Birthday Girl
True love comes from the most forbidden places in this TikTok smash hit from New York Times bestselling author Penelope Douglas, now with bonus material!
Jordan has nowhere else to go when her boyfriend offers to let her move in with him and his dad. Working a dead-end job, with her relationship sputtering, she jumps at the opportunity, expecting to help out around the house in exchange. What she doesn’t anticipate is for her heart to race every time Pike pulls into the driveway, or to burn when their eyes meet over the breakfast table. He’s kind and listens to her and protects her in a way no man ever has before. Her sister once told her there are no good men, and if you find one, he's probably unavailable. Only Pike isn't the unavailable one…she is.
As the days go by, Pike’s finding it anything but simple to have his son’s girlfriend living in his house. He can’t stop thinking about her and holding his breath every time they cross paths. It feels like she’s becoming a part of him. Except he knows they’re not free to give in to this. How could they when he’s her boyfriend’s father?
Jordan has nowhere else to go when her boyfriend offers to let her move in with him and his dad. Working a dead-end job, with her relationship sputtering, she jumps at the opportunity, expecting to help out around the house in exchange. What she doesn’t anticipate is for her heart to race every time Pike pulls into the driveway, or to burn when their eyes meet over the breakfast table. He’s kind and listens to her and protects her in a way no man ever has before. Her sister once told her there are no good men, and if you find one, he's probably unavailable. Only Pike isn't the unavailable one…she is.
As the days go by, Pike’s finding it anything but simple to have his son’s girlfriend living in his house. He can’t stop thinking about her and holding his breath every time they cross paths. It feels like she’s becoming a part of him. Except he knows they’re not free to give in to this. How could they when he’s her boyfriend’s father?
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✨ Summarized by Bookclubs AI
Readers say *Birthday Girl* by Penelope Douglas is a masterful slow-burn, age-gap romance praised for intense tension, nuanced non-verbal cues, and de...
3.5 stars.
I liked this book and I enjoyed the characters. My low-ish rating has to do with me as a reader and not this book. I personally had a problem disassociating myself from the story and wasn’t able to escape into the story. The reason being, my dad is only 19 years older than I am. If you’ve read the story or synopsis, then you know the two love interests have a larger age gap. I don’t have an issue with people who do have an age gap, to me, love is love. I just think the fact that they were similar ages to my dad and I and the fact that my dad is an electrician and would work on construction sites, it just fell too close to home for me.
I liked this book and I enjoyed the characters. My low-ish rating has to do with me as a reader and not this book. I personally had a problem disassociating myself from the story and wasn’t able to escape into the story. The reason being, my dad is only 19 years older than I am. If you’ve read the story or synopsis, then you know the two love interests have a larger age gap. I don’t have an issue with people who do have an age gap, to me, love is love. I just think the fact that they were similar ages to my dad and I and the fact that my dad is an electrician and would work on construction sites, it just fell too close to home for me.
Pike is my other book boyfriend next to Reed. Relax… it’s not cheating if it’s fiction. Loved the yearning and the fire in this one. 🔥 One of the best age-gap (totally legal) stories I’ve read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4-Star Review
Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas
Birthday Girl completely surprised me in the best way.
What starts as a taboo, age-gap romance turns into something much deeper, more emotional, and unexpectedly tender. Penelope Douglas has a way of writing characters that feel raw and real, and Jordan and Pike were no exception. Their connection wasn’t just physical but it was built slowly through tension, quiet moments, and genuine care for one another.
Jordan’s independence and resilience made her easy to root for, and Pike’s steady, protective nature added so much depth to the story. The push and pull between them kept me hooked, and the emotional conflict felt believable rather than dramatic for the sake of drama.
What I loved most was how the story explored loneliness, healing, and the desire to be truly seen by someone. It wasn’t just about forbidden attraction and it was about two people finding comfort and understanding in each other when they least expected it.
The only reason this wasn’t a full 5 stars for me is that a few parts felt a little drawn out, and I wished for a bit more development toward the end. Still, the chemistry, emotional tension, and heartfelt moments made this a memorable read.
If you enjoy slow-burn romance, emotional depth, and a little bit of taboo done tastefully, Birthday Girl is definitely worth picking up.
Penelope Douglas delivers a masterclass in slow-burning tension. This isn’t just about banter—it’s the loaded pauses, the subtle shifts in body language, and the kind of non-verbal cues that speak louder than dialogue. She creates characters you can see in your mind, down to the way they breathe around each other.
Our MMC, Pike, stood out because he recognized that everyone in Jordan’s life had let her down. Her mom didn’t want her. Her dad lived as if she didn’t exist. Her sister loved her but never respected her. Cole? He took advantage, whether he meant to or not.
Pike’s approach was different—intrusive interventions, sure, but rooted in care. He seemed almost unconscious of how much he made her feel seen, heard, and wanted. For the first time, someone showed her love beyond the basics of a roof, money, and food.
Pike being 35+ was a refreshing choice—mature without being a broody caricature. But we can’t ignore the elephant in the genre: where are the FMCs in their 30s? Romancelandia still loves its late-teen/early-20s heroines, but an unmarried, child-free 30+ woman is absolutely loveable, desirable, and worthy of a first-page meet-cute. In fact, that kind of heroine carries more emotional texture and real-world resonance.
Our MMC, Pike, stood out because he recognized that everyone in Jordan’s life had let her down. Her mom didn’t want her. Her dad lived as if she didn’t exist. Her sister loved her but never respected her. Cole? He took advantage, whether he meant to or not.
Pike’s approach was different—intrusive interventions, sure, but rooted in care. He seemed almost unconscious of how much he made her feel seen, heard, and wanted. For the first time, someone showed her love beyond the basics of a roof, money, and food.
Pike being 35+ was a refreshing choice—mature without being a broody caricature. But we can’t ignore the elephant in the genre: where are the FMCs in their 30s? Romancelandia still loves its late-teen/early-20s heroines, but an unmarried, child-free 30+ woman is absolutely loveable, desirable, and worthy of a first-page meet-cute. In fact, that kind of heroine carries more emotional texture and real-world resonance.
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