Twenty-five-year-old Ellie Brewer’s abandonment by her father has been a source of sadness throughout her life, and when he rejects her appeal for help as an adult she is hurt all over again. Feeling lost and hopeless, she volunteers for a paid study being conducted by Professor William Ashworth on the topic of young women who lack a strong father figure in their lives.

William’s interest in this particular subject is not merely academic, and he is instantly intrigued by Ellie. He has always hoped to one day find a woman who would benefit from being nurtured and dominated by a loving daddy, and from the moment she steps into his office it is obvious that she is in desperate need of exactly the kind of attention and affection he would offer, not to mention the firm but loving correction he would apply.

Ellie is shocked when she learns the details of William’s planned research, but with her attempts to hold down a job going awry one after another, she is ultimately left with little choice but to accept the arrangement the handsome professor proposes. He will take on the role of her daddy for the duration of his research, and over that time she will live with him as his ward, subject to his rules and the consequences of breaking those rules.

Ellie soon discovers that her new daddy’s strict discipline makes her feel safe and loved in a way nothing else ever has. Before long she finds herself aching for more than just a paternal relationship, but can she really trust that he will always be there for her, or will their relationship be torn apart by her daddy issues?