Praise: An Ex-boyfriend's Dad Romance (Salacious Players' Club, 1)

She's a good girl, but she's falling for the wrong man.

Broken down by her emotionally neglectful ex, all Charlie Underwood wants is someone to tell her she's good enough. Then she stumbles into a new job with a boss who brings her to her knees―literally.

As an owner of the Salacious Players' Club, Emerson Grant knows exactly what he wants and isn't shy about his particular tastes. But when he mistakes Charlie for a candidate to be his new submissive instead of his son's ex-girlfriend, he immediately tries to correct the situation. He offers Charlie a job as his secretary and nothing more…

Yet now that Charlie has seen a glimpse of what can happen when she's honest about what she wants, she makes it clear that all she wants is Emerson. He might be twice her age and her ex-boyfriend's dad, but he's also the only man who can give her everything she desires.

How far will she go to hear his approval?

Sara Cate is a New York Times bestselling author of heart-forward, high-heat romance. From the world of Salacious Players’ Club to her expanding universe of forbidden and next-generation romances, Sara invites readers into stories that are both arousing and deeply human. When she’s not building fictional empires of love and longing, she’s soaking up the Arizona sun, plotting her next project, and traveling with her family.

"Punchy, unputdownable, and unabashedly sex-positive, Sara Cate serves up a confection that is a must for every reader who likes their romances to walk on the wild side."

"Wow. This book managed to make BDSM feel new and exciting. Such an explosive beginning. This book has IT factor. Really loved it. Super sexy and angsty." ― New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Helen Hoang

"The instant I realized who exactly Emmerson, the hero was, I became giddy with anticipation. So forbidden. So angsty. So wrong. Give it to me now!" ― Author, Julia Wolf

"[PRAISE] is sure to enthrall those who like their romance spicy." ― Publishers Weekly

Praise: An Ex-Boyfriend’s Dad Romance by Sara Cate is a steamy, emotionally charged contemporary romance that explores desire, validation, power dynamics, and the way one unexpected relationship can force a woman to rethink everything she believes she deserves. The story centers on Charlie Bell, a young woman in her early twenties who’s used to feeling overlooked, and Emerson Grant, a wealthy, dominating, much older man who happens to be the father of Charlie’s ex-boyfriend. Their connection begins with a misunderstanding, but very quickly turns into a complicated, intoxicating relationship built around praise, control, and the hunger to be truly seen.

At the start, Charlie is fresh out of a messy breakup with her boyfriend Beau Grant. During their relationship, Beau introduced her to a sexual praise kink—he discovered that Charlie responds intensely to being verbally adored and encouraged—and then carelessly exposed her private desires to his father Emerson. After they break up, Charlie goes to Emerson’s house to retrieve some belongings Beau left behind. Emerson assumes she is there for him because of what he knows about her kink, and the encounter is awkward and charged. Instead of running from the tension, Charlie finds herself intrigued by him. Emerson is calm, self-assured, powerful, and almost cold on the surface, but he shows a keen understanding of what makes her feel valued. That initial meeting plants the seeds for everything that follows.

Charlie soon starts working for Emerson at his company, where he runs a successful business and holds a kind of quiet authority over everyone around him. The office setting intensifies the forbidden nature of their growing connection: he is her boss and her ex-boyfriend’s father, a man with a carefully controlled, polished image and a reputation to protect. Charlie, in contrast, comes from a more uncertain background. She’s often underestimated, struggling with self-esteem, trying to build a life and identity that feel like her own. Being near Emerson forces her to confront both her insecurity and her attraction. The age gap between them only adds to the emotional and sexual tension; it’s not just that he’s older, but that he embodies stability, power, and a kind of mature confidence she has never experienced.

As their interactions continue, Emerson begins to offer Charlie exactly what she craves and has rarely received: praise, attention, and focused, intentional care. The praise kink becomes the emotional and erotic center of their relationship. He sees her, notices her efforts, and tells her what she is doing right—not only in bed, but in her life and work. For Charlie, who has often felt invisible and “too much” or “not enough,” this is overwhelming and deeply validating. The intimacy that emerges between them is as psychological as it is physical. Emerson’s words become a form of power, and Charlie willingly steps into a submissive role that, rather than diminishing her, makes her feel more secure and confident.

