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Dad Had a Bad Day: A Novel
Not yet published
Expected 19 May 26Headshot meets John Cheever in this darkly funny, deeply moving portrait of what happens when a “sad dad” reconnects with a passion from his past.
When Ned finds his old Slazenger tennis racquet buried in the garage, he unearths a part of his former self. Having recently lost his job, his sole duty is to watch over their six-year-old son while his wife works. On a whim--and without his wife's knowledge--Ned joins his childhood tennis club with a secret credit card, where he finds life outside the realm of “sad dad” domesticity. He becomes the captain of a local men’s rec league team, reconnects with his old hitting partner and former tennis prodigy, Roland, and commits his whole sad self to building a winning team. But when Roland disappears, Ned’s search for his friend threatens to consume the path to glory, the relationship with his son, his marriage, and his mind.
A meditation on fathers and sons, male friendship, and the psychic pressures of an individual sport, Politanoff’s novel sits beautifully alongside the dark comedy of Iris Murdoch and the masculine angst of John Cheever, with a style all its own. Funny, poignant, and deeply relatable, Dad Had a Bad Day explores our desire for structure, the emotional limits of domestic life, and the unbelievably potent, powerful, intoxicating feeling of winning.
When Ned finds his old Slazenger tennis racquet buried in the garage, he unearths a part of his former self. Having recently lost his job, his sole duty is to watch over their six-year-old son while his wife works. On a whim--and without his wife's knowledge--Ned joins his childhood tennis club with a secret credit card, where he finds life outside the realm of “sad dad” domesticity. He becomes the captain of a local men’s rec league team, reconnects with his old hitting partner and former tennis prodigy, Roland, and commits his whole sad self to building a winning team. But when Roland disappears, Ned’s search for his friend threatens to consume the path to glory, the relationship with his son, his marriage, and his mind.
A meditation on fathers and sons, male friendship, and the psychic pressures of an individual sport, Politanoff’s novel sits beautifully alongside the dark comedy of Iris Murdoch and the masculine angst of John Cheever, with a style all its own. Funny, poignant, and deeply relatable, Dad Had a Bad Day explores our desire for structure, the emotional limits of domestic life, and the unbelievably potent, powerful, intoxicating feeling of winning.
272 pages, Paperback
Expected publication May 19, 2026
2 people are currently reading
121 people want to read
About the author
Ashton Politanoff
3 books5 followersAshton Politanoff is a frequent contributor to NOON, edited by Diane Williams. His writing has also appeared or is forthcoming in McSweeney’s, Southwest Review, Conjunctions, New York Tyrant, Egress, and elsewhere. He is a former division I tennis player and his childhood coach was Robert Lansdorp, who is credited with coaching Pete Sampras, Tracy Austin, and Maria Sharapova. His novel Dad Had a Bad Day is forthcoming Spring/Summer 2026 from Astra House (US) and Daunt Books (UK). Politanoff’s first novel, You’ll Like It Here, was published by Dalkey Archive in 2022. He is an English Professor at Cypress College.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 31, 2025
As a tennis fan, I was eager to pick this up and it did not disappoint. There are plenty of humorous moments, especially in the interactions between the main character and his son, but the story also takes a darker turn as we watch him slowly unravel. It’s literary fiction with a touch of suspense, keeping you unsure of just how far things will spiral. As someone who played tennis in my youth, I found the character’s relationship with the sport and its lasting impact especially relatable. Overall, this was a dark, compelling, and deeply engaging read.
October 11, 2025
Absolutely loved the plot of this book. Med is a relatable and likeable character and his life is relatable with being out of work, balancing a marriage and fatherhood, and the need to find himself. It was heartwarming and encouraging to see him find himself through joining a tennis club and reconnecting with Roland. Of course everything is thrown into chaos and I was worried for him as he navigates the pressures of life that men can face. We don’t often get books that cover these topics so this is a true treasure. Loved the humor mixed in the storyline and the overall look at domestic life as we know it today. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 17, 2025
This book was unhinged in the best possible way. The main character is so deeply morally grey it’s almost comical, except it isn’t, because you’re too busy watching him completely unravel. His obsession with tennis becomes this dark, consuming force, and watching him self-destruct is both horrifying and fascinating.
