THE DATING DARE BY Jayci Lee
A Sweet Mess book 2

The Dating Dare was an effortless read. I found myself enjoying it more than I had expected. This was the first book I've read by this author and it was an easy read on a sunny afternoon. What began as a dare to go on four dates without falling in love with each other soon quickly became fun dating adventures. Where we got to see how quickly they became addicted to each other's company.

Looking for a fun light read? Check this one out!

Thanks NetGalley and St.Martin's Press for the eArc.

Tara and Seth were kismet. The Dating Dare was a fun story to read and I truly was grateful for the laughs and swoons that I got out of this story. I needed a light hearted romcom to start this week off right! The story between Tara and Seth was a match made. There are a little bit of obstacles. The dating dare is suppose to be four harmless dates. Ha! These two did not know what was going to hit them smack in between their eyes. 

The chemistry they had was solid! They grow a friendship that is unique. Will we get that HEA, heck yes. But you have to weave through their story to see how it all falls into place. I am so happy I picked up this read! It was exactly what I needed and look forward to a reread! The cover of this book fits the story perfectly,

3.75 stars

This was a super sweet (like toothache inducing) read. I usually prefer my romances a little on the spicy side and this one is very much all hot and heavy until the main event - and then it’s all fade to black. That is fine, really. This one worked well for the muted sexy time scenes because it leant more to the angsty-ness of Tara and Seth’s feelings for one another.

This was about Tara and Seth seeing one another at a wedding (her best friend is marrying his brother). He is only in town for a short while and he is desperate to see more of her, which she refuses at first. But the attraction and pull between them is palpable and neither of them can deny it.

Upon a game of truth or dare, they decide to a set of four dates. That means nothing too heavy and nothing long term. Tara’s life is here and Seth is leaving for Paris soon. The knowing that there is an expiration date on their fling makes them both decide to give the four dates a shot. But when the feelings grow stronger and strong for each other, the day that Seth is supposed to leave and subsequently the end of their tryst becomes harder and harder because the chemistry they have is off the charts.

While this wasn’t exactly insta-love, it felt pretty close. I was a little put off by the amount of reference to their attraction to one another equating with a heat in their pants (like it was quite a few times that was said)… that was a little odd. But all in all, this was a very sweet, very adorable romance.

🔊Song Pairing: All the Feels - Fitz and The Tantrums

💭What I thought would happen:

I presumed it was going to be a fake dating trope

📖What actually happens:

When Tara, a woman who has no longing for something serious suddenly intrigued by Seth, her bestie's BIL. A ridiculously hot and charming specimen who just so happens to not be sticking around for long. Win, win right?! We all know that friends with benefits will never work out if you’ve ever seen any major Hollywood motion picture starring 2 very gorgeous actors.

🗯Thoughts:

I am a sucker for a no-strings-attached relationship that always turns a change of heart. It gives the characters a chance to change (for the better)!

Tara is an amazing protagonist. She is extremely relatable to the modern single woman. It’s possible the name Seth makes it hard to resist. Seth's are trouble. Have to watch yourself. 😂

I live for the drama that takes place in this book because I don’t want to have it happen to me but love to live vicariously through the colorful characters in this book! 😍

Would recommend it for a fun, cute read!

This is a Cheesy Romance, and this is the second book in A Sweet Mess series. The two main characters (Seth and Tara) in this book goes on four dates together because of a Truth or Dare game. I found this book to be a fun, cute, and funny read. The two main characters goes together so perfectly. When I started this book I did not know if I was going to like this book because of some of the reviews I saw about this book, but I am so happy that I really enjoyed this book. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (St. Martin's Griffin) or author (Jayci Lee) via NetGalley, so I can give honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

The Dating Dare by Jayci Lee is the second book in the A Sweet Mess series and is a fun and sweet story. Tara is done with romance and Seth is set to leave soon and yet they are attracted to each other. After they share some dates, they decide to have a no-strings attached fling until he leaves. Nothing can go wrong, right? Their journey had me smiling and turning the pages in this delightful summer read.

Happy reading!

The Dating Dare by Jayci Lee

The Dating Dare is an okay quick summer read.

Fast, easy, and a cute story between Seth & Tara. Very swoony HEA ending.

Unfortunately, I don’t feel very connected to the main characters, especially with Tara. The story seems a little forced, missing depth, and the character's development is lacking.
This book wouldn’t imprint in my heart; it is still a fun/fast summer reads by the beach!

Disclaimer: Thank you to the author Jayci Lee, NetGalley, and St. Martin’s Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. (less)

A contemporary romantic comedy. Tara is loving being single and is not looking into getting to start a relationship. Seth, know as a playboy, dares her to go on four dates during a truth or dare game. This had some funny moments, but it was just okay for me. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, the author and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Will appear on RRT site: http://romrevtoday.com/

THE DATING DARE – Jayci Lee
St. Martin’s Griffin
ISBN: 978-1-250-62112-2
August 3, 2021
Contemporary Romance

Weldon, California – Present Day

Tara Park has made it her life mission to not have a serious romantic relationship as she dates men that she knows aren’t the “forever kind.” At the wedding reception of her best friend, Aubrey, Tara starts talking to the best man (and groom’s brother), Seth Kim, about whether they could fall in love with each other. She doesn’t think so and, as a dare, agrees to go on four dates with him to prove it. Because their families will start thinking there is something serious between them if they find out they are “dating,” they agree to conduct their little “dare” in secret. Tara does think Seth is attractive but is confident that she won’t fall for him. She’s just having a little fun.

