Bet on It by Jodie Slaughter, was one of my favorite books of 2022, so I was so excited to read Play to Win, the second book in the series. Though the content of this book is different from Bet on It, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, and it followed the same theme of real people dealing with real issues. Miriam suddenly wins the lottery and now has all the money in the world, and all of the problems that come with it, including dealing with her estranged husband Leo. Leo loves Miri but doesn’t feel adequate and now this one in a million chance is bringing them back together.
This book was a great mix of romance and drama. I was on the edge of my seat waiting to read about how this newfound money would change the lives of Miri and Leo, as well as their joint life as a couple. I appreciated the mix of narratives from Miri and Leo, as well as the stories of the people in their lives including Walker and Aja from Bet on It. This romance novel explores the paths that one can take when internal and external expectations put pressure on one’s relationship. It was a slow burn, but I relished the opportunity to see how Miri and Leo grew and found their way back to each other.
This is another hit for Slaughter! I am looking forward to continuing to read her work in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

This one was just okay for me? The unique plot premise had me hoping for so much more! For a romance to really work for me I have to really connect with the characters and I really struggled to get there with both Miriam and Leo unfortunately! I will say that the 🌶️ and the writing were top notch though and I gave the audio a try as well and the narration was excellent!

Miriam is unlucky in love but found herself lucky in the lottery. After winning the Mega Million lottery, she is in a unique position. Her estranged, but not divorced, husband Leo is entitled to half her winnings even though they haven't interacted in years. This is a cute, second chance romance. I liked learning the backstories of the characters and their relationship.

Thanks NetGalley for a copy of this arc! This review is being written after Play to Win’s publication date, but better late than never!

This is the story of Miri and Leo - a second chance romance featuring a huge lottery win and a lot of unresolved feelings.

Overall, it was an enjoyable story that definitely captured some good Southern vibes. I definitely enjoyed the slow burn and looked forward to how the story would play out. The romance didn’t hit me in the gut as much as I would have hoped, but this book surely had a lot of great elements that made it a read I would recommend to friends!

I love a second chance romance so much and I fell in love with Slaughter's writing reading her debut so I was fully prepared to adore this book, however, it just slightly missed the mark for me. I loved the premise of a lottery win forcing second chance connections, but the character development wasn't enough to have me convinced they would work long term. I did thoroughly enjoy the representations throughout this book and the commentary Slaughter placed within the representation. I wish this had a little more hard-hitting feeling, but overall, Slaughter delivered a delightful and impactful second chance romance stressing the importance of mental health and real world problems.

Cute second chance romance and plot. The ancillary characters and storylines were a little more enjoyable, as the male lead was hard to root for and felt the relationship was quite unhealthy.

That’s a lot going on in the story, but it blends together and unfolds seamlessly. The romance here is gentle and tender. I found this really adorable.

This book was quite the surprise to me. I very much enjoyed the read by Jodie Slaughter. If you love romance and comedy you will absolutely enjoy this book.

This was a sweet read and very enjoyable!! I love the idea of reconciliation here and the fun twist that brought them together! There was some "miscommunication" which isn't my favorite but it was handled well!

I’d first like to thank NetGalley for the Arc in exchange for an honest review!

This book follows Miri and Leo, an estranged married couple who go through a journey trying to find their way back to one another. In the beginning of the story, Miri decides to play the lottery on a whim, and is left shocked when her numbers get picked. Miri then chooses to reconnect with her estranged husband Leo, to offer him a lump sum of her winnings as well as a divorce. After their first time seeing each other after 8 years, and Leo being back in town, they are forced to decide what their future will look like, and whether or not they will be in each other’s lives anymore.

When I first began this book, I was extremely confused on why Leo left in the first place. The book switches between Miri and Leo’s perspectives, and Leo loves Miri deeply. I also found it easy to empathize with Miri who was left in a state of confusion as she tried to figure out how she felt towards her husband. The idea of Miri and Leo still being married after being estranged for so long was something that frustrated me as I read through the story, which is why my rating isn’t higher. The story was well written, easy to read, and did have me laughing. I am definitely interested in reading some of Jodie Slaughter’s other books!

