a really funny, cute, and steamy read

this whole premise was like built for the perfect romcom. jack and hallie have a one night stand, later reconnect while on a tinder-like app and form a bet to see who can find love first. throw in a friendship forged on bad dates and tacos AND a fake dating scheme at a wedding...like tell me that doesn't sound perfect?

what i liked:
i loved getting to see them form a friendship. most of the books i've read that feature the friends to lovers trope, the characters already start off as friends, but I LOVED getting to see jack and hallie BECOMING friends.

the vibes:
- one night stand-to friends- to lovers
+fake dating
- hallie is funny, chaotic, and trying to get her life together after a bad breakup
- jack is a charming, sweet, and sarcastic guy who wants to find 'the one'
- one bed trope
- witty banter

the one thing i just didn't love was the miscommunication!! like, i get it, in real life i would totally understand feeling scared to talk to my BEST FRIEND about developing feelings for them, but for some reason i just hate that in books.

i loved so many things about this book and didnt like alot of it. I loved the idea, two people making a wager to see who would fall in love first on a dating app, it was funny and I laughed out loud alot. most of the story is very easy to enjoy and to follow along with. I felt myself wishing the characters werent so bad at communicating. There was so much back and forth and denial and it felt very frustrating. I also felt like too much of the story was boiled down to sex scenes and I wanted more. regardless though, I found it very fun and the love confession in the rain was great. lynn has a way of writing excellent banter and it makes her stories enjoyable.
Read this if you love friends to lovers, fake dating, only one bed, amazing banter and horrible dates that will make you laugh so hard.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC.

A really cute story. I liked the fact that they really learned about each other before getting together. It wasn't a typical storyline. It was a fun and funny way to get to the HEA!

Working the bar at a wedding reception, Hallie Piper inadvertently gets caught up in an argument between the best man, Jack Marshall, and his jealous girlfriend. After watching them break up, Hallie rounds out the night with some heavy drinking with Jack, a hot one-night stand, and the walk of shame come morning.

The whole evening wakes Hallie up to the fact that she needs to change her life, so she proceeds to get a steady job, move into her own apartment, and reluctantly sign up for a dating app. Her first round of swiping through prospects leads her to finding Jack again, and they begin to banter on the app and check in with each other after dates. When Jack proposes a wager on whoever finds their perfect match finds, Hallie's all in. But it's not long before these new besties start having feelings for each other...

This follow-up to Mr. Wrong Number is a fast-paced, breezy rom com for those who can relate to the trials and tribulations of dating apps in today's world. The banter between Hallie and Jack really carries the book, and you can tell early on that they will eventually pair up but just don't know when and how they'll make it happen. I didn't find much depth in the characters, but the banter kept me invested in their journey anyway.

Read this if you love: one and done, friends to lovers, fake dating, only one bed, sharing dating app horror stories, falling in love with your wingman

Thank you, Berkley Romance and NetGalley, for providing an eARC of this book. Opinions expressed here are solely my own.

Hallie and Jack's first encounter was a one-night stand following his sister's wedding where Hallie was bartender...it also immediately follows Jack's somewhat dramatic breakup to his would-be fiancé. Hallie doesn't think much of it until she and Jack match on an online dating site. They reconnect and have to figure out if the feelings they have are friendly or more than that. When Hallie has a family wedding to attend where she'll see her ex, she has no choice but to ask Jack to come as a decoy. It's a sweet romance with laugh out loud moments.

4.5 stars

This is leaning more towards 4 stars but the beginning was so solid I rounded up.

Let's start with my likes: I liked the multiple points of view. It really helped you get into the heads of both of our protagonists. Speaking of our main characters, I really enjoyed them both individually, they were relatable likeable characters with good chemistry. I also love Lynn Painter's writing style, it flows and feels genuine with regards to the characters' dialogues. I also adore that is is canonically in the same world as Mr. Wrong Number, and I loved the Colin and Olivia cameos throughout the book.

Now for my dislikes. My issues with this book were pretty much the same as Mr. Wrong Number, but got overshadowed by the amazing banter and fun writing. Without going into too much detail, I do not like the starting off their fakelationship with dishonesty, and the way this communication issue with quickly solved at the end seemed rush and disingenuous (the pacing overall at the end seemed pretty rushed). A reason I may have enjoyed this book so much is it is a little reminiscent of other BookTok reads (i.e. Unhoneymooners, Spanish Love Deception & Love Hypothesis). There was one scene in particular that had an almost identical scene to the Love Hypothesis, and the premise of the second half of the book is essentially The Spanish Love Deception.

Overall though, it was highly enjoyable and I can wait to see what Lynn Painter has next!

