The Dating Dare is the companion novel to A Sweet Mess, following Tara and Seth's love story. Both have been broken by love before and have vowed to never again give themselves over to that emotion. But after a drunken evening, they begin a dating dare, 4 dates - and no one falls in love. Because Seth is moving to France in a month for work, and there's no way he's giving up that opportunity.

This story was absolutely delightful, but also tackled some big issues. The character development was top notch and I loved that Tara runs a brewery - it's definitely a male dominated field so it was refreshing to see a woman in that position. The banter between the characters caused me to snort a few times and and I loved how they switched from banter/sarcasm to tender moments so quickly.

Even if you weren't as enthused in A Sweet Mess like me, I encourage you to give this one a try anyway. I resonated a lot more with the characters and the romance than I did in the first book. I was more interested over all in this one, comparatively. The original characters also are not really in the book, it's really focused on Tara and Seth. Also, I seem to have caught a potential love connection for a third book... which I'm really hoping for!

**Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin and Netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review**

BOOK REVIEW: The Dating Dare by Jayci Lee

A perfect romance for readers who want all the steam without all the details!... Spicy Romance | 🌶 Jalapeno (Mild Spicy)... ✨😎✨

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All my reviews can be seen at This Is My Everybody | Books, Lifestyle & Home Ideas for Simple Living | Denise Wilbanks at www.thisismyeverybody.com

♡ Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

With every dare comes some truth
3.5 stars
Well it's not many guys that would dare someone to date them. But when it has a shelf life of a month before he leaves it kind of makes more sense. Has all the quirky fun of merging these two together while missing something to make it all stand out. Great read just needs a splash more.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley for my honest opinion.

I really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately it felt flat and a bit predictable to me. I did not realize it was the second in a series and I hadn't read the first, maybe I would have felt more invested if I read them in order. Overall, the dialogue felt too corny/cheesy for me to really get into it. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

Writing: eager
Characters: dated
Plot: lots of potential
Execution: needs help

I chose not to finish this book.

Maybe I’m just not a “fake dating trope” kind of girl. I’m so new into the romance genre that I’m still learning what I do and don’t like.

This book is also a lot steamier than I prefer.

I did like the ending and if helped to explain why I didn’t like some of the choices Tara was making throughout most of the book.

I didn’t realize this was a second in a series but I don’t think there was anything lost by not reading the first.

Thank you to St Martins Press, NetGalley, and Libro.fm for an eARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this book. Seth and Tara's story is lots of fun and super cute. I felt this book was very light and fluffy read and that was exactly what I was looking for. The laughs, feels and swoon are plentiful. In my opinion, this couple and their romance was pure comfort food for the heart!

Jayci Lee has cemented her place on my buy-all-releases-immediately list with this book. I loved "A Sweet Mess," and this follow up proves that this author knows exactly how to check all my boxes when it comes to modern romance. I appreciate how the characters help each other to work through their independent issues - Seth's reluctance to return to his art, Tara's difficulty overcoming a past traumatic relationship, and their respective family challenges - while also falling for each other and finding solace in their relationship. As a bonus, I absolutely adore this author's attention to decribing food - while it was a more obvious tie to the plot in the first book, I was glad to see it stick around here! There's one scene depicting Tara as she prepares kimchi fried rice for her brothers, a quick thrown-together meal on the job, that left my mouth watering. I love reading novels that celebrate diverse characters, and with food playing such a central role in many (most?) cultures, the vivid meal descriptions help to bring these characters and their experiences to life.

"Truth or Dare?" He asked.
"Dare." She could handle dares.
"...I want you to go out on four dates with me, and not fall for me."

So begins Seth and Tara's daring journey to not fall in love with one another in The Dating Dare by Jayci Lee. I dare you to not root for these two sweet people to find love together.

Tara's best friend just married Seth's brother and Tara knows all about Seth's playboy image. He photographs and dates models. When they find themselves alone a flirty game of Truth or Dare sets off a dare leading to a magnitude of emotions.

I loved the sweetness of Seth's dates including making a prom night for Tara that made me swoon. A sexy romp during a picnic and a dangerous bathtub moment led me to needing a cold shower. Fair warning there are many frustrating moments of almost giving in to their undeniable attraction but either poorly timed interruptions or public locales get in the way. Seth is a true gentleman.

The surprise for me in this adorably sweet romantic comedy was the sincerity of both of them dealing with past emotionally abusive relationships. It was a realistic touch showing how we speak to and treat others can leave a lasting effect on our life decisions.

I alternated between reading and listening to the audiobook narrated by the perfectly comedic timing of Natalie Naudus (listen to her on One Last Stop). She brought their attraction to life.

The author provided the right amount
comedy, romance, sexiness and heartfelt emotional moments. I went in knowing how it would probably end but the road there left me with a smile in my heart.

I received a free copy of this book and audiobook from the publishers via #Netgalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was a cute and quick read! I liked the chemistry between the leads a lot, and enjoyed scenes with her family and at her business. Very sweet, I've recommended it to a few friends.

Super cute story with lots of typical romance story scenes. You will smile, and swoon the whole way through. If you are craving a feel good romance, then give this one a shot.

