I was a little worried going in, as I wasn't a huge fan of Astrid in "Delilah Green Doesn't Care", so I was pleasantly surprised when I realized a few chapters in that I was excited to see Astrid grow in this story.

I adored the Everwood's and the story of the Everwood Inn! The part of me that's obsessed with HGTV was pumped when I found out they were going to renovate the inn on a TV show.

I went in with low expectations, and it definitely payed off. If you enjoyed "Delilah Green Doesnt Care", I 100% recommend this book

(also there was a sneak peek to "Iris Kelly Doesn't Date" and... yeah I'm really excited)

Thank you to netgalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review!

https://www.tiktok.com/@bettysbooklist/video/7108447008893046062?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1&lang=en

This took me awhile to get into, but once I did I enjoyed it! I liked Jordan's character a lot and was genuinely surprised by the twist with her former partner. Thank you for the early copy!

I appreciate that this story dealt with the idea of coming out later in life and the way that Astrid’s character learns to explore and define herself in her own terms. This was implicit, but she seemed open to the idea of exploring her gender identity along with her sexual identity, and I liked that.
Astrid’s mother had always made sure she was in a position to control her, so anything Astrid knows and “loves” may just be what her mother made her believe she should love. That’s all she was exposed to, and, so, she feels a false sense of comfort through familiarity when she is in an environment that her mother made her love. She’s never really been allowed to explore–literally and figuratively speaking–so I’m glad she gets to do that in this book.

“this is me trying” by Taylor Swift would be in an Astrid Parker playlist. The line “my words shoot to kill when I’m mad, I have a lot of regrets about that” correlates to her so well. Verse 2 most directly relates to her but the overall mood of the song fits too. In terms of her character, it relates to the idea of pushing yourself so hard to the point where you feel worn and simultaneously stagnant. All of the external validation of your success gives the illusion that you’ve been moving forward, but once you’re drained of energy and are forced to stop, you realize you haven’t really gone anywhere at all.
“right where you left me” by Taylor Swift would be a song for Jordan Everwood. For the past year–probably even more than that–she’s been in a wandering state with no direction or movement. A state of pain that turned into numbness. Part of the reason she is so passionate about the inn is probably because it was a safe place for her as a kid–it reminds her of a place where she felt free to explore and investigate the world.

Both Jordan and Astrid are dealing with a sense of grief–mourning a person they thought they were or used to be. Through this process they also rediscover pieces of themselves that they haven’t shared with the world in a long time.

I loved the sense of community in Delilah’s book. The way we got to see the intimate intricacies of every relationship–between Delilah and Astrid, Iris, Claire, Ruby, Josh and everyone else. That sense of community enhanced the romance for me, so I was hoping Astrid’s book would have a similar tone. The sole focus of this story, though, was on Astrid and Jordan–which I suppose some people might prefer–but I was hoping that sense of community would extend to the film crew. However, they were only really mentioned when we first met them and then briefly throughout the story. I’d like to also note that the character descriptions could be adjusted in a way that enhances our understanding of them as people.

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

This is the second book in the series. While there are spoilers for book 1 I think it can be read entirely as a standalone

TW: spouse with cancer (past, survived), divorce, internalized homophobia, toxic relationship with a parent

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-f/f contemporary romance
-meet crash
-work place romance
-forced proximity
-sloooow burn
-sex education
-found family
-opposites attract
-clit necklaces

I loved Delilah so I was so excited to read this one. Astrid was such a type A personality. Of looking like you have your life figured out and never failing and realizing maybe it can take time to really figure things out. Figure out what you want to do, what you want, and your sexuality. How she was friends in a queer group and felt safe in queer spaces but also had internalized homophobia and struggles with her mom of not feeling like it was her space. I felt for Astrid so self contained, and how scary it can be to realize/accept and be your authentic self.

And her life is immediately shaken up by Jordan. Jordan hitting her own rock bottom and coming home. Always giving all of herself to everyone else, in the background. with her coveralls. Astrid and Jordan really pushed each other in the softest ways to be themselves, take what they want out of their lives. The baking, the sex research, and appreciation for good carpentry.

I loved all of the glimpses of Astrid's friend group, especially her continued growing and evolving dynamic with Delilah. This friend group is so lovely and I could not be more excited for Iris to get her well deserved HEA.