While the bride and groom are on their month-long honeymoon, Seth is staying in their house and setting up a website for his brother’s about-to-be opened restaurant. At the end of the month, Seth will be headed to France and his new job. Shortly after they agree to the dating dare, he runs into Tara in public, where she claims to a friend of hers that the reason they are together at the moment is because she is helping Seth with the website. So, that is their excuse to be around each other whenever they run into someone they know. Meanwhile, Seth and Tara are having a ton of fun. As each date progresses, will love soon enter their relationship?

THE DATING DARE opens with the marriage of Aubrey and Landon, who were the protagonists from A SWEET MESS. The wedding is over, and the reception is in full swing. Tara is getting drunk and already missing her best friend. Seth is pleasant and attractive, and they soon hit it off. She is cynical about love, and it shows in her choice of men. She dates them only if they are soon going to be out of her life, which makes Seth the perfect candidate since he’ll be leaving soon. They have fun and get along great, which maybe makes her ripe for falling in love with him. It certainly seems to be having this effect on Seth!

Readers will be chuckling and shaking their head at the antics in THE DATING DARE. Tara and Seth are a cute couple and their bantering back and forth make for even greater cuteness in this tale. We know where it is all going to lead once Tara proclaims that she won’t be falling in love with Seth. Soon, Tara feels her life spiraling out of control as she grows more attracted to him. Will she realize that love doesn’t care for her silly games or rules? Enjoy the fun and entertaining characters by grabbing a copy of THE DATING DARE. You will have to find out if Tara and Seth end up with a happily-ever-after.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

The Dating Dare by Jayci Lee.
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Seth and Tara meet at a wedding and hit it off, so Seth proposes a dating dare of four dates while he’s in town.
The key - Tara can’t fall in love with him.
These two have hot chemistry and I loved it, I prefer a friend (or in this case mutual friends) to lovers trope.
The dates are fun, especially the picnic - which inspired my picture taken as I picnic’d on Friday.
I adore Seth and Tara so much. In a bit of honesty, I read this not realizing it was the second book in a series. It reads easily as a standalone, and since I have the first book I’ll go back and read it now 🤦🏻‍♀️.
Grab your picnic baskets and get ready for some summer swoon!
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Thanks to #netgalley #stmartinspress #stmartinsgriffin #jaycilee for an advance electric copy. I loved it

I read Jayci Lee’s A Sweet Mess last year and fell in love with the baker and food critic who were at the center of the story. I was so excited to receive a copy of her new book, the Dating Dare, which was published today!

This story was a cute, quick and predictable read. Tara, who is a brewmaster (Yay! Love me a heroine with a job in a male-dominated field), is not interested in a relationship. She goes to her best friend Audrey’s wedding and notices the best man, Audrey's husband's brother, Seth.

After the wedding and one too many drinks, Tara and Seth start playing a game. Seth proposes a dating dare that they go on four dates. The only stipulation: they cannot fall in love. Since Seth is leaving in one month for Paris, Tara is game for a bit of fun.

Tara was my favorite part of this book. I love a determined and passionate heroine! I felt that both Seth and Tara were relatable with their resistance to relationships. Their dates and their playfulness was fun to read. Although this one is the second in the series, it is easily read as a standalone.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

An afterparty at a wedding turns into a drinking game where Tara agrees to 4 dates with Seth. We get food, handcrafted beer and romance. The 4th date includes ice cream and Paris. Seth and Tara both have been burned in the past, so they are trying to avoid anything long term. Neither are doing what they really want to do. Dating each other helps them evaluate what they really want in life. Close knit family and friends are included in this sweet romance.

3 Stars
Arc provided by NetGalley

Tara and Seth play truth or dare. As a dare Seth asks Tara for four dated and she agrees. Both of them had their hearts broken, so four dates before Seth goes to France is a piece of cake, both of them thinks.
Well, it's not a piece of cake, because they develop feelings for each other.
Storyline is awesome. Seth and Tara are great.
Loved this story.

Happy Pub Day to The Dating Dare!! This was my first book by Jayci Lee and I’m not sure how that happened. I will definitely need to go back and see what I missed 😊

This spicy story follows Tara and Seth as they embark on a dating dare. Go on 4 dates and don’t fall in love...sounds simple enough, right?? 😳

Tara doesn’t do relationships. She is happy focusing on developing new beers for her family’s brewery. Enter her BFF’s new brother-in-law, Seth - a gorgeous photographer with a playboy reputation. She tries to avoid the attraction, but when a tipsy game of Truth or Dare leads them to make a no-strings-attached arrangement to go on 4 dates, both parties think they’ve struck gold. Soon enough, they’re making up excuses to have “non-dates” and coming up with other reasons to spend time with each other. So what happens when feelings are caught???

