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A review by koistyfishy
Older by Jennifer Hartmann
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
5 Pierogi Stars⭐️, 5 It’s My Favourite Stars⭐️, 5 Wonderwall Stars⭐️, 5 Hoppity Stars⭐️, 5 Bones Stars⭐️, 5 He Sees Me Stars⭐️, 5 Morning Glory Stars⭐️ 5 Oasis CD Stars⭐️, 5 Photograph Stars⭐️
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️/5
I have never had such difficulty assigning a "word" to my star rating that I have had for this book! There are just so many things that stood out, made a mark that I wanted to "immortalise" in my review and I just couldnt decide... SO I decided instead of just picking one. I WILL JUST USE THEM ALL!
I know I probably shouldn’t have liked this. It’s a taboo romance with a significant age gap (Halley is 17 when they meet but she lies about her age and says shes 21 and Reed is 34) so given I am BASICALLY the same age as the MMC, there was a part of me that kept going, would I ever be okay with this? Would I be attracted to a teenager? And I still don’t really have an answer… but damn, this book got me. And I mean there are definate "<25 year old" actors I find ATTRACTIVE...
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
Halley Foster is in a very abusive household with a very neglectful alcoholic mother and a physically abusive father. One night, she is locked out of her house and so she decides to go to a house party, but instead ends up just sitting in the lake. Reed Madsen finds her in the lake looking for someone and they strike up a very philosophical and metaphorical conversation and have an instant connection. They end up fooling around a little and just as they decide to take things further, it comes out that she is 17 and not the 21 she told him. A couple of months go by and both of them can't get each other out of their minds. One day her dad gets violent, and after breaking her arm Halley moves in with her best friend and her best friends mom. Soon she realizes that this man who she keeps having encounters with is none other than her best friend's father. So now she's put in a situation where she has feelings for him, he has feelings for her, but there is no way that they can be together.
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
Firstly if you pick up a book labelled taboo, you can’t get mad when it’s actually taboo, do not get upset by the age gap. I get it... this is not a book for everyone. The age gap is a little daughting but its stated right from the start what you are dealing with, so if this is not your cup of tea - do not read it... BUT while there is this gap you should know Reed never sexualises Hayley’s youth. Their first connection was based on a lie where he believes she IS OLDER, and I appreciated that nothing physical happened between them until she was over 18 after he found out her real age. And Reed never sexualised her being young. It wasn’t written to be creepy or gross, it was written as two people caught in something bigger than themselves.
This book physically wrecked me. I was sitting in a café reading with friend trying not to cry and totally failing. The last 20%? Pure emotional carnage. The whole book is fulled with the most beautuful longing, emotional pining and utter heartbreak as these two people who love each other deeply just can’t be together… it tore me up. I’ve always said that if a book can make me cry, it’s an automatic five stars... and this one did.
I adored Hayley. She’s young, but she’s had to grow up fast. Her home life has forced her to be independent, to take care of herself. She’s so hard on herself because she’s been conditioned to believe that mistakes are punishment. She’s traumatised, but she’s trying. She’s just trying to exist and make it through. I adored how much Tara and her Mom did for her, they became her safe haven, her family and it was precious how much they welcomes her into their home.
And oh my gosh Reed. He is not a perfect man, he is flawed, selfish and often doesnt make the right choices. But I loved how supportive he is. At the start Reed asked if Halley is lost, and while she might not have fully been, by the end of the book he is the one who helps her find herself. She finds her strength, her voice, her passion, her worth. That’s love and that is why this book was so emotionally impactful. It’s not about saving her, it’s about seeing her. He is one of the first people who not only supporting her, uplifts her. He Sees her and he does this over and over again. He chooses her happiness at the detiment of his own.
This was my first Jennifer Hartmann book, and I was completely captivated. The imagery, the emotion, the way she writes is like lyrical poetry. I stayed up way too late, woke up in the middle of the night to keep reading, and couldn’t look away. It had that “car crash” effect but not because it was bad but because I couldn't look away. I couldn't look away because it was raw, emotional, uncomfortable, tragic and so beautifully done.
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ Taboo/Forbidden Romance
▶ Best Friend's Dad
▶ Found Family
▶ Age Gap
▶ Secret Pining
▶ Touch Her You Die
▶ Slow Burn
▶ Tending to Injuries/Takes Care of Her when Sick
▶ Strangers to Lovers
▶ She Falls First - He Falls Harder
and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ Car Sex
▷ Grey Sweatpants
▷ Nicknames
▷ Hand Necklaces
▷ Forhead Kisses
▷ Steamy/Spicy Water Scene
▷ "More"
Some people are going to hate this book. And that’s okay. But if you’re open to reading something that pushes boundaries, challenges your comfort zone, and still makes you feel everything like it did for me... Then this book might just break your heart… and then put it back together again.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Bloom Books, Jennifer Hartmann and Netgalley for the gifted copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️/5
I have never had such difficulty assigning a "word" to my star rating that I have had for this book! There are just so many things that stood out, made a mark that I wanted to "immortalise" in my review and I just couldnt decide... SO I decided instead of just picking one. I WILL JUST USE THEM ALL!
