In The Dating Dare (A Sweet Mess #2) by Jayci Lee, Tara Park has heard all about her best friend’s new 
brother-in-law, Seth Kim, and his womanizing ways. So she tries to steer clear of him at Aubrey and Landon’s wedding–only to come face-to-gorgeous-face with the photographer himself. Tara has to admit Seth is pretty darn charming. So when a few drinks after the wedding leads to a game of Truth or Dare, she somehow agrees to go on four dates with him. The caveat? Neither of them can fall for each other or they lose the dare. Sounds easy, right? Turns out to be more difficult than Tara expected thanks to Seth actually being sweet, funny, and surprisingly romantic. Too bad she locked her heart away years ago. Or so she thinks…
“Truth or dare?” he asked, putting an extra dose of challenge into his words.
“Dare.” She could handle dares. They were harmless.
“I was hoping you’d say that.” A warm, seductive smile spread across his face.
“Do your worst. I can take you.”
“I want you to go out on four dates with me… And not fall for me.”
When Seth agreed to house-sit for his older brother while Landon and Aubrey go on their honeymoon, he never dreamed he’d end up with a crush on Aubrey’s BFF, Tara. Or that they’d have a bet going between them to date without falling for each other. It seemed like a harmless idea, considering Seth is leaving in a month to start his new job in fashion photography in Paris. If he’s being honest with himself, the career path doesn’t seem as exciting as it once did. Spending time with Tara is what’s keeping Seth keyed up these days as their stolen moments together progressively get steamier. But knowing his hangups when it comes to relationships, he’s not sure if trying for something long term–and possibly long distance–will work for either of them.
‘Suddenly, the beginning of his new chapter in Paris loomed like a ticking bomb, ominously counting down the time he had left with Tara.’
Jayci Lee’s newest novel, The Dating Dare, was an absolute hoot to read. From the cute, witty bantering and downright naughty flirting to the fun dare between the hero and heroine, this was a diverse romance that left a huge smile on my face.
“You need to stop staring at my ass,” she said with her fists planted on her hips.
He smiled and turned to face her squarely… “On the contrary, I was studying all of you. Not just your stunning backside.”
“Studying me?” Did he say stunning? Huh.
The Dating Dare is the second book in the series (A Sweet Mess) but can be read on its own. Previous characters do make cameos, though, which should be entertaining for those who have read book one. This time around, the focus was on Seth and Tara–who surprised me when their real personalities came through. Seth was painted as a handsome playboy who dated the beautiful models he photographed, while Tara was the small town girl-next-door who worked at her family’s brewery. Basically, their professions were accurate in that statement. And not much else. (lol)
Jayci Lee did a fab job of showing us how Tara and Seth’s undeniable attraction started them off on a rocky road filled with teasing, dares, and even a bit of good-humored bickering, only to turn into so much more than desire. Which scared them both to pieces. Seth was not the Lothario he let people believe, but instead was kind and had a truly wonderful soul. And Tara was sassy, had no verbal filter most of the time, but was still compassionate and generous with her loved ones.
The issue between the couple, other than Seth moving to Paris in a month? Tara and Seth had previously been deeply hurt by someone who supposedly loved them. So the “four date dare” was their way of having fun–casually. But of course feelings got involved, making it complicated and messy right up until the sigh-worthy ending.
As much as I adored the comical–and the sensual–moments between Seth and Tara, what I enjoyed most was the diversity of the characters, being that the majority were Korean-American. We got glimpses into the culture, right down to personal endearments they favored, delicious-sounding food, and the close bond (and hierarchy) within the families. Loved that!
Book Info:
Publication: Published August 3, 2021 | St. Martin’s Griffin | A Sweet Mess #2
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 little fun 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.
