Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills returns with an all-new swoon-fest of a novel about what happens when you look beyond labels and take a chance on love. Badass Athlete: I dare you to… girl.
Lover of fluffy kitties and Star Wars.
Curious.
His dare? Spend one night in his bed—a night he promises will be unforgettable—and she can solve the mystery of who he is.
She knows she shouldn’t, but what else is she going to do with her boring Valentine’s Day? One sexy hook-up later, her mind is blown and the secret’s out.
Maverick Monroe.
Bad boy.
The most talented football player in the country.
Just ask him.
Too bad for him Delaney’s sworn off dating athletes forever after her last heartbreak.
But Maverick wants more than one night and refuses to give up on winning Delaney’s heart. She isn’t one to be fazed by a set of broad shoulders.
Will the bad boy land the nerd girl or will the secrets they keep from each other separate them forever?
I DARE YOU is a full-length stand-alone novel. For a limited time, when you buy or download the book in KU, you’ll also receive an extended excerpt of her #1 Amazon romance Dirty English!
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Cute story, started out great but kinda fizzled. I would recommend for younger 20ish reader.
He-man and Delaney! I love his heart. I love her nerd. They are the cutest!
Seriously, she speaks to my inner nerd. I also love that she’s a little introverted, but uses dares to let loose a little. I can totally relate to that.
And Mav? I could use just a touch less cockiness. I like his cockiness, he can pull it off. Mainly because he is also an amazing person. But he’s got just a touch too much for me. I’m glad it wasn’t too much for Delaney though.
But seriously, a man that will quote Princess Bride to me? Yes please!
I absolutely enjoyed the crap out of this story! Fun, entertaining, sexy…..seriously, what more could you want out of a book?
Delaney is just one big ball of awesomeness. Hello, she loves Star Wars, named her cat after Han Solo…..I just adored her. She marched to the beat of her own drum and made no apologies for it…..and never backed down from a dare.
And Maverick? Wow. He is just a dream guy. Athletic, smart, with a heart of gold who would do anything for his family. I loved the lengths he was willing to go in order to protect his sister and take care of her. He knew from the moment he met Delaney that she was something special, but the timing wasn’t right. Even though it took some time, he knew he would someday get his opportunity.
Looking forward to what I’m sure will be more stories for this group of characters!
Even before they were a couple Maverick could read his woman like a book, “he studies me, eyes at half-mast. “Okay, fine, Delaney. I’ll never hook-up with anyone in the library… unless it’s you.” You could tell maverick loved to tease his lady, “he shrugs. “I can always just walk around naked.” I throw a dishtowel at him and he catches it. “This?” I loved this book, Maverick was so easy to fall in love with, the man had a heart of gold.
I Dare you is such a heartwarming story. We meet Maverick and Delaney in this story. This is such a opposites attract story. Once I started reading this story i couldn’t put it down. I was in love with the characters from the moment they were introduced until well I’m still in love with them. The author has a way of telling a story that makes you feel as if you are standing next to the character. You will find yourself relating to the characters well i did. I give this book a 5 star rating and definitely recommend. Such a great story filled with awesome characters and a great plot.
I just love Ilsa Madden-Mills writing style and I read everything from her so far so when I got the opportunity to read her next release early I was ecstatic. I enjoyed it, I dare you is a quick, easy, light read, not really dramatic or overly complicated, for me it gave a bit similar vibes to Beautiful disaster with less drama to it. Honestly the blurb is a bit misleading but in general that what happens.
So the story had a phenomenal flow to it, I mean it’s not a long book to begin with but with the pace of thing it feels even quicker. I really liked the storyline but my favorites were the characters and to be honest with you all for me there was something missing regarding the plot. Maybe because a lot of important things, conflicts happened in the background and you, the reader only heard about if fleetingly second hand. This method kind of took away from the possible impact of these events and broke up the dynamic of the storyline. I don’t know why the author choose to do it this way but I feel like I could have enjoyed it more if I get to experience the bumps in their road first hand. Anyway otherwise the book is pretty amazing.
However, my favorite thing in the whole book was/is Delaney’ character. I just loved her with all of her quirkiness and unique style. I don’t know why but from the first description of hers I picture her as Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn character with glasses. I loved her, maybe because I could easily relate to her personality, she was phenomenal but I don’t agree with calling her shy. Sorry but in my opinion there was not on shy bone in her body, if you are brave enough to do those dares and express yourself as she did the you are not shy, maybe she is quiet and keeps to herself but she is not shy. Anyway I loved her to pieces.
