I would first like to thank NetGalley for the advance copy of this lovely little jewel. Bet On It was an amazing journey between Aja and Walker who both suffered with anxiety and mental health issues discover so much about themselves through a relationship she Aja forged with Walker’s grandmother May at the local Bingo Hall. Walker comes home to take care of his grandmother after she experienced a bad fall, someplace he vowed to never return to because it was never kind to him. Greenbealt was a source of his anxiety, but meeting the beautiful, full figured girl having the panic attack in the local Piggly Wiggly made him think of her more than the town. When he makes his first appearance at Bingo to find the girl from the frozen section isle is the same girl his grandmother is always talking about he is intrigued and excited for a number of reasons. His head says, keep away because I’ll only be here temporarily, but Aja has a pull that Walker simply cannot ignore.

Aja is not the type of girl that “lusts” after the first guy she sees, but there’s something about Walker that makes her want to forget her good sense. After all, he’s Ms.May’s grandson and will only be here temporarily. She instantly has a connection with Walker because he sees her like no one else has, he understands her, and he just does something to her like no one ever before. Can she handle a friendship until he leaves? When things get physical, complications arise for both parties and they make a plan…it works, but when the plan is due to payout it does and unfortunate circumstances arise that complicate an already complicated situationship! What do you do when you both love each other but are afraid to say so because of your past, distance, and plain old fear?

Jodie Slaughter gave me an intensely good time with this book. The laughter, finding your people when you think there’s no one out there for you, the hilarity and accuracy of the “bingo culture,” and finding love even when you’re equally damaged, but also equally deserving!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Bet on It is a sweet, sweet, sweet story. And it is also a spicy, spicy, spicy story. In fact, it’s the perfect blend of the two.

Aja Owens is doing pretty well, if you accept that her entire social life consists of hanging out at bingo with elderly people qualifies as pretty well. She’s left the city for this small town where she can mostly just hide out. When she has a panic attack in the grocery store a voice behind her talks to her and just stays with her until she calms down. She was so grateful, felt like he got it, didn’t push, just waited for her to get through it. She didn’t expect to ever see him again and knew if she did it would be humiliating. Just like so much of her life has been about humiliation because she can’t control her emotions, can’t help being anxious.

So surprise – and not in a good way - when that mostly disembodied voice in Piggly Wiggly turns out to be the grandson of one of her few new bingo friends, Ms. May Abbott, a feisty old character who has broken both arms. Her grandson Wally (Walker when he has the choice) has come down from the city to help her. Aja is waiting for Walker to say something, something humiliating, and when he doesn’t, and when she gets a good look at that face and that body, well, whoa, just whoa. Can you say instant – like lightning fast – attraction?

Walker Abbot is in town temporarily, only because his Gram had an accident and broke her arms and needs his help. But he hates, loathes, despises this little town and pretty much everyone in it and hanging around is not on his to-do list. When he helped Aja in the store it was because he recognized another lost soul having a terrible time in a public place who needed help. But now, at bingo of all places, here she is again. And when their eyes meet, well, he’s lost from that moment on. We know it, most of the people they know see it, but you have to give Walker and Aja credit, they valiantly fight it because they know from all their past experiences there is no hope for long-term relationships.

The way they fight it is silly and sexy and sweet. A goofy bet about winning at bingo? A “little exception” here and there? You want them to just face it and get together already, except that you are laughing so hard at their antics and the predicaments they get themselves into you want more of this fun stuff. That is when you are not wiping your eyes over how heart-stoppingly sweet these two are together – or when you are not catching your breath because the fire between these two is pretty darn hot!

