What do you think?
Rate this book
Twilight, Texas #10
The Christmas Dare
A jilted-at-the-altar bride reunites with her high school sweetheart in Lori Wilde’s sensational new Twilight, Texas Christmas novel.
Kelsey James always played by the rules and look where it got her—dumped and half-drunk in a poofy white dress, her Christmas wedding ruined. Then her best friend talks her into going on her “honeymoon” anyway, daring her to a “Christmas of Yes.” It’s about time she lets loose a little, so Kelsey agrees to say “yes” to fun, to romance, and to adventure! And adventure leads her right smack into the arms of sexy Noah MacGregor.
Noah’s never one to say no to a risk—from leading his NBA team to victory to making Christmas cookies in Twilight, he’s up to the challenge! But a lot has gone on since they were teenagers, and he knows he has to take his time to make Kelsey dare to believe that what they feel is more than just the holiday magic that’s in the air . . .
Kelsey James always played by the rules and look where it got her—dumped and half-drunk in a poofy white dress, her Christmas wedding ruined. Then her best friend talks her into going on her “honeymoon” anyway, daring her to a “Christmas of Yes.” It’s about time she lets loose a little, so Kelsey agrees to say “yes” to fun, to romance, and to adventure! And adventure leads her right smack into the arms of sexy Noah MacGregor.
Noah’s never one to say no to a risk—from leading his NBA team to victory to making Christmas cookies in Twilight, he’s up to the challenge! But a lot has gone on since they were teenagers, and he knows he has to take his time to make Kelsey dare to believe that what they feel is more than just the holiday magic that’s in the air . . .
373 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 22, 2019
393 people are currently reading
3154 people want to read
About the author
Lori Wilde
394 books2,264 followersLori Wilde can’t remember a time when she didn’t want to write. She even went to nursing school so she could have a schedule flexible enough to allow her to write on the side. She nursed for 20 years, working in a variety of settings from the newborn nursery to the recovery room, to dialysis. But she never lost her desire to write.
She sold her first book in 1994 to Silhouette Romance but later discovered she had a flair for comedy and branched out to Harlequin Duets and now, to Blaze.
Lori is an adventuresome soul who loves to travel. She’s taken flying lessons, completed two marathons, rode in a hot-air balloon, performed with a professional jazz band, traveled Europe as a teenager, hiked volcanoes in Hawaii, trod on glaciers in Alaska, shot white-water rapids, water-skied, snow-skied, raced all-terrain vehicles, bodysurfed in the Gulf of Mexico, and photographed grizzly bears in Yellowstone.
She lives in her native Texas, with her own real-life hero, Bill.
She sold her first book in 1994 to Silhouette Romance but later discovered she had a flair for comedy and branched out to Harlequin Duets and now, to Blaze.
Lori is an adventuresome soul who loves to travel. She’s taken flying lessons, completed two marathons, rode in a hot-air balloon, performed with a professional jazz band, traveled Europe as a teenager, hiked volcanoes in Hawaii, trod on glaciers in Alaska, shot white-water rapids, water-skied, snow-skied, raced all-terrain vehicles, bodysurfed in the Gulf of Mexico, and photographed grizzly bears in Yellowstone.
She lives in her native Texas, with her own real-life hero, Bill.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
December 11, 2021
This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance
The Christmas Dare is a sweet yet angst-filled romance that will gravitate you which features:
Noah MacGregor-a twin, ex-athlete, business manager of a bed and breakfast, and driven but vulnerable
Kelsey James-devoted daughter, driven, political manager, competent but struggles with "mommy" issues
The Christmas Dare is one of the more recent releases of the Twilight Texas Series. And for those of you not familiar with this series (AND what are you doing with your life haha) is a series based in a small town "Twilight" where magical things tend to happen when you least expect them to. The Christmas Dare was a story that I had plenty of mixed feels about, to be honest. It didn't quite meet up with my expectations but despite that, it definitely had its own refining qualities that worked for me in other ways that I didn't quite expect. I really love an author that can create such dynamics because even though I don't prefer to be so split on my feelings for stories like this, Lori Wilde definitely worked magic in this one, so I am thrilled for that there.
The Christmas Dare is a sweet yet angst-filled romance that will gravitate you which features:
Noah MacGregor-a twin, ex-athlete, business manager of a bed and breakfast, and driven but vulnerable
Kelsey James-devoted daughter, driven, political manager, competent but struggles with "mommy" issues
The Christmas Dare is a story that begins with our heroine, Kelsey James, who has always been devoted to her mother and her political aspirations. And for years she has stayed by her side while sacrificing all the good parts of herself just hoping one day she will please her mother and have love in return. But when she decides to take a vacation for the first time in forever, with her best friend and to the small territory of Twilight Texas, she knows that this will be a trip of risks and dares. While she battles within herself to let herself go on this vacation, she is dealing with the drama of her mother, but also runs into sexy Noah MacGregor, the boy she never stopped loving but could never have. But now they are back together and reconnecting, but will Kelsey's issues with her mother drive them together and keep them apart for good?
