– Birthday Girl

💕OH MY💕 What can I possibly say that hasn't already been said a thousand times over? You know those books that have been so hyped up that they can't possibly live up to your ridiculously high expectations? yeah... this isn't one of them. This exceeded my expectations and then some. It's angsty, it's taboo, it's sweet, it's sexy, it's fate, it's soulmate connections - It's Pike freaking Lawson. Let's be honest here, he is the reason I loved this book the way I do. Yes, Jordan is an amazing heroine - she's strong, and stands by her morals and beliefs - she does not let Pike change her or the way she feels. But this story would be nothing if it wasn't for the man that Pike is within their love story. The way he sees Jordan is beautiful, he wants nothing more than to protect her from the sadness and destruction she has faced her whole life and he'd give her the world to do it. Pike Lawson is a man so it feels wrong to call him the ultimate book 'boyfriend', is a book 'manfriend' a thing?.... it should be 🤷‍♀️ I could have done with them giving in to their feelings a bit sooner, though I do love the tension and chemistry that builds, I would have liked more time of them together. This is a true romance with a truly romantic HEA, I mean that monologue at the end *swoon* and then on top of that the epilogue was B E A utiful!! I loved that Pike was kind of a grump, I loved that he was solitary, hardworking and had always been there for his son. He and Jordan were meant to be and you feel that from their very first meeting - they just connect. I love a good age gap romance and I didn't find myself cringing with this as I do with some. Jordan was very mature for her age and it was more the anticipated perception of others that put doubt in Pike's mind. The banter between the two made light of the age situation - Jordan would anyway, where as Pike was definitely the one with more of an issue. They came through it all and I could not be happier with the way it ended!! Also so intrigued by the reveal that Danni will be getting her own book, the little tease we got definitely piqued my interest! I'd give this 🌟🌟🌟🌟.5 stars but rounded up to 5 because I did enjoy it so much that i didn't want it to end!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️🌠 — 3.75 Stars "Maturity is more the result of experience than age" Birthday Girl was such a surprisingly addictive read. There’s a significant age-gap romance here, but it’s important to note it’s between two consenting adults — and the dynamic was handled really well. I absolutely loved Pike. He’s the standout of the story for me — a genuine gentleman who’s constantly trying to do right by everyone, even when the situation gets complicated. His internal struggle and the care he shows really grounded the story and made the connection feel believable rather than just taboo for the sake of it. The writing flowed beautifully, and the tension kept me turning pages. A bold, emotional, and engaging read that definitely lived up to the hype for me. If you enjoy forbidden romance themes handled with maturity (when needed) and depth, this one is worth picking up.

Damn this book was the most frustrating read for a long time. I was grinding my teeth in frustration, the anticipation nearly killed me off - BUT this book was everything and more. Beautifully written with a fantastic story and a slight taboo edge to it; the elder man and a younger woman who belongs to someone else gets me every time. I literally couldn't put it down !!! Jordan is a strong beautiful young woman who meets a man at the cinema and gets talking to him. He's older than her considerably but she gets on with him really well and lets face it the man is hot stuff, built, with tattoos and a pretty face she feels an attraction to him. Still at the end of the film they say their goodbyes and they each go their own way, she's never going to bump into him again - right ? WRONG . When her and her boyfriend Cole loose their apartment he says they can move in with his Dad until they save enough money to get another place, but when she see's who his Dad is she get's the shock of her life - yep enter Pike, Cole's father, the man from the picture house. Awkward or what !! So this is where it starts to get all angsty and frustrating as we get the smoldering build up of a relationship development between Cole's father and his girlfriend. The characters are just wonderfully written and are so easy to like and get to know. I totally loved Pike and Jordan too although she could be a little childish at times which I guess is normal for a nineteen year old. The times I wanted to throw my kindle at the wall in frustration was many I can tell you, but then we hit 68% and this book soared and I mean soared right up to that scorching sun in the sky. I had a smile on my face that was so wide it actually hurt but it was so good and hot and sexy and delicious - DON'T MISS READING THIS BOOK !!!! So in my opinion Penelope Douglas has outdone herself with this one, I have loved her other books but this for me was just perfection. A tease of a book, full of love, feelings, smoldering lust, decisions of what's right and wrong, heart's being denied and learning lessons - just magnificent,don't miss the chance to experience this book and how it will make you feel !!!

