Yes, Daddy gave off a lot more of the nightmarish vibe that I want from modern-day thrillers. It's creepy, dark, and also has some interesting stances on current-day topics. So there really is nowhere to go wrong, it sucked me in basically immediately.

Books like this really are a breath of fresh air to read, because while you partly want to turn away you really just can't. While having a social message, that doesn't take the fact away that it is compulsively readable. It really draws on those fears of being trapped, not necessarily in a physical sense but in just a way that feels like all of your escape hatches are being closed off.

If this book sounds even remotely interesting, you should do yourself a favor and pick it up. This is one that I thought about after putting it down and it surely will remain in readers' minds long after flipping past the last page.

This was, by far, one of the most disturbing and darkest books I've ever read. And I'm not saying that in a negative way! I really liked it. Pardon the cliché, but I couldn't put it down.

It starts out so rags-to-riches. Like an interesting, juicy love story. Wealthy famous playwright falls for cute, young up-and-comer. But, then, once it sucks you in to what feels like romance, it quickly turns into Rosemary's Baby.

And when it feels like there is going to be a bit of resolution, it falls into yet another rabbit hole of WTF. I don't want to give away any elements of the plot. That wouldn't be fair to the author. I will say that I will be purchasing this book when it is published.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the advanced copy!

Yes, Daddy is a letter/journal from the perspective of Jonah, an early 20's, gay, struggling writer who waits tables in NYC in order to barely cover his rent. He is alienated from his father and trying to cut ties with his mother, both of whom are evangelicals who put him through a long and traumatizing yet unsuccessful stint of conversion therapy as a teen. Desperate to no longer need to ask his mom for money -- and to escape her accompanying tirades about his sinful lifestyle -- he devises a plan to essentially make a wealthy, prestigious playwright named Richard his sugar daddy.

A once penniless Jonah is whisked away to vacation at Richard's lavish vacation house in the Hamptons, which is nestled among the equally ridiculous homes of his famous queer artist friends -- all in a gated(!) compound. Richard calls it his "little slice of gay heaven," and Jonah thinks he could get used to this, even though it is a bit weird that Richard's ex is among the legion of hunky, gay waitstaff. Don't worry, though: that ex eventually goes missing. Of course, things take a turn for the worse when Jonah abruptly falls from Richard's good graces and -- without a car or a dime to his name -- is unable to get home. Richard proposes an agreement that would allow Jonah to stay indefinitely and get back on his feet by joining the waitstaff as a butler on the compound. This is how he realizes what extremely fucked up shenanigans are going on here, and that it's too late for him to escape.

As a thriller, I love this story. It's a really fresh perspective and it has rich, relevant social commentary about the often forgotten struggle of young boys of the entertainment industry. Structurally, I had some complaints. The letter format didn't really work for me; it's hard to set the scene this way, when the narrator is essentially explaining exactly what happened to someone who was there. It felt like it kept forgetting it was a letter and slipping into a narrative. Also, the pacing was really strange. The third act has so much happen so quickly, and it feels so out of place with the book. It could have been really trimmed down to maintain the tension. Still, good stuff.

I am very fascinated with books that deal with sensitive topics like this one and I must say I was not disappointed by this. The characters were complex. The prose was beautifully written. The message of the story is so important and I feel like everyone should read this book. Full review to come on Goodreads.

Disturbing, discomforting, repulsive, depressing, I can go on for a while. But also powerful, emotional, important, painful, raw. This is a story I’ll never forget and it’s difficult to write down my thoughts. Because it triggers so many of my feelings at once. <b>Trigger warnings are absolutely necessary</b> before reading this book. There are so many that I don’t list them but be careful if you get triggered easily and even if you don’t get triggered that easily. This story is rather graphic and has a lot of disturbing scenes.

So don’t judge a book by its cover. In this case it’s absolutely not a nice, sweet en sexy story, it’s incredibly dark with many, many layers. I didn’t particularly like Jonah but on the other hand I rooted for him at times because he just wanted to belong and to be loved while chasing his dream to become a playwriter and burying his past far, far away. And then Mace, OMG sixteen year old Mace.

The writing is poignant and captivating. Although I cringed many times and got nauseous sometimes, I wanted to read more and more. It doesn’t happen to me often that I like and dislike a story at the same time. Well, to be honest, I think that only happened to me while reading ‘A little life’ by Hanya Yanagihara. And that one I DNF because I couldn’t take it anymore. I never thought about DNF ‘Yes, daddy’ though. Maybe dislike is therefore the wrong word, it’s just because Jonah’s world is so fucked up. Made by his own beliefs, by his parents and a lot of other people in his world.

