For Her Own Good

by Tamsen Parker

When Dr. Lowry Campbell saved my life as a suicidal teen, I thought he was the most perfect man I’d ever known. And then he disappeared for fifteen years. Now, three months after I became the wealthiest woman on the Eastern Seaboard, he’s back. And he wants me. Finally. But I’m not that girl anymore, and my anger at him for abandoning me is nearly as intense as my vulnerability. I’ve waited a long time to ask for what I want. It’s time Lowry know that if he wants to be in my life, he’ll need to earn back my trust and come to terms with my desire to call him daddy… From USA Today Bestselling author Tamsen Parker comes a taboo romance of risk-taking, redemption, and how to give voice to our greatest fears and our greatest desires. **Content Warnings for mental illness, depression, suicide**

Genres: Romance, BDSM, Contemporary Romance, Mental Health, Erotica, Adult, Second Chance

472 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 21, 2019

About the author

Tamsen Parker is a stay-at-home mom by day, erotic romance writer by naptime. She lives with her family outside of Boston, where she tweets too much, sleeps too little and is always in the middle of a book. Aside from good food, sweet rieslings and gin cocktails, she has a fondness for monograms and subway maps. She should really start drinking coffee.

You can sign up for her newsletter here to find out about her latest release, sales, or other goings on: http://bit.ly/1Bry07O

Reviews

[Isabella. R · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Absolutely Darling Stars ⭐

I have an unexplainable fixation with daddy kink romances and it’s not often you find well written books in this genre. So, I had high hopes going into For Her Own Good. There were some amazing heartfelt moments and it was extremely steamy, however it felt like forever before the romance kicked in.

“I don’t have any experience with it in real life, but I’d like very much if you were to be my little girl. I might not be very good at it at first since I haven’t done it before, but I’d like to think I could learn to be a very good daddy to you.”

This is the story of Doctor Lowry Campbell, a psychiatrist who initially specialised in children suffering with depression and anxiety. And for many years, Starla Patrick was his patient. Yet when he left without notice, he left a trail of confusion, betrayal and hurt in his wake.

Starla has pretty much spent her entire life in therapy and the path has never been easy. Her biggest breakthrough came as a teenager under the guidance of Doctor Lowry. But when he left the practice, he almost broke her. A case of an unrequited crush on her doctor, or was it?

He is, after all, the one I blame for my daddy kink. Well, not so much blame, because I suspect I would’ve had an eye for older men no matter what.

With Lowry moving back to Boston fifteen years later, it’s like fate deemed it unavoidable that these two should reconnect. With a significant age gap and a shared medical history, Starla isn’t making it easy for Lowry. In fact, she’s a complete bitch. It will take a significant amount of groveling.

As they navigate their newfound friendship, attraction gets harder to ignore. When Starla decides to risk it all and come clean about her feelings, she couldn’t have expected how receptive Lowry would be to ALL her needs.

“What is your kink, then?”

“It’s okay, Star. You can tell me. I promise I won’t judge you harshly. I want to know because I want to make you happy. At the worst I’ll simply say it’s not exactly to my taste, and we’ll figure out something we both like. That’s the absolute worst. I promise you.”

Okay at this point I was sold. I finally got through all the resistance and bullshit excuses….and then I needed a panty change. Honestly these two together were DYNAMITE. This author did a fantastic job highlighting the struggles and accomplishments of mental health. It was true love at its finest; just so bloody long...

[Briar's Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh man, oh man, oh man! Another Tamsen Parker gem!!

This book is a 6 out of 5, but unfortunately that rating does not exist on this site so I guess I can settle with just a 5 out of 5.

Seriously though, this one was a DOOZIE!

Tamsen has amped up the plot, has some truly epic references and kept me hooked the entire time! Starla and Lowry (amazing names, by the way) are one incredibly interesting pair that make this book feel more than just a romantic, erotic tale. These characters felt real - mental health issues, sweet and seductive storylines and one heck of a finale! This book is just AMAZE-BALLS.

So, down to the actual plot - Starla was Dr. Lowry Campbell's patient way back in the day (about 15 years if you are a numbers person) and suddenly he's back into her life. Except, this time he's not her doctor and is instead a sexy man she's interested in. She liked him back then, but now the lines are blurred and it's their chance to pounce at each other. Their romance is slow burn and faces many obstacles along the way. Starla has some mental health issues but deals with them like a champ. Lowry is an understanding man who is hella sexy and ready to be in her life.

