Mmmmm y'all the romance was top tier but what really made this book was the sister relationship!! Astrid and Delilah's relationship was so complex and interesting, and as someone with a complicated relationship with her sister (though not at this level), I really appreciated that both sides were equally valid.

But also the romance...why am I in love with Delilah and Claire?? Icons. Claire as a single mom with a complicated ex situation was so well developed, and her past relationship with Delilah set up so much tension in the present to explore. Also, the friendships!! Delilah was one of those characters I loved despite her being A Lot sometimes, and it was great watching her learn to let down her guard a little and bond with Astrid's friends (and Astrid herself).

Anyway love the vibes and I'm SO excited for Astrid's book!!

Pros: complex family relationships and excellent (steamy) romance
Cons: Astrid's relationship with the fiancé is explained but not satisfyingly enough for me, I wanted more (though maybe we'll get that in Astrid's book)
CW: sexual content, death of parent, grief, toxic relationship

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own!

This was a pretty good queer romcom, that made me laugh. Delilah is living in NYC and is a photographer. She doesn't have the best relationship with her family. When her sister asks if she will be the photographer for her wedding and offers her big money. While not wanting to be back in her hometown of Bright Falls, she still accepts. While there, she meets single mom Claire who is a bookstore owner. While Delilah has known who Claire was, they never really KNEW each other. But when Delilah makes all the right moves on Claire, Claire is surprised by how much she actually likes it. I did enjoy the relationship between Delilah and Claire's daughter Ruby. So heartwarming. I can't wait to read more before old by this author.

This is just an excellently written f/f romance novel! I don't know if there's anything more important to say than that! I was delighted through and through and really believed in the romance between Delilah and Claire.

Delilah green is a queer NY based photographer who has been hired by her sister and stepmom to photograph her sister's wedding and the events that precede it. But there's a catch for Delilah: her relationship with her stepmom and sister is less than stellar. So in travelling cross country back to her small town, Delilah is face to face with all the reasons why she left in the first place. But this time, there's something different: Claire.

This book gives equal weight to the relationship between Delilah and Claire as it does with Delilah and her family, both of which are wonderfully fleshed out in this book. Claire is a wonderful character, a single mom with a tweenage daughter who is doing her best and working to maintain positive relationships in her life for her daughter's sake. The characters throughout this novel feel real and I empathized with every one of them.

All in all, this is a great book and one that I wholeheartedly recommend!!

Truly and honestly this book sounds like my brain and it periodically came as a shock that nope actually I did not in fact write this. But in a great way. It’s very funny and very authentic. The characters feel like they could walk off the page at any moment. My favorites are Delilah herself, Ruby (LI’s daughter), and Iris. Usually in adult romance the kid characters are stilted at best and horrible at worst but Ruby is a pleasant surprise in that she’s well rounded/has hobbies and friends but is still an awkward tween. I’m gonna have to buy this one; I enjoyed it that much. Can’t wait for book two!

Thank you to NetGalley for a preview copy of the ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This book is fun and sexy, but also incredibly delicate and tender. I loved the way the women were portrayed and how they each had their own shit they needed to deal with.

The sister relationship between Delilah and Astrid was just as important as the romance in this one. I loved the way that story unfolded and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t shed any (a lot of) tears while reading it.

There were a lot of things going on with each of the characters in this book, but it never made the story feel overwhelming. Rather it left all of the characters feeling nuanced and like individuals. Also, can we just say I love everyone being casually queer with no homophobic moments?? No choice but to love.

This is officially my top romance of the year as of right now. Gimme all the snarky, sarcastic, sapphic love stories tysm. I’m super excited for Astrid’s book this fall!

Read if you like: Bi rep, lesbian rep, single mom, sapphic romance, small town romance, steam, redemption stories, Dress & Delicate by Taylor Swift

⚠️TWs: Grief, death of a parent, cancer, abandonment, infidelity, toxic family members

This gave me so many feels! Sweet and funny and sexy; Delilah Green Doesn't Care was the whole package.

