A review by kyras_reads
Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas

emotional hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.5

This had the potential to be a 5 star book for me! It had so many things I love… age gap, forbidden, slow burn… but once that third act breakup set in, it really fell a little short for me. Not the breakup itself occurring, just the justifications and details of it. But, it still so good and I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected to! Exes dad may even be a new favorite trope… 🫠 

There’s not a lot to say about it, really. It was well-paced and the entire relationship played out in such a great way. I feel like no two books by Penelope Douglas I’ve read so far have been even a little bit the same, which is awesome. I love my favorite authors who give me exactly what I expect every time but I also love those that can throw a curve ball at me. 

And I LOVE that there was epilogue years in the future. That is becoming one of my absolute favorite things! I love the closure of getting to see the couple and what they’re up to a long way down the road. 

Overall, I’m a little mad at myself for keeping this on my TBR for so long and not getting to it sooner! I finally see the hype. 

Tropes: 
Ex’s Dad
Age Gap
Forced Proximity
Slow Burn

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
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