The Christmas Dare was a fantastic read in many ways and I do think that this story will work for many. Now while I enjoyed this one overall, I definitely had my issues. My largest issue was the heroine. Now I want to point out that the hero is far from perfect, he has his own share of struggles but he is much more likable and has a big giant vulnerability that is so endearing to the reader. Now as for our heroine, *sigh* she definitely has her issues. She is a bit of a doormat when it comes to her mother. Everything else she is the opposite, but it's like her mother just draws out her weakness and is willing to cave to her mother. There is a journey involved here where Kelsey has to discover herself and learn what she is capable of. But I really couldn't stand how Noah gets put in the middle and is the one that always seems to be the one hurt. I really couldn't understand why the heroine just disregarded the hero in some aspects and I felt like he deserved a woman willing to fight for him. Now the mother in this story is a piece of work and I can see how the heroine really battles within herself against her. But I felt like she was all over the place and didn't have much consistency to her character. I really found other aspects of the story to be utterly charming though. There is such magic in the way that this author writes her setting especially in how she evolves the small-town charm that endears you completely. Every time I visit this town of Twilight, I am always delighted by how this author has developed its colorful character that only makes you yearn for more.
Overall I found The Christmas Dare to be a charming read that brings together elements of grumpy and sunshine, deep character growth, a second chance romance that sparks life into the story, and an evolvement of gems to make you feel like falling in love and learning to fight for what matters most....
October 16, 2019
The Christmas Dare had a little bit more angst than most holiday themed romance books, and therefore, I liked it a little more than most. It has some 'meat' to it -for luck of a better expression right now...
Noah is a easy go happy kind of guy. Always in a good mood, always with a smile on his face, always ready to help. He doesn't let things bring him down, for better or worse, he just moves on to better things. One of those things was his relationship with Kelsey. They were young though, so one can forgive them both for that mishap. I liked his character, liked his love for everything Christmas, his love for his family and his small town. Everything about him screamed fun and comfort.
Kelsey was a different story all together. She had great moments but for the most part her character was unbearable. She was always winning, felling sorry for herself, and yet not willing to do anything about it. The author tried to make her come across as someone naive, but her naivete at that age was just unralatable and not at all believable. Specially when it is obvious her friends, Noah, her father, and everyone else around her can both see what she is not seeing and has tried to tell her as much a million times. She just ended up coming across stupid and childish.
The secondary characters were amazing!!! It is no wonder this series is going on book 10 (though you can read this easily as a stand alone). Every single one of those side characters deserves his/her own story -the ones that don't have one yet anyway-.
All in all, I really liked this Christmas novel, which is not something I say often about Christmas novels... I just wish Kelsey hadn't annoyed me as much as she did.
Noah is a easy go happy kind of guy. Always in a good mood, always with a smile on his face, always ready to help. He doesn't let things bring him down, for better or worse, he just moves on to better things. One of those things was his relationship with Kelsey. They were young though, so one can forgive them both for that mishap. I liked his character, liked his love for everything Christmas, his love for his family and his small town. Everything about him screamed fun and comfort.
Kelsey was a different story all together. She had great moments but for the most part her character was unbearable. She was always winning, felling sorry for herself, and yet not willing to do anything about it. The author tried to make her come across as someone naive, but her naivete at that age was just unralatable and not at all believable. Specially when it is obvious her friends, Noah, her father, and everyone else around her can both see what she is not seeing and has tried to tell her as much a million times. She just ended up coming across stupid and childish.
The secondary characters were amazing!!! It is no wonder this series is going on book 10 (though you can read this easily as a stand alone). Every single one of those side characters deserves his/her own story -the ones that don't have one yet anyway-.
All in all, I really liked this Christmas novel, which is not something I say often about Christmas novels... I just wish Kelsey hadn't annoyed me as much as she did.
December 17, 2019
Kelsey is jilted at the altar, what a time to find out that not only is she not getting married, but that her husband has run off with his best friend.
So instead, her best friend Tasha whisks her away to Twilight, Texas. A town that Kelsey is all too familiar with, and where she left behind the boy she was in love with.
But the boy is now a man, a divorced man and there are a lot of unresolved feelings between them. So while Kelsey tries to figure out how to live her life independently from her mother, she must also find out what truly makes her happy.
I find that this series is a hit or miss for me and the past two books that I read have definitely felt more like a miss. The romance was okay, I really like Noah and Tasha, but I wasn’t overly warm to Kelsey. Her character was lackluster and annoying and the conflict and her choice of Noah, in the end, was more frustration added to the book. I didn’t find her all that believable and honestly could have done with the whole my groom-dumps-me-at-the-altar-because-his-gay-trope.
So instead, her best friend Tasha whisks her away to Twilight, Texas. A town that Kelsey is all too familiar with, and where she left behind the boy she was in love with.
But the boy is now a man, a divorced man and there are a lot of unresolved feelings between them. So while Kelsey tries to figure out how to live her life independently from her mother, she must also find out what truly makes her happy.
I find that this series is a hit or miss for me and the past two books that I read have definitely felt more like a miss. The romance was okay, I really like Noah and Tasha, but I wasn’t overly warm to Kelsey. Her character was lackluster and annoying and the conflict and her choice of Noah, in the end, was more frustration added to the book. I didn’t find her all that believable and honestly could have done with the whole my groom-dumps-me-at-the-altar-because-his-gay-trope.
