This was a very enjoyable read!
Content warnings include: parent abandoning children and partner without warning, sex on-page, BDSM (mild D/s, spanking and non-physical punishment, daddy kink), mentions of: child abuse, parental death due to cancer, internalized homophobia.
What originally drew me to this book was the reverse Daddy kink. I don't usually seek out that particular kink, but I'm all for breaking stereotypes and common dynamics, so an age gap romance where the younger guy is the Daddy? I'm here for it!
And damn, did it work out well! Owen and Declan had an incredible dynamic, I absolutely adored them together from the very start. Declan's natural dominance and the way it affected Owen were great and worked both in and out of the bedroom.
There were a few ups-and-downs in the beginning - I found Declan came across as belittling or condescending to Owen in a few scenes, while in others he very carefully gives Owen room to think or the option to refuse him. As soon as they grow closer this becomes a non-issue however.
While Declan's Daddy kink is definitely a big topic in the book, both in and out of his developing relationship with Owen, it's not too dominating (no pun intended.)
I liked the overall lack of drama-for-the-sake-of-drama. There's tension and some conflict, but it all felt real and and appropriate without being overpowering or silly. There's Owen being unsure about the whole Daddy thing and about the relationship, stuff going on in the protagonists' respective families but on very different levels, overcoming personal demons - and none of it is based on miscommunication. I also liked the relative lack of awkwardness around the oh-so-dreaded L-word.
What I loved was the sweet moments of the book - and not just the ones between Owen and Declan. I especially adored Owen's relationship with his kids: He's such a great father! I loved reading about a big queer family. It was one of the many big and small details that made this book a great reading experience.
There were some smaller things that irked me that boiled down to technicalities and little phrases, and one bigger thing: the treatment of a trans side character. After coming out, he is repeatedly misgendered and deadnamed. This is called out and corrected on page in some instances, but not in others. I read an unedited ARC copy of the book and was assured by the author that there were edits to take place between the copy I read and the final book, with several instances being corrected and some scenes changed. From what I saw in a later edit, the uncorrected misgendering and deadnaming outside of memories seem to be gone.
While originally planned as standalone, the book very clearly is the first in a series. It has a story arc on its own, but Owen and Declan's story has only just started. I'm very much looking forward to the next installment to find out how they overcome the upcoming challenges teased at during Take Care of You and to get to know their families better!
I received an ARC and reviewed honestly & voluntarily!