Unfortunately, this book dragged far more than it needed to. It wasn’t even a true slow burn—the relationship develops over just a few months, yet still feels drawn out thanks to excessive detail in moments that don’t matter. When the relationship finally does happen, in the last 20%, the pacing completely unravels. We jump ahead a year, then another nine, and suddenly it’s over. The ending feels rushed and unsatisfying, as though the author simply lost interest. Once they’re finally together, it’s over almost as quickly as it began. As for the plot, everything happens way too conveniently. Jordan just happens to walk in on her boyfriend cheating in the pool of the house she’s staying in. Cole and Jordan are basically on the outs from the start, so there’s never any real secret love triangle or actual drama with Jordan potentially getting involved with his father. It all feels lazy, over-the-top, and completely stripped of tension or emotional weight. Did I hate it? No. Did I love it? Unfortunately, no.

Brilliant writing. Enjoyed every word. Age gap and unconventional love interest with a flirty, rocky start. Can't help who you fall in love with but this book shows with hope it's ok. Oh and there's a bit of spice too.

Good story, keeps you interested. Light easy read. It gives you a good imagination. It is an easy book to read

I was sceptical about reading Birthday Girl, just because of not overly loving Credence. But this book blew me away, it was so addictive. Jordan and Pike are beautifully written and clearly meant for each other. Pike comes off as a jerk and a coward at times and Jordan is shown as being a bit of a push over, but together they make each other better people. Their meet-cute in the cinema was so adorable, just two complete strangers bonding over their love of 80s films. They had absolutely no idea how much would change after that night. From the moment they met, we knew Cole (Jordan's boyfriend and Pike's son) was done for. He never put half the amount of effort into their whole relationship than Pike did in one day. Pike truly deserved her. The emotional tension was everything. There was so much pining, and I loved it. The whole fighting the internal war of following one's heart or their loyalties, I felt stressed most of the book shouting for them to follow their hearts! I felt that the age gap theme was handled really well, and from the first meeting, you knew you wanted them to be together, regardless of the age or situation. In the end, Birthday Girl proves that true love really does conquer all.

I didn't enjoy this quite as much as Credence but it's still a decent read. Jordan meets Pike at the movies but soon finds out that he is her boyfriends dad. They end up moving in with him and the tension starts heating up between Jordan and Pike. Her boyfriend Cole is a bit of a douche and treats her badly and when they split up, he leaves Jordan in the house with his dad. The forced proximity and chemistry mean things get very steamy. Jordan and Pike are both extremely likable main characters. Her boyfriend Cole not so much.

As for this genre, the forbidden romance, this book is perfect. I really enjoyed reading this book, loved the way the relationship between Pike and Jordan developed and it had what was essential for age gap romances, that they can learn from each other like puzzle pieces fitting together. It was really nice seeing both of them share it. I loved everything about this book, the other characters making an impact on the protoganists was perfect because it was to make them stronger. I'd love for you to read this if you are looking for a steamy, age gap, wholesome, heart touching classic romance.

🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 (5/5 Stars) 𝐼’𝑚 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑝𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑏𝑜𝑑𝑦 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒’𝑠 𝑏𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑏𝑒𝑟𝑟𝑦 𝑚𝑢𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒’𝑠 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑛𝑜𝑡.“ - 𝐵𝑖𝑟𝑡ℎ𝑑𝑎𝑦 𝐺𝑖𝑟𝑙 𝑏𝑦 𝑃𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒 𝐷𝑜𝑢𝑔𝑙𝑎𝑠 Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas is a taboo standalone romance read that follows the story of 19 year old Jordan and her boyfriend’s 38 year old father Pike!😜 Jordan is living with her boyfriend Cole, but when their financial situation changes, both Cole and Jordan end up staying at Cole’s fathers house until they can get back on their feet financially. One problem though, Cole has been flighty, a jack*ss, and is never home... and there is an undeniable attraction between Pike (Cole’s father) and Jordan. They aren’t free to give into their attraction to one another for a multitude of reasons, but their feelings seem to be growing despite their best efforts. When I read the synopsis of Birthday Girl, I was very intrigued and a tad nervous. Just to clarify, I was nervous because I had never read a story that contained an age gap this large and I didn’t know how I would feel about it... but as per usual, Penelope killed it!!🤩 Pike and Jordan’s story was mind blowing and any apprehension I had went right out the window after a few pages! I adore Penelope’s writing style! She has this amazing ability to write effortlessly in both the hero and heroine’s perspective and she knows just the right amount of angst, humour, and lust to add into her stories and Birthday Girl was no exception!😍 Birthday Girl will hold a place on my favorites shelf foreverrr, it’s never leaving🤩🙌🏻 This story was so unique, the characters were amazing, and the writing was incredible! I can’t recommend this book enough!🤩

