The Dare

Elle Kennedy

Jun 2020 · Elle Kennedy Inc.

About this ebook

Get ready for another binge-worthy romance from New York Times bestselling author Elle Kennedy!

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.

Ratings and reviews

4.5 Stars for The Dare Ms Kennedy certainly knows how to write entertaining sports romances and The Dare book 4 in the Briar U series is everything I have come to expect from this talented author. I was drawn in and captivated from the first page to the last line. This is Connor and Taylor’s story and boy do they have a tale to tell... Taylor is the good girl who’s just a bit quirky and all she wants us to fit in and get through college, Connor on the other hand is the new hot player on the college ice hockey team and when Taylor takes a dare at the her house sorority party it’s Connor who finds himself at the receiving end of Taylor trying to seduce the new player. Connor takes the dare in his stride and actually helps Taylor by pretending to spend the night with her including making sure her sorority sisters believe they had a night of passion by banging the headboard against the wall and adding In a few screams for effect. Connor may be a player on the ice but he is also a thoughtful guy who will do what ever is needed to help his new friend Taylor get over her insecurities like her curves. Both Connor and Taylor have issues and I’m sure it’s those issues that give then the foundation for friendship and love that follows. A great read with all the feels, I laughed, I smiled and I sighed as I joined this couple on their journey and I really recommend you one click this gem.

The entire Briar world Elle has created will forever be a favorite of mine. I’m beyond sad to see this come to an end, however we got 8 books with unique, hilarious, emotional, steamy and absolutely heartwarming stories and characters that left their mark. There was just something so fun about Taylor and Connor. I loved their easy friendship and instant attraction. They clicked and it made believing in that chemistry effortless. Connor is exactly what I adore in a NA character. He was such a good guy through and through and the way he not only told Taylor how much he valued and liked her but he showed her that too. Self doubt and negative thoughts can get the best of anyone, but Connor was right there telling Taylor how wrong those thoughts were and it was just so damn sweet. Taylor was a fantastic character. She was so easy to like and connect with. Her insecurities were real and I felt empathetic with her issues. She fought through that little voice in her head telling her she wasn’t enough and I loved it. She saw in Connor what he couldn’t see himself and vice versa. It was a really organic relationship that was built on a great friendship. These are my favorite kinds of couples to read about. From the side charters to the villains, the humor to the angst there wasn’t one thing about this story that I didn’t enjoy. If there is a way to end a series, this is definitely it. It was sweet, funny and left me completely smitten with Connor and Taylor’s story.

4.5 stars — DUDES!!!! This book was so a Lenore book. Like, for realz, there was only one thing that was preventing this from being full 5 stars, and that just seriously makes me so happy. The funny thing is that I was worried!! I loved Conor in The Play. I read this blurb and thought “oh dude, that’s so me!” So I actually avoided the book, b/c I figured it would be my luck that it would let me down you know? Like, I hate having freaking expectations. But there you have it. I lamented how I had to start this book and get it read to my hubby. And honestly? 2 pages in I was laughing to myself, highlighting, and I looked at the boy and said “ok, so it’s good.” And it kept it up, start to finish, top to bottom! I LOVE it when a book exceeds my expectations and leaves me a stupid grinning fool. OK, let’s get the one lament out of the way: I’m super big into body positivity, and so I was a bit bummed with how Taylor’s issues with her body played out. It’s not that it’s not realistic, but it’s always a bummer when the only reason they even consider not hating their body is because the guy loves their body. I know that’s probably what happens for most people, but I can’t help but think that’s not sustainable. I wanted her to turn a corner. A lot of other things happened at the end there, and I still felt like she had an unhealthy body image when all was said and done. Basically, if you’re looking for a true body positive book, this ain’t it. (because in my opinion, a body positive book would have her coming to those conclusions about herself outside of just what her love interest said, and it would have been a more clear and forceful point) The thing is, while that is a big bummer for me, the things I loved about this book, I freaking LOVED. And in the end, that’s what I’m left with, so I’m going with that overwhelming feeling. Taylor and Conor together MADE this book. They were both hilarious, I loved seeing them banter with one another. Taylor could be so sassy when she let it out!! I loved that she was more than her insecurities. I loved that she stood up to Conor and forced him to take a look at himself. I loved that she got some backbone with her sisters as well. She goes through a lot, and I felt for her at every turn. My instinctual reactions are definitely like hers — hide hide hide, and assume the worst. So it was super easy for me to connect with her. And I loved that Conor was so much more than just his pretty face and fboy ways. I did NOT expect his backstory, or the things that he was struggling with. I loved that through him we got to see that everyone has insecurities…and just because they may not be about appearance, it doesn’t mean they aren’t just as detrimental. I loved that he wasn’t perfect — it made him seem more real somehow. He made some terrible mistakes, but you really saw him grow. I especially loved that at the end he was honest with Taylor about some things, and didn’t make excuses. That was refreshing. But seriously, it was the two of them together that just shot this book out of the park. They had AMAZING chemistry, right from the start. I loved how natural they immediately felt with one another, and that you could really see them connect on that first night. I loved how cheeky they were with one another (especially Conor). I loved that they both had so much growing to do, and they both made bad choices…and they both were able to forgive and help. And damn, once things got steamy?? SO HOT. As with all of these books in the series, the secondary cast was beyond fabulous. I adored Conor’s teammates and the comradery they had. I loved seeing them take Taylor in under their wings. I loved their antics. I appreciated Conor’s friendship with Hunter. I loved Taylor’s friendship with Sasha, that girl was sassy as f! And I appreciated the family stories that we got from both of them. So yeah. One minor gripe, but the rest was like fangirl central.

About the author

A New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a B.A. in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer, and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager.

Elle writes romantic suspense and erotic contemporary romance for various publishers. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!