This is a cute story! A perfect book if you are looking to relax or do not want to read anything super stressful/dark. After reading a few dark romances, over the weeks, this was perfect for me!

Both main characters meet at a wedding (love!) and Seth is leaving in a month so he offers a dating dare including four dates. I thought their relationship was steamy and intimate and the storyline felt easy to read!

I definitely recommend - this would be a perfect beach read for the summer months!

I enjoyed this fun and light romance. Tara and Seth go on a few dates, and I loved the beer and bakery descriptions that built some of the background story. He’s leaving the country just as they start to realise they might be more invested in each other than they intended.

I was provided a free eARC in return for my honest review., and now want to read the first in this series.

3.5*

The Dating Dare was an entertaining, fairly easy read. Seth and Tara's story is the second book in the A Sweet Mess series, and while I didn't read the first book, A Sweet Mess, I think it would benefit the reader to do so- I wasn't lost, but you could definitely tell this book was part of a series where all, or most of, the characters had been previously introduced. But the fact that I didn't read the first book has no bearing on my rating.

Tara and Seth set out with an end date to their affair, 4 dates and they both move along- Seth to Paris and Tara with her life as a brewer at Weldon Brewery. Well, as we all know, trying to place limits on a "friends with benefits" type relationship never works out quite as planned- someone, or someones, always catch feelings! Due to the fact that both Seth and Tara have previous relationships weighing on them, and holding them back, they truly believe they'll be able to stick to their 4 date dare. And they do, for awhile.

I liked how easy things were between them, when they finally got past their initial reservations and decided to just enjoy the time they had together. Their dates were cute and Seth was very sweet with the way he planned them. But when feelings started to creep in, Tara was in no way prepared to deal with them, at all. Which of course caused some angst, but luckily not a lot of drama. I appreciated the way Ms. Lee handled the last part of the story- the friction/discord between Seth and Tara wasn't long and drawn out, but also wasn't resolved in a hot minute. The epilogue was sweet, if a little corny, but I would have liked a peek into things a little farther into the future.

The Dating Dare by Jayci Lee follows Tara Park and Seth Kim, friends of the bride and groom, who are both anti-relationship. Seth is moving to Paris in a month but is so attracted to Tara, he pursues her to agree to the "dating dare." She agrees to go on four dates with him and NOT fall in love. The two have incredible chemistry but are wary of their timeline. They each have significant relationship baggage that prevents them from moving forward. The reader slowly uncovers the history with mostly closed-door romance scenes.

You can't help but root for Tara and Seth to get over their relationship history and commit to one another. There are several road blocks to their journey, sometimes making the flow of the book slow. You can read this book as a stand alone, despite it being #2 in the series. I enjoyed the friend and family relationships portrayed in this story.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Neither Seth nor Tara are looking for forever, but after running into each other at a wedding they decide to go on four dates.. Of course, there's no telling what four dates can lead to....

Ful of snappy repartee and flirting, The Dating Dare is an excellent fell-good beach read. Highly recommend.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

DNF

This is my first Jayci Lee book. It won’t be my last. I couldn’t get more than three chapters into this. I wanted to like it and I hate that I didn’t.

Trying to evaluate what happened and it comes down to the story feeling stilted, the chapters were really long, and dragged. My jaw dropped when I get to chapter two. Additionally, the pacing was off and too much time was spent in extra details.

I wanted to like the characters Tara and Seth. For others, these characters may be perfect to fall for. Instead, I found myself getting a bit angry at the way Seth and Tara acted around each other and how they acted with other people.

As I kept putting the book down and then attempting to pick it back up, I found myself skimming sections and not sinking into the story the way I wanted.

That being said, I don’t want to dive too much more deeply than that, because for others this book may be exactly another’s cup of tea. I plan on giving Lee another chance and hope this book was just an anomaly for me at this point in time.

~ Landra

3.5 stars

After reading A Sweet Mess, I was hoping Tara would get her own book. She was a great best friend to Aubrey and an interesting character.

In The Dating Dare she meets Seth at Aubrey and Landon's wedding. He is Landon's brother and best man. There is chemistry between them but neither expects to fall in love when they start dating due to a dare.

Jayci Lee has a really unique writing style. I liked it, but it was a bit stilted at times. I did enjoy the small town setting, Tara's job at the brewery, and the sweet romance. It was fun getting to spend more time in the small town of Weldon!

This was a really cute book. I loved Tara and Seth and the chemistry between them. Their conversations always made me smile and giggle, even if Tara annoyed me sometimes. Seriously communication helps people. I also loved the game they created and thought it was a really nice way to get to know someone. Overall if you want a feel good story then this is the book for you.

This book is the literary equivalent of making your favorite recipe for a delicious, sweet cake you've made 100 times before. You know exactly what's going to come at the end and recognize all the parts that make the whole, but you don't care because you know that the end is going to be sweet and you're going to enjoy the process.
Tara and Seth are the classic enemies-to-lovers who just need to spend a little time together to realize that they're perfect for each other. And Lee makes that time fun and memorable in that you know the exact destination but the path there is full of fun, romance, and spot-on character development.
It's a light, enjoyable read that's as much a pleasure to read for the familiarity as for the fun twists that Lee put into the mix.

Very happy thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the sweet read!