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hanz's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol and Grief
Minor: Cancer and Death of parent
anawaka's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief
brynn_books's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a cute, funny, lighthearted sapphic read. It was the perfect read to get me out of my reading slump (especially during pride month). Instantly, I loved the dynamic between Claire and Delilah. I loved seeing their relationship grow throughout the story.
I do wish some of the other characters were more fleshed out. By the end of the story, I could really get a feel for who Delilah is (which makes sense since this is mostly her story), but I wanted to know more about the other characters. Like, I wanted to know more about what Claire likes to do (other than running the bookstore and taking care of Ruby). But, despite not knowing much about them, I do like how all of the characters had flaws and made mistakes and were allowed to be messy.
I especially loved all of Delilah’s photography throughout the novel and how her pictures represent powerful queer women. It shows how queer women can just exist. They’re allowed to be happy, angry, sad, excited, or whatever. This is just one of the many themes I loved that were woven throughout the story.
Overall, this is a very powerful, queer novel. I would highly recommend picking this up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Alcohol
Minor: Infidelity
wilybooklover's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.5
Such a fun, heartfelt queer romcom!
One of the things I enjoyed most about this book was how complex and nuanced the characters were. They felt like real, complicated people with real, complicated pasts. Even the side characters had complexity, especially Claire's daughter Ruby who is one of the most realistic child characters I've ever read. I found Delilah particularly relatable, in all of her spiky, petty glory. Claire was so lovely too, just a sweet woman trying to do the best for everyone and struggling with parenting. I loved how tender and vulnerable Claire and Delilah were with each other, even when they thought it was just temporary and casual. Surprisingly steamy for a romcom too, especially a sapphic one.
It was also interesting to see Delilah reexamine her memories of the past and realise they may just be a bit unreliable, that she and Astrid were just stuck in a loop of miscommunication and hurt feelings. I thought it was done really well (aside from the part where Delilah reads Astrid's diary — that felt like such a violation of her privacy).
There were a couple of things that bothered me — the diary reading, how much of the plot of this sapphic romance ultimately centred around a cishet man and a really terrible (borderline caricature-ish) one at that, the whole bet situation. But ultimately this was such a fantastic romance! Reminded me a lot of Book Lovers by Emily Henry with the small-town bookshop/sisters-at-odds vibes, but executed way better (in my opinion).
One of the things I enjoyed most about this book was how complex and nuanced the characters were. They felt like real, complicated people with real, complicated pasts. Even the side characters had complexity, especially Claire's daughter Ruby who is one of the most realistic child characters I've ever read. I found Delilah particularly relatable, in all of her spiky, petty glory. Claire was so lovely too, just a sweet woman trying to do the best for everyone and struggling with parenting. I loved how tender and vulnerable Claire and Delilah were with each other, even when they thought it was just temporary and casual. Surprisingly steamy for a romcom too, especially a sapphic one.
It was also interesting to see Delilah reexamine her memories of the past and realise they may just be a bit unreliable, that she and Astrid were just stuck in a loop of miscommunication and hurt feelings. I thought it was done really well (aside from the part where Delilah reads Astrid's diary — that felt like such a violation of her privacy).
There were a couple of things that bothered me — the diary reading, how much of the plot of this sapphic romance ultimately centred around a cishet man and a really terrible (borderline caricature-ish) one at that, the whole bet situation. But ultimately this was such a fantastic romance! Reminded me a lot of Book Lovers by Emily Henry with the small-town bookshop/sisters-at-odds vibes, but executed way better (in my opinion).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Death of parent, Grief, and Abandonment
Moderate: Bullying, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Sexism, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Blood, Pregnancy, Cancer, Violence, Infidelity, and Injury/Injury detail
ksuazo94's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content and Grief
Minor: Toxic relationship, Abandonment, and Death of parent
aseel_reads's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was sooo very cute, and I liked how they resolved the main conflict
Content Warnings
Minor: Abandonment, Alcohol, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gaslighting, Misogyny, and Toxic relationship
violetends's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is such a cute story. I read it in between many other things in a handful of hours and enjoyed it so so much. Delilah is a queer photographer who is wonderfully grumpy and stubborn, but also so cool and soft and Claire is this soft and tired bookshop-owner and mom who is beginning to turn into the parent she never wanted to be. This story is pretty straight-forward, the outcome absolutely clear from the moment they meet within the first pages. Throughout the story numerous very tropy romance clichés come up that would make me sigh and maybe have me read on begrudingly in a cis-het romance. But reading a sapphic version of them that is this well written, gave me a first taste of satisfaction for a literary need that I have been feeling for way too long. I will certainly read the next to volumes of this series even though I am half convinced that no combination of characters will be as endearing as Claire and Delilah, but I am more than wiling to let myself be convinced otherwise.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol and Toxic relationship
aileron's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment and Death of parent
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Cancer and Infidelity
nyree42's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
3.5
Would have been a near perfect queer romance if Delilah had not been the type of person who used people for one-night-stands. That was triggering for me to read about, although I appreciated the deep insights into her psychology as to why she did that. On that note, I didn't like how another character who was in a fairly happy relationship kept telling her single friends to "get laid." "Just sex" is a myth. Even for a one-night-stand there can be a lot of complicated emotions and an unpleasant aftermath.
