LOVED this sequel to the Bright Falls series. In Delilah’s book, I definitely wanted to know more about Astrid, and this was such a wonderful way to get to know her. In addition to having a dual perspective with the new love interest Jordan Everwood!! Hot but realistic smut, brief relationship angst but ends totally happy, lovely discovery of sexuality. I can’t wait to read more in this series!

I loved this book. 

- lesbian x bi
- workplace romance
- forced proximity
- small town
- opposites attract
- overcoming perfectionism
- bi awakening/comphet deconstructing

Spice: Smedium
3-4 explicit scenes with explicit language

My thoughts:

Mixed feelings about this one tbh. I loved Astrid in Delilah Green Doesn’t Care so I thought I would love her own book even more...unfortunately not. It's turned out to be my least favourite of the series.

Don't get me wrong, I still love Astrid and I loved seeing her grow and finally stand up to her mom. It was mostly Jordan who I didn't vibe with. I thought I would grow to like her but it was kind of the opposite. I liked her less and less as time went on. Which is tragic because we're both Pisceans who consult our tarot cards for everything. We should totally vibe. I don't know, I just feel like Astrid grew a lot by the end of the book, whereas I felt like Jordan reall  didn't.

By the end, she barely even set up boundaries with her ex. The one who called her current partner "some blond bitch" by the way, then proceeded to sabotage her relationship with her AND the job she was very financially dependent on. But in the end it was just "I need some space". Um, hello? That is blocking everywhere, no contact, fuck you very much behaviour...but that's just my opinion I guess.

But despite all that, Jordan kept acting like she was somehow better than Astrid. There are multiple examples but the biggest one for me was when Astrid's mom came over and chewed her out and Jordan somehow flipped that around and started insulting Astrid. Literally wtf?

Besides that, I also just kind of felt a lack of chemistry. Like they were sort of just chucked together and that's that. I wanted to see them actually getting to know each other but most of that potential time was taken up by drama. I love drama as much as the next person but in the words of Tati Westbrook: "Time and place". No cardinal sins were committed or anything but her attitude was really ticking me off y'know.

All that being said, I did really like Astrid, like I said at the beginning. I'm glad she finally stood up to her mom but I'm also glad Isabel was willing to change. That was a pleasant surpise. With all the "abandoned parents" FB groups out there, it's nice to see a parent take accountability for their emotional abuse and actively work to repair their relationship with their child. Love that for Astrid.

Anyways, onto Iris Kelly. I've been really liking her so far so I'm 90% sure I'm going to love her book...hopefully. (Spoiler alert: I loved it and it ended up being my favourite in the series)

God, I do love my silly little queer romance books 🌈.

I was a little worried that I wouldn't like this one as I thought the idea of a romance being set around an interior design/make over show showed kinda boring to me because I couldn't give less off a shit about interior design shows were like this book... girl, I would be a super fan because this book was just so much fun like it was just so good. Ashley Herring Blake clearly has and will never miss with her romance because damn this shit hit different. 

Every single person in the book have the most unhinged and chaotic energy but in the best way especially Iris would I love deeply and who I am very excited to see take centre stage in her book Iris Kelly Doesn't Date which I believe is coming out in October!!! But I am also kinda sad because it is the last one in the series and I just love all the characters. I also loved how much of menace everyone in this book was from Iris telling Astrid about Jordan new job or Jordan just painting and changing the whole design without asking Astrid. 

I loved getting to know more about Astrid and seeing her try and heal from her childhood and her mother's control because the women is a piece of work and I fear that she could make me cry. I loved how both Astrid and Jordan challenged each other and changed and grow into to better people because of each other but Jesus Christ did they take their time getting to kissing part like girl... it took so  long that it was driving me a bit crazy and then when you think they are finally going to kiss Jordan pulls again and just wanted to scream but when they finally got over themselves, they really went there and they didn't stop and it just so fun and loved it. I also loved seeing Astrid's and her friendship group and her relationship with Delilah it was really nice seeing them start getting a relationship and heal from their difficult relationship and it was just really cute to see them starting having a sister relationship even if Astrid is shocked that she actually liked her most of the time. I can't lie one of my favourite moment of this whole book was Astrid in a blind Bi panic goes to Delilah's house to tell her she had a sex dream because that was a totally normal and sound thing to do, don't get me wrong I love my sister deeply but I would never and I mean never tell her if I a sex dream about someone. 

Something I love about these book is that we get both POVs can we please normalised this for romance novels because I fucking love seeing both of them longing and wanting each other. It was just so fun. I don't get me wrong I loved them as a pair but I also loved them as individual characters because it felt like they are both given space to develop as whole character. I can't lie I really related to both of the main character because I am a deeply fucked up person who should got to therapy (and not just read queer romances and listen to Taylor swift and while crying) but you know it is what it is. They were me and I am them because I don't think I deserve anything good and when good things happen to me and I think I am going to fuck up and I am not even going to get into my fear of failure because girllllll, it's bad. I really give ✨Burned Out Autism Academic Gifted Gay Mess✨. Also the two main characters was just so fucking Taylor Swift coded it really screamed Folklore ✨This Is Me Trying &  Mirrorball✨ Also can we just talk about the tension from the started between these two characters, girl it was everything  and just knew it was going to be so good when Astrid find out who Jordan was, I was in love and so were them! Also they were just so wholesome and cute I loved when the went on there date not date to the movies and when they went to the park after and then when she throw up and then got naked because she was so drunk and I loved that Astrid got drunk for the first time and I love how they both have fun with each other and the names in each other phone. The baking and her baking and then her singing was just so wholesome. Also there is something so iconic that Astrid has never had good sex before and doesn't figure that shit out until she fucked a girl for the first time, I love that for her.  Girl they were just perfection. 

Also I loved how we got to know Jordan family as well and her relationship with her twin and nan was just so cute, like I loved her and Simon and how protective they were about each other and I loved how the became a part of the friendship that they also call it the coven just so cute. I want friends like that when will it be my turn. 

I have said this before but I will say it again this whole book series would make such a series of films but that's never going to happened because the world and the hate Sapphic media but a queer girl can wish. 

I also really liked that we got to see more of Delilah and Claire because they are just in love and I love them, they are just so fucking cute man, the fact that Astrid says it is a forever kind of love (girl I did in fact nearly cry) and the fact that Delilah apartment before they both move in together having family pictures up that just so fucking cute and I just thought it was just so wholesome when Ruby came out as queer to them and they are helping though it and I just loved it and I love their cute little queer characters

However, girl these women were fucking stressing me out near the end, like for the love of christ please fucking talk to each other but then it was really cute with the whole tarot cards but Jesus also what the fuck was it with the whole Meredith storyline because she was just fucking a messy and toxic bitch you left her, leave her the fuck only. Imagine being the one to leave and then have the audacity to went to be bestie with her, yeah fuck that queen. I would I have not been that nice about it. 

The humour in this book was just so well done and it just so funny and it planned so well. I love when Women, Women and these fuckers really do women!!! Maybe I am just gay, guess we will never know. 

I absolutely loved all the queer rep in this book.  The small-town romance I didn't even know I needed.  The friendships, the side characters, and the setting were all so lovely too.  I love the vibe of Bright Falls and I was happy to read more from this world.  It was also lovely to read more about Astrid and getting to see her find out who she is without her mother controlling everything.  It was so satisfying to see her character development.

Spice: 🌶🌶🌶🌶

It’s cute! The characters are fun and relatable, and the angst balances the fluff well! It’s a solid sequel, and I actually like the character development and plot more than Delilah’s book. Astrid is such a compelling character and seeing her journey was really nice. I love Jordan. I love how the old and new characters were incorporated 

Style/writing: 3 stars
Themes: 4.5 stars
Characters: 3.5 stars
Plot: 3.5 stars