Dare You: Dare to Try, Book 1

This is the perfect blend of two worlds: Ella's Prime Time series set in Chicago and Brooke's South Haven universe. You wouldn't expect sexy, rugged, ladies man, firefighter Kieran Bailey and the fabulous, diva by night, CEO by day Sebastian 'Bash' Vogel to make any sense. Yet they fit together like two pieces of puzzle.Dare You is the first instalment in the Dare To Try trilogy. It is the definition of opposites attract. It's attraction overload.The way Bash and Kieran meet is absolutely hilarious and the friendship that forms between them is beautiful. Of course sparks begin to fly and Kieran starts to wonder if he's not so straight after all. If there ever was a man who could make Kieran play for the other team, it is definitely Bash. I absolutely adored his character. His personality is addictive and the no nonsense attitude and elegance drew me in like a moth to a flame. I have to admit Bash is up there with Logan Mitchell in the most liked characters by these two authors😍This book ends on a cliffhanger that hurt my heart and I am shaking with excitement to see where the story goes and how hard these two will have to fight for their HEA.

This book is everything you would expect from Ella Frank and Brooke Blaine and everything we didn’t see coming but oh what a brIlliant surprise.This is the first book in the trilogy and I loved the links to the Temptation, Confessions, Prime Time and South Haven series, it’s always lovely to catch up with old favourites and I think if you have read the other series you are more invested in the characters🍒Bash is still his fabulous self, gorgeous and snarky with a quick wit. Kieran is the middle Bailey brother and the one we know the least about. He is a Lieutenant in the Chicago Fire Department and a love em and leave em womaniser but everything in his life changes the night his crew are called to a hotel fire and he throws a glamorous lady over his shoulder and rescues her only she is actually Bash in an evening dress and 5” heels! Kieran can’t understand why Bash has made such an impression on him, got under his skin, and why does he feel so comfortable around him and flattered by his flirting!The book ends on an misunderstanding and I cannot wait to find out what happens between Bash and Kieran next.

Everything you'd expect from this writing duo, Dare You is a fantastic addition to the Chicagoverse and I cannot wait to see what happens next for Bash and Kieran. 4.5*

As this is a trilogy, I knew we'd get mini cliffhangers at the end of each book, but even so, this one frustrated me.Not because it's a cliffhanger, but because of the type of "dramady" plot trope used to create it.Begin WhingeI hate with the power of a thousand burning suns the whole ‘misunderstanding of a situation’ angle and that it’s used here annoyed me because it was out of character for how both men had been behaving until that point.That and the fact that character X appeared literally out of nowhere just for said plotline.End WhingeUp until that moment, everything about this book was going beautifully for me and I know it's a personal bugbear not an actual fault 😁I've been dying for Bash's story for almost two years, I loved the idea of a crossover with Ella's Chicagoverse, Kieran Bailey especially, and everything was working out in a way which felt honest.The meet cute was fab, Kieran's fascination with Bash was totally believable, his growing attraction coming out of spending time together was absolutely understandable.They just click from the off, they're comfortable in each other's company and they're funny, flirting and exploring the delights of Chicago as Kieran plays tour guide.The set up for the first spark between them had me cheering and when the UST finally boils over, it's a visceral connection which scorches the pages.I know Brooke and Ella will steer the story to a joyous happy ending in the final book, but sometimes I wish I didn't have to suffer through the angsting first!At least they don't leave us waiting long, book two us out next month and the final part in September 😁I'm also seriously keen to see what Keiran's going to do to win Bash back round to believing he wasn't just "straight guy experimenting" because he's going to need to be very persuasive.Our Bash needs someone willing to fight big for him and lay their vulnerability on the cards, so come on Keiran, go fix this!

~~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads ~~This is the first book in a trilogy - so do expect a bit of an ambiguous ending of this first installment. This also links in to earlier books, such as the Prime Time series, and later Confessions books - where the other Bailey brothers find their HEA.Here, firefighter Kieran, who has a strong reputation as a playboy with women pretty much falling at his feet, finds himself attracted to businessman Bash. And he is not just any businessman, but an incredibly successful one that he saved from a fire when Sebastian was dressed in an evening gown and wearing red soled high heels. Both his brothers have boyfriends, one unexpectedly so, so he is well aware of the possibilities, but still surprised at the strength of his interest in this man.I love the wit and desire that passes between them, and the thoughts and issues which both need to deal with as they find themselves in a new place emotionally. The Bailey brothers are a help, and yet also challenging.I love the writing of these talented authors, and always enjoy catching up with old friends as well as discovering new relationships. This story ends on a knife edge, but the next two are due for release quite quickly, so I am holding my breath for a great next installment.~~Wicked Reads Review Team~~