First of all, how is this Ashley’s debut novel? It is so, SO good. I know it’s only February but I already know this will be making my top ten list for 2022.

It’s all there in the title, Delilah wears her indifference like a suit of armor. She’s been taught that if you care about people you get hurt, so it’s easier for her to keep everything casual and not get attached. But finding herself back in her hometown, with her evil stepmom and stepsister is dragging up all sorts of feelings. She’s been asked to photograph her step-sister’s wedding, and while she would rather be anywhere else, she needs the cash.

Delilah certainly doesn’t expect to be hit on by one of her step-sister’s recently divorced, mom-to-a-tween, friends on her first night back in town. Maybe she and Claire can just keep it casual?

Claire is finally thinking about dating again, and when she’s dared to get someone’s number on a night out with the girls she approaches the tattooed hotty by the bar. No, she does not recognize Delilah after all these years, but she’s instantly drawn to her. There’s just one problem, Claire doesn’t do casual, and her best friend’s sister is definitely off-limits, right? Right?

We’ve got sunshine versus grump, loads of family baggage to get over, dialogue that made me laugh-out-loud and tear up in equal measure, it’s just gold. Solid gold. Plus, this is only the first in the Bright Falls series, so we’ll be getting more from this delightful little town.

This was such a fun romance with great f/f representation. Unfortunately I wanted to enjoy it more as I’ve heard such great things about it. I definitely understand why others enjoyed this and what the author did here, however I think I struggled connecting with these characters the most. Also, I am not the biggest fan of long chapters in romances. Overall, this was a fine romance.

Delilah doesn’t care and Claire cares a great deal. The books is perfect for anyone who enjoys an opposites attract romance and unexpected friendships.

LOVE LOVE LOVE. I am so glad this book exists and that Ashley Herring Blake dove into writing books for adults. Loved the main characters and the chemistry between them and I want more!

For this book, I did a sewing pairing over on Instagram back on February 27. :)
***
I think this might be my favorite yet! I made my first #afiexquisitebra with the “Amy” kit from @bwear.se and added a little lace on the sling because Claire loves her lacy bras. When I fell in love with *Delilah Green Doesn’t Care* and realized this purple and white polka dot fabric was a perfect fit for the cover, I knew it was meant to be.
Delilah Green hit my Shane (The L Word) buttons and Claire is well.. I’m a bisexual mom and librarian so minus the divorce we’re basically the same person. This rom-com is 1) actually very funny
2) full of chemistry and tension
3) queer as hell
Can’t recommend it enough!
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https://www.instagram.com/p/CafY0MmLN0g/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

I have a confession: sometimes, when a book is really, REALLY hyped, I pretty much expect that I won’t enjoy it. I know, I know, it’s silly, but it’s also human, I think. This is what I assumed would happen with Ashley Herring Blake’s Delilah Green Doesn’t Care, which was almost universally beloved by my social media sphere. But I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved this book, hype or no, and it now has a beloved place of honour on the shelves of my home library.

The premise of Delilah Green is, at the surface level, perfectly romcom. Photographer Delilah Green left the small, cottagecore-esque town of Bright Falls as soon as she could, in no small part due to her icy relationship with her stepfamily and her stepsister’s cruel group of friends. Meanwhile, Claire Southerland never left, making a cozy—if extremely busy and sometimes contentious, thanks to the struggles of being a single parent with an irresponsible ex—life for herself and her bookshop in Bright Falls. When a wedding puts Delilah and Claire into close contact after years of separation, sparks fly, and the novel follows them as they navigate their shared history and separate struggles.

Delilah Green Doesn’t Care made me realize that my favourite kinds of romance novels tend to have three things going for them: older leads with history who are flawed but still have room to grow, a well-developed and charming cast of supporting characters to highlight the importance of relationships outside of the romance, and a healthy balance of angst and fluff. How? Because the novel executed these three things very well.

