A funny and touching novel of dads desires to hope their daughters close and the changes that a week at camp can bring. Exceptional!

I very conflicted feelings about this book. After reading the author's own Goodreads comments, I know he was writing this during covid and spending much time with his tween daughters. The novel is a sweet love letter to his daughters and father/daughter relationships. However, the pacing was slow and predictable. I'm not sure who the audience is for this book. It feels like a YA level book, but I don't see this book landing with the typical YA reader. A nice story for a library book check out, but I would not purchase.

This book was so much fun! There were some laugh-out-loud moments, but also plenty of deep insights couched in a light, easy-to-digest framework. And even though it was light, the characters were still nuanced, making it readable and realistic, even if the characters weren't all likable.

A lot of the plot is predictable, but in the best way. It's a feel-good story that plays out with a satisfying ending. And there are some surprises baked in, too.

I did think John had a pretty unhealthy attachment (obsession?) with his daughter. Does that even happen in real life? And she seemed especially mature for age 11. Do most 11-year-olds have smartphones? Am I totally out of it?

Don't expect a philosophical treatise or action-packed drama, but if you're looking for a rollicking good time, this is a must read..

Thank you to NetGelley, the publisher, and the author for an advanced copy for review.

despite not being something i would usually read this was *fun*. i really enjoyed a delve into father daughter relationships in a novel like this, and loved how much depth there was, which was something i wasn’t expecting.

dad camp has almost parent trap summer camp fun energy, with emotions for both dads (not me) and daughters (me!) alike. i really enjoyed this one.

i was given an arc in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to Penguin Group DUTTON for inviting me to review this book.

This was a heartwarming book about a father trying to connect with his preteen daughter. He feels as though she's growing up quickly and wants to make the most of it, which makes him a little bit overbearing. They spend the last week of summer at a father/daughter camp in order to connect.

It was a well-written book and really cute! The main reason I gave this book 3 stars is because I'm definitely not the right audience for it. I am not a parent and I think it would hit harder for someone who is a parent and can relate to their children growing up and not wanting their parent to be their best friend anymore. I enjoyed it but wasn't able to get the full impact of what Evan was going for with the story.

I am thankful to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc of Dad Camp.

The pacing of the story was a little slow for my taste, but I was so busy enjoying the relationship between Avery and her dad. I was consistently reminiscing about my childhood and parental relationships. Overall, this was a heart full book about the bond between a little girl and her dad, and I was thankful to have been able to read about it.

John is having a hard time coming to terms with his 11 year old daughter, Avery, growing up and moving on to middle school. He decides that he doesn’t have much time left where she will want to still go to him for everything and he signs them up for a week of Dad Camp.
The book was sweet and really highlighted different father/daughter relationships. This is a great read for dad’s with young daughters. Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for an ARC.

A heartwarming story about family coming back together and rebuilding connections that are splitting. As kids grow up there is always a desire to somewhat distance themselves from parents, but Dad Camp tells a fun and touching story of one father and daughter repairing their strained relationship for the future.

I was invited to read this review by the publisher, and I have to say, for a book that I thought sounded at the base level like I would enjoy some laughs, it really hit to a deeper emotional level. This book is about the father-daughter relationship, and packs that emotional punch for any parent raising kids who are entering into the teenager years. The book allows you to do some deeper reflecting, and for those of us lucky to still have younger kids, appreciate the present. Any book that can bring about introspection and deeper reflection, while also keeping that heartwarming feeling, is a good book to read. To top it off, there was a lot of humor in this book and I enjoyed reading about all of the dads trying to tap into different sides of themselves and connect differently.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.5/5 stars! Thank you so much for sending me the arc! I think thhe message of this book was important but I just wasn’t a fan. The dialogue was super cringey and I couldn’t relate to the characters very much.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Dutton for providing me with an advance e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. Look for it in your local and online bookstores and libraries on June 11, 2024.

At first I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book. The writing style was so different from the last book I read (felt my YA in style) that I had a little trouble settling in. The was also the brattiness of the daughter and the big lie her told her and I really wasn't sure but stuck with it. It eventually drew me in and once the dads at the camp started to get alone, it gave me Bromance Book Club series vibes, except the men learning how to be a better dad as opposed to a better spouse. I wound up really enjoying the story and would continue to read if it became some sort of series.

The premise for Dad Camp is really cute, a dad trying to make a last ditch effort to bond with his daughter the last week of her summer before middle school. Unfortunately, I DNF at 27%. I just couldn’t get through much more, as it felt like the main character (the dad) wasn’t connecting with me at all. A lot of his quips I didn’t resonate with, and sometimes I found them a bit condescending. However, I’m sure this is right up someone’s alley, and I know personally with my own dad about how important that father-daughter bonding time is. Thank you so much to Dutton Books, Evan S. Porter, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy!

This is a really sweet novel about a father-daughter week at Camp Triumph. Avery is 11 and dad, John has always been her "hero" She'll be in middle school in the fall and this is his last chance to bond with her beyond the sports they enjoy as she's an awesome athlete. But the camp is not what they expected as they must "share their feelings" more often than John expected and he becomes jealous when Avery spends more time with her new camp friends than with him. As he attempts to "bond" with the other dads (as they've had to lock up phones and all technology) he begins to realize his father-daughter relationship is more special than he knew and appreciates her trying to fit in with the girls. This is one of those tear-jerkers that will make you appreciate your kids even as they grow "away" from you!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

This was such a good book! I loved the characters, and their story. The dialogue was realistic and enjoyable. I was very surprised by the ending!

Honestly I was disappointed by Dad Camp. The father daughter relationship was strained as the premise stated, but it wasn’t hard to see why. His whole life was his daughter, but not in a sweet way - in an ‘I have nothing else, and I am entitled to her love no matter what’ sort of way. The writing is also quite simplistic, more like YA, which makes me wonder who exactly the book is for.

With an endearing and gripping voice, Evan S. Porter's debut novel is for parents and non-parents alike, with a setting that is heavy with the scent of pine and nostalgia and a cast of characters that have you laughing and crying in turns, this book is one that sits deep in your heart and makes you excited for whatever the author publishes next.

I rarely have the chance to read about fathers and daughters and how their relationships can develop. I loved Porter's perspective in Dad Camp. He's a superb storyteller and my heart broke as I recalled how I was growing up with my father. Well done and a beautiful book. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Five stars.

Dad Camp is a heart-warming novel about father-daughter relationships that will make you feel all the feels. My son just turned eleven two days ago and so there are certainly parts of this book that I can relate to. He's a pretty agreeable kid and for the most part still seems to like us, but I'm definitely starting to catch glimpses of the teenage years ahead. For one, he doesn't find me as hilarious as he used to, which is slightly traumatic for me since I am the queen of “dad” jokes. I imagine in another year or two he'll be mortified to be seen in public with me, which, okay, fair enough – I've reached the point in life where I am perfectly happy to wear pajama pants in places that pajama pants don't normally venture. But, still, even though I'm happy to see him growing up and becoming more independent and developing his own interests, it's kind of bittersweet. And, in a nutshell, that's basically what this story is about.

I'm not gonna lie, this book was a little too saccharine for me at times. I'm not much into sappy, sentimental novels, so there were points in the narrative where I just wanted to roll my eyes. John is really obsessed with his daughter and being a dad, and while that's sweet and all, there is a lot of waxing poetic about it. At the same time, though, there's also enough humor to mostly counterbalance the sap, so I really didn't mind it as much as I might have otherwise.

And this book is definitely funny. John is a witty narrator, and some of the scenes involving the four dads “bonding” are delightful. I especially loved the group session involving Man Cards (“discussion topics for enlightened masculinity”) and the ensuing awkwardness.

The relationship between John and Avery is really quite endearing, too. Despite his flaws, John is obviously a good father and wants to do right by his daughter, and it's really sweet. Lou, too, is an awesome dad. The other two fathers could use a bit more work in the parenting department, and their redemptions are a big part of the storyline.

I can see this book appealing tremendously to the parents of preteen children, or anyone at any stage of parenting, really. It reminds me of the saying that “The days are long but the years are short,” because that's certainly true when it comes to watching your kids grow up.

Overall rating: 3.75 stars, rounded up. Dad Camp is a heart-warming (but somewhat sappy) foray into the world of parenting that will likely resonate with anyone who has a moody preteen of their own.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.

A fun read with dad surprising Avery with a five day retreat the last week of summer hoping to have special father daughter time. What he didn’t know was that, Dennis, the camp director would badger him into opening up and becoming a better person. As the other dads and John become close and have dad fun, Avery ends up making friends. However, dad has failed to tell Avery that she missed soccer tryouts something she really wants to do. He hopes that she will forgive him when he finally tells her. Will it affect their relationship?