other major themes throughout the book include religion and cancel culture, including the ways the media dictates who is a victim and how we view and treat them.

This book is powerful, it’s real, it's beautifully written, and it deserves to be read and talked about by all.

I’ve shared some amazing reviews by @bretts.book.stack @philsbookcorner and @readbyryan in my stories. Please go check them out!

Thank you Houghton Mifflin Harcourt & NetGalley for the eARC.

So Yes, Daddy is without a doubt a story that you probably need to pick it up. See below for why!

1. This book has some unexpected depth. Based on the cover, I thought it would be a little simple and lacking substance. But I was 100% wrong in the best sort of way. I really appreciated the layers that I peeled back with this one. It really made the story next level and stand out.

2. I hated every single person in this story. There really aren’t good people in this story. But instead of being disconnected from the characters, I was deeply invested. It is a very interesting insight into people who are incredibly broken and just plain terrible.

3. This story is one that I could really emotionally invest in. It truly triggered me and brought out things within me. This isn’t going to fly for some readers, but I really appreciate books that can pull emotion out of me. Whether it be happiness, sadness, or pure hatred, authors evoking those emotions truly makes for a better experience. I felt Parks-Ramage mastered this for me.

Obviously, three is the magical number (commonly) in reading and literature (and other things). But here is a little bonus reason!

4. It was a really refreshing read. Truthfully, reading can get a little mundane when finishing 1 – 2 books every week. Like a relationship, you have to spice that shit up. This was the flavor I was looking for. If this is out of your element, I think you might be surprised by how enjoyable this story really is.

Overall, I think this story was thrilling, crazy, and genuinely pretty good. I’d definitely check out Parks-Ramage future publications.

Thank you NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt!

Holy Holy!!!!! Such a powerful book! And I was here for it!
I can't thank NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt enough for this amazing advanced ebook!
I knew I had to read it when I found out what it was about. I was sucked in from the first page and am still speechless!
This writing style though!!!!! Simply amazing I haven't read anything like it! Mr. Jonathan my man you've made you mark!

HolyWhirlwind. (copy gifted from @) Based on the synopsis of YES, DADDY I assumed I was stepping into a bit of a psychological suspense novel. I was unprepared for the dark mastery that is this coming of age heart wrenching tale of longing for love and acceptance.

There are a plethora of fantastic #ownvoices reviews on this book. My review is not an own voices perspective of a gay man. My review is from the perspective of a woman who was raised in a toxic evangelical church that was eerily similar to Jonah’s church community.

I grew up in a church that could have been the model for Jonah’s “church family”. Sin was the scapegoat for everything they deemed an infraction and you just needed to pray it away. Even illness was the fault of sin. 🤯 If you didn’t fit into the ideal mold of their perception a perfect person, SINNER and now you’re an outcast. This church community believed in conversion therapy among many other very insane harmful whackadoodle theories that destroy lives. Reading Jonah’s journey, his constant insecurities seeded by the abuse in the name of God, it was very relatable and wholly heartbreaking. As an aside, when Jonah lifted money from the “Rapture Box”, friends I snorted.

The damage inflicted on Jonah due to the abuse and rejection of his parents, shattered my heart. The deep need for acceptance, the love and belonging he pines for, opened the door to be groomed by the monster in this book. A very raw look at the victimization of men which I feel is a reality we don’t discuss enough. Sexual predators don’t solely victimize women and my perception has been that men aren’t as readily believed and supported when victims come forward. Reading a certain supporting character in this book brought Corey Haim and Corey Feldman to mind.💔

This review is too long and rambling. I know. The point is, read this goddamned book. This one will be topping my best books of the year for sure. I hope this meaty thriller lands on your nightstand soon.

A gripping, memorable depiction of violent trauma, and the mark it leaves on a person's life. Jonah is a young writer struggling to get by in New York City when he develops a plan: make an older, wealthy playwright fall in love with him and grant Jonah some much-needed financial security. Pretty quickly, the object of Jonah's affections reveals a need for control, culminating in a trip to the Hamptons that leaves Jonah forever scarred.

