Fated Mates - Romance Books for Novel People
Episode: RERUN: Daddy Romance
Date: September 10, 2025
Co-hosts: Sarah MacLean (bestselling author) and Jennifer Prokop (romance critic/editor)
Episode Overview
This episode delves deeply into one of the romance genre’s most provocative current trends: the “Daddy” romance trope. Sarah and Jen unpack the trope’s broad cultural appeal, the different flavors it can take, and how it functions both as a kink and an archetype. The discussion is candid, energetic, and unashamed—full of laughter, personal confessions, book recommendations, and a strong emphasis on not kink-shaming. Whether you’re already a Daddy trope enthusiast or just curious (and perhaps a little trepidatious), this episode will illuminate the deeper psychological and cultural threads woven into today's Daddy romances.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
Setting the Scene: Why Daddy? (10:26)
- The original plan for the episode was scrapped last minute. (“We had a whole other plan for today's episode, and then I freaked out about it.” - Sarah, 00:18)
- Responding to frequent listener requests to discuss the Daddy trope and acknowledging discomfort and embarrassment as part of the conversation.
- Differentiating the Daddy trope’s resonance among straight cis women and its roots/manifestations among gay men:
- “This is gonna hit really differently when we’re talking about…cis het women versus Daddy when we’re talking about gay men.” (Jen, 13:41)
Defining the "Daddy" Trope (14:39–17:50)
- Hard distinction between Daddy as kink versus as archetype.
- Daddy as an evolution of the Alpha hero: still dominant and protective, but softer, more nurturing (“Daddies are dominant without being domineering…there is a softness, a nurturing…that tempers Daddy away from Alpha.” - Jen, 15:58)
- Praise (instead of punishment) and caretaking are at the core for many readers/listeners.
Cultural Context & Why Now? (17:37–19:43)
- Societal instability heightens desire for safety and emotional caretaking in fantasy.
- “The idea that…we have a collective urge to feel, like, taken care of.” (Jen, 17:50)
- “The one thing I want right now…is I want the President of the United States to make a big fucking speech…‘It’s gonna be okay.’” (Sarah, 18:17)
- This contemporary Daddy feels less about money/power and more about emotional steadiness.
Daddy as Private Fantasy, Not (Necessarily) Public Dynamics (20:05–20:52)
- Distinction from other kinks/tropes: “Daddy” often plays out as private, intimate play—not public/exhibitionist.
- Tied tightly to contemporary romance’s movement toward softening and personalizing power and kink.
The Many Shades of “Daddy” (22:24–27:34)
- There’s a huge range, from full age gap erotica to more “tame” romances where “Daddy” is a private element.
- Not all Daddy books involve age play, breeding kink, or taboo elements—there’s a spectrum.
- “I don’t want any babies involved in any of this…some of it edges up onto like breeding kink…if that part of it is working for me or it’s not…just shift into another lane.” (Sarah and Jen, 26:56)
Navigating the Daddy Landscape (28:25–31:04)
- Anthologies (e.g., “Dirty Daddies”) are a recommended entry-point for self-discovery.
- Warning: The quality varies widely; a lot are pure erotica churned out in Kindle Unlimited (KU).
- “A lot of these are not great…you should not feel bad about [skipping them].” (Sarah, 30:29)
Archetype vs. Taboo (32:22–34:37)
- Stepbrother (external taboo) vs. Daddy (internal, psychological/private taboo).
- Daddy trope caters to an internal longing for nurture/control—less about social rules, more about personal fantasy.
Book & Author Recommendations
Must-Reads for Daddy Themes
1. Eve Dangerfield
- Act Your Age (35:22)
- Office romance, large age gap, explicit on-page Daddy kink.
- Dynamically explores mutual discovery and the thrill of exposure.
- “She calls the…this guy Daddy in bed because she's like, I'm never gonna see this person again...And then she's, like, accidentally done it with her boss.” (Sarah, 38:51)
- Return All
- Daddy kink without age gap; mutual exploration from a young age.
2. Permanent Ink by Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn (42:26)
- MM romance; younger tattoo artist and his father’s best friend; Daddy dynamic that avoids connecting sexuality to family-of-origin issues.
- “Nothing wrong with thinking this is hot or sexy...has nothing to do with the way you were raised.” (Jen, 44:07)
3. Adriana Anders – Daddy Crush (45:27)
- Age gap, emotionally intense, neighbors to lovers.
- Features a highly vulnerable on-page realization/discussion of “Daddy.”
- “He says a bunch of filthy stuff and then, like, like stops…then he thinks in italics in the book, daddy. And then he kind of like, yeah, closes up because he's like, where the…did that come from?” (Sarah, 48:47)
- Explores the intersection of kink and shame, caretaking, and vulnerability.
4. Katie Robert – Your Dad Will Do (52:46)
- Ex-boyfriend’s father; all-in on fantasy, boundary-pushing, delivers promised taboo (son even walks in).