October 8, 2019
Reviewed by Romancing the Readers Blog: https://romancingthereaders.blogspot....
I sure do love visiting Twilight, Texas. It's always fun to be there. Throughout the years I've loved reading this series and have enjoyed the characters that live there.
Our visit to Twilight is with The Christmas Dare. I do love a good holiday story and Twilight is the perfect place to spend the holidays. I'm not sure how I feel about being dared into doing something but I really loved the idea of Kelsey being dared by her best friend, we all need a best friend like this. One who really truly cares about us.
Poor Kesley loves for her mother. She does everything to help her mom with her dreams and gets nothing back from this horrible person. The sad part is she doesn't even see it or realize that she's being mentally abused by her mother.
The best thing that happened to Kesley is when the man she's to marry turns out gay. You have to ask yourself, how is that the best thing for her. Believe me, it is.
With Kelsey and her best friend on the run, I mean on her honeymoon, they end up in Twilight, Texas a place that Kelsey knows all too well. It's where her first (and only) love lives.
Oh, Noah! What a great guy he is. I love that he's so easy going and cares so much about the people around him. The happiness he feels at seeing Kelsey again is so touching. You can't help by just feel. You can tell right away that these two are perfect for each other.
As the story goes on you really learn just how badly Kelsey's life with her mom has been. You also get pissed at her father for leaving her to live like that. It made it so hard for her to have a real relationship. She couldn't figure out how to put her happiness before her mother's.
This story has a lot of highs and lows for its characters. You won't want to put it down until you finished it. I really needed to know what happened. So glad I read it so quickly and found out but then again I was sad to be leaving Twilight.
Follow me on:
https://www.facebook.com/RomancingThe...
https://twitter.com/Romancingreader
ARC received for an honest review
I sure do love visiting Twilight, Texas. It's always fun to be there. Throughout the years I've loved reading this series and have enjoyed the characters that live there.
Our visit to Twilight is with The Christmas Dare. I do love a good holiday story and Twilight is the perfect place to spend the holidays. I'm not sure how I feel about being dared into doing something but I really loved the idea of Kelsey being dared by her best friend, we all need a best friend like this. One who really truly cares about us.
Poor Kesley loves for her mother. She does everything to help her mom with her dreams and gets nothing back from this horrible person. The sad part is she doesn't even see it or realize that she's being mentally abused by her mother.
The best thing that happened to Kesley is when the man she's to marry turns out gay. You have to ask yourself, how is that the best thing for her. Believe me, it is.
With Kelsey and her best friend on the run, I mean on her honeymoon, they end up in Twilight, Texas a place that Kelsey knows all too well. It's where her first (and only) love lives.
Oh, Noah! What a great guy he is. I love that he's so easy going and cares so much about the people around him. The happiness he feels at seeing Kelsey again is so touching. You can't help by just feel. You can tell right away that these two are perfect for each other.
As the story goes on you really learn just how badly Kelsey's life with her mom has been. You also get pissed at her father for leaving her to live like that. It made it so hard for her to have a real relationship. She couldn't figure out how to put her happiness before her mother's.
This story has a lot of highs and lows for its characters. You won't want to put it down until you finished it. I really needed to know what happened. So glad I read it so quickly and found out but then again I was sad to be leaving Twilight.
Follow me on:
https://www.facebook.com/RomancingThe...
https://twitter.com/Romancingreader
ARC received for an honest review
November 14, 2019
Kelsey and Noah meet again after ten years, since they were seventeen. They had been in love but Kelsey's tyrannical mother made sure Noah stayed away from her daughter. But Kelsey's just been humiliated on her wedding day, and her friend Tasha tricks her into spending the Holiday season in Twilight, Texas.
Poor Kelsey, stuck with her domineering mother who basically took over her life. Noah is sweet and cocky, and while both characters had possibilities, I was grateful for Tasha's presence. Tasha is wonderfully entertaining and alleviates the gloomy atmosphere surrounding Kelsey.
I felt the story was slow to get started because of Kelsey hesitating, ruminating, not knowing what to do. It was a bit depressing, to be honest. I'm not sure if I wasn't in the right frame of mind or if I didn't connect with the type of story and the writing style, but I didn't like this book very much until the last 20% or so. I really can't put my finger on it; THE CHRISTMAS DARE is not bad, but I felt it was taking too long in getting to the point, any point. I wasn't invested in the characters' future, I was just watching them and getting antsy for the story to move along. Or for Kelsey to do something. She has a huge problem with her mother but it wasn't gripping, it was stifling.
There is a lot of repetition, too many irrelevant details take too much space to the detriment of character development, the sex scenes are drawn out and rather bland. The only thing that prevented the book from being a DNF several times was the exceptional quality of the dialogues when secondary characters were involved: Kelsey and Tasha; Noah and his brother; Theo, Kelsey's father, and Kelsey, etc. Those were the highlights of the book until it hit around the 80% mark; then the novel really took off and earned that fourth star. It's only then that, for me, Noah and Kelsey particularly truly came alive. That's when the complexity of the characters was revealed, that things started to gel, and I very much appreciated how the issue of NPD - Narcissistic Personality Disorder - was explained and handled. It was a lot of work for me to get to that point, but the ending made it somewhat worthwhile. I think the mental health issue is a very important one, more people should be aware of it, and for that, I would recommend this book. THE CHRISTMAS DARE has a very important message to impart, but it's a shame it almost got lost in the execution.
