Daddy Issues

North Shore Stories, Book 2

By: Lynn Van Dorn

Narrated by: Michael Ferraiuolo

Length: 10 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

Marek Wisniewski is a man used to being obeyed, whether it's by his patients or his lovers. When he's hired to be an in-home nurse for an extremely difficult old man, he's certain he can handle it, until he comes face-to-face with Ryan, his client's son. Both men have reasons to dislike each other, and neither is pleased when they're forced to live under the same roof. Ryan wants Marek gone, and Marek wants to bring the beautiful and spoiled Ryan to his knees.

Ryan Chadwick seems to live a charmed life, but underneath his polished veneer of arrogance and success, he’s miserable. Ryan feels, increasingly, like his carefully constructed life is spinning out of control. All it'll take is one little push to bring his world crashing down around him.

Marek and Ryan clash again and again, causing Ryan to further question who he is and what he wants. Marek brings out a side in him he didn't know existed, a side that wants to please and obey. Marek’s desire to teach Ryan a lesson in humility becomes, over time, a lesson to show Ryan that who, and what, he wants isn't shameful.

Two very different men come together and discover that what you want and what you need aren't always the same thing. They find that you need to pace yourself at a Polish dinner, how building snowmen is not rocket science, that a mansion on a lake doesn't guarantee happiness, and most of all, how important it is to let go.

Daddy Issues is a steamy romance in the North Shore Stories series. This book follows Be My Mistake and Damage Control, but can be listened to as a stand-alone novel.

Warning: The story contains BDSM elements, fisting, a blanket fort, an embarrassing butt plug, lots of food, and a HEA.

©2018 Lynn Van Dorn (P)2020 Lynn Van Dorn

This was a wonderful story

I loved this story. I especially love the ending and Marek and Ryan’s relationship and love for each other. The way Marek talked to Ryan so sexy!!

The narration was amazing.

Deeply satisfying listen!

Spoiler free review:

This one is definitely worth a listen! I really enjoyed it. Michael's character voices are delightful, and this book really delivers on the happily ever after. It was a little slow to start, but once this story hits its stride, it's hard to put down. The emotion really comes through in the narration.


Spoiler review:
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Another novel that explores bi/pansexuality in its leads! I always love to see that, we get so little consideration in media! I liked that even though this story is categorized as a enemies-to-lovers story, they don't leave you hanging for very long before we get into explicit content. The book delivers on that pay off pretty early, but still in a way that makes sense. In case anyone was wondering, the title is literal. The main character genuinely has daddy issues. It is not a daddy kink BDSM novel. the book did its kink elements pretty well, regardless. Once the characters are involved, they do move their relationship pretty fast, But ultimately I don't see that as a criticism. Having existed in gay circles for a long time, the pace of their relationship does not surprise me. Good, satisfying book, awesome narration.

so good !

Man this series is amazing . So much depth and growth . Definitely on my list of top mm romance series. If you haven't listened to this ,what are you waiting for ? Definitely start from the beginning, well from book 1 . I have not read the prequel yet but will now .

I absolutely love this story! 💘

Such a beautiful tale. It will simultaneously break your heart and restore it. Marek and Ryan are so perfect together.I did not want this one to end. Michael's narration is pure pefection and Lynn Van Dorne's words will draw you in and not let you put it down. And it is so hot! 🔥 🔥 🔥 Definitely not safe for work 😀.

Another winner for Van Dorn

I don't know how I could have expected anything less than perfection from a Lynn Van Dorn/Michael Ferraiuolo production, but Daddy Issues surpassed my expectations. The text is wonderful and raw and emotional, and the performance amplifies all of its best qualities and hits you right in the heart. There is so much to love about this authentic love story. Marek and Ryan are perfect for each other, and the family they build made me melt.

Do not sleep on this book. It's one that will stick with you long after the epilogue.

Humanizing/redemption arc done great.

TBH, I am sick of all the dom stuff in romance, so I wasn't excited going into this. I ended up really loving Ryan in the end though. This isn't altogether the healthiest representation, but it's a fairer representation of kink than I've come to expect. The plethora of polish accents threw me at first, but they are well done (as far as I can tell).

KINKY GOODNESS

Ryan and Marek... they were perfection.
The kink factor in this book was off the charts HOT!!
We had a great Dom/Sir and his sub dynamic. Marek is 11 years younger than Ryan, but he’s exactly what Ryan needs. He’s his rock and his support, he takes him apart while at the same time taking care of him.
We get amazing secondary characters, and more Ty time!
I’m so in love with this series, I need more!

