Review: Daddy Crush – A. Anders
Daddy Crushby A. Anders
Publication Date: November 27, 2020
Genres: Romance
Pages: 194
Source: Kindle Unlimited
My rating:
Crushing hard…
I’m about to have my first kiss and I feel absolutely nothing. No excitement, no flutters, not even a glimmer of curiosity.That all changes when my bossy neighbor steps in and shows me how it’s done, just this once.But when the kiss that sets me on fire ends, it’s not enough. I want more. I want it all. And I want him to be the one.
On the wrong kind of man.
I’m bossy, possessive, dirty-talking, and twice her age. Kissing my cute, innocent neighbor is a terrible idea—especially when kissing turns into more. One taste of her sweet lips might not be enough. Once I touch her, there’s no going back. Once I've had her, she’s mine.
Content warnings: View Spoiler »
Age gap isn’t one of my personal favorite tropes, but when it’s done really well, oof. After hearing all over Twitter how steamy this book was, I decided to check it out myself and I’m glad I did.
“Chemistry with an older, more mature guy who knows what he’s doing in the bed and can talk filth? That’s the trifecta.”
This is tropey goodness – besides the age gap (43 vs 25), they’re also neighbors, and they’ve got the grumpy/sunshine dynamic going on. Plus, the basis of the plot: a virgin heroine in need of sex lessons. Jerusha was raised in an extremely conservative religious family (think homeschooling, no TV, no secular influences) and now that she’s out on her own, she’s eager to experience, well, everything. And who better to help than her super hot (and helpful) silver fox neighbor Karl?
Karl’s busy running his restaurant/bar and hasn’t really had time for dating. And while it’s certainly neighborly to help out Jerusha with installing ceiling fans, lusting after her colorful but sheltered self is probably not a good idea. While on the surface he’s all gruff and stern, he’s quite sweet on the inside, so when she asks for kissing help after another no-chemistry date, well, how could he refuse?
“I’ve been married, dammit. I’ve been in love. It’s just never been like this. Incendiary. I worry about her. I worry about myself. But not enough to stop this. I’m not an idiot.”
I thought the age gape was handled well. It is the main stumbling block in their relationship, but it’s worked through thoughtfully. Having both characters’ POVs helped, I think. Karl’s 18-year-old daughter, Harper, and Jerusha actually had overlapping friend groups, and I liked how he took her approval of the whole relationship into consideration as well. Karl was also super respectful of boundaries and frequently checked in with her to make sure she was comfortable with what they’re doing.
On top of a seriously hot masturbation scene, the sex lessons are both steamy and sweet. There’s a lot of tension built up between them and it’s absolutely delicious. Despite the title, there’s only a dash of daddy kink in the story. That was fine with me – it’s not something I’m particularly in to – but just an FYI for other readers.
Overall, this was a fun, steamy and quick novella!
