I feel so fortunate to have been able to read the final installment in the Bright Falls trilogy and let me tell you...you don’t wanna sleep on this one! Blake has managed to amp up the spice while maintaining an interesting plot that keeps the reader invested and unable to put the book down. The number of times I had to force myself to set the book aside and make sure I wasn’t late for work or staying up all night trying to read *just one more chapter* is actually absurd.

I loved Delilah Green and then Astrid Parker, but Iris Kelly takes the cake for me. Blake has become a master at their craft and has absolutely nailed the ratio of sapphic longing-spice-realistic character growth/development. I’m so sad to say goodbye to these beloved characters, but this trilogy has put Blake on my auto-buy list of authors. If you haven’t read any of the books from the Bright Falls trilogy, get on it!

I love Ashley Herring Blake’s writing style and how she brings each character to life. Every character is multi-faceted and skillfully developed. I love the witty banter between characters and the attention to small details that initially made me fall in love with her writing.

The story itself is charming and relatable. I loved revisiting the world of Bright Falls and the lives of Herring Blake’s characters. I also really appreciated the mental health representation and the perspective of the character, Stevie, and her struggles with GAD.

Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date is a stunning conclusion to an epic series, and I can’t wait for more!

Thanks to Berkley (via NetGalley) for the ARC!

I don't have a ton to say except that this was the perfect way to end the Bright Falls series 🥰💙 It's a pretty close race, but I think this might be my favorite of the three books. I love how Stevie and Iris both thought they were messed up in completely different ways but each managed to find the good in each other while figuring out that they weren't, in fact, irreparably broken.

I will leave you with my favorite part of the book, which made me cry even harder than I already was at that point 😭

SPOILER AHEAD

"I spent a lot of time," Iris went on, "convincing myself I wasn't built to last, wasn't built for romance, for love. But maybe..." Tears bloomed into her eyes. "Maybe I was just built for you."

Thank you, NetGalley and Berkley Publishing!
Fake relationships and witty sapphic characters! It's an absolutely amazing continuation of one of the best romance series I have read in a while. I loved the first two books, and this book definitely lived up to expectations. The story picks right back up without being confusing, and I was happy to see another character find love in this universe, This has definitely become a new comfort read for me!

Saying goodbye to this little world is going to be rough, I just know it. I've been waiting for Iris's story for a long time and AHB delivered! It's cute, it's got depth. To quote Stefan, this book has everything. I hope in some way, we can return to this wonderful place

I don't know how I can give this book any less than five stars. I have been obsessed with Bright Falls thanks to Delilah and Claire (*swoon*). I devoured this book in a few days because it was all I could think about so I had to give up everything to read it. When I tell you my house chores suffered because of it.. oh man. In the end, it was absolutely worth it.

I easily slipped back into Bright Falls and the quaint charm that it holds. I had been curious about Iris' story and was delighted to have it in front of me. It hurt my heart to learn she felt she deserved so little that she would casually throw away so many great potential friendships and relationships. And then entered Stevie. Now she caught me off guard because I found myself relating to her far too much. It was like reading my history in this book. I could not get enough of their fake-dating (one of my favorite tropes) and how they struck a deal to learn from the other - brilliant. I loved how these characters were so deeply flawed yet fleshed out, they felt real. I swear I could be friends with them in real life... I know I would certainly try to be their friends. I enjoyed how they grew and learned and developed as the story progressed, learning to admit their faults. I couldn't get enough of them. I also enjoyed how Iris' friends and the other members of the Bright Falls books had a presence. It was a testament to how strong their friendship was. I cannot wait to reread this entire series over and over again. This book was everything I wanted and needed and more.

This was a cute read with some of my favorite tropes. Blake has a large readership at my library so we will definitely be purchasing it for the collection. :)

Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date is an adorable, light-hearted fake dating sapphic romance between Iris and Stevie. Iris is perpetually unlucky in relationships and has completely shut out the idea of being in love, even though everyone around her seems to be. Iris and Stevie meet at a bar and have an unfortunate attempt at a one night stand since Stevie’s nerves got the best of her. But, Iris is tired of being judged for her single lifestyle, and Stevie is too anxious about dating, so they decide to fake date to get their friends off their backs.

I really loved both Stevie and Iris and felt their chemistry very early on in the story. Iris and Stevie’s character development was very prevalent since they both were working to overcome certain personal issues. Iris was very mindful of Stevie’s anxiety and helped her the best she could to feel comfortable in uncomfortable situations instead of spiraling out. The anxiety representation was done very well and I really empathized with Stevie because of my own similar experiences with anxiety.

The way each of their friend groups were too involved in their love lives really annoyed me. Like they needed to back off and let them live! Not everyone has the ability to get into relationships so quickly or feels secure intimately.

Overall, I loved this story and the aspects of queer theatre and found family. Such a sweet romance and I definitely recommend to lovers of the fake dating trope and comforting WLW romance. Thank you Berkley Romance for the advanced copy.

What a great conclusion to the Bright Falls series! I absolutely love the found family aspect of these books. I have fallen in love with all of these characters and I so excited to get to Iris’ story. Within this series, the author has done a fantastic job creating stories that are sex positive, have great mental health representation, and a diverse family of characters. DELILAH GREEN DOESN’T CARE still holds a special place in my heart as my favorite of this series, but this was such a great finale to a great series of books. Can’t wait for what is next from Ashley Herring Blake!

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group, and of course, Ashley Herring Blake for providing me with an eARC of this novel. I am voluntarily leaving a review, all opinions are my own.

This. Book. When I started it, I had just found out there were others prior, but I took the plunge anyways and about halfway through I ended up buying the first two so I can immediately read those when they get here. I'm in love with Blake's writing style and her characters felt so authentic.

I absolutely adored both Stevie and Iris, they both felt so raw and real in their moments, both with and towards each other and those moments around friends or family. Some moments, tempers flared, and honestly, it felt so real at times. This one definitely made me tear up a few times, and I loved that.

I cannot wait for this beautiful little book to be our in the world.

While all of Iris’s friends are happily in love, she is very much single, and is struggling to write her next romance novel. Meanwhile, Stevie is an actor/barista who's attempted one-night stand with Iris ends in tears. But when Iris auditions for a play directed by Stevie’s ex, they embark on a fake-dating scheme to help Stevie save face with her friends and Iris get ideas for her next book. The third installment in Ashley Herring Blake’s Bright Falls series, this delightfully cheesy and occasionally steamy romance follows these charming and relatable characters as they realize their relationship might not be so fake after all. Fans of LGBTQ+ romance will enjoy the chaos, humor, and heart of this joyful and engaging read.

Ashley Herring Blake’s "Iris Kelly Doesn't Date" is a delightful and refreshing romantic comedy that effortlessly weaves humor and heart into a story about love, identity, and unexpected connections. Protagonist Iris Kelly, an unapologetic romance author who swears off dating, finds herself in a tangled web of her own making after a disastrous one-night stand with Stefania, who turns out to be Stevie. As Iris faces a writing deadline and grapples with her reluctance to pursue romance, she stumbles into a fake relationship with Stevie, who proposes the idea to save face. What follows is a witty and endearing exploration of the lines between reality and fiction, as Iris navigates the complexities of her growing feelings for Stevie while also trying to keep up appearances. Blake masterfully crafts a cast of relatable and charming characters, from Iris’s supportive friends to her quirky family. The chemistry between Iris and Stevie sizzles off the page, and their interactions are both heartwarming and hilarious. With its engaging dialogue, memorable moments, and exploration of LGBTQ themes, "Iris Kelly Doesn't Date" is a delightful addition to the romantic comedy genre. Ashley Herring Blake delivers a story that reminds readers that sometimes, the best love stories are the ones we least expect.

✔️ Opposites Attract
✔️ Fake Dating
✔️ Found Family
✔️ Forced Proximity

This book features Stevie (who's timid but is trying to put herself out there, at least to show her friend group that she is over her ex) and Iris (all swagger and confidence and a heart of steel, but with writer's block hindering her next romance novel). They're fake dating while also playing leads in love in a queer Much Ado About Nothing, resulting in them accidentally falling in love.

First of all, I would love to see this play that they're in. Secondly, this book was just so lovely - I adore the world of Bright Falls and this wonderful friend group who want the best for each other and can't help meddling a little.

For me, Stevie's character journey was the star. I loved seeing her become more confident and bringing out the softer side of Iris. 4⭐️

Steam 🔥🔥🔥
Banter 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️
Swoon 💕💕💕💕

definitely my least favorite Bright Falls book but not bad by any means! it was fun, steamy, and a quick read but I felt like the actual plot was underwhelming. I'm always here for fake dating shenanigans but I felt like the story wasn't willing to truly commit to it here, which is a shame.

I LOVE love so much and this book hit all the spots. This is the best one out of the three and it wraps up everything with a pretty bow.

The last book in the Bright Fall's series just took my breath away. I related to both characters in so many ways. Ashley does a great job in representing anxiety in such a gentle and real way. I will read anything this author writes!

What a great ending to this sweet sapphic trilogy. I'm thoroughly sold on anything Ashley Herring Blake writes. The characters are always engaging and the chemistry between the love interests is always so fun. It was a pleasure getting snippets of Delilah/Claire and Astrid/Jordan throughout this book and having everyone in the friend group's story all wrapped up.

Ashley Herring Blake has quickly become one of my favorite authors. Stevie and Iris's love story was beautiful. The care they had for one another, even while fake dating, felt so life-like. I've been waiting since Delilah Green Doesn't Care for Iris's story and it just felt so perfect. I was able to really visualize the kind of person Iris was and being able to see how scared she was of getting hurt, rather than just confident Iris was a real gift. Thanks Ashley Herring Blake for this wonderful Bright Falls series!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group, Berkley and NetGalley for the eARC!

Such a fun, heartfelt, gorgeous read. I connected with every character and felt so engrossed in their trajectory. I adored Stevie and Iris so much— loved their character development. thank for the arc!

I hadn’t read either of the previous books in this series, but heard good things, so it was an easy decision to read Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date when given the opportunity. It’s such a sweet and swoony romantic story, with spice that is super hot and spicy! Fake dating is a ridiculous trope (it never works!), but Stevie and Iris’s relationship felt so organic and unforced, it was easy to see why they fell in love.

I received a copy of this book from Berkley.