Author: Ashley Elston

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: 10 Truths and a Dare by Ashley Elston

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: 10 Truths and a Dare by Ashley Elston

I’m so excited to be on the tour for 10 Truths and a Dare! I absolutely loved and adored this story! So check out my 5 Star Review below and enter to win a copy of this book! Enjoy!♥

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: 10 Truths and a Dare by Ashley Elston10 Truths and a Dare by Ashley Elston
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

This companion to Ashley Elston's beloved 10 Blind Dates follows Sophie's high-achieving cousin Olivia as she juggles last-minute P.E. credit, end-of-year parties, and a secret new romance in the chaotic week before graduation.

It's Senior Party Week, that magical in-between time after classes have ended but before graduation, chock-full of gimmicky theme parties, last-minute bonding, and family traditions. Olivia couldn't be more ready. Class salutatorian and confident in her future at LSU, she's poised to sail through to the next phase of her life.
But when the tiny hiccup of an unsigned off-campus P.E. form puts Olivia in danger of not graduating at all, she has one week to set things straight without tipping off her very big and very nosy extended family.

Volunteering to help at a local golf tournament should do it, but since Olivia's mom equipped her phone with a tracking app, there'll be no hiding the fact that she's at the golf course instead of all the graduation parties happening at the same time. Unless, that is, she can convince the Fab Four--her ride-or-die cousins and best friends Sophie, Charlie, and Wes--to trade phones with her as they go through the motions of playing Olivia for the week.

Praise for 10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston:
2020 ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers Top Ten Title
2020 Florida Teens Read Book List

"POSITIVELY DELIGHTFUL—all caps—from beginning to end."—NPR

"This piece-by-piece romance doesn't need its Christmas theme to sell, but it makes it glitter all the more."—Booklist

"A fun story of finding love, getting to know yourself, and getting to know your family."—Kirkus Reviews

"In a funny holiday romance that has Sophie dog-sitting in a hockey rink, watching porn at a drive-in theater, and playing the Virgin Mary in a middle school Nativity, Elston cleverly reflects the family members' personalities through their choices of dates for Sophie."—Publishers Weekly

Review:

10 Truths and a Dare was impossible not to devour in one sitting!  Charm, humor, family, friendship and romance were laced throughout the pages and I loved every minute of it.  If you’re looking for a beachy read or a feel good, heart-warming story then this is the book for you!  It became an instant favorite and I have a feeling fans of YA romance will fall in love with 10 Truths and a Dare too.

Truth #1: If something happens but your nonna doesn’t find out about it and tell the whole family, then it didn’t really happen

I had already fallen madly in love with these characters in 10 Blind Dates.  Oh how I have missed this huge family and their dynamics, I love them so much!  In this story, it’s senior week and Olivia is ready to celebrate with all of her classmates before she gives her speech as their salutatorian.  Yet there’s one tiny problem.  Olivia is short a half credit, from her off campus PE class, and can’t graduate without it.  With the help of her best friends, surely she can make it up.  Yet what unfolds is definitely more challenging than she ever thought it would be!

Remember that time Olivia almost didn’t graduate because she screwed up golf?  Four years whittled down to one sentence.
This will not be my legacy.

I loved Olivia with my whole heart.  She was kind, thoughtful, loved her family and was so relatable.  She sometimes stacked too much on her plate, but she always had her best friends at her side to cheer her on.  With her mom out of town, and constantly tracking Olivia’s every move on her phone, she needed help babysitting her phone while she made up her credit at the golf course.  Her cousins Charlie and Sophie, along with Sophie’s boyfriend/Charlie’s best friend Wes stepped in to help Olivia with her problem.

“This is a bad idea,” I say, when Sophie’s car pulls away from the curb.
“We’re full of bad ideas. So what’s one more?”

Olivia, Charlie, Sophie and Wes were the Fab Four and I loved their connection.  Their moments together reminded me of the comfort I get watching my favorite show Friends.  They just felt like home to me and were so real.  Their love and friendship for each other ran so deep; they always had each other’s backs.  Their moments together had me laughing out loud and I couldn’t stop smiling.  This group was SO much fun and each one of them easily captured my heart!

