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jkneebone's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
In Delilah Green Doesn’t Care, the titular Delilah returns home to small-town Oregon to photograph her semi-estranged stepsister’s wedding and finds herself falling for one of the maids of honor, Claire. Delilah has aspirations of greatness in the NYC art world and a whole load of baggage with her stepmom Isabel and stepsister Astrid, and is only photographing Astrid’s wedding because she really needs the money. Claire is a single mom to ten year old Ruby, trying to navigate Ruby’s father’s recent reappearance in their lives. Along the way, Delilah agrees to team up with Claire and the other MOH Iris to break up the wedding, because Astrid’s fiancé is a grade-A asshole.
I was excited going into this because of how many people I saw enjoying it but I have to say…I was not impressed. In my opinion, it was not very well written - a lot of the language felt very rote and overused, and none of the descriptions of the romance felt specific or unique. Obviously in romance novels there are certain emotional beats the readers expect you to hit, but I also expect a bit of creativity in the wording if possible, and this book really missed the mark.
I also found myself getting annoyed with a lot of the characters. Delilah still has a major chip on her shoulder about being excluded by Astrid & co when they were teenagers, to the point where it seems to be the basis for most of her personality and decisions. I get that she had a shitty childhood and that as a kid she couldn’t see the nuance of the situation, but to be thirty and still not able to look beyond your own experiences to realize that the other people involved were also children at the time?Yes, we finally got that at the end when Delilah read Astrid’s diary, but that didn’t make up for Delilah’s willful ignorance for the first three-quarters of the story.
As for Claire - I wish that the book had focused more on her fear that Josh would leave her & Ruby again, rather than her worries about Ruby’s safety when with him, because it felt like mixed messaging and sometimes I found myself getting annoyed on his behalf! (Not something I want to be feeling about the MC’s ex in a romance novel!) I felt like we were *told* that Claire was worried about him leaving and upsetting Ruby, but what we *saw* was that she thought her daughter was literally unsafe with him, which left me wondering why the fuck she would let Ruby even visit him? In the first few chapters, she shows up unannounced at his apartment on a night when Ruby is staying with him and freaks out because he forgot to turn the oven off after dinner - which obviously isn’t great, but also, my parents definitely did that at least once when I was a kid, and our house didn’t burn down, nor was it even a big deal. She also complains/worries multiple times about Ruby staying up an hour past her bedtime when at Josh’s, but later in the book Ruby leaves a sleepover at 3 am - so it’s okay for her to be up literally all night at a friend’s house, but not to watch a movie with her dad? I know I’m ranting a bit here, but I really did NOT want to be on Josh’s side, yet I couldn’t help it! I wish instead of Claire being overprotective, she’d been worrying about future plans he was making with Ruby, to make it clear that his leaving, rather than his parenting skills, are what concern her.This also would have made the emotional impact when she thinks he has left again much greater.
If you’re looking for a spicy queer romance, this might fit the bill for you - it’s pretty standard as romance novels go, and clearly I had some issues with it, but lots of other people were not bothered by those things and liked it, so take my review with a grain of salt! Personally, I will not be picking up the next book in the series.
I was excited going into this because of how many people I saw enjoying it but I have to say…I was not impressed. In my opinion, it was not very well written - a lot of the language felt very rote and overused, and none of the descriptions of the romance felt specific or unique. Obviously in romance novels there are certain emotional beats the readers expect you to hit, but I also expect a bit of creativity in the wording if possible, and this book really missed the mark.
I also found myself getting annoyed with a lot of the characters. Delilah still has a major chip on her shoulder about being excluded by Astrid & co when they were teenagers, to the point where it seems to be the basis for most of her personality and decisions. I get that she had a shitty childhood and that as a kid she couldn’t see the nuance of the situation, but to be thirty and still not able to look beyond your own experiences to realize that the other people involved were also children at the time?