Delilah and Claire are both in their late 20s/early 30s and have lived full, independent lives after their lives diverged. Despite them being in each other’s orbits for most of their childhood and teenage years, they don’t know each other super well, but there’s enough shared history to add a layer of depth to their interactions. And yes, they’re flawed. They do not always respond compassionately to the challenges they face, but their responses feel very HUMAN (as opposed to contrived for the sake of plot) and they find their footing with admirable grace.

The supporting cast really helped make this novel for me. The friend group feels both effortlessly queer and lived in, and it lends a richness to the novel. I’m always a fan of novels that highlight the friendship between women, and especially the friendships between queer women, and Delilah Green Doesn’t Care delivers that in spades. When I’ve chatted with folks about this book, one of the most common sentiments is, “I can’t wait for Astrid’s novel!” which should tell you something about the quality of secondary characters, of which Astrid is one.

And finally, while I love a sweet and spicy WLW romance, the emotional difficulties faced by Claire and Delilah in their lives gives this romance a depth I appreciate. While this is a romantic love story, platonic love, reconciliation, and second chances also feature heavily in both Delilah and Claire’s character arcs. I’m a proponent of the belief that we appreciate the joyful moments in our lives all the more for having gone through difficult times, and this novel strikes an immaculate balance between the two.

Delilah Green Doesn’t Care is definitely a favourite of the year for me and will be a go-to recommendation. Sweet, spicy, emotional, and moving, this is a fantastic example of my favourite type of romance novel and I look forward to the next entry in the series as well.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for an advance review copy. All opinions are my own.

An incredible queer romance filled with real and genuinely authentic characters. This is just the romance that you need to lift your spirits. I'm so excited to discover more of this author's backlist.

One of my reading goals for 2022 is to read more queer romance, specifically more sapphic romance. There is a lot of good hype around this book which always makes me nervous. I shouldn't have been. Delilah Green Doesn't Care lived up to all of my expectations plus some! I loved it so much! It was tender, funny, sexy, and heartbreaking all at the same time.

Struggling artist, Delilah Green, has been hired to photograph her estranged stepsister, Astrid's wedding which means returning to her hometown of Bright Falls. The one she ran away from ten years ago. She doesn't want to go back to the place where she didn't fit in but she needs the money desperately. Her first night back, she gets hit on at the bar by none other than Claire Sutherland, one of her stepsister's best friends. What follows is a series of swoon-worthy sexy times, snark, hi-jinks, and wedding shenanigans that show Delilah that Bright Falls might not be as bad as she remembered.

Delilah and her prickly edges captured my attention from the start. Despite the title and what Delilah thinks, she did indeed care. In fact, I would say she cares a lot. And OMG! The pining! And the snark! All Delilah has wanted was to fit in and be included and it pulled at my heart strings even though she found a place for herself in the world with her tattoos and her art. I wanted her to have a happy ever after and a forever partner before I was done with the first chapter!

Oh! And I adored Claire and her warmth, curviness (stretchmarks and all) and her awesome bisexual energy! And she runs an independent bookstore! In the last few years I have become a fan of the drama that comes with single parent love interests in romance and I quickly fell for Claire's daughter, Ruby. I loved how Delilah wasn't hesitant to step in and lend a hand. I am practically swooning over this romance still days after I finished it!

But the romance wasn't the only star of this book! The platonic friendships and the familial relationships added so much depth to this story that I would love for each of the main side characters to get their own books.

I can't wait to read Astrid's book that comes out later this year! And I really, really hope we get an Iris book! If you're looking for an awesome F/F romance, you must go read it immediately! It will definitely be on my top ten favorite books of the year list for sure!

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.

Loved this open-door sapphic romance. It had it all: small town vibes, cozy bookstore, friendship, personal growth, and so much swoon. The romance itself was electric, and I also got invested in the evolution of the title character's relationships with her step sister Astrid and Astrid's friends.

If you want heat, fun, and compelling chemistry, dive right in. If you're up for a couple more layers, though, you'll get that too. I really enjoyed the exploration of how people's truths can be in conflict but no less true, and how each of our perspectives is so informed by what we're looking for or open to at the time. This book got into the limitations to understanding and communication, the ways in which our past informs our present fears, and the healing we can do when it's safe to try.

