Daddy Issues
Twenty-six-year-old Sam Pulaski is buried in student loans, working a dead-end job, and living in her mother's Ohio condo while she waits to hear from PhD programs. Next door lives Nick, a divorced dad pushing forty who gave up a globe-trotting career to raise his nine-year-old daughter. With only a thin wall between them, Sam finds herself falling for the steady, grounded man on the other side. Meanwhile she is untangling a toxic situationship and the long shadow of her absent father. A sharp, empathetic contemporary romance about growing up later than planned.
About This Book
Daddy Issues is a contemporary romance novel by Kate Goldbeck, first published in 2025 by The Dial Press. It runs 352 pages.
At a glance
- Genre
- Contemporary
- Length
- 352 pages
- Format
- Paperback
Where to read or listen
Get Daddy Issues by Kate Goldbeck
These store links are affiliate links (Amazon, Audible, Bookshop.org and Libro.fm). As an Amazon Associate, Eikna earns from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
Why You May Love This Book
You may love this if…
- Stuck in her mother's condo, a struggling twenty-six-year-old finds unexpected romantic potential in the steady, single father living through the wall.
- Fans of contemporary romance focusing on life transitions
- Readers who enjoy character-driven stories with age-gap themes
- Features Neighbors
- Relatable protagonist facing modern economic and personal struggles
This may not be ideal if…
- Limited information on the romantic arc's progression
The Romance
Tropes, dynamics, and the chemistry that drives this story.
Tropes
Relationship Dynamics
Details
Type: Contemporary Romance
Pairing: M/F
Power balance: Balanced, though characters are at different life stages.
Age gap: Approx. 10-14 years (26 vs pushing 40)
How It Feels
The emotional landscape you'll move through while reading.
Moderate angst.
Heat Level
Based on available metadata and editorial review.
Who Is This Book For?
Best for
Recommended audience: Adult
Content Guidance
The Story
Spoiler-Free Synopsis
Twenty-six-year-old Sam Pulaski is living at home in Ohio while waiting for news on PhD programs and dealing with student loans. Her life is complicated by a toxic situationship and the emotional absence of her father. Things shift when she starts falling for Nick, her neighbor who is a divorced father in his late thirties devoted to raising his young daughter.
Central Conflict
Sam's personal struggle with her career path, her difficult relationship history, and her attraction to a neighbor who is in a different life stage.
Setting
Ohio, suburban residential/apartment complex.
Strengths
- Relatable protagonist facing modern economic and personal struggles
- Clear, focused character motivations
Consider before reading
- Limited information on the romantic arc's progression
Discussion Guide
Questions to deepen your reading experience or spark a book club conversation.
- 1
How does the central conflict shape the relationship between the main characters?
- 2
How does the setting influence the characters' decisions and their relationship?
- 3
How do the relationship dynamics evolve throughout the story?
- 4
Who would you most want to recommend this book to?
- 5
How did the pacing affect your reading experience?
- 6
Which aspect of the story did you find most compelling?
How This Profile Was Created
Eikna uses book metadata and AI-assisted analysis to create structured romance profiles. Public profiles are reviewed and approved by an editor before publication.
- Editor reviewed:
- Yes
- Last reviewed:
- October 13, 2026
- Confidence:
- Moderate confidence
- Profile version:
- eikna-public-book-intelligence-v1
About the Author
Kate Goldbeck
What Readers Say
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Publication Details
- Publisher
- The Dial Press
- Format
- Paperback
- Length
- 352 pages
- Language
- English
- ISBN-13
- 9780593730812
Daddy Issues: quick answers
- Who wrote Daddy Issues?
- Daddy Issues was written by Kate Goldbeck.
- When was Daddy Issues published?
- Daddy Issues was first published in 2025 by The Dial Press.
- What genre is Daddy Issues?
- Daddy Issues is a contemporary romance novel.
- How many pages is Daddy Issues?
- Daddy Issues is 352 pages long (Paperback).
Are you the author? Verify your author profile to manage this book.
This is my book — sign inWhere to read or listen
Get Daddy Issues by Kate Goldbeck
These store links are affiliate links (Amazon, Audible, Bookshop.org and Libro.fm). As an Amazon Associate, Eikna earns from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
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