So freaking good. Iris and Stevie absolutely deserve the world and their love is everything. I love how this story was told, how you think it’s going to go and be about but it ends up not being that way at all. Just utter perfection!

✨ Review ✨ Iris Kelly Doesn't Date by Ashley Herring Blake

The third and final book in the Bright Falls series might be my favorite of the bunch. Iris Kelly, friend of Claire, Delilah, Astrid, and Jordan from books 1 and 2, has resolved no longer to date after two messy long-term entanglements. Stevie Scott, budding actress with lots of anxiety, decides to just try a one-night stand after continual frustration that her best friend and previous gf of 6 years has moved on so seamlessly.

The two meet at a bar and have what amounts to a hilarious not-so-one-night-stand. When the two meet again shortly thereafter at the try outs for a queer performance of Much Ado about Nothing, they end up agreeing to fake date so Stevie can save face with her friends / ex and Iris can practice some romance to get in the mood to write her next book.

This had the perfect blend of laughs and romance, and was an over-the-top joy of a fake dating story. I loved that this featured two queer friend groups -- Stevie's and Iris's, and also brought the theatrical sense of drama full force. I do think the last quarter of the book could have been condensed down a bit, but overall this was so much fun to read!

I listened to maybe 25-30% of this and enjoyed the narration!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 💫 (4.5)
Genre: f/f contemporary romance, fake dating
Setting: Portland and Bright Falls, OR, briefly NYC
Audio Length: 11 hours 51 minutes
Pub Date: October 24, 2023

Read this if you like:
⭕️ fake dating
⭕️ theater - queer Shakespeare remakes
⭕️ small town meets big city
⭕️ queer friend group fun

Thanks to Berkley, PRHAudio and #netgalley for the advanced copies of this book!

In the third Bright Falls book, we see Iris Kelly facing writer's block as she attempts to write her second romance novel. She successfully penned one, but her two-book deal's deadline is looming over her and the idea of romance makes her want to vomit. Iris is more of a love 'em and leave 'em type, preferring one night stands to dating after a series of disastrous relationships. An recent attempted hook-up ends with actual vomit and crying, and while Iris hopes to put the incident out of her memory, she runs into the woman, Stevie, again as her costar in a local community play. The two agree to be fake girlfriends: Iris to become inspired to write her novel and get her family off her back about being single, and Stevie to show her friends (and ex) that she's moved on and become more comfortable with casual intimacy. But we all know how the fake dating trope goes...

I love this series and I love this book. Iris and Stevie are both such fun, interesting characters that I totally shipped and loved reading about. The theater made for a fun setting and Stevie's ex was the perfect character you love to hate. The standard third act break-up was done in a fresh way, and I enjoyed how everything came together in the end. Hope to see more from this author!

Thanks to Berkley for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 10/10

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is book 3 in a series, and while it could be read as a stand alone it is best read in order (also the other two books are fab so check them out).

Iris is known for having fun and not being in a relationship. She's the queen of the one night stand. Her first meeting with Stevie was hilarious and memorable. Their second meeting and their "fake relationship" while they are actually falling in love was beautiful.

Loved this book and series so much. Highly recommended

Iris Kelley Doesn’t Date was a great ending to the series. It’s my least favorite of the three but still great. The story, characters, and the spice were all good!

And we're back in Bright Falls for Iris this time! This is the third book in the series of romances of the 3 friends (Astrid, Claire, and Iris) — I always love seeing the other characters show up in the friends' stories.

From an awkward half-night stand to fake dating to real feelings, Iris and Stevie grew on me as they grew on each other. While Stevie navigates intense anxiety and her ex dating her best friend, Iris believes she is not relationship material. Then they end up playing the lead characters in Stevie's ex's adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing and strike up a deal of fake dating to get their friends off their backs.

Overall this was a little slow for me, but I enjoyed it. My favorite part was probably the depiction of Stevie's anxiety — I really related to that and loved seeing her character work through her apprehensions to be vulnerable and intimate with someone new.

I'm looking forward to seeing what Ashley Herring Blake writes next!

What a beautiful last book in the Bright Falls series. I love Stevie. I just absolutely love her. I feel her anxiety and her worries so much. I adore her and Iris’ fake dating messiness. I don’t want to say good bye to this town and these lovely people.

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!