Thank you Netgalley and publisher  for the opportunity to review this book.  

I really enjoyed the chemistry between Lauren and Emma.  This was a book I got lost in (in a good way) I loved how the plot started off as a date but then their relationship evolved from there. The steamy scenes were written very well !

This was a fun read, but I struggled with some of the themes.  Know going in that this may be controversial for some readers and does include light BDSM and non-consent.  For me, these weren't the main issues though.  I struggled with this novel being a bit too convoluted.  It seemed to me as if the main characters were just struggling back and forth with each other and either there was too much info dumping, or they were playout out non-consentual fantasies with each other. 

The writing felt a bit too much as if I was sitting in a sex -ed class rather than reading an erotic story, and that just didn't make for an enjoyable read for me.   3 stars.

**Many thanks to Bold Strokes for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.**

Lauren returns to her hometown after becoming tabloid gossip. She comes face to face with Emma and the chemistry is instant. Both girls have their own issues which makes it hard for their relationship to progress. It was a fun read, and I was rooting for them to end up together.

Lauren West left San Francisco for her hometown during the holidays, where she is less than content. That is until a dare that puts her face-to-face with the town librarian Emma Prescott. Emma is the town’s good girl with an active dirty mind. Will Lauren be the one to make her dreams come true?

I was excited to read this book, especially since the summary suggested some light BDSM and steamy scenes and was marketed as erotica. Sandy Lowe's shorts are great.  The characters had great chemistry and were interesting and well developed so I had high hopes and I was willing to read not so interesting, lengthy description, parts. However, it wasn't as steamy as I was expecting, it was just a normal book with some sex scenes that really weren’t that erotic due to the lengthy descriptions and other inconsistencies.  The writing is still excellent and I enjoyed all the supporting characters. The relationship between Lauren and Emma was the best part of the book, but without the full erotica side of this book the other parts fell a little flat and could have been developed more. This is the first full length novel by Sandy Lowe and I look forward to what comes next.

I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

✨If You Dare✨

**TRIGGER WARNING- CONSENSUAL NON-CONSENT**

Thank you to netgalley, Bold Strokes publishing for the ebook

Summary: Lauren returns to the small town she grew up in after her life in the big city blew up. She has to face prejudice and gossips and having only one friend. Life is tough until a dare puts Emma in her arms and a spark blooms to life. Both dealing with past traumas can they overcome their issues and find a way forward... together? 
✨
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review:
This is not your average lovey-dovey romance. This has dark erotic themes that may be triggering for some people. This is a book i enjoyed from start to finish, an interesting story that explores the life of kinky lgbtq characters in a small conservative, gossipy town. Both characters have to confront their traumas whilst having different ways of communicating. This book was so realistically written, it was an interesting read. I liked the fact that even though there was a non-consent kink theme a huge part of the book focused on consent, gaining consent and ensuring both parties are comfortable throughout.

If taboo and dark themes appeal to you, this will be a good read!

If You Dare by Sandy Lowe
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books, Inc.
Genre: LGBTQIA | Romance
Release Date: December 15, 2020

If You Dare by Sandy Lowe is a steamy romance filled with chemistry.

I enjoyed the story line featuring Lauren and Emma and seeing them work through their issues and scars caused by the same small town. The chemistry between them was intense and the romance was very steamy!

I loved that their was depth to the characters and that we were able to see them work through their issues together, grow, and help their small town not be so narrow-minded.

I found the story to be funny and heartwarming. I look forward to future books by the author.

I'm so grateful to Sandy Lowe, Bold Strokes Books, Inc., and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.

This isn't your normal story but I enjoyed every bit of it. Over coming being bullied and finding love in the end. What a great romance. Thisnwas my first from Sandy Lowe but will look for others from her.

I liked the idea of this book but just couldn't connect to it like I do most wlw books. I found myself skimming this book vs reading it.

The plot was good but the delivery of the book wasn't great.

Lauren is back in her hometown after somehow messing up her life in San Francisco and she’s now stuck in this town watching her longtime crush and ex best friend hook up. She and her friend Roxie are drinking at the bar when a game of truth or dare between them leads Lauren to seduce the next woman who walks through the door. Lauren is reluctant to carry out the dare at first but changes her mind when she sees that its Emma, her old schoolmate at the door. Emma is now hot, so Lauren goes for it and Emma is almost completely charmed by her, marking the start of a relationship that both sides are not prepared to have. Both Lauren and Emma have pasts of their own that have scarred them emotionally. We are let in on what these pasts are along the way in the book. And so, much of this book is about them overcoming their fear, learning to trust someone again in the bedroom and sexual exploration. As the blurb implies, there is some mild kink in this book though nothing hardcore. In fact, kink is one of the main themes but its more to show that liking kink is normal and nothing to be ashamed about. 

I think the concept is great, but I got frustrated reading this book because the first bar scene between Lauren and Emma was so awkward and cheesy it made me want to skim through the first few pages. Then the two start sleeping together somewhere in the book but the sex was always dampened with a lengthy sex education somewhere in between which was a mood killer for me. 

And so at this point, I must say that Lauren has got to the most patient and considerate lover ever because Emma was a handful to deal with. I was bemused that Emma was always confused about what she wanted out of Lauren, be it a one-night stand, short term relationship or a happy-ever-after. She was also an oddball in the bedroom, shifting from the nervous stereotypical town librarian to hot seductress so quickly its almost as though she has a split personality sometimes. And while I agree with the importance of setting boundaries, the need to explain kink in great detail to Emma was painful and confusing.  

This book is more like an introductory lesson on kink rather than a kinky erotica. While I liked the plot, I didn’t quite like the delivery as much.

It all starts with a game of truth or dare. 

Both main characters are dealing with past traumas and need each to get over and deal with them. 

While not every part was my favorite it was still a good and quick steamy read.

Sweet and hot rolled into one fun story.  While some of the circumstances almost seem mean, the overall story is great and the odd way two people connect and explore desires and fantasies together!

I would say this story is wonderful Dare.
I mean who would have thought that making a deal with a friend will gain not only a friend but also girl and respect of the town folks?
Emma and Lauren are made for each other, you can almost see it from the beginning, yet both are hiding their feelings and needs.
Yes, the town is the biggest issue, yet everything can be solved by communication.
I found this story interesting and consuming to the point that it was pretty much very hard to put the book down.

The premise was interesting and was what made me what to read the book. There is an instant attraction between the Lauren and Emma. I liked that consent was discussed, but how quickly the relationship became more serious was not quite believable. There was a lot of talking between the two. Some of the BDSM elements worked like when Emma goes all in to be with Lauren, but parts where Lauren narrates role-playing situations didn't quite land for me.. I also felt that Lauren and Emma's insecurities should taken more time to be overcome. I wanted to like this story more, but it was just an okay read. For readers who do not like BDSM stories, I would not recommend.

I really liked the premise of this book - a dare that leads to an unexpected romance. However, for some reason I just could not engage with this story. I liked the characters well enough and the writing, but I think the plot line lost me with the continual back and forth between the characters in the build up to the romance. It was a little too angsty for me, as I found myself slightly frustrated by Emma's insecurity. 

Hats off to Lowe for writing some really interesting sex scenes though. 

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

This story addresses an issue that may be  controversial for some people, light BDSM, although it has been not as explicit as others. But it’s not just about that and for me it’s been a really convoluted story, bordering on nonsense. 

So much mental battle inside and between the two protagonists has sometimes been exhausting and that is what this story has the most. And the sexual encounters between them have also been a bit confusing, although as I am not an expert in these practices, I would not want to detract from their interest. 

Neither Emma nor Lauren represent stereotypes of those who usually compose stories on this subject, I’m quite sure of that, so I don't think it will satisfy those who appreciate it.

I wish it was more interesting, but for me it hasn’t been enough.

This is a sexy, fun, slightly kinky, erotic novel. There are very nice scenes and good plot. For all the fans and aficionados of this genre, this book is a perfect choice.

Woah. 
This is my first read of Sandy Lowe's, I will be honest, I picked it up because of the consensual non-consent element, and of course, because she's an Aussie lol I will definitely be hunting for more.

Truth or Dare has bever been more fun... or life-changing.
While drinking away her sorrows with her best friend after being fired in a big scandle, Lauren is dared to sleep with the next woman to walk through the door. 

And in walks the seemingly quiet and shy librarian, Emma.  
She has had a crush on Lauren since school and she is far from quiet behind closed doors. 

Both characters have some past issues from childhood but seem to be, dare I say, perfect for each other.

Such amazing characters that are so lovable, and the sex... again, Woah! 

“It’s not the struggle that makes it hot. It’s the surrender. It’s being the one you surrender to.”

There isn't too much I can say without giving you everything. 
Grab this little baby and go in with an open mind, it most certainly will be worth it.

Lauren had her life on track until it all goes to shit in a very public way. Now she is back in her small town and boo-hooing the state of her life with her best friend at the local watering hole. Said best friends wants Lauren to get out of her funk so she dares her to have sex with the next woman who walks through the door. In walks small-town librarian Emma, who has no idea how hot and exciting her life is about to get! These 2 ladies carry a lot of personal baggage, but they somehow work. That being said I wasn’t sure if I would like this premise of this story, but it really did do it for me. I’ve never found words so arousing before. This author can definitely write SEX! I will be checking out more of her books.

After really enjoying previous books of the smut genre, I was really looking forward to this one. I really enjoyed the book for the most part, and the romance was great, but the consensual non-con just didn't work for me, and I had to skip over those bits of the book.

This was an interesting book to read alla Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele Fifty Shades of Grey. There were quite a few kinky scenes in this book and the characters Lauren and Emma were really hot together. I think the author had a good idea. I just wish there was more background information about how they became whom they are, we only got a small amount of the people they are now.  I actually really liked this book. If you love Fifty Shades of Grey then you will really like this book.