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changenotcoins 's review for:
Daddy Issues
by Kate Goldbeck
Daddy Issues was… okay. Not bad, not great, but just one of those books that leaves you hovering somewhere in the middle with complicated feelings. And honestly? I think that’s partly what makes it stand out.
What really worked for me was how real this story felt. In a genre flooded with billionaires, hockey stars, and broody ranchers, Kate Goldbeck gave us something different: a story about normal people. Sam is twenty-six, broke, and stuck in a rut after the pandemic derailed her career and sense of self. Nick is a single dad who manages a Chili’s (yes, Chili’s!) and whose entire life revolves around his daughter, Kira. These characters could be your next door neighbors, and there’s something comforting in reading about people who aren’t larger than life but are just trying to make it through.
I especially appreciated that the book ditched the usual single dad trope. You know the one: aloof dad meets quirky young woman, she instantly bonds with the kid, transforms into the perfect maternal figure, and suddenly he can’t imagine life without her. Nope. That’s not this book. Sam doesn’t magically know how to handle kids; she struggles, she’s awkward, and she doubts herself. And Nick never expects her to step into a maternal role she doesn’t want. It felt refreshingly honest, especially in a romance landscape that so often glamorizes caretaking as the ultimate way to earn love.
Where the book lost me, though, was in the actual romance. I just… didn’t buy it. I understood why Sam was drawn to Nick. He’s steady, responsible, and offers the kind of stability her life has always lacked. But I couldn’t figure out what exactly Nick saw in Sam beyond proximity and timing. For me, that missing spark made it hard to root for them as a couple. And in a romance, if I’m not swooning or at least feeling the connection, it takes a lot of wind out of the sails.
That said, there’s still a lot to love here. Kate Goldbeck’s writing is sharp and funny, and she doesn’t shy away from messy truths. Sam’s journey, from figuring out who she is to forgiving herself for not being perfect to learning that forward motion can be clumsy, was the heart of this book for me. And I have to shout out some side characters: Kira, with her chaotic but sweet presence, and Perry, who quietly stole my heart with wisdom and warmth.
The emotional payoff surprised me too. The last third of the book had me tearing up more than once, not because of grand romantic declarations, but because of the way it explored family, forgiveness, and the weight of expectations we carry from our parents. For anyone who’s ever struggled with daddy issues in the real world, there’s something quietly healing in how Kate Goldbeck writes about them.
So, while Daddy Issues didn’t sweep me away with its central romance, it did give me a grounded, messy, heartfelt story about people trying to put their lives back together in a post pandemic world. And honestly? Sometimes that kind of realness is exactly what I want in a book.
✨ 3.5 grounded, Chili’s fueled stars ✨
Thank you to NetGalley, Kate Goldbeck, and Dial Press for the eARC of this book.
What really worked for me was how real this story felt. In a genre flooded with billionaires, hockey stars, and broody ranchers, Kate Goldbeck gave us something different: a story about normal people. Sam is twenty-six, broke, and stuck in a rut after the pandemic derailed her career and sense of self. Nick is a single dad who manages a Chili’s (yes, Chili’s!) and whose entire life revolves around his daughter, Kira. These characters could be your next door neighbors, and there’s something comforting in reading about people who aren’t larger than life but are just trying to make it through.
I especially appreciated that the book ditched the usual single dad trope. You know the one: aloof dad meets quirky young woman, she instantly bonds with the kid, transforms into the perfect maternal figure, and suddenly he can’t imagine life without her. Nope. That’s not this book. Sam doesn’t magically know how to handle kids; she struggles, she’s awkward, and she doubts herself. And Nick never expects her to step into a maternal role she doesn’t want. It felt refreshingly honest, especially in a romance landscape that so often glamorizes caretaking as the ultimate way to earn love.
Where the book lost me, though, was in the actual romance. I just… didn’t buy it. I understood why Sam was drawn to Nick. He’s steady, responsible, and offers the kind of stability her life has always lacked. But I couldn’t figure out what exactly Nick saw in Sam beyond proximity and timing. For me, that missing spark made it hard to root for them as a couple. And in a romance, if I’m not swooning or at least feeling the connection, it takes a lot of wind out of the sails.
That said, there’s still a lot to love here. Kate Goldbeck’s writing is sharp and funny, and she doesn’t shy away from messy truths. Sam’s journey, from figuring out who she is to forgiving herself for not being perfect to learning that forward motion can be clumsy, was the heart of this book for me. And I have to shout out some side characters: Kira, with her chaotic but sweet presence, and Perry, who quietly stole my heart with wisdom and warmth.
The emotional payoff surprised me too. The last third of the book had me tearing up more than once, not because of grand romantic declarations, but because of the way it explored family, forgiveness, and the weight of expectations we carry from our parents. For anyone who’s ever struggled with daddy issues in the real world, there’s something quietly healing in how Kate Goldbeck writes about them.
So, while Daddy Issues didn’t sweep me away with its central romance, it did give me a grounded, messy, heartfelt story about people trying to put their lives back together in a post pandemic world. And honestly? Sometimes that kind of realness is exactly what I want in a book.
✨ 3.5 grounded, Chili’s fueled stars ✨
Thank you to NetGalley, Kate Goldbeck, and Dial Press for the eARC of this book.