virgoreader

★★★★ 

A steamy, taboo romance between a 19-year-old girl and her boyfriend's father. 

Combining the age gap and "boyfriends dad" trope is risky because it can veer off into something problematic very easily, or to solely smut territory. And this book seems risky on the surface! The heroine, Jordan, is 19, compared to Pike's late-30's. He's her boyfriend's father. She moves in under his roof, which can introduce a power dynamic. 

Personally I prefer when the younger person in an age gap relationship is at least in their late 20's, but despite Jordan's young age, this book really worked for me. I think it's because Pike so badly didn't want to be attracted to her. It was never about fetishizing their age gap, he just found himself unwillingly attracted to her. 

The journey from tension to something more is paced well, in my opinion. Penelope Douglas really deep dives into the adversities they face: Pike's relationship with his son and his hesitation to act on his attraction because he doesn't want to lose his son. The backlash and speculation from other people who judge their relationship. Jordan struggling with hiding what's happening between them because she doesn't want to live in the dark, but understands what Pike stands to lose.

I did tear up at one part near the end, and it showed me how well this book combined taboo and steam with emotional angst. It wasn't suffocating but you find yourself falling for the characters and their relationship.