Review ~ Birthday Girl ~ Penelope Douglas

Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas
Published by Selfpublished on April 17, 2018
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 349
Format: eBook
Source: Kindle Purchase

He took me in when I had nowhere else to go. He doesn’t use me, hurt me, or forget about 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. 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.

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 proved yet again how much I enjoy PDouglas’s writing style. Complex, well-drawn characters, genuine-feeling storyline, angst and romance all combined to make a hell of a story. One I was loathe to put down.

Jordan hasn’t had many people she could count on in her life. Her mom left her, her dad’s a drunk, and her first boyfriend beat her. It’s her birthday when we meet her and her current boyfriend, who was supposed to pick her up from work, is nowhere to be found. She takes herself to a midnight showing of some 80’s horror flick, and she meets a man. One that intrigues her. One that makes her comfortable and confident. One she’d like to get to know better. Then she finds out he’s her boyfriend’s dad. And seeing as said boyfriend has gotten them evicted from their apartment, she’s now living with the man.

Pike grew up young and fast. He has to seeing as he got his high school girlfriend pregnant at 19. The relationship didn’t last and he gave up on his dreams but he dedicated his life to being successful and taking care of his son. For the first time in what seems like forever, he meets a woman – a young woman, granted – who he finds interesting and funny and charming. Someone he wouldn’t mind getting better acquainted with. And then he discovers she’s his son’s girlfriend.

PDouglas did such a superb job of conveying how well Jordan and Pike clicked. They spent a lot of time together because his son was rather a douchecanoe and left Jordan home while he went out partying. I saw the emotional growth in Jordan as she realized she had a hand in people’s treatment of her – because she allowed it. Pike learned to worry only about his thoughts and feelings where Jordan, her age and her status with his son, was concerned. And Cole, Pike’s son, eventually figured himself out and began the journey towards growing up so I forgave him his douchecanoe behavior.

I love the following quote. I wish someone had said this to me when I was young. But I’m going to heed it now, at 50 😉

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 fear hold you back, don’t be lazy, and don’t base your decisions on how happy it will make others. Just go for it, okay?  -Pike

Obviously, I adored Birthday Girl. And PDouglas has solidified her place on my list of favorite authors. I would dive right into another of her books but I need to get stuff done! LOL

My compare and contrast post for Credence and Birthday Girl should post next week! 🙂

 

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

• COYER 2021
• Unearthing a Bookish Bounty 2021

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