Older (Deluxe Edition)

*The deluxe limited edition comes with printed edges*

A forbidden, age-gap romance and instant USA Today bestseller from Jennifer Hartmann, author of Still Beating.

The emotionally devastating and wildly beloved TikTok sensation readers are calling "heart-wrenching, beautiful, and completely unforgettable."

Halley is living a lie...and falling for someone she never should have met.

By day, she's just a girl trying to survive an emotionally barren home. But by night, she escapes to the quiet solitude of a lake beneath the stars. That's where she meets Reed, a brooding, kind stranger who offers her the sort of safety she's never known.

There's an unspoken connection. A shared ache neither of them can name.

But when Halley's best friend introduces her new stepdad, everything shatters.

Because that stepdad is Reed.

With a love as equally forbidden as it is all-consuming, Halley and Reed are forced to navigate a storm of secrets, guilt, and longing. As years go by and lines blur, they must decide if love is worth the risk--especially when it could destroy the only family either of them has ever known.

A haunting and hopeful story of healing, desire, and a love that refuses to be ignored.

Tropes:

  • Age-gap romance
  • Best friend's dad
  • Forbidden love
  • Grumpy/sunshine
  • Slow burn
  • Found family
  • Healing from trauma


Readers have fallen hard for Older--will you?

"This is, in every way, my perfect read--flawed characters you can't help but root for, a love story that is as broken as it is beautiful, and a book that will stay with you long after you've read the final page." -- Goodreads

"Older had me feeling all the feels--swooning, holding my breath, sweating, aching, basking in the 90s nostalgia, and sighing in relief as the epilogue closed." -- Amazon

"And that, my friends, is how you write age gap romance!!!!" -- Goodreads

"This book ripped my heart out and then put all the pieces back together again." -- Amazon

Older is a standalone romance ending in an HEA. Prepare your heart--and bring tissues.

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Published May 6, 2025

416 pages

Average rating: 6.94

17 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

Missfitz225
Nov 01, 2025
10/10 stars
Ok, Reed is definitely my new book boyfriend! Ahh! The angst and the yearning. He did everything right even when it felt wrong! I did love the FMC Haley as well, but my heart was in it for Reed, so, unfortunately, I have no words for her. Sorry Haley! Definitely my favorite read of the year so far.
Green Energy
Sep 29, 2025
10/10 stars
The way Reed loved Haley, the way he choose her, it was heartbreaking and healing. It is a 6 star writing and a 5 star story. And yes I did shed a few tears.
Jhae
Sep 01, 2025
1/10 star
The age gap was written to feel “forbidden,” but instead it came across as uncomfortable and cliché. Having Reed show up at high school events, especially prom night, was just plain gross. The story seemed to be trying to make it feel edgy or romantic, but it gave me the ick instead….I couldn’t even enjoy the steamier parts because of how off it felt. The supposed “connection” between the characters didn’t work for me either. They met briefly at a party, bonded over a band on a very surface level, and then suddenly two years later they’re soulmates? It felt forced and unrealistic. On top of that, none of the characters were likable… except the dog. Honestly, I hated this book.

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