Member Reviews

I don't know if its just me but I think the story of Seth and Zara seemed familiar. By that I mean that I've read similar storylines already this summer so Jayci Lee and The Dating Dare haven't offered me anything new to become excited about.

It is a fairly easy read but, there's nothing that would encourage me to either read again or even necessarily recommend. It was just OK!

Perhaps a less prolific reader looking for a 'beach read' would find this more enjoyable.

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The Dating Dare is definitely a fun romantic frolic. Tara and Seth are attracted to each other, but Tara is determined to fight off the attraction. Seth has only a month before he moves to Paris so he dares Tara to accept four dates with him -no strings attached. Tara accepts the dare and the romance between Tara and Seth quickly blossoms. Lee's descriptions of Tara and Seth's feelings are excellent and both characters are very likeable. The Dating Dare is an entertaining read that is definitely worth taking a chance on.

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Seth and Tara have undeniable chemistry. They both also have relationship issues so they agree to only four dates while he is in town and that they won’t fall for the other. Their banter was great and he really brought out the best in her.
I don’t read the first book in the series, and I would definitely read more by this author. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.

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Last year I read Jayci Lee's A Sweet Mess, a charming story of a match made in heaven- a baker and a food critic. The food descriptions were so mouth-wateringly good that I immediately became Jayce Lee's fan and couldn't wait for her new book, The Dating Dare. And it didn't disappoint!

The plot is fairly straightforward- Aubrey's best friend Tara whom we met in the previous book loves her job in her family brewery, loves her home town Weldon and her supportive family. Tara is a independent, funny, loyal...but she isn't exactly in a hurry to settle down. Aubrey's brand-new brother-in-law, Landon's younger brother Seth is moving to Paris to start his dream job of a fashion photographer in a month. So when Seth comes up with a dare to go on four dates with the condition of Not falling in love, the arrangement suits both to a T. Whatever happens in Weldon, stays in Weldon, right? well, Tara doesn't like to keep her personal life and her 'real life' separate, so they try to keep the dates (and non-dates) secret.

Yes, you can probably guess (in broad terms) what is going to happen, but here the magic is in the execution, and I have to say I liked this book even more that the first one. First of all, the attraction between these two is really strong- the scene with the desserts in the park- hot, hot, hot... In case you were wondering, Jayci Lee is a master of fade-to-black at the right moment, so if you choose to listen to The Dating Dare instead of reading, you don't need to worry about desperately trying to skip some tracks.
Secondly, there's so much romance! I'm dying to tell you about the dates, and all the cute, sappy things these two get to do. Thirdly, there's a lot of emphasis on treating each other with respect and consideration in everything- dreams, feelings, choices (big and small).

Tara is one of those rare case where I liked the protagonist, but didn't exactly relate to her. She has her reasons for avoiding any serious commitments and, although we don't get many details of her past, I admire her for recognising and dealingwith it. Seth also has his own emotional baggage he needs leave behind before he can truly fall in love. The ending is sweet, melodramatic and satisfying (we all knew how it was going to end!).

Once again, I loved the food descriptions. There were fewer of them- understandably, with Tara and Seth's jobs being different from Aubrey and Landon's- but they were absolutely delicious.

Sweet and fun, The Dating Dare was exactly what I needed on a hot summer day like this!

Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin's Griffin for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

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Honestly, I didn’t even finish this book. After stopping and starting a few times, I ultimately gave up. I just could not get invested in either the characters or their story. While I liked Seth more so than Tara, it wasn’t enough to keep me going.
It was a bit too cheesy for me, and I don’t do cheesy reads. Not everything has to be angst-ridden but I could get by the dialogue or the weird back and forth. The most interesting thing about Tara was her job as a brewer. If the storyline had been stronger, I would have stuck around.
I thank you for the ARC, but it just did nothing for me. I’m not even posting my review on retail sites, as I don’t want my opinion to adversely affect the author’s sales.


This feedback is edited as I accidentally copied another Netgalley review here instead of on the correct book page.

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Jayci Lee’s “The Dating Dare” is a perfect follow up to “A Sweet Mess” but definitely can be read as a standalone. It’s a perfect summer read with a plate of cupcakes and a glass of sparkly.

Landon and Aubrey’s wedding is where Seth Kim and Tara Park continue to have side glances and butterflies in their stomach, albeit they have this love-hate thing for each other. During their post-wedding drinking convo and a game of “Truth or Dare”, Seth and Tara make a dating pact: go on 4 dates, keep it a secret, and don’t fall in love. Doable right? It has to be because Seth will be moving to Paris for a dream career move as a fashion photographer.

It’s definitely a cute story that had me going from start to finish. Jayci Lee’s carefully constructed depiction of each character, thought process, and setting was brilliant. Her writing
is accessible and it wasn’t hard to be hooked from the beginning. She includes mutual pining, angst, and enough steam with all the cheesiness and sweetness adored in a romcom.

