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Birthday Girl cover art

Birthday Girl

By: Penelope Douglas
Narrated by: Andrew Eiden,Jennifer Mack
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Summary

From New York Times best-selling author Penelope Douglas comes a new forbidden-love story....  

Jordan:

He took me in when I had nowhere else to go. He doesn't use me, hurt me, or forget about me. He doesn't treat me like I'm nothing, take me for granted, or make me feel unsafe. He remembers me, laughs with me, and looks at 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. She'd cook a few meals and clean up a little. It was an easy arrangement. 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. The more I find my path crossing hers, though, the more she's becoming a part of me.  

But we're not free to give into this. She's 19, and I'm 38. And I'm her boyfriend's father. Unfortunately, they both just moved into my house.  

Birthday Girl is a stand-alone contemporary romance suitable for ages 18-plus.  

Cover design by Cassy Roop of Pink Ink Designs.

©2018 Penelope Douglas (P)2018 Audible, Inc.
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: Romance

What listeners love about Birthday Girl

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    5 out of 5 stars

best book ive read in a very long time

I was extremely apprehensive going into this one, being a 38year old mum with a 21 year old daughter. It just felt weird. If my daughter came home and told me she was with a man my age I would shit a brick!!!! However I adore this authors writing and I kept seeing so many damn recommendations on social media that I could no longer ignore all the hype. I actually loved it. I'm not the biggest fan of age gap romances but I did enjoy this one and who doesn't love good hea, even if it is taboo😆

11 people found this helpful

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Absolute tosh

So poorly written and enormously sexist. Quote ‘I hate being lied to, especially by a woman’. There’s so many more examples of this throughout. It’s like 50 shades of grey but more childish and cringeworthy.

7 people found this helpful

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Obsessed with Pike

Couldn’t put this book down, loved it! The narrators were brilliant too!! Can’t recommend it enough

4 people found this helpful

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Oh boy!

I had this book in my wish list for while but wasn't sure if I was going to like it. So finally got around to listening to it and I'm in love defo will relisten to it again and again and again ( hahaha you get the point)

2 people found this helpful

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Bad language spoils it

Good story, which I enjoyed, but such a shame it was spoiled somewhat by the constant unnecessary bad language

1 person found this helpful

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The story had everything that I hoped for!

This has to be right up there with my all-time favourite reads.

This, as seen in the blurb, is another delicious forbidden romance from Penelope Douglas. The sexual relationship between the key protagonists was incredibly slow to develop but it picked up quite a pace once the reins were released. Pike was the perfect partner to complement Jordan and despite her young age and relative innocence, her character was penned in a way that came across as much older than her years.

Despite being her boyfriend's father, Jordan finds herself spending more time with Pike as her Cole distances himself from her and their life together. When she realises that their relationship is over Jordan once again finds herself facing more impossible situations but the ever-reliable Pike is there to offer her support and friendship.

The way the developing relationship between Pike and Jordan was written allowed readers the chance to come to terms with their love affair and although they both resisted it, it was Jordan who came to her senses first and realised that there was nothing that they couldn't overcome if they handled their relationship carefully. Unfortunately for her, Pike found accepting their romantic feelings for one another more difficult and delayed the inevitable talk with his family and it was that delay which brought about the biggest fight of his life.

This was definitely a story to love and it was made even more enjoyable via Audible.

1 person found this helpful

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obsessed

I was wary going in with the age gap/prev relationship with the son but I love Penelope Douglas so I gave it a shot and I am so glad I did. So much chemistry and passion between the characters. incredible narration. I was smiling like an idiot throughout. I love a good slow burn and this was just perfect! Highly recommend.

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Not into it

The premise seemed interesting and spicu, but I lost interest. It all felt a bit too stereotypical for my taste.

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angsty, taboo, age gap

I did enjoy this taboo, big age gap romance, although it did feel a bit long or perhaps a bit slow in the middle.

I felt the anguish from both Pike and Jordan, especially where Cole was concerned. Their longing for each other was plain to see even though they believed it was wrong, despite their sizzling chemistry.

It was sweet at times too and I did love how Pike and Jordan's friendship grew at the beginning. They both felt at home with each other and despite their age gap, it felt believable.

Cole was an a-hole, he treated Jordan terribly considering they were meant to be best friends. I think what he did forced him to realise how much he needed to grow up.

I listened to the audio, both narrators were very good.

This was my first book by this author and I will definitely read more by her in the future.

3.75 stars

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Perfect

Where’s my Pike Lawson?! I need to find him quickly!

Loved this book. The voice actors were perfection and the characterisation and story were everything.

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  • Misty Walker
  • 09-08-18

Serious perfection

From every character to every scene, from the build up to the climax, this book was darn near perfection. Jordan and her boyfriend, Cole, are down on their luck and move in with Cole’s dad, Pike. Jordan and Cole grow distant while Jordan and Pike grow close. You can only imagine the drama that ensues.

The chemistry between Jordan and Pike, the way their relationship built and the things that they found in each other were so simple but so endearing and man, were they sizzling. I do wish there had been more sex but I lived with it because of the intense chemistry that I felt in my bones.

Andrew and Jennifer were excellent choices for Birthday Girl. I felt they embodies everything that these characters were meant to be and sound like. I never once felt like I was being drawn out of the story because of the narration, it only enhanced it.

32 people found this helpful

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  • Amazon Customer
  • 10-08-18

ANOTHER 5 STARS FOR PENELOPE DOUGLAS!!!

This story was amazing and had everything you would expect from Penelope Douglas, hot alpha male and a headstrong female with a soft heart. And even though the dynamic of this story was a little different than what I am used to with this author, her brilliant writing and the great narration completely make the story of an older man and younger woman work without being weird at all. the narrorators do a fantastic job of making you feel what the characters are portraying. Do not miss this one!

