Older (Standard Edition)
Older by Jennifer Hartmann, published by Sourcebooks, Incorporated on May 6, 2025, is a contemporary fiction that explores a forbidden, age-gap romance. This edition spans 416 pages and is presented in English. The story follows Halley, a young woman navigating the challenges of an emotionally barren home life. Her escape comes in the form of quiet nights by a lake, where she meets Reed, a kind stranger who provides her with a sense of safety. However, their connection takes a complicated turn when Halley’s best friend introduces her to her new stepdad—Reed.
Readers will find a narrative filled with themes of longing, guilt, and the complexities of love. As Halley and Reed confront their feelings, they must navigate the storm of secrets that threaten to unravel their lives. The story delves into the emotional struggles of healing from trauma and the impact of forbidden love. With elements of suspense and romance, Older presents a haunting yet hopeful tale that challenges the boundaries of family and desire.
Official synopsis Publisher
*The deluxe limited edition comes with printed edges*
A forbidden, age-gap romance and instant USA Today bestseller from Jennifer Hartmann, author of Still Beating.
The emotionally devastating and wildly beloved TikTok sensation readers are calling “heart-wrenching, beautiful, and completely unforgettable.”
Halley is living a lie…and falling for someone she never should have met.
By day, she’s just a girl trying to survive an emotionally barren home. But by night, she escapes to the quiet solitude of a lake beneath the stars. That’s where she meets Reed, a brooding, kind stranger who offers her the sort of safety she’s never known.
There’s an unspoken connection. A shared ache neither of them can name.
But when Halley’s best friend introduces her new stepdad, everything shatters.
Because that stepdad is Reed.
With a love as equally forbidden as it is all-consuming, Halley and Reed are forced to navigate a storm of secrets, guilt, and longing. As years go by and lines blur, they must decide if love is worth the risk–especially when it could destroy the only family either of them has ever known.
A haunting and hopeful story of healing, desire, and a love that refuses to be ignored.
Tropes:
- Age-gap romance
- Best friend’s dad
- Forbidden love
- Grumpy/sunshine
- Slow burn
- Found family
- Healing from trauma
Readers have fallen hard for Older–will you?
“This is, in every way, my perfect read–flawed characters you can’t help but root for, a love story that is as broken as it is beautiful, and a book that will stay with you long after you’ve read the final page.” — Goodreads
“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.” — Amazon
“And that, my friends, is how you write age gap romance!!!!” — Goodreads
“This book ripped my heart out and then put all the pieces back together again.” — Amazon
Older is a standalone romance ending in an HEA. Prepare your heart–and bring tissues.
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