Superb in every way

Narration, story, character and relationship development, hot, sexy, the whole shebang. Michael Ferraiuolo and Lynn Van Dorn, well done. More please. Perhaps Nick and Tomas.

Good

Its a good book and I love this narrator, Michael Ferraiuolo does a amazing job with giving each charachter there own personality and voice.
What kinda killed the book for me were the chapter names, nothing came as a suprise becouse the chapter title already told me what was gonna happen in a long sentence.

Ryan finally redeemed himself and get his HEA

If you love Tyler’s story then this one is hard your head around because Ryan is so lost and needy and confused. This one is dark because of the subject matter of domestic abuse but also because of the D/S love. The North Shore series is just angsty in general but I love every minute of it. I am glad Ryan gets to tell his story in his own way. Lynn doesn’t pull any punches and Michael did an absolutely phenomenal job. Since I am not native Polish I can’t speak of the authenticity of the accent but it sounded so lyrical and I love every minute of it.

Marek + Ryan = BDSM heaven

I finished Damage Control, the first book in the North Shore Stories series and literally started Daddy Issues the next day. I’d watched the closeted Ryan hurt those around him and knew I wanted him to get his comeuppance and then his redemption. (I’m a sucker for a redemption story.) Ryan’s treatment of Patrick had been appalling, and I hoped he’d respect Patrick’s wish to be left alone. But between Ryan’s neediness and Patrick’s inability to say ‘no’, then men kept falling back into destructive patterns. So harmful that health became an issue. Needless to say, I hoped their ‘final’ parting really was for good – for both their sakes.

That leaves Ryan still firmly in the closet. He’s got a fiancée, a wedding he keeps putting off, and a domineering father who can be not only cutting, but downright cruel. His treatment of Tyler in the previous book showed the man for the vicious bastard he was. Tyler broke free while Ryan remains a prisoner. As the eldest, he was expected to carry on the Chadwick legacy. And he’s done just that, working at the law firm bearing the family name. Kowtowing to his father at every turn. Being the dutiful son.

Brad, the middle son and Ryan’s brother, married Rachael in the first book. In this book they become parents and it’s clear from the beginning that Ryan is besotted with his niece. His longing is visceral. One would think he’d be in a rush to marry his fiancée, but he keeps putting things off. Finally, she’s the one who calls an end to the farce. Ryan’s father’s health becomes even more precarious and the family is forced to hire a full-time nurse. Now, technically Brad hired the nurse, so neither Ryan nor his father can fire the man.

Marek is good at what he does. He loves geriatric nursing, even if that means he knows he’s going to lose his patients. He prefers private gigs so he can dedicate all his time and resources to one person. It also leaves him free on Sundays to spend time with his grandfather whom he adores. Marek also loves his mother, step-father, and half brother and sister. They have a tight bond and I was a bit envious. When Marek takes on the care of Peter Chadwick, he has no illusions this will be an easy job. Several nurses have been chased away. But Marek is stubborn – even more so than his new patient.

There is one hitch – Ryan. Marek and Ryan have met, although briefly, and their feelings towards each other are complex. There’s attraction, to be sure, but there’s also wariness. Soon, however, there is more. Marek is about nine years younger than Ryan, but he quickly takes the dominant role in the relationship. A relationship where Ryan refuses to say ‘red’. Now, for some submissives, this is a point of pride – never yielding, taking whatever their Top dishes out. This is also dangerous because sometimes the Dominant misses physical or emotional cues and a scene can go sideways.

All that being said, this relationship works on so many levels. Marek sees Ryan’s need to relinquish control, and Ryan recognizes the younger man will never hurt him. Leave him handcuffed, trussed, and tied to a bed? Yes. (Something I don’t recommend, but that’s a whole other story.) Leave him with marks and bruises? Yes. (In the context of consent, not abuse.) Treat him with respect and love? Yes. This quote encapsulates it perfectly:

Marek moved so Ryan was pinned under his body. He wanted more than he could express. To dominate the man under him. To make him bend. And bend. And bend. And then break. Ryan needed to shatter himself into a million pieces and build something new – something better.

Feelings develop between the men and it’s hardly surprising. They are engaged in intense play (hence the fisting) and there are hormones involved when that level of scene is undertaken. And the aftercare? Made me swoon. I knew there was going to be a happy ending for these two, but I just didn’t foresee how perfect it was going to be.

Okay, I need to take a moment to talk about the narrator, Michael Ferraiuolo. Talented doesn’t begin to describe his ability. He embodied these two men, nailing each one perfectly. Marek is also Polish and the accent worked. There were also plenty of Polish words and, to me, it sounded like Michael hit each one accurately. His performance was brilliant, and I can’t say enough good things both about him and the story. Loved it.