Steam: 3.25

Ashley Herring Blake is back with another romance tale that features accepting failure and moving on from relationships.

Astrid Parker is a baby bisexual that does not handle failure well, and with mighty Isabell Parker Green as her mother, Astrid has been groomed to be the best at what she does...so long as it pleases her mother. Astrid, after the aftermath of her failed wedding, is finally looking to dive into work with the badass Natasha Rojas for a reality home reno but on her way to the site she is bum-rushed by Jordan Everwood-the relative of the client Astrid is working for,

Jordan Everwood has been on a healing journey for the past year and can't seem to mess up to epic portions, so when she was invited to be the lead contractor for the home reno, she knows it's her last opportunity to not screw up royally in front of her family.

In this story, there is heart and there is revelations that those who are exploring their sexuality will find relatable. But also an arc of exploring abandonment wounds as well.

Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail is a delightful book. We have an opposites attract, enemies to lovers, and a dual points of view romance between a moody carpenter and a buttoned up designer who are hired to remodel an inn for a tv show.

The writing style and pacing work so well. The tension between Astrid and Jordan, the shade thrown, and the banter were so entertaining. The progression to supporting each other and falling in love felt organic and made sense for them. Of course, the amazingly supportive and fun side characters are back too along with a new cast of diverse supporting characters.

Both of our main characters, Astrid and Jordan, are layered and lovable. Besides the sweet and sometimes complicated romance, this book had an important theme of discovering a life that is truly authentic to you. I absolutely adored that Astrid finally got to figure out who she is and wants to be. I also loved that Jordan finally realized what she deserves for her own career and personal life.

I highly recommend this book if you want a feel good, opposites attract queer romance that places importance on creating ones own destiny.

Astrid Parker is wound so tight that it takes Jordan Everwood literally crashing into her to start to shake her loose.

Astrid, the uptight character with a domineering mother from Delilah Green, is struggling after the break-up of her engagement. She is deeply afraid of failure, so with her business floundering, she is determined to nail her new gig re-designing the Everwood Inn and being featured on reality show Innside America. From the start there is a lot of tension with one particular Everwood, however. Jordan Everwood is the lead carpenter on the renovation project and hates everything about Astrid's design. The two butt heads so often that the show decides to focus on their antagonism. When the two are thrown together socially by Iris (by the way, can't wait to read her story!), some sparks fly. Astrid is thrown by this, having never considered herself queer before. With a little guidance from Delilah, she decides to follow her instincts and explore her feelings for Jordan.

The story was fun and moved quickly. The romance was sweet and spicy. I liked this one just as much as I liked Delilah Green, if not maybe a little more, because I identified with fear-of-failure, people-pleasing Astrid more than badass Delilah. Definitely a good read!

Astrid Parker really needs to catch a break. While calling off her engagement was very necessary, things have been going downhill ever since. Her interior design business basically has no clients, her overbearing mother is constantly down her throat, and to top it off, some woman with an enviable haircut just spilled coffee all over her favorite white dress on the first day of a job that will make or break her career. When Astrid goes full Isabel Parker Green on this unsuspecting coffee drinker, she doesn't think much of it...until she finds out they have to work together for the next few months while filming the renovation of Bright Fall's historic inn for a popular HGTV show. Nothing like starting off on the right foot!

Jordan Everwood’s life has also taken a drastic downward turn in the last couple of years. She's single after a long-term relationship that she thought was endgame, her twin brother seems to be waiting for her emotional breakdown at any moment, and she really needed that coffee she just bought. The one bright spot is that she's back at the only place that's ever felt like home - her family's inn. If only the b*&^h in the white dress would stop trying to make it look like every other modern farmhouse in America.

Ashley Herring Blake can basically do no wrong. This book has everything that I didn't even know I wanted - a sapphic renovation duo (HGTV get on that!), silent movies, baked goods, and a group of solely non-hetero friends. The character development is so solid - Astrid and Jordan each have their own backstories, hang-ups, and fears that mix all together to create delightful tension and obstacles to overcome that feel believable. I can't wait for the next one!

First, how dare you Ashley Herring Blake!
How dare you make me fall in love EVEN MORE than the first go ‘round. Astrid and Jordan are MAGIC. Pure, unfiltered, messy magic. I loved this sequel (can be read as a standalone, but I HIGHLY recommend Delilah Green Doesn’t Care) so much more than Delilah, and I’m not sure how that’s possible.
From the little teaser in Delilah, I was hooked, and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book, so THANK YOU Berkley in partnership with NetGalley* for sending me an advanced copy.

