I really enjoyed this coming-of-age YA romance and found it the perfect summer book with some heavier themes but ultimately about growing up.

Juniper Nash is a frustrating character in the way that teenagers tend to be frustrating, oblivious and stubborn and resistant to change, it was a pleasure to watch as Juniper matured throughout the book. The best part about this book for me was the found family aspect. There is Juniper and her friends, Juniper and the community that comes together to work on the community theater show and then the family that is building between her mother and her mother's boyfriend as well as the boyfriend's sullen daughter who Juniper is forced to take under her wing much to the displeasure of both.

The joy of this book is realizing even before Juniper that this is where her family is and that sometimes change is good and makes us grow. The relationship between Juniper and Graham is especially lovely and I thought it was really realistic for teens. The ending to this book was extremely satisfactory and I look forward to reading even more of Markum's books in the future.

Thank you so much to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday Books for allowing me to read and review this book! All thought and opinions are my own.

I adored Samantha Markum's debut novel This May End Badly so I was definitely looking forward to reading You Wouldn't Dare when it was announced. I'm so happy I was able to read You Wouldn't Dare! The expectations I had after reading This May End Badly were met and surpassed and I will continue to look forward to each of Markum's releases.

You Wouldn't Dare is an insightful and intriguing story of loss, friendship, and young love. I think many YA readers will fall in love with Junie and Graham's story. The book is well-written and the characters are thought-out and developed nicely.

4.75 stars

Ahhh, I loved this book just as much as I loved This May End Badly! A quaint Florida island town, coming-of-age over-the-top drama, found family and friendships that survive life’s ups-and-downs all take center stage in You Wouldn’t Dare.

Juniper “Junie” Nash is having a rough summer… first, her mom just told her she has to move from their beloved home and neighborhood at the end of the summer to the opposite side of the island to live with her soon-to-be stepdad and his daughter Tallulah, who happens to dislike Junie. Also, her community theatre group production is at risk of being cancelled due to lack of interest. Finally, her friend group is feeling a little rocky after her little secret relationship with her friend Graham last summer. While on the surface, it seems like they’ve patched things up after a secret between them caused major fallout, the cracks still show and things are still awkward. When Junie is forced to resort to drastic measures to save the production - by bribing her friends to take part too. But that includes Tallulah and Graham, both which she has reason to avoid. But as the summer wears on and her time with her friends and the only place she’s called home runs down, lines are crossed and boundaries broken down. But can things broken in the past be repaired?

I am going to start this by saying, I did not realize this was a YA book until after reading it. I am not a big YA reader since I find most of them to be whiny and kind of annoying… basically as the mom of a tween, I just can’t relate anymore. So I did not love this. I wanted more growth from the characters and less drama… but that is what ya books are about so I should have expected it. I liked the beach part of the book - the descriptions were great. The characters were typical teenagers with lots of angst and drama. If you love YA books, give it a try.

Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy

All I can say is the ending was worth the wait.

This was delightful. Out now go get yourself a copy!!

From the book- 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...

My thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is such a great summertime read about friends, and family, and friends who become family, and friends who become more than friends. It takes Juniper a little while to sort it all out and realize who and what are really the most important people and aspects of her life in their small Florida beach town. It is a sweet romance and and a good hard look at what is most important. Recommended for grades 8 & up.

You Wouldn't Dare is everything I love about YA Romance!

Samantha Markum did a great job making Junie feel like an authentic character. I was frustrated on her behalf that she seemed to be unfairly blamed for a lot of things, and I was rooting for her from beginning to end. She was not a perfect character, but I haven't met a person yet who doesn't make mistakes!

I really enjoyed the romance, and this book is SWOONY! I was swept up in the tide of the slow burn second chance romance. Add in an excellent coming of age storyline with messy feelings about new parental relationships and a hidden secret, and you have a wonderful YA book that's perfect for summer.

I am officially in love with Samantha Markum's writing. Her two books to date feel different but equally lovely, and I really appreciate how she is able to craft excellent coming of age stories with beautiful slow burn romances. I will be recommending this to EVERYONE.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

You Wouldn't Dare is Samantha Markum's second book. I liked this book even better than her first one! This is a YA book that follows Junie Nash and her friends during their summer vacation. Junie is dealing with many changes in her life. One of them being her mom getting more serious with her boyfriend and bringing his daughter Tallulah in to work at their café with them. She also is dealing with weirdness between herself and one of her good friends, Graham, because they spent the last summer hooking up, but a big secret ended up making their relationship much more complicated than anticipated. She also is expecting a big visit from her dad and she is staring in the local summer theater production.

This book gave me major Gilmore Girls vibes which I loved! I don't just say that because it has just been Junie and her mom for most of her life, but also because of the town they live in and their neighbors. The town is basically Stars Hollow on the beach. Junie frustrated me a bit through the beginning of the story. I felt like she kept getting in her own way and it made me struggle to get into the story at first, but Junie does so much growing during this book and I was rooting for her by the end. I really loved seeing her growth in all of her relationships, but I especially loved seeing her and Tallulah change. I also really loved learning more and more about Tallulah as the story progressed.

I think the banter between Junie's friend group was one of my absolute favorite parts of this book. Their sarcasm was on point!. I also loved the romance! It was for sure a slow burn and took a while to really dive into it in this story, but once it got going, I ate it up! Also, as a drama club kid and an English teacher I really loved the little snippets of Midsummer Madness at the beginning of each chapter. I wish someone would write this musical for real!

Overall, this was a really great young adult book. It's light and fun with just the right amount of drama. It's going to make the perfect beach read this summer!

This was a cute young adult story of teens in a small town in Florida living their summer vacation before school starts and things change for some of them. I liked the characters and enjoyed this quick read.

This would make a good beach read for summer vacations!

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the advanced copy for review.

Junie thought her life was pretty perfect. That was until a secret she was keeping ruins her friendship with Graham and potentially any type of relationship as well. Then her mom springs it on her that they'll be moving in with her new boyfriend and his daughter who is Junie's nemesis. Her last summer living the perfect life is slowly dwindling.

I really liked this one. Junie portrays so many characteristics of girls her age. The fear of being rejected by friends and the boy she likes, the heartbreak of her and her mom's dynamic duo coming to an end, and also dealing with the repercussions of a deadbeat dad that she wants to desperately hold out hope for.

I remember feeling so many of these same things when I was Junie's age. It hit way too close to home on a lot of points. I connected with a lot of what Junie went through and maybe that did sway my opinion.

The book is very well written and has really great conflict resolutions. I laughed and I cried while reading. I definitely recommend it.

“I think love is about finding a way to fit together even after the hard stuff happens… I don’t think it’s supposed to be easy. It’s about choosing someone in spite of the obstacles.”

You Wouldn’t Dare is a sunshine-steeped coming-of-age story set in the Florida Keys.

When Juniper kisses her best friend Graham, she doesn’t know that it’s going to set off a chain of events that just might obliterate their relationship. After establishing a tentative peace, Juniper also has to manage a new would-be stepsister, an upending move, and acting in a summer play. As Juniper experiences her last summer before things dramatically change, she has to decide whether or not to take chances or to play it safe.

If you love a truly adolescent, flawed protagonist, you are going to love this book. Juniper is, at times, as annoying as she is endearing. Which makes her character all the more compelling. She’s 17 and acts like it, trying to navigate through complicated emotional situations and trying to face her fears. Would I have like to see a bit more character growth? Sure. But the pacing and the character development feel right. Graham, too, is such an interesting character. One who has grown a lot, and helps Juniper become more grounded. I liked him a lot, and sometimes wanted to shake some sense into Juniper.

In all, this is a wonderful summertime story, and a true homage to those tumultuous teenage years.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

I really loved Samantha Markum's debut novel (This May End Badly), and I was afraid that I wouldn't feel the same way about You Wouldn't Dare.

I've now read it three times, and each time, I love it a little bit more. It's got a completely different feel than This May End Badly, perhaps because of the setting or the shorter time period. There are a lot of characters to get to know, and I agree with the person who wrote the blurb -- it does have a bit of a Gilmore Girls feel in the way that the town all comes together to support each other.

The friends-to-lovers story is really well-written, and it's got a happy ending, which we all need sometimes. I would enjoy a sequel, perhaps from Tallulah's perspective.

I had super high hopes for this novel, unfortunately, the first half was just okay. Junie did seem to be the typical mean girl and pretty immature for a senior in high school. Putting some of her character flaws aside I did enjoy the book and how Junie overcame all that life was throwing at her. The last half of the book was much better for me and I actually came to like Junie and how she grew as a character.

This one was a cute and sweet story about true friendship and found family with a little bit of romance.
The character development for the main set of characters was pretty good, although I couldn't really connect to any of them, especially Junie —why couldn't she stop being so dramatic?—, I found her to be really annoying at times. And there were just too many unnecessary characters —they'd often mention someone out of the blue and I would be like: "who are they?" and, believe me, it happened often enough for it to become an issue.
The writing was really good, I must say, although there were some plot points that could have used some more development.
I have to say it just wasn't for me, but if you like romantic YA stories about friendship and found family you'll probably love it.
I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

I'm not sure I was the right audience for this book. Does that mean I'm getting old? Maybe it does. I think this is going to be perfect for teens and young readers.

I was irritated with Junie the main character for the entire book. She is really selfish, immature, irresponsible and dramatic making her unlikable. She has a wonderful group of friends, and they put up with her antics instead of calling her on her BS. Nothing is ever her fault and all of her bad decisions are turned into a joke. She doesn't realize she is hurting people around her and in turn hurting herself. I'm glad finally someone addressed her emotional issues with her dad, which was causing most of her ridiculous behavior. While her character development arc did take a step in the right direction, for me it came too late in the game.

While Junie took a long time to grow on me, I loved her group of friends. She has a wonderful support system in her friends and family that no matter what will love her unconditionally. While this was too dramatic for me, I do think there will be an audience out there who will love Junie and her antics.

Junie’s just a teenager trying to manage a fallout with a boy she kissed and keep her life afloat while working at her family’s cafe. A wrench is thrown into the world when her mom hires her boyfriend’s daughter Tallulah and announces they’re going to move in together as one big happy family *cue eyeroll*. Throw in her dad coming to visit as the only bright spot until he ends up disappointing her as well. This was a rollercoaster of a ride and I enjoyed Junie’s humor while reading. My heart broke for Junie a few times but I’m glad she has her mom in her corner and that they’re so close. I enjoyed this book and it’s the perfect summer read.

I adored Samantha Markum’s debut This May End Badly last year, surprising myself by giving the YA book five stars, so when I was invited to read her follow-up, You Wouldn’t Dare, I jumped at the chance, even though this one sounded so very different. And You Wouldn’t Dare is very, very different from This May End Badly, but one thing is the same: Markum knows how to write strong lead characters in the midst of change.

Set over the summer in the small Florida beach town of White Coral Key, it’s a story about heartbreak, found family, making mistakes, and accepting change. Junie has been treading water for the past year to keep her friend group together, to find some semblance of normality between her and Graham, as well as their best friends, Milo and Lucy.

First, I think the publisher may be misleading readers a bit with the tagline labeling this one as a rom-com. While there are light and humorous aspects, this novel definitely dives into deeper territory with some serious situations. And, while I enjoyed You Wouldn’t Dare, especially all the friendship dynamics, there were things that bothered me and kept me from being consumed in the story, making this one harder to review.

As the book begins, the reader can tell something has happened that shifted these friends’ relationships. I was confused at first, having to go back and read the beginning because it seemed understood that the reader knew what had happened. And when I couldn’t find anything, I figured it would be revealed slowly, that it was a mystery to be solved. However, it was eventually just revealed all at once, and not in a shocking or surprising way. It felt like a missed opportunity, and I was confused as to why it wasn’t simply revealed in the beginning.

But that might be a me-thing because I haven’t seen anyone else mention it in an early review. And I do tend to overanalyze sometimes.

One thing that is similar to Markum’s debut is how well she develops her characters. Junie and Graham are layered and complicated and engaging. While Graham is a sweetheart, Junie is hard to love at times, but I appreciated that human aspect of her. The side characters are fleshed out, as well, although there were so many in this book—including Junie’s fellow community theater group, fellow employees, and the eclectic community that made up Junie’s found family—I often had to go back to figure out who they were. This is when reading an ebook helps, and searching by name quickly satisfies my confusion.

One of my favorite relationships was the one between Junie and Tallulah. Since their parents are dating, they are thrown together quite often, and Junie is determined not to like Talullah. Which may not have helped me sympathize with Junie, but seemed very realistic. Meanwhile, Tallulah is dealing with her own demons, and it was refreshing to see Junie mature, growing past her personal animosity.

I do wish there had been more time devoted to showing the readers the friendship between the four main friends: Junie, Milo, Graham, and Lucy. I felt like we were told they were best friends since childhood, but not given very many examples to make it convincing. Especially between Junie and Milo and Graham and Lucy, respectively. The romance between Junie and Graham is given plenty of backstory to support it, and I wish the friendships had been handled the same way. Once again, this may be a me-thing.

I did love the beach setting. In the beginning, I was getting We Were Liars vibes, and I have such nostalgic memories of reading that one beachside. You Wouldn’t Dare would be a good one to read on the beach or by the pool, as well, enhancing that summer-feeling.

Overall, You Wouldn’t Dare is a satisfying story, and worth the read. I enjoyed hanging out with Junie and Graham, and their beach community. It had me wishing to pack my bags and find a quaint seaside town of my own!

I really enjoy Samantha Markum's books. She has this way of writing that feels casual and easy, but gets to the heart of the story in a super fun way. I enjoy how she writes relatable and honest characters and situations that are true to life but also fun to read. I listened to the first half and wish that I had just made time to sit down and sink into her writing.

This story of Graham and Juniper is complex and fun and filled with the kind of growth that I like best. After kissing all of the previous summer, unexpected events and life break them apart. But when they are together again through community theater and major life changes the summer before their senior year, sparks fly and things change. I love a story with a good growth arch, romance and fun friend groups. This is all three at its finest.

Long live contemporary YA summer romances! This was right in the same vein as a Sarah Dessen or Morgan Matson book, and I will never get enough of those.

This is the second book by Samantha Markum I’ve read and she REALLY knows how to write that close knit found family group of friends. But what I love is that her groups grow and evolve and always make room for more.

Juniper’s town is Stars Hollow on the beach, you can’t tell me otherwise. The community was fun and caring, but there are A LOT of characters in this book which was tough for a while. I felt like we were never going to stop meeting new people, but they were all so unique that it kept things feeling fresh the entire time.

Overall, You Wouldn’t Dare is a fun, summery book that will give you all of those cute butterfly feelings.

I thought this was really cute! I appreciated the different kinds of relationships that were showcased in this, rather than only having it be about the romance. I thought it was a well-written book as well. The only thing that lowered my enjoyment is that this felt very young to me. The main character was pretty juvenile at times and it frustrated me. I do think though that this book would be PERFECT for a younger teen, like 13-16. I would totally recommend it for that age range and I did think it was good, it just wasn't really for me.