4/5 stars!
What starts as a less than optimal meet cute turns into a charming small town romance!

I was expecting more of a rom-com vibe going in, but this book is more on the serious side. The romance was very sweet and mature and veryyyy steamy. I loved Aja as a main character and Walker as her love interest; they had incredible chemistry and character growth throughout the entirety of the book. I liked the focus on mental health and personal growth that we witness in both main characters. I also loved that the story was very character driven and you really got a deep, inside view of all their inner thoughts, anxieties, and insecurities.

Cute books are never set in my home state of South Carolina! I think this excited me most about Bet On It by Jodie Slaughter. That, and the frank conversation it has about managing mental health and trauma in relationships.

Who would have thought a meet-cute could happen while Aja was having a panic attack in the frozen food section of the Piggly Wiggly?? And then for Aja and Walker to meet again during bingo night? I swear this story is about people in their 20s.

Aja and Walker both have their mental health struggles: Aja with anxiety and Walker with PTSD from a difficult childhood. Aja ran to Greenbelt, a small town, to get away from the noise. Walker escaped Greenbelt to run from the ghosts of his past. Together, they learn how to better handle their triggers and face their fears head on.

Greenbelt, SC is not a real place, but I recognize it. It is a quintessential small town, SC where the lingering effects of segregation will make you forget Black people or white people live there, depending on what background you come from. The two worlds coexist with little interaction; you see the other world from the outside.

This is the vibe of Greenbelt. You see the two worlds bridged together through Aja and Walker, and people just accept that they are together. No racial tension mentioned whatsoever.

This was the part of the book that I found unrealistic. I know it is 2022, but a small town in the south would not be such smooth sailing. And I know that the interracial dynamic of the relationship didn’t have to be the focus (but I find interracial romances it’s hardly EVER the focus), but the fact that everyone was ok, weirded me out. There were no subtle, sideways glances or a slip of a microaggression. There was one reference to being one of a few Black folks in town, and it’s as if racism just doesn’t exist.

The main source of tension and growth comes from the mental health aspect. This book felt like a good conversation starter about relationships and mental health. You have two people individually working on themselves and managing their mental health coming together to learn how to take care of each other in times of need.

This story felt more honest that the way struggles typically come up in romance novels. There are always mommy or daddy issues, lack of boundaries/people pleasing, or some other external relational issue that comes to affect the protagonist and their relationship, but no one talks about how those things can tie to deeper mental health concerns.

I thought it was so important to have the space for Walker to show the effects of childhood trauma and PTSD in men. We never connect PTSD to men outside of the combat perspective. And I thought it was equally important to have the space to show the vulnerable, anxious side of Aja to contradict the strong Black woman stereotype. She got the space to break down, even if she manages to keep her life together.

Overall, I would recommend this book. It was a really fun read, and the spicy scenes get four out of five chili peppers from me!

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Griffin for this Audio Arc.

This book opens with a panic attack and has themes of Mental health and illnesses.
Heavy trigger warnings for PTSD, Anxiety disorders and panic attacks, self harm.


Aja, a young social media manager, who has just moved to the small town of Greenbelt meets the man of her dreams in the local supermarket in the midst of a panic attack.
This dreamy man, Walker Abbot, has just returned to Greenbelt to help with his grandmother after a minor accident. After a heated bingo game Aja and Walker decide to go into a hasty bingo sex pack - Because that would be better than admitting there could be more than just sexual attraction.

I love that this romance book focuses on the two people individually, their families, friendships and health then puts them together. AND THEY COMMUNICATE!
Walker deals with his childhood trauma and relationships with his hometown, father and grandmother.
Aja works with her social anxiety by making friends in a new town and looking for a fresh start.

This book is HOT 🔥 🥵 , I never knew bingo could be sexy!? A bingo sex pact, thats definely how I’m going to recommend this book. The banter, the relationship, friendships!? I loved every bit of it.