Astrid is a tad uptight, doesn’t really allow herself to show emotions, and has a killer wardrobe. She’s completely stuck in her own head though, and I honestly love that about her character. I love that she really discovered who she is and who she was always meant to be. Especially since Jordan helped her through it without even trying. I think that’s what I loved most about this story, that they both helped each other without trying too hard. It wasn’t forced, the whole progression was so natural I couldn’t help but positively swoon over them. And the spice? It was flawlessly executed without being cringy. You really felt every emotion as you lived within the words. That’s the best kind of story, in my opinion.

There was one big thing I was not expecting that turned the whole novel up to a ten! I was flabbergasted and had to pause for a second because I honestly didn’t see it coming. It’s something that just made everything make so much sense. Bravo Blake, bravo.

P.S. Bring on Iris’s book.

*This review is being left voluntarily all opinions are my own.

Astrid Parker is picture perfect and poised. On the surface that is. Underneath, she’s on coffee stained dress away from breaking. Jordan is a mess and makes no effort to hide her feelings, crying on the side of the road over some woman yelling at her about an accidental coffee spill.
When the down on her luck contractor comes to Bright Falls to renovate her childhood escape for a HGTV-style show, the last thing she expects is Astrid fucking Parker.

Plot: 4/5
I love a romance that centers around a tv show, it leads to some wonderful drama. AND there is no miscommunication trope!!!!! They still go through the third act troubles we can all expect in a romance book but it is not based on miscommunication which really made me happy.
I think the choices at the end didn’t quite fit from what I had already known about the characters but it wasn’t totally out of left field.

Characters: 5/5
Blake does a lot of things well but damn if she isn’t a master of character development.

Astrid Parker is such a perfect main character because of how flawed she is. She has deeply ingrained comp het that she works to overcome and, as anyone who’s read the first book will know, her mother is a piece of work. Seeing her finally fight back and become her own person is really empowering to read.

Jordan Everwood is *chefs kiss*, what a perfect classic lesbian. She is really in touch with her emotions and is fighting really hard to keep her past from haunting her.

The side characters don’t feature as heavily in this book as they did in the first one but I liked that choice. The first book was about romance but also really about Delilah finding a family. Astrid already has her family and this book is about her finding herself.

Writing: 4/5
Blake’s writing style is light and easy to read. She’s very descriptive in her explanations of the decor, which was critical to this plot. She also captured the banter of Astrid and Jordan’s relationship so well. I’m a character reader and I was living for the dialog in this book.
I did feel like everyone’s trauma was a bit intense, things don’t have to be so extreme for characters to feel the way they did. But also really heavy things like these do happen to people.

Overall: 4.5/5

Another amazing queer romance to add to the rec lists! And an incredible sequel! Im excited to see how the series wraps up with Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date

Honorable mention to the fact that Astrid reads Written in the Stars by Alexandra Bellefleur!

So I really enjoyed getting to know Astrid Parker in the first book in the series, she's the step sister to Delilah Green. She was a pill to swallow but we eventually warm up to her by the end of the book. She's supposes to be getting married in Delilah's book but it doesn't work out so well and now she has realized that she has a test for something different! I really enjoyed this book! I think this was just the LGBT book we needed right now. A woman who doesn't have any experience with dating a woman and one who would have reservation on getting involved with someone of the sort. I thought it was great! I can't wait to see what Blake comes out with next!

Truly one of my favorite series ever. I’m in love with these characters!! Fingers crossed for more. Astrid is my idol.

I remember hesitating to pick up Delilah Green Doesn't Care because it was getting so much hype in the beginning and I just cannot do books with hype - at least, not right away. I knew that I had to give it some time before giving in.

Fast forward to Berkley giving me (FINALLY) a chance to review one of their upcoming books, Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail. Well, now I had to read Delilah Green Doesn't Care, didn't I?

Since this post is about Astrid Parker, I'll make this part really short - I ended up reading and loving Delilah Green. It was a sweet romance with parts that just tugged at your heart. Sometimes those tugs really hurt too.