So no, I can't blindly accept promotions of promiscuity because... it just doesn't make anyone happy in the end. That - and the excessive amounts of alcohol consumption - are why I've only rated this 3.5 stars.
Aside from that letdown, this story was very sweet, genuine, spicy and messy in all the right ways, just like any good romantic relationship.
So no, I can't blindly accept promotions of promiscuity because... it just doesn't make anyone happy in the end. That - and the excessive amounts of alcohol consumption - are why I've only rated this 3.5 stars.
Aside from that letdown, this story was very sweet, genuine, spicy and messy in all the right ways, just like any good romantic relationship.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content
Moderate: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Infidelity
mx_sunshine's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was such a cute book!
The first half dragged on for me a but then it really picked up!! Almost didn’t finish but I’m so glad I did.
I love all of the characters so much. I love the focus on female relationships (friendship, romance, siblings, mother/daughter). It was wonderful!
I’ve been wanting to read a queer book with a focus on women as the lead and supporting characters.
I appreciated the plus-size representation but after looking at the thin characters on the cover, I’m not sure I read Claire correctly.
All of the characters were white.
There was a lot of drinking. I don’t know if this story would’ve happened without alcohol.
I loved the descriptions of Delilah’s photographs. I loved her relationship with Ruby. I loved the camping chapter.
This is a side thing but I found it hard to remember the characters names? I really don’t think that Delilah Green is a fitting name for the main character. Her personality opposes the name. Which maybe is the point?
And I feel the name Astrid would’ve been better suited to the step-mother and Isabel as the step-daughter. It’s very small but I kept confusing Astrid and Isabel in the beginning.
I loved how differently Claire and Delilah interpreted the same events. It was written in a way that reflected their own insecurities. This meant their miscommunication was understandable and not frustrating to read.
I thought the sexual scenes were written well with a focus on foreplay and consent. It was refreshing after reading the quick and blunt descriptions in ‘Verity’ by Coleen Hoover.
I was surprised by Astrid’s relationship with her fiancé. It was triggering to read at times. I feel like this book used the abuse as a plot device to bring the characters together without acknowledging the abusive nature of the relationship. I was expecting a conversation from the characters about it. The signs of an abusive relationship were subtly threaded throughout the novel but it wasn’t explicitly stated. This might’ve been a deliberate choice to not isolate the audience.
I didn’t like how much was told at the start, I feel like a lot could’ve been cut out to create a better flow. But I did enjoy this book. I will definitely be reading the other books in the Bright Falls series!
The first half dragged on for me a but then it really picked up!! Almost didn’t finish but I’m so glad I did.
I love all of the characters so much. I love the focus on female relationships (friendship, romance, siblings, mother/daughter). It was wonderful!
I’ve been wanting to read a queer book with a focus on women as the lead and supporting characters.
I appreciated the plus-size representation but after looking at the thin characters on the cover, I’m not sure I read Claire correctly.
All of the characters were white.
There was a lot of drinking. I don’t know if this story would’ve happened without alcohol.
I loved the descriptions of Delilah’s photographs. I loved her relationship with Ruby. I loved the camping chapter.
This is a side thing but I found it hard to remember the characters names? I really don’t think that Delilah Green is a fitting name for the main character. Her personality opposes the name. Which maybe is the point?
And I feel the name Astrid would’ve been better suited to the step-mother and Isabel as the step-daughter. It’s very small but I kept confusing Astrid and Isabel in the beginning.
I loved how differently Claire and Delilah interpreted the same events. It was written in a way that reflected their own insecurities. This meant their miscommunication was understandable and not frustrating to read.
I thought the sexual scenes were written well with a focus on foreplay and consent. It was refreshing after reading the quick and blunt descriptions in ‘Verity’ by Coleen Hoover.
I didn’t like how much was told at the start, I feel like a lot could’ve been cut out to create a better flow. But I did enjoy this book. I will definitely be reading the other books in the Bright Falls series!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Grief
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Infidelity, and Bullying