I was so excited for Daddy Issues after loving You, Again and while I enjoyed it, it didn’t fully hit the same. Sam’s been stuck for years after the pandemic derailed her life, still living in her mom’s spare room, until Nick, the stable, sweet single dad, moves in next door with his daughter and shakes things up.

I loved how open Nick and Sam were with their feelings, no games, just two people figuring it out. The age gap and Nick’s life experience brought a nice balance. There were also some really good mental health and childhood trauma moments that added depth. But I spent a lot of the book just wishing Sam would finally make moves to change her life.

The pacing dragged a bit in the middle, and the ending felt a little rushed, the “I love you” came quick, and I wanted more resolution with her dad. Still, the banter, chemistry, and Kate Goldbeck’s writing style made it super readable. A few tweaks and this would’ve been a 5-star for me. And that cover? Absolutely stunning, no notes.

Definitely worth a read if you’re into age-gap romance, emotional growth, and easy banter!

Thank you Dial Press for the eARC via Netgalley.

This book hurt my feelings (:

I, like Sam, am painfully, wildly familiar with the “I moved home briefly to gather my bearings and then the entire world imploded and I am still here” situation that comes with being just young enough to be almost gen z but still firmly a millennial.

Also like Sam, I mostly find children sticky and chaotic but, when it comes to the children of the people I care about, I would burn the world down for them (even though they are still sticky and chaotic).

The paralysis of needing to be perfect or not at all, the sharp contrast between being so, so grateful to have a safe place to land but also fear that you will never be able to cut it on your own. Okay!!! Thank you for rubbing my face in it.

I did also love that Nick was real about the complexities of having a kid, and also was VERY involved in her life (and willing to admit that he hadn’t always been so, when it was easier to shirk some of it). It was refreshing to have a dad character who was his own person but also very much a coparent who didn’t have to have a weird antagonistic relationship with his ex. Kira was well-adjusted and a realistically formed kid, and that seems to be hard to convey in books, so I genuinely loved her.

Anyway I’m gonna go marinate in my existential dread now, thanks Kate!!!

I’m not saying this book healed my complicated relationship with my dad and my tendency to date emotionally unavailable man-children... but I’m not not saying it. Daddy Issues is smart, funny, sex-positive, and painfully self-aware. Think Fleabag energy meets single dad romance in a Chili’s parking lot. Yes, there’s steamy minivan action. No, I’m not okay.

With a tongue-in-cheek title and comic styling on the cover, I expected a simple "single dad" trope-filled story with a precocious child and an immediate instant family situation. This book was SO much more and I found myself nodding incessantly at the thoughtful portrayal of trying to survive in the world of academia, the longterm impact that COVID had on life plans, and what exactly it means to be a parent and to be in a relationship with someone who is constantly tied to an ex for coparenting purposes for the foreseeable future.

I loved how well Goldbeck wrote the trials of having to start over in the wake of the pandemic. She nailed the hopelessness of having to pivot your whole life in the wake of the pandemic while battling insecurities and the frightening joy of falling in love. Such a great book.

Daddy Issues is a thoughtful story, with realistic exploration of dating a single parent, and figuring out life after the pandemic. I love Nick, so much. He was the cutest dad and while not perfect, he works hard to be a good parent to Kira. I liked his character so much. I really struggled with Sam. I think other people will resonate with her. It's very much a me issue. I struggled with her personality and her complete lack of empathy/understanding of other people. Again, totally a me issue. I can understand why her struggles would resonate with other people, just not my jam. I did love that she was into comics. Kate Goldbeck talks about it in the acknowledgements and I loved what she had to say. Spice was fun too, though there's not a lot. It is open door.
Overall, cute!

Hello, Daddy Issues! I'm still in complete denial that I got to read an arc of this book- pinch me!

Let's start with the things I adore about Daddy Issues: Nick, Sam, and Kira. The way that Nick understands Sam completely healed something in me. From next door neighbors to being deeply involved romantically this book was adorable. The way their relationship was handled so tenderly for Kira's sake was BEAUTIFUL. Or the way Sam became a comfortable presence for her, it was all just perfect.

The relationship between Sam, her mom, and Perry was *chefs kiss.* I am someone currently in the same situation as Sam (living with her parents in her 20's and just trying to make it) and Kate must be a magician because their dynamic mirrored my own family dynamic. I found it extremely heartwarming.

The things I didn't love about Daddy Issues was the pacing. I felt like the beginning hooked me, then from the 20-45% mark I really had to work for it. There was no real drama happening so I found myself not wanting to pick this book up. I'm glad I did at the end...but it was a ways to get there!

