CW: PTSD, Anxiety, past drug abuse

My feelings on Bet On It are pretty mixed. This is more due to my personal preference on the plot to porn ratio when it comes to romance novels. This book was MAD horny. Like, extremely horny. I got no romantic vibes whatsoever. It was immediate sexual attraction between complete strangers, and the later relationship-building felt shallow to me. They’re hot, nice to each other, and both suffer mental illness. It must be love?

HOWEVER, like 35% of this book also discusses mental health difficulties for both MCs (PTSD and GAD). I really enjoyed when the book would sort of swerve into either character breaking down how they felt, why they reacted to things in certain ways, etc. Unfortunately, I’d get broken out of these moments by what felt like really inappropriately timed horny bits about licking lips and stuff.

There were some pretty funny bits, and I really enjoyed the way Slaughter wrote the friendships of the main characters with secondary characters. It felt very genuine and sweet.

Overall, it’s 3 stars for me. I think it’s just a preference thing on the type of romance you enjoy, honestly.

Oh my word how much I was loving 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 – I was feeling like a Mickey D’s commercial and saying ♬♫♬ da da da da daaaaa I’m loving it ♬♫♬. But then there was not just one but TWO sex in public scenes and, well, your girl is a prude. 4 Stars for the story, but 0 Stars for the smexytimes.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!

~Bet On It Review~
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3/5
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I saw that Talia Hibbert liked this book and that the main character was plus sized and instantly had to request it on Netgalley! I’m so excited to dive right in to what is hopefully a super steamy romance!
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Pros:
+Plus size main character!!!
+realistic depictions of panic attacks and how to calm down from one. i’ve learned some of these techniques in my own therapy so that’s cool
+honestly i would love to go to a bingo hall every week sounds like a blast
+i love thé two main characters!!! yay!!
+there’s is just something so addicting about a story that involves a bet
+dual perspective books are elite
+good steam and chemistry
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Cons:
-blonde man \:
-never really been into the small town vibe
-not much really happens in this
-too much mature angst for me
-haha def would not have been so forgiving if i was in the characters shoes i’ll say that much
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Overall I didn’t hate or love this book. It was okay but nothing special. I’m not mad that i read it but i don’t think i’ll be thinking about it in a couple days! I think if you’re older than i am and want a more mature romance this one would be for you

When Aja needs a change of pace, she moves to the small town of Greenbelt, SC. Her anxiety disorder makes it hard for her to make friends though she attends weekly Bingo nights with the elderly residents in town. Walker comes back to his former hometown of Greenbelt when his grandma suffers an injury and needs help. While not as evident on the outside, Walker also suffers from anxiety disorder and does not have a strong connection to his childhood town due to past incidents. Aja and Walker initially meet at the grocery store when she is suffering a panic attack and Walker helps her breathe through it. Fast forward, and Aja and Walker come face to face again at one of the weekly Bingo nights. The two of them connect right away and start to fall in love despite their initial resistance and hesitations.

While the premise seemed strong, I found it really hard to relate to the main characters. I’m usually all about steam and chemistry, but I felt like it was almost forced in this book and WAY too quick. Also, the author included a lot of important topics (e.g., debilitating anxiety, parent abandonment, PTSD), but I did not love the execution. That being said, I did like how the heroine was plus-size but the author did not emphasize her weight throughout the book. She was confident in her appearance and sexuality. Additionally, Aja and Walker were able to sense when the other was struggling and were receptive to each other’s emotions.

This would not be the first book I recommend but I still found the read enjoyable enough to finish.

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

A friendly bet sets up for a wonderful beginning. This book contains a friends to lovers plot that has so much sweetness with some spice. There is a focus on the MCs’ mental health.

This book was one that had a very realistic approach to anxiety issues that the two main characters have to fight with. It was so full of emotions. It was very emotional. The characters are full of depth, has a very believable plot, and even has some steamy scenes. If you are someone who also suffers from anxiety, I think you will really like this book.

I was not able to finish this book. The entire story was pushing both characters' mental and emotional difficulties. From what I did read, there didn't seem to be a plot beyond that.