This is a story you just must read, and a new-to-me author that I must read again. Yep, it’s that good. Funny, sexy, sweet, sometimes sad – and joyous. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for providing an advance copy of Bet on It via NetGalley for my reading pleasure and honest review. Author Jodie Slaughter has not only written a funny, sweet, sexy, satisfying book; it is also a brave book. It tackles head-on PTSD and anxiety and puts right in our face that these are not just trivial little emotional episodes we can suck up and get over. They take hard work to control, hard work we have to do over and over when they pop up again and again, and cause upheaval to all our best-laid plans. And reading pleasure bonus, through the eyes of our lovable, wacky main characters Bet on It deals with issues like race and weight the way we all should: they just aren’t there. Walker is long, lean and blond; Aja is short, stout and Black but those facts are just part of the story, like having blue eyes or big feet. That’s not to say there aren’t others in the story who don’t behave as they should, but we see Aja and Walker through each other’s (sometimes pretty steamed up) eyes and they are beautiful. As is this story. I recommend Bet on It without hesitation and am off to find more by this fabulous author. All opinions are my own.
#BetonItNovel #JodieSlaughter #SMPRomance

Aja Owens moved to one of the smallest towns in America to get away from the city and all the anxiety that it causes her. Small town life just suits her better and going to bingo every week to hang out with her bingo buddy fulfills her life… or so she thought. If it was up to him, Walker Abbott would never visit his hometown again, but his grandmother needs his help when she falls and ends up in two wrist casts. Walker comes back to Greenbelt and finds something better than just heartbreak and memories. Aja and Walker bond over bingo, peach cobbler, and their anxiety and trauma. Will Aja be enough for Walker to overcome his past and want to stay with her?

I fell in love with the feel of small town life in Greenbelt, South Carolina and by the end wanted to just indulge in a slice of peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream. Aja and Walker are the perfect characters for each other. Each are battling their own demons, but together they can help each other overcome challenges. They understand each other like no one else would, which makes their romance so much sweeter. This would be the perfect summer time romance to read out on the porch in the sunshine.

I so wanted to love this book. Mental health, small southern town, and romance? All things I’m into. Unfortunately, something about the way the southern characters was written was just off. It made it really hard for me to enjoy the story, much as I wanted to. Also, I was hoping for a little less pining and “oh, we’re definitely not a thing.” It was still fun overall, but didn’t nail it.

I love books that revolve around games ... literal games ... and romance. A bingo sex-pact, I've realized, is as much fun for a reader to read, as it is for Aja and Walker to experience. Though this story is not all fun and games, and we get as invested in the protagonists coming to terms with their anxiety and past traumas as wanting a happily-ever-after for them.
It's a well-written story that will stay with you longer than the couple of days it'll take you to read it.
Highly recommended for representation and sweet love.

Thank you to NetGalley and SMP for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

CW: General anxiety disorder, panic attack (on page), PTSD, parent with drug dependence (past), family tensions, parental neglect (past), brief moment of self-harm ideation

There was a lot to like in this book. A cute premise of meeting/hanging out at an elderly bingo game. Insta attraction, and the steam moments were hot in this book. Two people escaping in a lot of ways and recognizing something in each other.

Unfortunately the external tensions/plot overtook the romance for me. I would have loved to see more of the MCs together falling in love, dealing with things together rather than so separately. There wasn't necessarily a building of intimacy or the quiet moments and then unfortunately the book just ends rather than showing them what they could be like together.

While dealing with some heavy topics this was a quick read that wasn't overly angsty, that I think many will appreciate, just my own personal preferences made it harder to connect with this one.

Steam: 3

I thoroughly appreciated the depth and authenticity in which two characters with anxiety were portrayed. I found Aja and Walker's banter to be comforting and endearing, and I loved the portrayal of the awkwardness that comes along in those moments of newness with a potential partner. I'm definitely going to be picking up more romance by Jodie Slaughter in the future.

Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the eARC to read and review!

"Bet on It" was an earnest and entertaining summer romance.

Aja wants to put down roots in a quiet town and be more social and less anxious. Walker wants nothing to do with his hometown beyond his short return there to take care of his grandmother.

