Dare to Love

A wonderful romance that is well written from an author that is sure to become many reader’s favori

A debut novel from Alleigh Burrows, I enjoyed the story and the writing, I’m just not so sure that I loved the hero. Going in I knew that this story was a wallflower / rake story, I just was not aware how well that Burrows would play with the formula that has served others so well for so long.

Nivea is a wallflower, staying in the background for her is part social shunning and part personal choice. A bit on the heavy side for the taste of her time, not gorgeous and stunning, quiet and endearingly sweet, she isn’t able to withstand the slings and arrows that the other debutantes are so freely throwing about. With few to no prospects for marriage, and completely adored by her own family, she is comfortable and happy, holding her own personal crush on her brother’s good friend for many years.

Dare is an unapologetic rake, and is actually quite dismissive of those who don’t instantly meet his needs, and those who do, are dismissed thereafter. Handsome and completely enjoying his life, Dare is completely uninterested in marriage, and really doesn’t seem to ‘like’ women even as he runs through them like water.

When Dare needs to accompany Nivea to her sister’s wedding – the time spent together is a novelty for him: Nivea calms him, settles him in ways that he never thought possible, and staunchly refuses to rise to his verbal bait, which Nivea bears with grace. It was a testament to her own kindness and gentle reactions to his boorish acts that stuck with him.

I loved that Nivea was no fawning and gushing maiden. She grew and learned as the story progressed, but she never lost the real sense of who she was – and would allow herself to be. Her quiet confidence and gentleness in herself, hiding her deathly fear of horses and riding, along with her very eligible status has other men noticing the diamond in the rough, and Dare just can’t believe he is jealous.

And he tried, really he did – to explain his bad behavior, to acknowledge Nivea and how she helped him be better, want to be better. I could understand him more, but I just didn’t see that his apologies, excuses and issues were enough. I will say that Burrows did everything right in trying to redeem him in my eyes, his story was sad and his reasoning made sense, and Nivea’s ability to gentle him did feel honest and real. I just really didn’t like him.

Even disliking the rake, I couldn’t help but love the story and I needed to know if Nivea would be happy in getting her wish. A wonderful romance that is well written from an author that is sure to become many reader’s favorite.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.