I requested this book on NetGalley for the same reason I request many romances, because it sounded cute. And I'm pleased to report that it was! However, this book wasn't afraid to tackle mental illness at the very same time, and I really appreciated that. This ended up being a really sweet, slice of life, steamy contemporary romance that I really enjoyed!

This book follows Aja, who struggles with anxiety and is new to the small town of Greenbelt, as she makes friends, and falls in love with her bingo friend grandson, Walker. As Walker is only in town to help his grandmother as she recovers from a bad fall that broke her two arms, Aja and Walker try denying their attraction and try to just remain friends. But when that seems impossible, a bingo pact is made to help the two release their lust every once in a while. However, since Walker is determined to leave Greenbelt as soon as possible, and Aja loves the small town she's setting roots in, can the two have any lasting relationship?

I started this book when I was sick in bed and wasn't in the mood to read anything. But even with the sniffles, there was something so gripping and endearing about this book that had me hooked! One of the things that I really loved about this book was how down to earth it is. The characters feel very flawed and very real. Neither one has a fancy career that they're worried about or some other lofty goal they're trying to reach. You're just following two characters struggling with their mental health, trying to find a home and friend group that suits their needs.

Because this book takes place in a small town, the cast of characters is pretty small as well, but I loved them all. I adored both main characters, Aja and Walker, who are both struggling but doing their very best. I also loved how important the friendships, new and old, were to the story. The characters knew who they could call when they had exciting news to share, or had concerns that they needed to talk through. But what's great is that this book didn't shy away from discussing the importance of talking with a professional when you're struggling as well! Both of the characters are in therapy, and while only one character is actively talking to a mental health professional throughout the story, the mere inclusion and recognition of the importance of therapy made me so happy!

I also really appreciated how these characters actually talked to one another. Aja is dealing with anxiety, Walker is dealing with PTSD related to being neglected as a child, both of them have panic attacks. And they're up front about it. They discuss what they're comfortable with and what they aren't. They figure out how best to manage their relationship when things get weird. These two aren't afraid to deal with any situations that arise and to talk them through, no matter how difficult it may be and I was so happy to see that. Because of the excellent communication, the resolution was one of the strongest that I've read, and I was quite satisfied with the ending!

I gave this book 4 stars in the end! If you're looking for something steamy, with a twist on friends to lovers, that has great communication and great characters, all set in a small town, I couldn't recommend this more!

Jodie Slaughter’s writing has an immediacy I really love, and her characters are lively and compelling. She truly makes the most of her inventive settings (bingo hall love? I’m on board!). Do check out the content considerations for this book — the author introduces heavier material slowly, which I appreciated, since I was able to check the content warnings on her webpage and figure out the book wasn’t for me before hitting anything too intense. However, based on her talent and writing style, I’ll definitely be picking up other titles from her backlist! My rating is based on the first 25% of the book.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this! What drew me in at first was the bingo-based sex pact (cause doesn't that sound amazing?) but what kept me reading was it had such a good representation of mental health and body positivity. I also found myself relating to both MCs so much. I really related to Aja's desperate need for friendship and Walker's struggle with a relationship with his father. I enjoyed Walker's relationship with his Gram as well. I found myself smiling throughout the first half the book. The two MCs had great banter and I loved how with both their mental health struggles they were able to really connect with each other and be able to tell when the other was struggling as well. Overall this was a great read!

This is what I would call a nice easy beach read. Perfect for that relaxing day at the beach or by the lake when you just want to relax and read a nice easy book.

3.5

These characters were sweet and I loved that this romance didn't have your average first encounter you see in most romance books . It had really good mental health representation and I enjoyed seeing these two comfort each other.

I just wish there were MORE moments of us seeing them fall in love. I felt like I barely saw the romance blossoming. It was just missing some more scenes for me...it mostly felt lust driven throughout the whole thing. And the conflict near the end came so sudden then resolved so quickly.

But despite that, I enjoyed reading this!

This book had some really strong points: character diversity, body positivity, and discussion/depiction of mental health not often seen in this type of story. However, the character development, especially of everyone but the mains, and even somewhat inclusive of them, was lacking. And some of the pacing seemed incongruent, as the book both dragged in parts and then led us to the foregone conclusion a little too quickly.

