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Dare Me
CALLUM
Lake and I never had a chance at normal. She was drop dead gorgeous from day one - our maid's granddaughter who became my mother's spoiled living doll. I hated that girl with all my heart and at the same time, I worshipped every inch of her skin, every word that she spoke. I lived for her and the twisted game of truth or dare we created to feed our f***ed up needs for shock, shame and one-upping each other. Lake was my drug, my bad lifestyle choice.
And I'd fallen in and out of love with her a thousand times till the day she disappeared.
LAKE
I know I ruined Callum Pike and going back to New York may be the worst decision I've ever made, which is saying a lot. But I'm willing to risk it. I never wanted to leave and now that I can, I'm going back - to be with the man I made, who made me. I know I screwed him up. I know he's hardened and become cold. I know the love we had is gone. But I need him now more than ever and no matter how much it hurts, no matter what kind of sick or satisfying way he decides to torment me, I'm going to fight through it.
I'm going to repent for the way I broke him and I'm going to find the Callum Pike I loved again - even if it tears me apart.
**a standalone novel**
Lake and I never had a chance at normal. She was drop dead gorgeous from day one - our maid's granddaughter who became my mother's spoiled living doll. I hated that girl with all my heart and at the same time, I worshipped every inch of her skin, every word that she spoke. I lived for her and the twisted game of truth or dare we created to feed our f***ed up needs for shock, shame and one-upping each other. Lake was my drug, my bad lifestyle choice.
And I'd fallen in and out of love with her a thousand times till the day she disappeared.
LAKE
I know I ruined Callum Pike and going back to New York may be the worst decision I've ever made, which is saying a lot. But I'm willing to risk it. I never wanted to leave and now that I can, I'm going back - to be with the man I made, who made me. I know I screwed him up. I know he's hardened and become cold. I know the love we had is gone. But I need him now more than ever and no matter how much it hurts, no matter what kind of sick or satisfying way he decides to torment me, I'm going to fight through it.
I'm going to repent for the way I broke him and I'm going to find the Callum Pike I loved again - even if it tears me apart.
**a standalone novel**
270 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 30, 2015
84 people are currently reading
1465 people want to read
About the author
Stella Rhys
18 books2,318 followersStella Rhys is a romance author who lives for baseball season, Irish coffees and Love Island UK. She was born and raised in New York and when she isn't writing, you can find her with her family and friends, scouring the city in search of her next book-inspiring adventure.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews
August 15, 2017
★★★★1/2! Dare Me (Stand-alone). Growing up Cal & Lake played a twisted game of Truth & Dare with sexual undertones! Then she vanished…. And now she is back!
“By the time we turned twenty-one I had fallen in and out of love with Lake a thousand times.”
Dare Me (stand-alone) got its title from the wayward brand of Truth or Dare with sexual undertones that two teenage students played while growing up together. It all started when heir, student and team star wrestler Callum Alexander Pike, Cal’s mother took in the housekeeper’s daughter Lake Elisabeth DePalma.
An innocent childhood friendship turned to a hot-cold tempestuous relationship as two teenagers deal with their raging sexuality. But along the way something went horribly wrong and they were separated for years, more on that to slowly unfold with story.
A tightlipped Lake has returned to New York and now Cal, successful within his own right, having built a Scotch empire, is not too sure he wants Lake to come crashing in on his party. He doesn’t know how to feel about it, except angry and horny…
Dare Me spans almost three decades. It’s a story about secrets, painful past, love, lust, hate, deception and betrayal, but also about second chances and making amends.
Callum Alexander Pike, Cal has so many of the qualities if love in a hero. He starts off as ruthless, successful, jaded and detached, but underneath there is so much more.
Lake Elisabeth DePalma captivated her surrounding and the mystery of why she left drives the story. That said I might have wished she hadn’t kept it going for such a long time. Honesty goes a long way.
Dare Me, told from dual POV’s has the perfect blend of sex, plot, mystery, deception and romance. Driven by Lake’s secrets, but it was Cal who had me coming back for more. Other than I feel the secret could have been reveled sooner I am happy. Story has the perfect ending of peace and truth, plus two epilogues.
Excellent story-telling! Intriguing plot! Complex and lovable hero.
***
Hero rating: 5 stars
Heroine rating: 4- stars
Sexual tension rating: 4.5 stars
Sex scenes rating: 4.5 stars
Sex scenes frequency: 4 stars
Plot rating: 4.5 stars
Dialogue rating: 4.5 stars
Storytelling rating: 5 stars
Story ending rating: 5 stars
Book editing rating (5 = no edits spotted): N/A, ARC
************************************************
Overall rating: 4.5 stars
Would I recommend this book: Yes.
Would I re-read this book: Yes.
Would I read future books by this author: Yes.
ARC provided to me by author Stella Rhys in exchange for an honest review.
October 2, 2015
3.5 Stars
Now before I get into my review, allow me to clarify my rating. 3.5 stars means I liked the book. Quite a bit. And I did. I loved the story, the characters, and I highly enjoyed the writing. There was just one particular part missing for me (which has everything to do with my tastes as a reader and not with the book itself) that kept this being from a solid 4 stars. But I'll get to that in a bit...
Stella Rhys is a new to me author that caught my attention with this book and it's delicious synopsis. What can I say? I'm a sucker for the hate-to-love trope and I haven't read one book with it yet that I haven't liked. Dare Me was certainly no exception. We have hate to love AND second chance romance all in one book? That's like waving a bone in front of a rabid dog for me. I kid you not. I'm on it like there's no tomorrow.
Lake and Callum grew up together when Lake's grandmother passed away and Callum's mother unofficially adopted her into the family fold. Always wanting a daughter, she doted on Lake and spoiled her with all the luxuries Lake's former upbringing didn't allow her. Callum was the boy that she hated to love.... or is it loved to hate...
While they're not "together" in their youth, they do allow themselves a game through their truth or dare games that constantly finds them together. They date other people, but always find themselves gravitating towards each other until they finally fall in love....but then Lake disappears and leaves Callum a broken, and cold hearted man in the place of the naive boy that was in love. Now six years later she's back and determined to right her wrongs, but Callum won't make it easy on her. He wants answers for her leaving; answers she's not so ready to give.
Now here is where I felt the book had a chance to go from good to great; the flashbacks. The flashbacks to their youth is told in a recap type of writing, that's not quite past tense and not quite fully recap. Basically you get a retelling of what happened but you're not fully taken back to the moment...if that even makes sense. This is what effectively took me out of the story a bit. Had the story given an actual flashback as opposed to the recap, it would have been more effective in my opinion. As it was, I felt like I was more on the outside looking in as opposed to truly being a part of the story. I also wished that their past was fleshed out a lot more. As it was, I found it difficult to truly connect to the why's of their game. They have feelings for one another, but they continue to date other people and they're never officially together. I can write it off as youthful stupidity or naivety, but there's never a good enough reason that we're given. Had this part of the story been fleshed out more, I think I would have been able to connect to it better.
I loved the characters and their romance. Lake and Callum are both very compelling characters. I knew right away that I'd fall for Callum, and I really did. His struggle for his feelings for Lake were like a live-wire you feel though the entire book. He wants to hate her, but he simply can't because a part of him has always loved her even when he hated her. I didn't expect for the story to be as deep as it was. It was certainly no shallow hate/love thing they had going on. Lake had her reasons for doing what she did, and the reasons you get piece by piece throughout the story. I really found myself wishing that these reasons were once again told in the form of a true flashback by really taking the reader back to that day as opposed to getting it in the form of a recap, as I felt that this would have made the actual story a lot more compelling. As it was, I found myself going in and out of the story since I did struggle a bit with the transitions of present to "recap" back to present again. For me, it messed with the flow of the story.
