This was my first read by Jodie Slaughter and I hate to say that I was disappointed! I was able to listen to the audio book and when I first started it, I loved her voice. I thought her voice fit Aja perfectly! She had so much rasp and depth to her voice that I was immediately intrigued. However, as the story went on, I found myself wishing for some variety. I've listened to some really great narrators who do a fantastic job of playing multiple characters and keeping things interesting despite it being hours of their one voice. I did not feel the same about this narrator. I don't think she necessarily needed to change her voice when she was speaking from Walker's point of view, but I felt like everything was very one note and there wasn't enough differentiation to keep me interested as a listener. I made it about half-way through this listen before I just couldn't do it anymore. I hope they consider adding a second narrator or switching some things up in the future because I think this could've been better, it just wasn't there for me right now!

#BetOnIt:⁣
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“Aja was of the opinion that a friendship reached true intimacy once you felt comfortable enough to lightly drag each other now and then.”⁣
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You had me at bingo. No, really. Pre-Covid, my parents would go the bingo hall on post and it’s some of my favorite memories. The accuracy of the bingo patrons is 100000% accurate, and I couldn’t help but smile. Bet on It was a quick read that really dug deep into trauma in a way I didn’t think a romcom really had for me before. It’s also really steamy steam, so headphones are advised!⁣
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I really don’t think I’ve ever read a book that goes this in depth with realistic scenarios on anger and anxiety. Most will touch the subject, but Bet on It had extensive discussions on it and I loved it. The way Aja felt stuck in trying to find ways to make new friends, but felt like she didn’t know how really hit me. I always feel like it’s a vicious cycle of self-isolation because of the anxiety in making new friends, so the anxiety of trying to put yourself out there causes you to shut down and just self-isolate. ⁣
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I try not to run too much with a book that’s steamy because I end up forgetting how to use my legs and stand on the sidewalk with my mouth gaped open and cheering for the characters. I am quite sure if I had pearls to clutch, they would have been clutched and ripped from the neck. They went from 0 to 100 real quick and that 100 was a hot one y’all. Angel Pean reads this book and I need all books read by Angel Pean please and thank you. Some readers can make you laugh at a steamy scene, but she made those steamy scenes! Headphones on, get the audiobook.⁣
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Overall, I really liked that we had a fun/quirky romance but that balanced well with a heavy dose of discussion on mental health. It’s a sex pact in the South with bingo y’all! I mean.. c’mon! Thank you so much @smpromance and @macmillan.audio for the gifted copy. Bet On It is out today!⁣
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QOTD: Let’s go to Bingo y’all! What color dauber are you grabbing? I’m going with the lime green one with glitter ✨

I so enjoyed Bet On It. This opens with the main character, Aja, having a panic attack in a grocery store. I felt for her and really connected with her anxiety journey in this story. I also love how her worked through that anxiety in both her relationship and in building her group of friends.

While I enjoyed Aja’s relationship with Walker I just wish that it would’ve progressed at a faster pace. I felt I was waiting around for them to win games of bingo so they would move forward with each other and not just continue to friend zone each other.

I liked the focus on mental health in this one but it honestly moved a bit too slow for me. You all know I love a steam romance but this one was only just a little bit steamy with a great kiss against the wall of the bar which I loved.

4.5 stars rounded down.

"Peaches aren't for staring at, Walker. They're for eating."

You guys. This book. It checks a lot of boxes. A quick read, small town vibes, diversity, a fat main character without fatphobia, well-written smut, well-researched mental illness representation, and a romance that feels very genuine and human.

Also. This book is dirty. Now don't get me wrong - this book isn't going to be SmutTok's smuttiest read of the year, or even close. However, there is plenty of wonderfully written smut that is there for her pleasure and the use of dirty talk is ✨chef's kiss✨ .

On top of that. This is book is one of my favorite displays of mental illness (specifically, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, childhood trauma, and panic attacks). In particular, I love that the author took the time to highlight the way that panic attacks can manifest differently in men and women, as well as cultural impacts on mental illness.

The audiobook narrator did a great job with these characters and keeping the reader engaged. I do, however, wish that there had been two narrators for the two perspectives, as it wasn't always clear when the perspective changed and it often took me a moment to orient myself to the new perspective.

This is a highly recommend for me. Anyone who enjoys contemporary romance and rom-coms are going to enjoy this one.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Angel Pean, via NetGalley. An advanced reader's copy of this audiobook was provided to me via NetGalley by Macmillan Audio in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of the most original meet cutes I've read in a while and I loved the story. The idea that these two characters fall in love over a BINGO sex bet is just too adorable. If you love rom-coms with a little drama sprinkled in, you will be head over heels for this one. The characters are relatable, the fact they both have anxiety is a real-world issue for today, and the setting is perfect for you to be pulled into their world. The narrator was wonderful and added authenticity and character to the story. Wonderful read!

I enjoyed the mental health representation with both Aja and Walker. Both have struggles that they are dealing with in healthy ways. I loved the friends Aja made and how Walker was pushed out of his comfort zone. But I found myself bored and I wasn't invested in the romance.

