The Odds of Getting Even is a charming romantic comedy that blends humor, heart, and mystery. It follows Jean Harrington, a chaotic resort employee, and Charlie, a shy scientist obsessed with reptiles, whose chance meeting during a late-night towel run sparks a delightful romance.

Jean is a witty and relatable protagonist, while Charlie’s awkward charm provides a unique dynamic. Their chemistry and opposites-attract banter create a fun atmosphere, but the story also unveils deeper layers, including Charlie’s complex past and a “secretly scandalous dating history.”

Amanda Sellet's writing expertly balances humor and emotional depth, particularly through Jean and Charlie’s poker lessons, symbolizing their evolving relationship. Although the pacing can be uneven, with a rushed resolution, the character growth and satisfying ending make up for it.

Overall, The Odds of Getting Even is an engaging read that combines romance and mystery, appealing to fans of quirky rom-coms with intriguing characters.

Jean works at a resort, and she is surprised to meet Charlie in a very strange situation. He intrigues her, though, and they end up having a fling. Even though they both have feelings, Charlie's female co-worker comes to collect him from the resort for a family/work commitment that he is skirting, and Jean misinterprets that the co-worker is his girlfriend. Jean ends up chasing after Charlie for revenge, and this is the story of what happens when they meet again. I loved the resort part of this story, but I didn't love the rest of it.

The Odds of Getting Even came across to me as a story that should have been Young Adult. Both Jean and Charlie, especially Charlie, seemed very immature. Their initial fling at the Hawaiian resort where Jean works could possibly happen and most likely yes, Jean would get blamed and fired if the situation went off the rails. However, it doesn't seem likely she would follow her fling to the mainland. The fact she just happens to know a nepo-baby journalist who is also following him for a scoop on his rock star ex is a bit too convenient. The fact he has a rock star ex is really pushing the suspension of disbelief.
Charlie's parents and their interactions with him in front of guests in their home are weird bordering on creepy. Or cringy. Once again he's tripping all over the place, spilling drinks and making one blunder after another. The whole dude-ranch themed celebration of the family brewery business seems more like a kids birthday party. with a Texas theme. Several times over the course of this party Charlie and Jean meet yet never really talk. I don't buy it when characters have issues and don't talk - especially when one of them shows up at your family home under an assumed name.
This book did not work for me on so many levels, but to continue would reveal too much for others who still want to read it.

Thank you Netgalley and author Amanda Seller for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for a review.

amanda sellet you really cooked here!!!

this was literally such an unexpected and pleasant read?? i was smiling the whole way through and i would genuinely die for jean and charlie

What a fun ride! In “The Odd of Getting Even,” we meet Jean, a resort employee in Hawaii looking for some excitement and intrigue in her life. Enter, Charlie, a nerdy, earnest, and charming scientist. Except have him enter naked with an unexpected tattoo in an unexpected place. These opposites attract instantly, spending a week together, until Charlie leaves suddenly and Jean finds out that he isn’t exactly who he said he was. So what does Jean do? Follow him back to South Dakota to exact vengeance so that he feels the exact same heartbreak that she did. Logical? Perhaps not. Zany and fun? Yes and yes.

What I enjoyed most about the book was that even though some of the character’s choices might have seemed whacky at face value, Amanda Sellet did a great job setting up the characters and their psyches so that you could understand why they were acting the way they were. And she did it in a really delightful, well written, and unique way. For example, at first, it might seem weird that Jean and Charlie would be instantly into each other given how different they are but I LOVED this quote about Jean and her life philosophy: “There were few things more disappointing than people who oozed through life with no intriguing quirks.” So yes, it makes total sense that she would be intrigued and attracted to Charlie. And how delicious is the imagery of people oozing through life? I loved that.

I am not often a fan of miscommunications or mistaken identity because it feels like they would easily be resolved with two people just talking to each other, but the miscommunication here felt very “Twelfth Night.” It was playful and funny instead of super frustrating. Overall, I would recommend this closed door, dual POV, high jinks romance for folks who want a book that is a light, fun time.

When Jean begins a fling with a guest at the resort she works at, she never expects to fall for him. Charlie is running from his family obligations when Jean turns his world on it's axis. Could these two misfits actually be perfect for eachother? Full of good natured humor, a little revenge, and fun facts about snakes, The Odds of Getting Even is an amusing, quick read.

