Guaranteed to heat up a chilly spring day!
Once Upon a Dare Synopsis:
The first night was a dare. The second night was trouble…
Advertising guru Olivia Masterson is all work and no play. But on the eve of earning her dream promotion, her best friend dares her to drop her ice queen façade for one night and seduce a sexy stranger. Olivia’s worked her ass off to get where she is-why the hell not?
Cole Bennett never thought he’d run into his feisty one-night stand at the office, furious that he stole her promotion. No matter how hard she tries to ice him out, they can’t seem to keep their hands to themselves…or their clothes on.
Olivia’s talented-maybe even more than Cole-so when his dropped hints to the boss net her a promotion of her own, he’s ready to celebrate…until she accuses him of fueling office rumors that she slept her way to the top. She wants to earn her own way? Fine. So what the hell does a guy have to do to permanently melt an ice queen?
Review:
Wowza–the chemistry between Olivia and Cole is off the charts in this one! Once Upon a Dare was a quick and steamy read, and the start to a brand new series I’ll definitely be reading more from.
I really liked both Liv and Cole–they’re both career-minded and driven, drawn to each other but not looking for any kind of a real relationship. Cole’s been burned in love and doesn’t want to repeat the performance, and Olivia’s just trying to overcome the gender bias she faces at work and make partner as she knows she deserves. Throw in a alcohol-fueled dare, an unforgettable one night stand, and then have Cole waltz into the promotion Liv thought was hers, and you’ve got the basis for one heck of a story. It’s an office romance…plus.
There were times I was reminded that this is Ms. Bond’s first book–occasionally the pacing seems a bit off, and the relationship’s black moment felt like an over-the-top overreaction on Olivia’s part. (Yes, I get why she was upset over what he did. But her response was above and beyond what was needed–to accuse the guy of never listening to her? It was too much.) It wasn’t enough to stop me from turning the pages like a fiend, though.
Overall, this was a quick and fun read. Jennifer Bonds’ Risky Business has officially been added to my “series to watch for” list!
Rating: 4 stars / B+
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.