29 people found this helpful

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  • Lisa
  • 14-08-18

Perfect summer read and realistic

Ok don’t get me wrong...... I love with then girl snags the big rich alpha and he gives her all she could want and more. But I love it when an author can make me feel like the girl in the story and the couple doesn’t have to be billionaires to be happy ever after. So there at least you know that. Otherwise this book....pure GOLD. Yes, there is a little taboo on the relationship end but that’s what made me want to read it. No daddy issues or a man trying to hold on to his youth. Just two like minded individuals that happen to enjoy the same thing. Just perfection and hats off to Jennifer and Andrew for great narration. I was not taken out of the story at all. I felt completely submerged. And it wasn’t too long.

16 people found this helpful

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  • Kellee
  • 08-08-18

Love Taboo!!

This was a great audible. The narrators did a fabulous job. Andrew sounded so smooth, confident and mature. Just like an older man should. He is now one of my favorite male narrators. And Jen Mack always kills it! The storyline was so sexy and sooo taboo. I loved it and stayed up all night listening to the last 8 hours of it. It was sexy and the "birthday girl" wasn't immature for her older man. I hope the author explore the other charactors - like the sister and the bar owner. I just did not want this to end!!!

14 people found this helpful

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  • Oancea Ana Maria
  • 12-08-18

Best book ever!!!

Loved the narrators and the story. I feel in love with this book immediately and I highly recommend it to everyone. The audiobook was so good. it's very difficult for me to say my feeling since English it's not my first language, but there were times so filled with emotions and angst that I nearly cried....I had to be very careful because I was in the bus going to work :)) I want a Pike in my life!

10 people found this helpful

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  • Jessica B
  • 21-01-19

good story, but too much bickering

I loved the narration of this audiobook. The dual narrators delivered great performances. I also loved the storyline. Pike is my dream man, minus the terrible name and being a father. What I didn't love was the way the characters bickered at each other, often going below the belt to hurt each other. That is NOT romantic. Even in the heat of the moment, I am a strong proponent of staying as respectful as possible. And Jordan constantly storming out or threatening to storm out got on my nerves. It's sophomoric and disrespectful. Considering she's written as this elegant, brilliant, mature young woman, that aspect of the character strongly contradicted the author's intent.

8 people found this helpful

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  • T McKinney-Battle
  • 07-09-18

WOW!

Honest engine! If I read this I wouldn’t have, listening to it was 100 times better. Love Jennifer Mack’s voice. This book was so awesome. Forbidden love with a HEA. Loved it!

7 people found this helpful

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  • Amazon Customer
  • 14-08-18

it's a great, hard to put down, read.

I wish the tension between the main two characters didn't last as long to begin the story. I found myself saying..."just tell him!"

7 people found this helpful

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  • Amy H
  • 11-08-18

Bye bye book slump!

Perfection! This book had it all....the perfect amount of character development mixed with angst that will make you cry mixed with a wonderful slow burn. I enjoy some hot sex mixed with a great storyline and this book delivered....not too much and not too little.

I did have a few times when I wanted to throw my earbuds across my desk, but isn’t that what a good book does? It makes us feel! The narrators did a good job bringing the characters to life. I would definitely recommend using a credit on this one.

7 people found this helpful

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  • Thelma
  • 17-12-18

Good story!

the narrations by Andrew and Jennifer were great!! i really enjoy them so much, they really brought the characters to life and made the story more enjoyable...

Birthday girl is the story of Jordan, a very strong heroine that was alone in life, her parents weren't in the picture, didn't care that much about her and she had to survive, working and moving all around..

Jordan is living a very hard life as she doesn't have a real place to stay, her only hope is to follow her "boyfriend" Cole so they can save money and finally rent a place on their own.. but life hasn't prepared her for all these challenges, sooner or later she will have to make a decision stay or leave before things start to collapse because she didn't count her heart was about to get in the middle of her life plans..

"You make my heart pound so hard it hurts, Jordan. You, your mouth, and who you are, it all makes me want to touch you. It makes me not want to stop this.”

Pike wasn't looking for anything new in his life, he was a single dad with an ex that still was giving him a hard time and a son that didn't much appreciate him, thanks to some past drama. life has a funny way to show us what we're lacking and bring us things that will help us but also break us, Pike didn't know things in his life were about to change so drastically now is a matter to him if he is willing to embrace this changes or continue living a life full of emptiness and lies..

"I know everything we’re doing is wrong, and I don’t know how I’m going to explain this to anyone, but right here—right now—I don’t want to be anywhere else. I wish I could die as happy as I am right now."

I really love, Pike and Jordan. Jordan really was a very mature heroine, life and circumstances made her that way and I believe that made it more easy for Pike to fall in love with her.. Jordan had mature so fast due to her past situations and her lack of family.. making her grow even faster than her own age... whenever she was around Pike i could never saw any difference between them.. on the contrary for me they were perfect..

“Pike is proof that we learn when we’re forced to and maturity is more the result of experience than age,”

Pike was kind of stubborn and try to always put walls and excuses between them, it was understandable his fears and doubts but at the end, love is what conquers everything and sooner or later all his excuses meant nothing when they finally realize there was no escaping from his feelings and emotions..

“I hope you love me, because I love you like crazy, and I’m going to want you the rest of my life. I tried to stay away because I thought it was the right thing, but I can’t. I need you, and I love you. This doesn’t happen twice, and I’m not going to be stupid again. I promise.”

Overall it was a good story, great characters, really love my first book by Penelope Douglas.

5 people found this helpful

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