A true, slow-burn love story with a age difference. Loved the spice! Loved de storyline! Loved the characters! Must read!

This is one of my favorite books. I've reread it twice now, and I don't think I'll ever tire of it. Every time I turn the pages, I discover something new. A wink, a phrase that resonates a little more, some foreshadowing I hadn't noticed. As you know, if you've been following me for a while, I'm particularly fond of Penelope Douglas's style. She has a way of flirting with the dark, the forbidden, the taboo. I read to feel emotions through the characters' experiences, but it's rare that I feel them so intensely. Here, Jordan's constant unease, her doubts, the fact that she feels so trapped in her own existence, her exhaustion at devoting herself to other people's needs rather than her own, are all really strong. And so are Pike's feelings. His attraction to her, his self-loathing, his restraint, his feeling of finally being seen and understood and appreciated, his hope for a future he never really dared to dream of. Their story is truly beautiful, despite all the taboos and prohibitions. In the end, there's no doubt that these two are made for each other. I highly encourage you to read this book.

This was SO GOOD. So so so so so so freaking good. Birthday Girl is a slow burning forbidden romance that's perfectly peppered with just the right amount of angst and emotion. I could not put this book down. From the very beginning I was overwhelmed with thoughts and feelings on how this was going to work, how this could possibly end the way I wanted it to. It's a roller coaster of blistering emotions, a relentless barrage of intense, complicated feels... And I seriously loved it so hard. This book was EVERYTHING. This is the book I've been dying for from Penelope Douglas and DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT. This is everything she ROCKS at doing all in one book. Douglas takes fresh out of high school characters and delves into their psyche, their complicated emotions, their difficult circumstances and she complicates their lives further by adding to it a love story that will wreck the reader, that will make that character struggle even more with everything that's going on in their life. That's what she does here with Jordan, taking a girl who has the weight of the world on her shoulders, a mountain of difficulty staring her right in the face, and she catapults the girl's problems into another stratosphere by throwing in a quietly simmering attraction to her boyfriend's dad. I MEAN, HELLO?! I COULD NOT GET ENOUGH OF THIS. I love how bumpy the road is for all of these characters. I love how desperately they fight their attraction and I love how scorchingly hot it is when they don't. I love how naughty and taboo their dynamic sometimes feels but I love how it can feel so perfectly right at the very same time. I love how fun this book is. I love that it made me laugh out loud at the most unexpected times and I love that I actually found myself tearing up in the most heartbreaking moments. I love that I just got lost in it. I love that there was never a single moment in this book that made me want to stop reading it. I love that I fell in love all over again with one of my favorite authors with this book. I love the push and pull and the slow burn between Pike and Jordan for much of this book and the delicious anticipation I felt the entire time. I love how much it hurt. I love that I felt SO MUCH, both good and bad feels on these pages. I love how giddy I feel after reading a book like this. I love how intoxicating this story is. I love all the rightness in all of the wrongness of this deliciously forbidden love story. And I love that I can't think of a single bad thing to say about it. I read this book as fast as I could because I was absolutely dying to see how this would end. But I never wanted it to. I loved every moment, ever page, every delicious, angsty second of the build of this story. I got lost in these pages and I wanted to stay lost. Birthday Girl is Penelope Douglas at her absolute best, if you ask me. Everything from the writing in this book to the stellar storytelling to the character development to the raw emotion that just oozes from this story was top notch. This book took me back to Bully, to all the reasons I became an insta-fan of this author but it also showed me how beautifully Douglas continues to grow and change as a writer. All the awesome things I love about her stories are in this book along with a whole lot of other amazing things that I wasn't expecting. It was so good, so well done, so unputdownable. I loved Birthday Girl with everything in me.