3 stars

This was a sweet fun and really fast paced read... I just wanted more.
I liked Sarah but honestly she deserved a better story. This was full of cheesy over the top things that didn't truly add to the story.
I wanted to love this book but I just liked it which is sad because there was potential for better.

Thank you to Netgalley and st Martin's press for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Special thanks to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for this honest review. That being said.... it just goes to show that anyone can write a book but it doesn’t mean they do it well. I found the whole storyline extremely immature and unimaginative. A 28 y/o female who had one bad experience in college and she can’t get over it when she clearly has a relatively normal gorgeous guy staring her in the face and fawns all over her. This is the problem with this generation when it comes to relationships. If we portray women with strength instead of being crushed by overbearing men, and then write off men forever instead of realizing crap happens and move on. Then maybe, just maybe, we can get a generation of females from having unrealistic expectations of how relationships really work instead of playing games with each other’s emotions.

Tara doesn’t do relationships. She has been burned in the past. Then she meets Seth who is in town housesitting for his brother until he leaves for a job in Paris. Tara and Seth are attracted to each other. Seth proposes a dare and she agrees to four dates with him. As they spend more time together, they fall in love. But when Seth tells her how he feels, Tara freaks out. Seth heads to Paris early and after realizing her mistake, Tara follows him. Seth agrees to go back to her hometown and start a life with her. This was an okay book. I found it a little boring and it dragged.

I loved this one. It had me from the opening scene. The dialogue is great, the MCs are delightful and the dynamic between them is so fun. There’s a lot of humor in the book which makes it a joy to read. This definitely makes me want to seek out other books written by Jayci Lee.

Writing: A-
Story: B
Characters: A-
Stars: 4.5 out of 5

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for providing the ARC.

The Dating Dare is a quick read. Tara and Seth make a dare to go on 4 dates because they are attracted to each other but do not want to fall in love. It sounds easy but they quickly found out it they were wrong.

Thank you NetGalley, Jayci Lee and St. Martin’s Griffin for this edition and hearing my honest review.

Quick, fun read. Tara and Seth make a dare for 4 dates with a stipulation that neither of them falling in love with the other. Easy to do since neither is looking for anything serious, right?

Thank you NetGalley, Jayci Lee and St. Martin’s Griffin for this edition and hearing my honest review. Looking forward to reading more with you
#partner

I was so excited for The Dating Dare once I heard it would focus on Tara! I thought she was one of the best parts to A Sweet Mess, and I couldn’t wait for her to get her own story.

Unfortunately, I didn’t really enjoy this book. I was still glad to get into Tara’s life, and really liked parts of her story – mainly her family, her brewery business, and that she did get love in the end. But the story itself just wasn’t satisfying – the back and forth, the stereotyping of this “playboy with layers”, relying on this idea of swearing off relationships a the sole purpose to deny real connection…it was just a little too cheesy and poorly built out for me to ever get lost in the story. I liked Seth a lot, but not how he was portrayed; and I appreciated the backstory as to why both Seth and Tara are the way they are about relationships (I relate much more than I’m comfortable admitting), but I just don’t think how immoveable they are to be realistic.

While I’m glad to have gotten Tara’s story, I was still let down by the book itself.

The premise of the Dating Dare was very interesting however, I wished the characters and writing were more developed.
I liked the plot of the story. It was fun, fast-paced and a perfect for a quick read, when you don't want to get too involved in story details. I did not read the first book and I think there were times I wasn't in on what was going on, however, overall it didn't detract from the story. I also enjoyed the small town location and Tara working in a brewery. I also enjoyed how connected the characters were to their families. I personally find this appealing in books.

I would have enjoyed getting to know Tara and Seth in more. I felt my connection to them was very surface level. Also, I felt the pacing was off. I found myself reading and thinking has anything happened in the last chapter?

Overall, The Dating Dare is a fun book. I would recommend it to someone looking for a light vacation read and wants a little steam in their books.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

‘The Dating Dare’ is a fast, fun read with an interesting premise. I think it’s helpful if you’ve read Jayci Lee’s ‘A Sweet Mess’ before reading this one, but it’s definitely not necessary.