Poor Kelsey, stuck with her domineering mother who basically took over her life. Noah is sweet and cocky, and while both characters had possibilities, I was grateful for Tasha's presence. Tasha is wonderfully entertaining and alleviates the gloomy atmosphere surrounding Kelsey.
I felt the story was slow to get started because of Kelsey hesitating, ruminating, not knowing what to do. It was a bit depressing, to be honest. I'm not sure if I wasn't in the right frame of mind or if I didn't connect with the type of story and the writing style, but I didn't like this book very much until the last 20% or so. I really can't put my finger on it; THE CHRISTMAS DARE is not bad, but I felt it was taking too long in getting to the point, any point. I wasn't invested in the characters' future, I was just watching them and getting antsy for the story to move along. Or for Kelsey to do something. She has a huge problem with her mother but it wasn't gripping, it was stifling.
There is a lot of repetition, too many irrelevant details take too much space to the detriment of character development, the sex scenes are drawn out and rather bland. The only thing that prevented the book from being a DNF several times was the exceptional quality of the dialogues when secondary characters were involved: Kelsey and Tasha; Noah and his brother; Theo, Kelsey's father, and Kelsey, etc. Those were the highlights of the book until it hit around the 80% mark; then the novel really took off and earned that fourth star. It's only then that, for me, Noah and Kelsey particularly truly came alive. That's when the complexity of the characters was revealed, that things started to gel, and I very much appreciated how the issue of NPD - Narcissistic Personality Disorder - was explained and handled. It was a lot of work for me to get to that point, but the ending made it somewhat worthwhile. I think the mental health issue is a very important one, more people should be aware of it, and for that, I would recommend this book. THE CHRISTMAS DARE has a very important message to impart, but it's a shame it almost got lost in the execution.
November 5, 2019
How is it possible that being jilted at the altar by your “just come out of the closet” fiancé is a good thing? Kelsey is about to discover this when her life falls apart in spectacular (and public) fashion and her best friend decides that it’s time for her to make several changes in her life, starting with the two of them heading off for her honeymoon trip. With Tasha and Kelsey off on the road – the “Christmas of Yes” begins, particularly innovative for Kelsey after her mother’s scene when the wedding was cancelled, turning the spotlight onto her own grief, distress and embarrassment. So, being away from the drama of her mother and her uber-control, along with time to find herself with the support of a friend who truly has her best interests at heart , AND won’t take any half-efforts from her, they end up in Twilight, Texas, the home of Kelsey’s first love.
Noah is the epitome of “first love and romance novel hero”, with his take-charge, try anything attitude, his deep determination to care for those around him, and even his attraction to Kelsey – allowing her to ‘take charge’ of their ‘rekindled relationship, all the while determined to convince her that it’s more than a ‘holiday fling’. It’s going to take plenty of convincing on his part, not to mention the fact that they were summarily separated at 17 when Kelsey’s mother interrupted a moment. And there’s the other problem. Kelsey has spent the past years with her mother, a drama-queen, controlling and seemingly always angry, soothing the waters and saying Yes when she often should say No. Filomena is a political animal, and her determination to have everything “picture perfect” for each moment, while micro-managing Kelsey’s choices, life and decisions is something that Kelsey needs to learn to step away from and set, for the first time, boundaries.
With the Christmas of Yes stretching Kelsey’s inclinations to reach out to her mother to smooth the waters, the spark with Noah is too intriguing and comforting to ignore. It’s going to take a miracle to have everything work out, or perhaps Kelsey just needs to understand herself – and what it is she wants out of life: an opportunity that Tasha provided when she whisked her out of town from under her mother’s nose. A lovely and hopeful story of second chances, not just for romance and a life that is self-determined, but for the relationship between Kelsey and her mother as she learns just WHY her mother is so controlling and determined to have everything her way. It can only happen in Twilight, Texas.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Review first appeared at I am, Indeed
Noah is the epitome of “first love and romance novel hero”, with his take-charge, try anything attitude, his deep determination to care for those around him, and even his attraction to Kelsey – allowing her to ‘take charge’ of their ‘rekindled relationship, all the while determined to convince her that it’s more than a ‘holiday fling’. It’s going to take plenty of convincing on his part, not to mention the fact that they were summarily separated at 17 when Kelsey’s mother interrupted a moment. And there’s the other problem. Kelsey has spent the past years with her mother, a drama-queen, controlling and seemingly always angry, soothing the waters and saying Yes when she often should say No. Filomena is a political animal, and her determination to have everything “picture perfect” for each moment, while micro-managing Kelsey’s choices, life and decisions is something that Kelsey needs to learn to step away from and set, for the first time, boundaries.
