Delilah Green Doesn't Care (Bright Falls, #1)

Delilah Green Doesn’t Care is a 2022 adult lesbian romantic comedy novel by Ashley Herring Blake. It is the first book in her Bright Falls series, followed by Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail in 2023 and Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date in 2024. Herring Blake has also written numerous books for younger audiences, and her 2018 middle grade novel Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World was a Stonewall Honor Book and a Best Book of 2018 for Kirkus, School Library Journal, the New York Public Library, and NPR. Her work often focuses on the experiences and relationships of LGBTQ+ women.

This guide refers to the Kindle e-book edition.

This guide contains extensive spoilers for the plot of Delilah Green Doesn’t Care and reveals some story elements earlier than they appear in the text.

Content Warning: The source text and this guide discuss brief instances of anti-lesbian bias.

Plot Summary

Delilah Green is abruptly awakened in the middle of the night by an unwanted phone call from her stepsister, Astrid Parker. Disoriented after a night of casual sex in a stranger’s apartment, Delilah is reminded that Astrid expects her to photograph her upcoming wedding and two weeks of associated events. Their relationship is chilly, as Delilah was orphaned and raised by Astrid’s demanding mother, Isabel, who largely ignored her. Delilah reluctantly agrees to come.

The narrative then introduces Claire Sutherland, the owner of a local bookstore who is best friends with Astrid and Iris Kelly. Claire is in turmoil because her ex-partner, Josh Foster, has returned to town and resumed seeing their pre-teen daughter, Ruby. Claire has retreated to the town’s local bar with Iris to meet Astrid and distract herself from her stress. Claire is lonely and eager for a more fulfilling adult dating life. Iris persuades her to get someone’s number. Claire approaches a curly-haired stranger with tattoos who turns out to be Delilah. Delilah is attracted to Claire and flirts with her, pretending they are strangers until Astrid arrives.

Delilah accepts a last-minute invitation to show her photography at the prestigious Whitney Museum of American Art, mere days after Astrid’s wedding. At the pre-wedding brunch, Delilah bets Astrid that she can attract Claire’s romantic interest before the wedding. The brunch is held in Delilah’s childhood home, named Wisteria House by her father after his favorite flower. Isabel is cold toward Delilah, and Josh brings Ruby there late. Delilah helps Ruby tailor her party dress more to her liking, earning Claire’s gratitude and sparking Astrid’s resentment. Delilah knocks over a tower of champagne flutes, bringing the event to a sudden end.

That evening, Delilah visits Claire’s bookstore. She admits to enjoying their flirtation and trying to remain anonymous to continue it, increasingly sure that she will win the bet with Astrid. During a dinner at Delilah’s childhood home, Claire helps Delilah through her anxiety. The two agree that Astrid’s fiancé, Spencer, is misogynistic and unpleasant. Delilah feigns a fall and pulls him into the lake with her, further alienating Astrid.

The next day, Delilah, Claire, Astrid, and Iris visit a nearby vineyard and spa. They arrive to find that there is no room for Delilah, so Claire offers to share a bed with her. Iris takes Claire and Delilah aside and enlists them both in her new plan to stop Astrid’s wedding. Delilah says that they must work to convince Astrid that Spencer is the wrong partner for her. An easy friendship begins to form between Delilah, Iris, and Claire.

Back in their shared room, Claire briefly shares her frustration with Josh. Claire asks Delilah about her artistic ambitions, and Delilah confesses that after her breakup with her ex, Jax, she came back to Bright Falls. By chance, she saw Claire wading into the Bright River in formalwear, screaming in pain. Delilah surreptitiously took photos, knowing she had found her new style emphasizing queer women in nature. Claire is stunned but clearly appreciative. She and Delilah kiss passionately. They are interrupted when Astrid arrives. Delilah feels alienated and hurt when Claire is eager to hide any evidence of their encounter. Astrid tries to apologize for accidentally forgetting a fourth room, but Delilah ignores her.

As the four drive back to Bright Falls, Iris insists that Delilah is part of their plan to stop the wedding. The next day, Delilah joins Iris at Claire’s home. Iris says that they will all go camping with Josh and Ruby, allaying Claire’s fears for her daughter’s safety and gaining more time to talk about Spencer with Astrid. Delilah spends more time with Ruby and teaches her about photography. After Ruby leaves for a sleepover, Delilah and Claire drink wine and read tarot, which ends in sex. Ruby comes home from her sleepover in the middle of the night, and Claire’s desire to conceal their romance makes Delilah feel rejected. She and Claire discuss Delilah’s difficult childhood and their very different views of Astrid. Claire says that whatever happened in the past, she wants to remain involved until Delilah returns to New York.

On the camping trip, Claire and Delilah grow closer, though Claire is still anxious about Josh. Claire and Delilah play a prank on Spencer together, putting cayenne pepper in his underwear. That night, Astrid almost confesses her doubts but insists that Delilah must be indifferent to her problems. After the camping trip, Delilah and Claire’s bond deepens, as they go on a roller-skating date and are clearly falling in love.

At the novel’s climax, Iris and Claire arrive at Astrid’s to find that she is throwing Spencer out of her house, furious that he has bought a house in Seattle without consulting her. Astrid confesses that she never loved Spencer, and Iris and Claire offer their support. Claire’s anxiety worsens since Josh has disappeared, leaving Ruby’s texts to him unanswered.

Claire persuades Delilah to join them at Wisteria House. There, Delilah overhears Isabel disparage Delilah, who flees to Astrid’s childhood bedroom. She finds Astrid’s journals, which reveal her lifelong desire for a meaningful relationship with Delilah. Stunned by this revelation, Delilah seeks comfort with Claire, who asks her to consider a real relationship together. Astrid finds them and castigates Claire for secretly dating Delilah. Astrid believes that Delilah is undermining her friendship with Claire when Delilah has ignored Astrid her entire life. Astrid mentions Delilah’s proposed bet, horrifying Claire and Iris. Delilah leaves rather than explain further, seeing that Claire is too hurt to believe she truly loves her.

Delilah has her art show at the Whitney and finds Astrid there, seeking reconciliation and apologizing for their fraught history. Delilah also apologizes. Astrid tells her to bring back a specific print for Claire, implicitly supporting their relationship.

Josh returns to Claire’s home to explain that he was building a house nearby and has launched a new construction business. He had no phone service and was unaware that his texts to Ruby were never sent. They reconcile, and Josh urges Claire to be happy with Delilah. Delilah surprises Claire with a display of photographs in her store, including one of the two of them. She tells Claire that her new artistic career will be based out of Bright Falls if Claire is ready for a future with her. Claire accepts, and the two reunite. The ending features Claire, Astrid, and Delilah toasting to their newfound connection.