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The Daddy Upgrade
Ollie Davis just got dumped…
What’s worse than finding out my flight back to New York is delayed, getting ditched at the airport by my not-boyfriend, and then having a total meltdown at the thought of trying to figure out how to get all the way home, all by myself? It’s all of that happening in front of Mr. Toussaint… who I may or may not have been crushing on ever since the first time he came in to get a coffee from me back at my job in the city, and who definitely just caught me fondling a stuffed dinosaur and trying not to cry.
I have no idea what he’s doing down here in Orlando or what all that French stuff he calls me means, but I do know that having everything go wrong might just turn out to be the best thing to ever happen to me.
Because by the time we make it back to New York, he’s not Mr. Toussaint anymore. He’s my Daddy.
THE DADDY UPGRADE is a 20,000-word gay romance featuring a sweet boy who just wants someone to please, a Daddy who’d given up on ever finding his perfect little, a new plushie (and Daddy’s permission to play dirty with it), but no on-page age play. Read it if you like helpless boys in need of saving, Daddies who like it that way, and a swoony heureux pour toujours (which Ollie definitely can’t pronounce, but which Daddy would tell you is French for “happily ever after.”) Pass if that's not your jam or you're looking for something deep, dark, or angsty.
Publishing History:
This novella was first published in the 2022 Dirty Daddies Pride anthology. No substantial changes have been made to the story in this edition.
What’s worse than finding out my flight back to New York is delayed, getting ditched at the airport by my not-boyfriend, and then having a total meltdown at the thought of trying to figure out how to get all the way home, all by myself? It’s all of that happening in front of Mr. Toussaint… who I may or may not have been crushing on ever since the first time he came in to get a coffee from me back at my job in the city, and who definitely just caught me fondling a stuffed dinosaur and trying not to cry.
I have no idea what he’s doing down here in Orlando or what all that French stuff he calls me means, but I do know that having everything go wrong might just turn out to be the best thing to ever happen to me.
Because by the time we make it back to New York, he’s not Mr. Toussaint anymore. He’s my Daddy.
THE DADDY UPGRADE is a 20,000-word gay romance featuring a sweet boy who just wants someone to please, a Daddy who’d given up on ever finding his perfect little, a new plushie (and Daddy’s permission to play dirty with it), but no on-page age play. Read it if you like helpless boys in need of saving, Daddies who like it that way, and a swoony heureux pour toujours (which Ollie definitely can’t pronounce, but which Daddy would tell you is French for “happily ever after.”) Pass if that's not your jam or you're looking for something deep, dark, or angsty.
Publishing History:
This novella was first published in the 2022 Dirty Daddies Pride anthology. No substantial changes have been made to the story in this edition.
106 pages, ebook
Published December 23, 2022
18 people are currently reading
93 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
May 30, 2024
Well, that was ridiculously cute and steamy.
DD/lb, French pet names out the wazoo. Is up the wazoo? 👀 That sounds inappropriate for what I'm trying to say, I think it can be both out or up the wazoo. Anyway...
A dinosaur plushie gets defiled. That was...not as strange as it sounds. Cute, actually? I'll stop talking about it
You need to have a tolerance for heavy Daddy/boy vibes and an insecure, meek MC. It was done really well and I enjoyed it. Very sweet to see both MC's magically get what they want by bumping into each other at the airport. Who doesn't love a hot little airport romance?
Ahem, SPEAKING of airports...For the Love of Google, why is the author confusing O'Hare (Chicago airport) with an airport in NY?
(MCs are on a flight from Orlando to NYC. No mention of connecting flights.)
>But still, if I had any sense, the fact that we were in a tiny metal tube hurtling toward the ground would have been the thing that terrified me during the descent into O’Hare.
(So I waited, before I get all worked up, to see if they were just connecting in Chicago. Yeah, nope.)
>I might have lovingly tortured him on the way home from O’Hare, then put him over my knee to “punish” him for his transgression with the little plushie once we arrived.
>and if I hadn’t been a man who appreciated the pleasures of anticipation, spending the long drive from O’Hare to my home in Midtown not touching my boy the way I wanted to would have gone from simple torture to a living hell.
(YES, it will be quite a long drive from O''Hare to your midtown apartment in NYC. Did you bring food?)
>So instead, I was the one tortured on the drive to my home.
(No, we are tortured by gross inaccuracies!)
And one minute later:
>pressing his face against the window trying to catch a glimpse of the massive sculpture at the heart of Hudson Yards known as The Vessel once the driver told him about it.
“Are we almost there?” he asked more times than I could count.
(And then)
>and if I hadn’t been a man who appreciated the pleasures of anticipation, spending the long drive from O’Hare to my home in Midtown not touching my boy the way I wanted to would have gone from simple torture to a living hell.
Just STOP, omg. Stop saying O'Hare! *Screaming* 😤
Authors can always take the easy road and use generic terms like "airport". Long drive from the airport. Easy. Even easier than using Google.
But I won't take a star away because the book was fun. 😅
Plushophilia, age-gap, fun on an airplane, I love dinos.
DD/lb, French pet names out the wazoo. Is up the wazoo? 👀 That sounds inappropriate for what I'm trying to say, I think it can be both out or up the wazoo. Anyway...
A dinosaur plushie gets defiled. That was...not as strange as it sounds. Cute, actually? I'll stop talking about it
You need to have a tolerance for heavy Daddy/boy vibes and an insecure, meek MC. It was done really well and I enjoyed it. Very sweet to see both MC's magically get what they want by bumping into each other at the airport. Who doesn't love a hot little airport romance?
Ahem, SPEAKING of airports...For the Love of Google, why is the author confusing O'Hare (Chicago airport) with an airport in NY?
(MCs are on a flight from Orlando to NYC. No mention of connecting flights.)
>But still, if I had any sense, the fact that we were in a tiny metal tube hurtling toward the ground would have been the thing that terrified me during the descent into O’Hare.
(So I waited, before I get all worked up, to see if they were just connecting in Chicago. Yeah, nope.)
>I might have lovingly tortured him on the way home from O’Hare, then put him over my knee to “punish” him for his transgression with the little plushie once we arrived.
>and if I hadn’t been a man who appreciated the pleasures of anticipation, spending the long drive from O’Hare to my home in Midtown not touching my boy the way I wanted to would have gone from simple torture to a living hell.
(YES, it will be quite a long drive from O''Hare to your midtown apartment in NYC. Did you bring food?)
>So instead, I was the one tortured on the drive to my home.
(No, we are tortured by gross inaccuracies!)
And one minute later:
>pressing his face against the window trying to catch a glimpse of the massive sculpture at the heart of Hudson Yards known as The Vessel once the driver told him about it.
“Are we almost there?” he asked more times than I could count.
(And then)
>and if I hadn’t been a man who appreciated the pleasures of anticipation, spending the long drive from O’Hare to my home in Midtown not touching my boy the way I wanted to would have gone from simple torture to a living hell.
Just STOP, omg. Stop saying O'Hare! *Screaming* 😤
Authors can always take the easy road and use generic terms like "airport". Long drive from the airport. Easy. Even easier than using Google.
But I won't take a star away because the book was fun. 😅
Plushophilia, age-gap, fun on an airplane, I love dinos.
February 4, 2023
5/5. Highlights may contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.
House of Obscure Reviews
Content Warnings for book: N/A
Kink: Daddy kink, plush play, referenced off-screen age play
What a sweet and adorable novella!
Chara Croft's writing in this is amazing as usual. I didn't see any errors or issues, but beyond that, I loved how you could tell the difference between each POV, as Croft always has this unique way of tapping into the voices of her characters through language choices and the way their thoughts come onto page.
Ollie and Yves were so sweet together. I hated Grant and the way he treated Ollie, so I am very happy that Yves found him and helped him out. We get a kink awakening here with Ollie being new to being a little, while Yves is an experienced daddy. Unfortunately there is no on-page ageplay or exploration of the non-sexual little side, but we do get plenty of sweet heat with this. The bedroom scenes were hot, especially with the plushplay. I immediately need a bonus scene with the giant teddy bear mentioned.
If you want to read a touching story with hurt/comfort, a Daddy taking care of a fragile boy who deserves the world, I highly recommend this story within the anthology!
House of Obscure Reviews
Content Warnings for book: N/A
Kink: Daddy kink, plush play, referenced off-screen age play
What a sweet and adorable novella!
Chara Croft's writing in this is amazing as usual. I didn't see any errors or issues, but beyond that, I loved how you could tell the difference between each POV, as Croft always has this unique way of tapping into the voices of her characters through language choices and the way their thoughts come onto page.
Ollie and Yves were so sweet together. I hated Grant and the way he treated Ollie, so I am very happy that Yves found him and helped him out. We get a kink awakening here with Ollie being new to being a little, while Yves is an experienced daddy. Unfortunately there is no on-page ageplay or exploration of the non-sexual little side, but we do get plenty of sweet heat with this. The bedroom scenes were hot, especially with the plushplay. I immediately need a bonus scene with the giant teddy bear mentioned.
If you want to read a touching story with hurt/comfort, a Daddy taking care of a fragile boy who deserves the world, I highly recommend this story within the anthology!
December 26, 2022
Mama Chara gives me all the needy boys and Ollie is simply perfect. Yves is the best Daddy, swooping in to rescue when a complete waste of space shafts Ollie at the airport and leaves him stranded. You can expect all the steamy steam, sweet adoration and improper use of a stuffie (my favourite bit!). If you like to see fragile boys bloom under the proper care and attention - don't hesitate to dive into this magnificent masterpiece!
December 26, 2022
The Daddy Upgrade
By Chara Croft
Ollie is dumped by his boyfriend at a Florida airport, and he's overwhelmed, falling apart, and wondering how he will get back to New York on his own. When a man he's had a crush on finds him at the airport, maybe both of them will find what they've been hoping for.
I loved Ollie. He was a sweet boy who really needed a daddy. I also loved Mr. Touissant. He was the perfect daddy for Ollie. Their relationship was sweet and gentle. There was also some schmexy parts with a bit of a unique act.