I wanted to really love Bet On It by Jodie Slaughter, but unfortunately it fell a bit flat for me. The premise is fun--a woman moving from the big city to a small town starts going to bingo to meet people. She meets an old lady, who befriends her. That lady's grandson is forced to come back to his small hometown when she's injured and needs his help. Boy and girl meet. Become friends. Fall in lust. Make a bet.

Normally, I love books which tackle real life issues like mental health. Both characters suffer from panic attacks. Aja has generalized anxiety disorder. Walker has C-PTSD. Like in life, these mental health issues affect every aspect of the character's lives, but I felt like the way it was handled was a bit too heavy-handed and clunky. I offer the critique cautiously because I know everyone experiences anxiety in their own unique way.

Overall, I did enjoy the story, and the narrator did an admirable job with her performance. I found her masculine voice for Walker a bit distracting, but I loved the life she brought to Aja and her friends. I felt like Walker didn't sound like the small-town country boy he was supposed to be. (I grew up in a small town with country boys, so I know that sound all too well.)

I really appreciated the inclusion of anxiety issues and mental health in this story and I was so excited about there being a niche background setting like a Bingo Hall for a modern romance. Unfortunately, this just was not the book for me. The audio was fine and there were many aspects of the story that I did like but I just could not find Walker to be a likeable character and no matter how much I liked Aja and the supporting characters, I found myself not being interest in the romance because of my feelings towards the main lead.

I'd be interested in reading more by this author but this one was just not for me.

OH MY GOD. DO NOT LET THIS PASTEL COVER FOOL YOU. THIS WAS SO SPICY. It started slow for me, but OOOOOOO-WEEEE!!!!!!! This was absolutely AMAZING. THIS is how you contemporary romcom.

Obviously, this cannot be purchased for a school library, but DAMN, this was amazing.

As a lifelong bookworm, I am amazed to just be discovering the delight of contemporary romance novels. I literally never read a romance novel before this year, assuming they were all bodice-rippers with Fabio on the cover. I had no idea there was this whole other side of the romance genre that had cartoonish covers and sweet love stories that are just a plain pleasure to read.

Here are some things I loved about Bet On It, the story of two adults suffering from lifelong anxiety disorders who fall in love despite trying their best to avoid getting romantically entangled:
* the book is sexy, with lots of hot build-up of pent-up desire driving the narrative forward;
* the sex scenes focus on the woman's pleasure in a believable and deliciously descriptive way -- and the man doesn't mind a bit if he doesn't get to get off (OK, so maybe not everything in the novel is believable);
* the female protagonist, Aja, is thick, and her body is described as sexy and desirable in a multitude of ways, with the male protagonist often admiring the way her ample thighs look in tight shorts, while also admiring her big appetite for yummy food;
* absolutely no mention is ever made of dieting or Aja wishing to lose weight or being in any way ashamed of her voluptuous body;
* the two main characters both have anxiety disorders and are or have been in therapy, which helps them be able to talk about their feelings authentically;
* the relationship is inter-racial without race ever being mentioned except as a physical descriptor. Indeed, Walker's voice (narrated by Angel Pean) absolutely "sounds black," with the narrator going out of her way to depict the cadence and inflections in Walker's voice as Black sounding. Walker's grandmother and father also sound Black, to the point that I wondered if Walker were only white in a passing way, perhaps the child of an interracial couple but raised in a Black community. (If that was mentioned early in the book, I missed it; I just think race doesn't get a mention.)

What I liked less about the book:
* Two single adults who met and hit it off as hard as Aja and Walker did would be unlikely to create as much tension as the author tried to create over whether they could ever possibly be happy together given that Walker is only visiting from out of town. I just didn't buy the crisis of unfulfilled longing they were creating for themselves.
* Walker's rage at his hometown seemed childish and immature to me, not the way someone who is evolving in therapy would react to reminders of when he was bullied as a child.
* Walker's behavior toward the end of the book seems totally out of character for him, and the additional crisis this created for the main characters was even more unbelievable. I guess all of these romance novels have happy endings, so perhaps that makes it hard for their to be any real suspense, but the drama in this novel seemed entirely contrived.

