Quick Summary: A love at first sight romance

My Review: Dare Me by Samantha Chase was a mixture of love at first sight, forbidden romance, and forever love all rolled into one.

When Will and Arianna first met, they clicked. They connected in a way that was unlike anything either had ever experienced. Circumstances, however, brought a strange twist of fate. This couple who met by chance shared a link. A link that would cause their whole world to tilt off its axis. When an unplanned reunion brings them back together, they must decide if what they had is worth taking a chance on or if what they have should just be a beautiful memory best left in the past.

My Final Say: This was a solid read. It introduced a new setting (Laurel Bay) that has the potential to be a place where hearts are healed and loves are brought together. It also introduced a rambunctious family (The Donovans). They were wild, crazy, and loads of fun. It's worth a read. Bring on the next book!

Rating: 3.5./5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A

Thanks to the author, to the publisher, and to NetGalley, who provided a digital ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review. The words I have shared are my own.

* A Goodreads review has been posted.

Samantha Chase always delivers a great story with heart. I love the start of this new series featuring the Donavan clan. So much energy in this family and so much potential for each character. I enjoyed this story and the meet cute was perfect! Arianna and Will's story is an age-gap story that really worked. It wasn't cheesy but filled with heart. The plot was believable and even though I wanted to choke most of her family, I like the protective vibe this book brought. Great start to the series and I look forward to the next book.

Dare you to read this story and not love it. Must read and enjoyed this. Loved it from start to finish.

Arianna Donovan and Will Jameson met on a dare and spent a perfect 24 together before going their separate ways. She thought they would stay in touch, but he disappeared without a word. Now a year later, Arianna is taken aback when Will shows up for the family dinner with her older brother.
A year back, when Will learned that Arianna was his best friend and military buddy’s younger sister, he thought walking away was the best option. Now when he sees her again he realizes that time and distance has not dimmed their connection, and he still wants her, if not more than as much as before. But first he needs to convince Arianna to give them a chance.
Dare me was a cute and fun read. There is a constant thread of Truth or Dare in the book that was fun. Arianna’s family and their matchmaking felt a little over the top, especially the fact that they are focusing only on the girls despite having older boys. Arianna did come across as a little childish in some situations but I felt Will balanced her out well. No major angst, this was a good and light read.

Arianna's whole family is obsessed with Truth or Dare. A year after Will and Arianna meets then he ghosted her. Will shows up at Arianna's family house with her brother. Secrets are hard to keep from her family, I think that they had fun trying though. Arianna's family is very old fashioned. It was satisfying when she put them in there place.

Wow what a rollercoaster ride. Good read that wasn’t too long yet got in enough depth and details. Lots of twists and secrets and of course romance.

Dare Me by Samantha Chase begins new series about a family that completely believes in togetherness…and meddling. The matriarch especially wants to see her two daughters married but to the proper sort and naturally living close by. This story focuses on the youngest daughter, Arianna, newly returned home from college, totally crushing on a man her family considers too old for her, but deemed just perfect for the older sister. The lengths Arianna and Will must go through to see each other makes this a fun book to read. The truth or dare game is central to their intimate relationship. There’s a lot of sexy foreplay but nothing graphic. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Highly recommend.

Book 162 of 2022

Will and Arianna spend one glorious day together before going their separate ways. What they originally thought was fate ended up not working out. Flash forward to a year later, and Arianna’s brother, Liam, is home from his military tour. He’s brought a military buddy home with him, and it’s none other than Will, the man Arianna hasn’t stopped thinking about for the last year. While initially angry with Will for not talking for over a year, she can’t help but be drawn to him. Arianna’s family, though, feels they couldn’t possibly be a match because of their almost 10-year age gap. Can they make it work? Or was it destined to fail from the start?

I’ve enjoyed many Samantha Chase books over the years, and I can see why at least one of her books have been turned into a Hallmark movie. As I read Dare Me, I kept thinking it would be a good Hallmark movie. There’s not a lot of depth to the characters and their relationship, yet I found myself loving the small town setting & the Donovan siblings. I did find myself frequently frustrated with Arianna’s lack of maturity. Throughout the book, she is frustrated and annoyed with her family for treating her like a child, but I kind of felt like she acted that way at times. Will was a little more calm and steady, so I can see why he would be a good balance for Arianna. There’s not a whole lot of drama here, but there’s a good dose of two people who just want to be together. This was a good, light read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Valentine PR & Literary Management for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts & opinions are my own. This book is set to be released October 2022.

This first full-length novel in a new series by Samantha Chase introduces us to the Donovan family. I liked the main characters of Arianna and Will, but her family was a little too over-bearing for me. I enjoyed the romance enough to continue the series although I do hope the rest of the Donovans become more three-dimensional and not so bossy.

This book was a little difficult for me to get into. Arianna complains the entire book that her family treats her like a child however she seriously acts like a child the entire book. She says she doesn’t need her protective family to hover and make decisions for her but then she rarely stands up for herself or is honest with them. Will seemed like a great guy though. Genuinely in love with Arianna and wanted to be the best he could and I think he did help balance her out.

Samantha Chase once again gives her reader the beginnings of a family drama that locks us in and wil not let us go. The Donovan clan have 5 children and each and every one will hopefully get their own story as I did not want this one to end. Will and Arianna had a cute beginning as part of a novella and I had hoped we would get more of them. While their first 24 hours were an instant connection over a year has past and nothing ever came of it until Will comes home with his marine buddy who just happen to be Arianna's brother. Faced with feelings from the past and parents who are trying to se t up Will with her sister, Arianna finds herself struggling with her feelings for Will and her connection to her family. With every turn of the page the romance flourishes and the climax of the situation will make you laugh out loud and sigh with happiness. A simple game of truth or dare will never be the same. Definitely a must read.

I could not get Arianna and Wil out of my mind. All of Samantha Chases book are wonderful but this one was extra amazing, After spending an amazing night together and going there separate ways they unexpectedly meet again at a family dinner as Wil is friends with her brother. What ensues is a fun journey of Wil & Ariana addressing there issues while trying to keep their friends and family out of it. Such a great read! Excellent chemistry, great characters, and a fast moving plot. Very much looking forward to her next read.



One year ago, Arianna Donovan and Will Jameson met on a dare and spent a perfect 24 together before going their separate ways. She thought they would stay in touch, but he disappeared without a word.



Arianna thought she’d moved on. But when Will shows up at a family dinner with her older—and very protective—brother, she’s angry and confused. How could he possibly forget to mention that he was friends with her brother? No one knows about their past and Arianna wants to keep things that way. No matter how tempting Will is. What ensues is a exciting back and forth of them acknowledging each other, but keeping



When he walked away a year ago, Will thought it was for the best. Staying away from Arianna was the smart thing to do, especially with how protective her older brother—his friend and fellow soldier—can be. Time and distance will work wonders when you’re trying to stay away from someone. Now that he’s seen her again, he forgets all about doing the smart thing. He’ll just have to first convince her to let go of her anger and give him another chance.



Will isn’t above playing the nostalgia card, and when he challenges Arianna to a sexy game of truth or dare, she can’t resist. Neither one is ready to tell the world what they’re doing, but how long can they possibly keep things a secret when there are Donovans ready to meddle around every corner?

Thank you NetGalley and Samantha Chase for an Arc copy of this book.

This was a super cute second chance romance and brothers' best friend story. I fell in love with the character of Arianna from the very beginning. Her and Will were very well written and balanced characters that had depth to them. I could easily see how each of them was feeling about the situation and relate to them.

I could not stand Arianna's family. Any time there was a scene with her parents or brothers, I almost stopped reading the book because I hated them for how they treated the two girls in the family.

The only thing I felt it was lacking, was that I wish we got more of their story of that one day they spent together.

A new series from Samatha Chase. The Donovan’s have five grown children and own a pub in Laurel Bay, NC. The family is fun loving, traditional and over the top in each others business. Arianna is the youngest at 23. After graduating college and finishing an internship she has one perfect day (no sex) with the perfect man. But they head in different directions and he ghosts her. A year later he walks through the door with her brother, both having gotten out of the Marines. They are starting a new business together. Will is still yummy, kind and handsome. Turns out he didn’t contact her when he realized she was the sister of his best Marine buddy.

The title of the book ties into Arianna asking truth or dare questions of Will. Often asking about feelings or daring him to kiss her. It is cute and playful as is the whole book. There is something almost cartoonish in how overbearing the family behaves. Mom wants the daughters married and settled. Everyone thinks Will would be perfect for Arianna’s older, more age appropriate, sister. Ryleigh (the sister) knows of the past and present romance and lets the family think she’s dating Will to keep the them off all their backs. Of course it's going to blow up eventually when the family learns the truth.

The story is light with no big angst. These two get intimate fairly fast as they’ve been pining for each other for a year. But this author doesn’t share graphic details. I actually like this balance showing naked conversations and time in bed without being part of the act. But I wish occasionally Chase would mention a condom or something promoting safety.

The focus is on the characters and the family interactions. There isn’t a lot of depth or detail to anyone. For example Arianna graduates at the top of her class in something related to medical field but no specifics on her job she loves. And I had a big question why the brother who was in the marines kept an apartment in town. It didn’t make sense as he is all about saving money for his future business. That question gets answered in the preview chapter for the next book which is going to be his romance.

If you want fun, escapism romance and don’t mind it being light on details, this is a great way to spend a few hours. I will look forward to the next in the series. Thank you to Valentine PR & Literary Management , Samantha Chase and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.