The Dare by Elle Kennedy

The Dare by Elle Kennedy
Pages: 344


Series: Briar U #4
Genres: New Adult
Setting: Hastings, MA
Source: ARC
Also in this series: The Chase, The Risk
Also by this author: The Score, Us, Addicted, The Goal, Midnight Target, Midnight Rescue, The Chase, The Risk

Goodreads

College was supposed to be my chance to get over my ugly-duckling complex and spread my wings. Instead, I wound up in a sorority full of mean girls. I already have a hard time fitting in, so when my Kappa Chi sisters issue the challenge, I can’t say no.

The dare: seduce the hottest new hockey player in the junior class.

Conor Edwards is a regular at Greek Row parties…and in Greek Row sorority beds. He’s the one you fall for before you learn that guys like him don’t give girls like me a second glance. Except Mr. Popular throws me for a loop—rather than laughing in my face, he does me a solid by letting me take him upstairs to pretend we’re getting busy.

Even crazier, now he wants to keep pretending. Turns out Conor loves games, and he thinks it’s fun to pull the wool over my frenemies’ eyes.

But resisting his easy charm and surfer-boy hotness is darn near impossible. Though I’m realizing there’s much more to Conor’s story than his fan club can see.

And the longer this silly ruse goes on, the greater the danger of it all blowing up in my face.

The Dare by Elle Kennedy is book 4 in the Briar U series, but it stands alone well. I adored Taylor and felt a real kinship with her. College is such a difficult time-what will you do with your life, feeling insecurity, etc. She has never felt pretty because she is curvier than she thinks is pretty. So, its her junior year and she is still a virgin. Oh, and she has some totally bitchy sorority sisters that really feed her insecurities. Oh, college…I don’t miss you at all.

So, you have a bit of a fake relationship, a bit of ugly duckling, and a bit of dangerous secrets swirling together to create a multilayered story for Taylor and Conor. Conor is a partyboy for sure-lots of girls, always up for a drink and a laugh-you know the type. He looks like the Cali surfer boy he is, and his behavior has that flare as well. He and Taylor have an adorable and unconventional meet-cute. Both of them have secrets and they aren’t honest with each other, choosing instead to break up and flee. Oh college maturity…I don’t miss you either.

There are some deep issues tackled in The Dare that I thought were very timely. Struggles with past choices, body dysmorphia, toxic friends, and more. But, there is also humor (in the form of Conor’s ridiculous teammates), a sweet romance, and character growth (which I expect in all new adult stories). If you enjoy a romance with typical new adult struggles, a hunky, adorable hero, and a heroine who learns to love herself, The Dare is a great pick!

 

•   POV: dual 1st
•   Tears: yes (some of Taylor’s struggles were real for me)
•   Trope: college, fake relationship
•   Triggers: View Spoiler »Taylor is the victim of a type of revenge porn and she struggles with the decision to report it. « Hide Spoiler
•   Series/Standalone: standalone
•   Cliffhanger: View Spoiler »no « Hide Spoiler
•   HEA: View Spoiler »yes, with epilogue « Hide Spoiler

How to Date a Douchebag series by Sara Ney, Just a Boyfriend by Sariah Wilson, The Assist by Rebecca Jenshak…then you will probably like The Dare!

 

 

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