I did read this in less than two days though, so it was an easy read, if not a perfect one.

*I was honored to receive an ARC of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.*

The first time Aja Owens encounters Walker Abbott, she’s having a panic attack in the frozen foods section of the local grocery store. The second time, he’s being introduced to her as her favorite bingo buddy’s semi-estranged grandson. The connection between these two is nearly immediate and definitely undeniable. So, a bingo-based sex pact is formed and meant to keep things from getting out of hand. However, one taste is never enough..

Aja and Walker both suffer from forms of anxiety, so getting out of their own heads is tough and trying not to have a relationship with the other one is even more tough. However, both characters help each other to grow and improve on themselves.

Both characters are genuine and easy to like, however the novel itself fell a little flat for me and didn't exactly keep me entertained. It is a sweet NA rom-com, however it felt rushed for some parts and dragged on for other parts. I'm definitely in the minority here rating this only a 3/5 stars, but maybe you'll just have to pick this one up yourself and let me know your thoughts!

I wanted to like story , it had such a strong premise. Unfortunately I just couldn’t get into the characters — maybe I see too many similarities with myself but not enough redeeming! Life is too short to read books that you don’t love.

Romance is not usually my thing, but I loved this one. Fun and sexy.. Honest portrayal of loneliness, mental health, and the importance of family (biological & found).

ARC from the publisher via NetGalley, but the opinions are my own.

The main thing I thoroughly loved about this book is the inclusion of mental health awareness. Both of the main characters suffer from anxiety and panic attacks, which is something I can relate to. I loved how detailed and accurate the characterizations were and I applaud the author for that. The story develops as Aja and Walker enter the chat. Aja recently escapes her life in Greenbelt, South Carolina and Walker recently moves back home to take care of his grandmother. I LOVED the plus-size representation, the topic of mental health, and the relationships between family, friends, and the chemistry of love. The story itself fell flat for me and wasn't as entertaining as I would have liked. Some of the plot seemed to drag more than other parts, but I overall loved the representation included in this book.

My Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Thank you, NetGalley for an eARC for my honest review.

Bet On It by Jodie Slaughter is different than what I normally read. This romance book has you not only feeling for the characters but also has you relating to them. Everyone has anxiety and some know what trigger it and others don't. It's how you deal with it that helps you over come it. Aja Owens meets Walker Abbott because of this and the story begins there. It's worth the read if you are wanting to try a read that is outside your normal reads. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's for this advance Read.

4.5 stars

Bet on It is much more than a lighthearted love story. It’s an exploration of the effects of mental illness (generalized anxiety disorder and complex PTSD) and how two people who are drawn to each other but who don’t seem to fit into each other’s lives navigate their budding friendship and attraction.

The first time Aja Owens meets Walker Abbott, she’s having a panic attack just before closing time at the Piggly Wiggly. The second time they meet, she realizes he’s the grandson of her favorite bingo buddy. Walker has no plans to stay in the small town of Greenbelt, and Aja knows it’s exactly where she wants to be. With that in mind, but aware of their intense attraction to each other, they hastily establish a bingo-related sex pact. Something they mostly stick to. But when things start to get real, so does the fallout. Because there’s only one way this can end… right?

One of the things that grabbed me about this book from the beginning is the way that Aja and Walker are able to sense when the other is struggling. Whether it’s a panic attack or a tightly clenched jaw, their personal experiences help them be more observant and empathetic with each other.

There’s a great network of secondary characters that help enrich the story. And the way that author Jodie Slaughter writes about Aja’s body and Walker’s response to it is pitch-perfect. Bodies of all shapes and sizes and beautiful, and this book celebrates that so well.

I also loved how hot the book was. Surprisingly so. The chemistry between Aja and Walker is palpable, though the burn is on the slower side. But the payoff is totally worth it.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this romance novel. I appreciated the mental health inclusion/advocacy, which is mentioned on probably half of the pages. Both characters had gone through a great deal of therapy and, at times, their conversations were a bit like therapy. However, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I’ve had similar conversations with friends, so I can see it happening naturally with people who are actively working on and managing their mental health. I liked both characters and appreciated their humor. It was nice to see them step out of their comfort zones and find love with each other.