As for Claire - I wish that the book had focused more on her fear that Josh would leave her & Ruby again, rather than her worries about Ruby’s safety when with him, because it felt like mixed messaging and sometimes I found myself getting annoyed on his behalf! (Not something I want to be feeling about the MC’s ex in a romance novel!) I felt like we were *told* that Claire was worried about him leaving and upsetting Ruby, but what we *saw* was that she thought her daughter was literally unsafe with him, which left me wondering why the fuck she would let Ruby even visit him? In the first few chapters, she shows up unannounced at his apartment on a night when Ruby is staying with him and freaks out because he forgot to turn the oven off after dinner - which obviously isn’t great, but also, my parents definitely did that at least once when I was a kid, and our house didn’t burn down, nor was it even a big deal. She also complains/worries multiple times about Ruby staying up an hour past her bedtime when at Josh’s, but later in the book Ruby leaves a sleepover at 3 am - so it’s okay for her to be up literally all night at a friend’s house, but not to watch a movie with her dad? I know I’m ranting a bit here, but I really did NOT want to be on Josh’s side, yet I couldn’t help it! I wish instead of Claire being overprotective, she’d been worrying about future plans he was making with Ruby, to make it clear that his leaving, rather than his parenting skills, are what concern her.
If you’re looking for a spicy queer romance, this might fit the bill for you - it’s pretty standard as romance novels go, and clearly I had some issues with it, but lots of other people were not bothered by those things and liked it, so take my review with a grain of salt! Personally, I will not be picking up the next book in the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Abandonment and Death of parent
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
hobbithopeful's review against another edition
emotional
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
5.0
A charmingly delightful queer romantic comedy about learning to trust again, and what happens when you return to your home town. You guys this book had me all in my feels for real! (I ugly cried so much reading this!)
Delilah Green has made a life for herself in New York, and has gotten very practiced at casual hookups and flings, never one to try to have a real relationship after a bad heartbreak. With her stepsisters' wedding coming up, she must travel back to her hometown and confront her past in a place where she was never accepted.
Claire needs to get laid. Badly. The sexy lady she approaches at the bar is just what she needs, only it turns out she is none other than her best friend and bride to be, Astrid's, wicked stepsister, and so totally off limits.
Between wedding events and plotting over how to break up the bride and groom (yes really), the two begin to get very close. Seriously y'all...the SPICE in this book! Someone fetch me a fan and a glass of iced tea because it got steamy. The chemistry and banter between Claire and Delilah was so thrilling to read, and I loved watching their story evolve, as well as each of them grow.
Delilah so perfectly encapsulated the results of being misunderstood and neglected as a child. Astrid is on the other end of the spectrum, with her being the results of an overbearing and over critical Mother. Blake handled so well what happens when two siblings go through having a difficult childhood, and how resentment and misunderstanding can build over time into a twisted and ugly monstrosity.
My only complaint about this book is I wish someone had smacked around Isabel just a little bit. (Okay...a lot!) I wanted a full on rage scene with lots of slapping and maybe even some hitting with a fish.
A must read for lovers of queer books, or fans of a good love story. I can't wait to read the next book!
Delilah Green has made a life for herself in New York, and has gotten very practiced at casual hookups and flings, never one to try to have a real relationship after a bad heartbreak. With her stepsisters' wedding coming up, she must travel back to her hometown and confront her past in a place where she was never accepted.
Claire needs to get laid. Badly. The sexy lady she approaches at the bar is just what she needs, only it turns out she is none other than her best friend and bride to be, Astrid's, wicked stepsister, and so totally off limits.
Between wedding events and plotting over how to break up the bride and groom (yes really), the two begin to get very close. Seriously y'all...the SPICE in this book! Someone fetch me a fan and a glass of iced tea because it got steamy. The chemistry and banter between Claire and Delilah was so thrilling to read, and I loved watching their story evolve, as well as each of them grow.
Delilah so perfectly encapsulated the results of being misunderstood and neglected as a child. Astrid is on the other end of the spectrum, with her being the results of an overbearing and over critical Mother. Blake handled so well what happens when two siblings go through having a difficult childhood, and how resentment and misunderstanding can build over time into a twisted and ugly monstrosity.
My only complaint about this book is I wish someone had smacked around Isabel just a little bit. (Okay...a lot!) I wanted a full on rage scene with lots of slapping and maybe even some hitting with a fish.
A must read for lovers of queer books, or fans of a good love story. I can't wait to read the next book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Bullying, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Death of parent, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Abandonment, and Infidelity
the_lesbrarian's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment and Sexual content
Minor: Death of parent, Misogyny, Bullying, and Cancer
abookwormspov's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Death of parent, and Toxic relationship
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
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
karelovesbooks's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Minor: Death of parent
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