The Dare

I have been waiting for what feels like forever for this book to hit audible. I loved the other 3 books and couldn’t wait to hear about Connor and it did not disappoint! I’m sitting at work in a quite office trying to contain my laughter because I was rolling. You won’t be disappointed!

I liked the performances, especially Teddy Hamilton who is always amazing. Elizabeth Louise did the best she could with what she had to work with. I didn't love Taylor, all her many insecurities or how she treated Connor at times. The fat shaming was a bit much. The book had some fantastic moments of humor, which kept me listening. I loved the Briar U setting and the hockey players who seemed like old friends from previous books. SPOILER: One of the things that bothered me the most was the portrayal of the sorority. A hazing event took place off page that resulted in one of the key conflicts for the main characters. The sorority sisters who perpetrated the hazing in the first place never faced any consequences and the treatment of the pledges was completely normalized even though it far reaching negative consequences for their lives and relationships.

I'm tired of authors thinking that fat = ugly and then describing the character as not even being big at all other than having large breasts. Also the miscommunication trope not only once but twice? Not her best book. Only a 4 star because of the performance.

What's not to love about a story that has Teddy Hamilton as the narrator. In the continuation of the Briar U series I think I liked this one the best. New story line that incorporates just enough of the characters from the previous books where it does not make you feel like you just read the same story. Appropriately titled a dare turns into a real relationship that has its own challenges but it makes you feel outside of the dare these are real issues (body shaming) that college students go through.

Wow!That was a powerful storyline with very powerful statements with hard topics from body image shaming, to college sorority hazing, sexual harassment/assault, breaking and entering, burglary, blackmail and low self-esteem/self-worth issues. The love story is really quite beautiful and messy but real.

Devoured this book in a day. Taylor and Conor are described as being physically different but I loved how Kennedy explored how insecurities can come in all forms. Loved watching these two lean on each other on a journey of rediscovery. Stick with it...its worth the listen ❤️