The bisexuals are winning with Ashley Herring Blake and her Bright Falls series. This one might be even better than the last.
Dates read: 21/02/24 to 08/04/24
Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Word to describe: Harmonious
Genre: Romantic Fiction
Astrid Parker was introduced to readers in Delilah Green Doesn't Care (you can check out my review here). In which, she was engaged to a white picket fence man with perfect hair, perfect teeth, and a perfect life. That was all Astrid had ever dreamed of, all her mother had told her she must have from a young age. Until he turned out to an ass and the engagement was called off in a rather dramatic fashion. Astrid was now an embarrassment and her mother has never let her forget it. Boasting about how her ex fiancé is now dating a model and living it up, as if Astrid could care less. Astrid has her own problems, like her ever-growing anxiety and existential crisis about her life and how everything is ruined and her family and friends will never understand and AND.
And, enter her dream job, restoring the Everwood Manor, and starring on an upcoming interior designer TV show, which will thrust her business into the limelight and further afield than her small town. A chance to restart, and take a break from all of that pesky overthinking and replace it with none stop work so she can't even hear herself think. (You know, this is the truest representation of anxiety I have ever read. So that's at least a star alone). So, Astrid put on her favourite dress. The dress that made her look hot and like a powerful goddess business woman who knows her shit and is not on the verge of a breakdown. Enter Jordan, a clumsy woman, who's life is running on a similar pattern of fuck ups, who happens to smack right into Astrid and ruins her perfectly perfect dress with dirt brown coffee. Nice.
I think that's called karma for being a bitch to Delilah in the previous book but shh I'll try not to play favourites between the sisters.
Jordan Everwood (yeah, that Everwood) is having a bit of a hard time. The love of her life divorced her and she has lost all hope in love. Plus, this designer Astrid Parker is re-modelling her grandmothers home and being a pain in the ass trying to ruin her family home and turn it into some form of modern day, high class (boring) home. There is an instant attraction between Astrid and Jordan but it's irrelevant no matter what the tarot cards say. The pair begin on uneasy terms, constantly bickering and simultaneously vying for each others attention. From Jordan sabotaging Astrid's design to Astrid blocking Jordan from any creative processes these two women often go head to head for the prize of being the sole designer.
Thing is, the attraction between the two can be sensed from a mile away. The only person oblivious is totally straight Astrid Parker. Sure, she had a sex dream about Jordan and pleasured herself thinking about her but that's normal it doesn't mean she's gay. And neither does any of her teenage crushes so get off her back. Except it totally does and Astrid Parker is in for a big shock. She's getting pushed out of that closet by her own desire for Jordan - literally.
I absolutely adore the way this romance was put together. The unlikely friendship between two polar opposite characters made for a perfect pairing. They healed each others wounds (Astrid's anxiety and perfection obsessed thanks to childhood trauma and Jordan's freshly broken heart thanks to her ex-wife), and the whole process from friends to lovers to happily ever after felt although it had such a natural progression. The plot wasn't forced on the characters, the moments between them were sincere, and had someone told me in reality (ew reality) that this was their meet cute I would never question it.
The characters were beautifully written and developed, the plot was executed and worked! and it all mashed together to create a wholesome and heartfelt romance. I truly enjoyed this one. (And maybe cried a little with the mental growth for Astrid but that girl became my favourite so damn fast -sorry Delilah). The whole thing just worked. I don't know how else to describe it. It was simply a brilliant story for the author to write and a better one to read.
Comments