Double or Nothing
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Genre: Romance
Format: Audiobook
Date Published: 11/15/22
Author: Cindy Steel
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
GR: 4.36

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

My Thoughts: This is book number two in the Pride and Pranks series. I listened to the first one (That Fine Line) first and then this one. This one could be read as a standalone, while there is some character crossover, it would not be lost on the reader. Tessa grew up in this small town and always had a crush on her best friend’s brother, Logan. Tessa is back home trying to heal from the last heartbreak. Their friend, Jake, propositions them to spend the summer dating with a big prize at the end. They agree and the game starts. Will they fall in love? Or will they end up hating each other in the end and go back to their normal lives?

The story is narrated in a dual narration by both Tess and Logan, in their POV. Tessa is independent, fierce, strong, and loyal to a fault. Logan is compassionate, a heartbreaker, and once you get to know him, very kind and considerate. The characters were well developed with depth, witty banter, chemistry, and you just love them. I loved Jake too, as a supporting character, he brought laughter and compassion. The author’s writing style was complex, swoony, endearing, and keeps you invested for the whole story.

The narrators do an amazing job at voice variation and brings these characters off the page, immersing you into the story. I loved this series, it was fun, sweet, and endearing. I highly recommend picking up both audiobooks!

Friends to lovers is my favorite trope. I loved the banter and fun dates they would go on. Do you think they got their brand new truck? The stipulation is, they can’t fall in love. Loved this story so much.

Thank you to dreamscape media, Cindy Steel and Netgalley for my advanced listener copy of Double or Nothing. My thoughts and opinions are my own. my review is given voluntarily.

Cindy Steel is a new author to me, and i was pleasantly surprised at how much i enjoyed this one. It was super cute. The small-town feel made the story enjoyable. I love the second chance trope. This one was a mix of second chance and enemies to lovers, and best friends brother romance. I adored the audio, and the narrators gave the characters such life. When i figured out that it was part of a series, I immediately went to find the others! give this one a listen or read!

Kind of a modified enemies to lovers, with forced close proximity. It was adorable, and realistic, and I rooted for them the whole way!

This one was a DNF for me. It felt almost too YA for my liking. However, I enjoyed the audio narration and could see people liking this story. I just wasn’t the ride audience.

Thanks to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for an advanced listening copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a quick DNF for me. I didn’t enjoy the characters, or the plot really. I think I’d try the author again, but this one just wasn’t for me.

it was slow in the beginning so it has hard for me to keep reading at times. however I did enjoy the plot and tha characters. I really just wanted more from this one.

This was a very middle-of-the-road book for me. But I do know people I can recommend this book to that will love and enjoy it.

This was a really cute book! I have heard so many good things about it! I was very excited to have the chance to listen to it. Definitely recommend!

A cute and funny romance! Really liked these characters but it’s not a special romance. It definitely made me chuckle a bit so I’d recommend it!!

This review has been added to Goodreads, Literal and Storygraph, as well as Barnes & Noble and Amazon. This will be posted to my instagram (@busywithmybooks_) within the week.

Thank you for allowing me to listen to this story!!

This book was a silly rom com that may have been unrealistic at times but sill a fun journey. Here are some of my favorite things in this book:

✔️ dared to date for the summer
✔️ childhood crush
✔️ best friend's older brother
✔️ funny/cute period scene
✔️ outdoor dates

This is a solid read that I feel a lot of Rom com lovers will enjoy because it's different than your normal read!

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an ALC in exchange for my honest thoughts!

I received this audiobook as an arc from Netgalley and Dreamscape Media.

The story follows Tessa and Logan who enter into a bet with their friend Jake at the beginning of the summer. The bet is that Tessa and Logan will date over the summer and if they don’t fall in love then they will win Jake’s brand new truck. This is book 4 in a series which I didn’t know until I had already started. I think it could easily be read as a standalone if you’d like.

What I loved:
The book was funny and lighthearted. Yet it normalized a character going to therapy to overcome an embarrassing breakup. The storyline acknowledged the flaws of the characters and how past relationships can influence the present.

I really enjoyed this book! The narrators (Stacey Glemboski and David Bendena) were fantastic. They were enjoyable to listen to and their voices matched the characters. The audiobook production was perfect.

I absolutely loved that it didn’t have a traditional 3rd act breakup. There is trouble but done in a refreshing way that didn’t make me roll my eyes.

Areas that could’ve been improved:
There were two moments that stuck out to me that could’ve easily been changed. The first was the use of Cotton Eyed Joe in a moment that was supposed to be slightly embarrassing. There are a lot of negative associations with that song and it could’ve easily been swapped for something else.

