Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Sometimes We Run: A Slow Burn, Age Gap Romance

Rate this book
He’s everything I’ve been taught not to want, but he just might be everything I need.

I’ve spent the past two years trying to forget Aiden Parker, the man with heartache inked on his skin and striking blue eyes that stripped me to the bone. One conversation, one night spent with a man who made me feel a little less lonely.

But all my life, I’ve been told to follow the rules and be the good girl—so that mysterious stranger who made me feel seen for the first time will remain a beautiful memory.

Until one decision suddenly made my small town feel suffocating—the stares, the whispers, the judgment… I needed space to breathe. I needed to leave.

After years of dreaming of tattoos and a kind smile, the last thing I expected to see as I explored a new city… was him.

Now, every touch, every heated glance sets my body on fire. Making me question everything I’ve been taught.

But I’m not the only one with demons, and Aiden’s monsters might just be our undoing.

Is falling for a man like him… worth the risk of losing everything?

352 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 28, 2025

8 people are currently reading
126 people want to read

About the author

Adeline Brown

3 books26 followers
Adeline Brown is an author of contemporary, steamy romance books with flawed characters who are always striving to be better.
She likes all types of romance books but has a soft spot for why chooses. She drinks far too much coffee (although it doesn’t have the slightest effect on her), watches Big Bang Theory constantly, and hates leaving her house.

Feel free to catch up with her on all her social media platforms! She loves connecting with readers.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
26 (49%)
4 stars
19 (35%)
3 stars
7 (13%)
2 stars
0 (0%)
1 star
1 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
Profile Image for *.
123 reviews110 followers
March 13, 2025
3.75/5⭐

This book didn't have any major plot or any unpredictable twist or anything I haven't read before but I couldn't put it down once I started reading. And that's the beauty of well written books with perfect humour, fun, and emotional depth I guess.

Adeline masterfully captures the suffocating environment that shaped Poppy's existence and conditioned her to act a certain way, dress a certain way, suppress desires and try to mold her in a person she wasn't.

It was an insta love trope (not high on my list) and I thought there would be a little bit of pull and push and then everything will fall in place but I wasn't ready for the way story unfolded. The raw emotions, mental health, and the struggle to reclaim her own identity had me captivated.

Their first kiss was so surreal. Meeting in a pub for the first time where it felt like something just clicked just to be apart for two years not knowing anything about each other and suddenly one day circumstances lead them to each other.

I love how patience Aiden was with her and tried not to overwhelm her. He was so gentle and tender. And help her love herself. He's super hot and his dirty talks ahm ahm. My heart breaks for what he and Ivy had to go through in childhood.

Molly is the best aunt ever and the cutest matchmaker. I love Rhys and Lucy, they were adorable I can't wait for Rhys book. And ofcourse Ada was the cutest.

Had a great time reading the book, loved the sarcasm, humour, witty conversation and all the fun elements. Everything was perfectly balanced.

THANK YOU FOR THE ARC.
Profile Image for Lace ❥.
13 reviews5 followers
January 21, 2025
Thank you Adeline Brown for letting me read an arc of this!!

Poppy is an anxious girlie who has lived her whole life with her family’s thoughts and beliefs ingrained into her. Throughout Sometimes We Run, we’re shown how she overcomes and navigates this with the help of Aiden showing her how to make decisions for herself rather than for someone else!

Aiden comes across as a bad boy but is secretly a big teddy bear and would give the world and more to see Poppy happy🥹

I really enjoyed Aidan and Poppy’s story and how they their characters were portrayed! If you’re after a cute and spicy romance with a protective mmc then this one’s for you🤭
Profile Image for Do.
87 reviews
January 28, 2025
ARC review

I had the privilege of getting this as an arc.

This book came very close to my life in some parts. I wish it was the romance, but I'm still happily single.

This story is different then ,On the sidelines, which was one of my favorite reads from last year. It's an amazing story of finding love but also finding yourself what you love to do and not getting told how to be by others. That's what I Think is the most important message from the book and I also love the dedication at the beginning.

