Reviews: Wedding Dare Series

Title: Dare to Resist
By: Laura Kaye
Series: Wedding Dare #0.5
My Copy: Amazon.com
Book Whisperer's Rating: 

Trapped and tempted, this battle of wills rages all night long…

Kady Dresco and Colton Brooks click on a level that defies logic. There are only two problems. One, he’s her older brother’s irritating best friend, and two, they're bidding on the same military security services contract.

When the competition heats up, Colton is torn between wanting to strangle Kady (and her annoying brilliance) and kissing her into submission. Which is a bad idea for a million reasons, because Kady’s submission is exactly what he craves. Being trapped in a tiny motel room with the object of his darkest fantasies will require every ounce of his restraint.

Kady doesn’t want his restraint, but Colton knows better. She deserves love, marriage, and a white picket fence—three things Colton can’t give her. But her proximity and the memory of their steamy near-miss three years ago slowly destroys his resolve. And he’s not sure how much longer he can keep his hands off…or his heart closed.

I signed up doing the Wedding Dare tour and of course, read the first book in the series that was given to me, which was not this book.  However, I followed the story quite well.  I read Diane Alberts and Tessa Bailey’s books first and then realized that there was the very beginning that Laura Kaye wrote.  Thank the heavens that I already had that book on my cue to read. 

I could not get enough of these two characters and everything about the plot. I immediately knew that Kady and Colton would be fire together and I was not wrong. Colton is the perfect mix of a gentleman and a man who knows how to take care of his woman and protect her.  Kady is the perfect mix of the sweet and innocent girl but when the lights turn off, she is no longer that person.  The whole scene when Colton finds her book was the most brilliant scene in this book. But of course, Colton has always felt that Kady was better off without him so he could never touch her…so when he does…..(I’m going to leave it at that.)

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Title: Falling for the Groomsman

By: Jen McLaughlin

Series: Wedding Dare #1

My Copy: Ebook from Publisher

BookWhisperer's Rating: 

She’s the one that got away. He’s the one she can’t forget.

Photojournalist Christine Forsythe is ready to tackle her naughty little to-do list, and who better to tap for the job than a hot groomsman? But when she crashes into her best friend’s older brother, Christine realizes her list needs updating. And fast. Tyler Dresco took her virginity during the best night of her life, then bolted. Now that they’re trapped together at a destination wedding, she’s going to get her revenge.

Tyler has never forgiven himself for how completely he lost control all those years ago. Being in Christine’s arms had felt right…until he realized what he’d taken from her in the hallway of a cheap motel. And oh, how she’s making him pay for it now. The insatiable heat between them has only grown stronger, but every time things heat up, Christine walks away.

With every encounter, things go a little bit further until Christine’s caught in her own trap of seduction. And before their time’s up, Tyler’s not the only one wanting more…

I have read other book by Diane Alberts and have absolutely adored them.  Falling for the Groomsman was so close to that adore level but for some reason, I couldn’t quite feel like it hit the mark.  Tyler was a great character; a doctor who traveled the world to help save people, someone how placed the world on his shoulders, and took the responsible road so that other around him could live life.  He was smart, resourceful, possessive, and down right dirty at times; he was perfect.

*Spoilers*

I think it was Christine’s character that threw me off a bit.  Granted, I felt like she had every right to ignore him after what happened in Mexico when they were younger but I think she played with getting him back for too long.  There was a part in the book where they are alone, in the woods, and in that scene, I felt like Tyler really showed how much he cared for Christine (even though he didn’t say anything) and at that part, if I were her, I would have known that this is so much more than just a game now.  That it is completely real and all bets are off.   And she does however, this makes Christine more confused and she backs away.  How could someone back away from Tyler?! 

Alberts did set up a great relationship between Julie and Reed and I am excited to see how it all plays out with Tessa Bailey writing the continuation of these characters.

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Title: Baiting the Maid of Honor

By: Tessa Bailey

Series: Wedding Dare #2

My Copy: Ebook from Publisher

BookWhisperer's Rating: 

He’ll own her from the very first touch.

Julie Piper and Reed Lawson have nothing in common. She’s a people-pleasing sorority girl hiding behind her perfect mask. He’s a take-no-prisoners SWAT commander who isolates himself from the world. But when they’re forced together at their friends’ posh destination wedding, one thing is clear—Reed wants Julie more than he wants his next breath. Which is why he’s not about to stand by when she’s dared to seduce another man.

Julie wants neat, tidy sex, so she could get back to what she does best—making everybody else happy. She never expected to slip into a dark bedroom and have her mind blown by rough, demanding hands, and a sinfully filthy mouth—neither of which belong to the best man.

One night should have been all Reed needed to get the blond temptress out of his system, but when one taste is nowhere near enough, he’ll be forced confront the effects of his hellish past. One that may push Julie away forever...just when he realizes he can't live without her.

This book, this writing, is the reason why I love Tessa Bailey.  I have never, ever read a book by her that I didn’t absolutely fall in love with.  I loved Julie and Reed and their dynamic coupling. 

