I didn't realize when I started reading this how short it was! I thought my reading speed had increased tenfold when I was halfway through after just an hour. Turns out, I'm not special. But I think the length of this book speaks to my complaints about it - every single scene felt breezed through and incomplete.

I enjoyed Darcy and Elliot - as much as you can enjoy two characters who don't have all that much depth. And the ending felt inevitable. It was a quick read, and a fine story, but nothing to write home about in my opinion. The quotes at the beginning of each chapter were fun!

Blurb:
Who knew three words held such destructive power? No, not THOSE three words. I'm talking about the evil word trio that's my own personal kryptonite, that stole my best friend, and took away the only woman I've ever loved:
I dare you.

I was six when Darcy Patrick moved next door.
By the time we were eight, we were best friends.

At fifteen, I gave a classmate a black eye for calling her names.
At sixteen, she talked me through asking my crush to prom.

I helped her get over her first heartbreak at nineteen.
Two years later, she returned the favor.

It wasn’t until I was twenty-nine I realized I loved her.
And because I was too stupid to do anything about it,
at thirty, I lost her for good on a dare.

Darcy Patrick is tried of watching her best friend, Elliott Taber, date the wrong kind of woman. When his latest flavor of the month walks out on him, she dares him to let her find his next date. Elliott agrees, but only after Darcy agrees to allow him to do the same.

The dare is on.

The dates take place on the same night. One is an epic fail. The other is just plain epic.

Elliott isn’t prepared for the onslaught of emotions hitting him as Darcy seemingly finds everything she ever wanted with the man he set her up with. He should be happy for her. He should leave her alone.

But he can’t.

So he makes one more dare….

Review, spoilers!!!:
I liked this book, it was a sweat read. I thought the book would finish a bit sooner. The H was to chicken to talk about his feelings with his bestie (with whom he was in love). Afraid of losing their friendship. I mean I get it, but why dare to set each other up, when you both want to be together. Why torture yourself with the knowledge the one you love is dating another person.
I`m sorry for Tate, but I understand that his book is next.

What I liked:
This is a new to me author, I`m always a bit careful then. I liked the book, it`s sweet.
Elliott`s date with Kara was funny, poor girl.

What I didn`t like:
If they would have talked sooner, they would be together sooner. But we wouldn`t have a book then.

With a premise like that, what could go wrong? Well, one could create wonderful characters, a great scenery, and a good plot, but mess it up by choosing a first person, present tense narrative that turned this otherwise great book into a barely good one. To the Author's defense, she switched between both of the main character's point of view in a skilled manner, which made this book readable, much more than what I can say about a lot of books who choose this type of narration. Also, the characters were likable enough to be able to stand to spend time in their heads - however, they would have been a lot better, and more entertaining if a more traditional approach in storytelling would have been used. At least, I was able to finish the book, and it did not leave me with a bad aftertaste.

If you do like books in this particular narrative style, then I have to say it is one of the better ones.

Darcy and Elliott have been friends since childhood. They dare each other that can set each other with a perfect date. But than Elliott wants more and eventually tales Darcy how he feels. This is a short and sweet friends to lovers story and a page turner.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Quick and easy read. It was cute and sweet, and if you're looking for a lot of steam you'll be disappointed. But if you just need an afternoon with a smile this is a great way to get it. I liked both of the characters, and especially that Elliot is so clueless.

Darcy and Elliot have been friends since childhood. Their feelings have been platonic for decades, but in a split second Elliot realizes his are more. However, he doesn’t want to risk losing Darcy’s friendship and friend-zones himself, but when a dating dare between them starts to get serious for Darcy, Elliott needs to man up. So how does he find the nerve to tell his best friend he’s in love with her without losing her? Elliott’s about to find out...

Told from a dual POV, Darcy and Elliott had enticing chemistry and a subtle heat I really enjoyed! Elliott’s hesitation and sometimes blundering tactics paired with Darcy’s cluelessness kept me entertained while rooting for Darcy to wake up and smell the coffee, hoping to spare Elliott a little despair. The dating dare itself was actually quite fun, if for no other reason then to light a fire under Elliott’s britches, yet his plan to win Darcy over was adorably sweet and very thoughtful.

I haven’t read Tara Sue Me and was pleasantly surprised by this cute and sexy read! The writing was smooth, the story had substance, and the characters had dimension. With a pinch of turmoil and a heaping handful of steamy chemistry, this was a romance I could savor!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this

This was a short and sweet friends to lovers story. What I really liked was this time it was the hero pining. Usually it's the heroine while the hero is clueless.

Darcy's relationship with Tate went on a little longer than I thought it should. And it seemed to take Elliot a little too long to dig deep for the courage to tell Darcy how he felt about her. So it dragged a little for me in the middle.

Elliot's and Darcy's friendship came across really well as did their chemistry. It was a sweet novella.

Romance novels are all pretty predictable but usually engaging characters and some comedy (or drama) make them a fun read. This one was lacking something. It moved too fast without enough character development to make me care about them I think.

Received an ARC from Netgalley.

The Date Dare
by Tara Sue Me

This was my first read by Tara and it was a sweet, fun, romantic friends to lovers story. This is a quick read and if this is your trope you will definitely enjoy this one.

Elliot and Darcy has been best friends for more than 20 years. They have been each others support and confort for so long and there’s no way they can be without been part of each others life. They want to make each other happy and help each other find THE ONE because that’s what best friends do right? What they do? Make a bet to see who can find the other perfect match. What Elliot wasn’t counting on was that Darcy will actually find his choice to be as perfect as he thought and it’s in risk to lose the woman he finally accepted he love more than anything and can’t live without. Imagine all the fun and plotting this two will do.

So yes fun and sexy with The Date Dare was a great way to start my reading week. Thanks to Netgalley for providing this book.

Cutesy and sweet if you like that sort of thing. I found the characters to be unbelievably stupid. No one with any degree of intelligence would act the way the hero and heroine in this novel acted. Too simpery and naive to be believed. Beach reading, maybe.

Decided to grab this one as is sounded like a great read. Have not read this author before and must say I was surprised with how quick this one sucked me in. This was a cute fast read that I thoroughly enjoyed. Really loved the dynamic the author built between Elliott and Darcy.

The flow of this one was really good, loved the banter between the two main characters. Really loved Elliott's character.

Will definitely be checking out this author for some new reads

This was a great short read that I finished quickly ,not only because it was short but it was an engaging story.Elliott and Darcy have been friends for ages ,only to discover one has fallen in love with the unsuspecting other person, and the ensuing feelings and events pull you into cheering for a positive outcome. The fact that Elliott was sidelined because of his own actions and is forced to watch things unfold is comical in its own way, but you fall in love with him and can't help hoping he gets his own desire.The female protagonist Darcy is portrayed as a strong ,independent woman who has no problem speaking her mind when warranted and I found this an admirable trait. This won't be my last read from this author,looking forward to reading more of her stories.Thanks Netgalley for this ARC.

I thought this was a really cute, fast read. I liked both heroes. Elliot discovers he is in love with his best friend Darcy and is too scared to tell her instead he hooks her up with a friend of his who ends up being the kind of guy who Darcy would fall for. I mean the guy takes her to pass out P&j to the homeless for gods sakes! The guy is perfect but Darcy figures out pretty early on that he’s not the one.
There is plenty of angst in this story. I feel for Elliot because he has to watch Darcy hang out with another guy . I’m glad he finally figures out that he needs to fight for Darcy and show her that their friendship will survive sex. Loved it, great story.
Thank you Netgalley for providing this ARc in exchange for an honest review.

I have read almost everything Tara Sue Me has written, so this was an obvious click for me, and as usual I was not disappointed. I have a real sweet spot for friends to lovers romance but I often find them too dramatized and woe is me on one side. I loved the little twist on this story, I loved that we knew from the off that our hero was in love with our heroine. I didn't think the story was drawn out, nor was there any ridiculous drama keeping them apart for too long. It was very clever, very witty, and the ending was very, very sweet. Very interesting to not that there seems to be a follow up to this story. I know full well that Tara Sue Me has erotic romance down pat, but this was a lovely addition to her catalogue and I am looking forward to reading more in this genre from her.
I was given an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks.

This is Elliot and Darcy book, they've been best friends since childhood. They both go on many dates and eventually dare each other that they can set the other up with the perfect date! Elliot date is hilariously awful! But Darcy date is the perfect fit! She can see herself with this perfect man but something is missing! This book was an ok read, a little to fast paced, and a little bit boring but a decent read! Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for sharing this book with me!

This is the story of Elliot and Darcy who are best friends for more than 20 years. But what will happen when they will realize that they have started developing feelings for each other? Will they choose to keep their friendship instead of exploring this new thing between them? Things will get more complicated when Darcy will dare Elliot to let her set him up with the appropriate woman. But when he will dare her back, he will make the mistake of setting her up with her perfect match and he will have to face the truth of losing her. Will he let it happen? Read the novella to find out.

A nice pleasant reading with a quite interesting romantic plot. It is not so steamy and you will need to reach the end of book to read a hot scene. An ok book I would say. However what I found interesting and innovative was the quotes characterizing each chapter. Really cool idea.

Great short read. The story of Darcy and Elliott - best friends for years, but now Elliott wants more. A dare leads to them being on a date together........

I loved this story of long time best friends falling in love. It was sweet and romantic and I can’t wait to read the next one. Highly recommend.