- “Part of it is like he's into it too…she breaks up with her boyfriend and then goes to seduce his father. Now I’m your mom now.” (Sarah, 53:22)
5. Sarah Kate – Praise (55:17)
- Similar premise as Katie Robert, but novel-length and more emotionally developed.
- Great for readers wanting extended character/relationship depth.
6. Rebel Carter’s Cairn Series (55:42)
- Starts with novella, becomes more plot- and character-rich over three installments (“Honey Honey” is book two).
- Interplay of BDSM club setting, mafia subplots, and evolving relationship from erotic to emotional.
- “She is telling you a very careful story in three parts…she’s making a really interesting point about, like, why we come to these books and what we want from them.” (Sarah, 60:19)
7. Anthologies (e.g., Dirty Daddies series) (27:34, 61:25)
- Best way to sample a variety of Daddy kink sub-tropes and authors.
8. Jade West
- Known for kink-versatile Daddy stories, sometimes including queer poly relationships (“Sugar Daddy”).
9. Brianna Hale – Control Freak; Margot Scott’s Daddy Loves You Series (68:21–69:02)
- For more explicit, erotica-focused Daddy stories (with trigger warnings noted for Control Freak).
- “There's an author named Margot Scott that writes like…not saying I'm necessarily recommending these, but I feel like the writing is good enough and it's serving up what you want.” (Jen, 68:36)
Dirty, Explicit, or “Churn and Burn” KU Reads
- Santa’s Baby by Chloe Maine (66:00)
- Above the Shop by Chloe Maine
- The Dad Bod Series
- Danny Wyatt (“really filthy, everybody” – 67:30)
- Isabella Starling – I’m Your Daddy Now (70:26)
Note: The hosts are clear—these sometimes lack romance, are pure erotica, and can edge into darker, more taboo territory. Proceed according to personal boundaries.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
“Daddies are dominant without being domineering. Because there is a softness…a nurturing…that tempers Daddy away from Alpha.”
— Jennifer Prokop, 15:58
“The sexy part of these daddy books is when…not punishment, but is praise. And that is for me…Like, those are the books that I’m looking for.”
— Sarah MacLean, 16:12
“The idea that…we have a collective urge to feel, like, taken care of.”
— Jennifer Prokop, 17:50
“This isn’t like we’re not going to the club necessarily. Like this is just like this is you and your partners in your home having this. It’s play, it’s fun.”
— Jennifer Prokop, 20:27
“What you think is like, sexy and fantasy is not necessarily what you’re doing in real life.”
— Jennifer Prokop, 50:40
“It really is fundamentally about, like, the world is hard. And, like, we are all struggling, and I think…most people feel a little bit…like, it would be really nice if somebody would just, like, take care of me. Come take care of me for a little while.”
— Sarah MacLean, 70:38
Segment Timestamps
- 00:42 — Quick catch-up, Heartbreaker release news
- 02:24 — The “It's a 10” rating game explanation
- 06:47 — Preview of Fated Mates Live
- 10:26 — Kicking off the Daddy discussion, “headphones in” warning!
- 13:41 — Differences in Daddy as kink: queer/gay vs. straight spaces
- 14:39 — Daddy as a male archetype vs. Daddy as explicit kink
- 17:50 — Daddy’s emotional roots and societal context
- 20:05 — Daddy as private fantasy vs. public kink
- 27:34 — Anthologies and sampling the Daddy spectrum
- 30:29 — Quality concerns and churn in KU
- 35:22 — Eve Dangerfield deep dive
- 42:26 — Permanent Ink recommendation
- 45:27 — Daddy Crush by Adriana Anders discussion
- 52:46 — Katie Robert’s Your Dad Will Do
- 55:17 — Sarah Kate’s Praise, longer-form Daddy romance
- 55:42 — Rebel Carter’s Cairn series
- 61:25 — Deep dive into “Dirty Daddies” anthologies and more explicit reads
- 68:21 — Brianna Hale, Margot Scott, and other explicit KU authors
- 70:28 — Boundaries, triggers, and the importance of consent in reading
- 71:10 — Modern Daddy trope as emotional support, not just wealth/power
Tone & Language
The entire episode is unfiltered, warm, and funny, with both hosts sharing personal reading habits and a frankness about embarrassment, vulnerability, and sexual fantasy. They center the conversation on acceptance ("no kink shaming!") and invite listeners to explore what works for them without judgment.
Final Thoughts
- Daddy romance is a nuanced, evolving landscape within the genre, offering everything from taboo erotica to emotionally nourishing caretaking stories.
- It resonates in today’s uncertain, emotionally turbulent world as a fantasy of safety, praise, and being cared for—financially or, increasingly, emotionally.
- The best advice: sample widely, follow your comfort, and trust yourself—not every Daddy romance (or kink) is for every reader.
Want to share your “It’s a 10” scenarios or ask for book recs? Visit fatedmates.net, Twitter (@fatedmates), or Instagram (@fatedmatespod) and drop your suggestions or questions via their Google Doc.
Next time you want some emotional caretaking (and maybe a little praise), you know what subgenre to check out. And as always: “No kink shaming!”