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.

Hannah and Scarlett are inseparable best friends and no one can infiltrate their ranks, that is until they arrive at college and meet Thomas. The duo expanded to form a trio, and partying and a series of risky dares filled their days and nights. Now they have disbanded and their reckless days are a thing of the past for Hannah, who now has a husband to love and children to raise. Or are they..? When Thomas arrives back into her life he makes her realise that not all her emotions from the past are as buried as she thought and her mundane existence begins to grate against her, forcing her to reinstate their twisted game of dares, despite what the past has taught her about it.

The book was full of twists and turns, shifting timelines, dares and spice. It made for a truly thrilling read and I was never sure where events would next take us or who could be trusted along the way. Hannah was our central character and her insights to those around us were sometimes rose-tinted, making her unreliable in delivering the truth and keeping it withheld until the author chose to deliver each shocking reveal.

Hannah, Scarlett and Thomas have been playing the Daring Game since college. When Thomas appears in Hannah's life sixteen years later, they're shocked when they're both summoned to the same place with someone instigating new dares. Who is playing with them? Who knows their past secrets?

I really liked this book. The audio narration was stellar, the characters were all interesting and I was fully invested in seeing what would happen. I love a good gossipy neighborhood so with that thrown into the mix of dares, it made for an entertaining read. I am proud to say that I did actually pick the ending of this one - it very rarely happens that I'm correct with this so I'm making a solid point to say YES, I GOT IT THIS TIME. Being proven correct didn't take away from the enjoyment of the book though. I'm looking forward to seeing what Jessica Hamilton writes next.

I really liked this one! 4 stars because there were a few parts that seemed choppy. I actually had to go back and make sure I didn’t miss something a few times.
This story was really gripping! I finished this in one day because I had to know what was going to happen! Definitely pick this up if you’re looking for a thriller that will keep you reading.

Hannah is not so happily married and when she gets an email from Thomas her college friend/boyfriend to start the dare game up again she is reluctant due to how it ended the last time but ultimately gives in to the boredom of her life. When she see’s Thomas The thrill from the dare game isn’t the only excitement she feels that someone else knows they’ve started the game again and they’ve been in Hannah‘s house is it her neighbor Liz who she sees everywhere she goes oh someone from the past? This was a really different kind of read and one I thoroughly enjoyed it isn’t your normal domestic thriller and I think with the great narrator and the awesome plot it makes for a great audiobook and one I thoroughly enjoyed. I received this book from NetGalley and Dreamscape media but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.