“I’ve left some clues for you.
If you want them, turn the page.
If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”

So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the New York Times bestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have written a love story that will have readers perusing bookstore shelves, looking and longing for a love (and a red notebook) of their own.

A red notebook and two lonely souls at Christmas time. What better way to keep the other occupied than to exchange the notebook without ever actually meeting, but constantly challenging each other in the most unique ways. This is exactly how Dash and Lily intend to spend their holiday, daring each other without contact until a fate filled evening leaves the notebook in Lily’s hands. Will they meet and what will be the outcome? A Christmas to end all Christmases or one they will never forget? A story of love, the holidays and most especially…books.

It’s hard to imagine I’ve gone my entire life without reading this book. Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares was like that good friend you don’t want to say goodnight to at the end of a rather spectacular day. Each character was brilliant and the entire story was filled with the type of bookish goodness I’ve only very rarely come across. It was also one of those books that makes your heart race and help you remember those first feelings of love and anticipation. I’ve only been finished reading Dash and Lily’s story a couple of days and I’m honestly contemplating a re-read in the very near future, it was that good.

So, immediately I fell head over heals in love with Dash, Dashiell. He’s snarky, funny, smart and completely way too logical for his own good. Everything about him is endearing, especially his love of books. He starts out in the famous bookstore in New York called The Strand, just browsing the shelves and comes across the notebook that Lily left for a random passerby to accept or disregard. The entire concept of the notebook is brilliant! Not only that, but the book was written by both Rachel Cohn and David Levithan who emailed back and forth their chapters much like Dash and Lily. The idea of getting to know someone you could quite possibly already know through a random notebook and unique dares is so intriguing. Enough so that I’d love to start writing to a pen pal for that very reason! It’s Dash and Lily’s quirky conversations on paper that make the book’s pace so quick and thoroughly enjoyable.

Outside of the characters, which were all wonderful - even the minor ones, it was the setting and the dares that made every bit of this book charming and hilarious at the same time. Both Dash and Lily grew up in New York City and so their experience with their surroundings is very personal. It’s like visiting with a great friend you haven’t seen in a long time during Christmas time in their hometown which happens to be New York City. The city and season alone are extremely romantic. I can hardly imagine anywhere else I’d rather vacation at during Christmas with all the lights and locations, just gorgeous! And because they are in NYC the dares Dash and Lily go on lead them to places like Macy’s and FAO Shwartz Toy store. The entire setting was just perfect.

In absolute honesty I could write for days about how much I enjoyed reading Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares. A perfect romantic read for the Christmas holiday season and especially fitting for book lovers. Within every page you’ll find quotes from books you love, words you devour from dictionaries, extremely playful banter, and of course an incredibly sweet romance. I have no doubt readers of Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares will fall head over heels for this endearing couple and get inspired by the wonderful season and setting. This is a must read for the year and I sincerely hope you’ll pick it up!

Thank you so much to Gina from Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers for the excellent book recommendation!

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