Now, it took me a bit longer to get into Astrid Parker, but once I got into it - I flew right through it. I enjoyed learning more about Astrid and also, appreciating what I did learn about her in the first book. I DEFINITELY recommend reading the first book first in this case.

Astrid is a Type A, by the rules individual. But she is such because she is constantly looking for that appreciation, support, and love from her mother. And that is not something her mother gives out easily it seems. Jordan, on the other hand, has the support and love she needs from her family, but is reeling with what her love life has handed to her in the last year. She's skeptical of any attraction she may feel and ESPECIALLY the attraction she feels toward Ms. Astrid Parker.

The emotion in this book...it went beyond my expectations. Delilah Green definitely got to me since I understood that feeling of childhood loneliness that Delilah describes. However, through that story, I also felt the tugging of emotions from Astrid's POV - that feeling of trying your hardest and still coming out feeling like it will never be good enough. To be honest, it is definitely Astrid's emotions that I felt as I turned page after page of this book. I appreciated how Astrid was written and how much care went into no one being the outright villain in this story. Sometimes, we are our worst own villains.

All in all, Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail is a beautiful book for anyone willing to give a story and it's characters time to unfold. It is definitely worth your time.

It's so good! I think I might even like it more than the first book. I can't wait for the final one. Blake is getting better with each book!

I recently read Delilah Green Doesn't Care and absolutely loved it. Like, one of my new favorite books ever and one of my favorite books of 2022, loved it. So when I was scrolling on Netgalley and saw that there was not only an ARC but a sequel to one of my favorite books?! I took my chances and luckily, the Netgalley gods smiled upon me. I didn't think I'd love it as much as I loved Delilah Green because it's going to be incredibly difficult to top that book for me, but I honestly didn't expect to love it as much as I did!

Astrid wasn't a super likable character in the first book but oh my gosh this book made me adore her. I got to see why she was the way she was and it was heartbreaking. And watching her journey towards accepting herself and discovering who she really is outside of everyone else's influence made me cry! And I loved the rivalry/friendship/relationship with Jordan, holy crap. Jordan was also a wonderful character and I feel like her story was also wonderful to read. I was shook about a topic involving her previous partner because I feel like it's one we don't see often, but then I just straight up did not like the partner once I realized how things ended. Both characters were lovely and I am a simp for this series and the characters and their stories and I am so ready for Iris Kelly Doesn't Date!!!!!

Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adored this book! Honestly, Ashley Herring Blake is one of my favorite authors so I knew I'd at least enjoy it. But both Astrid and Jordan were so great, separately and together. As was the friend group we got to know and love in the first book, Delilah Green Doesn't Care. This was a perfect setup for Iris's book as well.

I don't even consider myself a romance reader. But if Ashley Herring Blake is writing it... well, I'm going to read it. This series has cemented that.

Please pick this up!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
5 Stars

Summary:
Ashley Herring Blake has done it again! Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail is an astonishing book to add to the Bright Falls Series. The Bright Falls Everwood Inn is falling apart both financially and structurally. The Everwood family has been chosen to be featured on a HGTV show renovation. Astrid Parker, Lead Interior Designer has the opportunity of her life to work on this project. Jordan Everwood, Lead Carpenter finds herself having mixed opinions on Astrid Parker’s plans. This book is the perfect combination of romance and fear.

Overall:
I personally love this book and it’s series. It is the best mix of laughter, sadness and joy in one book. I like how Author, Ashley Herring Black carries book 1 into book 2 so seamlessly

“𝗦𝗲𝘅𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰. 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝘅𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗼.”

Okay when we started this book we weren’t too sure how we were going to like it. From Delilah’s book we learned that Astrid is a liiiiiittle uptight and frigid. But boy did we absolutely 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 seeing her walls come down! Around Jordan, Astrid couldn’t help but be vulnerable. She learned so much about herself and Jordan was an integral part of that!
Now, normally we loathe the third act breakup but we really felt like this was so important for Astrid and Jordan. Jordan got to realize that she IS worth something and she deserves to get everything he wants. Astrid got to realize that she actually doesn’t even like being an interior designer, and that she’s tired of her mother treating her like shit. Seeing her stand up to Isabel Parker-Green was amazing!

Perfect second book in the series. It felt a little rushed but I still loved Astrid and Jordan. Two unlikely people finding love. I loved the first book in the series. I’m excited to see what else Ashley Herring Blake has in store. She’s one of my new favorite authors.