Review: Birthday Girl

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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.

Genre: contemporary romance 

Publication date: April 2018

Mature content: yes

Review: Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas was definitely an interesting read. The age-gap and forbidden-romance aspect kept me curious, and I liked the tension and slow burn between Jordan and Pike. Their chemistry was probably the strongest part of the book, and there were some genuinely sweet moments that made their relationship feel more meaningful than I expected.

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That being said, I had mixed feelings about the story overall. Some parts felt unnecessarily drawn out, and I wasn’t always invested in the side characters or the drama surrounding the relationship. I also found myself questioning some of the characters’ choices, which made it harder for me to fully connect with the romance. Both Pike and Jordan feel like pushovers most of the time, which detracted me from fully enjoying their romance - are they really invested, or they end up together because it's comfortable and safe?

I did enjoy it, but I didn’t love it. It was entertaining enough to keep me reading and I can understand why so many people love it, but it wasn’t quite that much of a standout for me.

Happy readings otherwise!

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