I also liked Maverick, he had a hard life and he worked his ass down to provide to his family but he is still can’t see the light at the end of his troubles. He was pretty great guy, but he made a couple of stupid mistakes. He wants to resolve his problems alone so instead of talking to someone, he keeps secrets, which is kind of his downfall in the end. I liked his interaction with Delaney, they are cute and funny but regarding their relationship the main things happening in the background thing is true to this as well. We don’t see much about them when they are together, unfortunately. But they are awesome as a couple.
I dare you to not fall in love with this cocky football player
Maverick melted my heart from the beginning. I don’t care if he was cocky he had every reason to be. He plays a good He-Man to Delaney’s Princess Layla that’s for sure. Usually if someone in the book is going to have me mad it’s the male but no Delaney did it this time. I was just about ready to cry for Maverick. I get why she made the choices she made but man did it take me a while to love her and I really did by the end of the book but she had to work for it that’s for sure.
I feel like it’s been ages since I read an Ilsa Madden-Mills book and that’s a shame since I tend to really enjoy her writing. When I saw she was releasing a new adult football romance, I knew I had to read it. I love me a good football book and the timing was perfect considering the NFL Draft was happening and that always makes me thirsty for football anyway I can get it. I Dare You was a sweet and sexy book that I finished in one sitting.
This book was fun and relatively fast-paced. I enjoyed the legend of the “first kiss” of freshman year and I liked following along as Delaney and Maverick got to know each other better. They had oodles of chemistry and I enjoyed the text message dares. (And the nerdy talk, of course.) It was also nice to have a new adult sports romance where the hero wasn’t a) a total dudebro douche manwhore and b) the quarterback. (Though I’m currently reading another book where the hero is ALSO not a quarterback, so maybe this is becoming more of a trend.) Regardless, it worked for me. Maverick brought the swoons and the sexy and I really enjoyed it.
There tends to be so much angst in new adult sometimes that it’s refreshing to find a book that DOES NOT have a ton of angst. That was I Dare You. It was totally happy-making and adorable.
FAVORITE QUOTES
You know that moment when everything stops and the next breath you take is the first one of the rest of your life? That’s what it feels like as Maverick Monroe stares at me with his piercing blue eyes.
“Legend says the first person you kiss at the party is the one you’ll never forget. It might be years later, and still their face is the one you dream about.”
This book had everything I love in a NA sports romance. A nerdy, sassy heroine. An arrogant, yet heart of gold hero. Smoking hot cover. So many feels. I loved Delaney and Maverick and wish it had been longer!
Oh how I love a good sports romance and Ilsa Madden-Mills certainly delivers an excellent one with I Dare You. Maverick and Delaney were both such great characters and the way that their relationship developed from their “meet cute” on was EVERYTHING! Delaney was not your typical co-ed; I loved her affinity for geek culture (particularly Star Wars) and the way that she embraced her individuality (especially the way that she crafted her own clothes). And I really loved the way that Maverick appreciated all of those unique things about her and that he was persistent in his pursuit of her. He was genuine and had such a good heart. I enjoyed the tension that came with dealing with Maverick’s family, as well as the relationships that we witness between Delaney and Maverick and their friends. I’m really looking forward to continuing the series and can’t wait to see what couple she features next. 4 out of 5 wine glasses.
I have read many of this author’s books before, they are always great. This one I liked a lot but did not love. Not really sure why, it just wasn’t what I am used to with her. I liked both of the characters, espescially the H, but I just didn’t ‘feel’ this one. The H is so sweet and alpha. What a doll! My favorite work of hers is Dirty English. Those two characters just clicked. While these two characters clicked and I liked them together, I just didn’t feel it. Still not sure why…
“Two stars in the sky, two souls destined to be together.”
I dare you was such a pleasant read. It was a great college romance that made me feel good but also brought tears to my eyes.
Delaney is a super nerd that designed her own clothes and she can quote any lines from Star Wars or the Princess Bride!
After a bad break up with a football player, Delaney swore that she would never get involved with any sport dudes … like NEVER!!
“Maverick makes me feel like I might toss aside everything I think about football players and give him a chance.”
However, when Maverick reappears in her life, she can only think about THE kiss and the legend.
“He’s perfection. He’s air. Which I desperately need right now, because I can’t breathe.”
Maverick… I LOVE HIM SO SO MUCH. He is arrogant, witty and so much more. The way he cares about his sister and his family, his devotion to his sister made me fall hard for him. He is the perfect package and the more Delaney gets to know him the more she realised that he is more than this hot sexy talented football star.
“We’re connected. Two stars in the black velvet sky. Two ships passing in the night.”
He never forgot the kiss they shared two years ago and he is determined to make Delaney his.
“You’re the one that got away, Delaney, the opportunity I missed.”
However, Maverick has to make choices to support his sister, will he put his career at risk? Can they get their HEA?
Go HE-Man!!!!!!
Adorable and endearing from beginning to end.
Ilsa Madden-Mills has done it again. I Dare You was fun, exciting, hot, and downright a joy to read. Maverick is a hero you can swoon over and Delaney is a geeky girl my introvert heart can relate too. I read the entire book in a sitting and would recommend this to any NA lover!
~miranda
Love this book. The characters are amazing. It has funny moments, banter and sadness. I couldn’t put it down. I hope to get more on Skye and Raven.
This has got to be one of my top favorite authors! Everything I read from her is just amazeballs, this one is so…ahhh!! How can you not fall in love with Delaney and Maverick? I love that Delaney is this super cute nerd girl while Maverick is, this super hot end all be all football player. You don’t think the two would go together, but they’re like Princess Leia and Han Solo lol. There’s definitely more to Mav than most people think. I think learning more about his story and what lengths he would go to, to make sure his loved ones were taken care of, was freaking admirable… and sexy as hell! What guy in his position would do all that?! Heart of gold!
Delaney, she’s just a loveable nerd. Beautiful on the inside and out, and I love the whole He-Man mystery that was going on for awhile. She didn’t have the easiest upbringing and when it comes out, you see how much Mav and Delaney have in common. They’re definitely kindred spirits and I love that on the outside, they might not look like they would go together, but on the inside, they’re completely perfect for each other. Peanut butter and jelly! I think they might just be one of my favorite book couples of 2018. Not surprising though, because I can’t say enough about this author. Her writing is so easy to read, once I started reading, I couldn’t put it down. I’m not sure what it is about her writing style, but she’s just one of those authors who can just write and it feels… comfortable. I don’t know if that makes sense, but there are some books you read and they’re still good books, but when you read them, it can feel awkward, or choppy. I can’t explain it, but I’m a big fan of this author and I’m pretty sure this will be one of those books I’ll re-read again! I need more Ilsa books!!
#B2BKristina
I absolutely adore reading college sports romance, they always make me giddy because maybe I never got to experience the whole college thing. So I live vicariously through these characters.
Delaney is a girl who’s been burned before by her college football boyfriend, so she has sworn off athletes. But something about Maverick always has her drawn to him. He’s a sweet guy and he’s definitely a keeper, but Delaney doesn’t know that. They do end up becoming great friends, but they both harbor a deep attraction towards each other.
When Delaney gets a random text one night, she and her mysterious text buddy become an every night kind of thing. She loves the fact that she doesn’t know who it is and that they can talk about just anything and they apparently have a lot in common. Now, can the other person on the other end possibly know who he’s been texting with?
I always get a kick out of reading these because I love the whole fact that either one or the other doesn’t know who they’re texting with. I love the banter back and forth and ultimately how they find out who they are in the end.
Delaney and Maverick = <3
This was definitely a sweet read for me. I loved the storyline and I definitely loved the characters.
4 Stars
Love, love, love Ilsa’s work!
I Dare You is a fast paced, can’t put down story of Princess Leia and He-Man! OK, OK, it’s really Maverick and Delaney, but their nicknames are awesome!
In true Ilsa fashion you get the alternate POV’s which makes the story just so much more! You can see into the minds of both main characters.
Delaney is a self professed Nerd Girl and she is proud of who she is. What she has been through in the past has made her the person she is and she is amazing! She has be hurt, but she tries to rise above.
Maverick, oh what an alpha he is! Egotistical but with a heart of gold! Pining away for years for a chance at Nerd Girl and when he does, he goes guns blazing. He has the weight of the world on his shoulders and he struggles to keep everything status quo. He finds solace in Delaney.
The flow of this story, from their first meeting, to the end is perfection. You see the vulnerability, you see the angst and you see something special growing between them.
I loved the “dares”, I liked that Delaney felt compelled to complete them. The text’s between them were funny and sweet and sometimes pretty hawt!
Ilsa never fails to bring a NA story to life, with realism, honesty and a touch of unicorn sparkle! I have been a faithful stalker of hers for years and she has yet to disappoint me with her words. I am hoping that because this is The Hook Up #1, we will get more from some of the secondary characters! I have my favorites and hoping to hear more!
Get this book, enjoy the story! Get immersed in Ilsa’s world!
I’m a sucker for a college romance that has a nerdy, good girl heroine and a cocky, bad boy hero, partly because the introverted, reserved female character allows the larger-than-life male lead an opportunity to truly be himself but also because as the alpha male allows his nerdy girl to blossom, she ensures that his healthy ego doesn’t get too out of control, proving to him time and time again that their connection has nothing to do with his athletic capabilities or the fact that he’s quite the smooth talker who knows just what to say to get the woman he wants.
When Maverick Monroe and Delaney Shaw first meet as freshman in college, their one interaction creates a missed opportunity that Maverick won’t be able to rectify until two years go by, but let me tell you, when it gets his chance, he doesn’t hold back, even if his path back to the one girl he’s never forgotten is a bit over the top and clearly illustrates just how cocky the ‘badass athlete’ is. I will admit that I found myself rolling my eyes with some of Maverick’s unique methods, but I have to give him props for taking a risk and making such a unique impression on Delaney – one that would keep her holding on to what they’re building together even when some of Maverick’s words and actions don’t make her feel like she’s the one he truly wants.
I have to say that while Maverick definitely lives up to his He-Man nickname, standing strong and doing what needs to be done to take care of and protect his sister, it was actually Delaney and Raven, Maverick’s sister, who I fell in love with…these two women are AMAZING…regardless of what life throws at them, they survive it, pushing passed the unhappiness and stress, proving that Delaney and Maverick’s sister Raven are incredibly strong women and they deserve every happiness they fight for because they’ve suffered enough.
I love that Delaney, this quiet and geeky girl, who I identified with so much, used dares as her way of stepping outside her neatly crafted and controlled life because if she wouldn’t have had the courage or been dared to do a number of tasks throughout the story, she and Maverick would have never gotten their second chance and that would have been tragic for them as well as Raven.
I do have to take a minute to commend Ilsa Madden-Mills on her creation of quite the witchy antagonist in Muffin…even her name speaks volumes about the kind of girl Muffin is, and while she gets hers in the end, I wanted Madden to allow Delaney to claw her face off or at least pull her hair in a way that proved just how fake this wanna be girlfriend is.
I Dare You is a great new adult romance, and while readers will for sure be frustrated with Maverick’s secrets and lies, they can’t help but understand that while his methods weren’t the best, he only ever had his sister’s happiness in mind, and when everything is said and done, Maverick takes the necessary steps to make things right for everyone involved, and to me, that’s the kind of hero who deserves a life with his sister and his Princess Leia by his side.
4 Poison Apples
Review by: Jennifer
(5 stars)
Delaney’s first year of college she met Maverick at a party and got kissed by a bonfire… where he proceeds to tell her that the first person that kisses you by the bonfire you will never forget. He then proceeded to waltz out of her life with some twins. Now three years later Delaney is swearing off football players, as the one she was dating turned out to be a d-bag and cheated on her. For some reason Mav seems to be everywhere that Delaney is, and making hints that he would like more. She just needs to make it clear that she is no longer going for ball players, but Maverick is patient and will get what he wants. Will Delaney be able to keep her no ball players rule?
I loved everything about this story. From Delaney’s quirky Star Wars fetish, to Maverick’s love for his sister. This has some really funny moments, but also giving us some drama, and some super hot sexy times! I give this 5 stars and am so ready for the next book.
*5 Stars*
ARC kindly received in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this one, I sped through it and read it in one sitting. This was just such an easy read.
The main characters Mav and Delaney were both awesome in their own ways. Mav has such a fierce and protective side for his sister, and he’s so damn sweet. He;s quite hilarious and flirty with Delaney as well.
Delaney knows who she is and doesn’t care what other people think of her. She likes what she likes, and thats all there is to it.
There are a couple of mysteries in this one, but you figure them out quite easily, before they are revealed.
I liked the secondary characters of Ryker and Skye. I would like to know what happened with Alex and Skye, and I definitely want to read a book about Ryker.
This one flowed nicely, has some comedy and some seriousness thrown in, and was just all around a really enjoyable read. I definitely look forward to more in this series.