**I was excited to receive a complimentary copy of Betting on You by Lynn Painter from NetGalley. Opinions in this review are completely my own.**

I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it for any students looking for a fun romance. I always like the banter in Lynn Painter's books. She does a great job of developing realistic characters that you would want to be friends with. I think a lot of teens with divorced parents would be able to relate to the feelings that Charlie and Bailey feel. I liked how both of them dealt with this in different ways; Charlie was outspoken and Bailey kept her feelings in, again allowing many teens to relate to these characters. As well, I enjoyed seeing the layers to their personalities unfold, as both characters were more than they first seemed whey they met.

Book Review
Betting On You by Lynn Painter

Tropes
YA romance
Divorce
Single parents/parents dating
Enemies to friends
Friendship
Introvert meets extrovert
Cats
A bet

Thoughts
Glasses aka Bailey and Mr Nothing aka Charlie are quirky and loveable with strong chemistry. Their sarcasm and banter fill the pages making this an easy read. The writing is fluid and matches the “age” of the book. Painter readily channels her inner teen/new adult to create characters and a narrative that is relatable.

Overall
A good read

Thanks to @netgalley and @simonschusterca for my digital copy in return for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own.

I was absolutely charmed by this book. Lynn Painter has yet again delivered a story that's effortlessly engaging and wonderfully light-hearted. Her books have become an auto-read for me since I read The Do-Over.

The story is a treasure trove of humor, sharp wit, and a sprinkling of bets that keep the reader thoroughly entertained. Charlie and Bailey's initial encounter might not have been a fairy-tale 'meet-cute,' but it was entertaining. Their paths crossed intermittently over three years until they both found themselves working at the same waterpark. The plot thickens as they embark on a series of playful bets, and Charlie's teasing and Bailey's nonchalant responses had me blushing more times than I can count.

If you're a fan of the 'forced proximity' and 'fake dating' scenarios, this book offers a delectable feast of swoon-worthy moments and heartwarming interactions. Charlie, with his sharp humor and quick wit, had me hooked from the very beginning, long before Bailey's heart was even in the game. The banter and teasing, especially during their fake dating escapades, were absolutely delightful. I wish I could share some of the memorable quotes, but trust me when I say it's worth discovering them yourself.

Bailey, on the other hand, might come across as a bit reserved, but her unwavering authenticity won my admiration. She remains true to herself, unapologetically embracing her likes, thoughts, and actions, regardless of who's watching. What's even more endearing is Charlie's remarkable memory for every tiny detail about her, from her favorite drinks to her specific food orders.

Beneath the engaging romance, the book subtly weaves in important themes. The 'divorced children syndrome' and the challenges both Charlie and Bailey face due to it are portrayed with such realism and relatability that it adds depth to the story.

In a nutshell, this book is a delightful romcom that will have you laughing, blushing, and rooting for the characters' love story. It's a light and entertaining summer read with a heartwarming message.

Lynn Painter can do no wrong. I would read this woman's grocery list. Such a fun, fluffy page-turner. Loved the fake dating, and forced proximity. A bit heavy on the Taylor references (I'm a swiftie but there's a line lol) a lot was happening with the multiple tropes but still a great fun read!

4.5 STARS

One word: CUTE! Lynn Painter YA books have honestly never let me down. I have loved them all and this is definitely one of my new favorites by her. Bailey and Charlie were the most hilarious duo and I absolutely loved the chemistry that they had throughout the book.

I thoroughly loved the way that Charlie was like, hardcore denying his feelings throughout the entire book, it gave me a good laugh. Bailey was such a sweetheart and I really liked her character. The way that we got to watch Charlie and Bailey’s “friendship/co-workership” grow throughout the book, only made it sweeter.

The conversations around divorce were really well done and I feel like each character could definitely relate to teens who are in families going through divorce. It added to the plot, but didn’t overwhelm the plot! Every time that Charlie and Bailey messed with Scott gave me a solid chuckle.

Overall, this book was really adorable and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a cute YA romance book!

As always, thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review!

First let me just say that I haven’t read a YA book in a long while, so I needed to take a little bit to digest the book before being able to give an honest review.

Here it is: Present me is giving this book 3 stars. I liked the storyline and idea alot. However, the characters just felt really stereotypical and in ways made the storyline almost too predictable. But they had really good banter and I could sense a genuine connection between the characters.

