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A review by cala_p
If You Dare by Shantel Tessier
5.0
I received an ARC from the author.
After the hit of the first two, I knew I’d be in for a wild ride! Deke is life!
The author took me by surprise with this book from the very beginning. After the first two, this one is set up to be about a certain character paired with Deke. In fact, the book starts with him working to get her back. So I was totally surprised when a new player came into the game...and then quickly became player number 1. In fact, ex-player number 1 became villain number 1, and has been for so much of this plot, going back to book 1. This is written in an odd way to avoid as much spoilers as possible.
But I loved it! Because the beginning sets Demi up to be one type of character, but that quickly changes and I just felt for her. The poor girl. More so, I loved how this book played out and appreciate the author for it. In book 1 when it’s designed that there are couples all around, and happily-ever-afters must be in the air. But it doesn’t follow that pretty cut-and-paste path. She builds these characters right from the beginning to have a bigger play. So when we’re assuming this book will be a HEA with them, she surprises readers, throws a twist in the pre-HEAs, and gives it a 180. I love when authors still give me the ending I need, but made it happen through an unexpected and even unconventional way.
I guess this could be considered a love triangle at its loosest, but Deke’s love triangle is unlike any I have read. It’s dark, twisty, and plain ol’ fun.
This book reveals so many answers and background stories that help enforce what occurred through the first book. Again, a sign of good writing. For this large, complex story, it may be told in the POVs of different players, but it’s all focused around the same story that started in book 1. So by the time this one rolled around, the events of book 1 were not simply that; events of the past. They shaped this story, made this story happen, and provided so much background, it’s insane. In fact, I think this one helped make the first book even better by strengthening it.
Overall, I loved this book! I’m taking the “The End For Now” to heart and will just be waiting impatiently until more occurs. I have a suspicion which two characters the next one will be about. It was a fantastic read!
After the hit of the first two, I knew I’d be in for a wild ride! Deke is life!
The author took me by surprise with this book from the very beginning. After the first two, this one is set up to be about a certain character paired with Deke. In fact, the book starts with him working to get her back. So I was totally surprised when a new player came into the game...and then quickly became player number 1. In fact, ex-player number 1 became villain number 1, and has been for so much of this plot, going back to book 1. This is written in an odd way to avoid as much spoilers as possible.
But I loved it! Because the beginning sets Demi up to be one type of character, but that quickly changes and I just felt for her. The poor girl. More so, I loved how this book played out and appreciate the author for it. In book 1 when it’s designed that there are couples all around, and happily-ever-afters must be in the air. But it doesn’t follow that pretty cut-and-paste path. She builds these characters right from the beginning to have a bigger play. So when we’re assuming this book will be a HEA with them, she surprises readers, throws a twist in the pre-HEAs, and gives it a 180. I love when authors still give me the ending I need, but made it happen through an unexpected and even unconventional way.
I guess this could be considered a love triangle at its loosest, but Deke’s love triangle is unlike any I have read. It’s dark, twisty, and plain ol’ fun.
This book reveals so many answers and background stories that help enforce what occurred through the first book. Again, a sign of good writing. For this large, complex story, it may be told in the POVs of different players, but it’s all focused around the same story that started in book 1. So by the time this one rolled around, the events of book 1 were not simply that; events of the past. They shaped this story, made this story happen, and provided so much background, it’s insane. In fact, I think this one helped make the first book even better by strengthening it.
Overall, I loved this book! I’m taking the “The End For Now” to heart and will just be waiting impatiently until more occurs. I have a suspicion which two characters the next one will be about. It was a fantastic read!