Because it hit so close made me sometimes not enjoy it as much as I wanted to. Reading is for me an escape from reality what made it this time a bit harder. I still Love the book though❤️

Thank you, Adeline, for sending me the ARC copy. Can't wait to see what stories you got for us next

Rating ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️. 5 (3.5/5)
Spice 🌶🌶🌶
Profile Image for Stephanie Dimer.
176 reviews21 followers
February 27, 2025
I really enjoyed the book!

It was a light, fun read with a slightly spicy twist. Coming from a non-denominational background, I found the religious aspect of Poppy's upbringing to be controlling, manipulative, and quite old-fashioned.

While the plot wasn’t exactly groundbreaking—it’s the classic 'good girl falls for bad boy'—I still found myself completely hooked from the start. I was definitely rooting for Poppy and Aiden the whole time. I’m also happy to hear that this is just book one of a series, as I’m excited to see how the stories of other characters unfold (trying not to spoil anything here!).

I would definitely recommend it if you’re looking to dive into the romance/somewhat smut genre."
710 reviews7 followers
January 26, 2025
Thank you, Adeline, for the ARC

Poppy and Aiden want a journey they went on. It was an emotional read,

Aiden was such an understanding main character who would do anything to help Poppy overcome her negative feelings and thoughts, which were strongly influenced by the people around her. Aiden and Poppy met once, and it was enough for both to leave a lasting impression on the other.
This book was brilliantly written, and anxiety was sensitively dealt with. The characters had amazing personalities, and the relationship between Poppy and Ivy was so well written.
Profile Image for Nicola.
183 reviews1 follower
January 21, 2025
5/5 ⭐️ ARC

OMG this was incredible !!
I love a good he falls first love story, and Aiden & Poppy was just amazing.

The way both main characters have their own struggles and things they’re working on, it was so lovely to see the support that Aiden was willing to show Poppy even when she was so closed off.

Normally I am not a fan of a third act break up but damn this was written soooo well !

Absolutely loved it !
Profile Image for Lucile *:・.
74 reviews5 followers
February 9, 2025
This book was SO freaking good omgggggg!!!
I need everyone to read it. To send me their thoughts and reactions so I can relive it all again because THIS BOOK >>>>>>>>>>
Profile Image for Jeanette.
230 reviews
September 10, 2025
ARC REVIEW- SOMETIMES WE RUN

Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Tropes:
💕Strangers to Lovers
💕Spicy Lessons
💕Slow Burn
💕Tattooed MMC
💕Found Family
_________________
Thanks to Adeline Brown for the ARC! I received an advance copy of the book and am leaving an honest review. All opinions are my own.
_________________
This is Adeline Brown's second book and the first in her new series Stories in Ink. I loved her debut novel On the Sidelines and absolutely adore her writing style. I was so pumped for her second book and signed up to review!

This story is full of romance but also deals with the emotions of leaving a suffocating and toxic environment and gaining your independence, no matter at what age. We see Poppy leave her oppressive family and relationship after meeting Aiden in a chance encounter in a pub. They have an instant connection and share an intense kiss before parting ways. Then it picks up TWO YEARS LATER.

Poppy has left her fiance and mother behind in their small town and heads to London to stay with her Aunt Molly. She there runs into Aiden again and their chemistry and connection pick right back up. I adored how patient and loving Aiden was with Poppy. He let her set the pace with them reconnecting and seeing where their relationship could go.

The cast of characters was amazing and I loved the entire found family that Poppy found herself with. My heart broke with Aiden and Ivy's childhood/backstory and it made it even sweeter when Aiden got his HEA. I want to be BFF's with Ivy and I was giddy when Ivy took Poppy under her wing and gave her the genuine friendship that she's been lacking her entire life. I NEED Ivy's story next!

