4 stars.

Forever a Kate Goldbeck fan. This was a sweet and tender story and even though I’ve never been in Samantha’s position i found myself aching for her. Kira was such a delightful addition to this story and I would have been happy to read more of her.

My only complaint is I wanted a few more fleshed out scenes of emotional depth between Sam and Nick. But Kate’s writing still had me hanging onto every scene between them.

Big thanks to Dial Press for the ARC of this one! I read this one immediately when I got it, because I loved You, Again and was so excited to dive into Kate Goldbeck's newest book! It was a quick read for me and I really enjoy Goldbeck's writing style. That being said, this one missed the mark for me a little bit. The book follows Sam, whose life has stalled since she got her Art History degree back in 2020. Originally, the pandemic derailed her and sent her to live back home in her mother's retirement condo. It's been five years now, though, and at 26 Sam has basically failed to launch. When a new neighbor moves in with his young daughter, Sam finds herself drawn to him despite the fact that she has never been drawn to kids. Even though there is a substantial age gap, she feels like Nick really sees her. The story definitely had potential but I felt like Nick and Sam's connection was sort of surface level and I just really wanted to shake Sam and tell her to get her life together. There are some important details in regards to mental health and healing past trauma from childhood but overall, I just really wanted more from this one.

I will definitely still read more books by Goldbeck in the future, though!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Kate Goldbeck for the ARC.

I really enjoyed <I>You, Again</I> by Kate Goldbeck, so I was excited to dive into her second novel without reading too much about it in advance. What a pleasant surprise to find that the "issues" in <I>Daddy Issues</I> are a clever nod to comic books… a theme that delighted the comic nerd in me.

The story follows an art history academic whose career is abruptly stalled by the pandemic, prompting a return home to live with her divorced mother. Goldbeck deftly explores the idea of “lost years,” capturing the emotional and psychological fallout of that time. So many stories set during or shortly after the COVID-19 lockdown can feel too raw or heavy-handed, but this one manages to be grounded and resonant without feeling exploitative of a shared-trauma.

What stood out most to me wasn’t the romance (which, ironically for a romance novel, didn’t feel like the star) or even the father-daughter dynamic that the title hints at. While those threads are there, they didn’t quite feel fully resolved. Still, the story as a whole worked beautifully. I couldn’t put it down, feeling mediocre in life and as an artist and fan of comics all hit very close to home for me with just enough humor woven throughout to take the edge off.

The Author’s Notes are a must read. Goldbeck’s shoutouts to Lynda Barry, Scott McCloud, and sequential art fandom history genuinely moved me.

This book was provided to me for free in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Daddy Issues by Kate Goldbeck

Daddy Issues follows twenty-six-year-old Sam, whose life has felt stalled since the world shut down during COVID. After repeated rejections from Art History graduate programs, she’s moved back in with her mom, now living in the condo’s office space, stuck in a loop and seeing her world through comic book panels.

Things begin to shift when Sam is drawn into spending time at the condo’s pool, where she meets a vibrant nine-year-old girl named Kira and her charming, nerdy father, Nick. Their connection is immediate, and soon after, Sam learns that Nick and Kira have moved in next door, quite literally on the other side of her wall.

Nick is a diehard Trekkie and, more importantly, a devoted father, something that surprises Sam and challenges her perceptions of fatherhood. As their relationship deepens, Sam is forced to confront her own fears about adulthood, love, and finding her place in a world where nothing seems to go as planned. With no clear path in the art world and uncertainty about where she fits in Nick’s already-formed family, Sam’s journey is one of self-discovery and emotional growth.

I gave Daddy Issues 3 out of 5 stars. While the premise is compelling and the character dynamics are charming, the pacing often drags, and several of Sam’s personal arcs feel underdeveloped. Although the addition of a comics class shows some forward motion for her character, it doesn’t feel like a fully satisfying resolution. That said, I appreciated the closure in her romantic “situationship,” which added some emotional payoff by the end.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read Daddy Issues.

3.25 stars


Absolutely loved the concept, but the execution didn't QUITE meet my expectations -- tho that's in huge part due to my preferences with the romance genre. I did really like how comics were incorporated into the story -- sometimes the heroine's hobby feels shoe-horned into the story, but it was really cool how Goldbeck made the comic hobby integrate into actual narrative style of the book.

Despite the parts I liked, there were also ones that didn't work for me. I feel like there wasn't quite the emotional intensity or depth that I turn to the romance genre for. I prefer a 3rd person, dual perspective narrative, since I think that usually gives authors the most room to build tension and do character work that really hits home. Daddy Issues has 1st person, single-character perspective -- and while I know many people enjoy that style, it didn't quite work for me. It shifted the focus to be more on our main character & her personal struggles/growth, which gave it more of a contemporary fiction vibe, since we don't get her love interest's internal perspective at all and thereby lose out on possible tension.

So, while not my most favourite, I did still have a fun time reading this and will be recommending to patrons and friends. Definitely would like to check out more from this author!

Two books in, Kate Goldbeck has proven to be a bit hit and miss for me. There’s so much I like about her work: compelling characters, realistic set-ups, steamy sex scenes, and an interest in using past traumas to build on all of those things and find a new path forward. This stuff is so good, but I often feel that Goldbeck hasn’t yet mastered the balance between these excellent elements. As I did with “You, Again,” I found myself skipping through big chunks of text that leaned way too hard on Sam’s memories of her father and, yes, her real-life daddy issues. I appreciate the character-building that goes into these bits, but found myself thinking, “I cannot hear one more time about these goddamn comic books.” Get to the good stuff!