With the Christmas of Yes stretching Kelsey’s inclinations to reach out to her mother to smooth the waters, the spark with Noah is too intriguing and comforting to ignore. It’s going to take a miracle to have everything work out, or perhaps Kelsey just needs to understand herself – and what it is she wants out of life: an opportunity that Tasha provided when she whisked her out of town from under her mother’s nose. A lovely and hopeful story of second chances, not just for romance and a life that is self-determined, but for the relationship between Kelsey and her mother as she learns just WHY her mother is so controlling and determined to have everything her way. It can only happen in Twilight, Texas.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Review first appeared at I am, Indeed
December 2, 2020
This was a very cute and charming story! I espesially loved the christmas theme in the book but very glad that it did not overpower it in a way. Though the way they texted and how her mother was, geez that made me groan a few (alot) times. But Kelsey and Noah was supersweet, they slowly build it up and we also got to know them from before, what happend, how and why. They did also have character growth, Kelsey espesially with her breaking free, daring and finding herself. The sidecharacter were also very nice, Tasha was my favorite sidecharacter even though she was the very used up supportive bestie she also had a voice and her own thing to do in the book.
August 22, 2019
The Christmas Dare ! When a bride get abandon at the alter by her coming out of the closet gay groom. Her best friends makes a Christmas vacation for a political daughter eventful. With a controlling mother makes her life miserable and she need to cut the strings and make herself happy. Kelsey finds out that her first crush, first love, first everything didn't abandon her the mother stopped him from she her. Well this Christmas of Yes vacation of Dares is very interesting and intriguing. Can she find her happily ever after? Well you will have to read and follow the Dares in for her.
It is tear jerking, amazing and fascinating and well written page turner. I reccomend this book if you love contemporary romance.
It is tear jerking, amazing and fascinating and well written page turner. I reccomend this book if you love contemporary romance.
November 14, 2019
This was a charming Christmas romance. I loved the characters. It was funny, emotional and I just loved it. A story of mothers and daughters, best friends and the one who got away. Fabulous read!
I was given a copy from the publisher for my honest review.
Dawnny-BookGypsy
Novels N Latte
Hudson Valley NY
I was given a copy from the publisher for my honest review.
Dawnny-BookGypsy
Novels N Latte
Hudson Valley NY
November 21, 2019
The Christmas Dare by Lori Wilde was so good I don't know where to begin. Kelsey has been under her mother's thumb all her life. In her mother's eyes she can do nothing right and any mistakes of course are Kelsey's fault. When Kelsey was a teenager she met Noah at camp and they were immediately taken with each other. One night, while at camp, Kelsey was on the dock with Noah and her mother showed up. She dragged Kelsey away, put her in her car and drove off. For ten long years Kelsey and Noah neither saw nor heard from each other. Not for lack of trying on Noah's part.
Now, ten years later, Kelsey is stood up at the altar by Clive. He was her mother's choice and Kelsey thought she loved him. Her best friend and maid of honor, Tasha, takes the reins and insists that Kelsey is going to go away with her for the two weeks that were to have been her honeymoon. These two weeks are life changing for all involved. Now you have to read the book to find out what happens. This was a great love story and I would give it ten stars if I were able...
Now, ten years later, Kelsey is stood up at the altar by Clive. He was her mother's choice and Kelsey thought she loved him. Her best friend and maid of honor, Tasha, takes the reins and insists that Kelsey is going to go away with her for the two weeks that were to have been her honeymoon. These two weeks are life changing for all involved. Now you have to read the book to find out what happens. This was a great love story and I would give it ten stars if I were able...
Read
October 1, 2019Categories
Contemporary Romance, Holiday, Holiday Romance
Contemporary Romance, Holiday, Holiday Romance
December 26, 2019
Was a fast paced story with a lot of heat. In a bad situation at the altar, with her mother, it looks like Kelsey is running away from trouble. But the story has a beautiful ending.
January 12, 2020
Good book that started with an emotional low and proceeded through a roller-coaster of feelings. A stunned Kelsey is left at the altar when her fiancé runs off with the best man. To top off the embarrassment, her mother, the newly elected mayor, harangues Kelsey, blaming it all on her. All Filomena can talk about is how it affects her, with no sympathy for Kelsey. The only one who is there for Kelsey is her best friend, Tasha, who talks Kelsey into taking off, daring her to say yes to cutting loose a little, challenging her to accept five dares from Tasha. To that end, Tasha takes Kelsey to Twilight, home of Kelsey's teenage crush.
Kelsey and Noah have a history. They met at camp when they were children, and their friendship grew each summer when they reunited. When they were seventeen and junior counselors at the camp, their friendship grew into something more. But they were torn apart by Kelsey's mother, who didn't approve of Noah or anything that took Kelsey's attention away from her. And for the next ten years, Filomena used every manipulative trick in the book to keep Kelsey at her side. As a result, Kelsey was browbeaten into being at mom's beck and call.
I loved Kelsey and Noah's reunion. Kelsey's friend Tasha got her to agree to do five Christmas dares while they were on their trip. Tasha is determined to break Kelsey free of her mother's shackles and push Kelsey out of the comfort zone of pleasing Filomena at all times. Kelsey's first sight of Noah is of him in a Christmas apron, standing under a mistletoe arch, brings back memories of their old attraction. Noah is hit just as hard. A push from Tasha (the first dare) has Kelsey laying a lip-lock on Noah that blows them both away.