So good, would definitely relisten!

I loved this so much! The naration was so good! I loved Marek especially!

Loved it

I loved this book best out of North Shore stories. Ryan and Marek were great together. This is the only one of the stories that I cried, when I heard about Ryan's problems. Excellent narration by Michael as aways.

Ryan's rebellion?

So, this is Ryan the older brother from Book 1 of Lynn Van Dorn's North Shore Stories and he meets his match in Marek the nurse who comes to look after his ailing father. Ryan needs help tending to his terminally ill father and also to be reined in by a firm, steady hand, and it would seem that Marek is the right man for the job in more ways than one.
Michael Farraiuolo does a wonderful job yet again of bringing these richly complex, quirky characters to life.
Highly recommended contemporary MM romance with a twist of Dom/sub dynamic thrown in for good measure.

Ryan Has a Heart!

I read this book awhile ago and loved it. I didn't think Ryan was redeemable but his story really surprised me! Marek was made for Ryan!

This audio was amazing! Michael's narration was perfect!

Amazing Series! I Adore M.Ferraiuolo's Performance

In the second book in Lynn Van Dorn’s North Shore Stories series, Daddy Issues, Ryan finds his happily-ever-after.

There’s a huge cast of characters in this series, and though the précis states Daddy Issues can be enjoyed as a standalone, I really don’t recommend it. Ms. Van Dorn does a wonderful job of filling in the backstories as characters come and go, but these people are so complex it’s way better if you read Damage Control first.

The North Shore Stories series is performed by Michael Ferraiuolo and he does a stunning job with it. As I mentioned, there’s a huge cast and Mr. Ferraiuolo finds a unique voice for each of them. We fans know his skill with accents is unparalleled, and Marek’s Polish accent is spectacular! Coaxing Ryan into his bed, speaking with his family, the multitude of the terms of endearment he comes up with for Ryan..., it’s all wonderful.

an audiobook copy of Daddy Issues was provided to me for the purpose of my honest review

as great as the ebook

The story is always full stars, because if I wouldn't like the story as ebook, I wouldn't listen to the audiobook. I can't listen to an audiobook without knowing the book, that's not possible for me.

The performance from the narrator is also very important for me. I can't listen to a lot, because my English as a non-native-speaker isn't so perfect to follow a whole story over hours, when the narrator speaks too fast or too sloppy. Normally I have to SEE the person, who is talking to me in English. Michael Ferraiuolo is one of the top 5 narrators for me, I can listen without break and have no problems to follow.
I'm just not yet finish with the book, but I listen enough to give a review.

PLEASE READ MY RATING SYSTEM!!!

To my ratings:

5* - very very good
it's like an A+

4* - very good and will be often re-listening
it's like an A

3* - it's more then a one-time-listening.
it's like a B

4.5* sensitively done

*** Warning*** Domestic abuse, past child abuse, BDSM themes D/s situations.
I wasn't sure that I could finish this book as I found several of the characters unpalatable. Ryan for me started out as a horrible person who manipulated his way through life taking what he wanted with little thought to other people. After reading Damage Control and knowing what Ryan's dad is like, Ryan' s reaction to his dad illness puzzled me, but it became clearer later in the book. Ryan only started improving once he got involved with Marek the live - in nurse, what follows is a really well written book of comfort and care of a truly fragile man.
I am glad I persevered with this book it has tough subjects to hear about, that were dealt with sensitively.
It is worth reading/listening with a happy ending that will leave you smiling.

Great listen

I really enjoyed this audiobook.
Lynn has once again written a must read and listen book.
The story was great, and Michael's narration elevated it beautifully.
I can't wait to listen to more of this series.

Oh my...

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5 stars
🔥🔥🔥🔥 Heat Level: 4.5
🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧 Narration: 5

Oh my…Lynn and Michael will break you then weave you back together.

Following on from Damage Control, Lynn was able to explore, expose, reveal and heal Ryan. From book one I hated Ryan! He was horrible, I’m so thankful (?) he was able to be redeemed. There was so much beneath the surface, so much hurt, abuse, growth, just so much…more.

Lynn has a way of breaking you and weaving you into the story and the characters. You can’t help but become invested and with the weight if such heavy and poignant issues, Lynn takes great care to heal and transform. Her writing is so REAL and doesn’t shy away from harsh truths. I love her honesty. Life us messy, people make mistakes, the broken can heal!

Another transformative experience from Lynn, thank you!!

Thanks for reading!