Name: laura's review of Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail by Ashley Herring Blake
Item: Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail
Rating: 5
Author: laura

Ashley Herring Blake

An interior designer learns to rebuild her love life from the ground up with zero blueprints in this new romantic comedy by Ashley Herring Blake, author of Delilah Green Doesn't Care.

For Astrid Parker, failure is unacceptable. Ever since she broke up with her fiancé a year ago, she’s been focused on her career—her friends might say she’s obsessed, but she’s just driven. When Pru Everwood asks her to be the designer for the Everwood Inn’s renovation that will be broadcasted on a popular home improvement show, Innside America, Astrid knows this is the answer to everything that is wrong with her life. It’ll be the perfect distraction from her failed love life, and her perpetually displeased mother might finally give her nod of approval.

However, Astrid never planned on Jordan Everwood, Pru’s granddaughter and lead carpenter for the inn’s renovation, who despises every modern design decision Astrid makes. Jordan is determined to preserve the history of her family’s inn, particularly as the rest of her life is in shambles. When that determination turns into a little light sabotage, ruffling Astrid’s perfect little feathers, the showrunners ask them to play up the tension. But somewhere along the way, their dislike for each other turns into something quite different, and Astrid must decide what success truly means. Is she going to pursue the life that she’s expected to lead, or the one she wants?

Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail

A clever and steamy queer romantic comedy from the author of Delilah Green Doesn't Care - perfect for fans of Alexandria Bellefleur, Casey McQuiston and Rosie Danan. Why readers love Delilah Green... 'A hot, frothy romcom with a relatable heart beating at its centre. I loved every hilarious character, every outrageous shenanigan - and most of all, I loved Delilah Green. I can't wait for the rest of the series!' Talia Hibbert, New York Times bestselling author of Act Your Age, Eve Brown 'A truly exquisite romance about second chances, new beginnings, and the fragile joy of letting people in. I'm wildly in love with this book' Rachel Lynn Solomon, author of The Ex Talk 'A classic in the making, Ashely's adult debut is a warm welcome home from the first page. A swoon-worthy, laugh-out-loud romp of a romance' Kosoko Jackson, author of I'm So Not Over You 'Delilah Green Doesn't Care is the dreamy, steamy, utterly satisfying answer to your craving for an outcast-and-former-mean-girl romance. And let's not forget the snappy banter and seriously scorching chemistry; you'll need a very cold shower after this read!' Lana Harper, author of Payback's a Witch 'Charming and entertaining, Delilah Green Doesn't Care entrances the reader with the redemptive power of love. Blake's masterful blend of sexual tension and growing affection will have readers swooning' Karelia Stetz-Waters, author of Satisfaction Guaranteed 'What an absolute joy to read! Snarky, steamy, and swoony in equal measure, I never wanted this book to end, but there's an easy momentum to Blake's writing that made it impossible to put down' Meryl Wilsner, author of Something to Talk About

Darrik Moberg

She could charm the "Inside America" crew, but that was work. She had a context there. Drop her in the middle of this boisterous group and she was lost. 

laura

I loved Astrid and Jordan’s relationship, and I love them individually. The grand gesture was so cute too, but the dialogues frustrated me.

Romy

This is the second book in the Bright Falls series and after enjoying book 1 I knew that I just wanted to pick book 2 up straight away as if I start a series at the moment I’m trying to finish it before moving on and I find with romance books this is such a great feeling as I can just get lost in the Characters and setting.

Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail follows Astrid several months after her cancelled wedding. Things are not going to plan - personally or professionally. So, when she is given the chance to appear as the lead designer on a TV show, she jumps at the chance. After an unfortunate first meeting, she finds herself working with Jordan, the lead carpenter. Romance ensues.

I loved the small-town vibes in this one and it had a great set of Characters, and I loved the story continuing from Book 1 although you could read these as standalones I feel. Astrid certainly grew as a character across this book and learning who she is outside of other people’s expectations of herself. It’s also a story about coming out or realising their identity later in life.

A real strength of the previous book in the series was the realism of the conflict, both internally and externally and that is very much the same in this one. I Loved how Astrid’s friends are around to help her through the hard and difficult times and how they all support each other when they need it. I now can’t wait to finish this series with Book 3!

