The Donnellys of Dogwood Cove: Book 1
Publication Date: March 1, 2023
I assumed my secret crush on my next door neighbor would stay just that – a secret.
Until my best friend dared me to ask him out.
I never turn down a dare…
It started as a way for me to learn to trust men again, after having that trust broken by my ex. But it quickly turned into something more.
I knew Hunter was an amazing man, full of energy and light. What I wasn’t prepared for were the deep emotions he hides from the world. And it’s that vulnerable, soft side of him that I’m falling for, just as much as the golden retriever energy everyone else sees.
Being with Hunter is a dream come true. Until my meddling brothers start to pull at the seams of what we’re building.
Now I’m terrified the man I’m falling for will ignore what’s in his heart, and push me away.
Our relationship began because of a dare, but now I know it could be the start of forever. I just have to get Hunter to believe that too.
I really enjoyed Julia Jarrett’s Dogwood Cove series. So, when I saw that she was doing a spinoff series set in the same town, I knew I had to give it a try. Dare to Kiss You is the first book in the Donnellys of Dogwood Cove series.
Dare to Kiss You features Kat of the Donnelly family and Hunter, her next-door neighbor. The sparks flew off the page with these two characters from page one. Both are attracted to the other, but as Kat is in a relationship, neither act on those feelings.
Once Kat is single, her best friend dares her to ask Hunter out on a date since she knows Kat has a crush on him, and Kat can’t resist a dare. Once they go on that first date, their relationship escalates pretty quickly, but since this is a romance, you know it’s not going to be smooth sailing.
I liked both characters. The book is a friends-to-lovers trope, so not much relationship development is needed. Don’t get me wrong, it’s there, but this story is more about their personal development. In the introduction to the book, the author mentions that one of the characters is dealing with severe anxiety and warns that it might trigger some people. Hunter’s anxiety is a huge part of the story, and I think it was handled very well. Hunter’s growth and development was a highlight for me.
On the other hand, Kat wasn’t treated as well. I felt that the author spent more time on Hunter, and Kat was just there to be his support and love interest. The most that Kat had to overcome was having several overbearing brothers and not knowing why Hunter was hiding something from her. But they were good together, and I found myself hooked as I wanted to see them find their happily ever after.
I enjoyed Dare to Kiss You. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a great start to a new series. It was nice to see some familiar characters from the original series, and I can’t wait to revisit Dogwood Cove with future books featuring Kat’s brothers.
Julia Jarrett is a busy mother of two boys, a happy wife to her real-life book boyfriend, and the owner of two rescue dogs. She has a passion for writing sexy, sweet, contemporary romance novels that are full of relatable heroines, and the swoon worthy men who fall in love with them.
If you’re looking for Julia, she’s probably sitting in a comfy chair somewhere, drinking tea and dreaming of a sunny vacation. Find her on Instagram and Facebook by clicking the links below.
