If you’re looking for a little bit of sugar and a whole lot of spice this is for you!⁣
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This was such a sweet, new friends to lovers, small town romance; centered around bingo nights with the elderly and two characters struggling with different anxieties.⁣
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Overall this was such a fun rom-com, I loved the banter and swag, the friendships Asia and Walker had with each other but also with their friend groups, the insecurities they had and grew from and the love and family surrounding them. ⁣
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Oh and man do I want some peach cobbler now.. 🍑 ⁣
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The narration was really great! I felt the narrator really brought the story to life and loved the sound of southern slang from the narrator.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⁣
Thank you for an ARC for my honest review!

In general the story was super cute. I like the connection between the main character and their personal development. The writing and narration is also good.

However, the story did not really keep my interest. I can't pinpoint my problem with it. I normally love a rom-com I just couldn't get into this one. It could have been my mood. This book does dive heavily into anxiety and mental health. Since it is something I deal with a lot in every day life it might have been off putting to read about it.

For me, I couldn't connect with the characters or their romance in the end. I loved the discussions about mental health and some of the character interactions were cute, but the steaminess was just too much/not it for me. I can see why others may enjoy it, but it just wasn't it for me.

This book is imperfect, but lovable. I like a romance that deals with heavy hitting topics with nuance. This is that. And I found their relationship to be charming and believable. I really hope my mental health issues also one day lead to a meet-cute.

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).

I want to thank Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook of Bet On It but this book was horrible. The story was boring and the narration was lacking. The narration of the female was fine but her voice for the guy was lacking and she spoke so slow I had to speed the book up to 1.75 and I still ended up DNF ing which I never do. The story was slow and lackluster. Nothing happened and I frequently noticed I had zoned out and didn’t care enough to go back.

The worst thing a book can be to Me is boring and I was extremely bored. I will leave it there.

Aja is a big city transplant to small town SC. Walker left after high school and is annoyed to be back. Sparks fly at bingo, so they agree to a sex pact to slow things down.

Bet on It takes the small-town romance and adds solid mental health representation. I particularly liked that characters attended therapy. Most romance characters need therapy. I'm used to sex pacts where people agree to have sex, but in this book they agreed to avoid sex. This ratcheted up the tension, but I was very frustrated with everyone involved, just as they were. It did leave more time to spend with their family and friends.

Angel Pean is an amazing audiobook narrator. Aja and Walker were very distinct, and Angel's reading really enhanced my enjoyment of this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for early access to this audiobook.

I found the characters to be weird and awkward not in a good way. I loved the mental health awareness. Thought it was a great meet cute but just didn’t fall in love with the story like I wanted.

What a sweet book! This book is everything that a modern romance book should be and it was everything that I was hoping for. It is inclusive, steamy, and sweet all rolled into one. Our protagonist is a young anxious plus size woman who moves out of the hustle and bustle of DC to a small town to try to find a life better suited for her. In walks a man with PTSD from his troubled childhood who reluctantly comes back to his small town home (which he never wants to return to) to help his grandmother who helped raise him.

What I love about this book is it's realistic without being cheesy. It has two people with baggage who want to be together but realistically don't know how to make it work. And they fall in love over bingo. Can you believe it? Not the most romantic setting but they definitely make it work. Don't let the cartoon cover fool you. This book has some steamy scenes that definitely deliver. I really enjoyed the dual POV and the pacing of this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this story!

3.75/5⭐️
1.5/5🌶

I absolutely love how this book started out, a panic attack in the frozen food aisle at the Piggly Wiggly. This opening scene of the book alone is what sold me and I knew I was in for a good read. I'll rave about any book that normalizes and speak on mental health/anxiety and things of the like.
I enjoyed the common connections in that aspect between the two mains. The southern small-town setting, new friends to lovers making a bingo sex pact story aspect was definitely new and interesting,
Overall this was a super enjoyable read, I recommend it for anyone looking for a semi-spicy romance book that not only has a cute little quirk (bingo sex pact) but both main characters are POC which I find isn't represented enough.

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Jodie Slaughter for this advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Such a beautifully written story. Jodie Slaughter did an amazing job capturing every feeling that a person with anxiety goes through in every way whether it be going to the grocery store, saying something loud enough that it brings everyone's eyes onto you, putting yourself out there, trying to meet new friends, or meeting a new, attractive person and slowly falling in love. I could relate to Aja in so many ways which helped me connect to her character and feel all the emotions she felt every step of the way.

And the same goes for Walker's point of view dealing with his own anxiety, mental health, and family trauma. Though I can't relate exactly to his story, I myself had an absentee parent who has caused a lot of mental anguish and turmoil, and Jodie did a fantastic job putting into words just what that can do a person and how it affects their future relationships and overall well=being.

The unexpected spicy scenes were well-received and welcomed, adding just enough heat to this friends-to-lovers love story. I will also note that I appreciated and loved that Jodie' was not afraid to use what others may perceive as raunchy terms for both Aja's and Walker's... private parts. It was refreshing and more relatable to hear these terms over those that most other authors overuse.

Angel Pean was a wonderful narrator for this story and really brought the story to life!

Great conversations on mental health, also finding friendship as adults and what good friendships in your life mean, and really lovable and relatable characters. Woohoo older millennials! I also like the narrator. As a born and bred southerner this accent didn’t feel forced to me like the ones I see on tv. Finally, it should be noted that I want to go play bingo now.