Julie is so sweet, proper, pristine while Reed is all dirty, rough, and raw and they compliment each other’s characters very well.  I mean compliment in the sense of that they have nothing in common, barely get along, but when they do, it is perfect. They each have something that the other needs and they fit so beautifully together, when they are not fighting. 

Reed brings out a side of Julie that she never knew existed.  Julie would normally have gone for the safe guy, a man who is not tatted up, and every other word out of his mouth is dirty talk but something inside her changes and a fling begins.  Reed would never go for the richy-rich girl but her light shines into his darkness and he can’t seem to say no.

Baiting the Maid of Honor is a fantastic book in this wonderful series and I can’t wait to finish the rest. 

Again, Tessa Bailey is, no doubt, absolutely one of my favorite writers!!!

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Title: Seducing the Bridesmaid

By: Katee Robert

Series: Wedding Dare #3

My Copy: Ebook from Publisher

BookWhisperer's Rating: 

She has a plan. He’s about to change it.

Regan Wakefield is a headhunter in both name and personality: driven, motivated, and unafraid to pursue what—and who—she wants. Naturally, she’s thrilled when her friend's wedding offers her an opportunity to score Logan McCade, the practically perfect best man. Unfortunately, groomsman Brock McNeil keeps getting in her way, riling her up in the most delicious of ways. But Brock’s smooth southern charm isn't part of the plan...so how exactly did they end up having searing-hot sex?

Regan may pretend the erotic electricity sparking between them is merely a distraction, but Brock knows better. She refuses to see beyond the devil-may-care façade he presents to the world, while he sees straight through hers. Changing her mind—and getting under her skin—is a challenge he can’t resist. And when he wins, Brock will do whatever it takes to convince Regan that the best man for her is him.

The last two books have been setting us up for Regan and Brock and this book does not disappoint.  Regan’s wedding dare is to get Logan, the best man, because he is the best man on paper.  Logan is very successful and runs his own business; something that Regan admires.  However, Regan finds that her body is reacting to Brock, a privileged VP of his father’s company, someone who takes naps in his office all day; not the best man on paper.  But there is a lot more to Brock and most know, something that would make Regan think he could be that best man for her, and he refuses to let her woo Logan. 

I loved the fact that Regan was terrified of the woods and squirrels, so funny (especially at the end.) This made her seem like a real woman, even though she is a ball buster at her job and in life, she is scared to death of squirrels. 

There scenes together are wonderful and as the reader, you know that they are perfect for each other so you just rip through the pages until you find that moment when they realize.

I love how each book is giving the reader a little more insight to ALL the characters.  Every time, I learn more about what is going on in the background.

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Title: Best Man with Benefits

By: Samanthe Beck

Series: Wedding Dare #4

My Copy: Ebook from Publisher

BookWhisperer's Rating: 

How far can one favor go…

Logan McCade arrives at his best friend’s wedding overworked and in desperate need of a vacation, only to discover his best man duties have been…expanded. He must coax Colton’s sister out of her shell, or risk her hiding in her room all week. Logan figures he can handle one introverted bridesmaid, but he’s not expecting how much he enjoys “handling” Sophie…or how much she enjoys being handled.

Socializing has never been web designer Sophie Brooks’s strong suit, but she’s determined to shed her wallflower image and embrace the “New Sophie”—a feat made easier with the supremely sexy Logan McCade tempting her to explore all her forbidden fantasies. If she’s not careful, she just might fall for the best man.

Sophie’s sweet, sexy, and delectably awkward demeanor brings much-needed calm to Logan’s hectic life. With the nuptials only days away, Logan is forced to face the possibility that his favor to a friend might have become something else entirely…and that he’s not willing to let Sophie go. Ever.

This book is an amazing addition to the Wedding Dare series that I truly enjoyed.  Both Sophie and Logan were wonderful characters and of course, brought out the best in each other.  The ever shy Sophie has always thought of herself as somewhat an average looking person who could still stand to lose some weight and be prettier however, she was able to really see herself in Logan’s eyes (and of course, he thinks she is beautiful) during this book and it was beautiful how she finally saw herself in the end.  He was also able to pull her out of her shy shell and take her rock climbing for the first time.  And this wasn’t all one sided; Sophie was able to show Logan just how much it meant to really enjoy life.  Being the CEO of his company has taken up too much of his time and he was never able to truly relax and spend his free time with friends and family. 

I will say that the absolute, best part of this book was the conference call that Logan had to take while Sophie was in his room…actually, both conference calls.  Yeah, those were amazing.

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OVERALL:

We are at the end already?  But, but, but, I NEED more! No seriously, can we keep this going?

I truly enjoyed being able to participate in a book tour such as this one.  These amazing authors were able to create brilliant characters and steamy plots that flowed over into the other book effortlessly.  A big round of applause for these authors because all did a fantastic job!

This is a brilliant idea and I hope I see more of these kind of series popping up in the near future.