I loved watching the rekindling of the relationship between Noah and Kelsey. With Tasha's help, Kelsey is slowly breaking free of her mother's chains, opening her up to the possibilities with Noah. I loved Noah's determination to help her along by showing her how special she is. There are some delightful scenes between the two of them, as well as some very steamy ones. With both having been burned in relationships, each insists that they are not looking for love, but the more time they spend together, the more each one finds their mind leading in that direction. I loved watching Kelsey's transformation as time, distance, and positive reinforcement worked its magic on her. But Filomena wasn't done with her yet, and I was worried for Kelsey when her mom pulled her latest stunt. It didn't help that Noah had a boneheaded reaction, hurting her badly as a result. The ending was terrific, with Kelsey finally getting some real help from her father that gave her the tools she needed to confront her mother. That was such a satisfying scene. Then Noah had his big moment that was the icing on the cake. The epilogue was fantastic.
Kelsey's mother was a real piece of work. She was definitely a character I loved to hate because the way she treated Kelsey was terrible. I found Kelsey's conversation with her father regarding Filomena to be very interesting, with some intriguing parallels to current times. The character I loved almost as much as Noah and Kelsey delightful Tasha. She was so comfortable with who she was that she was a great role model for Kelsey. She was also the best friend Kelsey could have. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing her push and pull Kelsey out of her Comfort Kitty persona and show her what she was capable of. It was also fun to see her growing relationship with Sean.
Kelsey and Noah have a history. They met at camp when they were children, and their friendship grew each summer when they reunited. When they were seventeen and junior counselors at the camp, their friendship grew into something more. But they were torn apart by Kelsey's mother, who didn't approve of Noah or anything that took Kelsey's attention away from her. And for the next ten years, Filomena used every manipulative trick in the book to keep Kelsey at her side. As a result, Kelsey was browbeaten into being at mom's beck and call.
I loved Kelsey and Noah's reunion. Kelsey's friend Tasha got her to agree to do five Christmas dares while they were on their trip. Tasha is determined to break Kelsey free of her mother's shackles and push Kelsey out of the comfort zone of pleasing Filomena at all times. Kelsey's first sight of Noah is of him in a Christmas apron, standing under a mistletoe arch, brings back memories of their old attraction. Noah is hit just as hard. A push from Tasha (the first dare) has Kelsey laying a lip-lock on Noah that blows them both away.
I loved watching the rekindling of the relationship between Noah and Kelsey. With Tasha's help, Kelsey is slowly breaking free of her mother's chains, opening her up to the possibilities with Noah. I loved Noah's determination to help her along by showing her how special she is. There are some delightful scenes between the two of them, as well as some very steamy ones. With both having been burned in relationships, each insists that they are not looking for love, but the more time they spend together, the more each one finds their mind leading in that direction. I loved watching Kelsey's transformation as time, distance, and positive reinforcement worked its magic on her. But Filomena wasn't done with her yet, and I was worried for Kelsey when her mom pulled her latest stunt. It didn't help that Noah had a boneheaded reaction, hurting her badly as a result. The ending was terrific, with Kelsey finally getting some real help from her father that gave her the tools she needed to confront her mother. That was such a satisfying scene. Then Noah had his big moment that was the icing on the cake. The epilogue was fantastic.
Kelsey's mother was a real piece of work. She was definitely a character I loved to hate because the way she treated Kelsey was terrible. I found Kelsey's conversation with her father regarding Filomena to be very interesting, with some intriguing parallels to current times. The character I loved almost as much as Noah and Kelsey delightful Tasha. She was so comfortable with who she was that she was a great role model for Kelsey. She was also the best friend Kelsey could have. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing her push and pull Kelsey out of her Comfort Kitty persona and show her what she was capable of. It was also fun to see her growing relationship with Sean.
October 26, 2019
From the day she was born Kelsey's life was already planned out for her, her overbearing mother knew what kind of life she wanted her daughter to have, and has made sure it has went off without a hitch. Unfortunately that meant Kelsey has never really had the chance to make her own choices, not even picking her own groom... which is why she ended up with the wrong man that ditched her the day they were suppose to walk down the aisle.
Now with her life in shambles, her groom off living his best life with his partner, and honeymoon tickets that will never get used she decides to take the dare her friend issues and do a little living her own way! Which leads to a "honeymoon" in Twilight Texas, and a reunion with an old flame that she has never been able to get over... Noah MacGregor use to be her everything, question is can he be again?
The Christmas Dare had everything a good romance novel should have; captivating and emotional story line, characters with undeniable chemistry, and lots of toe-curling steamy moments! I had initially planned on reading a chapter before bedtime, but I ended up getting sucked into Kelsey and Noah's world and stayed there until the wee hours of the morning. I loved "the dance" between to these two characters, they had this palpable spark that you could feel throughout, but they both had their reservations about getting involved, so there was some push and pull there too. This was a wonderful literary journey, watching Kelsey take her life into her own hands and go after what she wanted was not only inspiring, but quite entertaining... especially when Noah came into the mix. I really enjoyed this one, it was small town romance at it's best!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.