However, the relationship is far from simple or purely sweet. Emerson is a complex man with a rigid sense of control, a strained relationship with his children, and a past that has taught him to keep his emotions locked down. He cares for Charlie, but he also tries to set strict boundaries—no emotional attachment, no public exposure, nothing that might threaten his carefully managed life. Charlie, meanwhile, falls more deeply for him. She begins to see the softer edges beneath his stern exterior, and she wants more than secrecy and stolen moments. The imbalance of power between them—age, wealth, authority, family ties—creates a constant undercurrent of risk. They are drawn together, yet both know that if anyone finds out, the fallout will be intense.

Beau and Emerson’s family slowly become more present in the story, raising the stakes around Charlie and Emerson’s relationship. Beau’s immaturity and carelessness stand in sharp contrast to Emerson’s grounded presence. The tension between father and son adds another layer of drama: Emerson has not been an ideal father, and Beau carries resentment and hurt. For Charlie, who dated Beau and now loves Emerson, the situation is emotionally messy. She wrestles with guilt, shame, and the fear of being judged. The romance is not just forbidden in a playful way—it genuinely risks damaging family bonds and reputations. That sense of danger pushes both Charlie and Emerson to question what they are willing to risk for a love that doesn’t fit anyone’s expectations.

As the story deepens, we see more of Charlie’s personal journey. She starts as someone who equates being praised with being worthy, but over time she slowly learns to separate her self-worth from external approval. Emerson’s praise helps her recognize her strengths, but she also has to confront the possibility that she might be using his validation as a crutch. Her arc is about learning to stand on her own feet, even while embracing the parts of her that crave praise and submission. She wants both: to feel empowered and to surrender in a safe, consensual dynamic. The novel treats this kink seriously, showing how it can be a healthy expression of desire when rooted in respect and communication, rather than something shameful.

Emerson also undergoes change. Beneath his controlled façade, he is lonely and emotionally guarded. His success and dominance are armor rather than pure confidence. Through Charlie, he begins to reconsider his priorities, his relationship with his children, and the walls he’s built around his heart. Letting Charlie in threatens his sense of order, but it also offers him a chance at genuine connection he hasn’t had in years. His struggle is about whether he can allow himself to love in a way that breaks his own rules. The more emotionally involved he becomes, the more his rigid boundaries crack. His journey is not about transforming into a soft, idealized romantic hero, but about integrating his authoritative nature with vulnerability.

The novel is filled with high heat and explicit scenes, but it balances those with emotional vulnerability and character growth. The erotic dynamic between Charlie and Emerson—a blend of praise, dominance, and submission—is carefully built on consent and clear boundaries, even when those boundaries are tested. Their intimacy is not only physical; it opens up conversations about shame, desire, and the ways society judges women for wanting things that fall outside conventional norms. Charlie’s experience of being shamed by Beau and then accepted, understood, and cherished by Emerson highlights the difference between someone who exploits her vulnerability and someone who honors it.

As tensions rise—especially around family discoveries, workplace complications, and the pressure of social judgment—the relationship is forced into the open. The last part of the book confronts the consequences of their choices: hurt feelings, anger, fallout within Emerson’s family, and questions about whether their love can survive the scrutiny and disapproval of others. Charlie must decide if she will keep hiding or claim Emerson openly, even if that makes her a target of gossip and resentment. Emerson, in turn, has to choose between protecting his image and protecting the woman he loves.

By the end of Praise the romance evolves from a purely forbidden, sexual affair into a deeper partnership built on trust, honesty, and mutual recognition. Charlie has grown into a woman more secure in her identity and desires, and Emerson has allowed himself to soften and to accept that love requires risk and emotional exposure. Their story remains taboo in its premise, but it ultimately becomes about two people finding a relationship that fits them, even if it doesn’t fit anyone else’s rules. The book closes with the sense that praise—once just a kink and a thrill—has become something more meaningful: a way of affirming each other’s worth, not just in the bedroom but in life.