Come for the swoony romance, stay for the friendships and personal growth.

Delilah Green has just been hired to be her step-sister Astrid's wedding photographer. This means, she has to return to her hometown of Bright Falls, a place she swore she'd never go back to. She plans to get in and out as quickly as possible, but the she meets bridesmaid Claire Sutherland and her plans go out the window.

I flew through this book so quickly, and I honestly LOVED THIS SO MUCH. These characters shone so brightly, and I loved every second I got to spend with them. I listened to this on audio, and the narrator did such a great job making these characters come to life. Delilah was definitely my favourite of them all. She was so spunky, multilayered and fun to read about. Also, big fan of Claire. I loved her own journey of raising a child by herself, but also having to navigate that child's father coming back into the picture while also trying to juggle a budding romance at the same time. The chemistry between Claire and Delilah was *chef's kiss and I thoroughly enjoyed watching their relationship grow and develop. I also liked how we got to see the backstory of Astrid and Delilah's relationship, and how different they both viewed heir history with on another. I really enjoyed the friendships in this, but I definitely think the bridesmaids should have just talked to Astrid, rather than try to hijack the wedding... but it did make for an interesting read so I'm not that mad about it.

I can't wait for the companion novel!!! I NEED IT IN MY HANDS RIGHT NOW.

I thought really hard about this book being a five star read because I feel like I’ve been handing out five stars willy nilly, but for me, a five star book is one that moves me and makes me wish I could stay in the world of the book with the characters long after I finish reading.

Delilah Green Doesn’t Care is going to stick with me for a very long time and I am so happy about it.

This was a delicate book about two women learning how worthy of love they were and how to heal from the carelessness and indifference of the world. This was a book of solace when all was said and done and I can’t recommend it enough.

Bonus points for all the family engagements and for setting up conflicts for future installments. I loved this book and I can’t wait to read more.

A really heart warming contemporary romance from Ashley Herring Blake. We follow Delilah who has been lured back to her hometown to photograph her estranged sister' wedding. We also follow Claire one of Astrid's best friends. Tensions are high between everyone and after a tentative agreement to break up the unhappy couple, Claire and Delilah start to get closer. With really well done writing and an amazing resolution, this book showcases love and how important family bonds can be, also the Delilah Green definitely cares and is actually a softie.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an for an honest review.

I loved this book so much, an immediate five star read for me!

I really enjoyed all the family and friend dynamics in this! The book had SO much heart and it wasn’t just about Delilah and Claire which I loved. The sister relationship between Delilah and Astrid was so complex and messy and by the end of the book I was so happy that they were at a place where they could start to work on having a good sister relationship, they so deserve it. I’m so looking forward to Astrid’s book next!

As for Delilah and Claire, oh they were just perfect. Watching them fall in love was so great! And the fact that Delilah had a good friendship with Claire’s daughter was so wonderful in my opinion!

The steamy scenes in this book were so well done too, it felt just right!

I cannot wait to see more of all of them in the next book hopefully!

I should love this book - it comes highly recommended, I love the sapphic relationship, the overflow of queerness, the funny bits and the sexy bits. And I did greatly enjoy it through the first third for all those reasons, as well as the wonderful pacing.

But as the book goes on I can't take the family angst, especially regarding parenting with an ex-husband. This is where the "it's not you, it's me" comes in - someone I love just finalized a contentious divorce where the custody issue was front and center. Watching Delilah and Ruby bond when I'm stuck half a world away from kids I want to love on, well, that's hard.

So ignore this review. Pay attention to the rest of your friends and pick up this book if you think you'll like it - the timing was simply all wrong on a personal level. An "it's not you, it's me" DNF at 53% and rated four stars here because it was a comfortable 3.5 stars until all this ~waves hands~ set in.

Content notes through 53%: mention of parental death, past neglect, and past cheating; resurfacing childhood trauma; alcohol used as a crutch or escape from uncomfortable situations