REVIEW + GIVEAWAY ~Dare to Desire by Carly Phillips~

Title: Dare to Desire

Author: Carly Phillips

Series: Dare to Love #2

Release Date: April 10, 2014

Rating: 5 Stars!

Quarterback Alex Dare, had it all -- an all-star football career with the Tampa Breakers and his choice of willing women -- until a severe injury forces him into early retirement. When he is offered a ground-breaking position with a rival team, he’s intrigued, but there’s a catch. He’ll be working alongside the same woman he hasn’t been able to get out of his head for too long.

Social worker Madison Evans grew up in foster homes and knows first hand what it means to have-not. She isn't impressed by Alex Dare’s wealth or charm. Not since she fell hard for him once before, only to discover she was just one of his too-easy conquests. This time around Madison refuses to succumb to Alex so easily.

But Alex wants Madison. And if there is one thing Alex does well, it’s to get what he wants. The playboy athlete must prove he’s got game in more places than on the field. He means to prove that he’s a changed man but no sooner does he begin to break through Madison’s defenses when a new opportunity comes knocking and threatens her new-found trust. Can he make Madison take a risk and dare to love?

Oh, Alex Dare, how I love thee. I LOVE (times a million) this super sexy series form Ms. Phillips. And the series just keeps getting better! So my thoughts on Alex: we never really saw him being a jerkface. It was alluded to and talked about briefly but, in the book itself he was a complete heartthrob. He brought his A game the whole time with Madison and definitely held more than a few swoon worthy moments. Now Madison, she makes my heart hurt for her. As strong as she is, you can tell Alex made a detrimental mark on her heart and now everything is snow piling up on her. I just wanted someone to take care of her. And that's when Alex comes in and saves the day... or at least tries to.

Madison has almost zero resolve when it comes to Alex. He may have broken her heart but, when he vows to make amends and get her back in his bed there is really nothing she can do about it. Correction: nothing she wants to do about it. When Madison and Alex are thrown together again in a new job they have no choice but to work together. Although, Alex sneaks some extracurriculars onto their to-do lists. Meanwhile, Madison is in a knock down drag-out fight with her foster brother over the care of her foster mother. The only person that every loved her and now Madison is in a losing battle. Alex is on a mission to turn that losing battle into a winning one and show Madison that her foster mother isn't the only one that loves her. Through the course of this story Madison and Alex engage in steaming hot sex, playful banter, and utterly adorable couple moments. Until, Madison throws on the breaks and throws up the wall around her heart once more. Leaving Alex a bit stunned and shell-shocked on the other side. In the midst of making a huge career decision for himself, he must also factor in Madison's new important role in his life. But that olive branch may be extended too late...

This book is amazing. Carly Phillips has once again captured my heart, my attention and a spot on my re-read shelf. Dare to Desire is a whole lot of yummy goodness mixed in with a well developed cast of characters and engaging story line. It's the perfect book for me to read on a Saturday afternoon when I need to decompress from the week. I think that Madison and Alex complimented each other perfectly. Although, they also made huge strides in their characters throughout the book but, it only brought them closer together in the end. Suffice it to say, I HIGHLY recommend this book, and its predecessor (Dare to Love). They are both magnificent books and Ms. Phillips has me hanging on a ledge to find out what will happen with Dylan and Olivia!!!

Happy Reading!

*ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*

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Meet Carly:

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Carly Phillips N.Y. Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Carly Phillips has written over 40 sexy contemporary romance novels that today's readers identify with and enjoy. After a successful 15 year career with various New York publishing houses, Carly is making the leap to Indie author, with the goal of giving her readers more books at a faster pace at a better price. Her Serendipity books will still finish up in January/February 2014 via Berkley as planned. Carly lives in Purchase, NY 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 all information about Carly at her website and other social media sites.

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