The Date Dare by Tara Sue Me | Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2.5)

As a note, a copy of this novel was sent to me via NetGalley by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.

Can I get something out of the way first? I LOVE Tara Sue Me. In fact, I've been a fan of hers for the better part of a decade, tracing right back to the Twilight fan-fiction days. I just adore how she mixes steamy romance with wit and a little sweetness, which is why I was so excited to read The Date Dare. It promised to be so different from her previous works that I am familiar with--namely The Submissive series--and I think my problem was that my hopes were too high and that, ultimately, I hyped The Date Dare up so far in my head that it wasn't ever truly going to measure up.

Which, obviously, isn't on Tara Sue Me or The Date Dare by any means. Still, although there were a lot of cute little moments sprinkled into the novel, and a bit of humor and bad luck (see: Elliot's date with Kara) that make the story worth a second glance.

There's nothing inherently wrong with The Date Dare. It is sweet and sexy and witty. It is the very definition of cute, quick reads, and a total must-read for fans of friends-to-lover stories. However, I often felt like I had already read the book and that was something I couldn't get passed.

The Date Dare's biggest problem is, perhaps, the lack of development between the characters. I felt like I knew none of them particularly well; not their present, their relationships, their jobs, their backstories, not anything. It felt like the characters were all developed off-page and never quite mentioned, which was frustrating. With everything move along so quickly and smoothly, there needed to be something more to the characters.

That being said, The Date Dare had its fun moments but it is by far my least favourite release by Tara Sue Me in recent memory and simply not my cup of tea. Knowing what we know about Tara Sue Me, readers will instantly acknowledge the good of the book but at the same time feel conflicted by the fact that we know the story could have been more fleshed out.

I didn't hate The Date Dare, but I doubt I'd reread it in the future. I will say that I look forward to the sequel, that ties together two minor characters, because it has promise to it. I find that this book will likely leave people of two minds: they will adore it or feel underwhelmed by it. And that's okay.

My review, my thoughts, are of my own, and as always I encourage you to not take it as the gospel and give The Date Dare a try.