I did however really enjoy the author's voice and writing style. I loved the story itself, my quibble aside, and I can say I would read any future books from this author. If you're looking for a sexy hate/love story with an intense alpha hero and the heroine that brings him to his knees, this is a book you want to check out. My quibble aside, this is definitely a book I'd recommend and enjoyed myself quite a bit. It may not have been perfect, but it was perfect for my mood and it hit the spot just right.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
For more reviews visit
Plain and simple, I hated her...
Because of my mom, this random girl became my damned responsibility, and I wound up hating her as much as I fucking loved every inch of her skin and every goddamned word that she spoke.
Now before I get into my review, allow me to clarify my rating. 3.5 stars means I liked the book. Quite a bit. And I did. I loved the story, the characters, and I highly enjoyed the writing. There was just one particular part missing for me (which has everything to do with my tastes as a reader and not with the book itself) that kept this being from a solid 4 stars. But I'll get to that in a bit...
Stella Rhys is a new to me author that caught my attention with this book and it's delicious synopsis. What can I say? I'm a sucker for the hate-to-love trope and I haven't read one book with it yet that I haven't liked. Dare Me was certainly no exception. We have hate to love AND second chance romance all in one book? That's like waving a bone in front of a rabid dog for me. I kid you not. I'm on it like there's no tomorrow.
Lake and Callum grew up together when Lake's grandmother passed away and Callum's mother unofficially adopted her into the family fold. Always wanting a daughter, she doted on Lake and spoiled her with all the luxuries Lake's former upbringing didn't allow her. Callum was the boy that she hated to love.... or is it loved to hate...
While they're not "together" in their youth, they do allow themselves a game through their truth or dare games that constantly finds them together. They date other people, but always find themselves gravitating towards each other until they finally fall in love....but then Lake disappears and leaves Callum a broken, and cold hearted man in the place of the naive boy that was in love. Now six years later she's back and determined to right her wrongs, but Callum won't make it easy on her. He wants answers for her leaving; answers she's not so ready to give.
"You are. You are and you always will be."
Now here is where I felt the book had a chance to go from good to great; the flashbacks. The flashbacks to their youth is told in a recap type of writing, that's not quite past tense and not quite fully recap. Basically you get a retelling of what happened but you're not fully taken back to the moment...if that even makes sense. This is what effectively took me out of the story a bit. Had the story given an actual flashback as opposed to the recap, it would have been more effective in my opinion. As it was, I felt like I was more on the outside looking in as opposed to truly being a part of the story. I also wished that their past was fleshed out a lot more. As it was, I found it difficult to truly connect to the why's of their game. They have feelings for one another, but they continue to date other people and they're never officially together. I can write it off as youthful stupidity or naivety, but there's never a good enough reason that we're given. Had this part of the story been fleshed out more, I think I would have been able to connect to it better.
I loved the characters and their romance. Lake and Callum are both very compelling characters. I knew right away that I'd fall for Callum, and I really did. His struggle for his feelings for Lake were like a live-wire you feel though the entire book. He wants to hate her, but he simply can't because a part of him has always loved her even when he hated her. I didn't expect for the story to be as deep as it was. It was certainly no shallow hate/love thing they had going on. Lake had her reasons for doing what she did, and the reasons you get piece by piece throughout the story. I really found myself wishing that these reasons were once again told in the form of a true flashback by really taking the reader back to that day as opposed to getting it in the form of a recap, as I felt that this would have made the actual story a lot more compelling. As it was, I found myself going in and out of the story since I did struggle a bit with the transitions of present to "recap" back to present again. For me, it messed with the flow of the story.
I did however really enjoy the author's voice and writing style. I loved the story itself, my quibble aside, and I can say I would read any future books from this author. If you're looking for a sexy hate/love story with an intense alpha hero and the heroine that brings him to his knees, this is a book you want to check out. My quibble aside, this is definitely a book I'd recommend and enjoyed myself quite a bit. It may not have been perfect, but it was perfect for my mood and it hit the spot just right.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
For more reviews visit
October 22, 2015
3 “He grew in me as I drowned in him„ stars
This is a book about two people who can't just label their relationship. Their connection started from very early age. From the strike to only protect each other, care about each other alo tease each other their relationship become something more - it become love ! But for these two souls love was something new, something that feels like forbidden or just new. They didn't want to just say that they have a romantic relationship because in reality they don't . They only can describe their relationship as twistes .. some sort of hate-to-love thing and there are many reasons why..
Lake and Callum start explore everything together from very early age. Their actions are caused more because of their little game. They dare each other. They have feelings, passion, lust and more of everything they have curiosity .
But beside their sexuall encoutners they are friends. Friends who help and trust each other. They would never let one of them getting hurt or be sad. A lot of things happened to them in the past, in their teenage and college years.. but one thing let to another and one day Lake choose to leave and never came back.. till 6 years later
What would happen when she is back? When everything is a lot more different than before? When not Callum or Lake are the same people like before?
The new dynamic of their relationship after these years is a lot more fierce and demanding. There are so many secrets between them and they can seems to find their way together until these secrets are unraveled. They have never lost the connection and the passion between them. Their sexy scenes are a lot and the sexuall tension is off charts but that can't undo the broken parts within them. Guilt, bitterness, anger, sadness..
This book started very promising to me. I liked the angst ( shoker! ) and I love their back and forth scenes but with time I got more and more confused about everything. Their relationship was odd to me. The reasons behind their actions were a lot of times stupid. I didn't like that hot-cold tension between them at times. In my opinion the book would much more interesting if they didn't dragg too long everything. Their conffessions, their secrets or feelings. I had to skipped a lot of scenes druing the end because in my opinion they were pointless, at least pointless to read in that time.
There is a lot of angst, anger and doubts but their love is clear to see. Nothing can break a relationship that you feel that strong in your bones.
This is a book about second chances and if you are a fan of these kind of book you will like it.
“Lake and I were unexplainable. There was a universe of context behind every move we made and every word we spoke.”
This is a book about two people who can't just label their relationship. Their connection started from very early age. From the strike to only protect each other, care about each other alo tease each other their relationship become something more - it become love ! But for these two souls love was something new, something that feels like forbidden or just new. They didn't want to just say that they have a romantic relationship because in reality they don't . They only can describe their relationship as twistes .. some sort of hate-to-love thing and there are many reasons why..
“Thanks to each other we grew up fucked in the head, living off the daily adrenalin of shocking, arousing and one-upping each other.”
Lake and Callum start explore everything together from very early age. Their actions are caused more because of their little game. They dare each other. They have feelings, passion, lust and more of everything they have curiosity .
“By the time we turned twenty-one I had fallen in and out of love with Lake a thousand times.”
But beside their sexuall encoutners they are friends. Friends who help and trust each other. They would never let one of them getting hurt or be sad. A lot of things happened to them in the past, in their teenage and college years.. but one thing let to another and one day Lake choose to leave and never came back.. till 6 years later
What would happen when she is back? When everything is a lot more different than before? When not Callum or Lake are the same people like before?
The new dynamic of their relationship after these years is a lot more fierce and demanding. There are so many secrets between them and they can seems to find their way together until these secrets are unraveled. They have never lost the connection and the passion between them. Their sexy scenes are a lot and the sexuall tension is off charts but that can't undo the broken parts within them. Guilt, bitterness, anger, sadness..
This book started very promising to me. I liked the angst ( shoker! ) and I love their back and forth scenes but with time I got more and more confused about everything. Their relationship was odd to me. The reasons behind their actions were a lot of times stupid. I didn't like that hot-cold tension between them at times. In my opinion the book would much more interesting if they didn't dragg too long everything. Their conffessions, their secrets or feelings. I had to skipped a lot of scenes druing the end because in my opinion they were pointless, at least pointless to read in that time.
There is a lot of angst, anger and doubts but their love is clear to see. Nothing can break a relationship that you feel that strong in your bones.
This is a book about second chances and if you are a fan of these kind of book you will like it.
March 24, 2021
I was soooo into this the first chapter. Lake and Callum had a very complicated relationship, basically growing up as step-siblings and having a hate-love relationship filled w adolescent experimentation, mind games, and a high-risk truth or dare game. Callum hyped her up as this mischievous, silver-tongued lil devil and I was so excited but then we meet her and she's whiny, entitled, pretty dumb, and her main quality is just that she's hotter than everyone else. Nope. Boring. The book became very tedious but I did love how their bond was authentic and underneath all the hate and annoyance, they were always the most important people to each other and no one had to understand their connection as long as they did.
"I told you to jump to the left!" I could hear him shouting it again, so angry but worried about me as he swam us to shore. I could've limped back to the villas but he wouldn't let me. He carried me the whole way and as I bled on him, he went back and forth between cursing me out and murmuring into my hair that I was fine, that I did awesome and everything was going to be okay.
"I told you to jump to the left!" I could hear him shouting it again, so angry but worried about me as he swam us to shore. I could've limped back to the villas but he wouldn't let me. He carried me the whole way and as I bled on him, he went back and forth between cursing me out and murmuring into my hair that I was fine, that I did awesome and everything was going to be okay.
October 16, 2015
Okay, so I'm over my book hangover long enough to write a somewhat decent review so here it comes.....
"taking care of business voice" which she described as teetering between "I'll guide you through this gently" and "I'll fucking kill you if you mess it up"
"You know that kind of feisty translates well in bed" ~Oz
"But I turned out okay. I was a strong baby. They tell me I delivered myself" ~Oz
"Scientists can't study the giant squid because it lives in fucked up waters that no one's gonna try to dip in. You don't know nothing about them till they're dead and washed up on the beach. And that's the same with me. You won't ever know what's going on in here." He jabbed his finger to his head. " Only God will. You'll just see me when I'm dead." ~Hunt
"It's real. You two are the fucking truth." ~Dara
"I want to spend the rest of my life watching the way you love." ~Callum
So ahem, yes I loved this book and it deserved way more than 5 *Dare Me* stars but I'm restricted.
The beauty and rawness of this book is what I loved so much about this book. You see all the characters at their bests, and their worsts. And you love each and every minute of their highs and lows. You feel what the characters are feeling, you can see what their doing and how they move because it was that vividly written. This is my first book by this author and I can honestly I'll most definitely be back for more. Lake and Callum hold a very special place in my heart because I love how beautifully dark and twisted and soulful they are. It's not one for the faint of heart and does handle mature themes so if that's not for you, then don't read it.
Trish and Hunt - While I hated you, I loved the way you taught Lake a wonderful lesson she'll never forget and that she's better for it. You both deserved the ending you got. This book isn't just an erotic/angsty romance. It has a lot of mystery, drama and suspense in it too and a whole lot of action too. I'm not sure who I disliked more - Hunt or Trish.
But where this book was dark and painful, you could always count on Oz to lighten the mood and make you laugh (I hope the fucker gets his own book!)
The chemistry between Lake and Callum was obviously amazing and off the charts! ;)
Now I could go on... and on... and on.... but I'm not going to because this books and these characters speak for themselves. They'll hook you in from the very first page and not let you go until you hit The End . This book was a pleasure and such an experience to read in it's uniqueness and difference that you truly are missing out if you don't go read it. Stella Rhys well done! I salute you on your awesomeness. The rest of you? Go read this book! :)
"taking care of business voice" which she described as teetering between "I'll guide you through this gently" and "I'll fucking kill you if you mess it up"
"You know that kind of feisty translates well in bed" ~Oz
"But I turned out okay. I was a strong baby. They tell me I delivered myself" ~Oz
"Scientists can't study the giant squid because it lives in fucked up waters that no one's gonna try to dip in. You don't know nothing about them till they're dead and washed up on the beach. And that's the same with me. You won't ever know what's going on in here." He jabbed his finger to his head. " Only God will. You'll just see me when I'm dead." ~Hunt
"It's real. You two are the fucking truth." ~Dara
"I want to spend the rest of my life watching the way you love." ~Callum
So ahem, yes I loved this book and it deserved way more than 5 *Dare Me* stars but I'm restricted.
The beauty and rawness of this book is what I loved so much about this book. You see all the characters at their bests, and their worsts. And you love each and every minute of their highs and lows. You feel what the characters are feeling, you can see what their doing and how they move because it was that vividly written. This is my first book by this author and I can honestly I'll most definitely be back for more. Lake and Callum hold a very special place in my heart because I love how beautifully dark and twisted and soulful they are. It's not one for the faint of heart and does handle mature themes so if that's not for you, then don't read it.
Trish and Hunt - While I hated you, I loved the way you taught Lake a wonderful lesson she'll never forget and that she's better for it. You both deserved the ending you got. This book isn't just an erotic/angsty romance. It has a lot of mystery, drama and suspense in it too and a whole lot of action too. I'm not sure who I disliked more - Hunt or Trish.
But where this book was dark and painful, you could always count on Oz to lighten the mood and make you laugh (I hope the fucker gets his own book!)
The chemistry between Lake and Callum was obviously amazing and off the charts! ;)
Now I could go on... and on... and on.... but I'm not going to because this books and these characters speak for themselves. They'll hook you in from the very first page and not let you go until you hit The End . This book was a pleasure and such an experience to read in it's uniqueness and difference that you truly are missing out if you don't go read it. Stella Rhys well done! I salute you on your awesomeness. The rest of you? Go read this book! :)
September 29, 2015
I really enjoyed this second-chance romance, from an author who is new to me, Stella Rhys is an incredibly talented writer and this story was filled with surprising twists! I loved the author's very fresh writing style. This is a very sexy, somewhat angst-y story. Full review to come!
December 5, 2015
Not your typical 2 star book....
This review has been one that I have been agonizing over for weeks. There are so many pieces of this book that deserve more than just two stars, but in its entirety I was overwhelmed by other aspects that prevented me from truly loving this novel.
The prologued showed so much promise. I was truly engaged in the backstory. I spent most of the beginning wishing that I was able to experience the things I was being told about. Later, we experience some parts through flashbacks, but ultimately the past consisted of nothing more than just a brief glimpse here and there. However, I latched on to these moments and ached for more.
I found myself so caught up in the past, that it was hard for me to be present. It was the origin of Lake and Callum's relationship that had me so engaged. The love, the tension and intensity; this is the type of relationship that great stories are built upon. Their foundation was unique, twisted, full of passion and ultimately my favorite thing about this story. Unfortunately, I just didn't feel the same about the present. I felt more lust and eroticism than I did love, and the drama that transpired after Lake and Callum reunited was generic compared to the backstory.
If the author ever decides to write a prequel, a novel dedicated to the beginning. A story devoted to developing those brief glimpses into the past, I would definitely be the first one in line to read it.
READ ON!
This review has been one that I have been agonizing over for weeks. There are so many pieces of this book that deserve more than just two stars, but in its entirety I was overwhelmed by other aspects that prevented me from truly loving this novel.
The prologued showed so much promise. I was truly engaged in the backstory. I spent most of the beginning wishing that I was able to experience the things I was being told about. Later, we experience some parts through flashbacks, but ultimately the past consisted of nothing more than just a brief glimpse here and there. However, I latched on to these moments and ached for more.
I found myself so caught up in the past, that it was hard for me to be present. It was the origin of Lake and Callum's relationship that had me so engaged. The love, the tension and intensity; this is the type of relationship that great stories are built upon. Their foundation was unique, twisted, full of passion and ultimately my favorite thing about this story. Unfortunately, I just didn't feel the same about the present. I felt more lust and eroticism than I did love, and the drama that transpired after Lake and Callum reunited was generic compared to the backstory.
If the author ever decides to write a prequel, a novel dedicated to the beginning. A story devoted to developing those brief glimpses into the past, I would definitely be the first one in line to read it.
READ ON!
June 28, 2020
This was soooo fucking boring. The only issue here is the heroine is dumb, has low self-esteem, and thinks she is a martyr. And let's not forget that these two are so dysfunctional, they can't "label" themselves, so of course, there's no security or boundaries.
Every scene was past-past tense. I can't even describe it. Passive passive tense? Past passive tense? With some past perfect and present perfect thrown in. This author can usually write, but this was a fucking tense disaster. Flash backs were thrown in the middle all throughout the book, even in the middle of conversations.
HARD FAIL.
November 19, 2022
so promising, if only thisd gotten executed properly
September 27, 2015
4.5 Fantastic Stars!
Review by Lisa Kane
I LOVED this story! Callum Pike and Lake DePalma were raised together. Caroline, Callum's mother, took in the granddaughter of their housekeeper. Her real mother was a drug addict and she had no dad to speak of-so Caroline got it in her head that this was her little princess and she treated her like gold. Callum was forced to watch his mother pamper and spoil Lake with everything and anything. He hated her. That is, he hated her when he wasn't wanting her. Even as teenagers they had a strange relationship. They dared each other constantly-who would shop lift, who would take their clothes off in public, each rising to the occasion and refusing to let the other win. Callum was gorgeous, rich and an athlete. With one glance from him, girls dropped their panties. Lake wanted to hold on to her virginity for as long as possible. She dated Callum's best friend Theo, but every time he pressured her for sex and she would turn him down, he would break up with her. Callum was the one she turned to for her sexual needs, they did everything to each other, except for actual intercourse.
But then something happened that caused an irrererseble rift between Callum and Theo over Lake. Something that changed all their lives and Lake never quite got over the guilt. Callum told her over and over that he loved her and no price was too high for him to pay to protect her, but she never was convinced that she was anything more than the trailer trash her mother repeatedly called her.
But six years ago, Lake disappeared, taking some valuables of Caroline's with her. She left without a goodbye and without a glance back. Caroline and Callum were devastated. Callum's heartbreak turned to hatred. Or so he told himself. He set out to accomplish everything the told Lake he would do-he successfully turned around a failing whiskey distillery and made himself a millionaire many times over by the age of 24. He bought the fancy penthouse that he swore he would have-and he wouldn't allow himself to think of Lake. But now she's back and she's determined to make Callum forgive her for leaving. The only problem-she won't tell him where she was or why she left.
"If you're not going to tell me now then I'm done with your bullshit, Lake. I am. I was productive without you, I did good shit without you, so why don't you take a page from my book and just forget me now? Erase me. Pretend I never existed and none of the shit between us ever happened." I finally got a smile out of him but it was cruel. "It's hard at first but I can't even tell you how damned good it feels when you finally get rid of the poison in your life."
Thus begins their dare games again. Only this time, Lake is playing for keeps. Callum will play, but always keeps his guard up-he fell apart when she left; he thinks it's only a matter of time until she leaves again.
"You don't know how much I missed you, Callum. I don't think I went a day since I left without thinking about you. I still dream abut you. Always."
There are others who are not so welcoming to Lake and her return. She is a threat to their relationship with Callum and they will be ruthless in making sure she knows she has no place here. She is trash and has never been worthy of their inner circle. Lake is scarred from the missing six years, she knows if Callum learns the truth he will never want her. There are some things you can never recover from and her past is chock full of those things.
"I plan to love you through everything else that comes from this second forward. Don't ever do this to me ever again," he said with his distinct love and anger. "Don't ever make me miss you again, Lake."
I loved this book-it has great angst and steam and passion. Lake's secrets are heartbreaking and yet she has tried so hard to rise above them. Callum can be callous and cold and he hurts my heart for the way he strikes first then regrets his actions afterwards. But always, there is love there.
This one is so worth the read-and there is a delicious epilogue as great icing on the cake!
"You have my back the way I'll always have yours. No matter what, Lake. You're the most important thing in the world to me and I've always known it. I just want you to know it now, too."
Review by Lisa Kane
I LOVED this story! Callum Pike and Lake DePalma were raised together. Caroline, Callum's mother, took in the granddaughter of their housekeeper. Her real mother was a drug addict and she had no dad to speak of-so Caroline got it in her head that this was her little princess and she treated her like gold. Callum was forced to watch his mother pamper and spoil Lake with everything and anything. He hated her. That is, he hated her when he wasn't wanting her. Even as teenagers they had a strange relationship. They dared each other constantly-who would shop lift, who would take their clothes off in public, each rising to the occasion and refusing to let the other win. Callum was gorgeous, rich and an athlete. With one glance from him, girls dropped their panties. Lake wanted to hold on to her virginity for as long as possible. She dated Callum's best friend Theo, but every time he pressured her for sex and she would turn him down, he would break up with her. Callum was the one she turned to for her sexual needs, they did everything to each other, except for actual intercourse.
But then something happened that caused an irrererseble rift between Callum and Theo over Lake. Something that changed all their lives and Lake never quite got over the guilt. Callum told her over and over that he loved her and no price was too high for him to pay to protect her, but she never was convinced that she was anything more than the trailer trash her mother repeatedly called her.
But six years ago, Lake disappeared, taking some valuables of Caroline's with her. She left without a goodbye and without a glance back. Caroline and Callum were devastated. Callum's heartbreak turned to hatred. Or so he told himself. He set out to accomplish everything the told Lake he would do-he successfully turned around a failing whiskey distillery and made himself a millionaire many times over by the age of 24. He bought the fancy penthouse that he swore he would have-and he wouldn't allow himself to think of Lake. But now she's back and she's determined to make Callum forgive her for leaving. The only problem-she won't tell him where she was or why she left.
"If you're not going to tell me now then I'm done with your bullshit, Lake. I am. I was productive without you, I did good shit without you, so why don't you take a page from my book and just forget me now? Erase me. Pretend I never existed and none of the shit between us ever happened." I finally got a smile out of him but it was cruel. "It's hard at first but I can't even tell you how damned good it feels when you finally get rid of the poison in your life."
Thus begins their dare games again. Only this time, Lake is playing for keeps. Callum will play, but always keeps his guard up-he fell apart when she left; he thinks it's only a matter of time until she leaves again.
"You don't know how much I missed you, Callum. I don't think I went a day since I left without thinking about you. I still dream abut you. Always."
There are others who are not so welcoming to Lake and her return. She is a threat to their relationship with Callum and they will be ruthless in making sure she knows she has no place here. She is trash and has never been worthy of their inner circle. Lake is scarred from the missing six years, she knows if Callum learns the truth he will never want her. There are some things you can never recover from and her past is chock full of those things.
"I plan to love you through everything else that comes from this second forward. Don't ever do this to me ever again," he said with his distinct love and anger. "Don't ever make me miss you again, Lake."
I loved this book-it has great angst and steam and passion. Lake's secrets are heartbreaking and yet she has tried so hard to rise above them. Callum can be callous and cold and he hurts my heart for the way he strikes first then regrets his actions afterwards. But always, there is love there.
This one is so worth the read-and there is a delicious epilogue as great icing on the cake!
"You have my back the way I'll always have yours. No matter what, Lake. You're the most important thing in the world to me and I've always known it. I just want you to know it now, too."
October 6, 2015
I loved this book! It had everything i love in an erotic romance. The sex was rough and sexy as hell. Callum was always tearing Lake's clothes and panties apart! :) The plot was full of suspense and had me gasping throughout. I thought the teasing between Callum and Lake was adorable. There were even a few moments that had me laughing out loud like an idiot. My boyfriend was looking at me like I was crazy! Lol :) and i loved the way it was written. From the flow of the story to the happy ending i so desperately crave in every book, it was perfect! :) PS: Callum is one hot, sexy dirty-blonde alpha male who loves being dominant and stretching his shirts with his strong muscles... (ツ) 5 Billion-F#%k-Me-Against-The-Wall-Stars!
October 3, 2015
Dare Me by Stella Rhys
3.5 stars!!
I do love a second chance romance and this blurb just pulled me in from the start. This couple were never conventional, they had a love/hate relationship in the beginning as kids, kept apart by jealousy but as we all know there is that very fine line between love and hate. Their games of dares as they grew older led them to being much more audacious and in return much more revealing, not only in the flesh but on an emotional level too. A close friendship blossoms from the most unlikely of scenarios yet I felt their friendship through the pages, when those lines then again blur their relationship is taken to a whole new level…until it isn’t.
Lake lived with her grandmother after being deserted by her mother and Lake’s grandmother worked for Callum’s parents. When Lake’s grandmother passes away, Lake is taken in by Callum’s parents. Lake has an extremely close relationship with Callum’s mum, she is the daughter that she never had…she was spoiled rotten and here is where Callum’s resentment begins.
So we have a hate/love relationship, a friends to lovers relationship and a second chance romance all wrapped up into one book, quite a lot to pack into one novel but the author delivers. This book spans quite a few years so you grow with the characters and you do get to know their back story which helps with the character connection. Their relationship was never easy but in their own fucked up way it worked for them. When Lake mysteriously disappears one night, Callum is left devastated and despondent, his heart is broken and it changes him as a person. While their relationship never had any labels, Callum loved Lake with everything he had, so when she leaves it hits him hard and six years later when she returns, gone is the teenager who was head over heels in love, instead we have a cold hearted man who has never loved since.
This book begins with Lake’s return and Callum is knocked sideways, but he cannot help all those old feelings that come flooding back to the surface, he should hate her, he tries, but he can’t. Callum wants answers, but they are answers that Lake doesn’t want to give. Can these two get over their past? Do they even have a future?
This would have been a solid four star read for me but I wanted to know more about their early years, how their weird relationship really started, I wanted to be taken back to where and how it all began. I also felt that the flashbacks to when they were apart needed to be fleshed out a lot more. The way the flashbacks were told left you on the periphery as an outsider looking in; I wish that these had been written from Lake’s point of view so you had that personal connection. I didn’t feel what I should have in those flashbacks and that disappointed me a little. It was hard to understand exactly what she went through when you didn’t get that personal reflection. This may just be a personal preference for me as I label myself as an “emotional reader.” I need to feel everything to really connect with the characters so for others this may work.
On the whole, I loved the story, I loved Callum. There was never a doubt about how much he loved Lake, even when he was will within his right to absolutely hate her. Their connection really was soul deep despite its unconventional beginnings. For them it worked, it was “them.” I must admit I did shed a few tears, there was one scene that really got me going and it really shouldn’t have but such was the moment it hit hard in the heart.
This was my first book by this author and I will definitely read her again.
www.theromancecover.com
3.5 stars!!
“It’s real. You two are the fucking truth.”
I do love a second chance romance and this blurb just pulled me in from the start. This couple were never conventional, they had a love/hate relationship in the beginning as kids, kept apart by jealousy but as we all know there is that very fine line between love and hate. Their games of dares as they grew older led them to being much more audacious and in return much more revealing, not only in the flesh but on an emotional level too. A close friendship blossoms from the most unlikely of scenarios yet I felt their friendship through the pages, when those lines then again blur their relationship is taken to a whole new level…until it isn’t.
“You are and you always will be.”
Lake lived with her grandmother after being deserted by her mother and Lake’s grandmother worked for Callum’s parents. When Lake’s grandmother passes away, Lake is taken in by Callum’s parents. Lake has an extremely close relationship with Callum’s mum, she is the daughter that she never had…she was spoiled rotten and here is where Callum’s resentment begins.
“You’re not a punishment. You’re worth everything.”
So we have a hate/love relationship, a friends to lovers relationship and a second chance romance all wrapped up into one book, quite a lot to pack into one novel but the author delivers. This book spans quite a few years so you grow with the characters and you do get to know their back story which helps with the character connection. Their relationship was never easy but in their own fucked up way it worked for them. When Lake mysteriously disappears one night, Callum is left devastated and despondent, his heart is broken and it changes him as a person. While their relationship never had any labels, Callum loved Lake with everything he had, so when she leaves it hits him hard and six years later when she returns, gone is the teenager who was head over heels in love, instead we have a cold hearted man who has never loved since.
“It’s hard at first but I can’t even tell you how damned good it feels when you finally get rid of the poison in your life.”
This book begins with Lake’s return and Callum is knocked sideways, but he cannot help all those old feelings that come flooding back to the surface, he should hate her, he tries, but he can’t. Callum wants answers, but they are answers that Lake doesn’t want to give. Can these two get over their past? Do they even have a future?
“I say this with all the love in the world, babe, but you deserve to know some of that hurt.”
This would have been a solid four star read for me but I wanted to know more about their early years, how their weird relationship really started, I wanted to be taken back to where and how it all began. I also felt that the flashbacks to when they were apart needed to be fleshed out a lot more. The way the flashbacks were told left you on the periphery as an outsider looking in; I wish that these had been written from Lake’s point of view so you had that personal connection. I didn’t feel what I should have in those flashbacks and that disappointed me a little. It was hard to understand exactly what she went through when you didn’t get that personal reflection. This may just be a personal preference for me as I label myself as an “emotional reader.” I need to feel everything to really connect with the characters so for others this may work.
“…I tried to tell myself to sleep it off. That I was fine and I somehow had the strength in my fractured heart to do this - to stay not just in New York but in the home of the man who’d gladly forgotten me when I only lived because of his memory.”
On the whole, I loved the story, I loved Callum. There was never a doubt about how much he loved Lake, even when he was will within his right to absolutely hate her. Their connection really was soul deep despite its unconventional beginnings. For them it worked, it was “them.” I must admit I did shed a few tears, there was one scene that really got me going and it really shouldn’t have but such was the moment it hit hard in the heart.
This was my first book by this author and I will definitely read her again.
www.theromancecover.com
March 7, 2016
3.5 Stars
Enjoyed this one - the writing style was very good, the characters were likeable - I just wanted to hear more about their background, when they were growing up and daring each other.
Enjoyed this one - the writing style was very good, the characters were likeable - I just wanted to hear more about their background, when they were growing up and daring each other.
September 30, 2015
"That was just what Callum and I were. Weird. Indefinable."
Indefinable is a perfect word to describe Callum and Lake because I couldn't think of a single other word to describe them. I'm not really sure I've read about a couple like these two and I was super intrigued to see how their story was going to go.
My thoughts before going into the book, based on the synopsis and an excerpt was that I was sure I wasn't going to take to Lake at all, I was actually sure I was going to hate her but I didn't. I don't see how I ever could have. She was strong, determined, vulnerable, confident and sometimes not so confident. She made decisions in her past that had a hand in shaping her life and caused her to lose a lot. She struggled internally with her decisions but also fought hard for what she lost.
"So I'm telling you right now that I will do whatever it takes for you to trust me again."
"This is a second chance romance" does just not feel good enough to describe this. More like this is a second-chance-love/hate-all consuming-intense-gripping-heart-racing- kind of story. I want to give you a background on the story but I don't to want to over explain it and I tend to do that So what can I say to make you read this? Callum and Lake grew up together, they had almost a sibling rivalry that turned into something a lot more intense and a hell lot more sexual. It's all in the title. They dared each other all the time and got more dangerous and thrilling as they got older. It's how they communicated when they couldn't with words but then there was betrayal and heart ache and raw anger that was all that was left. They are brought back together will they continue to play or is the game over?
"...So why don't you take a page from my book and just forget me now? Erase me."
I loved Lake so much more than I expected but Callum *sigh*. No words needed. I just loved him from the start even went he comes across as ruthlessly cold, I couldn't help it. Many times during this book I just wanted to reach in and hug him. I think there are a lot of people hurting in this book and rightly so but his pain just cut me more than the others. Callum was cold and hard hearted at times but there was a lot underneath that you needed to do some digging to get to, but it was there.