If you love well written stories full of heart, emotion and cinnamon roll men with DIRTY DIRTY MOUTHS, then look no further. This is such a great story, no notes. Love this one, all the stars. Will always recommend and read Addie.
Profile Image for Lucy Higgins.
107 reviews6 followers
January 24, 2025
Firstly I would like to say thank you to the amazing Adeline Brown for sending me an Arc of Sometimes We Run, this book had me swept up into the story in the first chapter and that is exactly what in needed in a book when I read this!

Poppy and Aiden's story is one of heartbreak, mending heartbreak and working through trauma together to be able to open up to each other. These kinds of love stories are always my favourite because when you reach the part where they get their happily ever after, they have created an incredibly strong bond built from mutual pain and also a whole lot of love.

This book definitely deals with some heavy topics so check the content warnings before you start but every part of this was something that made Poppy and Aiden's relationship stronger by the end of the book and helped Poppy learn to find her feet and become the person she was supposed to be!

This is the second book of Adeline's that I have read and it was just as good as the first one. On the sidelines was so good and I couldn't believe it when I realised it was a debut book, I love finding new authors and instantly clicking with their characters and writing style and knowing that I'm going to love pretty much anything and everything that they write.

Safe to say this was a solid five star read for me and I am so excited to be able to follow Adeline's career as a writer and see what she does next!
Profile Image for Shellbelleh .
52 reviews
January 18, 2025
***** ARC REVIEW *****

I've been looking forward to reading more from Adeline since loving her debut novel last year - and this certainly did not disappoint! What a great start to a new series!

I really loved this story of Poppy and Aiden, two very different people drawn to each other from their first meeting. They both have their own family history and dynamics to deal with, which effects them both still in their adult lives and relationships. It was really nice to see how they both helped each other overcome some of these issues, primarily Aiden brining Poppy out of her shell, amongst other things, and Poppy showing Aiden he was capable and worthy of a loving relationship.

I absolutely could have read more of their story, both together and individually, but I really enjoyed what we got. There were some really lovely moments, cute and swoony, and some beautiful and realistic spicy scenes. It also dragged you through their angsty and painful moments with them and had me feeling it all as they did.

I really enjoyed the side characters too, who where important and involved in the plot perfectly. I hope we get to see more of them in future books in the series. I am really looking forward to reading the next book already, which I really hope is going to be Rhys and Ivy !

Thank you for the opportunity to read the ARC ! ❤️
Profile Image for Karin ♡.
181 reviews20 followers
January 17, 2025
Thank you Adeline Brown for sending me an arc of this book.

!! 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐖𝐞 𝐑𝐮𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝟐𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 !!

𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: Adeline Brown
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩."

𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:

This was such a good book and I really enjoyed reading it, I read it in less than 24 hours.

Poppy, bless her heart. She deserves all the love and happiness in the world. She has been a good girl all her life and I love to see how she decides to start to live her life, get a tattoo, wear her hair however she wants. I love to see how she grows in the book and how she fights her demons.

Aiden, a bad boy with his own demons who can't stop thinking about the girl he met in a bar 2 years ago aka Poppy. I love Aiden and the way he takes care of Poppy. And the way he helps her grow and feel confident.

I really enjoyed this book and the character's felt so real. The way Adeline is portraying her character's are on point. If you like any of the tropes down below you will for sure love this book. I'm looking forward to the upcoming book.

𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
• Age Gap
• Good Girl x Bad Boy
• Protective Hero
• Found Family
• Slow Burn
• Spicy Tattoo Scene
• Strangers To Lovers
• Spicy Lessons
Profile Image for lei ˚ ༘ ೀ⋆。˚.
114 reviews20 followers
January 18, 2025
ARC book review
3.5 ★

‘“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘦𝘴?” 𝘐 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥.
“𝘜𝘩 𝘩𝘶𝘩.” 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘥, 𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨. “𝘠𝘰𝘶.”