Now with her life in shambles, her groom off living his best life with his partner, and honeymoon tickets that will never get used she decides to take the dare her friend issues and do a little living her own way! Which leads to a "honeymoon" in Twilight Texas, and a reunion with an old flame that she has never been able to get over... Noah MacGregor use to be her everything, question is can he be again?
The Christmas Dare had everything a good romance novel should have; captivating and emotional story line, characters with undeniable chemistry, and lots of toe-curling steamy moments! I had initially planned on reading a chapter before bedtime, but I ended up getting sucked into Kelsey and Noah's world and stayed there until the wee hours of the morning. I loved "the dance" between to these two characters, they had this palpable spark that you could feel throughout, but they both had their reservations about getting involved, so there was some push and pull there too. This was a wonderful literary journey, watching Kelsey take her life into her own hands and go after what she wanted was not only inspiring, but quite entertaining... especially when Noah came into the mix. I really enjoyed this one, it was small town romance at it's best!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.
October 20, 2019
I DARE you to read Lori Wilde's The Christmas Dare and not be entertained! This book will keep you enthralled with Kelsey James' and Noah MacGregor's Christmas dare adventure!
Kelsey's groom has left her at the alter! What happens next is completely out of her comfort zone. Kelsey's best friend, Tasha, is daring Kelsey to cut lose, take a vacation dare, a romance dare and to see what adventures lie ahead for them both.
This lands these two friends right back into Kelsey's old stomping ground in Twilight, Texas! Kelsey runs into many people from her past; especially, Noah MacGregor. They were young lovers many years ago. Do they dare to try to rekindle feelings for each other? Will they be able to conquer old and new forces in order to find true love? Take a dare on the Wilde side; a Twilight, Texas Christmas dare!
Kelsey's groom has left her at the alter! What happens next is completely out of her comfort zone. Kelsey's best friend, Tasha, is daring Kelsey to cut lose, take a vacation dare, a romance dare and to see what adventures lie ahead for them both.
This lands these two friends right back into Kelsey's old stomping ground in Twilight, Texas! Kelsey runs into many people from her past; especially, Noah MacGregor. They were young lovers many years ago. Do they dare to try to rekindle feelings for each other? Will they be able to conquer old and new forces in order to find true love? Take a dare on the Wilde side; a Twilight, Texas Christmas dare!
November 25, 2019
What a fun read. I had the honor of meeting Lori Wilde recently and this is one of two books I bought that evening. Thank you Lori Wilde. I took this on vacation and loved it. The story starts with Kelsey James getting stood up at the alter. Her fiancé ran off with his best man! We realize quickly that Kelsey is not as near upset as her mother. Her best friend Tasha convinces her to cash in the honeymoon plans and let her plan them a getaway. What she plans is a getaway to Twilight. There in Twilight we meet Noah. He and Kelsey meet at age 11 at grief camp. He lost his mother, she her twin. For 6 years they meet at camp. By their 17th year they had fallen in love. Kelsey’s mom broke that apart. So it’s been 10 years. Will there be a second chance for Noah and Kelsey? Can Kelsey break away from the stranglehold her mom Filomena? One thing for sure Filomena is a piece of work!
One problem I usually have with love stories is that everything major happens like in two weeks. I was happy that this but ended a year later. Much more believable.
One problem I usually have with love stories is that everything major happens like in two weeks. I was happy that this but ended a year later. Much more believable.
November 21, 2019
Twilight says it all
What a great book that brings 2 great people together from the past with two absolutely two different personalities and makes it work. Lori you never haven't amazed me with your writing skill and the stories you bring to life before my eyes as read ...Thank you agin for taking the time to write such a great story line that keeps me looking forward to the next page.
Tammy Canter
What a great book that brings 2 great people together from the past with two absolutely two different personalities and makes it work. Lori you never haven't amazed me with your writing skill and the stories you bring to life before my eyes as read ...Thank you agin for taking the time to write such a great story line that keeps me looking forward to the next page.
Tammy Canter
November 30, 2019
This is a book I would highly recommend! When Kelsey is left at the altar at Christmas time, her best friend convinced her to take a vacation. Kelsey’s best friend knows that Kelsey always was sweet on Noah. His NBA career ended when he was injured. Kelsey & her friend end up at a houseboat/motel that Noah owns. Kelsey’s friend then tells Kelsey that there will be 5 Christmas dares she will need to complete on this trip. It’s fun reading what the dares are & how Kelsey has to complete them. The big question is, will Kelsey & Noah end up together or will the ending be totally different!
January 11, 2021
Kelsey James just got dumped by her fiance who came out of the closet just before the wedding.
Her best friend sets her up and takes her to Twilight where her old sweetheart now lives.
They also make an agreement that Kelsey will take a few chances with her life and her friend gives her five "dares" to complete.
Kelsey has been under the thumb of her abusive mother for years and never dared to say no to her.
But with the help of her best friend and her old sweetheart she starts to look at her life in a new way.
Nice story about someone coming out of a bad situation and discovering herself and what she wants out of life!
Her best friend sets her up and takes her to Twilight where her old sweetheart now lives.