If I have to summarize ALL of the amazing things I liked, here's a list to start you off:

1. Lowry's descriptions and accents and OMG Tamsen seriously made this man my dream man. She's killing me! Reddish copper hair, smart doctor and the European twang... Ugh. SO SEXY.

2. This story has such a way with words - "Tongue like a whip" - seriously majestic. I loved some of the amazing phrases used because they added SO MUCH to this book. It felt like this book had attitude and was sassy at times. Example number two: "He deserves to have his heart cut out with a rusty spoon and fed to him."

3. Star Wars references galore! "My enemies encased in carbonate" was the best gem, but there's SO MANY.

4. "Daddy kink kryptonite" is the best way to describe this novel AND that's a quote from the book!

5. Oh, and did I mention there's a dominatrix? Oh yeah, this book is SPICY.

This slow burn novel is ridiculously amazing. Tamsen's writing is only getting better and this book was seriously cool. Not all readers will like it - it takes about half the novel for the couple to get dealing with their romantic emotions - so readers who like quick, fast-paced romance might want to steer clear. There's also talks of self-harm and suicide, so this book might be a little triggering for some.

Overall, I think this book is incredible! As I said, 6 out of 5 stars level good! I liked that Tamsen keeps taking risks with these stories. They are different, totally romantic and erotic and well written! What more can this reader ask for?

Five out of five stars!

I received this book for free from Tamsen Parker in exchange for an honest review.

[benevolent bastard · Rating 5 out of 5]

To be trapped in Starla and Lowery’s world forever.
This wasn’t your typical dirty daddy kink. It was actually quite HEAVY. Starla suffers from depression and she’s learned how to conquer it with Lowery’s guidance. He left for fifteen years after her last major depressive episode and now he’s back into her life trying to be her friend and possibly her lover.
Daddy Lowery is absolutely kind, patient and nurturing. He’s everything a girl could want in a daddy. He’s so emotionally connected and physically connected to Starla I was enchanted. I’m so happy I read this little gem.

[warhawke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: Contemporary/Erotic Romance
Type: Standalone
POV: First Person - Dual
Rating:




Wealth meant nothing to Starla Patrick when she had been battling with her mental well-being for half of her life. Fifteen years ago a psychiatrist changed her life in more than one way. Now, Dr. Lowry Campbell is back and upended her life all over again. This time around, things would be different for better or worse.



If I only have one thing to say about Lowry it’s that aye, he’s a fecking nice Scottish bloke with a dirty fecking mouth lol! I liked how he’s very responsible in both professional and personal aspects. Starla was a strong independent woman on the outside, but a vulnerable, insecure girl on the inside. Her condition took a lot out of her, yet she persevered.

I don’t want him to pity me and treat me like a sad, broken thing he needs to fix because he’s got perfection leaking out of his pores that he uses like glue to mend other people’s cracks.

I enjoyed the story overall with how it developed. However, considering how long this book was, I felt the ending was a little rushed especially with a questionable action that happened.

Starla is like a bunny. An incredibly rich and powerful bunny who could have her henchbunnies end a person in a second, but with me, she seems only to want her ears stroked.

What I loved the most about this story is the dynamic between the characters. This is an in-character DD/lg story but their position and situation made it fresh and interesting. I also liked the supporting characters and how they affected the couple.

For Her Own Good is a story of overcoming doubts and fears. It would appeal to readers who enjoy a story of personal struggles with a good dose of Daddy kink.







For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:

[Jessica Alcazar · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first thing I want to make sure everyone understands is that if you’re looking for a daddy kink taboo read, this isn’t it. I’m probably not going to say this correctly, but this is the story of a grown woman making her mental health circumstances her bitch who also happens to prefer a protector/someone to take charge sexually. Her sexual kink happens to manifest itself best when Daddy takes care of his little girl. Starla’s inner child/little girl is ever present in her life and she thrives best when her partner recognizes that. Lowry does precisely that.

Starla and Lowry have history. History that goes back over fifteen years. A doctor patient relationship that was more for both, even back then, but neither got to explore it. Starla wasn’t able to because she was way too young with mental health issues she had yet to get control of and Lowry was her doctor. Lowry made a choice fifteen years ago and walked away from everything. To find out the why/what/where of it all, you’ll have to read the book LOL

So today it is fifteen years later and Starla is a grown woman with her own business and a newly acquired Enterprise. Lowry is back and he very much wants Starla in his life, any way he can get her. And so begins their journey.

