What do you think?
They Wouldn't Dare
Three simple words changed everything between I dare you.
David Evans is a thorn in my side. A smart-mouthed, egotistical, philosophizing know-it-all who wants nothing more than to beat me at our silly little game.
I come from a family of five, so shying away from the competition isn't in my DNA. I will win anything he throws my way.
The game was harmless at first. Dare you to skip class, dare you to take a shot, dare you to tell a stranger last night's dream. Child's play. I should have known that wouldn't be enough for him. David seems determined to bring out the worst in me.
Once again, he uses five words that force me to question Be mine for the night.
It's a challenge that someone with any common sense would refuse. Especially since I'm familiar with all his tricks. But I lost my common sense a long time ago.
So I accept, because playing his girlfriend can't be that hard.
They Wouldn't Dare is a fake dating college sports romance featuring an optimist student org president and a cynical tight end who have been frenemies since middle school. This book is intended for 18+ readers.
David Evans is a thorn in my side. A smart-mouthed, egotistical, philosophizing know-it-all who wants nothing more than to beat me at our silly little game.
I come from a family of five, so shying away from the competition isn't in my DNA. I will win anything he throws my way.
The game was harmless at first. Dare you to skip class, dare you to take a shot, dare you to tell a stranger last night's dream. Child's play. I should have known that wouldn't be enough for him. David seems determined to bring out the worst in me.
Once again, he uses five words that force me to question Be mine for the night.
It's a challenge that someone with any common sense would refuse. Especially since I'm familiar with all his tricks. But I lost my common sense a long time ago.
So I accept, because playing his girlfriend can't be that hard.
They Wouldn't Dare is a fake dating college sports romance featuring an optimist student org president and a cynical tight end who have been frenemies since middle school. This book is intended for 18+ readers.
362 pages, Paperback
First published March 12, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
April 1, 2026
This was not Deanna Grey's best work. Juvenile and clunky writing, tropey and lacking the build up and tension that I've come to expect, They Wouldn't Dare was a huge letdown.
Not sure what went wrong, but it felt like I was reading a book by a different author. The thing that stood out to me was how there wasn't really a proper thread in this. Tara is supposed to be a (struggling) put together and ambitious leader, but that's not something that's sufficiently revisted through the story, for example.
To me, it seemed like disparite storylines were mashed together to have "cute" quotables without any concern for who the author said these people are and why they do certain things. We didn't get to see their perspectives shift through call-backs or interactions with friends without the love interest being present. For those familiar with Sunny Disposition, imagine if Naomi claimed to enjoy streaming but all we saw was her going to the mall with Finn. That's what this book was.
How could this possibly be the woman who wrote Outdrawn and Safety Net and Team Players??
I also don't know if this is a consequence of having read a lot of her work, but I've noticed she follows a very rigid formula (group of male best friends, one guy from the group gets with a girl who only has one friend, either the girl or the guy has a hectic family life, rinse and repeat) and I look forward to seeing something new.
I'm gonna keep reading her work because I love her other books. I hope this isn't a sign of worse things to come.
Not sure what went wrong, but it felt like I was reading a book by a different author. The thing that stood out to me was how there wasn't really a proper thread in this. Tara is supposed to be a (struggling) put together and ambitious leader, but that's not something that's sufficiently revisted through the story, for example.
To me, it seemed like disparite storylines were mashed together to have "cute" quotables without any concern for who the author said these people are and why they do certain things. We didn't get to see their perspectives shift through call-backs or interactions with friends without the love interest being present. For those familiar with Sunny Disposition, imagine if Naomi claimed to enjoy streaming but all we saw was her going to the mall with Finn. That's what this book was.
How could this possibly be the woman who wrote Outdrawn and Safety Net and Team Players??
I also don't know if this is a consequence of having read a lot of her work, but I've noticed she follows a very rigid formula (group of male best friends, one guy from the group gets with a girl who only has one friend, either the girl or the guy has a hectic family life, rinse and repeat) and I look forward to seeing something new.
I'm gonna keep reading her work because I love her other books. I hope this isn't a sign of worse things to come.
April 8, 2026
The banter is really what I loved the most
March 11, 2026
Bisexual people!! Wake up, this is our pokemon calling card!
Thank you to Deanna Grey and her team for the e-arc!
Give me bisexuals doing bisexual activities such as having a "dare" rivalry between each other and I'll go feral!
I was guaranteed an amazing time reading this, given the remise and an amazing time was most certainly had.
Yara and David have undeniable chemistry with killer banter, there is tension but there is also understanding that no one but them sees.
The vulnerability between these characters is so tender. It's a form of art to be able to write from such a raw place.
Deanna writes amazingly complex characters with phenomenal mental health rep. I am in constant awe of her work, I also constantly feel exposed because how is it humanly possible to read my mental health and write a book about it.
Yara is a character that is dear to my heart, I have struggled with Trichotillomania for about 5-6 years and it's something I constantly battle everyday. It's a disorder I've been ashamed of having and don't openly discuss with others. Seeing Yara actively struggle with the same thing felt so validating and human, I burst into a million tears.
Yara is passionate, determined, and so incredible. I just would like to give her a hug.
David is football player of my dreams, he's confident and humble! As a fellow psych college student, he is on my roster. He's introverted but he's absolutely whipped for Yara and has eyes for no one but her!
This book means so much to me. I know that like myself many will love this book, I cannot recommend this book enough. You'll laugh, want to cry, and crave more by the end!
Join me in the beauty of the chaotic bisexual hype!
Thank you to Deanna Grey and her team for the e-arc!
Give me bisexuals doing bisexual activities such as having a "dare" rivalry between each other and I'll go feral!
I was guaranteed an amazing time reading this, given the remise and an amazing time was most certainly had.
Yara and David have undeniable chemistry with killer banter, there is tension but there is also understanding that no one but them sees.
The vulnerability between these characters is so tender. It's a form of art to be able to write from such a raw place.