The structure of the novel was what stuck with me most. Written years after the events as a letter to a man Jonah encountered during his time in the Hamptons, the focus and lasting themes aren't really the actual traumatic events Jonah and other men are forced to endure, but the emotional scars and guilt that still weigh heavy ten years later. Still, in times the plot felt a bit rushed, like we were being told about events more than we were seeing them; more than anything, this felt like an attempt to hit a certain page number. Even within that page limit, Parks-Ramage creates realistic, flawed characters, who get hurt and make decisions (sometimes what feels like the wrong decision) as a consequence of that hurt.

This is an uncomfortable book. This is a story about a person who doesn't "do the right thing".

Rape Culture is pervasive; it digs in deep and is hard to root out. It's everywhere and often you don't even notice it. Any attention it does receive is a two-edged sword. Public opinion can put you on a pedestal or tear you down. No matter what you do, there is no winning.
We all like to believe that we would do the right thing, say the right words, but we are not perfect moral agents and it can create severe damage for us to believe so.
<i>Yes, Daddy</i> explores a painful part of the narratives surrounding sexual assaults through incredible prose and compassion. He also does not skip over anything if you are sensitive to that.

We have all the ingredients to create one fucked-up protagonist: homophobic Christian upbringing, complicated family relationships, escape fantasies, money struggles. Jonah is complicated, fascinating, often unsympathetic but the perfect choice for this story. He can be at times calculating and deceptive, at other moments out of his depth entirely and at the mercy of others. He is a mess of contradiction. If you need likable characters for your stories this ain't it.

The story already starts at a pretty sad place and it only gets worse. Jonah is not judged for his actions to pursue Richard, to lie to his parents, to believe himself above others. He is also not praised for it. Like watching a crash happen in slow motion, we watch him making terrible choices, fully aware of why he makes them and how it all makes sense - to him. His desperation is palpable and just reading about it made me feel anxious.

I think it was a genius choice to only give us Jonah's writing. We are stuck with him. No other point of views, no omniscient flashbacks, nothing: just him, his past, and his choices, laid bare. It helps the reader to emphasize with him and connect without losing sight of reality.

I might have a few nitpicks with plot points or writing choices but it doesn't really matter when this book made me experience every kind of emotion.

4.5 stars Dang, this was a hard read. I’m not sure how to review this. I’ll give it a try.

Jonah’s dream was to become a playwright, sometimes dreams come true, not this one. He’s in lack of money, can’t even pay the rent.

He’s on a mission, conquer the famous Pulitzer Prize winner Richard Shriver and use him to climb the ladder of fame.
So far so good, in no time he had his hands on Richard, or had he his claws on Jonah?

Ai, how many wrong turns can you make, well, Jonah... a lot.

Jonah ends up in the Hamptons with Richard, more people are arriving, friends of Richard, at his estate. He’s Richard’s lover and got spoiled, Richard pays for everything.
Richard’s lifestyle is far out of Jonah’s league, he knows it but still goes through with it.
It felt so weird, he didn’t know how to meddle, it was embarrassing. I wanted to shake him and order him to run...

Sporadically Jonah’s common sense popped up, but sadly those moments flew away quickly. His brain didn’t help him in the right direction.

From one moment to the next Jonah is degraded to one of the waitstaff.
Creepy things are happening, circumstances are changing, people behave strange(r), it’s like brainwashing.
Also, the perspectives changed, with purpose!

In between we can view Jonah’s skills, I think he put some things in compartments, it’s too hurtful and painful.

There are heavily weighted issues to read about, homophobia, hate, rape, abuse, conversion therapy, and yes the results are exceptional horrible. I’m crying writing this line.

Isolation, brainwash and Indoctrination are cruel bitches! It makes you go like a deprived, numb autopilot robot.

At times I was so angry my heart rate got higher and higher ugh 😡

The thin line between reality and delusion was cruel and confusing af.

Dang, dang this was a hard read. It was written like it was directly told, switching from here to there.
Overall an extraordinary hurtful story, captivatingly written. Looking back I saw a young life getting destroyed by several ugly forces, I’m not sure how he could keep on walking. I’m still crying.

All in the name of the... uh-huh... ugh!