I loved this whole book. Every last bit of it. Even the parts where I thought my heart might jump out of my chest. I didn't put it down once since I picked it up, I couldn't! This book was intense and emotional at times but it was sexy and seriously hot too, even maybe sweet at times and also funny and plenty of characters, some to hate and even more to love. Especially Oz!! I am so in love with him and laughed so hard I was pressing my face to the screen. I am really hoping he gets his own book because I'm sort of, definitely in love with him already! Also Shanna, a character that we meet a little, I hope she gets a book or at least we say more of her! I loved this so much and I don't think I was expecting to which makes it that much more special.This was my first book by this other and will definitely be checking out her other books!
"You're going to do every last thing I want you to do tonight."
"Tell me and I will."
"Open your mouth for me.
Indefinable is a perfect word to describe Callum and Lake because I couldn't think of a single other word to describe them. I'm not really sure I've read about a couple like these two and I was super intrigued to see how their story was going to go.
My thoughts before going into the book, based on the synopsis and an excerpt was that I was sure I wasn't going to take to Lake at all, I was actually sure I was going to hate her but I didn't. I don't see how I ever could have. She was strong, determined, vulnerable, confident and sometimes not so confident. She made decisions in her past that had a hand in shaping her life and caused her to lose a lot. She struggled internally with her decisions but also fought hard for what she lost.
"So I'm telling you right now that I will do whatever it takes for you to trust me again."
"This is a second chance romance" does just not feel good enough to describe this. More like this is a second-chance-love/hate-all consuming-intense-gripping-heart-racing- kind of story. I want to give you a background on the story but I don't to want to over explain it and I tend to do that So what can I say to make you read this? Callum and Lake grew up together, they had almost a sibling rivalry that turned into something a lot more intense and a hell lot more sexual. It's all in the title. They dared each other all the time and got more dangerous and thrilling as they got older. It's how they communicated when they couldn't with words but then there was betrayal and heart ache and raw anger that was all that was left. They are brought back together will they continue to play or is the game over?
"...So why don't you take a page from my book and just forget me now? Erase me."
I loved Lake so much more than I expected but Callum *sigh*. No words needed. I just loved him from the start even went he comes across as ruthlessly cold, I couldn't help it. Many times during this book I just wanted to reach in and hug him. I think there are a lot of people hurting in this book and rightly so but his pain just cut me more than the others. Callum was cold and hard hearted at times but there was a lot underneath that you needed to do some digging to get to, but it was there.
I loved this whole book. Every last bit of it. Even the parts where I thought my heart might jump out of my chest. I didn't put it down once since I picked it up, I couldn't! This book was intense and emotional at times but it was sexy and seriously hot too, even maybe sweet at times and also funny and plenty of characters, some to hate and even more to love. Especially Oz!! I am so in love with him and laughed so hard I was pressing my face to the screen. I am really hoping he gets his own book because I'm sort of, definitely in love with him already! Also Shanna, a character that we meet a little, I hope she gets a book or at least we say more of her! I loved this so much and I don't think I was expecting to which makes it that much more special.This was my first book by this other and will definitely be checking out her other books!
"You're going to do every last thing I want you to do tonight."
"Tell me and I will."
"Open your mouth for me.
February 27, 2017
2,8 estrelinhas!
O primeiro livro de ano e... bléh :/
O primeiro livro de ano e... bléh :/
October 12, 2015
★4.25 Stars★
Dare Me is the kind of love story that is gritty, raw and not always beautiful, but it HURTS SO GOOD! And it’s worth the angst, and the mystery. The love is unquestionable, soul-deep and real. I couldn’t stop reading once I started, and in the end, I wished I could read it all over again for the first time.
Thumbs UP
I enjoyed the authors writing style, the story was well told and flowed flawlessly between the present and flashbacks of the past.
Friends to lovers, hate to love, childhood friends falling in love, and lovers reunited; these are some of my all-time favourite themes, so this book having all four in one was basically a dream come true for me.
Callum was a guy I knew I was going to like from the start. He loves and hates with passion. He was intense, sexy, protective and SO in love with Lake. He wasn’t perfect and at times I wanted to hate him, but I just couldn’t, because deep down he was a great man. I was rooting for him to get his HEA.
Lake was a complex character with mysteries surrounding her that had me more and more intrigued as each secret was revealed. She was such a likable character, despite the drama that came with her. She loved Callum as much as he loved her, and I loved the two of them together.
I really dug the running game of Truth or Dare that Lake and Callum played, throughout their lives. The sexual undertones added a flirty and kinda dangerous vibe to the story, not to mention it was fun to see what dare’s they thought up next.
I basically liked everything going on in the book because it wasn’t just about Callum and Lake reuniting. There was an old high school boyfriend, school enemies and a scheming reporter for them to deal with, and that drama added more than enough to the story so I was never bored.
This author knows how to write a scorching hot sex scene! And there were plenty in this story.
The double Epilogue was an unexpected and very welcome surprise. I loved the end - especially the fact that little Matthew was mentioned.
Thumbs DOWN
Though I really liked that Lake and Callum couldn’t label their relationship, because they just WERE, I couldn’t understand why they didn’t seem to want to label their relationship. They loved each other; they said it often and as a reader, I didn’t question their feelings. But why did they continue to date other people? Why not just be a couple?
Though mostly sweet, I found Callum’s mothers relationship with Lake to be a little odd. I would have loved some kind of explanation as to why she was so infatuated with Lake or having a daughter.
I wanted to punch the Times bitch in the face! It annoyed me that Callum even entertained her advances.
Final Thoughts
This is the first book I’ve read by this author, but I am sure it will not be the last. In the sea of books that I've read, I know this isn’t a book I will soon forget. It made me laugh, pine, swoon and cry. I simply LOVED it.
Dare Me is the kind of love story that is gritty, raw and not always beautiful, but it HURTS SO GOOD! And it’s worth the angst, and the mystery. The love is unquestionable, soul-deep and real. I couldn’t stop reading once I started, and in the end, I wished I could read it all over again for the first time.
Thumbs UP
I enjoyed the authors writing style, the story was well told and flowed flawlessly between the present and flashbacks of the past.
Friends to lovers, hate to love, childhood friends falling in love, and lovers reunited; these are some of my all-time favourite themes, so this book having all four in one was basically a dream come true for me.
Callum was a guy I knew I was going to like from the start. He loves and hates with passion. He was intense, sexy, protective and SO in love with Lake. He wasn’t perfect and at times I wanted to hate him, but I just couldn’t, because deep down he was a great man. I was rooting for him to get his HEA.
Lake was a complex character with mysteries surrounding her that had me more and more intrigued as each secret was revealed. She was such a likable character, despite the drama that came with her. She loved Callum as much as he loved her, and I loved the two of them together.
I really dug the running game of Truth or Dare that Lake and Callum played, throughout their lives. The sexual undertones added a flirty and kinda dangerous vibe to the story, not to mention it was fun to see what dare’s they thought up next.
I basically liked everything going on in the book because it wasn’t just about Callum and Lake reuniting. There was an old high school boyfriend, school enemies and a scheming reporter for them to deal with, and that drama added more than enough to the story so I was never bored.
This author knows how to write a scorching hot sex scene! And there were plenty in this story.
The double Epilogue was an unexpected and very welcome surprise. I loved the end - especially the fact that little Matthew was mentioned.
Thumbs DOWN
Though I really liked that Lake and Callum couldn’t label their relationship, because they just WERE, I couldn’t understand why they didn’t seem to want to label their relationship. They loved each other; they said it often and as a reader, I didn’t question their feelings. But why did they continue to date other people? Why not just be a couple?
Though mostly sweet, I found Callum’s mothers relationship with Lake to be a little odd. I would have loved some kind of explanation as to why she was so infatuated with Lake or having a daughter.