⭐⭐⭐⭐ & 🌶🌶🌶🌶 so grab your copy!!

This was a cute, sexy, easy to read romance. It was loaded with chemistry and sultry scenes. The characters annoyed me at times (have a freakin' honest, open conversation once in awhile, K?) but at the same time I understood their hangups and reluctance to love and wouldn't mind hanging out one day. This book was easy to read as a standalone. It wasn't quite as "fun" as I thought it might be, but it definitely nailed the flirty aspect.

A fun and quick read.
I enjoyed Tara and Seth. They both have come from relationships that made them feel unworthy and they now know better but don't want to be another relationship like that.
Tara met Seth at her best friend's wedding, who married Seth's brother. They were attracted to each other but wanted a friends with benefit relationship. Especially since Seth is moving to Paris in a month. They are also keeping this to themselves and don't want anyone else to know they are involved so they sneak around.
Thank you to St. Martin's and NetGalley for the ARC to review.

Tara Park doesn’t do relationships, it’s not in her blood. So why does her heart beat faster when Seth asks her to dance at a family’s wedding? Seth Kim is a playboy photographer with a dare for Tara: four dates with him, no love. Tara accepts the challenge with ease feeling it’s mind over matter for her. But when their dates take a sexy, unpredicted turn will Tara be able to uphold the dare? Or will she be the double dog loser?

The Dating Dare is the second in the Sweet Mess series. However, you don’t need to read the first novel for this one. Jayci’s relatable characters and funny banter make this novel a great one to read while listening to an upbeat, pop love song. The story is simple, plot easy to follow and chapters appropriate length.

*trigger warning: there’s discussion of an emotionally abusive relationship throughout the book, which could trigger some readers*

Seth and Tara meet at Tara’s best friends wedding (Seth is the groomsman’s brother). After the wedding, Seth dares Tara to go on 4 dates with him before he leaves for Paris in a month. On a drunken whim, Tara agrees. They’re both carrying around baggage from relationships gone wrong so they only want to have some fun. Except, there’s undeniable chemistry. Their dates keep getting derailed and they run into each other outside of their dates, which lead to some funny-and steamy-moments. Falling in love was against the rules, but Seth and Tara’s hearts didn’t get the message.

Both Seth and Tara have been hurt in the past so that causes some dramatic moments for them. Seth is so sweet and there are moments where I really don’t like Tara. Eventually, they figure everything out and get a HEA. It follows the typical romance trope and has an insta-love feel. The sex scenes are steamy and believable.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Dating Dare by Jayci Lee, book two in the A Sweet Mess series, sounded cute but I struggled with reading the story. Tara and Seth are undeniably attracted to each other, but Tara has sworn off serious relationships and Seth is leaving in a month to go to Paris. Tara is not looking for a serious relationship, ever. She doesn't do love and is happy with her very casual hook-ups every once in a while. Seth is known as a playboy. He's a successful fashion photographer and it's constantly seen with a new fling. After the wedding between Seth's brother (Landon) marries Tara's best friend (Aubrey), these two end up drunk while playing a game of Truth or Dare. That's how the Dating Dare began; they must go on four dates and not fall in love with each other.

The premise is outlandish but cute. This was a light rom-com, but, from the very first chapter, the dialogue seemed so awkward. It was extremely difficult to connect to the characters.
The beginning of this book took me a long time to get into and it wasn’t until the middle that I started to enjoy the story. That’s when Tara and Seth spent more time together and were truly falling for each other; but the ending was frustrating and left me really annoyed with Tara. They would get mad at each other for not communicating, but then they themselves wouldn't communicate. When one would communicate, the other freaked out because they had sworn off serious relationships and didn't really want to hear how the other one was feeling. It was just tiresome. The plot was very cheesy and predictable and it got a tiresome reading how they were fascinated with each other but ignoring their feelings over and over again. One positive was Tara's job as a master brewer. It's not every day that you read about a heroine that works brewing beer, and that was refreshing.

Ms. Lee’s premise of The Dating Dare sounded entertaining, it just didn’t deliver. Her fanfic style writing made the plot feel contrived with a cheesy and predictable story. While I didn’t totally enjoy parts of this story, I’m giving The Dating Dare a three-star rating for some of its entertaining value.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

3.5 stars!

Seth and Tara meet at a wedding and sparks fly immediately. She’s not looking for a relationship and finds it hard to trust after a previous relationship.
Seth will be leaving the country soon for work and won’t be hanging around much longer. So after a funny game of truth or dare - in which she chooses dare - he asks for four dates that’s all, and then they can go their separate ways. Well...we can all guess how that unfold. But it was entertaining to read nonetheless.

This was a cute and sweet romantic comedy. It bordered on the cheesy side at times, but I didn’t mind it.