You Wouldn't Dare

"Perfect for fans of Nina Moreno, Gilmore Girls, and Sarah Dessen, You Wouldn't Dare will wrap you up in a sun-drenched, salt-scented hug and refuse to let you go." - Amanda Quain, author of Accomplished: A Georgie Darcy Novel

A rom com about trying to have the summer of your life before everything changes - only to realize change might be exactly what you need...

When Juniper Nash Abreheart kissed Graham Isham for the first time, she had no idea it would nearly be the end of their friendship.

More specifically, she had no idea that the terrible, unforgivable thing she did to keep their summer fling a secret wouldn’t just ruin their friendship, but also Graham’s entire life. Now, months since the fallout, Junie and Graham spend most of their time sidestepping conversational landmines on the journey back to normalcy.

Junie is sure the strangeness between her and Graham is her biggest problem - until her mom hires Tallulah, her boyfriend’s surly teenage daughter, to work at their family café, and then announces they’ll all be moving in together at the end of the summer. The only bright spot ahead is Junie’s dad’s upcoming visit, just in time for her community theater production. And then poor turnout soon threatens that.

But when Junie starts to realize the feelings she swore to take care of last summer have lingered, saving her production and managing her hostile relationship with Tallulah might be the least of her problems. Graham isn’t just off limits - their friendship has been mended to barely withstand a breeze, and the gale force of Junie’s feelings could be just what breaks them.

Samantha Markum’s You Wouldn’t Dare is about the risks and triumphs that come with being brave enough to take a chance at what you really want, including love.




Genre: Young Adult Romance

"In You Wouldn't Dare, Samantha Markum's follow-up to her rollicking debut, Junie Nash is a messy and impulsive heroine with a deep affection for her lifelong besties and all the charming locals on her island in the Florida Keys. You can't resist rooting for her as Junie struggles to reconcile her complicated feelings for Graham (and her largely absent father) and accept her mother's boyfriend and his annoying daughter - all the while working in her mother's cafe and saving the production of the local play. This book is the platonic ideal of a beach read. Steeped in a sense of place, you can practically feel the salt spray and smell the Coppertone on every page. Markum perfectly captures the lazy, hazy days of summer - as well as the bittersweet recognition that summer always, eventually, ends." - Susan Azim Boyer

"Angst and Humor? What kind of magic is this?! Markum is the queen on Banter. You Wouldn't Dare is laugh out loud funny, with characters who feel like friends, and the best kind of angsty romance. Markum writes heartfelt family and friendship dynamic all while giving you the best 'will they-won't they' romance that made me want to move to the beach!" - Kristin Dwyer

"You Wouldn't Dare is the perfect summer vacation in book form. I never wanted to leave the world crafted in its pages, from the cozy beach town setting to the characters who felt like real people I know and love. As much a heartstring-pulling tale of blended family and complex friendships as it is a swoon-filled romance, I loved every minute of this book! Samantha Markum's writing is everything wonderful about YA fiction, and I'm a fan for life." - Kaitlyn Hill

"No one writes messy, beautiful, intimate, steal-your-heart friendships like Samantha Markum. Perfect for fans of Nina Moreno, Gilmore Girls, and Sarah Dessen, You Wouldn't Dare will wrap you up in a sun-drenched, salt-scented hug and refuse to let you go. This is exactly the brand of midsummer madness I didn't know I was craving. Now if you'll excuse me - I need to go start reading it all over again." - Amanda Quain

"With small-town charm, a cast of vivid players, and Shakespearean shenanigans to spare-enlivened by Markum's inimitable voice-You Wouldn't Dare swept us up in a wonderful, whimsical, moving second-chance romance." - Emily Wibberley