The Dating Dare
A Novel
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4.3 • 24 Ratings
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
Buzzfeed's 2021 Romance Novels You Need To Read This Summer
With witty characters and heartrending romance, Jayci Lee, author of A Sweet Mess, returns with The Dating Dare—where two people might just find out how hard it is to resist falling in love with the right person.
No serious relationships. This is the one rule Tara Park made for herself and it has been working swimmingly, thank you very much. The occasional fling is fine, 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—the four dates she agreed to after a few good rounds of beer and a game of truth or dare. It’ll be fun. No biggie.
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 little distraction for both… But their secret dates, while sweet and sexy, always hit roadblocks straight out of a romantic comedy. Thankfully, their non-dates and chance meetings are smoother, frequent, and heated. However, the more Seth sees of Tara, the less willing he is to let her go—and what was supposed to be a fun little game turns into something that neither of them are ready for.
But sometimes, the best things in life are the ones we never see coming.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Lee dishes up a half-baked rom-com grounded appealingly in cultural specificity but littered with tired romance clichés—including treating jealousy and leering as signs of true love. At the wedding of the couple from Lee's A Sweet Mess, sparks fly between craft brewery owner Tara Park and the groom's younger brother, photographer Seth Kim. But Seth is moving to Paris soon, so despite their killer chemistry, he doesn't want to commit. And that suits attachment-avoidant Tara just fine. So when, during a drunken game of truth or dare, Seth challenges Tara to go on four dates with him without falling in love, both think it should be easy. Readers are told that Seth and Tara are kindred spirits, but their connection is never convincingly shown, thanks to uneven pacing and constant interruptions on their dates. An early scene where Seth becomes aroused by a blackout-drunk Tara taking off her clothes may not sit well with readers; the narration hurries to assure them that Seth would never take advantage of Tara, but for many that will be setting the bar too low. Lee's devoted fans will enjoy her signature fluffy approach, but other rom-com readers can skip this one.
Customer Reviews
The dating dare
Seth and Tara have both been burnt by love. They are determined to never fall in love again. But their attraction is so strong for each other, staying away isn’t an option! It was great to see them get back all the things that they gave up on.
Fun, light romcom
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. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.