THE LOVE WAGER is the absolute stunning new novel from Lynn Painter. Painter already took over BookTok and the rest of the internet with her book BETTER THAN THE MOVIES, so I was so excited to read this one. This book was do charming and witty, and gave me all the swoons. I truly could not put this book down until I reached the final page. Lynn Painter is slowly becoming one of my go-to authors and I am so ready to see what she writes next!

Bartender Hallie Piper witnesses a disastrous near-proposal turned breakup and winds up crawling (literally) out of the would-be groom's hotel room the next morning. Deciding she's hit rock bottom, she gets on a dating app to find a real relationship. Only the first guy she sees on the app is her handsome one-night stand, Jack Marshall. Deciding they are absolutely better off as friends, they make a pact to help each other find "The One." Except their dates never seem to go as well as they hope and they wind up eating tacos and watching movies together more often than not. When Hallie needs a last minute date to her sister's wedding, Jack is happy to step up and pretend to be her boyfriend so Hallie doesn't have to face her ex alone. Already blurry lines get blurrier.

The Love Wager features classic rom-com tropes (friends-to-lovers, fake dating, only one bed) made fresh, charming, and sexy with authentic, likable characters, witty banter, and plenty of steam. Fun to read and easy to recommend.

Lynn Painter is an autobuy for me now! She’s so funny and I love the way her characters address problems (quickly lol). This book was so sweet and the spice was *chef’s kiss* 100% recommend

This book was amazing. I finished it in a couple of days. The characters are hilarious, the plot is smart, and nothing was overdramatic. This gave me "Hating Game" vibes, without the intense hatred. The banter between the leads was near perfection. I love that the male protagonist can be so completely comfortable with his besottedness of the female protagonist. No overly macho toxicity... love it!

I am officially obsessed with Lynn Painter. After reading and loving ACCIDENTALLY AMY, I requested this one because I needed more, and I loved this book just as hard.

Hallie and Jack meet at the beginning of the book and have a one night stand at his sister’s wedding… so it started pretty early to be an amazing time for me. After this, they become best friends. I LOVE when friendships start in the book, and not previously (like 15 years before), so this was the kind of friends to lovers I adore. There’s a lot of texting, and I had so much fun with their conversations. This is one of the funniest books I’ve ever read.

The romance was top tier. They both started online dating to find The One… but it always ended up with them having tacos together afterwards. I think this should have been their biggest green flag to know they were, in fact, each other’s One. They were perfect for each other and the chemistry was undeniable. The little fake dating weekend was hilarious because they agreed to fake date, and the procceeded to… date. Dummies to lovers has new captains.

I love love love adore adore adore this book. Lynn has a new superfan, and now I’ll have to control myself not to read her entire backlist in two days. Can I also get more of Ruthie? Because she’s both adorable and a badass and I’m in love.

Rating: 4.5/5
Steam level: Open door, 3-4 scenes, low level of detail

Big thanks to PRH International, Berkley and Netgalley for my ARC. Opinions are my own!

The Love Wager by Lynn Wagner releasing March 2023. Jack and Hallie started out with a one night stand. But then became best friends, trying to encourage each other to find their soulmate. But why does their times together always seem to feel like it is right instead of with any other person. Could these best friends have feelings for each other. This is a great feel good romance book

Lynn Painter is such a staple author for me. I've always enjoyed reading her books and The Love Wager was no different! This book had best friends to lovers and a one night stand. Hallie and Jack are so perfect together. She's such an amazing FMC and Jack was sarcastic and funny and I fell for him so hard. The heat in this book was a little hotter than her past books as well!

Thank you #Netgalley for an early read of #TheLoveWager

It was awesome to have two fun-loving YET SUCCESSFUL main characters. No one is a hot mess, no one lives and dies for the job as a work-a-holic, but they are just normal, well adjusted people. I loved Hallie and Jack's banter and chemistry. This book is like a great cocktail - one that goes down smooth and gets you all full of giggles and warm feelings.
Thanks so much for the ARC!

I absolutely freaking loved this book! Wonderful banter, hysterical laugh out loud moments, sexy swoon worthy moments between two super fun characters! All the wonderful rom com feels and great fake dating, single bed tropes! Can't wait to hand sell this to our customers! So fun!

Screaming at the banter in this book!!! The flirting was everything. The plot was natural and made sense to go from friends to lovers. I loved hearing both POVs and I would love to have a bonus chapter of both couples.

So funny, sexy, and charming it's almost unbearable. The chemistry is so good, I inhaled this in one sitting! How dare you, Lynn Painter, how dare you!!!

Overall fun and enjoyable. I wish there had been fewer tropes and more scenes with greater depth as a lot of things were shallow. I simultaneously was wishing for more and less.

The kissing in the rain scene and the constant references to “one bed trope” removed me from the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC.