More Than Dare You

3.75 stars--MORE THAN DARE YOU is the sixth full-length instalment in Shayla Black’s contemporary, adult MORE THAN WORDS erotic, romance series. This is boat operator and single father Trace Weston, and YouTube makeup influencer Masey Garrett’s story line. MORE THAN DARE YOU can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary. Trace is Noah Weston’s brother, and Masey is Harlow Reed Weston’s best friend (More Than Love You #3).

Told from first person perspective (Trace Weston) MORE THAN DARE YOU follows the building romance and relationship between boat operator and single father Trace Weston, and YouTube makeup influencer Masey Garrett. Breaking up with her boyfriend of ten years, LA native Masey Garrett finds herself in Maui at the invite of her best friend Harlow Weston but Masey is all about discovering what she is capable of, and in this Harlow sets Masey up with her husband’s brother Trace Weston. Trace Weston, a one-time manwhore might be able to teach Masey a thing or two about $ex both in and out of the bedroom, and in this Masey becomes a challenge for Weston but Weston never expected to lose his heart to our story line heroine. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Masey and Trace, and the potential fall-out as Masey’s time in Hawaii comes to a close.

Five months earlier Trace Weston discovered he was a father when the baby was dropped off at his brother’s front door because the mother thought she had a one-night stand with our hero’s brother. Fast forward to present day wherein Trace’s life revolves around the love he has for his son but when his sister in-law asked for a favor, our hero never expected the favor to wind up in bed with our story line heroine. For ten years, Masey Garrett believed she was a failure in bed having never lived up to her boyfriend’s expectations but catching said boyfriend with an internet porn star left Masey heart broken and feeling like a failure in love. When Harlow offered to set Masey up with Trace Weston, Masey found herself falling for a man who could potentially break her heart.

The relationship between Masey and Trace is one of immediate attraction but a relationship built upon Masey’s need to ‘learn’ about $ex. Masey never expected to fall for her best friend’s brother in law believing she would return to LA to seduce her new neighbor who had captured her eye. As Trace begins his sexual seduction of our story line heroine, Masey’s insecurities reappear to take over her thoughts. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text. The palpable sexual attraction is apparent from their introduction.

The small cast of secondary and supporting characters include Noah and Harlow; Trace and Noah’s mother; Amanda, Nia, bodyguard Tanner Kirk, and Masey’s ex-boyfriend Thom. Tanner and Amanda’s story line is next in More Than Protect You

MORE THAN DARE YOU is a story of family, friendships, heart break and betrayal. The character driven premise is engaging and inviting; the characters are lively and sassy; the romance is sensitive, seductive and spirited. My only issue is the use of the word honey-used eighty (80) times by Trace to address our story line heroine-it’s as though he forgot her name, and used ‘honey’ as his only form of address. ‘Honey’ becomes redundant and repetitive, and a big turn-off after the first twenty or so times.

There were some very sensual scenes but I felt the first half of the story was dragged out too long and it was a little repetitive. Could use a little more editing as well.