{"id":14809,"date":"2020-05-19T00:00:17","date_gmt":"2020-05-18T22:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thelesbianreview.com\/?p=14809"},"modified":"2023-06-13T17:48:14","modified_gmt":"2023-06-13T15:48:14","slug":"dare-to-love-a-l-brooks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thelesbianreview.com\/dare-to-love-a-l-brooks\/","title":{"rendered":"Dare to Love by A.L. Brooks: Audiobook Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Dare<\/a>Dare to Love by A.L. Brooks<\/strong> is a romance about finding love where you least expect it.<\/p>\n

Carmen Lyttleton’s career is going great, but her love life isn’t. She’s been dating the same guy for two years and the best I can say about him is that he\u2019s convenient. Their relationship isn’t going anywhere and Carmen couldn’t care less.<\/p>\n

Carmen tags along when her best friend gets a tattoo and is impressed by the tattooer, Ash. Carmen is pleasantly surprised when she runs into Ash soon after and the two enjoy a cup of coffee and some custard tarts together. Warning: these tarts come up a lot, so you might want to have some baked goods on hand when you read this book.<\/p>\n

Ash gave up the investment banking life to set up her own tattoo studio and she couldn’t be happier. If only her love life was going as well as her career. Ash has one rule when it comes to who she dates: avoid straight women at all costs. She learned that one the hard way and she’s wary of being hurt again.<\/p>\n

Despite Ash’s rule and Carmen never considering she could be anything but straight, the spark between them is undeniable. Can they both take a chance on something real?<\/p>\n

The Characters<\/h3>\n

Does the name Carmen sound familiar? That’s because she’s a side character from Write Your Own Script<\/a>. I so enjoyed seeing Carmen grapple with her attraction to Ash and what it means. Even though it\u2019s not always easy for her, I’m glad that it didn\u2019t cause a massive amount of angst. Carmen doesn’t seem to settle on a label in the end, although she does consider “bisexual” at one point, and that felt authentic. Labels can be tricky and it can take a while to find one that fits just right.<\/p>\n

Ash has some baggage to work through, since she\u2019s so against dating someone who is just figuring out that they\u2019re not straight. Unfortunately, that leads her to be an ass at a couple of points. I was happy to see how she makes up for it, giving them an excellent happily ever after.<\/p>\n

There are a bunch of side characters in this book. Most notable are Tamsyn and Maggie from Write Your Own Script (I loved seeing what their HEA looked like!), and Ash’s sister Courtney and niece Sophie. Sophie comes out as gay near the beginning of the book, offering a secondary storyline that contrasts Carmen’s coming out experience.<\/p>\n

The Writing Style<\/h3>\n

When I picked this up, I wanted a comfort read and I was delighted that Dare to Love so perfectly delivered! I especially fell for these characters and their stories. I blew through the book in two days and was sad when it was over.<\/p>\n

The Narration<\/b><\/h3>\n

The narration is okay for Dare to Love. I didn\u2019t love it, but I didn\u2019t hate it either. I just didn\u2019t find the voices were always differentiated particularly well. Also, my mind sometimes wandered when I was listening to it, because I didn\u2019t feel as connected to the narrator as I usually do when I listen to books.<\/p>\n

If you mainly consume books through audio, I would still consider picking it up. However, if you prefer ebooks or paperbacks, I would grab it that way instead. The story is worth it, no matter how you take it in.<\/p>\n

The Pros<\/h3>\n

This is one of the best slow burns I’ve ever read. It takes a while for Ash and Carmen to get together and much longer for them to get into bed. It was a nice change of pace to see them take their time and make sure they’re ready, and it felt true to these characters.<\/p>\n

The Cons<\/h3>\n

This is a minor thing, but I wondered how one person could sustain a tattoo shop in London, all by herself. Especially since Ash doesn\u2019t seem to be a top tier tattooer, even if she’s talented.<\/p>\n

\"taras<\/a>\"victorias<\/a>The Conclusion<\/h3>\n

I loved this book. Loved, loved, loved it! It gave me a perfect escape from the world and I can’t recommend it enough. If you’re looking for a gentle romance that’s like a warm hug, make sure to pick this one up.<\/p>\n

Excerpt from Dare to Love by A.L. Brooks<\/h2>\n

Alma\u2019s was located a few blocks away, tucked down a side street. The walk lifted Carmen\u2019s spirits; the streets weren\u2019t too busy in the middle of a Monday morning, and the air was, for once in the centre of London , fresh and easy on the nose. She smiled to herself\u2014 she actually walked with a spring in her step. Who\u2019d have thought, given how bleak she\u2019d felt all weekend?<\/p>\n

The caf\u00e9 wasn\u2019t very busy when she arrived . An older couple sat at one table indoors, and outside two of the four smaller tables were occupied. She was about to step through the open front door when her eye was caught by the person at the table nearest the door. Was that\u2026?<\/p>\n

\u201cAsh?\u201d she tentatively asked.<\/p>\n

The woman looked up, and a broad smile split her face. \u201cHey! Carmen, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is. Nice to see you again.\u201d Carmen didn\u2019t know why Ash was here, but it was rather lovely to see a vaguely familiar face out and about on her escape from the office. \u201cYou live around here?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ash laughed. \u201cI wish ! No, I heard this place had the best Portuguese custard tarts in town, and I made a long diversion on my way to work to find out if it was true.\u201d She pointed at a plate that looked as if it might have actually been licked clean. \u201cIt seems it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Carmen chuckled. \u201cIt really is. I haven\u2019t been here in a while, but I\u2019ll be leaving with a box of five.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ash\u2019s eyebrows shot up.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot all for me!\u201d Carmen hastily added. \u201cTempting as that might be.\u201d<\/p>\n

Get It Online<\/b><\/h2>\n

When you use the links in this review and buy within 24 hours of clicking then we get a small commission that helps us run the site and it costs you nothing extra<\/i><\/p>\n

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Bits and Bobs<\/h3>\n