With all that said, if you can suspend your disbelief long enough to just enjoy the steamy sex scenes and the open admiration of a woman with meat on her bones, I highly recommend this book.

The audiobook version of this novel was provided to me by Netgalley and the publisher, and I am providing my honest opinion.

Yes, yes, yes. You need to read this book. I absolutely loved Aja and Walker's story. The southern charm, especially in the audiobook narration, is unforgettable. The plot was unique and cute, while also delivering some great spicy scenes. If you are on the fence, do yourself a favor and give this book a go!

<i> Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review. </i>

Aja Owens loves bingo, loves getting her nails done, and is prone to panic attacks. Walker Abbott loves peach cobbler, loves his Gram (who just so happens to be Aja's bingo buddy), and has a rough relationship with his estranged father. When the two meet (not once, but twice!), their relationship develops into a spur-of-the-moment, bingo-based sex pact. Instead of this pact enforcing healthy boundaries on their relationship, it serves only to fuel the fire burning between them. Can they resist the temptation for a more serious relationship, or is it doomed to end in heartbreak when Walker inevitably has to move back home?

Overall, Jodie Slaughter's <i> Bet on It </i> was a fun (though heavy at times), fast read. The two main characters were realistic, flawed, and genuine. At times, it felt like the main relationship developed too quick, and I wasn't a fan of the third act conflict here, but the resolution was, admittedly, satisfying.

I gave this book 3 stars, but I was on the fence between a high 3 and a low 4. I would recommend this book to fans of Emily Henry or anyone who loves well-balanced romance books.

Bet on It was splendid! The story follows Aja, she's new to town and is struggling with her own insecurities, and Walker who unwillingly returned back to town to take care of his injured grandmother. At first they meet at a grocery store when Aja has a panic attack and later on come to find that she is his grandmother's bingo partner. The story takes from there. As they both start to build a connection and discovering their basically sizzling tension, they make a sex based pact. Both characters struggle with anxiety issues, they are both very well developed characters that I personally relate to, I really enjoyed the way the story progressed from sweet to steamy and actually quite serious as the character's mental health is displayed, the topics were very well approached and written! The narrator did an amazing job at voicing each character and setting the mood and tone of the story!

What I Liked:
Body positivity.
Small town vibes.
Supportive friends.
Authentic anxiety rep for both characters.
Normalization of mental health issues and therapy.
Meddling and slightly messy Grandma.

Issues:
I didn’t feel the connection between Aja and Walker it was too insta love for me.

I wanted more groveling from Walker at the end.

Narration:

Angel Pean did a good job with Aja, but I wasn’t a fan of Walker’s narration.

BET ON IT, two anxiety riddled individuals fall into a weekly wager that may take their friendship to new levels. Big city girl running from the hustle and bustle, small town boy running from his past. Aja and Walker’s journey is the post pandemic love story we all need. I am not sure I can review this book without spoiling it for readers. Jodie made Aja so relatable even for someone that does not suffer from anxiety, well maybe it hasn’t been properly diagnosed. From the first page I was hooked, Aja needed something and so did Walker. Who knew they would find it in the aisles of a grocery store or at a table full of gray haired women ready to wreak havoc over weekly bingo?

Aja is a character that you can easily fall in love with. She is shy but she is also fun. A girl’s girl with a sprinkle of anxiety. I may use that word a lot in this review, but it shows up throughout the book. Aja and Walker are both super relatable. I appreciate the way he loves her curves. It makes me want to sing one time for the big girls in the best Lizzo voice I have to offer.

Walker isn’t quite the boy next door, but he isn’t the nerd either. He is a loner, one that kept his head down and couldn’t wait to get out of the gossip filled small town. He is the boy in high school you forget about until he marries the prom queen years later. Handsome, flaw filled, but lovable. I was thrilled to be able to experience this story prior to it hitting the shelves. This is the first review I have ever done but I couldn’t have picked a better book. It was a page turner for sure. I finished it in about 2 days.

