Smut Fanatics: Laura’s Review of Dare to Love (Dare to Love, #1) By Carly Phillips

Synopsis

New York Times Bestselling Author Carly Phillips turns up the heat in her newest sexy contemporary romance series, and introduces you to the Dare family… siblings shaped by a father’s secrets and betrayal.

Since finding out his father had another family on the side, Ian Dare swore to be the upstanding, responsible man his cheating parent had never been. When it comes to his relatives, he gives his all but in relationships he offers the bare minimum. But one glimpse of sensual Riley Taylor arouses his dominant and protective instincts and Ian is entranced. He will do anything to possess her … and does. But any future with Riley must include him extending an olive branch to the half-brother who is a constant reminder of the pain he’d rather forget.

Independent and always in control, Riley Taylor makes no apologies for choosing men carefully. Relationships have never been a priority and she believes herself hardened to domineering men – until she meets charismatic Ian Dare. He manages to turn a simple kiss into an all-out assault on her senses and when he takes control in the bedroom, she’s stunned to discover she likes it. As their affair heats up, they soon realize they complete each other in ways neither imagined. But Riley’s past is closer than she cares to remember, and her struggles with Ian’s dominance might just cost her everything.

What I Loved

I really loved the fact that this book really jumped right into the thick of things. The plot opens up at Ian’s father’s birthday celebration where he spots Riley in the crowd and the chemistry was instant. The attraction pours off the pages and I was immediately hooked! From the very beginning Ian has an obvious chip on his shoulder and for good reason, I can’t blame the dude for having trust issues after his past experiences. Which made it all the more rewarding to see him shed those when he meets his match in Riley Taylor.

Riley has this instantaneous draw to her, it wasn’t just Ian that was attracted to her but I was as well! She is a kick ass executive who has worked hard to overcome many obstacles in her life but obviously still have some issues to work through. Riley meets a handsome stranger at a party then later finds out is the brother of her best friend and a person she should stay away from. Yet, Ian ends up being her exact opposite of all the rumors she’s heard and her knight in shining armor. It takes her awhile to figure out he is the man who will always be there for her and can come to no matter the crisis. I’m a huge fan of characters that have a lot of layers to them, because it gives the plot a ton of depth and Riley had that in spades. She is a strong woman while at the same time open and friendly but still has a lot to learn about love and trust and depending on the people around her.

Not So Much

This story was a little too sappy for me at times, they really rushed their love story when it could’ve been drawn out a little bit more. Like I said I loved that it jumped right into their attraction for one another, but one minute they were kissing and the next they were in love and there wasn’t enough plot to support that transition for me. Give me more story and details and show me the character development rather than racing towards the finish line, it made it feel like the story just wanted to be done rather than it coming to its natural end.

I do wish there was more detail in the book as well, I can’t really tell you what Riley’s apartment looked like or her office as well. I really love stories that give you tons of detail so you can get the complete picture of what is happening around the characters rather than just fragments. It was frustrating at times to not get as much detail as I would’ve liked.

To Sum It All Up!

Overall, this was a great set up for a new series. Ian has a lot of issues when it comes to his family and because of his new relationship with Riley you get introduced to those family members and get set up for where this series will lead next. The overall foundation was laid out wonderfully for the plot, although the attraction began instantaneously between Riley and Ian you get the details that you need to understand the plot. I do wish the character development was a bit more consistent and steady and didn’t feel so rushed. The constant declarations of love between Ian and Rley became a little waring at times as well because they had basically just met and now they were each other’s everything.

I absolutely loved the chemistry between Ian and Riley, the minute they set eyes on each other it was on! The sex scenes between them was nothing less than scorching and I loved it! Also I loved Ian’s overprotectiveness no matter how frustrating it was. I’m a sucker for an alpha so when they exude that I get a little giddy inside. At the same time, I love when the women in their lives get to put those alphas in their place because we all know they need that once in a while and Riley certainly does that. This book definitely made me excited for the rest of the series and I can’t wait to see what the other Dare siblings get into next!

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