This is the second book I’ve read by Amanda Sellet, and I was curious to see if she would base this story on a classic movie, as she did with Hate To Fake It To You. Without an author’s note or any hints in the acknowledgments, I’m still not sure, but the book’s laid-back, easygoing pace was a refreshing change from the high-energy, formula-driven contemporary romances that currently saturate the market. In The Odds of Getting Even, the focus shifts to Libby’s friend Jean, and we get to see just how far she’s willing to go when she feels betrayed.

Every day in Jean Harrington’s world is exactly the same: another late night working at the hotel, the same guests, the same requests - rinse and repeat. That is, until a routine request for towels leads Jean to walk in on a guest stark naked, causing her predictable life to take an unexpected turn. Jean didn’t know what to expect from Charlie, but she certainly never imagined that a chance encounter would develop into such a strong connection with this awkwardly adorable scientist. As their days together unfold, so does Jean’s growing infatuation. She can hardly believe Charlie is real - when a visit from an old friend reveals her worst fears: not only has Charlie deceived her, but apparently the whole world is looking for him, including an ex who isn’t ready to let go. Determined to confront Charlie and learn the truth, Jean faces another unpleasant surprise—then he disappears. Refusing to be anyone’s fool, Jean is determined to seek revenge on the only man she’s let into her heart in a long time. With Hildy’s connections and a secret Charlie has shared, Jean discovers what Charlie is really up to and is ready to prove she’s not someone to mess with.

Like Amanda’s last book, this was a sit-back-and-watch-the-story-unfold kind of read. The story wasn’t larger than life; the characters were just everyday people (or at least Charlie really wanted to be). It wasn’t grandiose as you often find in other contemporary romances. Charlie wasn’t 6’7” with rippling muscles and built like a Greek god - he was adorable with a soft middle, inexperienced, and just as lovable as can be. Same with Jean - they may have been average to everyone else, but they were heart-stoppingly beautiful to one another.

I also appreciated getting to read Jean’s story after her introduction in Hate to Fake It to You. One detail I especially liked was the brief check-in with Libby and Jefferson; their story isn’t a fairytale with a perfect ending. Libby is still working at the food truck; Jean still has a dead-end job and is struggling to make ends meet. Good things happen, but their lives aren’t magically transformed - they remain relatable and real. 

Another thing I enjoyed was the little pieces of bait Amanda left throughout the story. When Charlie is initially introduced, he refuses to give his last name and is extremely anxious about being seen, raising the suspicions of the reader. Instead of coming straight out and clarifying what is going on - or, despite being a dual POV, having Charlie's inner thoughts reveal what he is hiding - Amanda does a great job of dropping hints without confirming the reader’s suspicions. She keeps them engaged as they continue to progress through the story, speculating on what’s true and what is part of the hinted misunderstanding.

For those seeking a closed-door romance, intimate moments were kept behind closed doors or described off-page as recollections. There were glimpses of moments leading up to those situations, but again, Amanda kept everything very modest and even used humorous names to describe some of their time together.

The overarching message of this book was simply about being yourself and trusting that who you are is enough.

Amanda Sellet delivers another comfortable, well-written read. I have a soft spot for her books because they’re easy to put down and just as easy to pick back up again. They aren’t high-energy, so you don’t feel sucked in, and the story unfolds at its own pace - there’s no rush to get to the resolution. The hijinks, banter, and just overall lovable characters make for great company until you turn the last page, satisfied that everything worked out as it should, with an ending that feels genuinely realistic.

Spoilers have been removed

When a heir of a beer company goes in hiding after his breakup with pop star girlfriend he finds himself falling for the chaotic resort employee who is determined to get revenge on him after he ghosts her... only he's absolutely in love with her. This book took quirky and ramped it up to a 10, this is the kind of book that only works as a very very bad rom com movie. I saw someone else say that this was a retelling of the 1941 movie The Lady Eve with the same character names and plot... and I'm just like: yeah. I found the book to be all over the place, zero chemistry between the characters, and I just did not vibe with the overall story or romance. I guess this really just isn't for me but for anyone who enjoys extremely quirky stories then yeah, give it a go.

