I love most romance books, but the sapphic ones have a special place in my heart because those are the ones I relate to the most. I’ve read and enjoyed many of Blake’s MG and YA books, and was excited to try her adult debut.

Right away, the characters in Delilah Green Doesn’t Care felt so real, as if they could step off the page and into the world at any moment. I instantly took a liking to Delilah, and not just because she’s snarky and has dark hair and tattoos and that’s absolutely my type. Beneath the snark, she’s coping with a lot of unresolved pain and grief from both her childhood and adult life thus far, which she’s forced to confront due to the circumstances of the story. Even though our experiences haven’t been the same, I could relate to her, and found her character development admirable.

I really liked Claire too. She loves books, has a small friend group and finds most socializing of either platonic or romantic nature intimidating, which… same. All of it. Same. Her crush on Delilah is also all too relatable. Anyway, jokes aside, her character development was also admirable. She’s dealing with insecurity and self-doubt in more ways than one, regarding her strenuous relationships with her pre-teen daughter and said daughter’s flighty father, as well as whether or not, with all of her issues, she’s “too much” to love. I loved seeing her gain more confidence as she sorted everything out.

Delilah and Claire had such a great dynamic, and seeing them turn into friends and then more was delightful. I also loved the scenes with Delilah and Ruby, Claire’s daughter, who’s spunky the way a lot of kids her age are but also such a sweetheart. She instantly took a liking to Delilah (see, it’s not just me!) and that, combined with the fact that the feeling was mutual, warmed my heart. 10/10 little family. <3

I think my only issue with this book was that the biggest conflict actually involved a side character’s relationship instead of either of the protagonists, and their own conflict seemed shallow in comparison. Not to mention, if that side character had just kept her mouth shut instead of letting her emotions get the best of her and exaggerating a situation that didn’t really involve her, there wouldn’t have been a problem in the first place. Classic miscommunication, except someone else was meddling. I don’t know; maybe I’m misreading the scene entirely, but these are my thoughts nonetheless.

Despite that, and that it’s not ~quite~ a new favorite, I still thoroughly enjoyed Delilah Green Doesn’t Care. It was a brilliant blend of sweetness, sass and spice, while also dealing with heavier topics in a respectful but not overpowering manner. I’ll definitely be reading Blake’s next romcom. <3

[4.5 stars]

i could not have loved this more! after how much i've enjoyed ashley herring blake's YA and middle grade books in the past, that's probably not a huge surprise, but this book was just a perfectly crafted sapphic rom-com. one of my favorite things about this was that, yes, it's a romance between two characters who felt so real and genuine that you can't help but root for them, but at its heart, this story centers around larger themes of friendship that i just. adored. every character in this story had little details that made them pop off the page; they were just so well-characterized and reminded me lots of the people in my life. claire and delilah's romance was so sweet. i can't wait for book two!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5/5 stars

I absolutely loved this romance. Delilah Green Doesn’t Care follows Delilah as she returns to her small hometown of Bright Falls to be the photographer at her estranged stepsister’s wedding. Once she arrives in town, she is shocked to find herself falling for her sister’s best friend, Claire. Claire is the mother of a moody teenager and has a complicated relationship with her ex. As the two are forced together for a 2 week wedding celebration, they begin a secret relationship that may end in disaster.

Every character in this book is so well-written and endearing. I am so invested in all of their stories and am so excited that there will be more books featuring the residents of Bright Falls. Delilah and Claire were adorable together and their relationship was realistic. Both were very complex characters that you couldn’t help but root for. Ashley Herring Blake is an auto-buy author from now on and I cannot wait for Astrid’s story next!

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I cannot believe that I’ve not officially reviewed this book yet. Delilah Green has lived rent free in my mind since the moment I saw the cover art from Leni Kauffman. And then I read it. There has not been a book that’s meant as much to me as Delilah has. Ashely Herring Blake has written two queer characters that have no trauma wrapped up in queerness.. These two women simply are queer.

I loved seeing the ways that their relationship formed together and the past wrapped up in the present. Delilah steps into Claire and her daughter’s life and doesn’t take away from the relationship with the father, but rather enhances their lives. This is one of the best single parent romances that I’ve ever read. There’s a touch of second chance, but mostly this is just an incredibly queer romance between two of the best women I’ve ever read.

