Book & Author Spotlight: Dare to Take by Carly Phillips
(Dare to Love #6)
by Carly Phillips
Release Date: May 3, 2016
About Dare to Take
A one-night stand.
A secret.
A mistake they tried to forget.
On leave from the army, Tyler Dare is just looking for a little fun, but his best friend's sister is off limits. Yet unable to deny how sexy and alluring she is, he finds it all too easy to succumb to a night of passion and heat that ends the next morning in the worst way possible.
There are just some guys you don't touch--even someone as innocent and inexperienced as Ella Shaw knows that. But when her brother's best friend is up for grabs and willing, she can't resist. After all, she's wanted him for years …
Now, Ella is stranded on a tropical island with a hurricane bearing down, and only Tyler can save her. It's his chance to make amends for the past and show the woman he's never forgotten that he's coming after her ... in more ways than one.
Read my 4.5-starred review of Dare to Take.
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An Excerpt from Dare to Take
The sun shone overhead, the temperature neared ninety, and the humidity was hair-curlingly high on the Caribbean island of St. Lucia, making it hard to believe a hurricane was coming soon. Ella Shaw glanced up at the blue sky, knowing it wouldn’t remain pristine for long.
The calm before the storm.
She pulled her hair into a high ponytail and headed out of her hotel, determined to hit the local gift shop she’d caught sight of on her way to the photo shoot yesterday. She’d seen long, draping, blue-beaded necklaces from the storefront window, but she hadn’t had time to stop. Her boss was a stickler for getting the right shot in the exact light, and they’d worked well past dark. By the time they’d wrapped for the day, the store had been closed.
As an assistant for Angie Crighton, a fashion designer based in Miami, Ella was responsible for the little details involved in a photo shoot. And though Angie, the photographer, and models had left the island this morning, Ella had stayed to make sure the shooting site was clean, the hotel pleased enough to allow them back another time. And if she were honest with herself, she liked the downtime after the craziness of a photo shoot, the rushing around of the crew, the bossiness of some of the models and, of course, of Angie herself.
Ella appreciated the fact that she had time to souvenir shop for her best friend, Avery Dare. How ironic was it that the two girls from very different worlds had met at all? But they had. And it was Avery who’d introduced Ella to the finer things in life, leading her to seek out a job with an haute-couture designer. Whereas Avery came from a wealthy family, Ella had been raised firmly middle class, but the two girls had bonded instantly. They’d even shared an apartment until recently, when her best friend had moved in with her rock star boyfriend, Grey Kingston.
Yep, two different worlds, even now, Ella thought wryly. But their friendship was solid. Which reminded her, she needed to let Avery know she might not make it back to the States tomorrow as planned.
When Ella had heard about the storm changing course, she’d tried to book an earlier flight out, without success. She shivered at the possibility of being stranded here alone during a hurricane and knew Avery would like the news even less. Her best friend suffered from severe anxiety, and Ella didn’t like to make her worry.
She’d just buy Avery an extra gift to make up for it, she thought, walking into the shop. She immediately headed to the turquoise-blue beads she’d seen through the window. The shopkeeper claimed they were Larimar beads. Even if they were fake, the beads, popular in the Caribbean, were said to have healing powers. Ella purchased two dozen, a mix of bracelets and necklaces, so she could share with the children at the cancer treatment center where she and Avery volunteered.
Avery had been nine, Ella ten years old when they’d met at a Miami hospital, both donating bone marrow, both there at the behest of a parent. Neither of them really understanding what was happening. All Ella had known was that she was doing a favor for her father, helping the stepmother Ella didn’t like all that much to begin with. Even at a young age, Ella had been a good judge of character, a better one than her father, obviously, because shortly after Janice had gotten well, she’d left Ella’s dad. And both her father and Ella’s life had gone downhill from there. Ella shook off the thoughts of her past before she could go deeper and darker, and focused on the pretty jewelry.
She spent some time choosing a thick turquoise bracelet for Avery and a similar one for herself before paying for everything and waiting for the shopkeeper to wrap things up.
Bag in hand, she started back to the hotel, cutting through side streets and looking into the windows of the stores, soaking up the culture along the cobblestone streets before heading back to Miami tomorrow. At least, she still hoped she’d be home. Knowing she couldn’t change the outcome, she pushed her worrisome thoughts aside. She’d deal with the situation as it came.
Sweat dampened her neck from the humidity of the island, and she contemplated taking a cab back to the hotel. She reached into her straw bag and pulled out her cell phone to make the call, when, without warning, she felt a hard jerk on her purse.
“What the—?” She spun around, but whomever wanted her purse was quicker.
She barely caught a glimpse of a tall guy with dark hair as he yanked harder, nearly pulling her shoulder out of its socket before slamming her against the nearby building with his other hand.
Her head hit the concrete wall, and spots immediately appeared behind her eyes from the impact. As she struggled not to pass out, the man grabbed her purse, along with her cell phone that had fallen to the ground.
She opened her mouth to scream, but nothing came out. Her legs collapsed beneath her, and she fell to the ground, her head smacking the sidewalk before everything went black.
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About the Dare to Love series
About Dare to Love (book one - Ian Dare & Riley Taylor)
She arouses his dominant and protective instincts
and he will do anything to possess her …
and does.
When billionaire Ian Dare gets one glimpse of the sensual and irresistible Riley Taylor, he knows that he must have her. But any future he might have with Riley means he'll have to confront his past--a past he'd rather forget. And that's something this NFL team owner won't dare to do--not even for love.
About Dare to Desire (book two - Alex Dare & Madison Evans)
He knows how to score
… on the field and in the bedroom.
But Alex Dare isn't prepared for the injury that sidelines him into early retirement. Still, if it means working closely with the one woman who ever meant more to him than a one night stand, he's all on board. But there is no amount of wealth or charm that could persuade social worker, Madison Evans, back into Alex's bed.
Good thing Alex loves a challenge. But soon seducing Madison becomes more than just a goal, it just might define his future.
About Dare to Touch (book three - Olivia Dare & Dylan Rhodes)
He doesn't do anything halfway
… in bed or out.
And when Dylan Rhodes, Travel Director for the Miami Thunder football team, decides to pursue Olivia Dare, he goes all in. When the Pro-Bowl takes them to the desert oasis of Arizona, Dylan is determined to make sure their time together isn't all business. What happens while at the luxury resort is life altering but when Olivia admits her deepest secret, will Dylan be able to prove he's a man with staying power? Or will Olivia be disappointed again, this time by the most important man in her life?
About Dare to Hold (book four - Scott Dare & Meg Thompson)
She wants a night of hot, passionate, no-strings-attached sex ...
and he's just the man for the job.
After a mind-blowing one night stand with Meg Thompson, cop Scott Dare finds himself unable to walk away. While protecting Meg from her violent ex and becoming part of her increasingly complicated life, he's falling hard for the sexy school teacher. And he can't seem to find distance. Not when their bodies respond to each other with such heated intensity and he's drawn to her unique combination of strength and vulnerability. Suddenly a one night stand is looking more like forever ... until Meg's past catches up with her.
About Dare to Rock (book five - Avery Dare & Gray Kingston)
He's a Sex and a Rock & Roll superstar who can have anything he wants ...
Fans adore him, women throw themselves at him, and Grey Kingston can afford everything he couldn't growing up. Yet at the height of his career, he's ready to walk away and return home to a simpler life… and the girl he left behind. Once home, he finds Avery Dare, is now a fiery, sexy woman, and she isn't ready to forgive. Still, Grey is determined to rock his way back into her life … and her bed.
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About Carly Phillips
Carly lives in Purchase, New York with her family, two nearly adult daughters and two crazy dogs who star on her Facebook Fan Page and website. She's a writer, a knitter of sorts, a wife, and a mom. In addition, she's a Twitter and Internet junkie and is always around to interact with her readers. You can find out more about Carly at www.carlyphillips.com.
Connect with Carly
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A Q&A with Carly Phillips
1. What inspired you to create a series about two sets of families sharing the same father?
I was looking for a way to write a long series without 12 siblings from one mother… I was also looking for meaty conflict that could sustain those books. The Dare series lets me show how each child reacted to the father’s ultimate betrayal.
2. Did you foresee the Dare to Love being as popular as it is, spawning not just a spinoff but also Kindle Worlds books as well?
Oh wow. NO! An author always hopes. I want my stories to catch on, to be loved … but this has been such an honor and a joy!
3. Who would you say is your favorite Dare sibling and why?
Ian because he started it all. He, to me, is the most unique of all the siblings because he feels responsible for them all. I adore him.
4. If you could give Robert Dare one piece of advice, what would it be?
I’d like to say … it’s never too late to be a good parent but in his case, especially after Dare to Take ends, I’m not sure that’s true. Maybe take a good look in the mirror … and know your children are good people in spite of you.
5. What advice would you give aspiring authors who look up to you as inspiration?
Well I’d say thank you. And then I’d say never ever give up on your dreams. Always believe in yourself even during the hard times. And always keep learning and have an open mind. None of us know everything. ☺
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Note: Thank you to Carly Phillips for taking the time to answer my questions and to G for facilitating. ♥
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