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.