This book helped me navigate my own queerness, and I’m forever thankful that I was able to read this title back in July. I’ve read it 3 times since then and each time I fall deeper in love with Delilah and Claire. I cannot begin to recommend this book enough.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for an e-galley of this title. All views are my own.

Okay this was cute and I was really excited but unfortunately I didn’t pay ettention to the TW and am going t have to DNF. Cancer is triggering.

Ashley Herring Blake’s adult debut Delilah Green Doesn’t Care follows Delilah Green, a young woman who is in New York following her dream of becoming a professional photographer. She is finally getting noticed professionally and she’s also content with her personal life, which is filled with fun casual hookups, basically a different woman in her bed most nights. Having been burned in her last serious relationship, Delilah has no interest in falling in love again. She also has no interest in returning to Bright Falls, the town she grew up in. As far as she’s concerned there’s nothing there for her. Her mom died when she was very young, and although her dad remarried, he died as well, leaving Delilah with her stepmother and with a stepsister, Astrid, who clearly doesn’t like her. For reasons Delilah cannot fathom, however, Astrid begs Delilah to be her wedding photographer and offers to pay her $10,000 to do it. Short on cash, Delilah reluctantly agrees and mentally steels herself for a painfully awkward visit home.

Claire Sutherland is a single mom raising an 11 year old daughter. The dad is partially in the picture but is unreliable and seemingly not up to the task of being a full time dad. In addition to all of her parental duties, Claire also runs a bookstore in Bright Falls. For Claire, raising her daughter is her number one priority and everything else comes second, and that includes romance. On a rare night out with her best friends, one of whom happens to be Astrid, Delilah’s stepsister, Claire’s friends tease her mercilessly about her lack of a love life and dare her to get someone’s phone number before she leaves the bar that night. When a sexy tattooed brunette dressed all in black struts into the bar, Claire decides to make her move, not realizing that the woman she is about to hit on is none other than Delilah.

Oh goodness, where to start with what I enjoyed about this book! I of course loved Delilah and Claire. They’re both strong women trying to make their way in the world. I also loved their chemistry, but even more so that it’s not a straightforward insta-love situation. Instead, it’s actually super awkward, which felt so much more realistic to me. Any attraction between Delilah and Claire is hampered not only because of Astrid and Delilah’s strained relationship, but also because Astrid’s whole circle of friends, including Claire, completely ignored or made fun of Delilah while they were growing up. They were some of the main reasons why Delilah couldn’t wait to leave Bright Falls. Is there any way Claire and Delilah can move past that and make a fresh start?

I loved watching Delilah and Claire navigate this journey, but even more so, I was completely engrossed by the relationship between Delilah and Astrid. I’m a sucker for a sibling story, and man, theirs is a good one with lots of layers. I have to admit that I kind of hated Astrid and a couple of the ladies in her circle early on in the novel, but by the end of this journey, they won me over.

With its combination of fully developed characters, riveting family drama, fun wedding antics, a lovable found family, as well as a sexy steamy romance, Delilah Green Doesn’t Care has it all.

What an excellent queer romance. I’ve been reading plenty of LGBTQIA romance lately and this might be a new fav. The characters are in their late 20s/early 30s and incredible relatable. They all had distinct personalities. Their were definitely some tropes to be found but I found them endearing instead of stereotypical. Definitely a recommended book.

This book gave me all the feels! Every single character in this novel felt so authentic that I got totally wrapped up in their stories. I love the small town setting and all the drama in the close knit community and friend groups. I found myself relating to Delilah and the way she felt like an unwanted outcast for her entire childhood, prompting her to move to the other side of the country as soon as she graduated high school. She's experienced a lot of pain and loneliness, and finds it easier to run instead of stay. Claire also has her own struggles with loneliness and not feeling like she's good enough for people to want to stick around. After a lifetime of having people leave, she's wary of starting something new. I totally fell for these two women and their dynamic, with the somewhat fraught childhood history paired with their current attraction and longing. I also really like single parent stories; Claire is an amazing mom and she does her best to make sure her daughter is loved and supported.