I liked the reference to ‘The talented Mr. Ripley’ where Jonah calls himself ‘A talentless Mr. Ripley’. I saw the movie a long time ago (in New York as a Dutch small town girl visiting the big Apple for the first time) and I can see the resemblance, the loser who dresses himself well to impress and to get what he wants. This story is so much more though.

Although this story is ugly and upsetting, I want to add there’s also hope in it. I think people will love or hate this book, there’s little in between. For me it could have been a little less graphic and a little less painful but it’s an important one that will be talked about, I’m sure of that. And I just found out that Amazon is currently adapting this book for television. I’m very curious about that because it could turn out in a beautiful and important series or it could be horrible and distasteful. Of course I hope it’ll be the first.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book. To be honest I was interested in the story and read it even with the warnings of rape, violence etc. The book shows two different worlds of poor hard-working guys who fall and are seduced by the life of rich elder men. I'm sure readers will face the same questions I had. Why is a friend of Jonah committing suicide without a given reason? Why was Jonah raped by a friend from church? Why would Jonah seek revenge in burning down his former lover's home? Those parts of the book I had a hard time to understand. Who knows? That might have been Parks-Ramage`s intention. A good read though I finished in no time.

(Spoilers) I liked this book overall. It has some good things to say about homophobia, classism, the church, etc. This is the first book I’ve read that deals with gay Hollywood men using using young men. One of the most important themes or takeaways for me was how the system forces us to blame and get angry at the wrong people when things like this happen. I do, however, think the story gets a bit jumbled at times. Some parts that were especially messy for me were Jonah’s return home to his mom’s house, Jonah’s finding solace in a religious group in NY and getting sexually assaulted again, his burning down of Richard’s house only to save him (again). A handful of situations like these felt a bit unrealistic to me and derailed the movement of the narrative a bit. I’m also sad to see Rashad not brought up again.

First and foremost, I have to say that Jonathan Parks-Ramage is an absolutely incredible writer. His debut novel, Yes, Daddy takes readers in to a dark, nightmarish world that will seem foreign, yet so familiar at the same time. A really good writer is able to connect with readers on a deeper level-- and Parks-Ramage does just that.

I was emotionally bound to this book. It is powerful and haunting. Jonah is such a complex and complicated character in all that life has thrown at him, yet he is able to piece it all together, somehow finding the ability to survive.

This is no light-hearted summer romp in the sun. It is mostly dark and devastating. I should say that it might be too much for some, there are many 'trigger' topics explored, yet I don't feel it is ever too graphic.

Yes, Daddy brings up some interesting thoughts regarding spiritual faith. Especially with regard to how human intervention can undermine it.

I also feel the need to comment on the title and cover. Initially, it feels misleading. After reading the book, it all makes sense. There's so much more than meets the eye. Family, spirituality, sexuality and abuse are the dominant themes running concurrently throughout.

This has to be the most compelling book I've read all year.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I almost didn’t make passed the second page but I am glad I did.

The writing is CRINGE WORTHY, LGTBQ do not have to be cheesy, they do not have to force logo down people’s throats and it doesn’t have to be edgy just to get people taking. It can be a normal book and I am so sad that authors resort to cheap writing to try and get a gay point of view. Not everyone is like that.

If you ignore the writing about half way through the book the game lighting and the true terror begins. I honestly hope this opens people’s eyes to see that this happens in the gay community and that it’s not just a straight people problem.

i'm glad i had the chance to read this book. while it was nothing like i expected it to be, it still managed to grab my attention. i wanted to see what would happen to jonah, to richard, to mace. i think the formatting of the arc really hindered my reading and my capacity to fully enjoy this book tho.

4 stars

Way, way darker and emotionally charged than the cheeky title and the vacation-vibe cover art suggests otherwise, Yes, Daddy is a nightmarish deep dive into sexuality, trauma, #MeToo movement, and today's cancel culture, all through the familiar thriller trope of 'relationship from Hell'. Jonathan Parks-Ramage casts a wide net with this heartfelt debut; even at times it lacks the polish and restraint of a seasoned author, one can't help but revel in its ambition.

The stylish writing is another aspect worth highlighting; not only is the narrative told in a particularity unique structure, Jonathan Parks-Ramage has a piercing ability depicting moments of neurosis and hallucination; the controlled chaos in his prose masterfully conveys the contradiction, the enlightened hopelessness of his central character.