“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t driving me nuts that I’m keeping your secret but I don’t know why.” His voice is a near whisper.
My eyes stay glued to my phone. “I’m okay with you lying.”
I have a smirk. I can feel it. I cannot make it go away.

And then there was Leo.  He was a family friend to Olivia’s evil twin cousins.  So even though I was intrigued by him, he willingly associated with them.  If you’ve read 10 Blind Dates you’ll understand my animosity towards her twin cousins, the drive-in….I just can’t even lol.  So Leo should feel tainted, right?!  But oh my goodness you guys, I loved Leo.  He captured my heart so easily.  He gave me butterflies and I couldn’t help smiling anytime he was near.  That’s all I’m saying, but I dare you not to fall for Leo!

Dare #1: Tell the truth

10 Truths and a Dare touched a piece of my heart.  This story was filled with warmth and love, but I also had tears too.  I loved how this story unfolded, I loved all of the emotions it pulled from me and I loved watching Olivia grow.  I finished this book in one sitting and it easily sailed onto my favorites list.  I can’t recommend it enough!

L: Maybe I’ll see you when he’s not around
She’s probably going to kill me for this.
ME:Come find me later – Charlie with Olivia’s phone haha

PS I would love for Charlie to have his own story!  I don’t want to say goodbye to these characters.  And the moments we got to spend with Charlie, like when he was watching over Olivia’s phone, he leaped from the pages!  Keeping my fingers crossed!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

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About Ashley Elston:

Ashley Elston is the author of several novels including: 10 Blind Dates (a Top Ten ALA Quick Pick and the companion to this book), The Rules for Disappearing (a finalist in the Best Young Adult Novel category of the International Thriller Writers Thriller Awards), This Is Our Story, and The Lying Woods. She has a liberal arts degree from Louisiana State University in Shreveport and worked for many years as a wedding photographer before turning her hand to writing. Ashley lives in Shreveport with her husband and three sons. For more information about Ashley and her books, please visit www.ashleyelston.com.

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Giveaway:

3 winners will receive a finished copy of 10 TRUTHS AND A DARE, US Only.

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Tour Schedule:

Week One:

5/1/2021

The Book View

Review

Week Two:

5/2/2021

What A Nerd Girl Says

Excerpt

5/3/2021

YA Books Central

Excerpt

5/4/2021

Fire and Ice

Review

5/5/2021

BookHounds YA

Excerpt

5/6/2021

YA Book Nerd

Review

5/7/2021

Lifestyle of Me

Review

5/8/2021

Moonlight Rendezvous

Review

Week Three:

5/9/2021

Jenguerdy

Review

5/10/2021

Ficticiouswonderland

Review

5/11/2021

Book-Keeping

Review

5/12/2021

Amani’s Reviews

Review

5/13/2021

booksaremagictoo

Review

5/14/2021

Eli to the nth

Review

5/15/2021

Emelie’s Books

Review

Week Four:

5/16/2021

Kait Plus Books

Excerpt

5/17/2021

Zainey Laney

Review

5/18/2021

onemused

Review

5/19/2021

Midnightbooklover

Review

5/20/2021

amandainpa

Review

5/21/2021

Geauxgetlit

Review

5/22/2021

two points of interest

Review

Week Five:

5/23/2021

Book Briefs

Review

5/24/2021

Momfluenster

Review

5/25/2021

Star-Crossed Book Blog

Review

5/26/2021

michellemengsbookblog

Review

5/27/2021

Rajiv’s Reviews

Review

5/28/2021

Do You Dog-ear?

Review

5/29/2021

Books and Zebras

Review

Week Six:

5/30/2021

My Fictional Oasis

Review

5/31/2021

Popthebutterfly

Review

BOOK REVIEW: 10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston

BOOK REVIEW: 10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Sophie wants one thing for Christmas-a little freedom from her overprotective parents. So when they decide to spend Christmas in South Louisiana with her very pregnant older sister, Sophie is looking forward to some much needed private (read: make-out) time with her long-term boyfriend, Griffin. Except it turns out that Griffin wants a little freedom from their relationship.