I have never been captivated by a story more quickly than I was with this one. It was more than just the story-line. Truth be told, it was all Starla. Everything about her fascinated me from the very beginning. She is fierce and independent. She is quirky and sassy. She has struggled and overcome. She has taken charge of her life and knows what she wants out of it. She is no longer an out of control teenager because of her mental health circumstances. She is a grown woman in total, okay almost, control of her life with a safety net securely in place to help her navigate her circumstances. She knows what she wants and is not afraid to go after it. She stole the show for me.

Lowry was perfection for Starla and Tamsen did an exceptional job with his character as well. He was open and willing for anything that made Starla not just happy, but also give her the ability to thrive. He knew very little about a DD/lg relationship but was willing to jump in headfirst to please Starla. I found the dynamics of that incredibly captivating and well thought out. Lowry may have been in charge of Starla’s orgasms, but she very much held all the power in their growing relationship. If you want to find out the how of it all, I once again suggest you read the book :) lol

There are parts of this story/journey that I wish were a bit more fleshed out than they were, but big picture, this is an out standing story with a unique twist on the usual age gap and doctor/patient romance fiction books I’ve read in the past. Character development was spot on with Starla’s mental health circumstance being properly portrayed and very well executed in the story-line. There is quite a bit of inner monologue that does slow the pace of the story and truth be told, not my favorite type of story-telling but again, this book is next level greatness and I cannot recommend it enough.

[Gabrielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

I cant remember a time when I felt more seen in a book than this. I wasnt really sure what I was walking into with this but this turned out to be painful and cathartic and amazing. I do have to mention that this book deals HEABILY with mental illness and suicide topics so if that's a trigger then I would steer clear. There was a lot of passages that called to exactly the way I feel when my depression raised its head as well as my feelings on DDLG kinks. This book also had THE single most sexiest freaking sex scene I have ever read in my life.

[LaToya (Readingbythebayou) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was just ok. It had the bones to be a great story but it didn't hold my attention. It was way too much talking in their heads and not to each other. There was also a lot of medical jargon used dealing with mental health issues but it made the book less enjoyable for me. I struggled rating this one.

[sil ♡ the book voyagers]

DNF at 50%

I talk about this book in my upcoming video but tbh I was enjoying this book but it was taking too long. It is a slow burn romance so!!! Take that into account. It's really intense and heavy on themes (Content warnings: suicide attempt and massive depression). Also another aspect that led me to DNF easier was that the hero/heroine met each other when the heroine was a minor because the hero was her psychiatrist. They felt an attraction to each other but did nothing about it! 15 years pass and they meet again.

Still... I'm really uncomfortable to think he felt attraction to her... a MINOR when he was like 30 something? Whyyyyy. Why not make her a bit older, it literally doesn't change the book. So yeah... it wasn't for me but I guess people would enjoy it.

[Jess *lovetolovebooks* · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ll treat her as fragile not because she is, but because life has already tried to shatter her on the floor one too many times, and wouldn’t it be nice if someone cradled her for once?

For Her Own Good was phenomenal! I kind of went in expecting the classic Daddy/little girl read, and what I got was an incredible representation of depression, kink relationships, and a healthy mixture of the two.
Starla has suffered from extreme depression since she was young, but after finding a treatment that works for her, she has managed to create a great business and have a life that she's proud of living. She has all the respect in my eyes for not only that, but the continuous work she does seeing a team of doctors about her mental health and keeping her depression in check. This take on mental health was executed extremely well in my opinion. I related to Starla so freakin hard during my reading experience, and I admire her.

Set me aflame, Star, until I’m mere ashes. I’d be grateful and proud to be the conflagration you warmed your body upon.

Starla was Lowry's patient when she was a teen but then he made the decision to up and leave at a time when she needed him most. 15 years later, he's back and he wants Starla in any way she will let him. What happens next is so unbelievably sexy, kinky, and just lovely.

