While my least favorite of the trilogy, Ashley Herring Blake still delivers a triumphant, heartfelt, and steamy conclusion to Bright Falls. Readers will surely see parts of themselves within Stevie and Iris, making this all the more special.

I've loved Ashley Herring Blake since she wrote young adult fiction. She is killing it with the transition to Adult Romance! The third installment in the Bright Falls trilogy is the best one yet!

This isn't my favorite in the Bright Falls series, but I still loved it and it was an excellent conclusion to this series. I loved the cameos from the other couples from the other books and Stevie and Iris are so cute together. They're complete opposites, but it worked.

I did hate Stevies friends. They were so toxic and I don't think it was really addressed. And I'm not a fan of the ex girlfriend coming back in to start drama. It's not a good look.

CW for anxiety as Stevie has panic attacks and the it is really spelled out. Sometimes it felt like a bit much for me personally.

thank you to netgalley and berkley for providing me with this e-arc in exchange for my honest thoughts <3

iris kelly is the last one standing. all her friends and siblings are coupled up and her parents are still blissfully in love. she's happy for them, but she's spiraling and nobody seems to notice it. she's got a new job writing romance books; however, ever the one against her own romance, she is all out of romantic ideas for her second book. she decides, after a rough family dinner, to go out and find a new one night stand in portland. it's there that she has what could go down in history as her worst hookup with stefania. desperate to overcome her writer's block, iris audition for a local play, only to find stefania, who's actually stevie, is the lead she will acting opposite. stevie begs iris to play the role of her girlfriend. the two strike a bargain: iris will coach stevie in the art of one night stands and stevie will take iris on dates to get the romance inspiration flowing. the only problem is the dates and steamy moments lead to more. iris has no interest in a relationship and stevie is built for long term.

i loved iris kelly doesn't date!! it speaks about a point that is often overlooked in romance, what if you don't want to get married or have the 2.5 kids? what if just being with someone is all you need? i loved blake's ability to handle this with such care while also being real with the struggle of being surrounded by people who equate happiness/success with marriage and kids. i loved how iris + stevie's relationship built up from these moments that we just the two of them. they were such a sweet couple to read about and i genuinely enjoyed the addition of the play in the background. after sitting on this one for a couple days, i wish i got more at the end. it was long for a contemporary romance, but i think an epilogue showing more of iris + stevie's future specifically would have game me the extra umph to give this 5 stars. i would definitely recommend iris kelly doesn't date as well as the rest of the bright falls series. ashley herring blake is a force in the romance community!!

This was an enjoyable read, it just happened to be my least favorite in the series, probably because we didn't really get to know Iris much before this book. There is a fake relationship, but it really leans into the one night stand and sex lessons tropes so if you're a fan of those then you'll enjoy this one.

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for my chance to review.

Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date by Ashley Herring Blake
Pub Date: 10/24/23
Form : ebook/audio hybrid
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Firstly, thank you to @netgalley and @librofm for advanced copies of this book in exchange for my honest review. I am a huge fan of the Bright Falls series and could not wait for Iris’ book!

The third installment in this sapphic romcom series did not disappoint! I adored both Stevie and Iris and their meet cute was one of the funniest and cringiest I’ve ever read 😂 Watching them fall in love was such a delight.

As always, Herring Blake tackles tough topics while crafting an adorable but steamy love story. This one just so happens to revolve around a queer retelling of Much Ado and it is incredible. There is also fake dating so you know I’m in!!

Highly recommend this series if you haven’t checked it out! It was a perfect break from all the seasonal reads I’ve been leaning toward lately 🩵

4.25 ⭐️; such a cute, witty, cheesy in all the right ways book! I love the queer representation, the real-life struggles of being in your 20s, and the ability to find love and partnership without having to change yourself in any way. A beautiful story and series that I cannot get enough of!

Ashley Herring Blake and her Bright Falls series is something I regularly recommend to people searching for queer, and specifically sapphic, romance. I loved the previous two books in this series, and this one is not the exception! I think AHB excels at writing very real and relatable feeling characters, people you feel yourself rooting for and caring about. I have fallen in love with Iris and her little group of friends through these books, and I’ve immensely enjoyed being privy to their love stories, both with their found partners, and each other.

Iris and Stevie’s story has captured my heart, it’s great take on the classic fake dating trope. I will say that I’m one of the people who is not a huge fan of the third-quarter break up trope, but it didn’t take too much away from my enjoyment of the story.

