Daddy Issues
Or, as Nick Hartshorn would say... paternal psychological baggage
Yesterday, I indie-published my first book! It’s called Rehabbing the Billionaire, it’s a steamy spicy marriage of convenience story between a billionaire physical therapy CEO and his aspiring physical therapist assistant, and, most relevantly to you, dear readers, it’s chock full of daddy issues! Just like THIS Forced Proximity roundup! Fun fact: a therapist once told me that she thought my asexuality saved me, since most people she worked with having similar issues to me trended towards self destructive when it came to sex and dating, but I didn’t have that to worry about. Asexuality: 1. Daddy issues: 0. Too vulnerable for Substack? I guess we’ll see!
The Notorious Lord Knightly by Lorraine Heath. You know me by now, you know I can’t resist a revenge plot.
Five years ago, Knightly left Regina Leyland at the altar. Now, he suspects she’s the author of a scandalous book skewering his reputation. Sure, he’s only referred to as Lord K, but the villainous character seems an awful lot like him. And when the rest of society seems to agree, well… that’s a problem.
Soon, though, speculation around the character and the author reach a point where Knightly can no longer ignore his interest in seeking out his former fiance, and Regina can no longer avoid him, much as she wants to. Particularly because she needs help shielding someone from negative scrutiny… her SECRET BABY. Yep. Ol’ Knightly not only jilted Regina, but also his unborn child.
Both these characters suffer from near-terminal daddy issues. Knightly bears the abusive brunt from his father, but Regina, as the acknowledged but illegitimate daughter of an Earl, has her own baggage to work through as the result of an extramarital affair. Can they put aside their past and differences to forge a different future? I suppose we’ll see!
How hot? 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Fool Me Once by Ashley Winstead. This book might be the most controversial in the roundup, and trust me, I felt the controversy throughout my read. I also thought it was an exceptionally tender and nuanced exploration of some pretty spiky issues, some of which are particularly triggering to me, specifically. Spoiler alert: it’s infidelity!
Lee Stone works at what is essentially a woman-owned Tesla as communications director, and is working with her boss and the most liberal Texas governor in its history to bring some green energy legislation to life. Unfortunately, it’s not smooth sailing as expected, either politically or professionally, because who is the governor’s policy expert? Ben Laderman, Lee’s ex boyfriend from grad school… who she cheated on back in the day in a blaze of the opposite of glory, because she’d thought he cheated first and EYE FOR AN EYE and all that.
Why would Lee, our heroine who we’re meant to root for, cheat on her beloved boyfriend back in the day? Well. I’m sure this will surprise you, but the answer is daddy issues! Her father cheated on her mother, and they never reconciled before he died, and then all of her romantic relationships ended with her being cheated on. As far as Lee’s concerned, infidelity is the expectation, not the exception, and her hurt at the idea of Ben, whom she put her heart on the line for, following that pattern made her a little… unreasonable.
But now Ben’s back, and they both have to work through what happened before in order to salvage what could be really lovely now. Plus, they’re partners in policy, and politics are somehow even more messy than their backstory.
I am definitely sensitive to infidelity plots, but I’d actually read the second book (about Lee’s sister) first and loved Lee and wanted to see her story. Once I realized the plot of this one, I was definitely hesitant, but I’m really glad I stuck with it.
How hot? 🔥🔥🔥
The Hunter by Monica McCarty. This is book 7 of a series that dominated my life for about a month (paid subscribers will remember this hyperfixation), to the point that in a new work in progress of my own, my characters last names are MacLeod and Bruce! Uh oh. No regrets.
In book 7 of a series about an imagined Special Forces cohort helping Robert the Bruce take back Scotland, we follow Ewen “Hunter” Lamont, Robert’s tracking expert. Ewen is Daddy Issues Platinum as well; his father was a well respected warrior, but also a known idiot, who put his entire clan in danger because he stole his liege lord’s bride and partied hard until he literally died due to drink and idiocy. Ewen is desperately trying to hold things together in his wake, and one way he’s doing that is making sure his own reputation is above board and heavily associated with the success of beloved underdog Robert the Bruce.
So it’s awfully inconvenient that he suddenly has lots of happy pants feelings about a nun (and war effort courier) he was sent to track down and rescue. Her being a slightly stubborn and seriously hot nun is bad enough… the fact that she’s actually Janet of Mar, an important member of the resistance and related (by marriage I believe) to Robert the Bruce is worse! Whatever will his reputation do!
This is one of my favorites of this series, because Janet gives as good as she gets, is dogged in her duty, and refuses to be a damsel even if Ewen would prefer her to just stay in one place and stop causing trouble.
How hot? 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Next week, to match, I’ll be doing a Mommy Issues roundup! Because at least ONE of our parents fucked us up, and I’m an equal opportunist.
Until then, might I interest you in another book with prominent daddy issue themes? It’s called Rehabbing the Billionaire, and I wrote it!
What should I be reading next? Let me know in the comments!