Now, if I could take this book, time travel back 6 or 7 years and read this book in my 16 year old selfs body - I would absolutely eat this up. The book reads young and it would have probably been one that I binge read at that age.

However, having read many many more books now, it just didn’t hit the same way that it would have if I were that age. I also whole heartedly realize that this is a me problem, but let me just say that I this book is perfect for any teen/YA trying to get into reading. It throws alot at you. Gets a good sense of all of the classic tropes, and overall I think alot of people (including past me) would love it.

This was my first read from Lynn Painter, I look forward to reading more!

I could not get into this book. Out of the gate I found the characters to be unlikable. They lean into their ‘stereotypes’ characters to hard and it’s cringey. The book starts with the male mc lowkey bullying the fmc and in his justification for why he doesn’t think men and women can be friends is because “he’s already pictured the attractive women on the flight naked” - big yikes.

Disappointed because it’s a cute concept but I found the execution lacking.

Betting on You is Lynn Painter's take on When Harry Met Sally, and I absolutely loved it. There is so much feeling and heart behind this book, as well as discussing the age old question, "can men and women really be just friends?"
Their first meeting is when they are both about to get on a plane, and Charlie is too busy making out with a girl, leaving Bailey to do the awkward "excuse me, keep moving" interjection. Not exactly an endearing meet cute. And then they have to sit next to each other for the entire flight. Cue instant hate.
Keeping true to the When Harry Met Sally plot, they continue to run into each other randomly for the next few years, until they end up with the same job. By this point Bailey has no patience for Charlie, and he has no desire to spend time with Bailey. Too bad they need each other and end up falling in love.
This will 100% be a hit with fans of Lynn Painter's book Better than the Movies, and I can't wait to sell it.

I've said it once, and ill say it again... LYNN PAINTER CAN DO NO WRONG!

I've loved all her YA books and this one is just as equally amazing. As a fellow swiftie, I VERY MUCH appreciated all the taylor swift references<3
As someone who is know longer considered to be part of the YA age range, I loved every minute of it and found some way to relate to the characters. I swooned, I giggled, and I cried.
Thank you Lynn Painter for another amazing book <3

BETTING ON YOU is a funny and sweet YA romance that I couldn't put down. The banter between Charlie and Bailey was A+ and had me grinning the whole read.

This book will put a smile on your face if you enjoy:
- grumpy/sunshine tropes
- tons of pop culture refs (especially if you're a Swiftie)
- clever writing and banter
- enemies to coworkers to friends (?) to lovers
- 10 Things I Hate About You


Thank you NetGalley for the early copy!

This was a fun, lighthearted romcom about two friends who fight about whether they're friends, then fall in love while trying not to let the other know. It's nothing new, but it's done quite well.

There were a few moments that took me out of the story a bit, like when Bailey was surprised at her mom's reaction to bringing Charlie on their vacation? Girl! In what world! Plus the goose? I get that there needed to be a reason for them to sleep in the same room but this was just a bit too out of the blue for me.

All in all, a fine little read that I think the teens will love.

Lynn freaking Painter does it again.
at this point, we can just assume i am in love with this women. the way she writes, has captured my heart in all the best ways. her books are always filled with feel good, ooey gooey moments that have me giggling and kicking my feet up like a school girl with a crush.

some forced proximity and fake dating written in the best way.

a not so meet cute turned into working together 3 years later. theres just so much fun to be had while reading these two and their journey to falling in love with one another. ugh.

this was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it did not disappoint.

[arc review]
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Betting on You releases November 28, 2023

Told in dual pov, we have Charlie and Bailey, who are both children of divorced parents and bond over the shared experience.
They first meet on a solo flight travelling to and from their respective parent, and are seated beside each other.
Two years later, they run into each other at a movie theater, and then one year after that, they end up working at the same establishment.

This was… fine. It definitely read very young and the job environment didn’t help things since it centered around so many rambunctious and arcade-like games.

Bailey was painted as a typical high maintenance, type A, rule follower, and Charlie was the quintessential annoying male lead whose sole purpose was to pester the fmc.

I couldn’t get behind the romance at all because to me, they came across better suited to be platonic bickering siblings.

Not only did Charlie make a bet with his friend on whether he could “get” Bailey, but he also initiated a bet regarding Bailey’s best friend Nekesa to see if she would cheat on her current boyfriend with their mutual coworker… which is icky.

