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Older

Before he discovered my age, he uncovered my heart.

Bruised and abused, and victim to a loveless household, I shimmered with new life the moment he found me drowning my sorrows in a lake beneath the stars.

A chance encounter. An unspoken connection.

I was smitten; he was curious.

But, as everyone knew, fate could be decidedly cruel.

He called me Halley, like the comet.

I called him Reed.

And my best friend?

Well…she called him Dad.

  • Angst Level
  • Content Warning
    Sexual Assault, kidnapping, death of a character, violence
  • Spice Level
  • Tropes
    Forbidden, forced proximity, trauma bond, enemies to lovers, sister’s fiancé
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    Mentions a news article featuring Oliver Lynch, a man discovered on the side of the road 22 years after he went missing. Introduction to Tabitha.
  • Tropes
    Childhood friends to lovers, virgin hero, cinnamon roll hero
  • Angst Level
  • Content Warning
    Kidnapping, references of Sexual Assault—message me for further details if necessary due to spoilers)
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    Oliver Lynch's story, the man referenced in Still Beating, with cameos from Cora and Tabitha. Features two side characters with stories: Brant and Evan.
  • Spice Level
  • Tropes
    Unrequited love, boy falls first, single mom, friends to lovers
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    It is HIGHLY recommended that you read SB and Lotus first! The story of Tabitha (from SB) and Gabe (from Lotus). Features many characters from both books, as well as Evan and Summer from The Thorns Remain.
  • Spice Level
  • Angst Level
  • Content Warning
    Sexual Assault, kidnapping, death of a character, violence
  • Tropes
    Rockstar, single dad, slight love triangle, enemies to friends to lovers
  • Angst Level
  • Content Warning
    Domestic violence and abuse
  • Spice Level
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    None
  • Spice Level
  • Content Warning
    Loss of a loved one, violence
  • Tropes
    Second chance
  • Angst Level
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    You MUST read Aria first! Bonus epilogue, featuring Summer from The Thorns Remain.
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    None
  • Spice Level
  • Content Warning
    None
  • Tropes
    Grumpy/sunshine, best friend’s brother, virgin heroine, office romance, slight second chance, 90s setting
  • Angst Level
  • Tropes
    Grumpy/sunshine, best friend’s brother, virgin heroine, tortured hero
  • Angst Level
  • Spice Level
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    You MUST read AOGTH first! None
  • Content Warning
    Addiction
  • Angst Level
  • Tropes
    Kidnapping, forced proximity, touch her and die, opposites attract, tortured MMC
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    None
  • Spice Level
  • Content Warning
    Murder, blood/violence, black market activities, death of a loved one off-page
  • Tropes
    Revenge romance with a twist, single dad
  • Angst Level
  • Spice Level
  • Content Warning
    Morally gray hero, cheating—protagonists do NOT cheat on each other
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    Evan's story, the writer neighbor featured in Lotus and the man who interviewed Tabitha in Stars. Cameos from Oliver and Sydney in Lotus. Will eventually connect with a future story involving Evan's daughter, Summer, and Sam, the son from Aria/Coda. Features Delilah, who was briefly mentioned in Claws and Feathers and includes a small reference to that story.
  • Spice Level
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    None
  • Angst Level
  • Tropes
    Strangers to lovers, forced proximity, single mom
  • Content Warning
    Violence
  • Angst Level
  • Tropes
    Age gap, forbidden, taboo, single dad, secret romance, 90s setting
  • Spice Level
  • Content Warning
    Childhood abuse and neglect, significant age gap
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    None
  • Angst Level
  • Content Warning
    Murder, blood/violence, bullying, alcoholism, depictions of chronic illness, attempted assault
  • Spice Level
  • Tropes
    YA themes, childhood friends to lovers, coming of age, neighbors
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    None
  • Tropes
    Widow, grumpy/sunshine, tortured hero
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    Mention of The Matchmaker from Still Beating, otherwise none.
  • Spice Level
  • Content Warning
    Loss of a loved one, suicide and self-harm, references of child abuse
  • Angst Level
  • Spice Level
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    Brant's story, the bartender featured in Lotus. Cameos from Sydney and Clementine in Lotus.
  • Tropes
    Forbidden/taboo, best friend’s sister, soulmates
  • Content Warning
    Taboo theme, loss of a loved one
  • Angst Level
  • Angst Level
  • Tropes
    Cop/victim, slight forbidden
  • Spice Level (copy) (copy) (copy) (copy)
  • Content Warning
    Violence
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    Brief mention of Noah and Freeze Frame from Aria. Vague mention of Delilah, a side character in The Thorns Remain (I don't think anyone has caught it though!

More Information

What readers are saying

Older had me feeling all the feels–swooning, holding my breath, sweating, aching, basking in the 90s nostalgia, and sighing in relief as the epilogue closed. It’s quickly thrown aside nearly every other book I’ve read so far this year and quickly become one of my absolute favorites, where I suspect it will remain for long to come, with this story living rent free in my mind for all foreseeable future.

- amazon reviewer

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