I’ll go slow at first, work my thick hard cock inside that tight cunt of yours, and when you’re ready, I’m going to fuck you, Star. Drive into you until you cry out my name. Until your legs are splayed wide open and you’re getting hammered. I’m going to absolutely pound you until you’re wrecked. That’s what I’m going to do and you’re going to love it, aren’t you, my horny little girl?”

Starla admits to Lowry, a man 18 years older than her, that if they are going to try having a sexual relationship she wants to call him Daddy. I found this side of their relationship to be very positive and healing. They have many discussions about what they like, what they don't like, what they are willing to try, and Lowry even gets a session with Starla's Domme to see and learn the full scope of what both of their roles would be like, and he does it without the toxic masculinity which made me fall in love with him all over again. Lowry makes one hell of a Daddy, and sweet lord can that man dirty talk! He continually checks in with Starla (mentally and emotionally) in and out of scenes, and the level of communication these two have is just as sexy as the actual sex!
This was my first book by Tamsen Parker, and it won't be my last!

Read this if you like:
Age gaps
Taboo
Daddy/little girl
Dirty Talkers

Overall rating 5 stars
Steaminess 4.5 stars

[Leigh Kramer · Rating 4 out of 5]

CW: depression, suicide, death of a parent

Ginger Scottish ex-psychiatrist Daddy kink. As you might expect, it’s super hot. As you might not expect, it’s also a compassionate, nuanced exploration of grief and mental health.

Starla is not pleased when Lowry happens to sit next to her on a plane. They haven’t seen each other in 15 years, since the night he found her at rock bottom and took her to the hospital. He was her psychiatrist at the time and suddenly up and left his job and her by default. Much has changed in the intervening years but Starla is still being treated for depression. She’s also dealing with the death of her father three months prior, as well as inheriting his company that she has no interest in running but wants to do right by. And now Lowry wants to be a part of her life, even if only platonically.

She’s furious with him but she’s also still drawn to him. Nothing ever happened sexually or romantically between them while she was under his care but she’s fantasized about him over the years as her Daddy. While she eventually decides to give dinner a shot, things stay platonic for a while before they evolve into something more and before they start to explore Daddy kink together. Starla knows what she wants and I loved watching her get it.

Even more than that, she was a fantastic and fierce heroine. Her job helping people get organized was fascinating because it was all around their specific mental health needs. What a gift! It also gives great insight into how Starla has been able to manage her own mental health in her day to day, helped along by ECT and weekly appointments with her psychiatrist. She’s had hard times in her past but she was such a lovely person. It was moving to watch her make sense of life without her dad in it, both in how their relationship was complex and in the decisions she has to make about his company. I was glad she had Lowry at her side, even if she didn’t involve him in that part of her life.

Lowry can’t help but try to help people. (He might be an Enneagram Two.) So he’s interested in seeing how his former patient is doing when he sees Starla on the plane. But he also cut her off as a patient and moved to Chicago for work because he was attracted to her 17-almost-18-year-old self and he did not want to harm her, nor did he want to violate his professional ethics or lose his license. (This was really hard to read because terminating any kind of provider relationship requires more care than he gave, especially when Starla was in such a precarious state.) He didn’t want to cross that line and was disgusted with himself for being attracted to her. There’s a lot of guilt and shame in the present over their attraction due to how they originally know each other and the 18 year age gap. He also bears shame because his uncle was a pedophile and wonders if he’s just like him. That’s worth processing through but there’s a difference between someone who feels an attraction and someone who acts on it.

The Daddy kink is explored in some really interesting ways. They’re curious about why this works for them, Lowry more than Starla as he didn’t know much about this side of him before this. But Starla, at least, doesn’t worry about why this is her kink, if it’s daddy issues or simply how she’s wired. It works for them and it really worked for me as a reader. Did I mention this was super hot? Plus, Lowry is a fantastic dirty talker. I also appreciated that they had a session with her Domme Jade so that Lowry could learn how to safely play with Starla.

I thoroughly loved this story but they never fully addressed the ethical dilemma at the heart of their relationship and so I can’t give it the full 5 stars. When the book starts, it’s been 15 years since Lowry suddenly moved out of state right when Starla’s condition had worsened. They met when she was 14; she’s 33 now. They’re both consenting adults. He may have been in a position of power when they first met but she’s a wealthy woman now. He let her set the course of their relationship once their paths crossed again. I don’t know the specifics of a psychiatrist’s professional ethics when it comes to romantic involvement with a former patient. But 15 years felt like a good amount of time to have passed before contemplating such a thing. Even so, they needed to address it more explicitly than they did. (Starla’s psychiatrist and Lowry’s colleague said, “it’s not technically a violation of the ethics guidelines, but I’m not sure this is wise.” This is completely valid.)