I adored poppy & aiden’s story. their meet cute, from meeting in a bar as strangers & having an instant connection to not meeting again until years later & still have that connection with each other. I adored poppy, watching her grow & finding herself with the help of aiden. seeing her completely transform into a more comfortable version & living the side she wanted to. as for aiden, he was equally loved. he had so many moments that made me all giddy. he definitely gave off sweet & nice but also grumpy vibes. I just wished we got more of his own backstory.

in all, it was definitely a good read. I adored so much especially the side characters. ada was definitely a favorite of mines & molly playing matchmaker, wish we also got more of her also. however, I am hoping we get a book two with ivy & rhys 🤭


Profile Image for Ana-Alicia Reid.
3 reviews
February 7, 2025
🌸 Sometimes We Run, by Adeline Brown 🌸

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

📖 MY REVIEW: Sometimes We Run, by @adelinebrownauthor

I adored this book! It’s an easy read and kept my attention all the way through. The age gap feels very natural for Poppy and Aiden’s relationship and allows for the protective hero vibe to come through, as well as many spicy introductions to her sexual side for Poppy. Poppy and Aiden come from very different backgrounds and I enjoyed reading Poppy’s escape from her overly strict upbringing. I’m sure a lot of readers can relate to Poppy’s religious upbringing; for me it added intrigue. Her innocence and Aiden’s teachings are a vibe a lot of us spicy readers enjoy. The book had just enough spice to not be overtly “smut” and the slow-ish burn was great. I also really connected with the supporting characters and I can’t wait to hopefully read about Ivy and Rhys’s story next! I loved to hate Poppy’s ex! Grrr! I also loved the aesthetic touches such as the little poppies and tattoo guns at the beginning of the chapters. So cute!! It’s the little things that make me happy! 😃

I received an ARC of Sometimes We Run in exchange for my honest review of Poppy and Aiden’s story! 💜

#bookstagram #book #booklover #bookaddict #booknerd #booklove #bookcommunity #booktok #booklovers #bookclub #bookobsessed #reading #readmorebooks #readersgonnaread #reading #readmore #reader #readersofinstagram #instaread #mustread #readersofig #readinglist #sometimeswerun #adelinebrown #adelinebrownauthor #poppy #aiden #storiesinink #london
Profile Image for Nisma B.
152 reviews5 followers
February 13, 2025
[ARC Review]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

First off, a huge thank you for this ARC! I loved this book so much. Poppy and Aiden completely stole my heart—they were so perfect for each other, and their chemistry was everything. The way they just got each other, the tension, the banter, the tenderness—it was all so beautifully written. Every moment between them had me completely hooked, and I honestly can’t pick a favorite scene because all of them were just that good!

That being said… that tattoo scene? The way it turned into something else? 🔥🔥 Absolute perfection! I was obsessed—the build-up, the intensity, everything about it was just so well done. Adeline Brown truly knows how to write romance in a way that makes you feel every bit of it.

I also really appreciate how the book tackled the stigma around sex in purity culture. While I don’t judge anyone who believes in it (to each their own! ❤️), I love that the author explored how some people might struggle with shame because of it. Not everyone experiences that, and that’s okay! But for those who do, this book offers such an important and validating perspective.

And that bonus epilogue? 😍 I couldn’t have asked for a better way to wrap up Poppy and Aiden’s story. It left me grinning like an idiot and just so happy. Also, I firmly believe that everyone needs an Aiden in their life—thankfully, I have mine 🤭🥰.

This was the first book that I’ve read by Addie, but it definitely won’t be my last! Without a doubt, this is a solid 5 stars from me! I absolutely adored this book, and I can’t wait for everyone to discover, pick this baby up, and read it!!
Profile Image for WhatJo13reads.
111 reviews1 follower
January 20, 2025
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Age gap
Strangers to lovers
Good girl/Bad boy
Slow burn

Wow what a wild ride for Poppy and Aiden! I am feral for this man.

Love reading my UK authors. We get bonnet and motorway.

‘Because you… you’ve been this melody I couldn’t get out of my head for the past two years. The kind you sing over and over again but can never remember the entire song. And now you’re here. It’s like someone gave me the chance to learn it. I don’t plan on wasting it.’