While Yes, Daddy succeeds as a collection of powerful vignettes, it is less refined as a cohesive novel. The crux of the issue lies in its protagonist, Jonah. Deeply disturbed, Jonah is crippled by his less-than-ideal upbringing and unrelenting self-loathing. It is tricky treading the fine line between true-to-life documentation, and melodramatic sensationalism, unfortunately there are moments in the book where it crosses into the later. Jonah's continuing poor decision making plunges him into grimmer and grimmer scenario, to a point where the character becomes a tragedy caricature, losing all sense of credibility. The book also has a tendency leaning into the 'bait-and-switch' with its secondary characters, having them act erratically to generate shock and plot twist, disregarding whether it makes sense to said characters.

Yes, Daddy is a very solid achievement as Jonathan Parks-Ramage first novel; it defies typical genre convention, tackles taboo subjects head on, and delivers an achingly memorable story about one's self (re)discovery. Even when the story is spiraling out of control, teetering between candid realism and (unintentional) dark comedy, there's no denying the raw passion at its core.

I thought this would be a dark and juicy thriller, but there is way more going on in this one than meets the eye.

Jonah Keller is a young man who has dreams of becoming a playwright. He moves from a small Illinois town to NYC, and ends up working as a waiter and living in a crap apartment while trying to figure out how to make his dreams come true.

Enter Richard Shriver, a famous and award-winning playwright. Jonah orchestrates a way to meet him, in hopes of seducing the older man (old enough to be his father) and possibly jump-starting his own career.

They begin a lustful and turbulent affair. Things intensify when Richard invites Jonah to his compound in the Hamptons. Richard and his friends like to entertain there during the summer. There’s alcohol, drugs, and waiters who are all young, buff gay men. Things take a dark turn when Richard breaks up with Jonah...and Jonah finds out why he was really invited to the Hamptons. Jonah can’t stop thinking about dangerous revenge.

My first thought when I read the title: Ewww!
My second thought (moments later): I think I want to read this.

I thought it sounded kind of like a gay male version of The Lion’s Den by Katherine St. John, but it goes much deeper than that. It’s a dark drama that simmers in suspense, and is told in a shocking and graphic fashion. There are characters I liked, and many characters I didn’t like. My empathy for Jonah wavered as he made some horrible decisions and did some terrible things. He doesn’t always treat people the best, and then seems to want forgiveness. As the story delved deeper into Jonah’s past, as well as what happened to him after that summer at the Hamptons, it made it easier to sympathize with him. He’s a very complex character who went through horrifying experiences.

The book also shows another side to the #MeToo era, in which older men prey on younger victims with broken pasts...this time in the gay community. I also appreciate the social commentary in regards to conversion camps and homophobic colleges like Wheaton College, which is a real college in Wheaton, IL and WAS definitely anti-LGBTQIA. Not clear what the current situation is.

Though it can be cringe-inducing and uncomfortable, Jonah’s journey though everything in his past, a thirst for revenge, and possible healing and absolution, creates a powerful and important story. A promising debut by author Jonathan Parks-Ramage. 3.5 stars.

TW: Rape, drug use, and more that I won’t specify due to spoilers.

Thank you to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"A propulsive, scorching modern gothic, Yes, Daddy follows an ambitious young man who is lured by an older, successful playwright into a dizzying world of wealth and an idyllic Hamptons home where things take a nightmarish turn."
This book was all I expected and more. I knew I had to read it when I found out what it was about. I was sucked in from the first page and am still breathless. Ramage's characters, plot, and prose were so well done. If I could give this more stars, I would. Thank you to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Netgalley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review!

SAY A BIG YESSSS to "YES DADDY" !

I KNEW THIS WOULD BE FIVE STARS STRAIGHT AFTER READING THE FIRST LINE .

BEAUTIFUL and HEARTFELT WRITING
It is so RAW, the whirlwind of emotions, the heart piercing reality will give you a HEARTACHE you haven't envisaged but you will continue to read through, incessantly and THIS BOOK WILL STAY WITH YOU.

It will remind you of "A Little Life" by Hanya Anagihara.

Jonah Keller moved to New York city with dreams of becoming a successful playwright, but for the time being is snowed under extra work hours waiting tables. He gets ensnared and obsessively embroiled into a toxic, nauseous "love affair" with a Pulitzer winning playwright. RICHARD SHRIVER, a well preserved , 55 year old with salt and pepper crew cut hair.

THIS BOOK WILL HOLD A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART.
IT DEMANDS TO BE READ BY ONE AND ALL.

AS I HAD ALREADY GIVEN IT 5 STARS IN THE BEGINNING OF THE BOOK I GIVE IT 5 MORE NOW.

10 RAW, FLAWED BUT STILL BEAUTIFUL STARS FOR THIS GORGEOUS PIECE OF WORK.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

Thankyou NetGalley, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and the incredibly talented JONATHAN PARKS RAMAGE for bestowing upon me the opportunity to read an E ARC in exchange for an honest review , I FEEL LUCKY!