They needed to talk about the boundaries around her mental health and what his role is now. How would he support her as her lover vs. as her former psychiatrist? She’s still receiving treatment at the same place where he works. Does he need to excuse himself from the room if Dr. Gendren wants to discuss some aspect of Starla’s care? When will they disclose their relationship to Dr. Gendren? What happens if they break up? They fact that they don’t discuss these things and that Starla doesn’t even tell Dr. Gendren until about three-quarters of the book was concerning to me. That doesn’t mean I thought they shouldn’t be in a relationship but that I was very worried about the potential fallout for Starla and her mental health should things go awry.

And of course things do go awry, in ways that mimicked the past. I felt awful for Starla, especially because this coincided with an unplanned pregnancy. I did appreciate how the plot does not shy away from discussing how the pregnancy could potentially impact her mental health. Starla’s mom died by suicide and she worries about passing their mental health struggles on to her children. In the epilogue, we get to see her child and learn that she had a healthy pregnancy. Lowry has to do some groveling, although I wish it had been a bit more. But it did finally get them to talk through the things they needed to talk through.

I also found Tad, Starla’s former boyfriend and her dad’s right-hand man, to be a one note villain. He was over the top in his awfulness, especially when he tried to threaten her with being involuntarily committed. I wished there’d been more of a comeuppance for him, especially because of the way he tried to manipulate Lowry.

This story utterly consumed me. Lowry and Starla had such an interesting dynamic together and I loved watching how it all played out. I want more people to read it so we can discuss.

CW: suicide, suicidal ideation, depression, death of a parent, grief, reference to Catholic priest who sexually abused children, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), unplanned pregnancy

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

After "His Custody" by this author was one of my favorite books of 2021 I was very much looking forward to reading this one (doctor/patient and daddy kink) but unfortunately.... I wasn't a big fan of this one. The leads are so much in their heads from beginning to end that it just felt like a slog to get through, and I desperately wanted to skim but refrained until the very end because I do enjoy this author's voice.
In fact, as someone who has struggled with depression for most of my life I found a great many passages from the heroine's thoughts almost word for word things I have thought myself, and I appreciated the deep realism of the mental health issues at play for her, but it wasn't entertaining. Even during the few steamy scenes they are so caught up in their head that it became less about the steam/kink and more about their struggles. Lowry has some great, great dirty talk, but interspersed with some of their thoughts (depending on whose POV it was), some of the heat was dampened.
There is a slight taboo edge from their former relationship, but they haven't been doctor/patient for 15 years so it was pretty minor, and everything in the bedroom is handled so properly and with tons of communication and consent that it is a good representation in that regard, but I prefer things a little dirtier in my fiction, personally.
So, overall more of a miss for me but there were several things I liked, and I still intend to try more by this author in the future.

[Anne]

DNF at 50%

I’m frustrated with this one because the story and characters are working for me, but it feels absurdly overwritten to me. I’m a passionate defender of the merits of single-POV, and I feel that dual-POV has to have a solid reason why a character’s perspective must be shared at certain moments. Here, I felt the pacing was slowed down by constantly swapping POVs to get their every. single. thought. There’s a difference between slow burn and slow because it desperately needs editing, this was the latter. This probably should have had at least 150 pages cut.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book took me by surprise. I will admit it! I really loved the plot, how the heroine had so many responsibilities and how her mental health played out. It was a full story, and not just a story about daddy kink! I truly appreciated that.

[arnela · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️

[Eleanor · Rating 5 out of 5]

OhMyGawd!!! Hello perfection.

I don’t think I could’ve loved this book any more than I did. It’s definitely a super close runner up to Parker’s Craving Flight, and yup, emotionally it surpassed the Compass Series ⬅️ Never in a million years did I think that could happen.

Anyhow, let’s get to the point.

Daddy kink isn’t something I normally find all that interesting, probably because I don’t really understand how it can be differentiated from “regular” father/daughter relationship. BUT!!! and that’s a very big but, I think after reading this story, I’m a little closer to understand that. The form of discipline one feels they need and the satisfaction the Dominant find from inflicting the discipline.