I adore Ada! Hope we see more of her in Ivy’s story.

I read On the Sidelines and was sad when Adeline didn’t continue the series so I was so glad when she published this book. It gave me characters that I instantly fell in love with. I need Rhys story.

Please check the trigger warning as this deal with some sensitive topics.
Profile Image for Emma220_.
189 reviews
February 5, 2025
Oh my, this has been one of my most anticipated reads and it did not disappoint- the chemistry was there from the start and nothing actually happened and then to find out 2 years have passed by, woah!

Poppy is finally taking control of her life but it doesn’t come easily
Aiden is hiding from his past, not allowing himself to be happy believing he doesn’t deserve it although he makes every effort to make poppy feel safe and secure and to do things for her and not others

My heart was shredded more than once but was put back together - highly recommend - would love to see if Rhys and Ivy’s story plays out - I know the tension there would be unbelievably good!
Profile Image for Courtney.
612 reviews8 followers
February 8, 2025
(ARC) This was my first Adeline Brown novel and it did not disappoint. I absolutely love a he falls first romance. And their love story pulled on my heartstrings as they both work to mend their hearts and work through trauma. Adeline tore my heart in half and put it back together. The chemistry between Poppy and Aiden was absolutely everything. I can’t wait to read more of Adeline’s books!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25

Thank you Adeline for allowing me to read Sometimes We Run!
Profile Image for Michelle Readlikeagoodgirl.
74 reviews3 followers
September 29, 2024
🌟 Beta Review 🌟

**Will update once book is released**

But I loved this book, Adeline is very good at portraying her characters. I feel like I’m a part of the story when I read her books. You will LOVE this book if you like the tropes listed.
A drool worthy age gap, strangers to lovers experience.
31 reviews
January 21, 2025
*ARC

I’m so thankful Adeline sent a copy of sometimes we run to me! Poppy and Aiden both grew so much throughout the book and it made the epilogue even better! I’m hoping we get Ivy and Rhys next.
Profile Image for Mads.
12 reviews1 follower
February 2, 2025
This was a surprisingly good read. I loved the character development and that there was increasing conflict throughout. The only shame is having to wait for the next one.
Profile Image for Lu.
77 reviews
July 5, 2025
I connected so much with FMC that I cried a couple of times 🥹 ♥️
The religion tipic hit a nerve deep in me because it's something I relate to so much growing up in avery heavy catholic household.
Profile Image for Raine.
107 reviews1 follower
June 20, 2025
**ARC REVIEW**

Thank you Adeline Brown for sending me an ARC of this book.

*3⭐️ 3.5🌶️ (look on my profile to see what my ratings mean to me)

Tropes:
Age Gap
Good Girl x Bad Boy
Found Family
Slow Burn
Strangers To Lovers
Dual POV

As soon as I saw that there was a sign up for an ARC from Adeline Brown I know I had to sign up for a chance to read this. Thankfully I was accepted and it being my first ARC I’m not disappointed. I really enjoyed the characters and different relationships explored between them. This book had me gripped and I wish there was more during the book and in the epilogue (I felt that was rushed). There could’ve been more spice but the spicy scenes that have been put in… okayyyy. Like the first book I didn't like was when speech happens the indicators are'' but I wish they are" " as they are more clear. Based on this book and Adeline’s first book I look forward to reading more of her future books.
Profile Image for Georgia .
25 reviews2 followers
November 6, 2025
Arc Review - out 28th Jan !!
3.75⭐️

Firstly, thank you so much to Adeline for giving me the chance to read this book!

Poppy and Aidens story had me giggling and kicking my feet!! The growth between them both was so realistic and great but I just feel like something was missing?? I wanted to read more!

I think both poppy and aiden have qualities that people look for in day to day life, it was a lovely experience being able to feel like you were in the journey they went through with them.

Overall, I would recommend this book and I will definitely be reading more of Adeline’s work in the future!
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.