REVIEW: Daddy Issues by Kate Goldbeck

Daddy Issues by Kate Goldbeck: Life hasn’t exactly gone according to plan for Sam. She definitely did not expect to be 26 still living with her mother and drowning in student debt, oh and lets not forget about her dead end job in the service industry. So you could definitely say that it is far from the glamorous life she had imagined. But things begin to take a major turn when she runs into her mom new neighbor, Nick and his charming nine-year old daughter. Nick is trying to do right by his daughter and keep his life together, he definitely isn’t looking for trouble… but trouble has a funny way of sneaking in next door. Between thin walls, unexpected sparks and a few awkwardly hilarious encounters, Sam starts to wonder if maybe falling into someone else’s chaos is exactly the adventure she never knew she needed. Maybe this is just the push she needs to finally grow up…

Daddy Issues was a total treat! I have to say I found myself liking this book a lot more than I had expected. With its perfect blend of humour, heart and relatable chaos, this book reminded me why the “single dad next door” trope will never lose its charm. Goldbeck brings Sam and Nick to life in the most effortless way, two complete opposites that just seem to fit perfectly together. I loved getting to follow these two through every awkward encounter, emotional misstep and spark-filled moment. Also I just loved how cute the cover looked, very graphic novel vibes.

I have to say that I found myself instantly loving both of our main characters and the way they came together. Sam was messy, witty and endlessly relatable! She is stuck in a life that hasn’t gone according to plan, juggling bills, student debt and the looming shadow of her absent father, yet somehow managing to keep her humour intact. I loved that even though she is feeling a bit lost and floundering about Sam never once loses her spark. There is just something about her that is instantly likeable and I really enjoyed getting to follow her as she found her feet. Nick on the other hand, is grounded, responsible and fiercely devoted to his daughter, Kira. But he is not without his own vulnerabilities and past heartbreak. I loved getting to see Nick and Kira together and really getting to see Nick shower her with unconditional love but also being the example that Sam needed to see of a healthy father-daughter relationship. Simply put Nick was a complete green flag of a guy, supportive and grounded and genuinely invested in the people that he loves.

I just loved the slow burn pull between Sam and Nick. We get this slow, messy and utterly satisfying kind of love story that feels like it’s sneaking up on you even as you’re cheering them on. Goldbeck does a brilliant job of building tension through proximity, awkward encounters, and genuine emotional stakes,. Between the thin walls, shared spaces and unexpected moments of vulnerability there is no way that Sam and Nick could fight the pull they feel towards each other. I loved that there was humour, frustration and plenty of sparks flying in all the right directions, but for me it was the quiet tender moments that really stole my heart. Seeing Nick’s patience with Sam and Sam’s slowly opening up to trust that make the romance truly a stand out for me. I just adored Kira, she was smart, sassy and instantly lovable, giving the book both chaos and sweetness. Her presence adds real stakes to Sam and Nick’s growing connection but also forcing them to navigate more than just their own feelings.

Overall Daddy Issues is a messy, flirty and deeply satisfying read that had me laughing, swooning and occasionally tearing up all at once. Goldbeck balances humour, heart and emotional honesty in a way that makes the characters feel real and impossible not to root for. Between Sam’s relatable chaos, Nick’s grounded sweetness and the adorable chaos of Kira this book is a perfect mix of romance, family and the beauty of unpredictable messes!

Book Info:

Publication: November 18, 2025 | Dial Press Trade Paperback |

Sometimes love shows up where you least expect it—right next door.

A jaded twenty-something is stuck living at home, her life on pause, when a single dad becomes her new neighbor, and unexpectedly sets her life—and her heart—into motion in this modern love story from the bestselling author of You, Again.

At 26, Sam Pulaski expected to be thriving in her academic career, living on her own in some exciting city. Expectations, meet reality. She has massive student loans from studying art history, a dead-end service industry job, a situationship that’s equal parts intoxicating and toxic. And she’s been crashing in her mom’s condo—at least it’s not a basement?—for the last five years. If she can finally get accepted into a PhD program and get out of Ohio, the adult life that’s been on hold for half her twenties will finally begin.

Her mom’s new neighbor, Nick, is the ultimate grownup. His adult life began the moment his nine-year-old daughter, Kira, was born. Her happiness is Nick’s only priority, especially in the wake of divorce. There’s nothing he won’t do for Kira–including giving up his globetrotting career for something more stable…like managing a chain restaurant.

Sam has zero interest in an ultra-dependable guy pushing forty; frankly, she’s a little afraid of kids. But with just one thin wall separating the two condos, Nick proves difficult to avoid. His quiet confidence forces Sam to grapple with the other men in her her emotionally derelict friend-with-benefits and her actually-derelict father. As her unexpected connection with Nick heats up (and steams up his minivan windows), Sam finds herself falling fast for a man whose life is steady and settled–while hers is anything but.