There's equal amounts of fluff, angst, and steamy moments in the story. I especially like the camping shenanigans! There's also reconciliation, second chances, and character growth. I loved every minute and I'm very excited for Astrid's book!

I went into this thinking it was just going to be a great romance, but it was so much more than that. This story has so much to give, and it GAVE. I absolutely adored this book.

The family dynamics / childhood trauma in this story were both tough hits. The loss, sorrow, and jumbled complicated feelings that follow through in life— all of it was such an accurately raw representation. This was an emotional roller coaster that really took me for a loop, but I loved every minute of it. I really appreciated the journey to self love and healing for both Delilah and Astrid. Not to mention everything between Claire, Rudy, and Josh. Baker really said, “Grab your tissues because I’m gonna make you feel some shit”.

The build-up of tension between Delilah and Claire was palpable. The pining was *chefs kiss*. The spice was worth the wait. I’m not usually into the single parent trope, but how could I now love Ruby?? They were all just perfect.

Iris was my favorite support character. I laughed at most of the interactions that involved her. That woman deserved a medal come the end and I desperately need to talk to people about it. I hope this becomes part of an interconnected standalone series because I would love more for Iris and even Astrid (hello redemption arc, I see you and I support you).

I’ll be so excited to see more from Blake.

This book was great! So much going on but all well done. I really enjoyed all the dynamics and relationships that were explored. Both main characters were fantastic and really well developed. I loved the side characters as well. I loved this and cannot wait to return to Bright Falls!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CaNi62TPsBg/?utm_medium=copy_link

"𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘹𝘩𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨."

I'm just going to cut to the chase- I👏🏻LOVED👏🏻THIS👏🏻BOOK! Seriously. I started 𝗗𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗟𝗔𝗛 𝗚𝗥𝗘𝗘𝗡 𝗗𝗢𝗘𝗦𝗡'𝗧 𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗘 and didn't put it down until I got to the last page.

I won't get into the synopsis because the story is so much deeper than my summary will make it seem. What you need to know is that Blake allows her characters to be imperfect and messy which gives them so much depth and makes their issues (and they all have issues!) all the more relatable. And as much as this is a romance, it's also a story about friendship and family, and the evolution of everyone's relationships (both romantic and platonic) is completely believable.

The queer representation is also fantastic. I passed the book to my teen who's always looking for romances they can relate to (no, this isn't YA and there are some spicy scenes but I read 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 at 12 and turned out okay) and they can't put it down, either.

I was so sad to leave these characters I had come to care so much about behind that I literally squealed when I got to the end and there was a sneak peek at a second book coming out this fall! I can't wait to pay another visit to Bright Falls.

Thanks to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the copy to review.

BOOK REVIEW:
⭐️: 5
🌶: 2

Picture angry, feminist, lesbian goth Cinderella falling for the quirky bisexual single mom in this book that is Hallmark hometown love meets equal parts 10 Things I Hate About You and The Parent Trap. Such a winning combination!!

You will not regret picking up this new instant classic queer anthem. This is the book I’ve been waiting for in 2022. So much queer and bi rep across the main and side characters.

A dual perspective romcom following badass photographer Delilah and cinnamon roll bookstore owner Claire as they navigate dating in the 21st century, proving you can go back home even if it never felt like it.

This book is full of raunchy jokes told by a cast of strong and funny women, quippy one-liners that made me laugh out loud, and the spice I’ve been missing in my romance novels.

Ashley Blake navigates sensitive topics like loss, isolation, childhood trauma, abandonment and more in such a thoughtful and beautiful way. This book was emotional and loving and funny and everything I was looking for. And the best news is, it comes out 2.22.22, so don’t forget to get your copy!

Didn’t end up finishing it. Not my cup of tea.

I loved the concept, and the cover art. The writing was somewhat underwhelming.

Mostly I think that I wasn’t up for a romance with a mom. I might come back to it later!

Any book that mentions "uhauling" gets an extra star!

Well crafted sapphic, open-door romance with characters that are well rounded and embody their sexuality and not just wear it on their sleeves. The author gets what being queer is and it shows in the minutia of her characters lives.

