Dare to Rock

Review copy provided by blog tour company I'm a huge fan of Carly Phillips and drop everything to read each of her books as they are released. Dare to Rock was no different and is now my favorite book ever from Carly Phillips. I love a reunion story and Avery and Grey's reunion story is absolutely perfect. Yes there is a bit of a bump in the road when they first see one another again. However, I loved the Grey didn't give up and was all about proving to Avery that he was back in Miami to stay. Grey and Avery seriously can't keep their hands off one another for long and I loved how strong their chemistry was even after being apart for so many years. Grey and Avery have both smoking hot sex and tender love making, both of which worked at the time. I also loved how much time we got to spend with Avery and her siblings. Whether her brothers going all alpha-protective when the stalker showed up, or Avery getting to spend time with her sisters and sister-in-laws, I loved watching Avery get to spend time with her family. I loved how close Avery is to both Olivia and Sienna, and the different bond she shared with them both. I also loved Avery's best friend Ella and how Avery shared secrets with her she didn't even share with her sisters. Sometimes you need an outside person to confide in over a family member. The more time Avery and Grey spent together, the more I loved them at a couple. I also loved they had couple friends with Grey's best friend Lola and her boyfriend Rep. Lola is such a fun and colorful character and I loved how protective she was of Grey when she first meets Avery. I really felt like Avery and Lola became friends so quickly because of how protective Lola was of Grey. The one member of Avery's family who hasn't been a part of her life since she donated bone marrow to save Sienna is her father Robert Dare. I really hate this man with a passion for what he did to not only his legitimate children but his illegitimate children as well. While Ian got to give his father a little bit of what-for in his book, I've always believed Avery and Sienna are the ones with the most right to lay into their father. Let me just say one of my favorite parts of the whole book is when Avery talks to her father. I honestly loved every single thing about Dare to Rock. Avery and Grey had the prefect reunion story proving second chances can work out. While there was drama with the stalker and life in general, I felt like it only made Grey and Avery's connection stronger faster. While Dare to Rock can totally be read as a stand alone story if you haven't read the other Dare to Love books, I really feel like you understand the family dynamics better if you read the books in order. I am now anxiously awaiting the release of the next book in the Dare to Love series, Dare to Seduce, which is Lucy and Max's story.

Avery Dare, the youngest of the first Dare family finally gets her own story, and it was worth the wait! Avery's first love was Grey Kingston, the boy she met in high school who crushed her heart when he left to pursue his dream of being a rock star. Avery never got over Grey. Between Grey leaving and her father's abandonment when Avery was nine to be with his other family, she clearly has strong abandonment issues. What Avery doesn't realize is that Grey has never forgotten her and he is growing tired of the rock star life and is ready to make a change and he's hoping that change includes Avery...permanently! After Avery and Grey reconnect, she realizes she still has strong feelings for him but she is afraid to give her heart again because he will just crush it when he leaves. Grey has his job cut out for him trying to convince Avery he is here for good. The sex between these two is explosive! Just as things are going well, someone starts stalking Avery, causing her to have a panic attack. I loved how her brothers stepped in being all alpha regarding her safety! I loved it even more how Grey stood up to them! Swoon! :) The path Grey had to take to prove his commitment to Avery, and the demons from Avery's past that she had to overcome made a great story. I loved the interaction between Avery and her half sister Sienna. I can't imagine the bond these two would have after what they went through. I really enjoyed the whole story around the fundraiser. What a great idea! And let's not forget Grey's best friend Lola! What a hoot! Overall, this was a really great story that shows second chances can work out! Now I just can't wait to see what's up between Avery's roommate Ella and her brother Tyler! ;)

*I was provided an ARC for a fair and honest review* I have been waiting for this book! I had a feeling that Grey and Avery were going to be one of my favorite couples in this series and I was right. Dare to Rock was a fantastic story about lost loves reuniting. Grey Kingston left Miami years ago to chase his dream of making something of himself after a rough childhood made him feel less than. While he became a member of one of the world’s biggest bands when he moved to LA, he left behind the one thing that he realized might have been more important than his need to succeed…his first love, Avery Dare. Avery was more than hurt when Grey took off to become a star. She had already been through the ringer with the family drama surrounding her and when she went to one of Grey’s concerts in hopes of reconnecting, she was thrown when she witnessed how his life really worked and she wasn’t about to put herself in a situation that was going to bring up all of the anxieties she has worked hard to get under control. Grey has made the decision to move back to Miami to settle down. Will he be able to convince Avery that he’s in this for the long haul or will his past and her insecurities derail them before they can reconnect? I loved the way Carly Phillips wrote Avery. While she has always been portrayed as a bit fragile by her family, this book proved that incorrect. She was feisty and faced things head on and dealt with the things she needed to to be able to move on with her life. Kudos to Carly for writing such a strong female character. This was definitely my favorite of the series so far and I’m looking forward to what Carly brings us next!