Deanna writes amazingly complex characters with phenomenal mental health rep. I am in constant awe of her work, I also constantly feel exposed because how is it humanly possible to read my mental health and write a book about it.
Yara is a character that is dear to my heart, I have struggled with Trichotillomania for about 5-6 years and it's something I constantly battle everyday. It's a disorder I've been ashamed of having and don't openly discuss with others. Seeing Yara actively struggle with the same thing felt so validating and human, I burst into a million tears.
Yara is passionate, determined, and so incredible. I just would like to give her a hug.
David is football player of my dreams, he's confident and humble! As a fellow psych college student, he is on my roster. He's introverted but he's absolutely whipped for Yara and has eyes for no one but her!
This book means so much to me. I know that like myself many will love this book, I cannot recommend this book enough. You'll laugh, want to cry, and crave more by the end!
Join me in the beauty of the chaotic bisexual hype!
April 7, 2026
this was a cute enemies-to-lovers book with lots of tension and build up. I loved the inclusion of queer characters without the queerness being a thing..just part of who they are.
the writing was kinda amateur/sloppy at times and the book loses steam towards the end, and I hate how authors always write dialogue so over the top in romantic scenes... normal people do not talk like they are reading a poem lmao. but I appreciated the way the relationship unfolded and it was an enjoyable read with great bisexual representation!
the writing was kinda amateur/sloppy at times and the book loses steam towards the end, and I hate how authors always write dialogue so over the top in romantic scenes... normal people do not talk like they are reading a poem lmao. but I appreciated the way the relationship unfolded and it was an enjoyable read with great bisexual representation!
February 24, 2026
3.75⭐️(Arc Review)
oh Deanna Grey how i adore how you write characters relationships. The softness and carefulness whilst the couple tend to each other HITS ONCE AGAIN. I’m such a lucky girl i got this beautiful arc. The stores centers a childhood rivals to lovers story (yes i adoreee this trope) between Yara and David. These two has spent years daring each other just to annoy the other to see who quits first. Their relationship has a bit of distance untill they have to start fake dating (yess another trope i love thank you) and start to build something more sincere and deeper. They take the time to possibly acknowledge maybe their “hatred” for each other might be something else. Beautyyy!! I do prefer single pov love stories but i do feel like we missed so much regarding David character that i would have loved to explore. Possible 2nd book pled👀. Another bone to pick is a few times in the first half of the book is everytime they would bud on something regarding their relationship it would be brushed past quick maybe displacing Yara avoidant occasional behavior. Guys no third act breakup YAYYYY. But deffo third act tension which i prefer much more.
oh Deanna Grey how i adore how you write characters relationships. The softness and carefulness whilst the couple tend to each other HITS ONCE AGAIN. I’m such a lucky girl i got this beautiful arc. The stores centers a childhood rivals to lovers story (yes i adoreee this trope) between Yara and David. These two has spent years daring each other just to annoy the other to see who quits first. Their relationship has a bit of distance untill they have to start fake dating (yess another trope i love thank you) and start to build something more sincere and deeper. They take the time to possibly acknowledge maybe their “hatred” for each other might be something else. Beautyyy!! I do prefer single pov love stories but i do feel like we missed so much regarding David character that i would have loved to explore. Possible 2nd book pled👀. Another bone to pick is a few times in the first half of the book is everytime they would bud on something regarding their relationship it would be brushed past quick maybe displacing Yara avoidant occasional behavior. Guys no third act breakup YAYYYY. But deffo third act tension which i prefer much more.
February 22, 2026
I absolutely loved this book! I was so hooked from the very beginning because while this book has common tropes in it, they are done in a way that I’ve never seen before! I always love a dislike to lovers, fake-dating book but the dares?! The mental health rep?! The bi4bi rep?! The fact that they’ve known each other since childhood and have always secretly been drawn to each other?! These are the factors that REALLY made this book. Deanna’s writing is truly such a breath of fresh air!
This book follows Yara, a perfectionist who is the president of a student org and is desperately trying to stop it from failing, and David, a sarcastic student athlete dealing with ocd and trauma who’s also dead set on annoying Yara. These two immediately captured my heart and I related to them both so deeply! As a youngest child, perfectionist, afraid of driving girl, I related to Yara and as a social work student, sarcastic, yearning girl, I related to David. I seriously think I may be their secret child because I’m truly a mix of both characters. Besides the amazing main characters, this book also has such a fun and diverse cast of other characters that I absolutely need to read more about! Every book I read by Deanna Grey gets better and better and I cannot wait to read many more from her in the future!
Thank you Deanna for the ARC!
This book follows Yara, a perfectionist who is the president of a student org and is desperately trying to stop it from failing, and David, a sarcastic student athlete dealing with ocd and trauma who’s also dead set on annoying Yara. These two immediately captured my heart and I related to them both so deeply! As a youngest child, perfectionist, afraid of driving girl, I related to Yara and as a social work student, sarcastic, yearning girl, I related to David. I seriously think I may be their secret child because I’m truly a mix of both characters. Besides the amazing main characters, this book also has such a fun and diverse cast of other characters that I absolutely need to read more about! Every book I read by Deanna Grey gets better and better and I cannot wait to read many more from her in the future!
Thank you Deanna for the ARC!
April 8, 2026
I’m not impressed. I think the idea was kind of there but the execution was off. At first I thought I was reading an enemies to lovers story, then I thought it was friends to lovers only to realise that it’s also fake dating..? It didn’t expand on both of the main character’s backstories enough. I mean we spent the whole book hearing about the main character being “royalty” and her etiquette classes but only found out halfway through that it’s because her mom is the mayor. I just feel like it would’ve been nicer to have the context to why she’s so prim and proper earlier on in the book. There’s so much more I could say but I’ll just say this is not Deanna’s best work. Everything just felt underdeveloped.
June 8, 2026
It took me a minute to get into the store, but once it got me, I was locked in. I love how their love story turned out how they both had challenges they had to overcome at the end of the day they were there for one another overcome obstacles with life can be hard. Sometimes you have to do it alone, but it’s grateful when you have somebody to go through it with love a good love story
April 28, 2026
There’s a lot of individual elements I liked but nothing quite hung together so it felt really disjointed. The pacing made no sense and I think it suffered from the lack of a dual pov.
August 26, 2026
Spoilers ahead:
Honestly this wasn’t a bad read! I liked both main characters and was genuinely interested in their progression as a couple. TBH I really just love a Bi4Bi read!! I’ve also never read a story with two main characters experiencing (and later confirming) OCD. I can’t speak to the accuracy of the portray, but the dialog seemed respectful between the two mains, as well as with their friends. I would give this a 3.5 or maybe a 4 because of how genuinely surprised I was by this book. I went in with no expectations and ended up having a good time! More people should give this a try!
Honestly this wasn’t a bad read! I liked both main characters and was genuinely interested in their progression as a couple. TBH I really just love a Bi4Bi read!! I’ve also never read a story with two main characters experiencing (and later confirming) OCD. I can’t speak to the accuracy of the portray, but the dialog seemed respectful between the two mains, as well as with their friends. I would give this a 3.5 or maybe a 4 because of how genuinely surprised I was by this book. I went in with no expectations and ended up having a good time! More people should give this a try!
March 19, 2026
This beautiful book reminded me that I need to read wayyy more bi for bi romances! Yara and David were so raw in their struggles and the ways they viewed themselves, and I felt so seen by them both. Watching their relationship grow from dislike to confusing feelings to admiration and unwavering support to love was sensational. Deanna knows how to weave a story that hooks you, I devoured this in under a day! Hope to see more of the Westbrooke crew!
March 18, 2026
This is my 4th Deanna grey book. Each and every one had been a different but enjoyable journey. This is a really slow burn but the build up was worth it. Somehow Deanna makes me root for the men(I’m a misandrist). David and Yara were both fighting very different demons. I enjoyed the journey for them to come together. I dare you to read this story and not swoon.
July 22, 2026
The first 30% of the book was just not it but I LOVED the last 70%!! Actually so cute little enemies to lovers moment
April 1, 2026
This was not Deanna Grey's best work. Juvenile and clunky writing, tropey and lacking the build up and tension that I've come to expect, They Wouldn't Dare was a huge letdown.
Not sure what went wrong, but it felt like I was reading a book by a different author. The thing that stood out to me was how there wasn't really a proper thread in this. Tara is supposed to be a (struggling) put together and ambitious leader, but that's not something that's sufficiently revisted through the story, for example.
To me, it seemed like disparite storylines were mashed together to have "cute" quotables without any concern for who the author said these people are and why they do certain things. We didn't get to see their perspectives shift through call-backs or interactions with friends without the love interest being present. For those familiar with Sunny Disposition, imagine if Naomis claimed enjoy streaming but all we saw was her going to the mall with Finn. That's what this book was.
How could this possibly be the woman who wrote Outdrawn and Safety Net and Team Players??
I also don't know if this is a consequence of having read a lot of her work, but I've noticed she follows a very rigid formula (group of male best friends, one guy from the group gets with a girl who only has one friend, either the girl or the guy has a hectic family life, rinse and repeat) and I look forward to seeing something new.
I'm gonna keep reading her work because I love her other books. I hope this isn't a sign of worse things to come.
Not sure what went wrong, but it felt like I was reading a book by a different author. The thing that stood out to me was how there wasn't really a proper thread in this. Tara is supposed to be a (struggling) put together and ambitious leader, but that's not something that's sufficiently revisted through the story, for example.
To me, it seemed like disparite storylines were mashed together to have "cute" quotables without any concern for who the author said these people are and why they do certain things. We didn't get to see their perspectives shift through call-backs or interactions with friends without the love interest being present. For those familiar with Sunny Disposition, imagine if Naomis claimed enjoy streaming but all we saw was her going to the mall with Finn. That's what this book was.
How could this possibly be the woman who wrote Outdrawn and Safety Net and Team Players??
I also don't know if this is a consequence of having read a lot of her work, but I've noticed she follows a very rigid formula (group of male best friends, one guy from the group gets with a girl who only has one friend, either the girl or the guy has a hectic family life, rinse and repeat) and I look forward to seeing something new.
I'm gonna keep reading her work because I love her other books. I hope this isn't a sign of worse things to come.
April 13, 2026
format: ebook
platform: ARC copy from the author
4.5⭐️ 2.5🌶️
“David always talked to me like this when he thought I needed it. He was soft when he felt I’d slipped and needed some place to land.” 😭
i was lucky enough to receive the ARC for They Wouldn’t Dare. i find so much comfort in Deanna’s writing so it should be no surprise to me that i absolutely adored Yara and David’s story.
Yara and David absolutely hate each other but for some reason they spend all their free time thinking of ways to be together. 👀 i liveeeeeee for banter like theirs. genuinely can’t get enough. even though we only get Yara’s POV, i could still see and feel how much David yearned for her. that being said, i would have loved to see more of David’s background and hear more of his story as well. Yara also had a lot of different things going on and i started to get worried none of it would be resolved. somehow, it was all wrapped up, a little quickly, by the end. regardless, it was an absolute delight getting to know these characters. the mental health rep was handled with so much care, the diverse friend group is so appreciated, and the spice was DELISH.
tropes to expect:
♡ bi4bi
♡ mental health rep
♡ fake dating
♡ childhood frenemies
♡ found family
platform: ARC copy from the author
4.5⭐️ 2.5🌶️
“David always talked to me like this when he thought I needed it. He was soft when he felt I’d slipped and needed some place to land.” 😭
i was lucky enough to receive the ARC for They Wouldn’t Dare. i find so much comfort in Deanna’s writing so it should be no surprise to me that i absolutely adored Yara and David’s story.
Yara and David absolutely hate each other but for some reason they spend all their free time thinking of ways to be together. 👀 i liveeeeeee for banter like theirs. genuinely can’t get enough. even though we only get Yara’s POV, i could still see and feel how much David yearned for her. that being said, i would have loved to see more of David’s background and hear more of his story as well. Yara also had a lot of different things going on and i started to get worried none of it would be resolved. somehow, it was all wrapped up, a little quickly, by the end. regardless, it was an absolute delight getting to know these characters. the mental health rep was handled with so much care, the diverse friend group is so appreciated, and the spice was DELISH.
tropes to expect:
♡ bi4bi
♡ mental health rep
♡ fake dating
♡ childhood frenemies
♡ found family
May 29, 2026
2.75 stars acc
One thing about a Deanna grey book is that it’s most definitely gonna hook me and bring me out of my slump
HOWEVER.
I didn’t really like this one 😭😭
They had their cute moments icl, but I didn’t feel the chemistry between them that much , and they were lowkey bland in my opinion 😔
And then the whole fake dating trope wasn’t well executed to me , but oh well
It’s still a chill read I guess .
One thing about a Deanna grey book is that it’s most definitely gonna hook me and bring me out of my slump
HOWEVER.
I didn’t really like this one 😭😭
They had their cute moments icl, but I didn’t feel the chemistry between them that much , and they were lowkey bland in my opinion 😔
And then the whole fake dating trope wasn’t well executed to me , but oh well
It’s still a chill read I guess .
June 8, 2026
❤️
It took me a minute to get into the store, but once it got me, I was locked in. I love how their love story turned out how they both had challenges they had to overcome at the end of the day they were there for one another overcome obstacles with life can be hard. Sometimes you have to do it alone, but it’s grateful when you have somebody to go through it with love a good love story
It took me a minute to get into the store, but once it got me, I was locked in. I love how their love story turned out how they both had challenges they had to overcome at the end of the day they were there for one another overcome obstacles with life can be hard. Sometimes you have to do it alone, but it’s grateful when you have somebody to go through it with love a good love story
July 27, 2026
The writing was a bit clunky and the story was underdeveloped in some parts, but I really enjoyed the second half. This was basically Sunny Disposition in a different font and with less interesting characters.
With that being said, I don’t think I care enough about the other characters to keep reading this series, but it was cute and cozy. A perfect fall read!!!
With that being said, I don’t think I care enough about the other characters to keep reading this series, but it was cute and cozy. A perfect fall read!!!
May 19, 2026
Probably my favorite Deanna Grey book to date! I really enjoyed the chemistry and banter between Yara & David! I do wish Yara softened a bit sooner and gave her boo more of that verbal validation he needed in some moments. That frustrated me about her character at times but overall I really enjoyed this and didn’t want it to end. David’s entered top 5 book boyfriends of 2026 💛
May 5, 2026
I enjoyed the banter between the characters. I just wish that more would have been explored when it came to both characters and their OCD and mental health issues. It just lacked in certain parts for me, but was overall an easy read.
June 28, 2026
protect them at all costs!
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.75 ⭐️
I always head into a Deanna Grey book with peak excitement.
She delivers vibes, representation, joy, and romance that makes you feel seen every single time. When the ARC opportunity for They Wouldn’t Dare dropped, I nearly snapped my laptop racing to fill out the application.
And honestly? It delivered exactly the emotional reset I needed. After a run of darker, angst-heavy reads, TWD felt like a complete serotonin reboot.
Because how did Grey casually give us a college romance with:
• an interracial Bi4Bi couple
• fake dating
• frenemies-to-lovers where he loved her from the beginning
• mental health representation
• Black girl magic
• no third-act breakup
• pegging
• and cameos from some Mendell Hawks favorites???
Yara and David felt like the perfect blend of dynamics Grey has already proven she excels at: the emotional knowing of Naomi and Finn in Sunny Disposition paired with the banter and chemistry of Aderyn and Sam in Team Players.
But what really made this story land for me was Yara.
Her characterization hit incredibly close to home. The way her persistence and drive show up not just as ambition, but as the byproduct of being a young Black woman surrounded by excellence and feeling the constant pressure to match it. The internal tug-of-war between pride, expectation, and intrusive thoughts felt painfully real at times.
And David?
David is the kind of romance hero I will never get tired of reading.
The way he sees Yara—not just the confident version she shows the world, but the version of her wrestling with doubt and afraid to say the quiet things out loud—and consistently reminds her that she isn’t difficult, she isn’t broken, she’s simply herself… and that is exactly who he loves.
One of my favorite things about Grey’s writing is that she never tells us who her characters are. She shows us through their actions, their interiority, and the way they move through the world. The disability representation here follows that same pattern. It’s never over-explained or labeled; instead, we understand it through the characters’ lived experiences.
If I had one small wish, it’s that we had seen Yara extend David a little more grace earlier in the story regarding his struggles.
From the moment he appears on page, she notices his rituals and how cleanliness functions as a trigger for him. While I understand the narrative reasons for that tension—and how it plays into David’s fear of her seeing the harder parts of his experience—I did find myself wishing that the same instinctive grace he offers Yara had been reflected back toward him sooner.
I also think I would have loved just a bit more exploration of David’s childhood. We’re given context about his home life, but because David understandably avoids revisiting those memories, the narrative moves on quickly. Sitting with those moments a little longer might have made the significance of certain later scenes—especially when he allows Yara to touch him in a way that never felt safe before—feel even more powerful.
That said, these are incredibly minor wishes in a book that otherwise absolutely worked for me.
They Wouldn’t Dare is warm, funny, deeply affirming, and full of the kind of romance that reminds you why you love the genre in the first place.
TL;DR: A joyful, emotionally grounded college romance with fantastic representation, a swoony “he loved her first” hero, and just the right balance of humor, heat, and heart.
I always head into a Deanna Grey book with peak excitement.
She delivers vibes, representation, joy, and romance that makes you feel seen every single time. When the ARC opportunity for They Wouldn’t Dare dropped, I nearly snapped my laptop racing to fill out the application.
And honestly? It delivered exactly the emotional reset I needed. After a run of darker, angst-heavy reads, TWD felt like a complete serotonin reboot.
Because how did Grey casually give us a college romance with:
• an interracial Bi4Bi couple
• fake dating
• frenemies-to-lovers where he loved her from the beginning
• mental health representation
• Black girl magic
• no third-act breakup
• pegging
• and cameos from some Mendell Hawks favorites???
Yara and David felt like the perfect blend of dynamics Grey has already proven she excels at: the emotional knowing of Naomi and Finn in Sunny Disposition paired with the banter and chemistry of Aderyn and Sam in Team Players.
But what really made this story land for me was Yara.
Her characterization hit incredibly close to home. The way her persistence and drive show up not just as ambition, but as the byproduct of being a young Black woman surrounded by excellence and feeling the constant pressure to match it. The internal tug-of-war between pride, expectation, and intrusive thoughts felt painfully real at times.
And David?
David is the kind of romance hero I will never get tired of reading.
The way he sees Yara—not just the confident version she shows the world, but the version of her wrestling with doubt and afraid to say the quiet things out loud—and consistently reminds her that she isn’t difficult, she isn’t broken, she’s simply herself… and that is exactly who he loves.
One of my favorite things about Grey’s writing is that she never tells us who her characters are. She shows us through their actions, their interiority, and the way they move through the world. The disability representation here follows that same pattern. It’s never over-explained or labeled; instead, we understand it through the characters’ lived experiences.
If I had one small wish, it’s that we had seen Yara extend David a little more grace earlier in the story regarding his struggles.
From the moment he appears on page, she notices his rituals and how cleanliness functions as a trigger for him. While I understand the narrative reasons for that tension—and how it plays into David’s fear of her seeing the harder parts of his experience—I did find myself wishing that the same instinctive grace he offers Yara had been reflected back toward him sooner.
I also think I would have loved just a bit more exploration of David’s childhood. We’re given context about his home life, but because David understandably avoids revisiting those memories, the narrative moves on quickly. Sitting with those moments a little longer might have made the significance of certain later scenes—especially when he allows Yara to touch him in a way that never felt safe before—feel even more powerful.
That said, these are incredibly minor wishes in a book that otherwise absolutely worked for me.
They Wouldn’t Dare is warm, funny, deeply affirming, and full of the kind of romance that reminds you why you love the genre in the first place.
TL;DR: A joyful, emotionally grounded college romance with fantastic representation, a swoony “he loved her first” hero, and just the right balance of humor, heat, and heart.
March 5, 2026
🏈📋🧠🤳🎟️⛲️
david & yara are two resilient people who fear inadequacy & desire a hyper-specific control to ensure that, if they are inadequate, their peers/family won’t perceive their disappointment in their inadequacy. (they’re not actually inadequate, they just think they are. but we’re working on it.)
together, the pair helps each other realize that, despite their past, they deserve closure & mental rest, but that feat is never easy. yara promises david that she’ll never make . . . anything easy for him, but that also reassures him that the best rewards come from accepting uneasiness & unpredictably as they come rather than trying to control them for a predictable outcome (that rarely works & makes rumination a hell of a lot worse). on the flip side, david’s vulnerability helps yara acknowledge that she deserves to receive help for her physical & mental symptoms of rumination, because she treats david with such care when he ruminates & she deserves that same care.
TWD has a type of OCD rep i don’t see much of, which is the “maybe this is your fault. maybe that bad ‘what if?’ has come true. but that doesn’t mean you can’t move forward.” challenging obsessive thoughts & compulsive behaviors is physically & mentally taxing, all while dealing with physically & mentally taxing day-to-day life. david & yara do a beautiful job of navigating this unwanted balance while extending grace to each other, which makes them more willing to accept that grace towards themselves.
yara is FIERCE. she is unstoppable & she serves even when she thinks she’s not. she is dedicated to her org & THAT is her passion, regardless of her legacy. her work ethic & intentionality are inspiring.
all thanks & forehead kisses to deanna grey & book funnel for the ARC!
david & yara are two resilient people who fear inadequacy & desire a hyper-specific control to ensure that, if they are inadequate, their peers/family won’t perceive their disappointment in their inadequacy. (they’re not actually inadequate, they just think they are. but we’re working on it.)
together, the pair helps each other realize that, despite their past, they deserve closure & mental rest, but that feat is never easy. yara promises david that she’ll never make . . . anything easy for him, but that also reassures him that the best rewards come from accepting uneasiness & unpredictably as they come rather than trying to control them for a predictable outcome (that rarely works & makes rumination a hell of a lot worse). on the flip side, david’s vulnerability helps yara acknowledge that she deserves to receive help for her physical & mental symptoms of rumination, because she treats david with such care when he ruminates & she deserves that same care.
TWD has a type of OCD rep i don’t see much of, which is the “maybe this is your fault. maybe that bad ‘what if?’ has come true. but that doesn’t mean you can’t move forward.” challenging obsessive thoughts & compulsive behaviors is physically & mentally taxing, all while dealing with physically & mentally taxing day-to-day life. david & yara do a beautiful job of navigating this unwanted balance while extending grace to each other, which makes them more willing to accept that grace towards themselves.
yara is FIERCE. she is unstoppable & she serves even when she thinks she’s not. she is dedicated to her org & THAT is her passion, regardless of her legacy. her work ethic & intentionality are inspiring.
all thanks & forehead kisses to deanna grey & book funnel for the ARC!
February 27, 2026
𝒔𝒚𝒏𝒐𝒑𝒔𝒊𝒔
Yara Every is smart, driven, optimistic, & dedicated, especially to the student-org she leads. Her full focus should be on the end-of-semester masquerade they’re throwing, hoping it will save the org from impending obsoletion. Her full focus WOULD be there if it wasn’t for the permanent thorn in her side, David Evans, who solidified his place under her skin with a perpetual dare war. When his dare gets her in a sticky spot with her sister and sister’s soon-to-be fiancée (aka Yara’s ex-girlfriend), Yara enlists David in un-sticking her via a fake relationship.
𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘
(for the sake of transparency, I received an e-ARC from the author)
I had a sneaking suspicion I would love ‘They Wouldn’t Dare’. I fell in love with Deanna Grey’s romances with ‘Outdrawn’ & the ‘Mendell Hawks’ series, so I definitely had some expectations going into this.
I was NOT disappointed. Two big things stood out to me:
1. The rivals to lovers of it all. While enemies/rivals to lovers is one of my favorite tropes, it feels like people have shoved the tension to the extreme. I’ve read multiple books where the dynamic will border on cruel, leading me to question if the romantic interests even see each other as people. Before Yara & David even admit their feelings, they treat each other with an undercurrent of empathy & respect; their romance feels like a natural progression of their relationship.
2. The representation of OCD, anxiety, and rituals. This gives readers who can relate a chance to see themselves in a beautiful love story where everything doesn’t HAVE to be perfect.
Over all, the romance was sweet & spicy, the banter was fantastic without being quippy, and the characters were flawed yet so easy to love. I can’t recommend it enough 🤎
Yara Every is smart, driven, optimistic, & dedicated, especially to the student-org she leads. Her full focus should be on the end-of-semester masquerade they’re throwing, hoping it will save the org from impending obsoletion. Her full focus WOULD be there if it wasn’t for the permanent thorn in her side, David Evans, who solidified his place under her skin with a perpetual dare war. When his dare gets her in a sticky spot with her sister and sister’s soon-to-be fiancée (aka Yara’s ex-girlfriend), Yara enlists David in un-sticking her via a fake relationship.
𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘
(for the sake of transparency, I received an e-ARC from the author)
I had a sneaking suspicion I would love ‘They Wouldn’t Dare’. I fell in love with Deanna Grey’s romances with ‘Outdrawn’ & the ‘Mendell Hawks’ series, so I definitely had some expectations going into this.
I was NOT disappointed. Two big things stood out to me:
1. The rivals to lovers of it all. While enemies/rivals to lovers is one of my favorite tropes, it feels like people have shoved the tension to the extreme. I’ve read multiple books where the dynamic will border on cruel, leading me to question if the romantic interests even see each other as people. Before Yara & David even admit their feelings, they treat each other with an undercurrent of empathy & respect; their romance feels like a natural progression of their relationship.
2. The representation of OCD, anxiety, and rituals. This gives readers who can relate a chance to see themselves in a beautiful love story where everything doesn’t HAVE to be perfect.
Over all, the romance was sweet & spicy, the banter was fantastic without being quippy, and the characters were flawed yet so easy to love. I can’t recommend it enough 🤎
April 12, 2026
A Nice Balance
The start, Yara and David's childish back and forth was a little bit too much for me, but I trusted the author's process. The arc of Yara realizing that she's been making assumptions, especially when masking her stress felt lovely. As well as the eventual cracking of David's emotional fortress around his feelings and past.
There were a lot of characters in this, I'm assuming future couples for more books. Also, the references and cameos from characters from The Mendell Hawks series was a nice touch. Some subplots weren't as engaging as when they're introduced versus resolved.
Hart deserved better! 😂 I'm an anti-capitalist so the poor, little rich girl teasing made me roll my eyes, but the depictions and discussions around wealth were, meh for me. Still, the car network of diverse characters was lovely to see, as well as what it looks like when they have community.
The intimate scenes were nice. Consensual, considerate, hot and queer-friendly fun. I'm an older millennial, so I'm far from the age of these characters, but it's soothing that they have sex in such a casual and safe manner. Compared to the mess I've seen that age, it's always nice to see in a book.
Usually I don't read about young people, especially in college framework, but Deanna's writing and heart always pulls me in. Enjoyable read!
I hope one day she writes a series about older adults managing college. Maybe they aren't exactly where they wanted in life or maybe they're going back for more. 😂🖤
The start, Yara and David's childish back and forth was a little bit too much for me, but I trusted the author's process. The arc of Yara realizing that she's been making assumptions, especially when masking her stress felt lovely. As well as the eventual cracking of David's emotional fortress around his feelings and past.
There were a lot of characters in this, I'm assuming future couples for more books. Also, the references and cameos from characters from The Mendell Hawks series was a nice touch. Some subplots weren't as engaging as when they're introduced versus resolved.
Hart deserved better! 😂 I'm an anti-capitalist so the poor, little rich girl teasing made me roll my eyes, but the depictions and discussions around wealth were, meh for me. Still, the car network of diverse characters was lovely to see, as well as what it looks like when they have community.
The intimate scenes were nice. Consensual, considerate, hot and queer-friendly fun. I'm an older millennial, so I'm far from the age of these characters, but it's soothing that they have sex in such a casual and safe manner. Compared to the mess I've seen that age, it's always nice to see in a book.
Usually I don't read about young people, especially in college framework, but Deanna's writing and heart always pulls me in. Enjoyable read!
I hope one day she writes a series about older adults managing college. Maybe they aren't exactly where they wanted in life or maybe they're going back for more. 😂🖤
Review of advance copy received from Author
Deanna did her big one yet again! I love all of her stories and how well they represent not only characters that are physically diverse but mentally and emotionally as well. The descriptive language used to describe the anxiety and OCD behaviors truly made me feel connected to these characters. I always relate to the FMC’s being an anxious, queer black woman myself.
Yara’s anxieties about her relationships with her large family and their reputation, how she needs to uphold that same standard and how they manifest in her behavior not only at home but at school. How she behaves when she thinks no one is watching, they are incredibly developed. I love that she found, with a therapist and David’s help, acceptance within herself. Maybe it’s the pettiness within me but I would have liked to see some of those doubters get an I told you so moment but it wasn’t necessarily needed.
I would have loved to know a little more about David’s home life growing up. We got bits and pieces but what was it that happened in highschool. Was it a fight? There were somethings that were heavily implied and not necessary for a solid completion but would have made it feel a little more rounded out.
I just loved these characters and their banter, my only complaint was that I didn’t get more of them. Hopefully we will get a sneak peek of them in the books to follow like we did with so former Mendell Hawks
Yara’s anxieties about her relationships with her large family and their reputation, how she needs to uphold that same standard and how they manifest in her behavior not only at home but at school. How she behaves when she thinks no one is watching, they are incredibly developed. I love that she found, with a therapist and David’s help, acceptance within herself. Maybe it’s the pettiness within me but I would have liked to see some of those doubters get an I told you so moment but it wasn’t necessarily needed.
I would have loved to know a little more about David’s home life growing up. We got bits and pieces but what was it that happened in highschool. Was it a fight? There were somethings that were heavily implied and not necessary for a solid completion but would have made it feel a little more rounded out.
I just loved these characters and their banter, my only complaint was that I didn’t get more of them. Hopefully we will get a sneak peek of them in the books to follow like we did with so former Mendell Hawks
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 28, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
They Wouldn’t Dare follows Yara and David, childhood rivals who attend the same college. They’ve never seen eye to eye, they’ve always had a back and forth but a mutual respect of that back and forth, of the way their relationship evidently is. And in college, they start a game of giving one another dares to carry out, but they follow three simple rules — which I would tell you but you should read it to find them out!) There’s a familiarity about each other that neither of them want to give up, despite the fact they’ve never really gotten along, never saw one another as a friend, or even an acquaintance, and find it difficult to pinpoint exactly what they are to one another
The story is beautifully written, which is to be expected from Deanna Grey’s work, and I honestly fell in love with Yara and David immediately. Their sharp tongues and back and forth were so much fun to read. Their banter and witty comments are super entertaining and both characters are incredibly likeable.
Yara is someone who likes structure and order, she likes to be in control of situations, and she likes to have familiar people around her; it comforts her. She’s intelligent and hard on herself, she’s ambitious and caring. She’s someone who appears perfect at all times, just to keep that sense of control about herself. Whereas David is a little more carefree, more extroverted. He’s charming and outgoing. A football player. And where he was once a loner at school, he has become more popular at college, which friends who deeply care about him. Yara has her best friend, and she has David.
I loved this story so much. I loved Yara and David’s dynamic and the book also has some super likeable side characters throughout. All in all, this book is amazing. Their relationship develops and changes steadily over time but they both stay true to who they are, they help one another and still never go easy on each other. It’s wholesome, fun and at time spicy! If you like fake dating, banter, college romances, dislike to lovers and lgbt+ representation, this one is for you. Both Yara and David are bisexual main characters and the representation of that is so good.
The book does cover sensitive topics such as OCD, self harm, physical child abuse and neglect but Grey handles it so, so well!
They Wouldn’t Dare follows Yara and David, childhood rivals who attend the same college. They’ve never seen eye to eye, they’ve always had a back and forth but a mutual respect of that back and forth, of the way their relationship evidently is. And in college, they start a game of giving one another dares to carry out, but they follow three simple rules — which I would tell you but you should read it to find them out!) There’s a familiarity about each other that neither of them want to give up, despite the fact they’ve never really gotten along, never saw one another as a friend, or even an acquaintance, and find it difficult to pinpoint exactly what they are to one another
The story is beautifully written, which is to be expected from Deanna Grey’s work, and I honestly fell in love with Yara and David immediately. Their sharp tongues and back and forth were so much fun to read. Their banter and witty comments are super entertaining and both characters are incredibly likeable.
Yara is someone who likes structure and order, she likes to be in control of situations, and she likes to have familiar people around her; it comforts her. She’s intelligent and hard on herself, she’s ambitious and caring. She’s someone who appears perfect at all times, just to keep that sense of control about herself. Whereas David is a little more carefree, more extroverted. He’s charming and outgoing. A football player. And where he was once a loner at school, he has become more popular at college, which friends who deeply care about him. Yara has her best friend, and she has David.
I loved this story so much. I loved Yara and David’s dynamic and the book also has some super likeable side characters throughout. All in all, this book is amazing. Their relationship develops and changes steadily over time but they both stay true to who they are, they help one another and still never go easy on each other. It’s wholesome, fun and at time spicy! If you like fake dating, banter, college romances, dislike to lovers and lgbt+ representation, this one is for you. Both Yara and David are bisexual main characters and the representation of that is so good.
The book does cover sensitive topics such as OCD, self harm, physical child abuse and neglect but Grey handles it so, so well!
March 15, 2026
ARC REVIEW ✨
Oh Deanna, you never disappoint 😭 I loved everything about this book. This was a REAL (fr)enemies to lovers, grumpy x sunshine, fake dating story!!!! Deanna executed these tropes so well. I was giggling and kicking my feet the entire time. The storyline of Yara and David having a dare off for years kept me fully engaged.
I related to Yara in so many ways. Seeing how she portrays herself to others vs her inner thoughts was done so well. Her dynamic with her family and not always being fully open with them really hit home for me. Yara is such a great example of Black women and the high expectations we place on ourselves. Reading her thoughts and how she processes things felt very healing and validating. Deanna also reminds readers that our past mistakes do not have to define our future and that it is okay to slow down and take breaks.
David!!!! THE MAN YOU ARE DAVID OMGGGGG. I will admit going in I did not think I would care much for him. But wow, the layers to David. Without giving too much away, the way his character unfolds shows that you never know what someone else has gone through. I loved his banter with Yara and it never felt like negging. He has truly been yearning for her since middle school. He is definitely in my top 5 book boyfriends. The begging alone secured him at least #3.
Overall, this book made me believe in romance again. Deanna always executes the tropes she promises and I HIGHLY recommend this if you are in a reading slump like I was.
Oh Deanna, you never disappoint 😭 I loved everything about this book. This was a REAL (fr)enemies to lovers, grumpy x sunshine, fake dating story!!!! Deanna executed these tropes so well. I was giggling and kicking my feet the entire time. The storyline of Yara and David having a dare off for years kept me fully engaged.
I related to Yara in so many ways. Seeing how she portrays herself to others vs her inner thoughts was done so well. Her dynamic with her family and not always being fully open with them really hit home for me. Yara is such a great example of Black women and the high expectations we place on ourselves. Reading her thoughts and how she processes things felt very healing and validating. Deanna also reminds readers that our past mistakes do not have to define our future and that it is okay to slow down and take breaks.
David!!!! THE MAN YOU ARE DAVID OMGGGGG. I will admit going in I did not think I would care much for him. But wow, the layers to David. Without giving too much away, the way his character unfolds shows that you never know what someone else has gone through. I loved his banter with Yara and it never felt like negging. He has truly been yearning for her since middle school. He is definitely in my top 5 book boyfriends. The begging alone secured him at least #3.
Overall, this book made me believe in romance again. Deanna always executes the tropes she promises and I HIGHLY recommend this if you are in a reading slump like I was.
April 4, 2026
Deanna Grey never disappoints🥰
This is my favorite book of the year so far! I was hooked from the first chapter with Yara & David’s banter. The chemistry was jumping off the page the entire time. This book had me giggling and cheesing the whole time reading it!
While it did have me giggling, it also had me crying. Deanna Grey’s books are healing for me. They make me reflect on my own emotions & experiences. Sunny Disposition helped me through a lot of inner work within myself, as did They Wouldn’t Dare. I have some personal similarities with the main characters. We’ve gone through similar things, one of those things being the struggle with OCD. The OCD representation was very relatable to me. The way that it was explored in the story gave me some of what I’ve needed to hear in my own life, and hearing those things through these characters was truly a beautiful experience. I had a similar experience while reading Sunny Disposition. So, I will reiterate that Deanna Grey’s books HEAL me. She will forever be one of my favorite authors.
I did wish at times that we also got chapters from David’s point of view. And I was left with a couple of minor questions when the story was over. However, nothing could dampen my enjoyment of this book. Even with a couple of flaws, it still felt perfect! I really hope we get more books for other characters in the story!!
Thank you Deanna Grey for the review copy! All opinions are my own.
This is my favorite book of the year so far! I was hooked from the first chapter with Yara & David’s banter. The chemistry was jumping off the page the entire time. This book had me giggling and cheesing the whole time reading it!
While it did have me giggling, it also had me crying. Deanna Grey’s books are healing for me. They make me reflect on my own emotions & experiences. Sunny Disposition helped me through a lot of inner work within myself, as did They Wouldn’t Dare. I have some personal similarities with the main characters. We’ve gone through similar things, one of those things being the struggle with OCD. The OCD representation was very relatable to me. The way that it was explored in the story gave me some of what I’ve needed to hear in my own life, and hearing those things through these characters was truly a beautiful experience. I had a similar experience while reading Sunny Disposition. So, I will reiterate that Deanna Grey’s books HEAL me. She will forever be one of my favorite authors.
I did wish at times that we also got chapters from David’s point of view. And I was left with a couple of minor questions when the story was over. However, nothing could dampen my enjoyment of this book. Even with a couple of flaws, it still felt perfect! I really hope we get more books for other characters in the story!!
Thank you Deanna Grey for the review copy! All opinions are my own.
April 1, 2026
Cute and escapist while keeping characters human. My only gripe was not exploring the racial dynamic of the main relationship. That felt like a missed opportunity, but as I said— veryyy escapist. If swirling was in my cards, we’d definitely be having the “conversation”… but that’s just me though… however I appreciated the examination of class (although the mmc ends up rich all the same. Does that make it moot? /srs).
I appreciated the OCD and anxiety representation. I thought the build up, tension, and backstory just all made sense. The support and care was THERE. I do really like that the conflict existed mostly outside of the couple, they just had to stop denying their feelings and get together. Very much me and mine against the world (🤏🏾) BECAUSE THEY WERE FRIENDS AND CARED FOR EACH OTHER PLATONICALLY FIRST DAMMIT.
The dares are… juvenile, but I’ve read some crazyyy shit. This is tame/normal by comparison. I’m glad it wasn’t as integral to the plot as I thought, just a device every now and then.
Lastly, this shit had STEAM. Bi- heart? Full. Vibes? Ascension. Like giggling and kicking my feet. I WILL be checking out the standalones to see what that’s about. I fully intend to circle back to this series.
Every time I write a review, an angel gets their wings. 4/5 ⭐️
I appreciated the OCD and anxiety representation. I thought the build up, tension, and backstory just all made sense. The support and care was THERE. I do really like that the conflict existed mostly outside of the couple, they just had to stop denying their feelings and get together. Very much me and mine against the world (🤏🏾) BECAUSE THEY WERE FRIENDS AND CARED FOR EACH OTHER PLATONICALLY FIRST DAMMIT.
The dares are… juvenile, but I’ve read some crazyyy shit. This is tame/normal by comparison. I’m glad it wasn’t as integral to the plot as I thought, just a device every now and then.
Lastly, this shit had STEAM. Bi- heart? Full. Vibes? Ascension. Like giggling and kicking my feet. I WILL be checking out the standalones to see what that’s about. I fully intend to circle back to this series.
Every time I write a review, an angel gets their wings. 4/5 ⭐️
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