I liked how open they were with each other about their mental health, the cause and how it’s impacted their life. I loved that Aja (who has Generalized Anxiety Disorder) and Walker (who has Complex PTSD) find another safe space with each other. Any time they discussed their mental health I felt like that safe space extended to me. This feeling is testament to how well the author did depicting mental health, life with anxiety, and discussions that need to be had about mental health. I wholly appreciate all of the secondary characters whose patience and understanding allow Aja and Walker to work through their emotions. That kind of support is so important to have.

Aja and Walker were spectacular main characters with delightful personalities and wonderfully developed storylines that show the power of finding your people. Their friends with benefits pact through bingo made for several entertaining and red-hot scenes oh my goodness!

Even though they’re exactly what the other needs, they are understandably afraid to give up all the progress they’ve individually made. Not to mention Walker is adamant about leaving Greenbelt he hates for treating him badly and avoiding anything to do with his father. Knowing all of this slowly chipped away at my heart because the more time Aja and Walker spent together the closer and more clearly in love they became. The tension and inevitable downfall approaching loomed like darkening clouds before a storm.

I enjoyed reading "Bet on It" with each passing page. It took my emotions on a thrill ride. The plot twisted and turned in all the right places. I love the cover - it’s so cute and perfect for this story! The mental health rep was great and relatable. I felt a connection to both main characters in big and small ways. A few of my favorite moments were at the bingo hall with Walker’s grandmother, Ms. May, and Aja and Walker’s trip to the drive-in movie. And the romance was sweet fire! A lovely read for summer.

CW: anxiety, panic attacks, drug abuse, child neglect

I think I wasn't expecting this story in many ways. For one, I wasn't expecting it to be as smutty as it was. I mean, sure, this is a romance, but it felt borderline erotica at some points, which is fine if you're into that sort of reading. I just hadn't expected it and was caught off guard. This book is super sexual. That said, the romance took a bit of a backseat and didn't feel as sweet and close as it could have been? I liked Aja a lot and Walker grew on me more as the story went on. I think I just wish that we would've seen more of those sweeter moments between them where their connection could've felt closer than just sex. This is probably more of a personal problem since I prefer slow burns, but yeah.

I think the lack of those close moments between them was off putting to me. However, I have to commend the mental health rep. That was marvelously done in my opinion and I liked it so much, I gave the book an extra star because Aja is such a fun character! Overall, I'm not in love with this book, but I did appreciate it. It's a different kind of romance than what I usually prefer to read, but I think many people will love it once it's released!

3.5/5 stars

Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review!

Bet On It is a story about Ada and Walker, both characters who struggle with mental health issues. I really liked reading a story that explored mental health problems like PTSD, anxiety, and panic attacks. Although this book got a little heavier at the end, I enjoyed reading about each character's growth and personal journey, especially as they grew closer to each other. Also, as cute of a romance as this is, it's also spicy, so be prepared for a lot of steamy scenes. Overall, this was a great read, and I would give it 3 and a half stars.

TW: PTSD, anxiety disorder

Aja Owens has just moved from the bustling city of Washington, D.C. to the small town of Greenbelt, South Carolina. She is in the midst of a panic attack when a kind and handsome stranger approaches her and helps calm her down. Convinced she will never see him again, she is shocked to discover he is the estranged grandson of her elderly bingo buddy. Walker and Aja begin a friendship that quickly proves to be much more as they spend more time with each other, knowing Walker is not in town permanently, they decide on a bingo based sex pact to keep things under control. However old wounds and trauma quickly resurface threatening any chance of a happy ending between the two.

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This was such a sweet little southern romance that made me smile ☺️ Aja was an amazing character, I loved her so much and my heart ached for her and she dealt with her anxiety. She was a very relatable character, and I really loved how she and Walker were patient with each other and understanding. I really loved the mental health representation in this book and how the two MC’s uplifted and understood each other 💞 Also, I know what your thinking: bingo based sex pact?! It was actually a cute unique spin on their romance and I enjoyed it! Thank you so much to @netgalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. This title will be released on July 12, 2022.

