If you’re looking for a “spicy” book that’s not really a thriller, this is it. I actually was shocked at the sex scenes in this and the amount of them. I had to check to make sure this was a thriller!

The storyline has great promise: friends from college the reunite 16 years later to continue their Daring Game. What could go wrong? I anticipated lots of twists with this.
However I was gravely disappointed. I could not relate to any of the characters because they all were completely unlikeable.
I expected more.

The narrator did a great job though.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Pub date: 16 May 2023

Synopsis:
"When best friends Hannah and Scarlett meet Thomas in college—the chemistry is instantaneous. They grow closer while playing the Daring Game, where each dare is riskier than the last. As the trio's friendship begins to cross boundaries between the platonic and the illicit, jealousy and secrets quickly develop. As tensions between the three grow, so do the stakes in the Daring Game, resulting in tragedy with Scarlett’s final dare to Thomas. When Thomas gets expelled from school and leaves without a trace, it seems like the Daring Game has finally ended.
Sixteen years later, Hannah is unhappy in marriage and in life. That is, of course, until she gets a mysterious letter about the Daring Game from none other than Thomas himself. With Scarlett out of the picture, and a renewal of the dangerous game, the sparks begin to fly between them once more. Until the day Hannah and Thomas are called to the secret meeting place of the Daring Game, where they’re welcomed by a single dare—“to tell the truth.”"

My Thoughts:
This story feels more about the characters and their obsession with one another than an edge of your seat thriller. Told from Hannah's POV we read a lot about her attraction to Thomas, issues with her husband, guilt, pain, and challenging friendship with Scarlet. The story does jump back and forth between the past and present, which is what saved it for me. The present timeline of Hannah drinking wine and wanting to be with Thomas became a bit boring, so we needed the slow clues of the excitement in the past to shake things up. Overall this is a solid mystery, perfect for those who enjoy getting to know the characters over edge of your seat action.

⭐⭐⭐💫 (3.5)

Thank you to @netgalley , @crookedlanebooks , and @dreamscape_media for the gifted copy of this book.

When college boyfriend Thomas comes back to her life, Hannah's humdrum life gets a fresh new lease. They start playing their "Daring" game again, one they used to play in college with their friend Scarlett until it all went terribly wrong. It's not long before someone starts to dare them instead, and this time, it may be Hannah who loses it all.

I listened to the audiobook version and the narrator does an excellent job! However, once the final dare from the past is revealed, it was easy to guess the ending. Hannah was too self-pitying and that got on MY nerves after a while. Also have to note that the number of sex scenes were strangely more than I expected for a book in this genre.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

Don’t You Dare
Jessica Hamilton
This is a past/present tale.
Hannah and Scarlette had been friends since elementary school. In college they met Thomas. The three became a trio. They experimented sexually together. Hannah and Thomas found they were falling in love and wanted to spend time alone. Scarlette was jealous. They played a game of Dare. If they didn’t follow through with the Dare, they faced a harsh punishment. The last Dare went too far with dire consequences. Thomas was kicked out of school and disappeared. Scarlett moved to Australia. Hannah married and had two girls.
Hannah was extremely unhappy in her marriage. Her husband was controlling and often cruel. Then Thomas came back to town and wanted to play Dare again. Hannah agreed and it brought her back to life. She and Thomas began having an affair. Someone was watching them, taking pictures, following them. Someone sent them a dare.
First let’s look at the characters. Hannah was pitiful but not necessarily likeable. Her husband was very unlikable. Scarlety was always jealous. Thomas needed to grow up. The neighbors were strange, I wanted to tell them to mind their own business.
I figured out the mystery about 2/3 of the way into this plot but that didn’t detract from the story line. This is a fast-paced thriller, mystery, suspense. To me the idea of playing Dare at their age was rather ridiculous. The characters were all flawed (which is good.) Libby was a weird in your business neighbor. This book falls under the genres of thriller, mystery, suspense, romance and psychological thriller.

Don't You Dare by Jessica Hamilton is an unexpected and thrilling ride that delves into the complexities of relationships and the dangerous allure of a daring game.

As the story unfolds through Hannah's first-person perspective, we are drawn into her unhappiness in her marriage and the subsequent email from her college flame, Thomas, reigniting their past game of dares. Reluctantly, Hannah agrees to participate, only to discover that someone else knows about their affair and is watching their every move. With cryptic messages and a growing list of suspects, including her enigmatic neighbor Libby, Hannah must navigate the treacherous game and unravel the truth.

This book offers a refreshing twist on the domestic thriller genre, going beyond the expected to explore themes of desire, nostalgia, and the consequences of past actions. The relatability of Hannah's character and the electrifying chemistry between her and Thomas make for a captivating read. The seamless blend of sensuality and suspense adds an extra layer of excitement, keeping me on the edge of my seat.

The audiobook version enhances the experience, with a great narrator who brings the story to life, making it even more engaging and enjoyable. The plot takes unexpected turns, offering surprises and a twist that catches me off guard, leaving a lasting impression.

In conclusion, Don't You Dare is a thrilling and seductive domestic thriller that stands out from the crowd. With its relatable characters, unexpected twists, and captivating writing, it offers a refreshing take on the genre. Fans of suspenseful and character-driven stories will find themselves immersed in this thrilling journey. I look forward to reading more from this talented author.

I appreciate NetGalley for the ARC of the audiobook. The book took me several days and normally I can get thru an audiobook quicker than that. I felt like the author bounced around between the different time lines and I would get lost. It didn't keep my attention and felt long at points. It wasn't my style of book. I didn't feel like the thriller was there, it was more of an adultery book.
Thank you again to NetGalley for this book.

✨𝔸𝕌𝔻𝕀𝕆𝔹𝕆𝕆𝕂 ℝ𝔼𝕍𝕀𝔼𝕎✨

📖: Don’t You Dare
✍🏻: Jessica Hamilton
⭐️: 4/5

WOW! This audiobook was a ROLLERCOASTER! First I’d like to preface this by saying I had NO idea that this was a “Spicy” book! That is not my lane and this was my first ever. And honestly if the story line wasn’t so good I probably wouldn’t have continued listening so consider this your warning that if you don’t like those kind of books then this may not be your cup of tea.

On to the review!! This one surprised me, at first it felt so freaking slow that I was convinced I had been listening for 4 hours and made no progress only to find that an hour had passed and the storybuilding took so long, in my opinion, that it just felt dragged out. But I pushed through and I’m glad I did! I found myself trying and trying to solve the mystery within the book and yet until the very end where the “bad person” is revealed I was actually stumped!

I would definitely recommend this, with the warning that it can be very explicit at times. That being said, hats off to author Jessica Hamilton on a very well done thriller!

I loved this book! This was the first I had read from this author, and will read more! I loved the twists in this book, and how certain characters turn out to be what you won't expect! I was not super crazy about the narrator, at times it sounded like her voice was an automated voice like siri or something.

Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC.

Story: 🌟🌟🌟
Narration: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Overall: 🌟🌟🌟

Don’t You Dare is a dark, steamy thriller that follows three people with a toxic friendship full of secrets and jealousy. In college, Hannah, Thomas, and Scarlett played the Daring Game until it spirals out of control, putting an end to their friendship. Sixteen years later, Hannah is unhappy in life until she gets a mysterious letter from Thomas hoping to start their game back up. The two’s chemistry is still strong until they get a dare - Tell the truth. Someone knows what they did and are forcing them to play a new game.

This was a solid thriller full of unlikable characters. I wanted a bit faster pace, which would have got me fully addicted to the story. Hillary Huber is one of my favorite narrators and I enjoyed her performance.

ALC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. The Daring Game never sounds like a good idea when you decide to play it growing up so when it comes back into your life again as an adult, no good can come of it right? This is exactly what happens to Hannah 16 yrs later from the last time that the Daring Game went horribly wrong and was never played again. Then one day she receives a letter in the mail and it simple says "Don't You Dare". All of a sudden all of her college year memories flood back from the time her and her best friend Scarlett met Thomas and started a close sometimes too close friendship as a trio. However, as Hannah and Thomas started to get feelings for each other Scarlett was getting jealous and felt left out so the Dare's became more and more difficult and sinister. I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading more by this author. Enjoy!!!

eh...if you want a book starring unlikable characters and a twist that isn't a twist, then this is the book for you. THe writing was okay. I did roll my eyes a few times. Not sure i'd read more by Hamilton. Ive read worse books.

Riveting. Addictive. Un-put-down0able.

This was such an enjoyable ride, one that had me guessing, worried, concerned, creeped out and thoroughly engaged the entire time!

Hannah and her 2 best friends, Thomas and Scarlett, started game of Dare in college. With every dare, they were told to go bigger and bolder. It eventually led to their demise.

Years later, Hannah is married to with 2 kids. Surprisingly, Thomas reappears and suggestions they restart their long forgotten game. Hannah agrees. But soon, someone is on to them and it could cause them to lose everything.

When I tell you I couldn’t stop listening to this book, I mean it. Even at work, I was popping in my earbuds every free minute I had. The toxic relationships, the dares, the secrecy and suspicion…I was here for all of it!

I enjoyed how the 2 story lines somewhat aligned, the neighborhood creeper and the game of Dare. Everything fit together perfectly. I related to Hannah so much being confusingly unhappy and happy with where her life was and wanting more. I highly recommend this book!

I listened to this in audio format and was not thrilled about the narrator. Mid-paragraph throughout the entire book it sounded as if someone else started speaking or as if they rerecorded sections. The inflection and tone were so different that for a second I thought the book was going to have some crazy twist related to the main character. It was very distracting.

As for the plot itself, this book wasn’t what was advertised. It only truly becomes a thriller around the 80% mark, with a few hints dropped here or there that something sinister is going on. Regardless of warnings, the main character doesn’t care and spends the entirety of the book being unlikable. But no one was likable. I thought I was getting a thriller, instead, I got a book about a woman’s reckless affair (early on she goes to town on herself in a public restroom. Really? How was that supposed to make me feel?). I wasn’t rooting for anyone and struggled to finish the book.

3.5 stars

I enjoyed Don’t You Dare, the story was easy to get into and the plot was good. It kept you guessing, which I like in a book. Although I liked the book, I didn’t really care for any of the characters in the book! They just didn’t have any redeeming qualities. But overall that didn’t affect my opinion of the book itself.

There were parts of the audio that you could tell the narrator maybe had a cold or different tone in her voice which was kind of distracting at times. But overall she did a good job.

Absolutely everyone in this book is a terrible person, which made it really difficult to enjoy. There was no one to root for. The narrator was great, but I felt like "spicy" isn't quite her thing.

First of all, there is a lot of sex in this book. I didn't mind this myself, but I think a lot of people may feel "cheated" if they are not aware that this is more of a slow burn, sexy mystery than anything else. I wouldn’t really call it a thriller either, there’s more dialogue than plot and the pacing (as said), is slow.

The “drunk woman” thing in thrillers nowadays is so often used that it has already been stablished as a turn off in various reading circles, however, this character trait was forgotten in the MC, Hannah, in more less the second part of the book (for better or worse) so I wasn’t as annoyed as I would with it.

I haven’t read Hamilton’s first novel, What You Never Knew, so I’ll perhaps check it out soon, she definitely seems like a promising author.

Overall, a decent read and perfect for those that are looking for a slower, steamy read.

Hanna, Thomas, and Scarlet during college all play a game of truth or dare. Now they may appear to be innocent, but they get more vindictive along the way
Fast forward 15 yrs they are adults
You would think they would have outgrown these childish games or have they?

I really liked this book. It was very well written, easy to follow, and sucked me in from the beginning. There was some level of predictability to the story. However, it flowed well and the ending was wrapped up nicely. I didn't feel like it was rushed at any point, and I wasn't left with questions and wanting more. The author did a stellar job flowing between the flashbacks to present time, and kept it flowing nicely. All the characters were some what relatable, I do feel that the "whodunit" suspect was obvious, but there were others that it could have been. The narrator was also wonderful and easy to listen to. I burned through this one in less than 2 days and wish I had more to read!

Don't You Dare by Jessica Hamilton is a book I could do with or without, not really caring either way. There were some parts I was bored with and other parts I really enjoyed. Had I not figured out what caused the end of the game, the reason for this, and who the perpetrator was before any each thing was revealed, I likely would have rated it higher. Alas, I give it 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3.

Hillary Huber is usually my favorite narrator. However, in the middle of speaking as one character, she mistakenly switched to speaking as another, which caused confusion. She was also congested when speaking some of the roles, which also broke the book's continuity.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for providing me with an ALC.