The prose is straightforward and razor-sharp, which works perfectly for the story’s descent into chaos. I actually found myself gasping out loud during some of his more questionable decisions (which happened often). The tennis scenes are vivid and strangely hypnotic whether or not you care about the sport, you’ll be pulled in.
I loved every wild, spiralling moment of this. It’s unsettling, darkly funny, and unforgettable.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC review.
The prose is straightforward and razor-sharp, which works perfectly for the story’s descent into chaos. I actually found myself gasping out loud during some of his more questionable decisions (which happened often). The tennis scenes are vivid and strangely hypnotic whether or not you care about the sport, you’ll be pulled in.
I loved every wild, spiralling moment of this. It’s unsettling, darkly funny, and unforgettable.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC review.
October 30, 2025
Picked this up for the tennis but stayed for the sad-dad vibes... I absolutely loved it. It’s rare to find a novel that blends literary depth and dark humor so seamlessly, but Politanoff nailed it.
The story follows Ned, a recently laid-off father struggling to navigate stay-at-home life, parenthood, and a fading sense of identity. When he dusts off his old tennis racquet, he reconnects with a former version of himself, one hungry for competition, and control. What begins as a harmless pastime slowly twists into obsession, a sharp reflection on masculinity, dominance and the need to win at all costs.
Politanoff’s prose is beautifully measured and quietly propulsive. Funny, sad, relatable and deeply human, Dad Had a Bad Day is a moving meditation on fathers, sons, friendship, and the fragile sense of purpose we all chase. I couldn’t put it down.
Thank you to NetGalley and Astra House for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
netgalley
The story follows Ned, a recently laid-off father struggling to navigate stay-at-home life, parenthood, and a fading sense of identity. When he dusts off his old tennis racquet, he reconnects with a former version of himself, one hungry for competition, and control. What begins as a harmless pastime slowly twists into obsession, a sharp reflection on masculinity, dominance and the need to win at all costs.
Politanoff’s prose is beautifully measured and quietly propulsive. Funny, sad, relatable and deeply human, Dad Had a Bad Day is a moving meditation on fathers, sons, friendship, and the fragile sense of purpose we all chase. I couldn’t put it down.
Thank you to NetGalley and Astra House for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
netgalley
October 21, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley, Astra House, and Ashton Politanoff for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
While Dad Had a Bad Day is framed as a dark comedy about domestic life, its surrealist elements run deep, shaping the tone and narrative in unexpected ways. Ned is having difficulty squaring his idealized notion of masculinity with his current circumstances as a laid-off, stay-at-home dad. His self-reflection leads him to seek meaning through reliving his glory days of tennis at his childhood country club. Tennis works as an apt metaphor for Ned’s idea of what it means to be a ‘manly man'. Its solitary nature, strict boundaries, and focus on dominance, control, and winning by any means necessary reflect the emotional isolation and performative masculinity he tries to project, both to others and to himself. Roland functions both as a cautionary tale and as a glimpse into Ned’s emerging reality.
As a reader, it's easy to empathize with what Ned is going through. It's also crushing to then see Ned's efforts lead him to spiral and betray what he truly wants: to be a good father, husband, and man. I loved this book!
While Dad Had a Bad Day is framed as a dark comedy about domestic life, its surrealist elements run deep, shaping the tone and narrative in unexpected ways. Ned is having difficulty squaring his idealized notion of masculinity with his current circumstances as a laid-off, stay-at-home dad. His self-reflection leads him to seek meaning through reliving his glory days of tennis at his childhood country club. Tennis works as an apt metaphor for Ned’s idea of what it means to be a ‘manly man'. Its solitary nature, strict boundaries, and focus on dominance, control, and winning by any means necessary reflect the emotional isolation and performative masculinity he tries to project, both to others and to himself. Roland functions both as a cautionary tale and as a glimpse into Ned’s emerging reality.
As a reader, it's easy to empathize with what Ned is going through. It's also crushing to then see Ned's efforts lead him to spiral and betray what he truly wants: to be a good father, husband, and man. I loved this book!