I wanted to punch the Times bitch in the face! It annoyed me that Callum even entertained her advances.
Final Thoughts
This is the first book I’ve read by this author, but I am sure it will not be the last. In the sea of books that I've read, I know this isn’t a book I will soon forget. It made me laugh, pine, swoon and cry. I simply LOVED it.
October 6, 2016
I really enjoyed this story, and yes it's a stand alone! And a well organized one at that!
Lake is the underprivileged granddaughter of Calum's house keeper. Calum's mother raises her as the daughter she could never have. But what happens when Lakes greedy mother tears her away from the only family she knows and the love of her life. A very scary teen/young adult life with tradgedy and shame. Can their old love be rekindled? You'll have to read to find out.
Lake is the underprivileged granddaughter of Calum's house keeper. Calum's mother raises her as the daughter she could never have. But what happens when Lakes greedy mother tears her away from the only family she knows and the love of her life. A very scary teen/young adult life with tradgedy and shame. Can their old love be rekindled? You'll have to read to find out.
October 3, 2015
I have NO word ... this whole book is a mess!! having a brain-dead heroine is no substitute for a plot ...
Read
January 7, 2023DNF 20% didn't like the characters or story
October 8, 2015
What started out as a game of dare between two children turns into a love story that will stay with me for a while…
Callum grew up privileged. And when the housekeeper’s granddaughter moves in after her death, his whole world changes. Well, it changed long before that… around the age of 6, the first time he ever laid eyes on Lake. He has always loved her, even if they never dated.
Lake, the housekeeper’s granddaughter, had been going to Callum’s house for as long as she can remember. They have always been, well, them. No words could ever explain their relationship to one another, so they never tried.
After she disappears and returns six years later, Callum and Lake have a very strained relationship. To the point you can almost feel the tension rolling off the pages. Even with that tension, they are still attracted to each other like magnets to steel. So, in order to get their relationship back, they start up the game they played as children.
This was a great story, and took a few twists I was not expecting. Both Lake and Callum had a depth to them that you don’t see upfront, but the longer you look, the more evident it becomes. I loved the fact that even though Lake is reluctant to share her story, Callum is both pushy and patient about getting it from her. Lake, at times, reminded me of a kicked puppy, she was so down but I was so wrong to ever have counted her out! ~ Devlynn, 4 stars
Callum grew up privileged. And when the housekeeper’s granddaughter moves in after her death, his whole world changes. Well, it changed long before that… around the age of 6, the first time he ever laid eyes on Lake. He has always loved her, even if they never dated.
Lake, the housekeeper’s granddaughter, had been going to Callum’s house for as long as she can remember. They have always been, well, them. No words could ever explain their relationship to one another, so they never tried.
After she disappears and returns six years later, Callum and Lake have a very strained relationship. To the point you can almost feel the tension rolling off the pages. Even with that tension, they are still attracted to each other like magnets to steel. So, in order to get their relationship back, they start up the game they played as children.
This was a great story, and took a few twists I was not expecting. Both Lake and Callum had a depth to them that you don’t see upfront, but the longer you look, the more evident it becomes. I loved the fact that even though Lake is reluctant to share her story, Callum is both pushy and patient about getting it from her. Lake, at times, reminded me of a kicked puppy, she was so down but I was so wrong to ever have counted her out! ~ Devlynn, 4 stars
February 16, 2017
Didn't love it :(
May 17, 2018
Freaking Amazing
I absolutely Love Stella! I always know I’m going to fall in love with her words. Dare Me was a phenomenal read! It’s unlike any of her other books! I was not expecting this story at all. Dare me took a piece of my soul. Callum was magnificent, he absolutely couldn’t be any more perfect if he tried. I loved how deeply he loved Lake, his love never faltered. The one constant was how much she meant to him. Lake was a tortured soul, she kept so much bottled up and I was on pins and needles waiting for her truth to come to light. This book was heavy on the heart and will wreck your emotions, I definitely cried for the characters, going through everything they were! The heat between Callum and Lake was all consuming. Deliciously sexy and raging hot! I couldn't get enough! I love so much how Stella told us both their past and present. It was beautifully written! One thing I love in books that deal with two characters having history is background and detail, Dare Me covered all bases! This is a Must Read! I Dare you to Read it!
I absolutely Love Stella! I always know I’m going to fall in love with her words. Dare Me was a phenomenal read! It’s unlike any of her other books! I was not expecting this story at all. Dare me took a piece of my soul. Callum was magnificent, he absolutely couldn’t be any more perfect if he tried. I loved how deeply he loved Lake, his love never faltered. The one constant was how much she meant to him. Lake was a tortured soul, she kept so much bottled up and I was on pins and needles waiting for her truth to come to light. This book was heavy on the heart and will wreck your emotions, I definitely cried for the characters, going through everything they were! The heat between Callum and Lake was all consuming. Deliciously sexy and raging hot! I couldn't get enough! I love so much how Stella told us both their past and present. It was beautifully written! One thing I love in books that deal with two characters having history is background and detail, Dare Me covered all bases! This is a Must Read! I Dare you to Read it!
October 18, 2015
I am desperately hoping that there is a book two because Stella Rhys won't leave her readers dying and thirsting for more. Omg. Just read for yourself and find out why I have no words. I am completely out of words. But I would say this, it was an amazing read and I'm dying for more. Much much more.
May 17, 2020
This book is proof that mood matters.
I first read this book back when it first got out. I couldn't for the life of me finish it, and trust me, I tried.
Gave it another shot a few weeks ago and BINGO.
I first read this book back when it first got out. I couldn't for the life of me finish it, and trust me, I tried.
Gave it another shot a few weeks ago and BINGO.
September 12, 2018
I was so back and forth all while reading this book. I loved it and then I couldn't wait for it to just be done. And then I'd love it again. And then I'd hate it. So much back and forth, giving me whiplash and shit.
Anywho, this is the story of Lake and Callum. They grew up together. Experienced everything with one another. Loved each other with everything they had until Lake disappeared for over half a decade. She comes back out of the blue to fix things with Callum after disappearing without a trace and without an explination.
Callum, naturally, is super pissed about her leaving. And is super pissed about her randomly coming back. So he's cold and indifferent towards her. But eventually gives in to the feelings that never actually went away.
Now, on to the reason I was so back and forth with this book... I am normally big on the story. The book I'm reading has to have a good story. Especially an erotica. Like yes the smut is the number one reason I read it but I still want a story to keep my interest because the smut only does so much for me. And I felt like this book had too much story. But it wasn't really the story playing out that bothered me. It was the backstory. There was just so fucking much of it. And it wasn't written in like a "5 years ago" or "Lake - 16 years old" or "Callum - 22 years old" type of way. There was so much back and forth between past and present in this book. Sometimes I'd start a chapter and not know if it was past or present. That was just super annoying.
But then you get to about 85% of the book and that's when stuff starting coming out. And then you start to understand that the backstory is basically the actual story. Just told from years in the future. So I kinda understood the story more and I ended up really liking it. But I still c0uldn't get myself to give more than 3 stars because I feel like the way the past and present in this book was written could've been written better.
Anywho, this is the story of Lake and Callum. They grew up together. Experienced everything with one another. Loved each other with everything they had until Lake disappeared for over half a decade. She comes back out of the blue to fix things with Callum after disappearing without a trace and without an explination.
Callum, naturally, is super pissed about her leaving. And is super pissed about her randomly coming back. So he's cold and indifferent towards her. But eventually gives in to the feelings that never actually went away.
Now, on to the reason I was so back and forth with this book... I am normally big on the story. The book I'm reading has to have a good story. Especially an erotica. Like yes the smut is the number one reason I read it but I still want a story to keep my interest because the smut only does so much for me. And I felt like this book had too much story. But it wasn't really the story playing out that bothered me. It was the backstory. There was just so fucking much of it. And it wasn't written in like a "5 years ago" or "Lake - 16 years old" or "Callum - 22 years old" type of way. There was so much back and forth between past and present in this book. Sometimes I'd start a chapter and not know if it was past or present. That was just super annoying.
But then you get to about 85% of the book and that's when stuff starting coming out. And then you start to understand that the backstory is basically the actual story. Just told from years in the future. So I kinda understood the story more and I ended up really liking it. But I still c0uldn't get myself to give more than 3 stars because I feel like the way the past and present in this book was written could've been written better.
August 26, 2021
I won’t lie I’m a sucker for Stella Rhys’s hot & heavy romances. She writes them dirty and swoony and I love her for it. And this one is no exception.
The only thing That kept it from being a five star read for me was that there was little in the way of their relationship when they were younger and I would have loved to see their budding romance when it was starting out! You do get some flashbacks but there’s only a few and they’re of pivotal moments rather than the build up of their young love.
The plot is a little different, there’s a secret, a love to hate relationship, a bitch of an other woman, a whole lot of angst and a hero that made my mouth water and my thighs clench! There’s also a great character called Oz who I think we all would love to get to know better!
Callum and Lake’s love runs deep but their struggle to get there is a long one, but their journey and their intimacy was Off.The.Chart. Seriously I gotsta get me a man who likes mirrors. Ugh Callum was great.
I did think the whole reason Lake left was a little far fetched, and there’s a lot of details that never get much more than a mention. I like a bit of back story in a book. But overall it was a good read!
If your new to Stella Rhys I’d start with her books Ex Games & The Irresistible series!
The only thing That kept it from being a five star read for me was that there was little in the way of their relationship when they were younger and I would have loved to see their budding romance when it was starting out! You do get some flashbacks but there’s only a few and they’re of pivotal moments rather than the build up of their young love.
The plot is a little different, there’s a secret, a love to hate relationship, a bitch of an other woman, a whole lot of angst and a hero that made my mouth water and my thighs clench! There’s also a great character called Oz who I think we all would love to get to know better!
Callum and Lake’s love runs deep but their struggle to get there is a long one, but their journey and their intimacy was Off.The.Chart. Seriously I gotsta get me a man who likes mirrors. Ugh Callum was great.
I did think the whole reason Lake left was a little far fetched, and there’s a lot of details that never get much more than a mention. I like a bit of back story in a book. But overall it was a good read!
If your new to Stella Rhys I’d start with her books Ex Games & The Irresistible series!
February 22, 2024
After reading the blurb things you need to know is
* Lake and Callum were in love, but she was dating Theo who pressured her for sex. She broke up with him, he became aggressive
* Lake's bf gets beaten up by Callum, who retaliated by posting Lake's naked pictures online and spreading lies.
*Theo hires people to attack Callum, who gets injured and loses his scholarship to college.
*Callum's parents gets divorced because of his mothers obsession with Lake and her fathers resentment towards Lake ( and also silent attraction )
So she is all guilt ridden and to add to it
🌳 I read the book for this.Lake's backstory.🌳
she was talking to her biological mother and it seemed like she was in an abusive relationship and needed help.
Lake went to live with her mother, step father and step son, Hunt, in trailer park. She worked multiple jobs to provide for her mom's drug addiction.
She later figured out that her step dad was not the real villian but it was all her mom and Hunt's doing . They were having an incestuous relationship and thought Lake to be their meal ticket.
She tried to escape once but failed, her mom had a baby with Hunt. Lake stayed to take care of the baby. But her mom tried to kill the baby while she was high so the CPS came and took the baby.
Lake tried to escape a second time and she was chased by Hunt and her mom, but they got in an accident and Lake left them to die.
Lake came back, gets together with Callum, he doesn't trust her fully, she hides her entire past from him.A reporter Lady tries to create problems between them, there is a third act breakup and eventually they get back together, clearing the air, they get married and has a baby daughter.
I hated the spice in this book it was so vulgar in a way that didn't blend with the book (thats my opinion )
Everything else is in the blurb.
🚨Don't Reread it.
* Lake and Callum were in love, but she was dating Theo who pressured her for sex. She broke up with him, he became aggressive
* Lake's bf gets beaten up by Callum, who retaliated by posting Lake's naked pictures online and spreading lies.
*Theo hires people to attack Callum, who gets injured and loses his scholarship to college.
*Callum's parents gets divorced because of his mothers obsession with Lake and her fathers resentment towards Lake ( and also silent attraction )
So she is all guilt ridden and to add to it
🌳 I read the book for this.Lake's backstory.🌳
she was talking to her biological mother and it seemed like she was in an abusive relationship and needed help.
Lake went to live with her mother, step father and step son, Hunt, in trailer park. She worked multiple jobs to provide for her mom's drug addiction.
She later figured out that her step dad was not the real villian but it was all her mom and Hunt's doing . They were having an incestuous relationship and thought Lake to be their meal ticket.
She tried to escape once but failed, her mom had a baby with Hunt. Lake stayed to take care of the baby. But her mom tried to kill the baby while she was high so the CPS came and took the baby.
Lake tried to escape a second time and she was chased by Hunt and her mom, but they got in an accident and Lake left them to die.
Lake came back, gets together with Callum, he doesn't trust her fully, she hides her entire past from him.A reporter Lady tries to create problems between them, there is a third act breakup and eventually they get back together, clearing the air, they get married and has a baby daughter.
I hated the spice in this book it was so vulgar in a way that didn't blend with the book (thats my opinion )
Everything else is in the blurb.
🚨Don't Reread it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 2, 2022
Where are the TWs?!
The first half of the book is 5 stars and the last half 1 star. The later was so colossally fucked up I thought I was reading a dark thriller which is NOT what I signed up for.
It felt like reading two completely different books. We went from a story about childhood friends with UST, love-hate relationship & 2nd chance-romance to detailed gore and r*pe. What the actual fuck
I wish it was just a book about their teenage shenanigans.
The first half of the book is 5 stars and the last half 1 star. The later was so colossally fucked up I thought I was reading a dark thriller which is NOT what I signed up for.
It felt like reading two completely different books. We went from a story about childhood friends with UST, love-hate relationship & 2nd chance-romance to detailed gore and r*pe. What the actual fuck
I wish it was just a book about their teenage shenanigans.
maybe
December 2, 2022Self note
Pet peeve- story told in constant annoying flash backs.🙄
Pet peeve- story told in constant annoying flash backs.🙄
October 1, 2015
Whoa baby, hold on to your panties because Stella Rhys has penned one heck of an erotic tryst in her new book Dare Me.
Since their teenage years Callum and Lake have played a sexy little game of Truth or Dare, only no one ever chooses truth. What follows are a series of more daring dares and lots of one upmanship between the pair. Nothing is off limits. And the challenges get sexier and sexier. Until Lake leaves and then resurfaces some years later. Can their little game pick up where they left off, even when love is on the line?
I really liked this story! I loved the layers that were added with their past flashbacks. There was a great little suspense aspect added too. These two were a sexy, provocative pair. The only real complaint I had was there was a rather large cast of characters and was sometimes hard to keep track of. A good, solid 4 Star read. Go ahead and give it a try. I dare you.
~ Lia, 4 Stars
Since their teenage years Callum and Lake have played a sexy little game of Truth or Dare, only no one ever chooses truth. What follows are a series of more daring dares and lots of one upmanship between the pair. Nothing is off limits. And the challenges get sexier and sexier. Until Lake leaves and then resurfaces some years later. Can their little game pick up where they left off, even when love is on the line?
I really liked this story! I loved the layers that were added with their past flashbacks. There was a great little suspense aspect added too. These two were a sexy, provocative pair. The only real complaint I had was there was a rather large cast of characters and was sometimes hard to keep track of. A good, solid 4 Star read. Go ahead and give it a try. I dare you.
~ Lia, 4 Stars
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