Birthday Girl

by Penelope Douglas

From New York Times Bestselling author Penelope Douglas comes a new forbidden love story…

JORDAN

He took me in when I had nowhere else to go.

He doesn’t use me, hurt me, or forget about me. He doesn’t treat me like I’m nothing, take me for granted, or make me feel unsafe.

He remembers me, laughs with me, and looks at me. He listens to me, protects me, and sees me. I can feel his eyes on me over the breakfast table, and my heart pumps so hard when I hear him pull in the driveway after work.

I have to stop this. It can’t happen.

My sister once told me there are no good men, and if you find one, he’s probably unavailable.

Only Pike Lawson isn’t the unavailable one.

I am.

PIKE

I took her in, because I thought I was helping.

She’d cook a few meals and clean up a little. It was an easy arrangement.

As the days go by, though, it’s becoming anything but easy. I have to stop my mind from drifting to her and stop holding my breath every time I bump into her in the house. I can’t touch her, and I shouldn’t want to.

The more I find my path crossing hers, though, the more she’s becoming a part of me.

But we’re not free to give into this. She’s nineteen, and I’m thirty-eight.

And her boyfriend’s father.

Unfortunately, they both just moved into my house.

*BIRTHDAY GIRL is a stand-alone, contemporary romance suitable for ages 18+.

• ISBN10: 1976333083
• ISBN13: 9781976333088
• Publish Date: 16 April 2018
• Publish Status: Withdrawn
• Imprint: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 406
• Language: English

Reviews

[Angie]

YES!
+Falling for my boyfriend's dad!
+I actually really liked Jordan. She wasn't this super innocent, good girl who gets corrupted. But she also wasn't this super sexed up, wild child. She was pretty normal.
+No cheating! So no worries for those cheating-adverse readers.
+Revenge is sweet.
+Happy ending.

NO!
-Maybe it's because my boyfriend is 29 years older than me, but I don't think a 19 year age difference for consenting adults is a big deal or "forbidden."
-Since when can 18-19 year olds work as bartenders? I guess laws are different? I don't know, but it kept bothering me.
-It's repeatedly mentioned that it's Summer, but May 27th is "a couple weeks away." Um?
-Jordan does get quite pushy toward the end and doesn't seem to understand Pike wanting a good relationship with his son.

[kymmiejournals]

Oh my oh my, as usual... a book by Penelope Douglas deserves a freaking five stars!

Review to follow... cause I need time to process everything - I'm having a book hangover! Lol!

This was just one of those reads that happened at the right moment and made me all swoony. The romance was adorable. There were quite a few bullshit bits but this is more a guilty pleasure read than anything else - so I easily overlooked them but not everyone will be able to.

But for all its flaws I do think there's something really special about this book. The relationship between Pike and Jordan was ridiculous at some points (for mature adults they really drag things out - and it is understandable to some degree but also just made me want to bang my head against a wall) but there was also something really genuine about them too. When they were together without the angst they always just seemed really happy which made me feel happy. This book is far from perfect but it is really good in a lot of ways and for me - hit all the right notes.

So five stars but keep in mind I'm biased. As I said, it was just the right book and the right time with the right mood. I'm trying to think objectively how I would rate it but I'm still too hyped up on the good feelings to be able to. If nothing else, the writing is riveting.