I especially adored the dates, but I adored Seth more. In the words of Tara: “He was sweet, kind, and considerate, and he made her feel safe and cherished.” I loved how he found Tara as the perfect person for him, seeing her as the "most confident and driven person he knew” but also recognizing the “vulnerability to her that he ached to protect.”

Finally, I liked it because Korean-Americans Seth and Tara are relatable: love scarred, resistant to serious relationships, and anxious with emotional baggage. I can also resonant with their strong Asian family ties and familial “nosiness”. (Indonesian families are no different.) If you can connect to two people who have been hurt from mentally and emotionally abusive relationships, or have had to change career goals, or have had inner conversations of “what ifs”, then you’ll GET Seth and Tara. They both possess creative skills that they had to hold back in the past, and for me, I understand. One of my favourite quotes is “Art wasn’t about being safe and secure. It was about taking risks and facing the fear of uncertainty.”

I recommend this book for its charm, gooey feels, foodie elements, the small town ambience, and the return of endearing characters.

A big thanks goes out to St. Martin’s Griffin and Netgalley for an e-arc for an exchange for an honest review.

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As the first book I've read from this author, I loved it.

Tara is single and loves brewing beer, despite a degree in graphic design. Seth is spending a month housesitting for his brother before he jet-sets off to Paris for a dream photography job. The only problem? The amazing connection Tara and Seth share, despite trying their hardest to avoid it.

I loved the chemistry they had, I loved the cute dates they went on, and the not-so-superficial things they found to love about each other. This closed-door romance still gave this steamy romance lover just what I needed to feel satisfied.

I honestly really enjoyed this one and hope you do too! Thank you to @Netgalley and @Libro.FM for allowing me to listen/read this book and give my honest opinion!

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Seth and Tara get to know each other when Seth is the best man for his brother and Tara is the maid of honor for her best friend marrying Seth’s brother. I was glad that Seth was staying in the small town where Tara lives for the next month taking care of his brother’s house and watching over the construction of his brother’s new restaurant. The part I felt bad for both of them was they both had past relationships that soured them to love. I thought it was genius that Seth offered a game that ended up with the two agreeing to four dates before he left for Paris to live. This was a sweet story of how the two found there was more to two people enjoying each other than what they experienced in their past. But was it enough for them both to let go and take a chance on love? You need to read the book to find out. I received the book from NetGallery and voluntarily wrote a review.

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Forming an instant dislike, Tara and Seth meet when his brother, Landon marries her best friend, Aubrey. After their wedding, Tara and Seth decide to play a drinking version of truth or dare at Tara’s family’s brewery. Seth proposes a dare: four dates without falling in love with me. Tara accepts, knowing Seth is off to Paris for his dream job in a month, so this will be an easy win. As they get friendlier with each other, the rules get bent, but will they break them completely?

I’ve been in a ROM-Com mood lately and it seems like each one I read is better than the last. Full of humor and sweet moments, with just a little heart break, The Dating Dare is a refreshing swing on the frenemies to lovers trope. Seth and Tara have great chemistry resulting in pretty steamy scenes as well.

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What serious feels from this book and an amazing adventure that the two main characters get up to. Seth and Tara meet at a wedding and a game of truth or dare starts them on something much stronger than either was expecting or wanting. Both Tara and Seth are flawed and their HEA is seriously cute and exciting, with some struggles that make any book worth reading.

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What an adorable, cheesy romance! Sometimes I just need all the cheese so this was perfect for the timing! Although at times, I felt like this book was too slow, I still enjoyed it. There were some predictable things too. Communication is key! That’s the big thing I got frustrated about reading this! 3 1/2 stars rounded to 4 for the absolutely cute cover!

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4.5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was actually emailed a widget for this book and at the time I didn't realize it was the second book in a series. Luckily it can be read as a standalone. I really enjoyed this book and the only thing really keeping me from giving it 5 stars is the repetitiveness. So Tara has sworn off serious relationships because of a past relationship and Seth has basically done the same thing and he is labeled as a playboy. Seth will be leaving for Paris in a month so he dare Tara to go on 4 dates with him and she agrees. They both think it's a great plan. I loved getting to know the characters and going with them on their dates it was so cute but I was constantly reminded that Seth was leaving for Paris in a month and that he was a playboy even though he's really not a playboy by the way. All of that got really annoying. Another thing that I want to mention that is just personal preference is that this book made me realize that I don't particularly like when sex scenes are fade to black. We get some description but for the most part those are fade to black and when that first happened it was a complete bummer for me. It didn't take away from the story and I know that is what a lot of people like but I would prefer all of the juicy details. Anyways now I would like to go back and read the first book because I enjoyed this one so much.

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The Dating Dare by Jayci Lee has a super cute premise where the main characters, Tara and Seth both have emotional baggage that stops them from wanting serious relationships. However, this all changes when mutual attraction and a 4-date-dare has them spiralling through overwhelming emotions and chemistry.
Of course, it won’t be a romance without some amazing push and pull in their relationship!

The author also used the characters’ personal development to move the plot and romance forward and I just love this in books. Redemption arcs for kinda selfish jerks are totally my jam 😂

This book is fairly low angst as the main conflict stemmed from their mutual determined ignoring of their attraction to one another. I personally wished for more external drama, but YMMV.

It was especially refreshing to see Korean-Americans depicted in non-stereotypical professions. I would recommend this book if you enjoy characters who are in fun professions (she’s a master brewer at her family’s business and he’s a fashion photographer and secret artist!)

Whilst their journey was one that you’d expect from a rom-com, there was a lot of bonkers shenanigans that provided good cheesy fun. The great use of levity really worked for this story as it reassured me that a HEA was imminent amongst the darker moments.

If you love the trope of broken and scarred MCs that find healing through love (after some miscommunications and heartbreaks of course!), you’ll love The Dating Dare!

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No serious relationships. This is the one rule Tara Park made for herself and it has been working swimmingly, especially since she's busy with Weldon Brewery. But when Seth Kim, temptation personified and her best friend's new brother-in-law walks into her life, Tara might be willing to bend her golden rule ... but only for four dates, which she agreed to after a few good rounds of beer - and a game of truth or dare. Seth Kim can't believe Tara agreed to his dating dare. He's leaving for a new job in Paris in a month and a no-strings attached fling seemed like a nice distraction for both... But while their dates have a tendency to hit roadblocks, their non-dates and chance meetings are becoming frequent - and heated.
A fun, entertaining read with plenty of humour. I really liked both Seth & Tara who were perfect for each other. A well written book that I devoured in a couple of sittings & absolutely perfect for a beach read. I loved the premise of the dare & just lost myself in this light hearted read
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

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Tara Park meets Seth Kim at a wedding of her best friend and his brother. They end up playing a game of Truth or Dare, and Seth dares her to go on four dates with him before he leaves in a month for his new job in Paris. Tara agrees, with the one caveat, they cannot fall in love with each other. It’s a cute premise, but a flawed execution. I had a hard time connecting with either character for the first two-thirds of the book. Tara acts like an annoying middle schooler and Seth was a bit two dimensional. While this is billed as a RomCom, the Com seemed a bit forced. The last third of the book focused more of the development of their relationship and made me glad I didn’t give up on the book. This was my first book by this author, and I am not sure I will be rushing to read the first book of the series. I received an advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley for my honest review.

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I read this series out of order, and that may have been my mistake. I was really looking forward to trying this one but unfortunately I had to DNF at 20%. I struggled with the characters and behavior of the male main character.

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This was my first book by Jayci Lee and I didn’t realize this was a second book in a series. The Dating Dare had the potential to be the whole package, but it was a miss for me. The beginning was a little hard to get into and the character didn’t draw me in like I was hoping they would.
I did end up finishing it and it just feel kind of fell flat to the other romance big hitters out there. I feel like there are people out there that will appreciate this book and I will be recommending it in the future, I’m just sorry I wasn’t able to connect in the way the author wished.

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The perfect summer read! Filled with heartfelt characters that will have you laughing non-stop with their witty banter and flirting. Seth and Tara both have pasts that make neither of them want a serious relationship, but their chemistry is undeniable and leads to some fun "non-dates."

This is the second book in the series, but can be read as a standalone. Highly enjoyable and a great escape from reality. My cheeks still hurt the next day from laughing so hard. Tag along on this wonderful adventure that all starts with a fun game of Truth or Dare!

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Thank you St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
True rating: 4.25/5

I am a SUCKER for a cheesy romance and truly, this checked all the boxes for me. This was sweet, spicy and everything in between. I loved the mix of slow burn, friends to lovers, fake dating and a bit of Insta-chemistry/love. It was a mix but very well done. I thoroughly enjoyed how the story progressed and played out. There were laughs, heartfelt moments, and sweet doses of family love. It was so cute!

I love a good romcom and with the way Lee wrote Seth and Tara, it’s hard not to fall in love with them. With sordid past relationships and both vowing to never fall in love again, The Dating Dare sets up fun for both of them, but even more fun for the reader. The fake dating and yearning was top tier. This was cheesy, full of growth and full of some of the most intoxicating make out scenes I’ve read. This was extra wholesome with a tiny dash of spice &I’m here for it! If you need a story to just fall in love with, this is the perfect one!

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This was such a cute, fun read! Perfect for the summer and an afternoon with some down time and the desire to dive into something that will allow you to escape into a sweet but steamy.

Tara and Seth were both super cute. With a promise to not fall for each other, of course you know what’s going to happen. But I was fine with that. Sometimes the predictable is like coming home. It’s a comfort all on its own.

Their dates were a combination of everything, ramping both the humor and emotions up the further into their relationship they grew. While this had a lot of fun, it also had an extreme amount of steam when this couple finally took that step. And holy prickly pears! There is some serious tease going on before they ever reach that point.

Overall, a great read with secondary characters that helped to support the hero and heroine. I did not read the first book. While I think it would have added to my enjoyment with this one, I never felt lost without it.

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