What happens when you win the lottery and you have to tell your estranged husband? Find out in Play to Win by Jodie Slaughter which comes out tomorrow, July 11th!

I like this book and found it easy to binge read, but I was honestly hoping for more of a redemption arc for these characters and their love story. The plot concept had such potential (a drastic life change forces two lovers to reconnect), but I think it could’ve been better executed.

One of my favorite tropes is marriage in crisis, but this one just didn’t fully hit the mark for me. I know that relationships are complicated and I appreciated how this story showed the realities of that, but I just couldn’t understand certain characters' actions and couldn’t forgive them for it. Plus I could tell if I liked the side characters because they were actually decent people or disliked them because they let the two main characters act like fools.

However, if you read Slaughter’s previous book, BET ON IT, you will appreciate returning to the same small town of Greenbelt, South Carolina.

While some might like this book, this marriage in crisis lottery romance missed the mark for me.

*I received an ARC from St. Martin’s Press in exchange for my honest opinion.

such a cute and adorable book!! loved the vibes and the concept🫶🏼 the mains characters had good chemistry. i had a good time reading this!!

I am participating in the St Martin’s Press boycott. I will not publicly be reviewing this title until St. Martin’s Press addresses reader concerns. I was sent an arc from the publisher and all thoughts are my own, honest opinion.

I love a book by Jodie Slaughter. They are such fun and the characters are so incredibly likable. This was a joy from the very beginning.

I received a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

3 stars!

I think I'm really realizing what I do and do not like in contemporary romance and unfortunately it is not this. I didn't love the way the two characters got together. Additionally, I didn't really feel like much happened in the entire book and I was just waiting for them to get back together as opposed to feeling excited by other subplots.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

It has been over a years since I read “Bet It On” by Jodie Slaughter and I must say that “Play To Win” is an awesome read. This is the 2nd book by Jodie Slaughter that I have the pleasure of reading and this one is definitely a winner. This an entertaining read with its share of drama; witty camaraderie, great characters and plot that held me captive. Miriam has been in the same dead-end job since she was sixteen years. Since her estranged husband Leo walked away from her she finds herself back home with her parents sleeping her twin bed. Miriam has just hit the Mega Million Lottery Jackpot. It has been over eight years since she has had a conversation with her estranged husband Leo. All Miriam wants is for Leo to sign the divorce papers or does she; and she will give him his share. Leo has other plans he wants Miriam back in his life and according to Leo she doesn’t even have to give him half of her winnings of which he is entitled to; he just wants her back . Miriam has a big heart and I don’t know if I would’ve did what she did when it came to my estranged husband. You go Miriam a lady gotta do what a lady has to do to get what she wants.

Will Leo be able to win Miriam back, is there a second chance in store for Miriam and Leo?

I received an ARC via NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press and I am leaving my review voluntarily.

There are some books you know will be your next 5 star and some books that won't. I can honestly say this book wasn't for me. I found myself wishing the plot went in a different direction and not caring about the couple at all.

Thought the premise was adorable - and the fact he wants her, not the money. But conveniently, he wants her back right as she calls him to tell him she’s come into some money. Rubbed me the wrong way from the start, but figured I’ll give the book a chance. But, it still stunk. The MMC was kind of just blah and I can see why our FMC had an estranged marriage in the first place. If only he’d granted the divorce and she could have moved on! Writing style was good, and Jodie’s first book was great, but this one just didn’t work out for me. Still a good one overall! Thanks for the opportunity to read!

I finally got around to reading this after really enjoying Bet On It in 2022. This book definitely stands alone and is an extremely steamy second chance romance. Would definitely recommend if you like messy family dynamics!

What a cute story! I normally don’t always love second chances but this was so sweet and wholesome. I mean, there were definitely still some spicy scenes, but the way the man went about getting his woman back * chefs kiss*