Realistic portrayal of anxiety not seen in many books. Sweet romance with an interesting storyline. Chemistry could have used a little work.

*Bet on It* by Jodie Slaughter is a frustrating and disappointing read. Despite an interesting premise about a woman finding romance through a shared love of gambling, the execution falls flat. The characters are shallow, with the romance feeling forced and lacking genuine chemistry. The dialogue is often cringeworthy, relying on tired tropes and lacking emotional depth. The pacing is uneven, and the plot feels repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged. While the book attempts to explore themes of trust and vulnerability, it does so in a superficial way, leaving me bored and unimpressed. Overall, a forgettable and unsatisfying read.

Peach cobbler, bingo & South Carolina.. this book had my heart right from the start! I’m a sucker for a small town romance.

I loved the character of Aja. Something about Walker always seemed off to me but I loved how he spoke about Aja. Overall, this book was super cute! It was a bit spicier than I expected.

The author managed to make me connect with the characters right away. This book is very character-development driven which was refreshing for a rom-com.

Bet On It also has amazing mental health representation.

My biggest takeaway from the story was the reaffirmation of my dislike of small town living. Beyond that, it’s a sometimes sweet, and jarringly steamy, connection between these two characters. The shared dynamics, anxiety and ptsd, gave depth and layers to their relationship as well as individual journeys. It’s a more serious vibe throughout, despite the delightful Bingo Night levities.

But it was also flat and then overly sexual, in turns. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a lot of steam, but the progression in this story didn’t flow well and seemed out of character at times. It was awkward.

Overall, it’s not horrible, but also not one with a lasting impression.

I loved the plus sized representation in this book. You never had to question what the characters looked like. This book was very well written and tastefully tackles hard topics. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read this book!

A great romcom that kept me wanting more from this author. Funny, great banter and a perfect read. Can’t wait for more from this author and loved the audio as well. Great narrator!

Bet On It is a delightful, heartwarming romance that offers a thoughtful take on love, anxiety, and the healing power of connection. With its mix of humor, tender moments, and real emotional depth, this novel goes beyond being just a charming love story—it’s also an exploration of mental health, friendship, and the ways we find comfort in each other.

What stood out for me is the showcase of anxiety and mental health. Both characters are dealing with their own struggles, and Slaughter approaches these topics with sensitivity and authenticity. Their shared vulnerability brings a refreshing honesty to their relationship, making it feel both realistic and deeply touching.

The chemistry between Aja and Walker is electric, and Slaughter does a fantastic job building their relationship with care and nuance. Their witty banter, mutual support, and undeniable attraction create a dynamic that’s equal parts steamy and heartwarming. As they navigate their budding romance, they also confront their individual fears and insecurities, making their love story feel like a true journey of growth and healing.

Mental health rep in this one was very well done. Loved the references and depictions of panic attacks as they were described in such a realistic and relatable way.
The relationship between our two MCs seemed genuine however there was a lot of telling instead of showing with the build up of their feelings.
Overall this was an enjoyable read while aspects of it fell flat in my opinion.

DNF at 41%.

This is a cute story. Asia lives in Greenbelt, SC after moving from DC. Walker is temporarily in Greenbelt to take care of his grandma who has had an accident and needs a caretaker. Both are overcoming personal mental issues.

Why I DNFed: crude language. The F bombs were flying and the crass and crude language around sex and anatomy just turned me off (pun intended).

Had the storyline been something unique, I may have pushed through but I feel like I’ve read this before (hello, Act Your Age, Eve Brown). This is a romance so guaranteed there will be a happy ending. I just could not stomach the vocabulary that would be used for that.

Understand, I am not the target demographic for this book. If I were 20-30 years younger, I would have loved this.

DNF at 20%

I really liked the writing aside from the profanity and I could see this was going to be an open door book which I’m not interested in. If the language were cleaned up and it were closed door I would have kept reading because I really enjoyed the mental health rep and the way the two characters were coming together.

I started this book when i first received the arc. The first chapter was so good and I just knew I would love it. I love the fact that this author shows anxiety disorder and writes it in an accurate manner. Mental health representations really do matter. I thought the attraction and angst was so steamy. The spice was good and the story was cute.

Bet On It by Jodie Slaughter is a perfect fit for readers who adore heartwarming, humorous, and emotional romances that tackle real-life themes like mental health, self-acceptance, and the power of love to heal and transform, especially those who appreciate a strong, plus-sized heroine and a small-town setting.

Great book. I enjoyed Reading it. The characters and plot were interesting life like and easy to connect with.

Oh my word this book. From the meet/cute via way of a panic attack at the local Piggly Wiggly to the real but not preachy talk regarding mental health to the Bingo bet to the characters to the chemistry between Aja and Walker – Spicy.

This was wonderful! I appreciated the thoughtful representation of anxiety/panic attacks and how thoughtful the love story was.

Thank you to NetGalley and SMP for my gifted copy - all thoughts are my own!

Such a cute rom-com! My first from Jodie Slaughter and it did not disappoint! The chemistry between Walker and Aja was definitely there, but also there was a fair amount of time and attention spent on the emotional aspect and their backgrounds that helped further their connection and ours to them! I think Jodie did an excellent job with the emotions overall - especially with the concept of the characters' anxiety, which was handled delicately. Not only did we get emotions, but we certainly got some spice as well! The steamy little scenes between Walker and Aja definitely added to the fun, sexy side of the story.

Overall a well-balanced and fun contemporary romance, and certainly will not be my last from Jodie!

Cute story. Quick read. Once I started, I was excited to learn more about the characters and follow their development. Perfect for a day at the beach!

I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

I thought this book was a super cute and realistic portrayal of navigating mental illness while forming a romantic relationship.

I found the characters to be really understandable and relatable. My one critique is that at times there seemed to be a disconnect between Aja being a prim and proper lady and then being absolutely raunchy in the next chapter, and that was hard to rectify as one character


The writing style was very engaging and kept me entertained throughout.

3.75

I really wanted to love this one, but I just felt that it fell flat. This is not to say that I didn't absolutely LOVE the representation of anxiety and the disorders that the characters had because I thought those were perfectly depicted. There were just some bits that didn't mesh with me, but overall a fun and cute read.