The blurb for this book describes it as Gilmore Girls meets You've Got A Match, but I think a more accurate description would be Sarah Dessen with the humor of Emma Lord. Both of which I love - so it shouldn't surprise you that I really enjoyed this book!

Is it weird to say that a high school senior is one of my new book boyfriends? I'm saying it anyway because I really loved Graham. I loved his personality, I loved how he was there for Junie, and I loved how he understood her and knew what she needed without her even having to say it. Junie & Graham's banter is really top-notch. They make fun of each other without being overly mean and they have so many inside jokes.

I just wish there had been some kind of list of characters in the book. Like a cast list for a play or a really confusing character map. There were so many names it would have been great to have like a: "Milo - Junie's best friend and Captain of the Basketball Team," "Will - Notorious Flake and Basketball Center," something like that. I honestly forgot who was who half the time.

I would highly recommend this book if you like coming of age novels with a little bit of romance and a lot of community theatre.

You Wouldn't Dare by Samantha Markum is a cute young adult summer read. The story is romantic and innocent and sweet. Someone mentioned to me it has "Gilmore Girls" written all over it which I can totally see while reading it. There was a lot going on with a lot of characters but overall a good book.

This had so many perspectives on family and relationships and how we navigate the world based on them. There are strained parent relationships, close bonds, friendship, blended families, an affair that breaks up a family, and so much more between the group of teens and their respective family members that was explored so well!

This book gives Sarah Dessen and Morgan Matson vibes - beach town nostalgia, and teens going through hard stuff. This coming of age story features an expansive supporting cast that fill out the world and make it a community.

By far, my favourite character was Tallulah - Juniper’s stubborn, queer environmentalist stepsister in the making who fully doesn’t take any of Junie’s crap. (Her relationship with her dad is also the exact opposite of Junie’s experiences, which adds a bit of tension) She stayed true to herself, and has an incredible arc where she deals with trauma, owns it, and grows. Tallulah and Juniper’s eventual connection was by far the more important relationship in this book, romance be damned.

The community theatre was a great setting for camaraderie and tomfoolery, and I just wanted to live in this world a little longer. Petition for more anyone?

Overall, though the romance was just okay for me, the family bonds hold up this beautiful book and make it amazing. Would definitely recommend! (I promise, Junie gets better as a character, but the girl’s brain isn’t fully developed, so can we really blame her?)

OH how I loved this book! Samantha Markum writes relatable teens and teen friendships. The teen antics and interactions are on point, not overdone or fake. In addition, I loved the island setting of this one. Such a great beach read. It made me want summer!

This book was so good. I got it in audio form and didn't enjoy it as much but the physical or e-copy was the way to go for me.

3.5 stars. This was a cute young adult story that’s part coming of age and part romance with a dash of community theater. Junie is facing a summer of changes but learns that change can be for the better. We get themes of found family and a sweet friends to lovers / second chance romance. Junie could be a bit overdramatic at times but I enjoyed the story overall.

I'm so happy to announce that I will be reading every YA contemporary novel Samantha Markum writes. After reading her debut last year, I was eager for more, and immediately requested it when it showed up on Netgalley. The vibes of This May End Badly and You Wouldn't Dare are totally different, but Samantha Markum manages to keep the same likable supporting casts and swoony romances that I think are becoming her signature. You Wouldn't Dare follows Juniper Nash, the daughter of single mother, during a summer where so much is changing. She and her mom are moving in with her mom's boyfriend and his step-daughter, and things are still tense between Juniper and her good friend Graham after a hookup and a fight the previous summer. Juniper is also working on local community theater production that she gets all her friends to be a part of. Its immediately clear that she has a lot of growing up to do. She is downright unlikable at times, but the people around her are quick to call her out. However, it's tough to root for her at times, but I think she grows up a lot..

The thing, she is not the selling point of this book. What makes this book so special are her wonderful friends Milo, Lucy and Graham, her mother, her almost stepsister and the variety of townspeople that surround her. The setting of this book is that perfect small town vibe that is impossible not to love. It's truly wonderful to watch Juniper realize how many people she has rooting for her. Milo and Lucy are amazing friends, always honest and willing to call her out when needed. The best character, though, is Tallulah, the daughter of her mom's boyfriend. She's an environmentalist, queer and has no time for Juniper's antics. Her relationship with Juniper is the highlight of this book, overshadowing even the romance. Graham is sweet and wonderful, and I rooted for him and Juniper, but they were not what hooked me. That was all Tallulah.

Ultimately, this is a wonderful summertime romance for fans of Sarah Dessen and Mogan Matson. The vibes are immaculate. Besides one moment of ridiculous melodrama I really believed this story and felt so connected to the cast of characters. It is a true celebration of family, both by blood and found, and I think teens will really enjoy it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

CW: cheating (side characters, past), death of a parent (drowning, past, side character), parental abandonment, family tensions, near drowning (side character), bullying

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f contemporary YA romance
-second chance romance
-best friends to lovers to estranged to lovers
-mutual pining
-a summer to remember

This book gave me Sarah Dessen vibes in the best way. The summer before the senior year of high school, when life is full of possibility and every choice and decision just holds so much weight. Juniper is trying to figure out the dynamics of her friend group after things fell apart with her best friend and hookup Graham the summer. This book is messy, with just realistic.

I adored the friend group, and the all of the elements of Junie's life that were coming together and falling apart around her. This is very much her coming of age and learning from her mom really getting into a serious relationship, having a somewhat sister, and just trying to be more responsible in her life. And the play was just such a fun way to anchor the whole book.

But gosh the relationship with Graham just sucked me right in. These two were just my favorite tension of friends to lovers. The risk of what you lose if things don't work especially where they were trying to be friends again. But the tension, the second chance where they remember how good those prior hook up were, the temptation. Ugh. Graham was just so sweet pining away, I could not have been rooting for them more.

Steam: 1

A rom com about trying to have the summer of your life before everything changes - only to realize change might be exactly what you need...

When Juniper Nash Abreheart kissed Graham Isham for the first time, she had no idea it would nearly be the end of their friendship.

More specifically, she had no idea that the terrible, unforgivable thing she did to keep their summer fling a secret wouldn’t just ruin their friendship, but also Graham’s entire life. Now, months since the fallout, Junie and Graham spend most of their time sidestepping conversational landmines on the journey back to normalcy.

My thoughts:
It was okay. I struggled a bit getting through the start of the book. The characters got on my nerves a bit. I'd try more books from the author this one just wasn't for me!

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!!

Young loves, Graham and Juniper, experiences the ups/downs of feeling over the course of one summer. They've been here before after a few kisses the previous year, but a secret destroyed forcing of break in their friendship.. After skirting what the heart wants, they find themselves working together at the local community theater awakening what they thought was ruined.

Sand, sun and sparks! in this YA romance. I enjoyed this story, their growth, the love story, and the fun group of friends on the island.

Thank you Wednesday Books for the advance reader copy.

I think a major qualifier for being a female lead in a YA romance is you need to be (at least a little) insufferable. And that’s okay. Sometimes.

I found this story to be a little slow and boring. It was a fun summer read, but nothing much happened. Maybe I am the problem and maybe I need to stop reading YA because the characters often tend to act as if every minor inconvenience or embarrassment is the end of the world. That is part of being a teen, I guess, but it can get annoying. The character growth was good, and the overarching theme was well done.

The description certainly got it right— this book is for fans of Sarah Dessen. Teenage Laura probably would’ve given this book 4.5/5 stars. Adult Laura gives it 3.75/5.

Thank you to Wednesday Books, OrangeSky Audio, and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Literally 10/10
Easily one of my top favorite reads of 2023 and def is now one of my all time fave YA contemporary books. I legit paused the last 5-10 minutes for an hour because I didn't want it to end. This book had everything I loved in a YA contemporary novel. It actually had me feeling like a bit of an imposter with my own writing, because omfg Samantha Markum is so good at what she does. The banter in this book? Impeccable. The characters were engaging and real - they literally jumped off the page.
The plot was so good - I'm definitely a fan of the longer contemporary novels (if done right) and this book was done so well (and so right) and the journey you go on with Juniper Nash is so good, so emotional and again, felt so real. I felt like I was right there with her and her friend group.

I'm legit going to be gushing about this book for ages, and lamenting that it's a standalone and that it's over. But you can bet I'm going to push it at everyone I know.

It took a couple of chapters, but I was captivated by this wonderful story of accepting and embracing change.
I thought at first that I wasn't going to like this one because leading lady Juniper is the typical quirky girl that's both laidback and super obsessive about things and I find that super annoying, but she quickly grew on me. She's a teenager dealing with (or ignoring when easier) the difficult things in her life. She loves her life just as it is and the many changes on the horizon of her 17th birthday and after her last summer before senior year have her freaking out even if she's not willing to recognize it. It leads to many tough conversations that really show just how important communication is. I also liked that the story clearly includes that everyone has their own issues to deal with, but their so much easier when you have your friends, loved ones, and community behind supporting each other.
The story is focused on Juniper, but her circle of friends, family, and close community is what makes the story. There are so many personalities and situations that Markum displays that there's something guaranteed to hit a soft spot or feel relatable.

Very happy thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the wonderfully nostalgic read!

The author has done it again with this book. It was moving and juicy and captivating. It will suck you in and you’ll never want to put the book down. I had such a great time.

oh. my. god. i’m adding this one to my list of favorite books.

what a beautiful story. i laughed so many times while reading this but i also teared up nearly as many times. i love books about friendship and family, and this one is on another level. i seriously had the time of my life reading this story.

i loved all the characters and their relationships with one another. i loved seeing the relationship between junie and tallulah develop. i loved the friend group. i loved the p&j staff. i loved junie’s found family.

juniper is honestly so funny and refreshing to read about. i love how dramatic and flawed she is and see so much of myself in her.

milo and graham are *chef’s kiss*. lucy deserves the world. juniper’s mom is remarkable. tallulah and her dad have my heart.

i fell in love with the setting and now wish i lived in a pastel beach cottage on a quaint island.

to the author: please never stop writing. every single book that you write will be an instant buy from me. pinky promise.

thank you to netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review 💗✨

This was a cute story, following Juniper in the summer before her senior year as she navigates changes in friends, family, and romance.

I liked the setting, it gives off small town vibes and a relaxed atmosphere. There are fun diners and donut shops, as well as a day of competitions that sounded pretty awesome. Junie and her friends seem to know pretty much everyone who lives there and there's an eclectic cast of side characters.

The main character was what brought this down a bit for me. Junie comes across as selfish, shallow, and kind of mean. Everyone in the story is constantly saying how dramatic she is and she hurts people's feelings quite a bit. Junie also doesn't seem to pay attention to other people's issues and had a lot of growing up to do. Luckily, we do see her mature, but the beginning kind of put me off.

The romance was sort of backburner for me. I was more interested in Junie growing up and I do think Graham let her off pretty easy after what she'd been a part of.

This made me long for summer nights and will make a perfect beach read!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the copy.

Samantha Markum's You Wouldn't Dare is the perfect summer read. It has it all: a cute beach town, a tight-knit community, the friend group you always wanted, a friends to lovers romance, witty banter, and a swoon-worthy setting.
Graham, Lucy, Milo, and Junie have a friendship for the ages. Sure, Lucy and Graham are super close. So are Milo and Junie. But why do people keep expecting Milo and Junie to hook up, when it was her and Graham's secret summer romance last year that changed everything? But that's fine. Junie just wants things to back to how they were. Her feelings for Graham will totally go back to normal, too...Right? Add in a summer theater performance, an upcoming visit from her Dad, and oh, yeah, her Mom hiring Tallulah, Junie's sworn enemy and Mom's boyfriend's daughter, to work at their cafe. That's all completely manageable.
Markum's expert character development really shines in this novel. Junie's first-person narration inherently sets the us up to view her as a not completely reliable narrator, as we’re seeing everything through her perspective. Junie's friends and their established world and rules are efficiently established in the beginning, and the characters butt up against these roles and rules throughout the novel. These characters are all intricately developed and feel real, relatable, and really set the tone for the novel. They are flawed, but still lovable. Watching them grow throughout the course of the novel is like seeing your dearest friend come into their own, and it makes the novel as satisfying as it is fun.
The gorgeous fictional setting of White Coral Key makes me wish this place were real. It gives beachy Stars Hollow/Gilmore Girls vibes, supported by the strong mother-daughter relationship we see between Junie and her mom. But this novel is uniquely its own. The banter, hilarious hijinks, and sweet high school romances are solidly Samantha Markum's.
What makes White Coral Key so lovable isn't just the beauty; it's the community. The community is woven throughout the novel, a large cast that reminds the reader of Junie's long history with this place, and her changing role within it. Junie's humorous narration captures the beauty and difficulty of living in such an active, vibrant community. The way Markum orchestrates the community's role in the plot is flawless and is yet another reason I wish White Coral Key was a real place I could visit.
This novel really captures the joy of finding where you fit, the struggle with big changes, and the beauty of having a supportive community. This novel ultimately leaves the reader feeling satisfied, content, and daydreaming about visiting this gorgeous, if fictional, place.
You Wouldn't Dare is totally binge-worthy, engrossing, and the perfect summer book.
Thank you to the author, Wednesday Books, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an advanced digital copy such that I could share my honest opinion.

3.5/5 Stars

Felt like The Kissing Booth meets The Summer I Turned Pretty.

I really enjoyed the friendship and the personal growth between the friends. This book is a perfect summer read and this should move up on your list! This was an entertaining read that kept me engaged. There were just a few blimps that kept this from being a higher rating for me. I recommend it but I will say I’m not sure this is a story I would feel the urge to re-read. Give me a movie adaptation on Netflix! It would make a great series or movie.

You Wouldn't Dare by Samantha Markum is a fun coming-of-age story and a love letter to Florida, all in one entertaining package that will warm your heart and tickle your funny bones.

My Reading Experience:
I loved the beach vibes! Set on the tiny island of White Coral Key, Florida, the story had the authentic feel of a laid-back beach community full of artists and free thinkers. This is my favorite kind of beach setting and instantly caused me to settle down for a delightfully chaotic story of found-family and second-chance romance.

Junie narrates the story of her summer between Junior and Senior year with all the dramatic flare she can muster. I initially found her a bit stand-offish, but I grew to love her brash directness and ability to use secrets to her advantage. She doesn't always make good choices or say the right thing, but underneath it all lies a heart of gold. She is someone who can move mountains for the ones she loves.

The romance is sweet and just a touch heated, which gives the story authenticity, but it is also a slow-burn romance, which I enjoy with teens. I loved Junie's relationship with Tallulah, the daughter of her mother's partner, and watching that grow and change. And I especially enjoyed Junie's relationship with her mom, which had subtle Gilmore Girls vibes.

Family is those around us who love and support us through thick and thin. Sometimes they are blood-related, and often they are not. Found family is your neighbors, friends, and coworkers – look around you, and just like Junie, you will find your family.

this was so cute! i adored the friendships so much this is such a quick fun summer read
there were some times where i was so frustrated with the main character but i guess that was just teen ansgt bit glad they got through it!