Release Date: July 15, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

This is an entertaining quick read. Jean is working at a resort on Oahu, when she meets Charlie while dropping off towels that he requested. What follows is brief romance before his “babysitter” comes and takes him home for an event before he can say goodbye to Jean. This leads to a series of hilarious moments that I thoroughly enjoyed.

The meet cute is great. Jean Harrington works at a resort and delivers towels to a room late at night. Unfortunately she catches the guest naked. Charlie, a scientist, is a bit awkward and loves to talk about snakes. They have fun together, with her giving him poker lessons, before he disappears. Now Jean wants to find him and get revenge for ghosting her. That sounds dramatic but it is very much a rom-com. This is my second book by the author and she is very good at writing funny and quirky moments. I laughed a lot. The book encourages you to take risks and play for keeps. But some plot points were silly and felt immature or unrealistic.

If you like romances on the lighter side this works.

THE ODDS OF GETTING EVEN – Amanda Sellet
St. Martin’s Griffin
ISBN: 978-1250906274
July 15, 2025
Romantic Comedy

Hawaii & South Dakota – Present Day

Hawaii resort employee Jean Harrington works the night shift and is glad that most of the time it is quiet. But one night, she gets a request from a guest in one of the cabins that they need towels. Jean obliges, and the last thing she expected was to find the guest naked. Charlie has a reason why he is naked and why he ran out of towels. Most people would just walk away with a story to tell, but Jean is intrigued by Charlie. Turns out he is a scientist with an interest in snakes. While Charlie is a bit of a mystery, it doesn’t matter as Jean falls for him and they begin a secret fling. But all good things must come to an end when he disappears without a goodbye. She soon learns that Charlie is not only the son of a beer magnate, but he is the subject of a famous song by an international pop star. Jean feels she was misled, so with the help of a friend, she decides to track down Charlie at his parents’ home in South Dakota, where she plans to turn on him.

A plan for revenge turns into a madcap romp in THE ODDS OF GETTING EVEN. Jean is always looking for a better job than the one she has at the resort, but at least it’s normally quiet when she works the overnight shift. But it all changes when she meets Charlie. He is shy and bumbling, with an interest more in snakes than in dating girls. Yet, as Jean later finds out, he is the alleged subject of a risqué song by a pop star. Is he indeed the world’s greatest lover? Jean has no complaints in that department after she starts her affair, but the Charlie she knows is much different than the Charlie talked about on social media. He is trying to hide out in Hawaii, but his parents soon send his assistant after him to bring him home because of a big party they are hosting. After Jean vows revenge, she plots to get into the exclusive party. She waltzes into the event in disguise, but there’s no denying that Charlie recognizes her, and he wants to pursue her. Is love in the air?

There are too many other characters to mention to get them all in. Charlie’s assistant, Mugsy, is protective of him and suspicious of Jean’s motives. She should be! The pop star, Adriana, shows up midway through. Will she attempt to get back together with Charlie? Jean’s friend, Hildy, is looking for a juicy story to sell to the media. Will she get what she is after? But the main plotline in THE ODDS OF GETTING EVEN is the interactions between Jean and Charlie. It’s clear that they are deeply attracted to each other and seem perfectly matched. Jean is quirky, and Charlie is a nerd. What better people than for them to fall in love with each other? Readers will be sent on a journey watching these two circling each other. Will what they want from each other be what they get?

A fun and wacky tale right from the start, be sure to not miss THE ODDS OF GETTING EVEN.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

A perky quirky trope-y rom com that has opposites attract, miscommunication, and a secret or two. Jean and Charlie meet at the high end resort where she's working and they bond with banter (among other things). And then he disappears and she discovers he didn't tell her everything. So what to do but follow him to South Dakota! Implausible and at times a little silly this is also charming in its way. I admit to liking Charlie more than Jean Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good summer read.