Tara Park and Seth Kim have one thing in common: falling in love is overrated. On the other hand, giving into an intense physical attraction? That they can do. Handily. It starts as a dating dare, a way for Seth to pass the time before he moves to Paris, and for Tara to have a little fun. But when real feelings start to seep in, things start to get serious.

There are elements of this novel that I enjoyed, and elements that didn’t quite work for me. I liked the close familial ties that both Tara and Seth enjoy with their families, as well as the overall foundation of the plot. There’s also some good tension and chemistry between Tara and Seth in the first part of the book.

What didn’t work for me was the pacing and the redundancy in language. We get told a lot of things rather than shown them. I also wanted the protagonists to earn that main conflict a bit more. Without spoiling the plot, I’ll just say that I thought that Tara’s reaction seemed over-the-top and out of the blue. Had we had a little more glimpse into her past to understand the reaction prior to the event, it would have made much more sense.

Another element of the novel that isn’t a downside, but might not be for everyone, is the steaminess level. I’d say it’s definitely more of a moderately steamy book, with most of the details of the “main event(s)” (if you will) happening off-page. It’s not totally closed-door, but it’s closer to that end of the spectrum.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

What a fun book! A dare for four dates in one month turns into so much more with a ton of ups and downs.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I started this book without realizing it was the second in a series. Like most new adult books, the plots of the two books are only slightly connected and in theory, the second can be read without reading the first. However, I would recommend reading the first before the second as I was often a little lost about the characters and their relationships.

Beyond my own error, this book was okay. I wouldn't say it was my favourite new adult, but it wasn't too bad. Sometimes I cringed at the dialogue or the choice of words but the actual plot was quite enjoyable. I really liked the Brewery and its relevance to the story and I enjoyed the actual concept -- a dating dare, if you will.

Overall, read the first book in the series first and be prepared for some cringey dialogue occasionally.

This is a tasty (& STEAMY) romance with a classic friends with benefits twist. It would be well-paired with a dark chocolate lava cake and some dessert wine, because it's equally sweet and decadent. One flaw I found was that the dialogue seemed a bi cheesy and there wasn't much semblance of a plot outside of the romance, but I can overlook that. If you need a feel-good romance about following your dreams, this is the one for you.

*Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

What a fun romance with great chemistry between Tara and Seth, who meet at a wedding. The author is a whiz at character development and makes the two MCs so real they almost feel like dear friends. Sweet and sexy escapism at its best!

4 of 5 Stars
Pub Date 03 Aug 2021
#TheDatingDare #NetGalley

Thanks to the author, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

I love a good romance novel, especially one with a fresh new premise, just like this one!

I loved the idea of creating a little game out of the overwhelming nonsense dating can be. On my first date with my guy, we played chess and a game of 21-questions, which seems so silly, but it was pretty fun and a great way to get to know each other without feeling like we're on an interview asking the same ol' same ol'. So a storyline based on the dare of not falling in love after just four dates had my attention!

I enjoyed Tara and Seth's characters and thought they had great chemistry. I often smiled at their interactions and the equally charming supporting characters! This is a quick and easy read to get through and one that will undoubtedly leave you feeling good in the end. What more can one ask for?

Thank you to Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was not the book for me. I had a hard time connecting to the characters and the plot was a bit predictable.

This is my first book by Jayci Lee. I enjoyed it. It's book 2 in the series, so I can guess who the first book was about, but it didn't stop me from understanding this book. It's the story of Seth and Tara. Seth's brother has just married Tara's best friend, so they already know each other. They are attracted to each other, but neither one is looking for a relationship. They enter into an agreement for 4 dates, and are not allowed to fall in love with each other. The characters are well developed and likable. The story moves along pretty well, a little slow at times, but other than that, it was entertaining through the whole book.

The Dating Dare by Jayci Lee is the second book in Jayci Lee’s A Sweet Mess series. It’s just so cute, funny, and adorable. It’s a quick read and has a satisfying end.

Tara Park works in a brewery with her brothers and is not interested in relationships. When she goes to her best friend, Audrey’s wedding, she can’t help but notice the best man, Audrey’s new brother-in-law, Seth.