This book was a fun romcom read. The FMC works at a luxury hotel in Hawaii and has a chance meeting with the MMC and they hit it off right away. He disappears suddenly and she follows him back to the mainland. Shenanigans ensue. This is a fun light low stakes read. Maybe a touch of insta-love but it gets deeper as you go forward. Especially love the shy nerd that the MMC is. Total cinnamon roll! Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for sending me the e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Jean Harrington works at a hotel and when she is expected to get a towel in the middle on the night for a visitor things change for her. Charlie turns on the charm for Jean and expresses that he is open for a fling.

The story started out quite fast paced which did throw me when I began reading it. I did enjoy the characters and how they developed but the overall story wasn't my favorite. It felt like trying to fit a bunch of plot points into one longer ongoing plot. The few twists were enjoyable though, and did make for a good read that I wanted to see what happened.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This novel was such a cute and fun read and I enjoyed it more than Sellet's other books. Jean and Charlie had great chemistry and it was a super quirky book which is what I like. You know what's going to happen and the twist is obvious but that's what makes rom-com books great...you know what will happen, providing a level of comfort and security for us romance readers!

Charlie is your classic book boyfriend...the perfect level of sweet and nerdy which I think every book boyfriend should be. By the end of the book, my cheeks hurt from grinning and giggling from ear to ear. Sellet's wit is top-tier.

How was this such an adorable book???
I can’t wait to write a more in depth review.

There is so much banter and humor and just all around fun that really keeps you wanting to read the story. Setting is in South Dakota too and was set perfectly, there are so many little details throughout the places you go.

Jean was chaotic and fun, she’s EXACTLY what I want in a FMC and Charlie was her perfect opposite. These two has great chemistry on page and even through some secrets that were revealed they remained rooted.

I loved this book because it reads like a rom com movie. It would make an incredible movie. (I like movies too okay, sue me).

4/5! Thank you NetGalley and St Martins for the eArc 🫶🏻🩷

This was a book about miscommunication and revenge. Charlie is the heir to a beer empire but more interested in studying snakes and is on the run when he meets Jean at a resort in Hawaii but, their love story got cut short due to a misunderstanding. Jean does not take the news lightly and goes undercover to take him down. Laughs and plot twists included in this gem!

Herpetologist, Charlie, and eccentric hotel staff, Jean, meet in an adorable insta-attraction. His sudden departure leaves her craving revenge as she goes after him, only to find the real reason he left.

I loved the characters and how witty they were! I struggled to get into the plot because of how fast the plot moved, it felt like I had to re-read some pages to understand what was happening. If you like quirky romances you would love this one!

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!

Unique premise that unfortunately fell a bit short for me. The characters seemed immature in their thoughts and actions beyond the standard behavior we might see in a miscommunication trope. Might be enjoyed more by younger readers!

Unfortunately, this just wasn't my cup of tea. It felt very in your face at moments, but strangely quiet in others - a little disjointed to read and I didn't fall in love with the characters.

Charming, funny and a little twisty at the end. Charlie is the epitome of a sweet, endearing nerd, while Jean is a force to be reckoned with. Sgt. Cowboy stole the show when he was in a scene with his one-liners. Really enjoyed this rom-com!

In this closed door romance: After a fling with mysterious Charlie at a luxe Hawaiian resort goes awry, chaos muppet Jean Harrington goes questing across an ocean and the countryside to track him down at his ancestral home in. . . . South Dakota. There, she goes under deep cover to infiltrate a party of elite Midwestern A-listers (slash global D-listers) to exact her revenge.

This one wasn't for me. The characters felt underdeveloped, the dilemmas to be solved by the protagonists felt childish, and this read to me like a teenager's idea of romance, adult relationships, and unlikely hijinks... so much so that I went to the book's listing to see if it was YA. Young readers would probably enjoy this one for its fluff and occasionally quippy dialog.

What a fun story! It has all the best parts of a rom-com! I was smiling throughout and can't wait to read more!

If you are in the mood for a laugh, check out The Ofds of Getting Even by Amanda Sellet. I really enjoyed this book.

Jean y Charlie se conocen en un resort. Ella trabaja en el lugar y él es cliente. Ambos se sienten atraídos por el otro y pasan varios días disfrutándose. Todo parecía perfecto hasta que él desaparece sin despedirse. Es entonces cuando ella se da cuenta por redes sociales que él le mintió y no es el tímido herpetólogo que fingió ser; en realidad, es un millonario heredero de un grupo cervecero. Ahora, ella asistirá a un evento de la familia de Charlie y buscará vengarse.

No es un mal libro. Eso sí, lo recomendaría para un público juvenil, ya que, de lo contrario, podrían encontrar a los dos personajes algo inmaduros.



Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.