Plain and simple, this was great. Not quite as great as Delilah Green, but for me more than a bit better than Astrid Parker. The characters were typically well-developed for an Ashley Herring Blake romance, and the story was sweet and emotional too. I'm definitely getting a hard copy.

How do these keep getting better!? More feelings, more heat, more laughter, more everything!!! I cried like an idiot countless times, I laughed a lot and I’m just so happy now that I finished it… love seeing the queer joy, but I will miss these characters.
Iris continues to be my favorite and she proved why. I love how big her heart is even if she has to close off to protect herself, and the whole fake dating thing, not only is my favorite trope, but it was done in such a cute way I truly enjoyed it.

Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date is the 3rd book in the Bright Falls series by Ashley Herring Blake. All 3 books have been contemporary, sapphic romances and I’ve had a great time with the entire series (although Delilah Green remains my fav). This one was also a delight and has fake dating!

Iris has a brand new career writing romance novels, but now she’s having issues coming up with ideas for her second book. She’s also surrounded by people who are in love, even if she isn’t herself. So on top of seeing her friends all happy and coupled up, Iris has her family giving her a hard time about dating and settling down. To take a break, Iris ends up going out to a bar and meets Stevie. They dance and make out all night, before leaving together. But things quickly go from a possible hot one night stand to Stevie getting sick all over Iris. They go their separate ways but end up running into one another again when Iris tries out for a local play and sees Stevie there! Things get complicated when all of Stevie’s friends, and her ex, think Iris and Stevie are dating. Before Iris can correct them, Stevie asks Iris to help her out and go along with it. Surprisingly, Iris agrees since she’s still into Stevie and think it’ll help out with her own writing and lack of romance ideas!

This was just so fun to see play out. The fake dating and slow build of them trusting and falling for one another. The friend group, the finding yourself, starting a new career, the gender bent Shakespeare play, the rep of Stevie having generalized anxiety disorder. I do think the story felt a little too long towards the end, but then the ending really brought it all back!

I received an ARC from the publisher and an audio ALC from Libro.fm, all thoughts in this review are my own. Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date is out October 24, 2023!

Thank you Berkley for my copy! All thoughts are my own.

The Bright Falls series is one of my favorites of the last couple years. I’m a little sad to be saying goodbye to this group, but I loved their ending so much. Astrid Parker still remains my favorite of the series, but it was really special to have a book feature one of my favorite plays (Much Ado About Nothing) and dive into my profession (Acting). I had a great time reading this book!

Synopsis:

“Everyone around Iris Kelly is in love. Her best friends are all coupled up, her siblings have partners that are perfect for them, and her parents are still blissfully married. And she’s happy for all of them, truly. Iris doesn’t want any of that—dating, love, romance. She’ll stick to her commitment-free hookups, thanks very much, except no one in her life will just let her be. Everyone wants to see her settled down, but she holds firmly to her no dating rule. There’s only one problem—Iris is a romance author facing an imminent deadline for her second book, and she’s completely out of ideas.Perfectly happy to ignore her problems as per usual, Iris goes to a bar in Portland and meets a sexy stranger, Stefania, and a night of dancing and making out turns into the worst one-night stand Iris has had in her life. To get her mind off everything, Iris tries out for the lead role in a local play, a queer retelling of Much Ado About Nothing, but comes face-to-face with Stefania, whose real name turns out to be Stevie. Desperate to save face in front of her friends, Stevie asks Iris to play along as her girlfriend. Iris is shocked, but when she realizes the arrangement might provide her with some much-needed romantic content for her book, she agrees. As the two women play the part of a happy couple, lines start to blur, and they’re left wondering who will make the real first move….” —StoryGraph

What I Liked:

The Theatre Aspects—When Ashley told us about the premise of this book on the podcast, I absolutely freaked out. And I LOVED seeing the theatre world of the PNW in this book.

The Characters—I loved getting to know Iris better and fell in love with Stevie. Her anxiety was something I could totally relate to.

The Setting—I have built up Oregon and Washington State so much in my head that I worry when I finally go there, I am going to be disappointed. I LOVE it.

What Didn’t Work for Me:

Missed Some of the Small Town Charm—I love the Bright Falls series so much and I loved getting to see another part of the PNW, but I missed Bright Falls.

Tropes Didn’t Work—It’s said to be fake dating…and it is…but it didn’t feel like fake dating! Maybe it’s because I did the audiobook or it felt like they spent most of their time alone, but I didn’t click with the use of it! And I LOVE fake dating so I’m not sure what happened.

Character Authenticity: 4/5 Spice Rating: 3/5 Overall Rating: 4/5

Content Warnings:

anxiety, panic attacks/disorders

Rating: 4/5
Steam: 3.5/5
Tropes: fake dating, it's just a hookup, forced proximity


Thank you to Berkley Romance and PRH for access to these advanced copies in exchange for my honest opinion.

Since I first read Delilah Green, I was excited to read Iris Kelly's book. The characters are wonderfully portrayed, endearing with all their quirks and miscommunications. It's refreshing to see the ladies of Bright Falls find their humans, celebrating queer joy and cherishing their friendships.

The premise of a fake relationship evolving from a less-than-ideal one-night stand adds a unique twist to the story. Iris's commitment to her no-dating rule is both relatable and intriguing, setting the stage for a compelling narrative. I loved Stevie's journey and also adored watching Stevie try and woo Iris. All of their dates were so adorable as was their excuse to dance in any moment. However, the one aspect that left me wanting more was Iris's character development.

There's a sense that the author grappled with how to fully flesh out Iris's story. The narrative flip-flops a bit, leaving me craving a deeper understanding of her motivations and desires. Additionally, the third act breakup could have been more finely tuned for added emotional impact.

Overall, I will miss this series and can't wait to see what AHB writes next!

Rating: 4/5
Steam: 3.5/5
Tropes: fake dating, it's just a hookup, forced proximity

Thank you to Berkley Romance and PRH for access to these advanced copies in exchange for my honest opinion.

Since I first read Delilah Green, I was excited to read Iris Kelly's book. The characters are wonderfully portrayed, endearing with all their quirks and miscommunications. It's refreshing to see the ladies of Bright Falls find their humans, celebrating queer joy and cherishing their friendships. The premise of a fake relationship evolving from a less-than-ideal one-night stand adds a unique twist to the story. Iris's commitment to her no-dating rule is both relatable and intriguing, setting the stage for a compelling narrative. I loved Stevie's journey and also adored watching Stevie try and woo Iris. All of their dates were so adorable as was their excuse to dance in any moment.

However, the one aspect that left me wanting more was Iris's character development. There's a sense that the author grappled with how to fully flesh out Iris's story. The narrative flip-flops a bit, leaving me craving a deeper understanding of her motivations and desires. Additionally, the third act breakup could have been more finely tuned for added emotional impact.

Overall, I will miss this series and can't wait to see what AHB writes next!

I’m a puddle of feelings in a mess of love cuz I can’t handle how much I adore this series. Their story is everything, and I just about died at the “can you teach me” I mean….where has this trope been all my life ? Fake relationship is one of my favorites and watching the two fall into something real. Ashley’s writing and weaving a storyline between the characters is so real and raw, and I am so sad this series has to end (but does it Berkeley…let’s get some more…please…) this series has my heart- can’t wait for what’s to come from Ashley’s next books

This book absolutely sticks the ending of the Bright Falls series. It's full of light and laughter, but also angst and coping with adult issues. And dildos, also dildos.

I think Iris is the most similar of the trio to me - into planning, art, and has severe commitment and emotional vulnerability issues. Pair that with Stevie with her generalized anxiety? Yeah, I felt pretty dang seen. This book felt like the perfect reason for IRL fake dating and sparked creativity both in Iris and myself. Also COUNT MY FRECKLES???? My heart melted. I want to curl up inside this book for the rest of my life, thank you.

*Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review and to PRH Audio for the gifted ALC*

Both main characters are lovable, even with all their miscommunications. I'm excited to see what Herring Blake does after this series--will miss Bright Falls.

A delightful finish to the series. These will forever be some of the cutest covers (go Leni Kauffman) to support stories full of heart and growth 🩵

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC.

While I love Ashely Herring Blake’s writing, this book just didn’t live up to my expectations. I didn’t feel a connection it the characters and really didn’t enjoy Stevie’s friend at ALL. I found myself just wanting to skim read anytime they appeared

The Bright Falls Series quickly became one of my favorites. Ashley Herring Blake continues to write amazing stories with great characters. Iris and Stevie were so easy to root for. I loved their awkward and gorgeous love story. The fake dating, sex lessons, and romance lessons made this book so fun to read! This book was deliciously spicy. I loved the way Herring Blake wrote the chemistry between them. I am sad to see this series end but I loved the way it wrapped up.