Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas
# of Pages: 407
Publication: April 15th, 2018
Source: Kindle Unlimted
Genre: Forbidden Romance/Age-Gap Romance
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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+.
YA'LL ! Birthday Girl is easily one of my favorite books of 2019! I have really picked up on my journey of reading romance books this year and I read this one on a recommendation. It was phenomenal, fast faced, and such a beautifully written slow burn romance. Birthday Girl focuses on the relationship between Pike and Jordan. Jordan is a young college students living with her irresponsible boyfriend and when he makes another mistake they have to depend on his father, Pike, to take them in and help them out until they can save enough money to move out. Pike and Jordan have an undeniable attraction towards each other; however, they know that the possibility of them developing a romance should not happen due to Jordan's relationship with Pike's son.
What I loved most about this book was the slow burn romance. I've just started exploring the romance genre and I always seemed to have an issue with romance books where the romance happened too quickly. I didn't realize that I needed a slow burn romance where the lead characters have the opportunity to take their time leading to the romantic climax. I was so surprised by how much I kept telling the characters to forgo all inhibitions and just go with their feelings. It kept me so enthralled with the text and I was constantly rooting for their relationship to blossom. They were written in a way where they just seemed completely compatible.
Another aspect of this novel that was handled well was the writing of the "fallout." While reading this book, it is natural to assume that Jordan and Pike will end up together; however, I was very interested in figuring out how Douglas would craft the resolution and how should would write a plot that would allow Jordan and Pike even the possibility of being together. While I won't disclose exactly what happens, just know that Douglas is a genius and she beautifully created a realistic and heart wrenching plot that makes the reader truly feel the dilemma that Pike and Jordan face once they realize the attraction that they have for each other.
If can't tell I absolutely loved this book and can't wait to read more from Penelope Douglas. It was truly a beautiful and captivating romance and helped me to understand that I need romances that are slow burn and not instantaneous love. This is definitely one of my favorite books of the year.
"'Time passes by you like a bullet,' he says, 'and fear gives you the excuses you're craving to not do the things you know you should. Don't doubt yourself, don't second-guess, don't let ear hold you back, don't be lazy, and on't base your decisions on how happy it will make others. Just go for it, okay?'"
What I loved most about this book was the slow burn romance. I've just started exploring the romance genre and I always seemed to have an issue with romance books where the romance happened too quickly. I didn't realize that I needed a slow burn romance where the lead characters have the opportunity to take their time leading to the romantic climax. I was so surprised by how much I kept telling the characters to forgo all inhibitions and just go with their feelings. It kept me so enthralled with the text and I was constantly rooting for their relationship to blossom. They were written in a way where they just seemed completely compatible.
"'You're like a cave. You don't give up all your secrets at once. Who knows how deep you go, right?' My eyebrows shoot up. What? How deep do I go? Did she just...Her eyes suddenly go round, and she jerks her gaze to me, looking mortified. 'I mean,' she rushes out, 'like...on the...on the inside. Your personality.' A blush rises to her cheeks. 'I didn't mean it like..ugh.' Her shoulders ink and she stuffs the sheet back into the box, giving up. 'I'm going to drool over bathroom fixtures now. Bye.'"
Another aspect of this novel that was handled well was the writing of the "fallout." While reading this book, it is natural to assume that Jordan and Pike will end up together; however, I was very interested in figuring out how Douglas would craft the resolution and how should would write a plot that would allow Jordan and Pike even the possibility of being together. While I won't disclose exactly what happens, just know that Douglas is a genius and she beautifully created a realistic and heart wrenching plot that makes the reader truly feel the dilemma that Pike and Jordan face once they realize the attraction that they have for each other.
One of the final attributes that I enjoyed about this book was the character development. Penelope Douglas has a gift for writing her characters in realistic ways. Jordan is such a mature young woman, but not in a way that isn't believable. Her life circumstances have made her into a strong and driven young woman and I like that even though she had an attraction to Pike she refused to let him dictate every little aspect of her life and she was willing to stand her ground on decisions she made. In the same respect, I feel like Pike admired Jordan and held her in such a high regard. He respected her decisions and fought for her in ways that I wish another person would fight for me. Their personalities were simply compatible and the connection that was build between them was simply beautiful.
"'I knew you were out there somewhere,' I tell her, quirking a sad smile. 'The girlfriends, women I dated, Cole's mother...I never wanted to marry anyone, because they weren't what I was looking for. I had started to think I had my sights set too high, and you didn't exist.' I clasp the back of her neck and run my thumbs down her throat. 'Turns ot my dream girl belongs to the one person it would kill me to hurt.'"
"'I love you,' he tells me. 'But no one's better off without you.'"
If can't tell I absolutely loved this book and can't wait to read more from Penelope Douglas. It was truly a beautiful and captivating romance and helped me to understand that I need romances that are slow burn and not instantaneous love. This is definitely one of my favorite books of the year.
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