Much love,
CeeJayy <3

📖Book: Bet on It
🎤Narrated: Angel Pean
⭐️Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✍🏼Author: Jodie Slaughter
📚Genre: Romance
🎧Length: 10 Hours, 18 Minutes
🗏 Pages: 307
💕Tropes: Small Town, Friends to Lovers, Just a Hook-Up
⚠️Warnings: Mental Illness, Panic Attacks, Drug Abuse, Child Endangerment
🔖Readability: 4/5 italic font is used + a couple of longer chapters
🥇First Line: All things considered, the frozen dinner section of the Piggly Wiggly was one of the better public places to have a panic attack.

Things to expect:
✨Plus-size Representation
❤️Anxiety Representation
💞Bi-Racial Couple
💛BIGNO Sex Pact
🪴Personal Growth

Bet on you is an interracial romance between two neurodiverse characters, and Jodie Slaughter writes about anxiety on paper in such a beautiful way you forget that not everyone understands what it is like to have it. Aja Owns a plus-size lady who recently moved to a small town in Greenbelt, South Carolina, where she is the youngest person in attendance at their bingo games. Walker Abbott left Greenbelt after high school and never looked back until his grandmother needed help. Their meet-cute of an accurate panic attack in the middle of the frozen food section had me swooning; her bingo buddy and his grandmother are the same people. I was screaming when these two were making a BINGO SEX PACT? They can only sleep with one another when one of them wins a game. That will keep them from falling, right? This magical rom-com deals with the real-life struggles of dealing with complex trauma. Jodie's writing felt like a friend was telling me this story in the third person point of view, and I felt comfortable knowing that it was a safe place to be discussed. The romance of these two portrays a more accurate representation of how two neurodiverse characters take things slowly and the challenges that come with thinking differently than most. This was such a cute story to listen to, and I am so glad I picked up a paperback copy for my shelf. The narrator's voice was calming and enjoyable to listen to (even at the faster speed I tend to use). If you haven't had the chance to check out Bet on It By Jodie Slaughter, I suggested picking up your copy today. Out Now.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Griffin, and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest feedback.

Whew - this was quite the steamy read. 🥵 I mean, I guess what else do you expect from a Bingo Sex Pact?

I appreciated the positive impact of therapy throughout the book, and the relationship between Aja and Walker was pretty great. I loved that they understood each other on a deeper level, since they both struggled with mental illness. Walker annoyed me in his unwillingness to admit his feelings, and my biggest annoyance was the lack of accuracy in how to play bingo. lol

3.5 rounded down to 3 stars.
Tropes: Friends to Lovers
CW: panic attacks, drug abuse, child abuse

Aja is in the middle of a panic attack in a Piggle Wiggly when she meets a gorgeous man. When she sees him again, it’s when her bingo buddy is introducing him as her grandson. They fall into a bingo sex pact, agreeing to hook up only when one of them wins to try to avoid getting too attached.

I thought the way this book addressed mental health was phenomenal. Aja and Walker seemed to handle their anxiety and PTSD in healthy ways and the discussions therapy, coping strategies, and mental health in general were really well done. They each showed incredible growth as individuals and I loved them. I also loved the meddling grandparents trope - it’s one of my favorites and Walker’s grandma plus the bingo angle was especially fun!

While there were things I loved about this book, ultimately I was not as invested in the romance as I would have liked to be. While I loved Aja and Walker as individuals, I didn’t feel their connection. This could be because insta-love is one of my least favorite tropes, so that may just be my preference.

I thought the audio narration was phenomenal. I loved listening to this one!

Jodie Slaughter, I am in awe. This really tugged at me emotionally, which makes extra sense given our characters and being able to see in both of their heads added to it. I loved that we do not have a "fix me" kinda of romance going on.

We follow Aja and Walker as they navigate through anxiety and the changes in their lives. Aja moved to Greenbelt for a slower pace, while Walker wishes he was anywhere but back in his hometown that holds a troubling past.