October 22, 2025
this was such a great read. quick-paced, funny in unexpected ways, and surprisingly tender. it actually reminded me a bit of a miranda july book - that same mix of offbeat humor and quiet heartbreak.
i loved how easy it was to connect with ned and how well it captured that feeling of being lost after a major life shift. tennis almost felt like its own character at times, but it was written in a way that never left me behind. and the ending? loved! satisfying, a little tense, and exactly what i was hoping for. huge thanks for the advanced copy!
i loved how easy it was to connect with ned and how well it captured that feeling of being lost after a major life shift. tennis almost felt like its own character at times, but it was written in a way that never left me behind. and the ending? loved! satisfying, a little tense, and exactly what i was hoping for. huge thanks for the advanced copy!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER TO HAVE A BOOK
November 17, 2025
The fact was novel was fast-paced and short was the primary reason I finished it. However, I can’t say I enjoyed it much. The writing was frantic and erratic, and I never fully invested in the main character, Ned.
I understand that while this might not be everyone’s cup of tea, there will be readers who will enjoy it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this upcoming novel.
I understand that while this might not be everyone’s cup of tea, there will be readers who will enjoy it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this upcoming novel.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Having played tennis in a very amateur fashion, as well as reading a lot about the Menendez Brothers and their torturous upbringing, in part because of their dad’s obsession with their tennis classes, I was intrigued by Dad Had a Bad Day.
I have to say I was largely indifferent to this book, which is a shame. Firstly, this advanced copy was not correctly formatted, so what was a 200+ page book appeared to be a whip of a novel. In the original book, each ‘chapter’ or ‘entry’ is a maximum of around 3 pages, so a lot of the time, there were pages of just one or two chapters. So, I had to read the book via my phone.
The next element was that this was portrayed as a comedy. I wouldn’t call it a comedy, per se. The lead character, Ned, is clearly having a nervous breakdown. He’s a bad father, a bad husband, not a particularly good person, as he encourages his child to help him in adopting psychological warfare (in other words, cheating). His entries, which are akin to diary entries, are meant to help us understand the obsessive nature that sports have foisted upon him.
The final element, although I like tennis, I can’t say I know much of the technical nature of the sport. This was very technical and kind of went over my head.
The book, at the end, picked up, although I still think that, this book not being a comedy, it being so technical about tennis and the lack of narrative structure (I don’t want to say some of the book was just typing, however, I think it wasn’t always focused) is why I think I’m glad I read it but still feel... indifferent. The one important takeaway at the very least, however, is that competitive sports is not for everyone.
I was given Dad Had a Bad Day by Ashton Politanoff from Astra Publishing House and NetGalley in exchange for this review.
I have to say I was largely indifferent to this book, which is a shame. Firstly, this advanced copy was not correctly formatted, so what was a 200+ page book appeared to be a whip of a novel. In the original book, each ‘chapter’ or ‘entry’ is a maximum of around 3 pages, so a lot of the time, there were pages of just one or two chapters. So, I had to read the book via my phone.
The next element was that this was portrayed as a comedy. I wouldn’t call it a comedy, per se. The lead character, Ned, is clearly having a nervous breakdown. He’s a bad father, a bad husband, not a particularly good person, as he encourages his child to help him in adopting psychological warfare (in other words, cheating). His entries, which are akin to diary entries, are meant to help us understand the obsessive nature that sports have foisted upon him.
The final element, although I like tennis, I can’t say I know much of the technical nature of the sport. This was very technical and kind of went over my head.
The book, at the end, picked up, although I still think that, this book not being a comedy, it being so technical about tennis and the lack of narrative structure (I don’t want to say some of the book was just typing, however, I think it wasn’t always focused) is why I think I’m glad I read it but still feel... indifferent. The one important takeaway at the very least, however, is that competitive sports is not for everyone.
I was given Dad Had a Bad Day by Ashton Politanoff from Astra Publishing House and NetGalley in exchange for this review.
December 10, 2025
really fun and effective book with some fantastic vibes throughout and excellent plotting. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews