I really wanted to like this book more but it was just OK for me. The premise seemed fun - fake dating that leads to more. Tara is a spitfire, so I was looking forward to meeting her match. Seth is also a lovely guy, but I just couldn't feel the chemistry. Sometimes I felt I was being told too much that they liked each other rather than witnessing them falling in love. It's almost as if they were mismatched, and it was a struggle to get through to the end for the coveted HEA.

Thank you Netgalley for providing an ARC-

While this book was cute, it was also kind of forgettable. I enjoyed the main characters for the first book more than I did in this one. And I was left feeling like I needed to finish this book so I wouldn't DNF an ARC. The book was a little predictable - the idea that you go on four dates, but you aren't allowed fall in love with the other person... clearly we all know how that is going to end up.

However, I did enjoy the fact that Tara was a beer brewer. Pretty cool! That's not something you find in many books, let alone romance books.

I was excited when I received an ARC of Jayci Lee's newest release in her A Sweet Mess series. I enjoyed A Sweet Mess and was looking forward to more of these characters in the quaint town of Weldon.

The Dating Dare is a fun easy read that would be a great palate cleanser after a heavier book or as a vacation read. Tara Park and Seth Kim have numerous connections but their closest is through Tara's best friend who married Seth's brother in A Sweet Mess. Seth dares Tara to go on four dates with him in the next month before he moves to Paris. Tara, who doesn't do serious relationships after a toxic relationship in college, takes Seth up on the dare. This is when the fun begins.

There isn't any huge plot twist. This is just a sweet fun, fast-paced book that is light and easy.

All thoughts and opinions are my own in exchange for an ARC copy. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC.

I loved this book so much! I loved the chemistry between the two main characters - Tara and Seth. I really enjoyed seeing them go from friends to lovers and LOVErs. It was interesting reading about how the characters grew - individually and together - especially Seth's character. I definitely enjoyed the banter between the characters as well as the steam!!! This was an enjoyable book from start to finish and the ending was just perfect.

The Dating Dare is funny, sweet, swoony, and full of pining that gave me all the feels. Seth's love and patience for Tara were achingly sweet, everyone deserves a love like that in their lives, I just wanted to scoop him up and keep him safe. I will admit that Tara was frustrating at times, but as her story unfolded her actions became more and more understandable. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I did not read A Sweet Mess before, and that was a huge mistake as I'm sure there are some interactions in that book that make this one better. Really this was such a good happy escape that I want more. Definitely recommend

This book was sweet! It follows Seth and Tara as they work their way through a dating date. Both of them are career oriented and uninterested in commitment but (surprise surprise) the love finds them anyway.

I liked the way the author included elements of their cultural heritages in natural, thoughtful ways. Seth was a certified dreamboat. Though I hadn’t read the first, the sequel made plenty of sense.

The things that don’t work for me- the weirdness of the “did he have s*x with me while I blacked out” monologue at the beginning of the book. It was ?? odd that Tara seemed totally okay with that possibility because “she would have been fine if it was Seth”??? Also the premise was a little tired.

Still, a light, fun read. Thank you to the publisher for the ARC!

Made it about 15% in and just could not get into the style of the book or the story. I was confused about who was narrating at any point in time. I usually enjoy books with two narrators but I struggled with this one.

Tara Park isn't up for relationships at the moment so she has decided nothing serious is to be in her future. She's alright with an occasional date or even a temporary fling but with work and past relationships she wants to keep her personal life simple. When she meets Seth Kim at her best friends wedding the two have an immediate connection. Tara doesn't want anything serious but Seth wants to get to know her and spend some time with her. He decides to dare her into going out with him on four dates. Tara agrees but believes she'll be able to stand fast with her nothing serious rule. The two begin their dates and soon learn that when your truly attracted to someone keeping emotions out of it is hard to do. Follow along as these two singles take a journey that could end up in heartache or love. This was my first time reading this author and it was a wonderful read. The plot was fun and the characters were easy to connect to. I look forward to picking up more of her work.

The Dating Dare is exactly what it sets out to be: over-the-top romance with a bit of predictability and humor thrown in the mix. While it isn't exactly ground breaking literature, it is fun, light, and sure to bring a smile to your face. This book is #2 in a series, and I didn't have any problems keeping up without having read the first book!

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

More, please! Loved the characters, the build on book one of the series (but you can totally read out of order too), and the little town! Tara and Seth were just so much fun!

This was a cute romance. Lots of hot sex and lust.

So, I suppose, if that is what you want in a romance, and not much else, then this is the perfect book for you, and nothing more has to be said.

Me, I like a little bit more about a person. I like my romances with a side of life, and lust is all very well and good, but I don't want that to be all that they are thinking about. I like a story, life, things going on.

But, as I said, that is just me, and this is a perfectly acceptably written romance of lust and sexy thoughts, and people not going to work, and staying up late to have sex.

<em>Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.</em>

Tara and Seth met at a wedding they were both in. Seth is a photographer and will only be in town for a month. Tara has been burnt in the past and has hauled off relationships forever. But when Seth asks for 4 dates, she thought it would be the perfect setup. However things never go as planned and it’s a HEA. I thought this was a cute read.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for this eARC of The Dating Dare. All thoughts are my own.

This was a cute read, but not a favorite of mine. I enjoyed the characters and I thought the idea of the story was good, but it was too Insta-lovey for me. I think that if you enjoy contemporary romance though, this is something you’ll want to check out.

This is the second in A Sweet Mess series, but can be read as a standalone. It follows Tara Park, who doesn’t do serious relationships, and Seth Kim, somewhat known as a playboy. The night they meet, they play a game of truth or dare, which leads Seth to dare Tara to go on four dates with him. The rules? It’s a non-complicated situation, something fun before Seth moves to Paris. Soon they realize that although they don’t want something serious, their attraction to each other develops into something more.

Okay, so I mentioned the insta-love. This is the troupe I really don’t like, and it’s not that it was full on Insta-love. It was definitely more lusty in the beginning, which isn’t bad, especially for a romance. But, it’s seemed to me that it turned to love pretty quickly. Because of this, I didn’t fully enjoy the story. There were a lot of parts that annoyed me a bit.

With that being said, I did enjoy the characters. I thought that they were well developed and had a lot of relatable qualities. I think that since I did like the characters, if the story had been written a bit differently, I would have enjoyed more.

The concept I thought was good too. Taking a game like truth or dare and adding the twist was fun. I just had a hard time getting through the book.

Again though, I think that if you are a fan of contemporary romances, this is one you’ll want to check out.

A super cute romantic comedy with a super sweet ending. I loved their dates and the way Seth makes sure that each one is more special than the other. The two of them together are pure fire and the tension over what will happen when he leaves has been very well built.
I love them so very much.

Except for feeling like I was dropped into a story already in progress, I really enjoyed Tara and Seth’s story. Their self imposed dare was a great premise and kept the story moving.
My initial thought of missing the beginning was quickly alleviated by their banter and chemistry.

A quirky, cute book about Tara Park who has a rule about dating that she never crosses….no serious relationships for her. At her best friends wedding she meets her new brother-in-laws brother, Seth. This is when things start to get a bit messy. As in a truth or dare game between Tara and Seth. Things get heated up as the chemistry between the two just seems to click. What follows is a sweet romance with some spice thrown in.
Highly recommend The Dating Dare to anyone wanting a light rom-com. Great book to take to the beach!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.

I really devoured this book and flew though it in one day. I did have a feeling of insta-love in the beginning with Tara and Seth. I felt there was some huge chunks of backstory that I missed. I did read that this is book 2, so this makes some sense that I missed some backstory. Overall, that made more sense to me for Seth and Tara's relationship.

I loved the premise of daring to go on dates and NOT falling in love. I enjoyed the witty banter as they go on a series of dates. I was frustrated by the problematic communication and I did enjoy the ending

I thought this was so adorable. It’s a rom-com with an original twist. They both acknowledge that they are attracted to one another but are not looking for a relationship. This leads into the four dates. I adored their chemistry and Tara and Seth’s resistance.

Tara Park is busy with Weldon Brewery, so she swore off serious relationships. Seth Kim is her best friend’s brother-in-law, dared her to go on a series of dates with him before he leaves for a new job in Paris in a month. Each one is plagued by romcom-worthy complications, and the two grow far closer than they planned.

While The Date Dare refers to events in Jayci’s earlier book A Sweet Mess (read my review), you don’t have to have read it to know what’s going on here. Seth has a good sense of humor from the start; so when he’s faced with Tara’s prickly demeanor, he manages a game of Truth or Dare to get four dates with her. Even the situation surrounding the game was rom-com worthy, with a very drunk Tara too out of it to coherently tell him how to get her home from the brewery. So he brings her to where he’s staying, only for her to puke on his shoes and eventually fall asleep. From this beginning, it goes all downhill from there for the reader’s hilarity. Their banter from the start is wonderful, and I’m a sucker for witty comebacks as part of the courtship.

There isn’t really an external wedge to drive them apart. Tara and Seth hide the relationship, and their own pasts haunt them. That’s the wedge, and it’s only once they each come to grips with how their past relationships ended that they can move forward. I love that they can rely on their friends and family for support, and as painful as the breakup is, I know it’s temporary. It’s a fairytale kind of ending, one that makes for a wonderful visual and a perfect rom-com finale.

Another cute rom com by Jayci Lee! And definitely steamy if that’s your thing. It’s the 2nd book and follow up to A Sweet Mess.
During a game of truth or dare, Tara agrees to go on 4 dates with Seth. They both agree to a light and casual relationship but it ends up being way more complex than that. They have a chemistry together that neither expected. Lee’s books are sexy, charming, and funny so you’re in for a treat!

Thank you for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.