Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas

This book had me drooling by the end of it. This story is about Jordan, a nineteen-year-old who feels like the past controls her relationship with her boyfriend, Cole. After a string of bad decisions, Jordan and Cole are left with no other option than to move in with Cole’s dad, Pike. Pike is thirty-eight. He is not only single and attractive but there is something about his loving nature towards Jordan that draws her in. The tension between Pike and Jordan is palpable. I will warn you that this book is not for the prude. IT IS SPICY.

At first, I wasn’t sure if I would like the plot line. You know from the beginning what is going to happen, and even though you are forced to hate Cole, you can’t help but feel bad for him in this situation. There are a lot of moments in the book where you want Pike to knock some sense into Cole, but in the end, his lesson was learned.

The character development of Jordan was a bit all over the place in this book. Half of the time, I was cheering for her and the rest of the time, I wished that she would grow up. When she pulled a few of the stunts, she was showing how immature she could be. I know she was only nineteen, but her character had evolved and been through so much that I almost wish she were more mature for her age. But, if she weren’t immature at times, the intimacy in the book would be lacking.

Let’s talk about the essential thing in this book: Pike. Pike is a man’s man. He takes care of what is his. He knows that what he feels for Jordan is out of the question, but isn’t that what makes him want her more? He sees how awful Cole treats Jordan, and he knows what she needs. But is it him? His character had already developed. He had been through many different problems in his life that he had worked through. In the beginning, I questioned if Jordan would set him back, but by the end, I knew that he would make the right decision.

This book was overall a great read. I didn’t really mind anything in the book. However, Lindsay’s character did annoy me, even though that is her purpose in the novel. With a few minor plot twists and lots of spice, it is exactly what you want in a romance book. I am still thinking about this book two days later, wondering if there will ever be another man in a novel that compares to Pike Lawson.

I give this book 5/5.