<i>“And coworkers are the worst, too, by the way, because they don’t realize they’re becoming ‘friends’ until that ‘friendship’ turns into attraction, which ultimately becomes a hookup.”</I>

The scene with the goose was so contrived, and admittedly, the placement of the cat was pretty random too. They just so happen to find a kitten in a tree on their last day of vacation and he climbs up the tree to rescue it and takes it home without even taking it to the vet or questioning if it belonged to someone?

I found that the dual pov wasn’t utilized well because we barely got a glimpse into what Charlie’s complicated home life was like or the types of things he was internally struggling with behind that mask of sarcasm that he often displayed.

If you enjoy pop culture references, this has a fmc who is a bookstagrammer that reads Emily Henry books, Taylor Swift easter eggs, and Nora Ephron movies among other things.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

This was okay. It’s a YA romcom, and had a little bit too much stuff added into the mix for me. The banter between the characters and the dual POV was really nice to read though. But maybe just too many Taylor references…? And I feel like I’ve read a story like this numerous times. There was nothing “new” so to speak.

A chance encounter on a plane leads to a strange "not-friendship" between 2 teens struggling to find balance after divorces move them across the country. Charlie doesn't believe that guys and girls can be friends, but as he gets to know Bailey, the lines between co-workers and something else blur. As Bailey gets to know Charlie, she sees the kind boy beneath the sarcasm. When a bet gets in the way, will their not-friendship crash and burn?

Two well developed characters and witty banter make this a great read. Miscommunication - not malice - will be the ultimate villain in this story. Enjoy!

✈️🐱🩷⛰️👩🏻‍❤️‍💋‍👨🏻

Thank you Simon & Schuster Canada and netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

LYNN PAINTER IS THE YA QUEEN!!! This book was so cute and so fun! I love Charlie and Bailey! Their chemistry and their banter was *chefs kiss*. PUFFBALL 😭 I really enjoyed their story and getting to know their backgrounds. I liked seeing them grow together and individually. It was such a cute, sweet book. It had me in my feels and I was rooting for Charlie and Bailey from page 1. I wish we learned more about Charlie's family life, as the book was more Bailey focused despite being dual POV. I am glad everything worked out for them though, they're so good together ♡

If you're looking for a fun YA, please check out this book. If you enjoyed Better Than the Movies and the Do-Over also written by Lynn, I would recommend reading this one too!!

Betting On You: ★★★★☆ (4)

Pub date: November 28, 2023 - PREORDER YOURS NOW!

Lynn Painter has done it again, and by "it" I mean she's written another amazing YA romcom filled with banter and humor and angst and I absolutely loved it. This one is definitely for us Swifties, as there are a ton of TSwift references throughout the book, plus Bailey is a booksta girl which made me love her even more. Both Bailey and Charlie have to deal with difficult family relationships, and I loved the way this topic was handled throughout the story, though I'd hoped for more of a resolution for Charlie's issues. Thanks to @simonandschusterca and @netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

Awww Bailey and Charlie really were the cutest "coworkers", couldn't help cheering for them the whole time.

This would make suuuuuuch a good movie!
I LOVED the dual POV, the banter (it’s was perfect for the characters) and the length of this book!

I definitely recommend to anyone who is a fan of Better Than the Movies 🥰.

Thank you so much to Simon Teen for my arc of this book 💙.

5/5⭐️

4.75 stars— thank you S&S Canada and NetGalley for the eArc! This was at the top of my 2023 highly anticipated reads list as Lynn Painter is one of my favourite authors and I’m so grateful I got to read and review an advanced copy!

The tropes in this dual POV book were executed perfectly: the annoying “enemies” who can’t stand each other to friends who work together to lovers, the slow burn, the fake dating… I loved the banter, the friendly teasing, the pining and jealousy, the glances and flirting! It was everything you’d want from a cute and funny romcom. Charlie and Bailey’s chemistry was undeniable and their back and forth teasing was HILARIOUS.

My only critique was that the third act felt messy and it stressed me out. I didn’t always agree with what the characters (including the side ones) said or did, and I wish Charlie grovelled a little more. I also wish we got to hear about Charlie explaining his anxiety to Bailey and see them building that trust so he could finally share that detail about his life. It felt like the book was building up to it but it was never fully resolved. I also spotted a spelling mistake I think so maybe the editing could be tightened up in the future. Other than that, I loved this book!