Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas (Review by Sara D’Onofrio)

Rating: 4.6/5

Pike is the ultimate daddyyyy with a capital D! The way he not only cares for Jordan but wants to protect her is my favorite! It is the angst and buildup that does it for me in this book. Obviously, the readers know the plot and they know what is coming, but the buildup can make or break a book like this in my opinion. It’s about the accidental grazes, the soft touches, the lingering looks, and the sexual TENSION. Even though you know the intimacy is inevitable, when an author can make me yearn for it, I’m here for it! The intimate scenes were everything I wanted them to be too. Gentle but rough, dominating but tender, and sexy while still being sweet! I know Jordan is meant to be younger, but I did find there were times when her immaturity felt a touch too much for me in a way. It’s clearly something the characters have to work through in a trope like this, but it just gave me the “this is to unrealistic for this to work” vibes. Supporting characters are also something that I really focus on in a book. Regardless of how small their part may be, I truly feel like they can make or break a book in certain situations. I found that I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked them in this book, especially Pike’s best friend, Dutch. He offers that perfect amount of sarcasm mixed with support, and with a dose of tough love. This was my first Penelope Douglas book, and I can confidently say that it won’t be my last!