Cute fun romcom vibes also intense emotions and communication about mental illness. And I got to say I love the trigger wings being at the front of an audiobook thank you

I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced audio copy of this book for review purposes.

This story follows Asia and Walker who meet in a grocery store late at night whilst Asia is dealing with a very difficult situation. I won't say more than this because I don't want to spoil anything but I will say that it truly sets the tone for the story to follow.

This book was a home run for me. I loved every part of it completely. I thought the author did a fantastic job of telling a story in which both MCs felt real and fleshed out. I loved seing how they both dealt with challenges in their own lives and how this ultimately made them stronger as a pair. While the cast of secondary characters isn't as present, I still felt like I got enough out of them to feel like they mattered and contributed to the story overall.

I thought the writing style was simple and direct. It was funny to me in places and overall endearing. Where the author shined for me (beyond the core love story) was in the nuanced and informed conversations around mental illness, addiction and therapy. I loved the emphasis on applying strategies for managing mental illnesses and on the fact that therapy is a long term tool in this process. I also appreciated how she underlined that mental illnesses don't magically disappear by sprinkling "self-care" into ones lives but instead that it is indeed an everyday, constant factor which individuals must learn to cope with.

I absolutely loved this book and fully intend on purchasing a copy so I can reread it and annotate to my heart's content. I genuinely cannot wait for this authors next book!

Where do I sign up to play Bingo? Funny old ladies and I would take may chances any day that one day the perfect man would walk in, just on the chance that I might find a love story like this in real life. Bet on It was a love story about people that accept who they are faults and all and strive everyday to grow and be the best versions of themselves. Even on the days that doesn't quite happen, the pick up and keep moving forward. I really enjoyed the story, the love and the spice (I could have even done with a little more spice, if I am being honest). The chemistry between Aja and Walker was palpable and I love a meet/cute. This was a great read and I can't wait to discover more books from Jodie Slaughter.

I really enjoyed this book. It was sweet, spicy, and emotional at times. It has anxiety and PTSD rep, which I found really well done. I loved Aja, and found her to be so relatable, especially when trying to make new friends as an adult in a new town.

I will say that I wasn’t a big fan of the audiobook narration, but even with that I couldn’t put the book down once I started.

This is my first book by this author, but it definitely won’t be my last.

I want to first thank the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book as an ARC.

This book is a super fun, smutty, and interesting read. There are a few trigger warnings that I think are important. This book does reference mental health (PTSD, and Anxiety), as well as child abuse, and addiction. These are not the main focus and the author does a great job of being them up respectfully however it could be difficult for some readers.

That being said, I loved the representation of mental health in their relationship. Aja and Walker form a pack that they are only going to get together after they win a game of bingo, but their relationship obviously turns into more.

I also love that this book has a plus size, person of color as a main character. This was my first book I’ve read with a POC main character and I was worried I would not be able to relate to the unique struggles she would face. This book was a great introduction to POC main character because while there were things about Aja I can’t personally relate to, I still felt connected to her as a character.

I think this book is perfect for anyone that loves smutty romance with spontaneity, and great character development as these characters learn to overcome some of their mental health struggles.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audiobook for a honest review.

Expected Publication Date: July 12, 2022 


2.5/5⭐️ (rounded up)


Bet on it was a cute rom com but it was kind of a miss for me.  I didn't really care for the narration in this book. I would have probably enjoyed this more if I read this. I liked the bingo aspect, the mental heath and the pluse-size rep in this book. I wanted more of Aja and Walker building connections, but to me it just felt like instant attaction/lust throughout. Another thing, I didnt care for was the conflict. The conflict in this was so dragged out/building and then it was resolved so quickly. This one just wasn't the book for me but I think others will really enjoy this.




TW: Mental abuse, Drug abuse, Child endangerment, Panic attacks

Aja and Walker are two very damaged souls who first encounter each other in the frozen foods aisle at the local Piggly Wiggly. Aja is having a panic attack and Walker recognizes it in a moment as it is very familiar to him. Next up, he is reintroduced to her while playing bingo with his beloved Grandmother, who raised him and is recovering from an accident. Both Aja and Walker are dealing with a lot of trauma from childhood and both literal works in progress. This is the last place that Walker wants to be as it’s the scene of his trauma and for Aja, it is a quiet small town of healing for her. They make a plan to be together for as long as Walker is in town. Clear, clean and for the time together, both agree that there is an end date on the calendar and they are not going to fall in love. All is good right? Not the easiest listen due to the subject matter, but worth it as it is written with respect to the characters and the mental health issues. And love!

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced listening copy! This was a very sweet love story that poignantly portrays the slow and nice complexities of falling for each other, while also having generalized anxiety. Anxiety can be a hard mental health concept to portray through a fun romance, but Slaughter gracefully portrays this through both of the main characters. Aja is new to the small town of Greenbelt, South Carolina when Walker comes back into town from Charleston to take care of his grandmother after a fall. Their attraction and chemistry is immediately clear. Neither want to do long distance, so they make a bingo pact, where when they’re visiting the main town bingo center and win, they can hook up. This book does a lot of tropes well in modern times: small town, where one character feels stifled and one is escaping the bustle of Washington DC, as well as friends to lovers, with both characters protecting their heart while falling for each other. Another great representation of this book is the joy and stress of making friends as an adult, but how crucial having a variety of relationships is to your well being. Listening to this book was a joy. The narrator represented Aja and Walker well, with a pace that matched the setting. I recommend this book for fans of contemporary romance, a Black fat woman lead, small town, friends to lovers, and mental health and anxiety representation.