Ian Brakspear

This is the second book in the Bright Falls series and after enjoying book 1 I knew that I just wanted to pick book 2 up straight away as if I start a series at the moment I’m trying to finish it before moving on and I find with romance books this is such a great feeling as I can just get lost in the Characters and setting.

 

Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail follows Astrid several months after her cancelled wedding. Things are not going to plan - personally or professionally. So, when she is given the chance to appear as the lead designer on a TV show, she jumps at the chance. After an unfortunate first meeting, she finds herself working with Jordan, the lead carpenter. Romance ensues.

 

I loved the small-town vibes in this one and it had a great set of Characters, and I loved the story continuing from Book 1 although you could read these as standalones I feel. Astrid certainly grew as a character across this book and learning who she is outside of other people’s expectations of herself. It’s also a story about coming out or realising their identity later in life.

 

A real strength of the previous book in the series was the realism of the conflict, both internally and externally and that is very much the same in this one. I Loved how Astrid’s friends are around to help her through the hard and difficult times and how they all support each other when they need it. I now can’t wait to finish this series with Book 3!

I didn’t love this as much as the first one but overall it was good! 

A quick easy sapphic romance read. I can practically picture the inn! 

Brittany Peterson

3.5 stars from me!!! 

I didn’t love this as much as the first one but overall it was good! 

A quick easy sapphic romance read. I can practically picture the inn! 

I like the ending a lot but the whole time I was screaming a bit because the family asked for a modern sleek design!!! and she gave them what they asked for!!!! you don’t hire an artist knowing their style is one thing and then berate them for doing it that way lol!!! do I hate most modern design? yes. does the way jordan did the design sound better than modern? also yes. but still, that’s literally what they asked for, if they wanted something creative they should’ve said!!! if I suspend my irritation the book was sweet though, and happy pride

fris🐝

Wes Michaud

( I listened to the audiobook of this so I will also be talking about to narrator's performance) 
THIS BOOK!!!! I don't know where to begin telling you about the love I have for this book I loved being back in bright falls and getting to see the gang again. following Astrid in this book was so fun I loved getting to know her better and seeing her relationship with her mom. I like how Astrid and Jordan's relationship developed throughout the book and as a tarot bitch I need what they have. seeing how Delilah and Claire's relationship had grown and gotten stronger since we last saw them was nice and seeing that Astrid and Delilah have gotten closer since the last book and that Delilah has settled into the friend group was also nice 
Kristen DiMercurio has officially become one of my favorite audiobook narrators she perfectly captures the personality and emotions of each character and gives them each a unique voice

ayoni

Gayyy!! I rarely read fiction and I’m glad I read this. I’ve really resonated with the way Jordan felt towards her ex leaving her - I just went through a breakup that left me feeling the exact same way. This is the first queer book I’ve ever read, and I’ve never actually seen myself so beautifully represented in pages. That in and of itself I loved so much. Also the spicy scenes are v good and v gay 💕✨

Molly

Kendall McClain

3.5! 
So adorable, I was very much invested! I did enjoy Delilah Green doesn’t care more though

I liked Delilah Green doesn't care but I LOVED Astrid Parker doesn't fail, I guess I just got more emotionally attached to Astrid than Delilah, but both are great reads! This book contains everything you want in a romance book, I loved their chemistry so much they're literally soulmates <33

( I listened to the audiobook of this so I will also be talking about to narrator's performance) 

THIS BOOK!!!! I don't know where to begin telling you about the love I have for this book I loved being back in bright falls and getting to see the gang again. following Astrid in this book was so fun I loved getting to know her better and seeing her relationship with her mom. I like how Astrid and Jordan's relationship developed throughout the book and as a tarot bitch I need what they have. seeing how Delilah and Claire's relationship had grown and gotten stronger since we last saw them was nice and seeing that Astrid and Delilah have gotten closer since the last book and that Delilah has settled into the friend group was also nice 

Kristen DiMercurio has officially one of my favorite audiobook narrators she perfectly captures the personality and emotions of each character and gives them each a unique voice   

( I listened to the audiobook of this so I will also be talking about to narrator's performance) 

THIS BOOK!!!! I don't know where to begin telling you about the love I have for this book I loved being back in bright falls and getting to see the gang again. following Astrid in this book was so fun I loved getting to know her better and seeing her relationship with her mom. I like how Astrid and Jordan's relationship developed throughout the book and as a tarot bitch I need what they have. seeing how Delilah and Claire's relationship had grown and gotten stronger since we last saw them was nice and seeing that Astrid and Delilah have gotten closer since the last book and that Delilah has settled into the friend group was also nice 

Kristen DiMercurio has officially one of my favorite audiobook narrators she perfectly captures the personality and emotions of each character and gives them each a unique voice   

doesn’t it feel a bit performative when every character HAS to point out that they only date (or feel attraction towards) women or non-binary people. but the one (1) enby character we do have we see for a literal TWO seconds. idk, it’s just something that i’ve noticed is a pattern in this series.

ash (smokedshelves)

SAPPHIC HALLMARK MOVIE! Absolutely too cute to be true. Very sweet. 

Sophia 

SAPPHIC HALLMARK MOVIE! Absolutely too cute to be true. Very sweet. 

1/5 spicy rating 

loved it! can't wait for the third book of this series

Nina Herder

Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail was a lot of fun. I loved seeing the characters from Delilah Green again, and meeting new ones in this book. This book is about a journey, and finding who you are, and I just loved it. Ashley Herring Blake is a fantastic writer in the romance genre, and I can’t wait to read more. I loved the romance between Jordan and Astrid because it started off a little messy, like life and love. I recommend this if you love queer romances with a lot of hear

Steph L 

loved it! definitely more meaningful than DGDC

berenice!!!

Adorable, artsy queerness in all of it's glory. Blake does a wonderful job of representing the queer community, with a diverse cast of friends & side characters. I'm excited and hopeful for an Emery & Simon love story, they seem like good sh*t.

Ps: ALL GOOD BOOKS SHOULD HAVE FRIENDS AS WONDERFUL AS THESE.

Kate B-L

Adorable, artsy queerness in all of it's glory. Blake does a wonderful job of representing the queer community, with a diverse cast of friends & side characters. I'm excited and hopeful for an Emery & Simon love story, they seem like good sh*t.

Ps: ALL GOOD BOOKS SHOULD HAVE FRIENDS AS WONDERFUL AS THESE.

Amery Mcmullen

Izza

Wonko the Sane

** spoiler alert **
           With thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail is the second book in the Bright Falls series that began with Delilah Green Doesn’t Care and will continue next year with Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date. Each book in the series so far has been a contemporary Sapphic romance, each with their own tropes.

This book’s main trope is Enemies to Lovers. Our two leads, Astrid and Jordan, get off to a pretty bad start when Jordan barrels into Astrid one morning and covers her expensive dress in coffee. But oh no, it turns out they have to work together on a renovation that’s being filmed for a reality show, and the host really wants them to play up their enmity for the cameras. Whatever will they do.

Fall in love, obviously.

For most of the first half of this book I was sure I was going to give it two stars. The first thing that irked me was my feeling that we were supposed to take a dim view of Astrid and disapprove of her “meanness” when dealing with Jordan when they first met. But…what did she do that was so wrong? Be a bit snappish to someone who hurt her (scraped palms were mentioned) and damaged a $1000 dress on a really important day? Expect said clumsy oaf to pay for dry cleaning? Seems reasonable enough to me. Jordan honestly behaves much worse in the few chapters after this interaction, in my opinion, but it feels like the narrative wants us to take her side.

So, rough start. For the next 100-150 pages it didn’t really improve. However, when they stop butting heads for no reason, the book improves somewhat. Enemies dispensed with, we move to the lovers part of the book.

From this point on it’s so much so contemporary romance: good sex, drama-creating exes, miscommunication, disaster, breakup, pining, grand gesture love declaration, happily ever after.

If that sounds like a formula you would enjoy, you will like this book.

Personally I would have liked more development of Astrid. Lip-service is paid to her feelings about developing a queer identity in her 30s. I would have liked more examination of that and less of Jordan’s texts from her ex.

Overall, 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3.

Jana Jenkinns 

I loved this so fucking much and I cannot wait for Iris' story. 

This book. Astrid in all her flawed amazing-ness. Jordan in all her growth. I am just so in love with this group of characters that I can't find words to accurately describe how much I love this book. 
😭😍💜🧡💙

laura &
Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail by Ashley Herring Blake

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