Heartbroken, Sophie flees to her grandparents' house, where the rest of her boisterous extended family is gathered for the holiday. That's when her nonna devises a (not so) brilliant plan: Over the next ten days, Sophie will be set up on ten different blind dates by different family members. Like her sweet cousin Sara, who sets her up with a hot guy at an exclusive underground party. Or her crazy aunt Patrice, who signs Sophie up for a lead role in a living nativity. With a boy who barely reaches her shoulder. And a screaming baby.

When Griffin turns up unexpectedly and begs for a second chance, Sophie feels more confused than ever. Because maybe, just maybe, she's started to have feelings for someone else . . . Someone who is definitely not available.

This is going to be the worst Christmas break ever . . . or is it?

Review:

10 Blind Dates was laughter inducing and the perfect lighthearted read!  With family, friendship and blind dates galore, this story was so much fun.  So if you love ya romance and books set around the holidays, you’ll definitely want to add this one to your tbr.

“Is there no privacy in this family?”
Everyone at the table answers, “No.”

Sophie was to spend the holidays at her grandparents’ house, while her parents left to go take care of her pregnant sister.  Before leaving town, she found out her boyfriend wanted to take a break from her.  So when she arrived at her grandparents’ house, it set off a chain of events.  What entailed was ten blind dates, by ten different family members, and I had no clue what to expect next.

He nods, then cocks his head to the side. “I think Nonna was right.”
My face scrunches up. “Right about what?”
“This dating thing. You look good.”
I can feel my cheeks warm. “Well, I must have really looked like crap earlier.”
Wes laughs. “I didn’t say that. I’m just glad you’re smiling.”

I loved Sophie’s huge Italian family and how involved they were in each other’s lives!  Sophie’s mom was one of eight, so there was always a ton of them at her grandparents’ house.  And while I’m not the greatest with names, shockingly I didn’t have an issue with this large family.  I loved that they were with her every step of the way.  Even when she didn’t want them to be lol.  Some of the dates they set her up on were smile inducing with snowball fights, hot cocoa and ugly sweater parties.  But others were horrifically awful!  So of course I laughed a lot, sorry Sophie!

“Just when I think we’re good again, you shut me out,” she says. “Just like before.”
I whip around. “Excuse me? I shut you out? Are you kidding me?”
Charlie steps in between us. “Hold on, hold on,” he says, his hands extended. “Let’s not say anything we’re going to regret.”

Her cousins Olivia, Charlie and Charlie’s best friend Wes, use to be her best friends.  But over time, Sophie drifted away from them.  They always had each other’s backs and cared so deeply for one another. So while their friendship felt seamless, there was issues that needed to be work through. I loved watching their relationship slowly mend back together, it warmed my heart.  And I loved that they were always by her side, whether it be blind dates, to dealing with her ex, to even her own personal journey.  Sophie could always count on Olive, Charlie and Wes.

I just have three more dates to get through, I realize. Then Christmas break will be over and everything will be back to normal.
Just what I wanted when all this started.
So why am I dreading it all ending?

I don’t want to give anything away, but my guess for who she was supposed to end up with was right.  I was over the moon happy it was who I liked.  Together they were beyond sweet and adorable, just like this story.  But while I loved Sophie and her dates, family, cousins and friends, I wasn’t the hugest fan of the side story with Sophie’s sister.  It’s personal reasons and because of that, that part of the story rubbed me the wrong way.

We move with the music, and I don’t dare look around the room to see which of my family members are watching us. I wish more than ever that we were somewhere else. Somewhere that we weren’t the subject of no less than five different conversations right now.

But still, I enjoyed this book so much!  With Christmas sprinkled within the pages, the warmth you got from her family and hints of romance, 10 Blind Dates was such a feel good story!  Plus in those final pages we got to jump three months into the future and it was soooo adorable. I loved what the future seemed to have in store for them!  I’ll definitely be looking out for any future release from this author!

Before I can say anything else, the doorbell rings and a quiet hush falls over the crowd.
“This is getting ridiculous, people,” I say as I push through my family to get to the door. Several family members scramble to finish placing their bets.

PS I loved the betting!  That was soooo bad yet oh so funny!

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