I know I probably shouldn’t have liked this. It’s a taboo romance with a significant age gap (Halley is 17 when they meet but she lies about her age and says shes 21 and Reed is 34) so given I am BASICALLY the same age as the MMC, there was a part of me that kept going, would I ever be okay with this? Would I be attracted to a teenager? And I still don’t really have an answer… but damn, this book got me. And I mean there are definate "<25 year old" actors I find ATTRACTIVE...
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
Halley Foster is in a very abusive household with a very neglectful alcoholic mother and a physically abusive father. One night, she is locked out of her house and so she decides to go to a house party, but instead ends up just sitting in the lake. Reed Madsen finds her in the lake looking for someone and they strike up a very philosophical and metaphorical conversation and have an instant connection. They end up fooling around a little and just as they decide to take things further, it comes out that she is 17 and not the 21 she told him. A couple of months go by and both of them can't get each other out of their minds. One day her dad gets violent, and after breaking her arm Halley moves in with her best friend and her best friends mom. Soon she realizes that this man who she keeps having encounters with is none other than her best friend's father. So now she's put in a situation where she has feelings for him, he has feelings for her, but there is no way that they can be together.
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
Firstly if you pick up a book labelled taboo, you can’t get mad when it’s actually taboo, do not get upset by the age gap. I get it... this is not a book for everyone. The age gap is a little daughting but its stated right from the start what you are dealing with, so if this is not your cup of tea - do not read it... BUT while there is this gap you should know Reed never sexualises Hayley’s youth. Their first connection was based on a lie where he believes she IS OLDER, and I appreciated that nothing physical happened between them until she was over 18 after he found out her real age. And Reed never sexualised her being young. It wasn’t written to be creepy or gross, it was written as two people caught in something bigger than themselves.
This book physically wrecked me. I was sitting in a café reading with friend trying not to cry and totally failing. The last 20%? Pure emotional carnage. The whole book is fulled with the most beautuful longing, emotional pining and utter heartbreak as these two people who love each other deeply just can’t be together… it tore me up. I’ve always said that if a book can make me cry, it’s an automatic five stars... and this one did.
I adored Hayley. She’s young, but she’s had to grow up fast. Her home life has forced her to be independent, to take care of herself. She’s so hard on herself because she’s been conditioned to believe that mistakes are punishment. She’s traumatised, but she’s trying. She’s just trying to exist and make it through. I adored how much Tara and her Mom did for her, they became her safe haven, her family and it was precious how much they welcomes her into their home.
And oh my gosh Reed. He is not a perfect man, he is flawed, selfish and often doesnt make the right choices. But I loved how supportive he is. At the start Reed asked if Halley is lost, and while she might not have fully been, by the end of the book he is the one who helps her find herself. She finds her strength, her voice, her passion, her worth. That’s love and that is why this book was so emotionally impactful. It’s not about saving her, it’s about seeing her. He is one of the first people who not only supporting her, uplifts her. He Sees her and he does this over and over again. He chooses her happiness at the detiment of his own.
This was my first Jennifer Hartmann book, and I was completely captivated. The imagery, the emotion, the way she writes is like lyrical poetry. I stayed up way too late, woke up in the middle of the night to keep reading, and couldn’t look away. It had that “car crash” effect but not because it was bad but because I couldn't look away. I couldn't look away because it was raw, emotional, uncomfortable, tragic and so beautifully done.
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ Taboo/Forbidden Romance
▶ Best Friend's Dad
▶ Found Family
▶ Age Gap
▶ Secret Pining
▶ Touch Her You Die
▶ Slow Burn
▶ Tending to Injuries/Takes Care of Her when Sick
▶ Strangers to Lovers
▶ She Falls First - He Falls Harder
and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ Car Sex
▷ Grey Sweatpants
▷ Nicknames
▷ Hand Necklaces
▷ Forhead Kisses
▷ Steamy/Spicy Water Scene
▷ "More"
Some people are going to hate this book. And that’s okay. But if you’re open to reading something that pushes boundaries, challenges your comfort zone, and still makes you feel everything like it did for me... Then this book might just break your heart… and then put it back together again.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Bloom Books, Jennifer Hartmann and Netgalley for the gifted copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Abandonment
Minor: Bullying, Pedophilia, Sexism