What I did love right from the start, is the forbidden feel Lowry and Starla’s relationship exuded.

Lowry is 18 years Starla’s senior, and her former psychiatrist. He’s also been in love with her from pretty much the beginning of their doctor/patient relationship, when Starla was just 15 years old, and a very depressed teenager.

Lowry’s own demons kept him in check and when he felt he couldn’t control himself anymore, he left. The only problem is that this move happened right on the heels of Starla’s attempted suicide. Which, considering she felt the same about him, didn’t really help her heal.

Lowry being back in Boston after 15 years, and only months after Starla’s father passed away and left her the richest woman in the state, is not only suspicious, but still somewhat taboo, considering their previous professional relationship.

Reacquainting again, Lowry will do everything in his power, while not abusing it, to make Starla trust him again. Her intimate and sexual needs, shocking him to realize he’s the perfect Yin to her Yang, are what truly bind them together again.

The most interesting aspect of this story for me was the emotional development both MCs go through and the distinction between clinical emotions to actual feelings, especially on Starla’s part. It was fascinating, frustrating and beautiful.

There were times I wanted to shout at Tamsen but also knew she’d make it all better. And she did. This story is definitely an emotional rollercoaster, but it a good way.

[Norma · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book for an honest review.

For Her Own Good is a forbidden, age-gap romance that has a bit of kink thrown in. The story focuses on Doctor Lowry Campbell and Starla Parker. Lowry was Starla’s doctor when she was an adolescent battling with depression.

Once she turns 18, he leaves Boston for Chicago for fifteen years, only to return, and a chance encounter puts them side by side on his flight back. She is also on the flight to Boston after completing some work in Chicago.

I am all about forbidden romance. I am not so much into the age gap thing, nor am I into the kink that this book has, but all in all, once I got past that, I enjoyed the premise of the book. Starla’s battle with depression really hits home because it is something that so many people battle with. To see her fighting the fight and doing what she can to maintain her mental health speaks beautifully.

I’m gonna be honest, I refused to see Lowry as that much older than her because I just don’t do age gap. They didn’t discuss the age gap much in the book so I was able to imagine that he was closer in age to her than he really is. Then there is the whole kink. Again, I am gonna be honest… I found myself skipping particular scenes because the kink they used in this book is not my cup of tea at all. In fact, I found myself repulsed by some of the scenes.

Outside of the kink and age gap, Lowry and Starla have a relationship that can truly make a person smile. He takes care of her, and in turn, she does her best to take care of him. It’s a beautifully cultivated relationship that can be seen in most romance novels out there.

All in all, I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to read this book again, nor do I picture myself owning it on my library, but for those who like these tropes, I am sure you will find it very much within your liking. I give it a solid 3 out of 5 stars just because the writing style was good, and the overall premise was beautiful, I just happened to skip over some parts and not feel truly invested in the book since it wasn’t something I could get into.

[Kate Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! I don't know what I was expecting with this book, but I got so much more than I imagined. Full honesty, it took me a little bit to get in to the story, but when it hooked me, I was stuck tight. The storyline was unique and the development of the story arc flowed smoothly throughout the book. I loved the characters. Lowry was so sexy and caring to Starla's needs. And Starla, my heart ached for her. I loved how Parker wrote this book facing the mental issues of depression and anxiety head on, with a raw honesty that had me tearing up at times. This is by far the best DDlg book I have ever read. My first book by Tamsen Parker and I will definitely be reading more!

[Laurel Nilsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a little while to get into this book and I wasn’t sure what to expect as this is the first book by this author and this genre and it took a bit of getting use to. This book is about Lowry and Starla and a love that is forbidden to start with but fast forward 15 years and add a bit of kink in and you have a match made. Starla struggles with depression and Lowry knows how to handle her. Some serious steamy scenes and your anxiety will have you sitting on the edge of you seat. If you like it a little kinky and a little forbidden then this is a perfect read for you.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Campbell saved Starla’s live when she was a suicidal teen and then he just disappeared. Now 15 years later he is back and sparks are flying between them. It is three short months before Starla will be the wealthiest woman on the Eastern Seaboard. Can she trust the reason Dr. Campbell came back? Fast-paced read loads of drama and amazing chemistry. I was hooked from beginning the end. The story draws you in and Starla is an amazing character. I loved it.

[Francine Taitague · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. The main character was just really childish in my opinion and there’s was a lot of chapters I just passed through cause it was such a snooze. & the whole calling Him “daddy” thing was just super awkward for me. Not my cup of tea.

[Melinda Benn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a new author to me, so I didn't know what to expect. I ended up enjoying this book.

[Jill · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pass

I barely made it through the prologue let alone the first chapter. Tightness characters don't interrst me at all. Ugh

[EJ Summers · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good book and Ms. Parker is becoming one of my go-to authors. She’s a fantastic, fantastic writer. BUT. this kind of fell apart for me at the end.

Things I liked:

- In so many DK novels, the male is well-versed in the lifestyle, in play, and really always knows what to do. It was nice that Lowry has no practical experience being a daddy, and was learning along with Starla. He was still hot and alpha, but I liked the change from the usual male hero we see in these books.

- The sex scenes. So sue me, I’m a garbage person. Lowry had the dirty talk down for sure.

- Starla! I love her. How great to have someone dealing with serious mental illness as a heroine. She was sharp, smart, and sassy without being bratty. She understands her kink and isn’t ashamed (much) about it. She is a great example of how a strong, powerful woman with a lot of her plate might feel the need to unwind with a barrage of spankings and dirty talk. Love her.

Things I didn’t like:

- The book could have been 100 pages shorter. The will-they-or-won’t-they lead up was a little too long, IMO. I remember reading Starla’s POV when she’s in Lowry’s bathroom- she thinks something like, He has no bathrobe on his door. I kind of went...ok. I get it. You’re observant AF. Can we please get to the point?

- The BIG dilemma around the 89% mark. We’ve read hundreds of pages illustrating what a great psychologist Lowry is (not being facetious, he’s remarkable), and I’m supposed to believe that he thinks the best course of action is to abandon Starla for Chicago, as he did so many years ago? Without a heads-up or a text, like, Hey, that asshole Tad is sniffing around, I’m going to be MIA until the deal is done? With full knowledge of Starla’s mental health history and indeed, her disclosure that him leaving before nearly destroyed her? I think fucking not. He’d never do that and the fact that he did it was wholly inconsistent w. his character development up to that point. I had to put the book down and honestly, the whole thing just soured after that.

Overall, a good read with a denouement that I didn’t enjoy.

[Sabarin A. · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5/5 meh-stars

This book was just dragging on, and i don’t even know why I kept reading. Like there were some cute moments but not enough for me to rate it any higher…

And the pacing was just really weird, like it went from her hating him for leaving town after he saved her from a suicide attempt fifteen years ago (he was her psychiatrist back then), to them kinda being friends to them actually being friends then I think the author tried to make them form an emotional connection but then it just went physical then it went back to building the 'emotional' connection then he left her again “for her own good” then when he came back and 'apologized' aka screwed her she forgave him.

And the pace at the start was agonizingly slow but the ending just felt really rushed…Idk

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have some mixed feelings about Parker's latest erotic romance, despite the high rating I've given it. The writing is fabulous (unsurprising, given Parker's track record), the characters sympathetic and compelling, and the kink is portrayed with respect and care. But the idea of a psychiatrist/patient sexual relationship, even if the psychiatrist hasn't treated the patient in a VERY long time, gave me pause.

The story:
A male psychiatrist who had an inappropriate attraction to an adolescent female patient struggling with major depression chooses to leave his practice, his home, and his patient behind in order to remove himself from temptation. This story begins 15 years later, when the psychiatrist, Lowry Campbell, knowing that the recent death of Starla Patrick's high-profile father is likely to be difficult for her, decides to once again upend his life, moving back from Chicago to Boston, where his former patient still lives. Starla has left her tumultuous teen years behind her and grown into a successful adult who manages both her small business (coaching others with mental health issues on how to best organize their space and schedules) and her depression with skill and aplomb. But Dr. Campbell's new job is at the same hospital where Starla's current doctor is, and it isn't too long before the two encounter one another. Starla was devastated by her doctor's abandonment, and is embarrassed by her lingering crush on him, so she initially refuses his friendly advances when they run into one another. But Starla's curiosity gradually gets the better of her, and she and Dr. Campbell begin meeting weekly for a friendly dinner. A meeting which gradually transforms into dating, and into lots of kinky sex.

Starla's well aware of her own kinky desires: she gets turned on by feeling like a "little," acting like a small child and being taken care of (and spanked) by a kind, dominant parent figure. She currently plays with a female Dom with whom she can take on the role of child, sans sex, but she'd love to find a male lover whose kink aligns with hers. In contrast, Lowry is wary of his own kinky proclivities and has never explored them. But now that Starla is a consenting thirty-three year-old to Lowry's fifty-one, perhaps it might be safe to admit that what he feels for Starla isn't just affection, or even run-of-the-mill sexual attraction?

The idea of Daddy kink usually makes my skin crawl. But Parker constructs her characters, especially Starla, with such care and respect and emotional heft that I still found myself drawn into their story. Parker's depiction of Starla's work to manage her depression is particularly compelling. Though Starla has her depression under regulation now, it is clear that she is not miraculously cured; she must continual monitor and respond to her mental health as does anyone with a chronic medical condition.

I personally would have enjoyed the story more if Lowry had come back to Boston for reasons other than still being obsessed with Starla (struck me as slightly creepy/stalkerish behavior), but I'm guessing that his obsession will be part of the appeal for many readers—a love that will not die, even after fifteen years of separation.

I do wish, though, that there had been some discussion of transference, and more about the ethics of dating a former patient, in the story itself. I know a lot of people fantasize about their doctors, especially their psychiatrists, and that this is a work of fiction that speaks to such fantasies, not to real life. But as someone who developed her own embarrassing crush on her psychiatrist (as do so many patients during their treatment), I couldn't help but be a little worried by Starla and Lowry's fall into romance.

The American Psychiatric Association's Principles of Medical Ethics states:
"Sexual activity with a current or former patient is unethical" (p. 4). The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario doesn’t consider sexual contact with former patients to be abuse, but does warn in its boundaries policy that “the physician may still be found to have committed professional misconduct.” The UK's General Medical Council used to discourage doctors from having romantic relationships with former patients, but relaxed their rules in 2013, although they also added other issues to consider before embarking on such a relationship (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...). Clearly, there is disagreement and grey-area in regards to this issue. So, reader be informed...


FYI, Parker and I are both members of the New England Chapter of Romance Writers of America.

[Gemma · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars. Okay - this is a pretty incredible book. The writing is top notch.

I really don’t think the author lands the final act conflict though. It made me really mad at the MMC because he is literally doing the worst thing he could possibly do, for no reason. And… he of all people knows this. It ended up making him seem like he was really not the right fit for her, and considering the role he plays in their sex life, it felt like he needed to be more in control and aware of her needs. It just made me feel like - what is he bringing to this relationship? Buuuuuut, besides from that, this was a great book. So I’m taking off half a star for not sticking the third act conflict landing.

[Kim Lowery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Parker novels. Always so intense.

It’s row (not road) to hoe.

She rolled her lips between her teeth nine times. It seemed like more because it was such a specific action. Bit annoying actually.

Told in varying POVs. Definitely two different voices, well done. The psych stuff handled very well. It was totally present in the story but still not as present as the principle characters, which was great. Sometimes books with “issues” become all about the issue and not the person/character.

I’d read it again. 5 stars.

[readingromancehea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starla is just trying to survive when everyone just keeps leaving her. Lowry is determined to get back the one person he left behind. They finally see each other after years of being apart. Starla is a strong and independent. She just needs someone to love her. She needs a Daddy. Lowry may not know much but he's dreamed of being a Daddy. It's such a good story. I like Jade and how protective she is. Mauve is sweet. Tad is sketchy and creepy. The smut in this is fantastic. I really enjoyed this.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read

I flounced Taming His Teacher but decided to give this one a try and I loved it. The characters are older and more established, plus they already have a history. They deal with some very serious stuff-mental illnesses, abandonment, guilt... The story is very compelling and I enjoyed everything about the romance in addition to the mental health and business parts of the plot.

[ArtofReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love a taboo romance, and I am constantly searching for lengthy novels that explore kink and bdsm lifestyle’s that go outside the bedroom. This book felt very real. Lowry and Starla were a breath of fresh air. I appreciate how Starla was the one to introduce her ddlg kink to Lowry, and he came into his role naturally and eager to learn. For Her Own Good was truly a sweet romance that touches on real life experiences from mental health, insecurity, and decision making.