I also found the ending quite...BAM. I thought the mention of the 'love' word felt premature. I know that everyone loves at their own pace but this felt quite quick! I also spent this whole time wishing that Sam would help herself. We spend a majority of this book watching Sam not be happy with her career or routine, but she makes no attempt to change it. I just wanted something for her that she seemed to want but then maybe didn't? It just felt tiring,

In all this is a good book & just because I had a couple qualms with it doesn't make it bad!! For me it was a 3.5 star read. I would definitely tell my friends to read this as I really enjoy Kate's books! Plus the cover of this is TO DIE FOR.

Big smooches for Random House & The Dial Press for an e-arc of this book!

I'm sort of disappointed :( There wasn't a solid amount of build-up, the MMC & FMC getting to know each other. It didn't feel realistic, the daughter in the picture but rarely in the story - even though I love a romance that doesn't focus on children. The humor was cute, but honestly, the most interesting part was the powerpoint that Romily provided. Love the cover, the book did not deliver (for me). Love the writing though.

Kate Goldbeck is one of the wittiest writers in the romance genre. She always mixes the funny and the emotional exceptionally well and her latest is no exception! Her characters feel extremely real and messy.

This book is definitely one that makes you think. It makes you reflect on your choices and your relationships, past and present. There are some complicated subjects that are handled quite well. It gave me a lot to think about. Maybe because I’ve gone through some of them myself. It was a good read. Would recommend.

First of all I love dilfs and second of al I loved this book. This slayed so bad I cannot explain the way Kate make me feel but it’s unlike any other author.

whew, this was not what i was expecting at ALL from a book called daddy issues. i was here for some kinky bdsm romance and ended up reading about very-much-not-kinky literal daddy issues that reminded me far too much of my real life family dynamics. existential dread and childhood memories are really prominent right now.

i found sam a really touch character to like. she was so incredibly flawed and juvenile. the thing that made her *her* were things i didn’t want to be reminded of or read about because i’ve seen them play out in real life. seeing her development into a semi-real adult was the payout i needed to not dnf this book.

i think the romance was sweet and believable, but for me it was a bit overshadowed by her issues. i think the second chance aspect of this was critical to the plot, because she truly needed so much work 💀

Daddy romance is alive and thriving, and Kate Goldbeck gives the most realistic, romantic, humorous adaptation on the beloved topic! With characters who are raw and real, never perfect but doing their genuine best, and a touch of fandom love sprinkled throughout, this book is like a triple dipper from Chili's - it has something for everyone and will leave you perfectly satisfied.

Daddy Issues started off slow. The pacing in the beginning dragged, and I had a hard time getting into the story, but it got better as it went on. I didn’t like the instalove between Sam and Nick. Their relationship felt underdeveloped, and we didn’t see much of them growing together. I also thought Sam seemed kind of immature. I did like the open discussion of feelings. It didn’t fully work for me, but there were still some good moments.

I loved this book from start to finish. As soon as it ended I wanted to read it again because I enjoyed it so much. The characters were interesting and the plot hit close to home. It was also such a unique story that it felt fresh and new from other romance books. Fantastic book!

The title and cover caught my attention, and the description sealed it for me: I wanted to read this book. I enjoyed it but I ultimately did not feel too attached to any of the characters. Sam seemed a little whiney to me in a way that I couldn't understand (and I understand how the pandemic affected people, but she seemed very stuck. I'll definitely recommend it to people, but it wasn't my favorite book. Thank you Dial Press Trade Paperback and NetGalley for this ARC!

Daddy Issues by Kate Goldbeck was a refreshing take on a single father, age gap romance. Although Sam and Nick have had different experiences are at different places in their lives, they fit with each other. Most importantly, they know how to communicate!

Things I Loved:
Sam and Nick were regular people with normal problems.
The banter.

Things I Did Not Love:
Started to feel too long towards the end.
Sam's relationship to her father did not feel concluded.

Single dad, age gap? Oh my word, sign me up for this ride ASAP.

This book was so wonderful and fun, I had an absolute blast reading it! It was so well done, to the point where the characters were properly communicating with one another and it made a WORLD of difference reading this book. I loved how well this was written and how mature the characters felt the entire time. This was such a perfect approach to age gap romance books, and I could not put it down!

If you like the tropes, this book is IT for you!

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC!

Thank you to Dial and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f contemporary romance
-single parent
-age gap
-neighbors
-two dorks falling in love

I loved this one. There is such a wittiness to Kate's writing. The integration of the comic book scenes, it was so smart and just made the storytelling that much more vivid. I am trash for a single parent romance and foudn this story so relatable. No matter what age you are you may not have it all figured it out yet. A great book that makes me so excited to read whatever Kate writes next.

This was not the depraved book I thought I was getting but loved it all the same. It was kind of a deep book and I really loved the characters. All their individual personalities and the growth that Sam had. Now do I believe based on their story that Nick and Sam should have been telling the other that they loved them, no. But you do you, I guess.

Thank you to NetGalley for the early version.