These two meet at the local Bingo night and boy does it take off from there. As a person who enjoys bingo, I really enjoyed how it played a part in the story without taking over the plot. The tension and romance between the characters was well written and developed naturally.

This story covers heavy topics such as anxiety, panic attacks, child neglect, and drug use (all of which were handled with grace). We also have a fat MC/love interest and the way that Walker describes her body and his attraction to her felt genuine.

The story is a 4/5 stars, but the audiobook was more along a 3/5 stars for me. The accent the narrator used for Walker was not one that I would associate with a southern white male and was very similar to the accent given to his best friend.

Bingo!!!

I enjoyed this audiobook.
Aja meets Walker at a low moment. Aja meets him again at a bingo game. Sh's new in town and Walker is back in town to help his grandmother.

The main characters suffer from panic attacks, anxiety, and PTSD. This book takes a realistic approach to mental health issues

Aja can't seem to make friends and Walker does not want anything to do with the people in town. Until he meets Aja. They build a relationship that truly helps them deal with life.

I enjoyed the sex pact which, may I add, they failed miserably.

Bet on It is a really raw, deeply emotional read that will stick with me for awhile! Aja Owens is living the quiet life she’s worked hard to build in a small South Carolina town. She cherishes her bingo nights where she’s the youngest in the room by decades. She has regular virtual therapy appointments, but (as many of us know) it’s not the end-all-be-all for anxiety and panic attacks. Her latest one hits at a super inconvenient time– while she’s browsing the frozen foods section at the grocery store. She’s mortified when a handsome stranger steps in to help, and even more so when they come face-to-face again at bingo night. Walker is apparently the grandson of her favorite bingo buddy.

Walker got out of Greenbelt as soon as he could reasonably do so, thanks to his traumatic childhood. He only returned a decade later to help his grandma after an accident. (And maybe the peach cobbler at his favorite diner.) His dad’s substance abuse disorder and the stigma it attached to Walker has had a lifetime of lingering effects. Now, he’s working to repair the rocky relationship with his grandma, and heal old wounds.

He and Aja are kindred spirits, becoming fast friends and on track for something more. They try to fight the pull they feel toward each other, agreeing to only hook up if and when one of them wins at bingo night. Who knew bingo could be so sexy?!? I loved that unique addition to this romance.

This felt real and vulnerable. I feel like Jodie put her whole heart and soul into writing this. The anxiety representation, from both main characters, was so true-to-life. I love the added perspective of Walker’s Complex- PTSD. (Living in an area that’s the heart of the opioid epidemic, this was extremely relatable.)

The narration was smooth as molasses. Angel Pean did a magnificent job with the southern accents, especially the slow-talking Walker. Not much in audiobooks turns me off, but an inauthentic southern accent will do it. Luckily, Angel’s voice was perfectly matched to the parts. At first, I’ll admit I was a little frustrated at the slower pace. In the NetGalley app, if you speed up the narration to more than 2.0x, it starts skipping words. At 2.0, it felt excruciatingly slow to start, but I soon settled into the cadence and found myself really enjoying the pace. Rounding up to 5 stars for the stellar audio production! Thanks to Macmillan Audio, SMP Romance, and NetGalley for an ALC.

This was my first read by Jodie Slaughter and I hate to say that I was disappointed! I was able to listen to the audio book and when I first started it, I loved her voice. I thought her voice fit Aja perfectly! She had so much rasp and depth to her voice that I was immediately intrigued. However, as the story went on, I found myself wishing for some variety. I've listened to some really great narrators who do a fantastic job of playing multiple characters and keeping things interesting despite it being hours of their one voice. I did not feel the same about this narrator. I don't think she necessarily needed to change her voice when she was speaking from Walker's point of view, but I felt like everything was very one note and there wasn't enough differentiation to keep me interested as a listener. I made it about half-way through this listen before I just couldn't do it anymore. I hope they consider adding a second narrator or switching some things up in the future because I think this could've been better, it just wasn't there for me right now!