After the wedding, and a few drinks, Tara and Seth engage in a friendly game of truth or dare, and Seth proposes a dating dare. Seth has only one month before he leaves for Paris for an exciting photography job, but before he leaves, they have to go on four dates, with the stipulation that neither of them can fall in love. A no-strings relationship sounds simple enough, and with an expiration date on their dating, Tara believes this is the perfect time for a little bit of fun.

This book is just so cute. Both Tara and Seth are easy to like, and I just rooted for them both throughout the book. I found their motivations to be believable, and angst-worthy. Their progression into falling in love was also believable, and fun to read.

This book is set in a cozy small town, and I love small-town romances, lots of small-town quirky characters to enjoy here.

Although this is the second book in a series, it is easily a stand-alone book. It’s fast-paced and is a lovely book to read on a weekend.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

I was drawn to this book because the title and description promised me every romance trope I love, and it delivered in full. A slight forbidden romance, a hint of forced proximity, and just enough banter to make it feel like enemies to lovers without them actually being enemies.

Tara and relationships just don’t mix. Sure a fling or two is fine, but strictly no strings attached. Carrying quite a bit of emotionally distanced baggage, Tara find herself struggling with her no strings rule after a drunken dare. Seth, her best friends brother in law, has dared her to go on 4 dates without falling in love with him. What she assumes to be an easy win, may not be so easy after all.

First, I loved Tara and Seth so much. Their relationship felt real with the right amount of cheesy for a rom com. I loved the discussion of emotional baggage in this book which really helped with the realism in my opinion. I haven’t read the first book, but I definitely want to go back and give it a read after this!

This book had me laughing and feeling things from start to finish! Definitely worth a read!

This premise of this book sounded so interesting but it just didn’t follow through plot wise. Honestly, judging by the synopsis this should be everything I love but it just wasn’t.

Dislikes:

Writing: I found a couple of things off putting about this book. Let me start by saying that I didn’t not finish A Sweet Mess, something about the writing just did not connect with me but I always try to give authors the benefit of the doubt and try again with another one of their other works. Now you technically do not have to read the previous book in order to have a good time with this one. However, the dating dare starts literally in the middle of a scene from the last book. There are so many references throughout the book that were lost on me. I constantly felt like I was missing something and it made the story feel disjointed. Also, the amount of times the phrase “the dating dare” is referenced in this book got annoying, it felt like the author was trying to see how many times she could reference the book title throughout the plot.

Pacing: Another aspect of the story I felt suffered was the pacing. The pacing of this story is off because a lot is happening in the story (it takes place over the course of four weeks) but at the same time nothing at all. Seth and Tara go on approximately three dates and it felt like nothing really happened in the time they did spend together besides them constantly thinking how much they want to have sex with each other.

Characters: Seth and Tara as characters felt both awkward and underdeveloped. We get very little back story on both of them and what we do get just didn’t seem to be enough to justify their actions. Like one bad relationship and they both say forget relationships period from this point on, like forever? I also did not feel and chemistry between them at all. The interactions that they do have seemed to be just sexual in nature but it wasn’t enough to explain them both being madly in love; and because I couldn’t believe in their romance the story just fell flat to me.


Likes:

Readability : I will say that I really like that the story was fast paced and a really quick read. This book would make a perfect beach read and I think if you enjoyed A Sweet Mess you will most likely have a fun time with this book as well.

Atmosphere : I really like the setup for the book. The small town was cozy and I like the inclusion of Tara working at a brewery and the small bits explaining and giving back ground information on the subject.

Overall, this was a disappointing read that I just couldn’t connect to. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I think this was cute, it was a cute romance read filled with all the typical things you expect. A short relationship where no one is to fall for eachother, meet at a wedding, and secretive. Seth & Tara weren't supposed to fall in love. He’s her besties younger brother in law but who can stop love when it’s meant to be. Even though it was a bit predictable at times it made me smile. I enjoyed reading it and I’m thankful for the opportunity. This is an author who I’m excited to read more from in the future.