This was my first Jodie Slaughter read and won't be my last. I really enjoyed Aja and Walker's story. It had plenty of fun and lighthearted moments but also deftly handles tougher issues like anxiety, ptsd and other mental health struggles. Aja and Walker suit each other really well and I was happy to be along for the ride as they figured themselves out both as individuals and as a couple. Also, some really great side characters, future MCs? I hope so!

This book was overall easy to read. I understood the characters and connected with Aja really well. Dialogue felt a little clunky at times but it was a quick easy read for a romance. Enjoy!

I had a good time with this book. There is a lot of anxiety and PTSD on page so that is something to be aware of going in. I though the idea of the characters meeting at bingo and then having a 'friends with benefits' pact for anytime one of the won was really entertaining. The grandmother in the story also added some comedy/deeper dive into the hero's life. For the heroine she struggles to make friends as an adult and it was 100% relatable. It's hard to become part of an organization, engage with strangers, and be social in a new environment once you have left the structured life of school. That aspect might have been one of my favorite things about the book. I liked both of the characters and they definitely worked together, both respecting the others boundaries and what they needed while still being there for each other. I would recommend this book to most people as long as they can handle the anxiety rep because being in the characters mind dealing with that was at times a lot for me (and I personally don't deal with anxiety).

DNF. I got 1/3 of the way through and had to stop. And that makes me so sad, because until that point I was 100% loving the story. The characters were real and blemished and that was okay- it was relatable. The bingo scenes were fabulous. Loved the chemistry there. But then what happened!? I felt like it was a completely different book. The language, sex, etc was waaaay too much for me. So sad, because I really truly was loving it to that point.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This story was super cute!! Who knew I’d love a romance story surrounding Bingo?! Well, maybe I knew.. I love Bingo!!

The chemistry between the characters was great and with a little spicy!! I also loved the inclusion of anxiety as I too suffer. I felt like I wasn’t alone and although friends to lovers isn’t my go to romance trope, I enjoyed it. It was more friends with all the great benefits!! 😉

Overt all a fast, fun and light hearted read. I can’t wait to see what this author writes next!!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book early in exchange for my honest opinions.

Funny story. I’m sitting in the Sam’s Club waiting for my tire to be fixed ( I had a nail) and I’m reading “Bet On It” at one of their food court tables on my iPad. I’ve made a dent in the book and it’s been uneventful. But now I’m reading in earnest just killing time and now the characters decide to have car sex. So now I feel like I’m blushing all over and afraid someone can just read my face and know that I’m in of a sex scene in my book. I’m like, oh God. The last thing I need is to get all hot and bothered in Sam’s. But I trudge on. Good grief. May not want to read in public places. I enjoyed this story. Dealing with anxiety is an issue that a few of my friends have so the story is relatable. Slaughter is not shy when it comes to descriptive sex scenes but the book is more than that. It has some raw moments that the reader has to be patient and let the characters push through their tough moments. My only hang up is the title of this book. It doesn’t fit. But otherwise a great read.

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

A story about redemption and fresh starts, Aja and Walker’s story is captivating (and filled with bingo) from the get go. As a fellow sufferer of anxiety, it was truly special to see two main characters both affected by and dealing with their anxiety in their own ways.

Looking forward to celebrating this book even more this July!

This book felt very cute and light hearted. I enjoyed the feature of Mental Health for both parties especially developed in the Deep South. I also like how their different races wasn’t the main conflict between the couple as most interracial romances. I enjoyed the chemistry between Aja and Walker, but I probably stopped there. The book felt almost like it was 40% filler. I would’ve easily inhaled this book as a short story without all of the extra background noises. There were multiple points and paragraphs that could’ve been removed, and it wouldn’t have impacted the story at all. Overall, it was a nice summer romance.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Actual rating 3.5
Probably what used to be called a sexy romp, Fun and sensitive touching on anxiety and related mental illness, this checked all the boxes, except - I wasn’t expecting the sex scenes to be quite so explicit. Not that I didn’t read and learn, mind you, but I think it should have been clearer in the description.