Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date by Ashley Herring Blake

Synopsis: This is the third novel in Ashley Herring Blake’s Bright Falls series (following Delilah Green Doesn’t Care and Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail). In this story the creative, outgoing, and strong-willed Iris Kelly finds herself surrounded by her disgustingly happy friends who have all found their perfect partners. She has several failed relationships, a shuttered paper goods store, and an overbearing family. In an attempt to get out of her comfort zone Iris signs on to a queer retelling of Much Ado About Nothing and is swept into a fake-dating scheme with her sapphic Benedick. The two must decide what’s real, what’s for show, and what they mean to each other.

Review: Of the three books in the series, I think this was my least favorite. This surprised me because Iris is my favorite of the original group. The story is told in dual perspectives-alternating between Iris and her would-be love interest Stevie. I felt like they were a bit uneven. Iris felt like a fleshed out person (which makes sense as readers have known her for two other books). Stevie, alternatively, falls flat. A big part of her story is finding autonomy while living with Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Blake has a knack for creating a cast of characters that provide beautiful representation for minority groups and they usually “pop.” Stevie’s anxiety is juxtaposed with a queer crew of big personalities. Several of these end up falling into trope-like patterns that grew a bit weary. I found myself preferring Iris’ POV chapters. That being said, it was fun being back in Bright Falls with Iris, Claire, Astrid, and Delilah. The last chapters were particularly heartwarming and put a big, cuddly bow on the original group’s stories. If you’re read the first 2, go ahead and read this one too. I wouldn’t grab this as a standalone, though.

xo Bookstore Heroine