I have no business reading a summer 2021 book in November 2020, but I couldn't resist. I mean, look at that cover! Well, I'm happy to report that not only did I judge a book by it's cover, the book exceeded all my expectation. Yes, Daddy is Jonathan Parks-Ramage's debut novel, but this will certainly not be his last. If you liked My Dark Vanessa by Keri Elizabeth Russell or The Arrangement by Robyn Harding, put Yes, Daddy on your reading list now!

Trying to make your dreams come true in New York City can be difficult, trust me I know this as a New Yorker. Our main character, Jonah is a waiter and struggling to pay rent for his Bushwick, Brooklyn, sublet apartment. Jonah aspires to be a writer, but is struggling to find the connections to make it happen. That is, until he meets famous playwright Richard Shriver. The two meet and instantly forge a romantic connection. Ignoring the fact that Richard is very much older than Jonah, Jonah knows that his physical appearance will cement Richard's affections. As the two venture into a new relationship, Richard invites Jonah on a trip to the Hamptons—a trip that will end in destruction. I will know go into anymore detail because the story truly is one to read on your own and discover.

Disclaimer: This book has some trigger warnings, including rape and drug use.

Yes, Daddy is one of the most f'd up books I've ever read. Truly. And yet, it's powerful as well. Ugh, when you read it, get back to me so we can talk more. This book made me cringe, made me tear up, and made me applaud. I've never rooted for and against characters so passionately in my life. Although this type of destruction has never happened to me, the subject matter is definitely prevalent in my community; where toxic older men prey on younger, insecure victims. Oh wait, no matter what community, this topic is prevalent. These are the types of books we need to see in stores and keep the conversation going. In a world of the #MeToo era, we need to have these painful, yet cathartic conversations more openly. This book, as well as others that have come out, will help those victims immensely. The darkness of this story truly will spark conversation amongst readers—a conversation that definitely needs to happen. I will keep this book in my thoughts for a very long time. Thank you Jonathan Parks-Ramage for this book.

This book is truly a reckoning. This novel is extremely readable (I finished it in one day) and unique. As positives, the pacing is pretty strong (especially in the beginning and middle) and the voice is compelling (again, especially in the beginning, the start of the novel is immediately enthralling). The storyline is also both fresh and necessary. As dark as this novel is, it's so important to see LGBTQ+ characters and storylines that don't center simply around coming "out" stories and this book really delivers on several difficult but real issues: sexual violence within the queer community, family estrangement, poverty, class dynamics, and conversion therapy. This book has several explicit depictions of sexual violence, and references to it throughout, so it may be triggering for some readers.

As negatives, I had a tough time with the ending of the book, and the message readers are supposed to take away. That's a personal, subjective reaction, but an honest one. I also had a tough time with seeing sexual violence played out again and again; again, a subjecive reaction, but what purpose it held is a question I returned to by the time I was mid-way to the end of the book. Even with my mixed feelings about the ending, I still felt the book was worth reading, and certainly worth discussing with others. In the time of #MeToo, this book feels especially relevant.

Absolutely fucked up.

This book is simply what nightmares are made of. I didn't really know what I was expecting when I started this, and I can't find myself articulating how I really feel about it. I experienced a whirlwind of emotions, for sure. Desire, desperation, helplessness, grief, and everything. A combination of all of them resulted nausea throughout the whole process of the plotline. This is an experience that was not really enjoyable, and I think it wasn't meant to be one. There were comedic lines that I really appreciate, like a cut of sunlight through the bleakness, but the discomfort and fear reigned on me the whole time. Trigger warnings are very necessary for this book, and going into it blind is not something I would recommend. I had to pause and stop reading at some parts to gather enough strength to push through it. Yet despite all that, I love this book, and the message it's trying to send into the world.

There's also a lot to unpack in the characters' psychological dimension. Each and every one of the people involved had their own demons that perhaps, fed the others'. Until it all coalesced into repetitive vicious cycles of hurt, pain and abuse. As a psych major, I like that. The way the author handled the conversations of trauma, of healing, was undeniably realistic. It was sad, and painful, because the truth of the situation really hurts, and more often, destructive. The concept of "The Perfect Victim" was also brought in a way that punches the reader in the gut. A subject I personally think needed to be discussed more in fiction and real life. Throughout the end, I was just an incoherent sobbing mess, and reading lines out loud along with the sound of sniffing and tears.

I hope this book reaches everyone who are willing to listen, and even the ones who are not. I hope it screams the words until their ears start bleeding, until they have no other choice but to pay attention. For survivors out there. For the ones who are still trying their best to heal. For the ones already broken. For the ones who gave up, stories unheard.