A review by lindentea
Iris Kelly Doesn't Date by Ashley Herring Blake

emotional funny 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

5.0

Listen. I know these books aren't for everyone but I feel like this one was QUEER and not just gay if that makes sense, at least re: how STUPID sapphic women are in dating and "omg does she like me" and what have you. Then again Stevie was engineered in a lab for me to love so like maybe take this a grain of salt. Also maybe some of the best sex scenes I've read in a romance novel (IN MY OPINION) (BECAUSE OF MY PERSONAL PREFERENCES) (NOT SURE IF REAL) ... kind of like the Eve Brown of the series in that it's the most relatable, sexiest (

esp bc of how they're kind of trad-pub nonconventional... yay sex toys!!!!

), and the third one that wraps the whole thing up. Ending with

the Delilah/Claire wedding

was lowkey lame tho...

I get we as readers are meant to be excited for them but having that be the epilogue makes this a bit harder to recommend to people as a standalone, which imo you should be able to do with romance series. previous couples should be a fun easter egg! i would have loved if the epilogue was Iris going to go see Stevie at the Delacorte

. Now if only Blake could write POC as main characters instead of side characters that get introduced like "so-and-so was [race], [optional: sexuality, or gender if trans or gnc], and a total badass"!