Reviews with content warning for Grief - Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail

Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail by Ashley Herring Blake

38 reviews

the_lesbrarian's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

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cass_ward's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

Where was bisexual representation like this when I was a closeted teenager? I’ve been out for years but reading this book took me right back to how it felt to fall in love with my queerness. Astrid and Jordan are cute and awkward and frustrating and incredibly perfect. Getting to know Astrid in “Delilah Green Doesn’t Care” and then seeing her truly come to life in this book was such a joy. Wow wow wow. Just wow. I’m so grateful there are stories like this for bi’s like me 🥺

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just_one_more_paige's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted fast-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? It's complicated

4.0

I really was into the first book in the Bright Falls series last year, Delilah Green Doesn't Care, and my "lean into the romance" vacation vibe meant the time was right to pick up the second in this series.

So the first book ends with Astrid making the major decision to call off her perfect (as per her mother and societal standards) wedding. This feels like it should be a fresh start for Astrid, finally casting off all the expectations and finding who/what she wants. But, as we open this book, we see it hasn't really. She's even more stuck than she was before, trying to claw her way back into her mother's good(?) graces. So when the opportunity comes for her to revitalize her life and business as the lead interior designer for the local Everwood Inn renovation (a renovation that's going to be televised on a very popular HGTV-style show), she grabs it as her chance to turn everything around. But a disastrous meet-cute the morning of the first taping, that ends up (of course!) being with Jordan Everwood, the lead carpenter on the project *and* granddaughter of the Inn's owner Pru. Despite being opposites in so many ways, and knocking heads repeatedly on the plans and vision for the inn's remodel, the tension between Astrid and Jordan turns into something different. And they'll both have to decide if their respective second chances/new directions in life will include each other or not.

I was hesitant to pick this one up after the first because honestly, I was iffy on Astrid. Her super uptight and rigid kind of character is just not my favorite to read. (Full disclosure here, as I read, I realized her internal dialogue was very familiar, perhaps too familiar? And maybe that's why I was feeling tentative about reading it - there are some parts of oneself that are not super fun to be introspective about and that just is what it is.) On the other hand, Jordan is my jam..the kind of person that I wanted to be and realized later (similar to Astrid, see?) that I maybe just wanted. But anyways, in the end, I really liked them together. Their chemistry felt real within its context. The enemies to lovers started in a place and for reasons that I feel good about them overcoming (as opposed to some really bad histories I’ve read and just can’t wrap my mind around putting in the past) and it’s making their pull towards each other feel all the more legitimate, because neither really wants but there's nothing truly bad holding them back. I was excited for them to finally give in. And when it happened...the sparks were stellar. There was also a bit of guilelessness to this relationship that you don’t always get with romance novels, and there was something so soft and sweet about it that grew on me more than I’d have expected. I was just really bought into this pairing.

A few other notes on the book. Plotwise, the setup was a good one. Reasonable and believable, which is not always a given in contemporary romance. The Inn remodel was giving Gilmore Girls vibes that were perfect for the switchover from summer to autumn. And it provided a great emotional backdrop for the rest of the story to unfold within. I could not love this friend group more, honestly, and I was thrilled to be back with them. There was a fun tarot theme woven throughout and I'm a sucker for tarot, so I did love that. I actually *gasped* out loud when this contemporary queer romance series referenced others (Written in the Stars, among others) on-page. That is the kind of book-inception I can get behind. What a deeply fulfilling nerd moment. Finally, with the (slightly) older characters and "figuring it out" late that were central to the plot and themes of this novel, I really appreciated the deeper level of the problems (both internally and externally) that Astrid and Jordan were dealing with. How flawed they were, in how they dealt with their own problems and with each other, alongside how willing to recognize and address it they were (after realizing first responses were less ideal) all rang very authentically messy-mature. I was here for it.

Overall, I enjoyed this second book more than I'd been expecting to (perhaps even against my will, a bit?). Bright Falls is a fun setting and these characters are just wonderful. Definitely ready for the next one sooner rather than later!

"For everyone who figured it out a little later in life."

“Never before doesn’t mean never ever. You know that, right?”

“There were other memories, countless moments she’d long ago chalked up to admiration or envy. Just good old-fashioned jealousy. She wanted to be those girls, or maybe even compete with them, as horrible as that sounded, not make out with them. And maybe that really was all it was sometimes. Simple observation. But maybe those tiny clues actually added up to a whole lot more, and she’d simply never let herself face it. She liked guys, so she focused on guys. It was easy to ignore anything else.”

“…and for once she was going to do what she wanted. She was going to act instead of all this constant, exhausting thinking.”

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redefiningrachel's review against another edition

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emotional funny 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

4.0

Content Warnings

katyfayyyx's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective 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

4.0

God, I do love my silly little queer romance books 🌈.

I was a little worried that I wouldn't like this one as I thought the idea of a romance being set around an interior design/make over show showed kinda boring to me because I couldn't give less off a shit about interior design shows were like this book... girl, I would be a super fan because this book was just so much fun like it was just so good. Ashley Herring Blake clearly has and will never miss with her romance because damn this shit hit different.

Every single person in the book have the most unhinged and chaotic energy but in the best way especially Iris would I love deeply and who I am very excited to see take centre stage in her book Iris Kelly Doesn't Date which I believe is coming out in October!!! But I am also kinda sad because it is the last one in the series and I just love all the characters. I also loved how much of menace everyone in this book was from Iris telling Astrid about Jordan new job or Jordan just painting and changing the whole design without asking Astrid.

I loved getting to know more about Astrid and seeing her try and heal from her childhood and her mother's control because the women is a piece of work and I fear that she could make me cry. I loved how both Astrid and Jordan challenged each other and changed and grow into to better people because of each other but Jesus Christ did they take their time getting to kissing part like girl... it took so long that it was driving me a bit crazy and then when you think they are finally going to kiss Jordan pulls again and just wanted to scream but when they finally got over themselves, they really went there and they didn't stop and it just so fun and loved it. I also loved seeing Astrid's and her friendship group and her relationship with Delilah it was really nice seeing them start getting a relationship and heal from their difficult relationship and it was just really cute to see them starting having a sister relationship even if Astrid is shocked that she actually liked her most of the time. I can't lie one of my favourite moment of this whole book was Astrid in a blind Bi panic goes to Delilah's house to tell her she had a sex dream because that was a totally normal and sound thing to do, don't get me wrong I love my sister deeply but I would never and I mean never tell her if I a sex dream about someone.

Something I love about these book is that we get both POVs can we please normalised this for romance novels because I fucking love seeing both of them longing and wanting each other. It was just so fun. I don't get me wrong I loved them as a pair but I also loved them as individual characters because it felt like they are both given space to develop as whole character. I can't lie I really related to both of the main character because I am a deeply fucked up person who should got to therapy (and not just read queer romances and listen to Taylor swift and while crying) but you know it is what it is. They were me and I am them because I don't think I deserve anything good and when good things happen to me and I think I am going to fuck up and I am not even going to get into my fear of failure because girllllll, it's bad. I really give ✨Burned Out Autism Academic Gifted Gay Mess✨. Also the two main characters was just so fucking Taylor Swift coded it really screamed Folklore ✨This Is Me Trying & Mirrorball✨ Also can we just talk about the tension from the started between these two characters, girl it was everything and just knew it was going to be so good when Astrid find out who Jordan was, I was in love and so were them! Also they were just so wholesome and cute I loved when the went on there date not date to the movies and when they went to the park after and then when she throw up and then got naked because she was so drunk and I loved that Astrid got drunk for the first time and I love how they both have fun with each other and the names in each other phone. The baking and her baking and then her singing was just so wholesome. Also there is something so iconic that Astrid has never had good sex before and doesn't figure that shit out until she fucked a girl for the first time, I love that for her. Girl they were just perfection.

Also I loved how we got to know Jordan family as well and her relationship with her twin and nan was just so cute, like I loved her and Simon and how protective they were about each other and I loved how the became a part of the friendship that they also call it the coven just so cute. I want friends like that when will it be my turn.

I have said this before but I will say it again this whole book series would make such a series of films but that's never going to happened because the world and the hate Sapphic media but a queer girl can wish.

I also really liked that we got to see more of Delilah and Claire because they are just in love and I love them, they are just so fucking cute man, the fact that Astrid says it is a forever kind of love (girl I did in fact nearly cry) and the fact that Delilah apartment before they both move in together having family pictures up that just so fucking cute and I just thought it was just so wholesome when Ruby came out as queer to them and they are helping though it and I just loved it and I love their cute little queer characters

However, girl these women were fucking stressing me out near the end, like for the love of christ please fucking talk to each other but then it was really cute with the whole tarot cards but Jesus also what the fuck was it with the whole Meredith storyline because she was just fucking a messy and toxic bitch you left her, leave her the fuck only. Imagine being the one to leave and then have the audacity to went to be bestie with her, yeah fuck that queen. I would I have not been that nice about it.

The humour in this book was just so well done and it just so funny and it planned so well. I love when Women, Women and these fuckers really do women!!! Maybe I am just gay, guess we will never know.

"God, we must be in love or something? It's like it's fate. Astrid Parker, are you saying that you're my destiny? Astrid's eyes went to a piece of art on the wall by the fireplace.Settled in between off-white matting and surrounded by a square sage-green frame, were nine Tarot cards. Nine Two Of Cups. She smiled and kissed Jordan softly on the mouth . That's exactly what I'm saying Jordan Everwood.'

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fanboyriot's review against another edition

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funny 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

5.0

Read For:

Small Town

Rivals to Lovers

Queer Awakening

Workplace Romance

Coming Out Later in Life

I absolutely loved all the queer rep in this book. The small-town romance I didn't even know I needed. The friendships, the side characters, and the setting were all so lovely too. I love the vibe of Bright Falls and I was happy to read more from this world. It was also lovely to read more about Astrid and getting to see her find out who she is without her mother controlling everything. It was so satisfying to see her character development.

(Switching, Third Person POV)

Spice: 🌶🌶🌶🌶

Rep: Bisexual MC, Lesbian MC, Non-Binary SC, BIPOC SC, LGBTQIA+

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stacy837's review against another edition

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funny hopeful 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

4.0

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ka_ke's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted fast-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

4.0

Ashley Herring Blake is becoming one of my favourite cozy authors. I love her characters, the settings, and the sociology that is incorporated in her explanation of queer culture.

Although predictable, sometimes thats what you need.

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kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A little slow to capture my full-attention, this book made up for that with a sweet second half. It’s an enemies to lovers with some forced proximity which was an okay plot line but not my favorite. There’s a little spice but not as much as other romance novels. Overall it was cute, fun, and enjoyable.

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psitstorrie's review against another edition

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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

It’s cute! The characters are fun and relatable, and the angst balances the fluff well! It’s a solid sequel, and I actually like the character development and plot more than Delilah’s book. Astrid is such a compelling character and seeing her journey was really nice. I love Jordan. I love how the old and new characters were incorporated

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