They also make an agreement that Kelsey will take a few chances with her life and her friend gives her five "dares" to complete.
Kelsey has been under the thumb of her abusive mother for years and never dared to say no to her.
But with the help of her best friend and her old sweetheart she starts to look at her life in a new way.
Nice story about someone coming out of a bad situation and discovering herself and what she wants out of life!
November 4, 2019
The Christmas Dare by Lori Wilde has once again accomplished another wonderful story about memorable characters in a small town, filled with great dialogue and humor. The story is about rekindling the passion of first love between Kelsey James and Noah MacGregor. After being jilted at the altar, Kelsey’s best friend talks her into going on her “honeymoon,” daring her to a “Christmas of Yes” to fun, to romance, and to adventure! And adventure lands her right smack into the arms of sexy Noah MacGregor, much to the dismay of her controlling mother. Kelsey learns the truth behind her breakup with Noah and faces an uphill battle to stand up to her mother. It is tear jerking, amazing and fascinating story that will keep you turning the next the pages to see where Kelsey’s journey takes her. A delight story that you want your own “Christmas of Yes.” I received a complimentary copy by the author in exchange for an honest review.
October 30, 2019
Good read
There are so many emotions going on in this one....loads of angst, anger, uncertainty, and love. And don't forget the hot sex. She has a mother who is a control freak in the extreme and verbally abusive. Years ago her mother, literally, ripped her from the arms of her true love. Now, present day, the man her mother chose for her to marry, leaves her at the altar and her best friend whisks her off for a 2week trip. Back in time to the place where she was happiest.....Twilight, Texas. Highly recommend.
There are so many emotions going on in this one....loads of angst, anger, uncertainty, and love. And don't forget the hot sex. She has a mother who is a control freak in the extreme and verbally abusive. Years ago her mother, literally, ripped her from the arms of her true love. Now, present day, the man her mother chose for her to marry, leaves her at the altar and her best friend whisks her off for a 2week trip. Back in time to the place where she was happiest.....Twilight, Texas. Highly recommend.
October 31, 2019
Loved it!
Another winner for Lori. Kelsey has spent her entire life trying to please her mother and win her love. After being dumped at the altar, her best friend, Tasha, steals her away on a secret dare, where she runs into Noah, her teenage crush from a decade earlier. It doesn’t take long for old feelings to reappear. Full of love, hope, second chances, a little sadness over what can never be, a touch of suspense, and a lot of fun.
Another winner for Lori. Kelsey has spent her entire life trying to please her mother and win her love. After being dumped at the altar, her best friend, Tasha, steals her away on a secret dare, where she runs into Noah, her teenage crush from a decade earlier. It doesn’t take long for old feelings to reappear. Full of love, hope, second chances, a little sadness over what can never be, a touch of suspense, and a lot of fun.
November 14, 2019
Back in time
Kelsey James has been left standing at the altar on her wedding day and her mother blames her. After everyone leaves the church Kelsey's friend Tasha talks her into going away for two weeks. The thing is Tasha won't tell her where they are going only that they are having a Christmas of Yes and Tasha will give Kelsey five dates and she has complete everyone.
Noah MacGregor is trying to get his businesses in full year for Christmas when two women show up Twilight, Texas to stay at his boatel. He can't believe his eyes.
This book is a light hearted story of Christmas fun and rekindling an old dream. Love it. Thank you Lori Wilde for a fantastic new Christmas tale.
Kelsey James has been left standing at the altar on her wedding day and her mother blames her. After everyone leaves the church Kelsey's friend Tasha talks her into going away for two weeks. The thing is Tasha won't tell her where they are going only that they are having a Christmas of Yes and Tasha will give Kelsey five dates and she has complete everyone.
Noah MacGregor is trying to get his businesses in full year for Christmas when two women show up Twilight, Texas to stay at his boatel. He can't believe his eyes.
This book is a light hearted story of Christmas fun and rekindling an old dream. Love it. Thank you Lori Wilde for a fantastic new Christmas tale.
November 22, 2019
So much romance. So little plot.
December 13, 2019
“What you resist persists. Embrace the feelings...don’t run from them.”
The Christmas Dare is a romance novel with a subplot of child abuse. I wanted a light Christmas read and this was a bit heavy.
The Christmas Dare is a romance novel with a subplot of child abuse. I wanted a light Christmas read and this was a bit heavy.
October 13, 2019
My mom and I love Lori Wilde books.We’ve read her books for over 10 years.She used to have a spring and fall release.She’s getting the rights back to her older books and updating them and rereleasing them.She’s on fire!!Please give her books a try.
November 2, 2019
Sure did love this Christmas Story even though I'm a scrooge I loved it☆☆☆☆☆☆♡♡♡♡♡☆☆☆☆☆♡
November 27, 2019
A wonderful story....couldn't put the book down. Highly recommend it.
November 30, 2019
Some of the things Raylene says crack me up
December 23, 2021
This might have been a great story if there hadn't been so much telling instead of showing. After awhile I grew weary of lengthy descriptions and inner monologues. This girl just needed to make up her mind!
The narration by Lisa Zimmerman was very good.
The narration by Lisa Zimmerman was very good.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews