This might be a 5 star honestly. I absolutely love Iris but Stevie wow is she an amazing character. The way they both meet each other is perfect and gross and obviously the best start to a rom com. Plus the complexities of both of their characters and their vulnerabilities and growth. I teared up so many times during this book. I wanted Stevie to realize her worth and also wanted Iris to realize that she is worthy of love. The side characters (and seeing Claire, Delilah, Astrid, and Jordan) again was fab. The "Delilah Green didn't care about anyone" line had me HOLLERING and SWOONING remembering that book. I loved having Simon be so involved. I really enjoyed many of Stevie's friends but wish they are in it more (except Adri she absolutely sucked. Vanessa and Ren were amazing).

The sex scenes were amazing and so thoughtful of how two women, bi and lesbian, might have sex in different ways. And they were SO HOT oh em gee. I absolutely loved how the story ended, how Iris came to her senses and how Stevie bet on her. And then the wedding - good lord my eyes. Just a perfect wrap up.

Now I do think that Blake really recognized how much feedback she has gotten about how racially and gender un-diverse the community of Bright Falls is and by opening it up to Portland she was able to bring in more diversity. Ren being non-binary and Black is great, plus Vanessa and the other rep. I did think it was funny that the requisite "box braids" on a Black woman came up lol. But still, I appreciated the effort to show a wider community.

LASTLY THE DANI BROWN CAMEO HAD ME DYING.

i'm so disappointed by this book! delilah green is one of my favorite romances of all time, astrid parker was another fav, but this completely was not for me. i just didnt feel like the characters made sense. they acted out of character so often. there was also soooo much miscommunication. stevie was just also not a character i liked. the third act breakup was eye roll inducing. im sorry im all over the place but i wanted to love this so bad. the positives though are that of course, it was written well and the steamy scenes were very steamy. i also loved iris, even if she started to get on my nerves by the end as well.

Out of all the bright falls books, this one was my favorite. I wasn’t sure how I was going to like Iris pov, but I cried multiple times while reading this. Such an amazing book.

I am not at all emotionally prepared enough to say goodbye to Bright Falls and all of these characters! Saving Iris for last was the perfect decision. I loved being able to see how Iris and Kelly slowly found their confidence and trust in each other, I loved all their dates an how hard Stevie was working to woo Iris, overall so freaking cute!

Pros: Gah, I love this series so much. This is the 3rd and final book in the Bright Falls series and I am very sad to say goodbye to these characters that I’ve fallen in love with. Iris was a supporting character in the first 2 books of the series and finally gets her love story after watching everyone around her fall in love and settle down. The “meet cute” in this book was unique and mortifying and I love how both Stevie and Iris handled the situation. Stevie’s anxiety disorder was well-written and Iris’s struggles with her family were realistic. Herring Blake is very good at writing romances that allow the reader to escape into the character’s world while also grounding those characters in reality. The care and respect Stevie and Iris have with each other was wonderful and one of my favorite parts of the book.

Cons: Stevie’s friend group is THE WORST and I wanted there to be more of a “come to Jesus” moment where she realizes that she deserves more in love and friendship.

4.5! This might be my favorite romance of the year and I still might change it to 5 stars. I just loved and connected with Iris and Stevie so much. The way their relationship builds and the heated tender moments at the beginning are what really sold it for me. This was truly both sweet and spicy. The level of care, consent, and trust that they built and the respect they had for each other makes my eyes water. Their personal growth!!! Amazing to read. This was so real and fun with just the right amount of drama and wacky circumstances. A complete delight. & As always, I was even obsessed with the side characters.

‼️ *spoilers ahead* ‼️

I do wish that Stevie and Adri’s relationship would have had a more satisfying close. Adri is honestly on my list and I wanted Stevie to cut her off for good so badly. I LOVED Ren so much I am manifesting their story in the future. It did take me out of the story a bit that Vanessa’s parents paid to fly everyone to Malibu when apparently the theatre was going under? Like babes, skip the retreat and just add that money to the fundraiser. Why did we all have to go to Malibu? I also felt the ending was dragged out a bit.

Overall, I loved it! & The bonus of getting a Claire and Delilah wedding scene with them all walking down the aisle together? Chef’s kiss 💋

These characters become more and more real the more this author writes! Each one is so fleshed out and whole it's amazing to think I don't know them in real life. I will miss these women and their LGBTQIA+ coven!

Iris and Stevie are very different characters than our last four ladies, and I really loved that. Ashley Herring Blake creates very realistic characters who each have their own strengths and flaws.
At first, I wasn't sure if I was going to like Iris' story, but we really dug into her insecurities and fears about love and I think that was really well done. And the steamy scenes were amazing.

This book really tied all the relationships together at the end and I am sad that we may not get any more of Bright Falls.

Iris Kelly is the third book in the Bright Falls series. Iris and Stevie start a fake relationship amid their theater rehearsals and performances. Ultimately they have to figure out how to put their guards down and let each other in. This was my least favorite in the series, the storyline wasn't as engaging.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the advanced copy of the book.

Every book in this trilogy was nothing short of amazing but I think this one might be my favorite. The journey Iris goes on through the entire series was especially beautiful in this one as we watch her fall head over heels in love. The sense of found family is also super evident in this last book as we see more of the world outside the main friend group. Stevie's anxiety was palpable and at times hard to read but I could absolutely relate. I also loved seeing her come alive on the stage and she and Iris together were nothing short of magic.

I am so grateful I had the opportunity to read an early copy of this one.

I enjoyed this LGBTQIA+ fake dating romance. It has mental health representation. There was a big contrast between both the friendgroups. The book in not only about the slow burn love story between Stevie and Iris but also about living life the way you choose to and standing up for that.

Book 3, and sadly the final, of Blake's Bright Falls series gives us another contemporary queer love story to fall for between Iris and Stevie. From their disastrous first night together to the vulnerable moments they find themselves in while fake dating, I was rooting for these two. Full of the steam and humor I have come to love from this series, I was smitten with this book. Iris Kelly is surrounded by love with her closest friends living out their HEAs. Stevie is single, after ending a long relationship with one of her best friends, who is now dating their third best friend.

Making it difficult for Stevie to truly move on. What's a girl to do when constantly faced with their relationship but create a fictional love interest after a disastrous encounter? Who would think the woman would walk into the theater where she is currently cast with a starring role, looking for a bit part to help her get past her current romance writing block?

From the moment Iris Kelly goes along with Stevie's lie, wanting to use it for her own purposes - you know things are going to get complicated. So many lies, so much pretense. Can they tell what's real when they truly begin to get to know each other and feelings begin to develop? I enjoyed both characters but I found how Iris dealt with and cared for Stevie's anxiety especially endearing. I was so excited that we got so many glimpses of the couples from the 2 previous books. I'm sad this series has ended but I was so happy to get a kind of bonus epilogue in this book from my fave couple of the series - Delilah & Claire.

4.5 stars! This was the perfect mix of laughs and romance with tender moments too. I can’t believe the series is over, and I’m saying goodbye for now to the small town of Bright Falls. I’ve enjoyed this sweet series so much, and it was so good to be reunited with some of the characters again.

Iris is such a relatable character, and Ashley Herring Blake has once again created such complex characters you can’t help but root for. I can’t recommend this series enough!

🎧I loved reading and listening to the audiobook format, narrated by Kristen DiMercurio, who makes each story come to life.

WHAT TO EXPECT
-fake dating
-sapphic romance/bisexual rep
-dual POV
-anxiety rep

*many thanks to Berkley Romance, PRH Audio and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

Ashley Herring Blake can do no wrong in my eyes. I swear every book in this series just gets better as they go.

The friendships, the love, the queer representation and all the cheesy goodness. I adore it all. These books always bring me such joy. Even when they make me cry. Which this one did. I cried a lot.

I loved seeing the anxiety representation. As someone who lives with anxiety I can say that it is very realistic.

I’m so sad that this series is over. But I am looking forward to seeing what’s next from Ms. Blake!

Another great Ashley Herring Blake romance. I love the characters of Bright Falls and I think this was a fantastic ending to the group story. I think both Stevie and Iris were beautifully crafted and were so dynamic. I wanted so badly to see more of them in New York.

This was so cute! I’m sad Bright Falls is over but I enjoyed Iris and Stevie’s story.

There was a lot of healing a growth while still having the same fun interactions of all the characters I have come to love.

I love a good fake dating story! And this one didn’t disappoint! It also explored sexuality a little and I loved that aspect.

Compared to the other two in the series, there were side characters I didn’t like, particularly Stevie’s friends (excluding the sweetie Vanessa). Adri and Ren pissed me off so much.

I have really enjoyed the Bright Falls series but this might be the weakest of the three.

I did not like Iris in the first two books. But I did grow to appreciate her in this story. I really appreciate having child-free by choice representation with her. So many of the romance books I've read imagine one type of happily ever after and epilogues or sequel books have our romance leads as pregnant or with children in the epilogue or next book in the series. Also she's a great bisexual character, which we love!

Stevie felt a little one note to me. She was so hung up on her terrible ex-girlfriend Adri. I feel like she was very much not ready to date and it made her really hard to root for as the romantic partner for Iris. Would Stevie and Iris have a spicy fling? 100%. Do I believe they will stay together until they are old and grey....??? The narrative didn't convince me they are forever.

Also Stevie's "friends" are trash. The ex-girlfriend Adri wants to have her cake and eat it too. After dumping Stevie to date Vanessa (another woman in the friend group), she gets weird and jealous of Stevie dating Iris. Ren is apparently Stevie's closest friend, but we don't actually see much to indicate that. And also-in-the-friend group, Vanessa, is just kinda there? Any time spent with these friends made me so angry for Stevie.

I'm not mad I read this. I feel it was time well spent. It was cozy and spicy and fun. Not my favourite of the series, but by no means the worst series conclusion I've ever read.

Ashley Herring Blake never fails to write 5-star books. Iris Kelly Doesn't Date might be my favorite book yet - I absolutely loved Iris and Stevie's story. It was fun and sweet and a bit chaotic at times, but the character development was unmatched.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in Exchange for my honest review!

This was not my favorite book out of the Bright Falls books (Delilah will always have my heart), however, it was still a really heartfelt and good story. I’m always a sucker for a F/F romance because I think they’re so soft and kind and usually it doesn’t have a bunch of toxicity in the same way that other romance do. Iris was a great protagonist and I like that we got more about her!

this wasn't a perfect book, but what it was was cute and frustrating and angsty and OHMYGODTHESECHARACTERSARESOSTUPIDPLEASEJUSTTALKTOEACHOTHER.

which is what i look for in a romance.

both of the prior installments of this series missed the mark for me but i knew there was potential. there is so much i love in this! small towns, friendships, banter. and though there were things i didn't like about this (theater kids) there was much more i did.