Some of the craziest calls came in from hotel guests on the night shift and at first this one seemed rather tame. Jean is asked to deliver more towels to one of the luxury $1000/ night cabins and she knocks and let's herself in only to encounter the snake tattooed bum of a very flustered guest. Charlie is a scientist there to escape a family obligation and, in his awkwardness, can't help from spouting random reptile facts at the beautiful hotel employee who caught him so exposed. Jean knows better than to get involved with a guest, but Charlie is just so awkwardly charming she can't stay away. Until she finds out the truth he so expertly hid from her and she's bent on revenge.
This story started out hilarious and fun and I loved Charlie's awkward nerdy vibe mixed with Jean's fun loving attitude and banter. But back at the South Dakota ranch for the centennial, everything just seemed confused and jumbled and the story just kind of fell apart for me. Too many extra characters and side stories made me lose interest.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

If you are looking for romance, drama, and snake puns then you are in the right place. I finished this book in one night and had so much fun reading it. The characters were unique and were so deeply interconnected. The part I struggled with was how much the main conflict was based on miscommunications. This book delivered what it promised: secret identities, revenge, and a solid pair of glasses.

THE ODDS OF GETTING EVEN is a fun read from Amanda Sellet. The book is overflowing with
witty dialog and a crazy over the top storyline that had me laughing far into the night. I had no idea that it was a follow up to an earlier book. But each can be read in its own. In fact I just bought the first book and plan to read it now since I loved this one so much.

Amanda Sellet’s The Odds of Getting Even is an absolute gem that had me laughing from start to finish. The humor is sharp and perfectly timed, making it one of the most entertaining books I've read in a long time.

What truly stands out are the wonderful characters, each bursting with personality and depth. They feel real and relatable, and their quirks add layers of charm to the story. Sellet’s exceptional dialogue brings these characters to life, filled with wit, warmth, and authenticity that keeps the pages turning effortlessly.

If you're looking for a book that offers a delightful mix of humor and heart, The Odds of Getting Even is a must-read. Highly recommended for anyone who loves clever storytelling and unforgettable characters!

This was a highly entertaining, laugh all the time, can't wait to get back to it story!! Jean and Charlie are immediately attracted to each other. Jean is a happily crazy woman who loves messing with this gorgeous guy who appears to be painfully shy. This will be fun messing with this one. Problem is that Jean can't seem to walk away. Charlie is hiding out from his family and completely unprepared for the whirlwind who brings him extra towels...
I absolutely loved it!!

Oh, friends. This book was not for me.

I enjoyed it until the "big reveal" in Chapter 9. Way to throw in miscommunication, hidden identity, and overreacting all at once! The revenge plot is half cocked at best. Jean doesn't even know what she wants from Charlie anymore. She just shows up pretending to be someone else, another weird "hidden identity", and tries not to fall for him?

It was so disappointing. Jean and Charlie have a hilarious meet-cute that involves Jean catching Charlie naked when she brings him extra towels to get cabin he's staying in at the resort she works at. Their connection is instantaneous. Charlie falls so hard and so fast. Jean ends up stopping by at the end of every shift after to spend time with him. He's awkward and sweet. She bold and kind. She accepts is weirdness. He revels in her confidence. And then...THE REVEAL.

Why Jean reacts the way she does is beyond me! She doesn't even get answers. She shows up to confront Charlie sees another woman there, who is his gay best friend, and ASSUMES she's another lover!!!! What??? No, I'm here to talk to Charlie. I need to connect with him about his bill? There was NO other option than to run away and assume the worst? And Charlie just goes along with his best friend and doesn't search for Jean. He lets everyone around him just guide him along whatever path they feel is best.

Add to the fact that this book is clearly connected to another book Amanda wrote, Hate to Fake It to You, and that's stated NOWHERE. Why have an interconnected world if no one knows about it. Also, the events of this book only take place a month or so after the other book. It's not years later. It's not a new generation telling the tale of the previous book as a legend.

The book was a slog for me. Once the revenge plot went underway, all the cute banter Jean and Charlie had with each other did too.

Edit: I didn’t realize this was a retelling of the 1941 movie The Lady Eve. Same character names and very similar plot. I guess I might like it more if I had seen the movie?

I debated between 2 and 3 stars. I honestly just didn’t like either main character. And I didn’t see any chemistry between them. It was I guess lust at first sight? But I couldn’t figure out what they saw in each other. Their banter was confusing and it seemed like they were speaking in riddles to each other. The FMC Jean was so impulsive and acted without thinking so I never knew what she was thinking or feeling until after the fact. And the MMC Charlie seemed inconsistent. I couldn’t decide if he was neurodivergent or just really introverted. His mother treated him like he was mentally disabled. And his best friend treated him like a child. But even in his interactions with Jean he seemed either unaware of social cues or just extremely sheltered. Even in the parts from his POV I wasn’t sure.

This was definitely an entire plot built on miscommunication. After their initial encounter, both mains believed something untrue about the other and refused to have a conversation or listen to the other’s explanation throughout most of the rest of the book.

The revenge plot was strange to me. Jean used a fake name/persona to get into Charlie’s parents’ company party but then kept using that fake persona with Charlie as if he didn’t know who she was. Even to the point of talking about herself as two different people and getting mad at Charlie for being attracted to her alter ego?

My other complaint was that the story seemed disjointed. Things happened without explanation and scenes jumped without resolution. I felt like I had to fill in gaps myself because the connections weren’t explained well.

The ending left a lot to be desired as well. Several people had abrupt changes of character. And the character that had been annoying the whole time was suddenly revealed to be the mastermind antagonist and was then just allowed to leave without much fanfare.

There were several threads that just weren’t tied up well at the end. Overall i just really didn’t like this book. Which I think means I give it 2 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for the chance to review this ARC

The Odds of Getting Even was a very quirky novel. I had a hard time with the believability of this story. This really made it hard for me to connect with the characters and of course the plot. I just couldn't see the FMC breaking with her rule following ways by going back to the MMC's hotel room and engage with him the way that she did. I really wanted to like this one but it wasn't for me....although I can see it being a read for many.

Thank you Net Galley, Amanda Sallet and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to preview this title. The opinions shared are my own.
I will not share my review on my socials so that I do not negatively impact the release.

Yeah, this was just horrible. The conversations in this book did not feel real at all. That is just not the way people speak. The plot also made no sense. Her reason for following him did not make sense at all.

I received an arc through netgalley.

4.5⭐️

**Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the eARC**

Charlie and Jean meet at a resort in Hawaii where Jean works. There are sparks, they have fun together even if she is a little wild and he is a goofy scientist. Suddenly he is pulled away to his family to celebrate their centennial of the beer company the own. There are miscommunications and assumptions that lead to an infiltration and revenge plot by Jean.

I really enjoyed the characters and story! It moved at a lovely pace with just enough detail, but too much lingering around. So many funny people in this book! It was easy to get sucked in and just straight through. My only complaint was that I felt there could have been a moment or two more spent on the resolution. It felt the a built like it was totally forgotten. Didn’t change the fact that I enjoyed it and would recommend!

This one made me smile and mutter “Hunh… really?” more than once. Sellet blends science and romance with quirky charm, but the miscommunication levels are sky-high—and it grated.

Charlie, our snake-loving science guy, has lab-partner nostalgia appeal. Jean brings chaos and a handful of baffling choices. Their dynamic has sparks, but too often the plot’s momentum trips over “just say it!” moments. Still, the poker tables, overseas escapades, and Dakota detours give this rom-com a peculiar rhythm.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an ARC of this book. I liked it but I didn’t love it. The characters felt a little surface-level to me and I wasn’t able to fully get invested in them. The chemistry felt very insta-love and I felt it was a little rushed. Overall I thought it was okay.

2.5 ⭐️
Unfortunately, this was a miss for me. The first couple of chapters definitely intrigued me, but then it just gave me major anxiety, unfortunately. This book revolves around a huge miscommunication and lack of communication, which I am not a fan of, with both parties jumping to conclusions instead of coming forward and talking about it. I'd say if you don't mind where it's a big plot point, then you'd probably enjoy this. I actually really liked the concept of the FMC character going uncover and watching the FMC and MMC communicate in snide and backhanded ways. Charlie is so down bad for Jean, and it makes me sad that she couldn’t be an adult about the situation, and just thought the worst of every action he did. Honesty, I didn’t find any point to all the side plots and felt they didn’t necessarily add any value to the book; it felt like filler. Especially most of the drama with the exs. Though I do enjoy all the fuss and issues a certain side character makes, that was fun. I just couldn’t connect with the story or care about the characters rooting for each other. I will say that the chaos that ensues in the end was the best part, iykyk.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Griffin/ Macmillan for a free eARC in exchange for my honest review

This was funny and silly in the best ways. I enjoyed both main characters and their unique personalities. As a hater of snakes, I even enjoyed the snake facts.