The second was when characters were going on a hike. One character is sore from walking so far and says that they are sore from going on a death march. This is another that could’ve easily been switch out for a different reference. Death marches aren’t something to make jokes about and took my attention away from the story.

These caused me to lower my rating to 4 stars from an otherwise 5 star read.

****
Overall I really enjoyed this book and will go back and read the others now.

Tropes:
-small town
-sibling’s best friend
-childhood crush
-forced proximity
-fake dating (sort of)

This was a fairly predictable but cutesy little book where our protagonists made a bet they wouldn’t fall in love but had to follow the rules/dates that had been set up for them. Both characters are likeable and they both take a turn narrating - their unique stories come out slowly over time as they get to know each other better and this gives them more depth. I enjoyed this book despite its predictable outcome. Fans of women’s fiction and/or romance would fund this book to be an enjoyable read!

Thank you NetGalley for the electronic advanced version of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the audiobook narration of this book!

This was absolutely one of my favorite reads of the year thus far!! Cindy has a way with words that can have me belly laughing one minute and feeling empathy for the characters a minute later. The laugh out loud scenes in this book are still making me giggle even just writing this review.

I absolutely adored Tessa and Logan’s story and can’t wait for FREAKING JAKE’s book!! If you haven’t read a Cindy Steel romcom yet, do it now!! You won’t be disappointed!

Thank you so much to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I couldn’t get into this one. It seems like a hybrid between YA and adult but doesn’t really work in between, I’ll probably revisit it but my first few listens didn’t catch my interest enough to be fully engaged.

Better than the first in the series but there was way too much slut shaming for my taste
Thanks to netgalley and the author for an arc of this book. all opinions expressed are my own.

I received a copy of this audiobook though netgalley for an honest review.

I wasn't sure I could like the main male character Logan. He was to shallow and a womanizer to boot. But he redeemed himself as the book went on. I want to read about Kelsie's and Kent's start after this one. Actually I want to read the whole series of books from this author.

Double or Nothing is the newest installment in the Pride and Pranks series by Cindy Steel. I have enjoyed this series so far and Tessa and Logan's story was definitely a fun addition. Both of them grew up in the same town and Tessa is best friends with Logan's younger sister. Tessa has had a crush on Logan for as long as she can remember. Now they are both grown up and have come back home for various reasons when their friend Jake makes them a deal they can't resist. They get Jake's very expensive truck if they don't fall in love with each other. Let the games begin. If you are looking for a swoony hard-working hero, fun dates in a perfect setting, flirty banter, and lots of chemistry....then this is the book for you.

Even though this story can totally be read as a standalone, I would highly recommend reading That Fine Line first because I am excited to say this book was full of Cade and Kelsey updates. I listened to the audiobook version of this story and had no issues with it. I thought that both narrators did a fantastic job.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for a copy of this audiobook. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Double or Nothing is the fourth book in Cindy Steel’s Pride and Pranks series. Tessa Robbins has returned to her family home in Eugene, Oregon for the summer after graduating from school to become a certified physical therapist. Her brother Nate has been a practicing physical therapist for several years. Now that he has a family of his own, he is returning to his hometown to build his own physical therapy practice with his sister by his side. During the summer while the facility is being built Tessa is keeping busy with a few private patients, including her mom who is recovering from a double knee replacement. She is also helping out in her family’s orchard and fruit stand.

While connecting with a high school friend home visiting, Tessa is approached by several of the construction crew in Eugene to build the new office building. She shoots each down, but they all have fun in the process. The final one to try is Logan Martin. Logan is the older brother of her best friend Kelsey Martin Williams who now lives in Colorado with her husband Cade and is expecting twins.

Tessa has been infatuated with Logan since she was a child with far too many embarrassing moments to count. But not this time! Tessa would send him packing, too. However, his good friend Jake sees a spark that will set Tessa and Logan on a summer journey with the bet of an $80,000 truck on the line.

This is such a fun romp! Ms.Steel has once again constructed such a fun plot with great characters and interesting story. I very much enjoyed this book and do recommend it!

Double or Nothing by Cindy Steel was an adorable small town, childhood crush and fake dating story. The main characters take a bet to date for an entire summer and not fall in love, to win (they of course thought this would be easy for them..) Easily read as a standalone, but I'd love to read the others in the series. The narration was great, loved the dual POV. If you're looking for an easy listen, light-hearted romance this is the book for you!

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for this ALC