If You Dare review — Harmony West (spice level, tropes & is it worth it)
i am a lot more lenient on the plot when the buildup and spice deliver. this is not me saying the plot can be absolute garbage. no, that’s boring.
but sometimes i just want a juicy book to hold me over until my next devastating heartbreak, 6-star read, 700-page fantasy. sometimes well-written smut and a bit of push and pull are enough.
which brings us to if you dare by harmony west.
is if you dare worth it?
if you’re here for the spice, bully vibes, and a man who wants her while making that everyone’s problem? yes.
this book really had me in the first half. i went in thinking it was either about to be super good or disappointing, and honestly? we landed somewhere in the middle.
good enough to make the site, because here we are.
it delivers more on spice than plot execution. there’s enough story to hold it together, but i wouldn’t send you here looking for a lot of depth and little spice.
the book
If You Dare
✓ on kindle unlimited
what can i say? a bit of hockey a lot of bully. thank you.
violet harris returns to diamond university after her best friend chloe’s death. chloe’s brother, wes novak, is the hockey captain. he blames violet, and he gets his teammates involved in making her pay.
she used to want him. now he’s making her life miserable. and the attraction? unfortunately, still there.
college setting. best friend’s brother. revenge. bully romance. dual pov, with the story moving between the past and present.
a bit of hockey. a lot of bully.
wes is angry, possessive, and a little too interested in the girl he supposedly wants gone. that back and forth is the point. if you’re looking for a sweet hockey boyfriend, we have taken a wrong turn.
“Yeah, I was. I was fucking obsessed.”
okay, so we’re finally admitting it.
there’s grief underneath the revenge, but for me, this was more about the push and pull than the emotional depth. some sad moments, enough to make the story make sense, and a lot of wanting someone you’re supposed to hate.
meet the fictional man
how spicy is if you dare?
yes, it’s spicy. i rated it 4/5 because the smut does a lot of the work here, and it’s well-written. he calls her good girl like 50 times
but?
i’m into it.
there’s a pain and fear element to the spice. it didn’t feel as detailed or dark to me as the l.o.r.d.s series, but it’s still a dark romance, with bullying, dubious consent, harrassment, and some other stuff so make sure to read all the trigger warnings. almost like my dreadful darling level of bullying but not quite there.
you can find the book details and book information here, or go straight to the quotes.
is it a standalone or part of a series?
both. this is book one in the diamond devils series, and wes and violet’s story can be read as a standalone.
oh also, they do get a happy ending. <333
the reading order is: if you dare → drown in you → devil you know → die for you. (as of right now i’ve only read the first one so i can’t say more on if you should read the others)
you can see all four books on harmony west’s diamond devils page. start with this one.
will you like it?
- you want more smut than plot.
- you like bully romance, revenge, and an obsessive mmc.
- you’re into a college setting and a bit of push and pull.
skip it if you’re looking for a lot of depth and little spice. i enjoyed what this book was giving me, but the plot wasn’t what kept me here.
final thoughts
this wasn’t an all-time favorite. it was a spicy read that landed somewhere in the middle for me, and sometimes that’s exactly what i’m in the mood for.
the spice was spicing. what more can i say?
if you dare faq
is if you dare spicy?
is if you dare a standalone or part of a series?
does if you dare have a happy ending?
what tropes are in if you dare?
what are the content warnings for if you dare?
where to go next
- still thinking about him? meet wes novak.
- want the full book details and reading options? here’s if you dare in the library.
- want another smutty read, this time with a protective vampire king? read last week’s review.
peek inside the society library
take me to the library →i first talked about this one in the smut & sentiment society newsletter.
if i didn’t like it, it’s not coming to your inbox.
romance recommendations with actual opinions. what worked, who it’s for, and how spicy we’re talking.