By Chara Croft
Ollie is dumped by his boyfriend at a Florida airport, and he's overwhelmed, falling apart, and wondering how he will get back to New York on his own. When a man he's had a crush on finds him at the airport, maybe both of them will find what they've been hoping for.
I loved Ollie. He was a sweet boy who really needed a daddy. I also loved Mr. Touissant. He was the perfect daddy for Ollie. Their relationship was sweet and gentle. There was also some schmexy parts with a bit of a unique act.
December 7, 2025
Super cute and hot, all the hurt/comfort and Daddying. Expect all the french pet names and some spicy time with a plushie. Literally my only complaint is that it's a novella and I could read a whole series about these two!
August 17, 2023
Sexy sweet daddy story. Bit of instalove.
June 16, 2023
Yves et Ollie (Oliver)
Daddy et baby.
Court, beaucoup de scène de cul, mais, intéressante
📖
Un vol retardé, un ex merdique et une crise totale à l'aéroport ? Si c'est le pire jour de la vie d'Ollie, comment a-t-il fini par rentrer chez lui en première classe... et pourquoi l'élégant Français qui sort de sa ligue lui achète-t-il soudainement des cadeaux ?
Qu'y a-t-il de pire que de découvrir que mon vol de retour à New York est retardé, de se faire abandonner à l'aéroport par mon non-petit ami, puis de s'effondrer à l'idée d'essayer de comprendre comment rentrer chez moi, tout seul ? C'est tout cela qui se passe devant M. Toussaint… pour qui j'ai peut-être eu le béguin ou pas depuis la première fois qu'il est venu me chercher un café à mon travail en ville, et qui m'a définitivement attrapé caressant un dinosaure en peluche et essayant de ne pas pleurer.
Je n'ai aucune idée de ce qu'il fait ici à Orlando ou de ce que signifient tous ces trucs français qu'il m'appelle, mais je sais que si tout tourne mal, cela pourrait bien s'avérer être la meilleure chose qui me soit jamais arrivée. Parce qu'au moment où nous arrivons à New York, il n'est plus M. Toussaint. C'est mon papa.
📕
Daddy et baby.
Court, beaucoup de scène de cul, mais, intéressante
📖
Un vol retardé, un ex merdique et une crise totale à l'aéroport ? Si c'est le pire jour de la vie d'Ollie, comment a-t-il fini par rentrer chez lui en première classe... et pourquoi l'élégant Français qui sort de sa ligue lui achète-t-il soudainement des cadeaux ?
Qu'y a-t-il de pire que de découvrir que mon vol de retour à New York est retardé, de se faire abandonner à l'aéroport par mon non-petit ami, puis de s'effondrer à l'idée d'essayer de comprendre comment rentrer chez moi, tout seul ? C'est tout cela qui se passe devant M. Toussaint… pour qui j'ai peut-être eu le béguin ou pas depuis la première fois qu'il est venu me chercher un café à mon travail en ville, et qui m'a définitivement attrapé caressant un dinosaure en peluche et essayant de ne pas pleurer.
Je n'ai aucune idée de ce qu'il fait ici à Orlando ou de ce que signifient tous ces trucs français qu'il m'appelle, mais je sais que si tout tourne mal, cela pourrait bien s'avérer être la meilleure chose qui me soit jamais arrivée. Parce qu'au moment où nous arrivons à New York, il n'est plus M. Toussaint. C'est mon papa.
📕
April 2, 2026
this was like fine or whatever but i'll be honest I read it and then promptly forgot most everything about it. not particularly memorable or exciting. and also I got really fixated on the fact that the french character kept referring to the dude's ex as "Man-Purse" because he was carrying one when he first met him which seems genuinely insane to me bc 1. that feels inherently judgmental, why are you judging a man for wearing a purse when you're literally into dd/lb bro and 2. you're literally french.....you're telling me you've never seen a dude with a purse before? fuck off
January 31, 2023
The only problem with this was that it was too short! Rawr!
March 10, 2023
No on-page age play, but still a lovely trade-up for Ollie from horrible Grant to wonderful Yves. They're so perfectly adorable and wicked together!
August 20, 2023
3.5 star.
October 30, 2023
An adorably sweet story that was also very hot.
October 8, 2024
While this has some kinks that aren’t really my thing, it was really the French sprinkled throughout Yves’ dialogue that just annoyed me to no end. Coulda be cute if it wasn’t so annoying.
February 24, 2026
Very cute.
May 7, 2025
cute AF, ollie is a bby and i loved the way yves was so head over heels for him, he was just what ollie needed hehe
this one ended WAY too abruptly. i wasn't expecting it and i was a little shocked. definitely wanted to read more, at least a bit. i gave 4 stars instead of 5 for this reason
this one ended WAY too abruptly. i wasn't expecting it and i was a little shocked. definitely wanted to read more, at least a bit. i gave 4 stars instead of 5 for this reason
November 22, 2024
Dinosaur stuffy love. DDlb (NOT ABDL). Daddy is so soft and caring and loving and baby is absolutely adorable. I loved this.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews