You had me at Bingo Sex Pact

This was an adorable and touching story about two people falling in love and their individual struggles. I always love a book with anxiety rep and this book did it so beautifully and in a really realistic way.
The tone of this book is pretty subdued and not at all what I thought it would be like but I loved seeing Aja and Walker fall in love and the spicy scenes were great.

Never did I think I would love a book set around two people at a Bingo but this sweet story did it for me.

Love it! Now I am ready to play Bingo. Such a clever instrument to the romance. I loved the respect shown by each of the characters towards each other and the older members of their community. Great romcom.

A story that combines mental health, romance, and Bingo? I'm in. Bet On It starts with Aja having a panic attack in a Piggly Wiggly and a stranger comes over to help her. Little did she know, he's the grandson of her Bingo friend and in town to help his grandmother recover after a fall. Walker and Aja become fast friends, bonding over their shared mental health battles and truly understand what one another is going through.

While the romance was your typical meet-cute with your typical ending, I loved the Bingo element and their bet. That was a unique angle. Also, it's pretty steamy. What I really liked was seeing more representation of mental health, therapy, and how Bet On It really normalizes it.

Overall, a cute read.

3.5/5 stars
Thank you, St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the gifted eARC!

Aja Owens already has more problems than she can handle so when she meets the man of her dreams at the supermarket she isn't sure if it's a good thing g or a bad one. When she runs into him a second time and finds out who he is she realizes he might just be a problem. Now she needs to decide if he's a good problem to have or not. Walker Abbott has come to town to help his sick grandmother and can't wait for her to get better so he can return to his regular life. He's never cared for Greenbelt but he loves his grandmother and will help her as long as she needs it. He didn't expect to meet Aja and isn't quite sure what he wants to do about the situation. He knows he'll be leaving at some point.so should he even get involved? The two come up with a pact but in the end will their true feelings get in the way? Follow along and take an emotional ride of ups and downs, not to mention moments filled with laughter and tears.

What initially drew me to BET ON IT was the bingo hall setting - I'm a big bingo nerd and absolutely delighted in a rom-com that revolved around the game! Add in the great mental health rep and I was fully expecting this to be a surefire summer hit for me.

Unfortunately, other than bingo, I couldn't find much to keep me invested. The sex scenes were more cringe-y than sexy (and I can't wrap my head around Aja, with anxiety as severe as hers is, being a-okay with public sex) - once I got to the gross, overly detailed, multi-page horny foot scene, I was done. Vom. After that I ended up skimming until I reached the end.

I wanted to really love this one and I wish it would have worked for me.

Bet on it was a cute read. It was hard to get into sometimes but I liked most of it when I was able to get into it.

This'll be on blog eventually.

Bet on It is funny and tender, and the characters are extremely likable and relatable... just a little too relatable for for me, personally. There is (and should be) space for discussion of mental illness in romance novels, and Slaughter does a great job showing what social anxiety looks like in everyday life — and how there's still room for humor and joy while living with it. Sometimes I find representation like this very healing, allowing me to work through my own issues within a safe fictional framework, but this time, it hit just a little too close, and I was thinking less about healing and more about "gosh, I had an experience just like that, let's all stop for a moment of silence to remember the cringe." All of this is to say... this is a good book, and I definitely recommend checking it out if you like kindred spirit romances, hilariously meddling elders, and cut-throat bingo. But if you're dealing with some of the same anxiety-related issues as the leads, it may or may not be for you.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

There are two key reasons why I am love this book so much.


1) The Fat Representation - I've never read a book before that described someone as both fat, beautiful, and desirable. This isn't a love myself, but want to change and get healthy. This is how I am and I'm gorgeous.

"He didn’t give a damn what she had on. When he’d gotten a look at her at bingo earlier, he’d had a hell of a time taking his eyes off her for the sake of decency. Even in her unassuming clothes he could see how spectacular she was. Dark material stretched over the wide expanse of her thighs, her stomach pressed against her sweatshirt, refusing to be hidden. He’d had to stop himself from thinking about what she looked like naked in order to keep his head on straight . All he knew was that the woman was damn gorgeous. She could have been wearing a burlap sack covered in sawdust and his opinion on the matter wouldn’t have changed."

2) The Anxiety Representation - The descriptions of anxiety, the attacks, and the emotions was so spot on for me. It is so beautiful.

"As a child, before an insurmountable level of anxiety had descended upon her as a teenager, it had been easy for her to make friends. She’d been quiet enough not to hog the spotlight but had enough personality to make her fun and interesting. By the time she was sixteen, she was quietly drowning in anxiety more often than not, but she already had a strong group of friends. She hadn’t sought out counseling until her sophomore year of college, and with therapy and meds, she was more outgoing than she’d ever been. That didn’t last forever though. Life happened, friendships ended for reasons other than her disorder, and the older she got, the more difficult it became to cultivate new ones. Admittedly, after a while she’d stopped trying. She self-isolated, putting strain on what connections she had left, until her closest friend was someone she was related to. It sucked. A lot. She wanted to meet people she could go out with, have fun with, talk to, but she wasn’t sure she knew how to do that anymore."

❤️ I feel like both of these have been done so well that they make me feel seen and more importantly feel loved.

Cute concept, not for me but will be a well loved book. I couldn’t get into it, but that’s likely just a me problem
!

I liked the representation of anxiety and PTSD from our two main characters, how they were so similar but also different in some ways as to their reactions/behaviors. There was a lot of character growth and they didn't feel one-dimensional. The steamy scenes were well done - 3/5 on the spicy scale.

What first drew me into Bet on It (St. Martin’s Griffin) by Jodie Slaughter was the cute cover and the book description’s mention of Piggly Wiggly and the fictional town of Greenbelt, South Carolina. Rarely do you see a contemporary romantic comedy set in that state, and it was exciting to see since I grew up there, and I love this romance subgenre. Also as someone who grew up in a small town with a neighborhood Piggly Wiggly, I can attest that odds are you will run into someone you know there, and whatever you do or put in your cart will be gossiped about. Hence, I knew this would be a fun one. Little did I know that the novel would also be a much-appreciated lesson in navigating relationships with PTSD and social anxiety disorder.

LIVING AND LOVING WITH ANXIETY

Slaughter’s debut romantic comedy introduces Aja Owens, a new resident of Greenbelt from Washington DC, and Walker Abbott, who is returning to his hometown after 12 years away. They first meet in Piggly Wiggly in the frozen food section. It’s just before closing and Aja is having a panic attack in front of the case with the Hot Pockets — an item that’s on Walker’s list. The way Walker deals with the panic attack — by calmly waiting it out with her — shows that this is not new for him.

At first, I was unsure about Aja’s inner voice; she’s attracted to Walker but also finds him annoying. I quickly realized that this is an example of the internal war that goes on in the mind of someone with an anxiety disorder when meeting someone new. She overthinks what his actions may mean. She’s flustered because she’s unsure how to react without making a mistake that she will internalize forever. And she’s trying to let someone new into her life when her resting emotional state is to keep strangers out. It’s a huge jumble of emotions that one has to delicately dance around in order to function. As an introverted writer and someone with undiagnosed social anxiety, I could relate to this, but seeing from Aja’s close POV gave me the opportunity to gain a new level of understanding.

Walker’s PTSD started with being taken away from his drug-addicted parents to live with his grandmother. It was exacerbated by school bullying and the townspeople’s gossip, and his symptoms were barely controlled because his grandmother had inadequate knowledge and resources. And while Walker now seems to have a handle on his mental health, pivotal triggering incidents show readers that he will always be a work in progress.

POETRY IN PROSE

What I was most apprehensive — but also most eager — about with Bet on It is the dialogue. Very often in TV and other media the Carolina twang, as I call it, is confused with Texas talk, or Alabama or Mississippi drawl. Here, it’s done right but not overdone. Walker is the epitome of a country boy and a Southern gentleman, and it shows in his language.

What I wasn’t expecting was seeing the dramatic adjectives and the colorful similes and metaphors of Southern prose. It is a lot like poetry, but many use it in everyday vernacular. Walker’s especially good at it, especially when he’s extolling the virtues of Minnie’s peach cobbler, which he’s named the best dessert on the face of the earth. Readers will laugh out loud just from some of the characters’ turns of phrase.

STEAMY ROMANCE WITH A LOT OF LAUGHTER AND HEART

For fans of steamy contemporary romantic comedy, you will not be disappointed here. While Slaughter’s novel deals with some heavy topics — drug addiction, bullying, anxiety disorders — the romance is all fun and light. The dating and dinner scenes are cute, and the love scenes are very steamy with a lot of dialogue, consent and agency not just because it’s the 21st century but because Walker’s a Southern gentleman and that’s how he was raised.

What will have readers smiling the most are the “cutthroat” Bingo nights. If you’ve ever been to a community Bingo night with the senior citizen crowd, you’ll immediately recognize the vibe, but everyone will appreciate and laugh at the colorful characters and the supercharged atmosphere in those scenes.

Bet on It deftly balances daily mental health struggles with sexy, fun and flirty moments, giving readers an enjoyable romance with an authentic feel. I loved the healthy depictions of dealing with mental health issues, the compassion around Aja and Walker from supporting characters, and the reassurance that yes, you can find love while living with anxiety.

Cute rom-com with hot and heavy spicy scenes. I really enjoyed Aja's character, but felt Walker's own trauma story was too much when added to Aja's own journey with anxiety.

You know how sometimes a book is objectively good and yet, something about your mood leaves you feeling flat about it anyway? That's me with Bet on It. In another life, in another mood, I would love this book. The mental health representation of anxiety and PTSD is so well done and I really loved how both characters handled their own mental health and the issues the other was dealing with. I also felt like the third act break up situation was actually consistent with the characterization of the characters and din't come out of nowhere or feel forced. But... something about either my mood or the book itself just really kept me from ever getting so invested I couldn't put the book down. I had to force myself to keep picking it up and finish it. So, let me focus on all the reasons you should consider picking this book up, in case some of these aspects would appeal to you.

- mental health rep
- on page therapy
- friendship and the importance of friendship
- trying to find your place
- dealing with a complex family dynamic and coming to terms with a troubled past
- explicit sex scenes
- Bingo jokes

Also, I want to mention that the narrator for the audiobook, Angel Pean, did a fantastic job voicing both Aja and Walker. I really enjoyed her narration style and look forward to reading more with her narration in the future. So overall, I would recommend this book, but maybe not if you need something that will keep you intrigued the whole way through if you're already struggling to focus on reading.

This book was full of fun, steam, and great mental health rep. Walker is back in his small hometown of Greenbelt and is not happy about it at all. He loves his grandmother and is more than willing to help her out while she recovers from broken arms but can't wait to leave the second she is better. The one bright spot in his stay is Aja. Aja is tired of big city life and recently moved to Greenbelt to experience a slower pace. Living with major social anxiety, Aja's one big outing of the week is the local bingo night. The nights only get better when her seat neighbor arrives one week with Walker.

These two were a great match. I loved the way that their anxiety was represented I the book. Each were dealing with different challenges but both were written with such care and respect. The banter between them was great and I enjoyed how their "bingo bet" forced them to get to know one another better through fun outings and conversation. While the writing style of this book didn't always work for me, the characters did. I enjoyed my time reading about Aja and Walker. If you are looking for a book with steam and small town charm, this one may be for you!

This was a very steamy romance about two folks struggling with mental health, one with generalized anxiety disorder and one with PTSD. It was also a great interracial romance and the main character is plus-sized (but there’s absolutely no body shaming or fat phobia!). I really enjoyed watching the story unfold from an unlikely origin - bingo, haha. Highly recommend as a summer read but although the romance is steamy it does deal with tough topics so consider checking content warnings on The StoryGraph before you read. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the copy via NetGalley!

Has she found the B1?

Aja is adjusting to life in a new town, which is no easy feat for someone who experiences a lot of anxiety. When she has a panic attack in the middle of the grocery store, an extremely attractive man (aka the man of her DREAMS) helps her regulate her breathing. She is surprised to be introduced to him later on by her elderly bingo buddy, who happens to be the caring stranger's grandmother. When Walker comes back to his hometown to temporarily take care of his grandmother, he's glad to help, but also can't wait until he gets to leave. Meeting his grandmother's sexy new bingo buddy complicates things fast, and he knows he will have a hard time leaving her behind if he catches feelings. Aja and Walker make a pact to only get physical whenever one of them wins a bingo game. Should be simple, right? Don't bet on it...
I hated every second that I had to put this novel down! Bet On It was so fun and sexy, while also delicately touching on mental health themes in a respectful and healthy way. I loved Aja and Walker, and I couldn't get over how much they drove each other wild! I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator had a voice that I could honestly listen to all day. I loved the way she captured Aja and Walker's personalities perfectly. I also loved her tone during intense scenes throughout the story. I can't wait to read more of Jodie Slaughter's work and I would recommend this novel to anyone looking for a steamy romance!

Bet on It, by Jodie Slaughter, is a romance novel, set in a small southern town. After a very endearing meeting in the local supermarket and a second meeting engineered by Walker's grandmother, "girl" and "boy" quickly move from acquaintances to friends to romance. Throughout, both deal with their own and the other's emotional issues that eventually threaten to break them apart. There are parts that are extremely cute; others that are exceptionally hot and sexually graphic. This is not a novel I would give to a young teen. I appreciated that Aja is portrayed as a plus sized woman of color that white male Walker lusts after and eventually loves. So normal -- a total nonissue! Is this really true? In the South? Unfortunately, I think both issues continue to be problematic, although less so than in the past.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read a digital ARC. It was a pleasure.

I am still reading this; however, it really did not capture my attention usually like romance does.
I do like that it includes the mental health aspect. So I am hoping it gets better because it has such great potential.
But sometimes, it just really hard to push through a book that did not capture my attention right away. I am excited to see where it goes tho

I will not be posting a review of this book. This book has several racist comments in it, such as: "A bunch of conventionally attractive white bread women vying for the attention of a conventionally attractive white bread man."

Adding "attractive" does not take away from the slur. This is just one example. There were others in the book, and I'm disappointed in the publisher for letting this pass.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Bet On It is a book I was really hoping to love. Unfortunately, it fell really flat for me and I was left disappointed. That doesn't mean there wasn't things I liked! I liked the mental health representation. The body positivity was nice to see. I liked Aja and Walker's friendship.

As for things I didn't like... well. One of the reasons it fell flat for me was the writing. I didn't really like it. Another reason it felt flat was because I didn't understand Aja and Walker's relationship. Like I said, I liked their friendship but the romance just wasn't there for me? I got the lust but I never quite understood why/how they fell in love. It didn't feel natural to me. There are other little things that didn't work for me, like the supposed bet. It was barely even a thing in the story and considering the title is Bet on It, that disappointed me.

I also must have a different idea of what sexually graphic means than some other reviewers. There were sex scenes but they were not graphic, at least to me.