The romance and characters seem real and completely plausible, with everything turned up just a bit more than expected 'cause that's what we like in our books. Even that family drama fits.

Looking forward to reading the other books in this series as they are released.

This book was everything I want in a romance! I immediately want to read everything Ashley Herring Blake has ever written and will ever right. I am excited that there is a sequel coming out this year.
Delilah Green Doesn't Care was well written, with characters who felt real and I immediately wanted to befriend all of them. There was also positive body representation that other romance authors sometimes fall flat on. I will definitely be discussing this book as THE lesbian romance book of the year.

Finally a sapphic rom-com for the late twenties crowd!! I really enjoyed this book and Delilah Green’s story. Her chemistry with Claire was so genuine, and her returning to her family and small town was so relatable. 10/10 would recommend!

I don't know how to convey how much I loved this book. This queer romance had me all in my feels. I was crying, laughing, swooning, giddy, mad, just all of the feels as I read this book. It put me through the wringer and I definitely stayed up late so that I could finish this in one sitting.

I think what hit me the hardest was Delilah realizing that she's lonely and missing a connection (and has ever since her dad died). As Delilah realized the pressure her step-mom, Isabel, put on her step-sister, Astrid, and how toxic that relationship was, she began to see Astrid in a different light. It became even clearer as Delilah noticed red flags regarding Astrid's upcoming nuptials that Delilah really does care. Delilah even cares about Astrid's best friend, Claire, who was her first crush and someone who she wants to explore her attraction. Claire attempts to navigate co-parenting with her ex, Josh, as she tries to protect her daughter from any unnecessary hurt. Claire is struggling with how she feels about Delilah outside of the bedroom, because inside of the bedroom...let me tell you that things are spicy.

I loved watching Claire and Delilah's connection, so many times I wanted to give Claire a shout-out for how she read Delilah's emotions. The way that they grew together individually and as a couple was beautifully written. They're one of my favorite couples and I can't wait to see more of them in Astrid's story. Especially as we began to see how Delilah and Astrid were working to repair years' worth of miscommunications.

CW: death of a parent (past), toxic relationship with step-mom, grief

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

*I received a free ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

This book is, without a doubt, one of the best Sapphic romances I have read.

Every single character in this book came to life on the page. They were believable, they were relatable, and they were flawed in ways that made them seem like real people.

This book was chock full of tropes: Sibling's best friend? Check! 1 bed? Check! It even co-opted the miscommunication trope, forcing Delilah and her sister to be the ones who had to work through their lack of communication. By the end of the book, everyone loves each other a little more, not just the two love interests.

If that isn't enough for you, what do you need? Wineries? This book has them! Camping? Yup, has that too! ROLLER RINKS? YOU BETCHA!

"Delilah Green Doesn't Care" is the perfect queer, feministy romcom and if you are a fan of romance books you need to read this one. I'm going to be recommending this for a LONG time!

Trigger Warnings: Deceased parents, sex, alcohol, bullying, single parent, past break-up, past cheating, parental abandonment, break-up, controlling parent, toxic masculinity

Representation: Bisexual, Lesbian

Delilah Green Doesn’t Care is the story of photographer, Delilah Green who works the wedding of her step-sister. While working, she reconnects with an old peer, Claire, the single mother who runs the town bookstore. Together they work with the other maid of honor to attempt to save the bride from a toxic groom, all while getting to know each other after all of these years.

I absolutely loved this book! Please keep giving me all of the queer adult women!! The story is great- I loved the pacing and the detail. I loved how this book stayed true to the expectations of a romance but also felt very queer. The parts of Delilah that showed how fierce and independent a woman can be without a man was so relatable and feminist. I loved how integral queerness was to each of them, rather than just a label.

The author does a fantastic job with her characters, as well as telling a compelling story. I loved the focus of this story on Delilah and Claire, with a background story that never felt pushed aside or ignored. I felt all of her side characters were necessary and brought greater depth to our main ladies. I loved the character development in Astrid and Josh. I can’t say enough good things about this book! And I’m sooo excited for the next one!!

A very well-done sapphic romance novel-- I'll be looking out for future titles from this author! I loved her voice and the characters.