“Turns out my dream girl belongs to the one person it would kill me to hurt.”

Well I wasn’t sure what to expect but I have to admit it wasn’t a loofah and a desk…. I’ll just let you wonder about that if you haven’t read this one yet. I am a sucker for age gap romances for some reason, but I gotta admit I wish she had been at least 21 so it didn’t feel so weird. I feel like this is the first boyfriend/ex-boyfriends dad story I’ve read in awhile. I think it was really well written, at least that dynamic.

I will admit that Pike and Jordan have fantastic banter… and the tension… I mean half the book is spent building the tension. So it was really nice. I loved the way we wrote all the drama for the two of them because it all made perfect sense and you could see it unfolding the exact way it likely would in any relationship. I always love when some elements of romance novels feel like they would actually happen in real life.

I really adored like 90% of the side characters in this story and I think it would have been acceptable not to try so hard to make us hate Cole in order to make the Jordan and Pike dynamic easier to swallow, because I think enough time is spent on the development of the connection between them. Overall, I enjoyed the book, especially all the drama that unfolded in the last 20% of the book. ( )

This was just one of those reads that happened at the right moment and made me all swoony. The romance was adorable. There were quite a few bullshit bits but this is more a guilty pleasure read than anything else - so I easily overlooked them but not everyone will be able to.

But for all its flaws I do think there's something really special about this book. The relationship between Pike and Jordan was ridiculous at some points (for mature adults they really drag things out - and it is understandable to some degree but also just made me want to bang my head against a wall) but there was also something really genuine about them too. When they were together without the angst they always just seemed really happy which made me feel happy. This book is far from perfect but it is really good in a lot of ways and for me - hit all the right notes.

So five stars but keep in mind I'm biased. As I said, it was just the right book and the right time with the right mood. I'm trying to think objectively how I would rate it but I'm still too hyped up on the good feelings to be able to. If nothing else, the writing is riveting. ( )

Slow burner. Fast read. Enjoyable. ( )

I read the indie edition of Birthday Girl a few years ago, so I was excited to dive back into the story I knew I already loved.

As with the indie, I devoured this edition and was thrilled to see the bonus content. For the long-time fans of Pike and Jordan's story, it's definitely worth picking this book up for that extra spicy content!

For those of you that haven't read this book yet...
Yes, Jordan comes of immature at times. She's 19 and still learning to navigate life and adulthood.
Yes, Pike oversteps boundaries and is in a constant war with his feelings.
BUT the growth these two characters show through the story...the vulnerability and awkward moments because of their age difference all tie in really well to create an intriguing and realistic relationship.
There's so many emotions and hurdles to wade through for Pike and Jordan, and the story as a whole is completely worth it.

Still love this story!

Huge thank you Berkley Publishing for the e-ARC to read, enjoy, and honestly review! I'll definitely be adding this newly published edition to my bookshelves. ( )

I have to say I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this book, but I was blown away with how much I liked it. The characters are extremely well thought out and you can't help but to root for them and their relationships. I also loved the pacing and the flow of this book it really helped me to feel connected!

Don't let the synopsis detract you from this amazing romance! ( )