First of all, I really appreciated the fact that this book addressed some “uncomfortable” subjects. It talked a lot about coping with mental health issues, seeing therapists, handling trauma, and weight. Not all of it was relatable for me personally but I could totally see where this book would fit a niche for people who are finally able to say “omg it’s me” when someone is having a panic attack in a book.

Second, I like that it dealt with family issues. It highlights that families aren’t perfect and everyone doesn’t grow up the same. Plus, it showed how we sometimes carry that trauma to adulthood too and that’s so important to recognize, especially in relationships.

Finally, the most important -the romance. It was a little lack-luster for me though. It was cute and sexy but just not my style.

Angel Pean brilliantly narrates Jodie Slaughter’s Bet on It in the dual POVs of Aja Owens and Walker Abbott. Their lives intersect in his small South Carolina hometown through the frozen foods section in the Piggly Wiggly, Bingo, and his injured grandmother. Aja and Walker lead very controlled lives because of anxiety/panic attack issues and are unprepared for the intense attraction/connection they feel for each other. After becoming friends, they make a bingo sex pact allowing them to explore their thirst for each other during Walker’s stay in town while helping his gram. Whoever wins at bingo gets to initiate sex, making them both winners!

Narrator Pean excellently brings Bet on It to life with emotional narration that complements Slaughter’s descriptive and expressive narrative style. She effortlessly narrates with graceful, lyrical pacing that highlights Slaughter’s gorgeous use of language. Pean fantastically narrates Aja and Walker’s characters, giving them, and other characters, distinct voices using cadence, tenor, accents, dialects, and affectations that capture their personalities, emotions, and moods for each scene. She captures Aja’s honesty, sarcasm, sweetness, social anxiety, and that she is not a southerner. Deep and masculine with a superb southern accent, her narration and voice for Walker are superb. Even without the character tags, you’d always know which characters are speaking with Pean’s narration because of her differentiation for each character. I couldn’t imagine anyone else narrating this book.

From Bet on It’s opening scene, I was captivated by the characters and story and could not stop listening to the audiobook. I was all-in for a bingo sex pact, friends-to-lovers romance. And I got that but so much more. Slaughter beautifully explores Aja and Walker’s journey from strangers to friends to lovers who fall in love with each other—while battling anxiety/PTSD. Her story is original and full of emotion and heart with fantastic pacing, vivid description, and colorful, authentic, and lively dialogue and character interactions.

Slaughter wonderfully develops and evolves her complex, likable, imperfect, and sympathetic characters through banter and interactions infused with the full spectrum of emotions, shared experiences, and pain that quicken and deepen the connection and bond that forms between them. Walker and Aja’s sweet, funny, sexy, intimate, and emotional banter and interactions are one of my favorite things about the novel. I love how they spend time hanging out, talking, eating, watching movies, and getting to know one another. Their love scenes are sexy, intimate, intense, fun, passionate, and emotional. These interactions and love scenes further the development of the novel and Walker and Aja’s characters and their shared connection. Aja and Walker’s interactions with their friends, family, etc., who form their support systems, are genuine, hilarious, and vital. These relationships offer insight into who Aja and Walker are.

Aja first encounters the man of her dreams while having a panic attack in the frozen foods section of the Piggly Wiggly. Then, to her surprise, her favorite bingo buddy introduces him as her estranged grandson. After one bingo game, she knows he will be a problem in her life filled with them. Walker cares about two things in Greenbelt, SC: his grandmother and the diner’s peach cobbler. After 10+ years, his grandmother’s injury is the only reason he’s back in a place he hates, surrounded by bad memories of his childhood trauma and baggage, counting down the days until he can return to his real life once Gram heals. He’s not expecting Aja, however, who changes his life—his whole world.

Aja and Walker’s attraction is so intense that they make a bingo-based sex pact to satisfy their sexual desire for each other while keeping things from getting out of control. Because going all-in might be dangerous for their carefully balanced lives, keeping their emotions out of things between them is safer. But Aja and Walker catch feelings because you can’t deny emotions—especially when a connection is this powerful.

Slaughter’s description of Walker and Aja’s anxiety, panic, trauma, and PTSD—especially amid panic attacks or anxiety—make it a living, breathing thing, another character. Her vivid, visceral description grabs hold of your imagination and your emotions, making you feel as though you are with Aja and Walker in those debilitating, frightening moments. Her portrayal of anxiety/mental illness issues and how the characters live with them is nuanced and thought-provoking. Aja and Walker share their anxiety/mental illness struggles, bringing them closer. They see each other as beautiful and desirable, accepting the other as-is after seeing the other at their worst, knowing this shared pain/experience, and being vulnerable with each other.

Bet on It is a sweet, unbelievably sexy, funny, steamy, emotional, compelling, and profoundly romantic novel I highly recommend for audio fans.

CW: panic attacks, mental illness, drug abuse, and child endangerment.

The cover for this one is so cute I knew I had to read it. You really don't see any books about bingo so I was excited to read this one. I could definitely empathize with Aja because I love Bingo, but it can definitely be intimidating with all the old bitty's who have been playing for decades and have a routine/superstitions. When I was reading Walker's chapter where he gets a bingo I could feel the rush of excitement that comes along with being set and then having that number being called! There is a lot about anxiety in this book which will be great for people who are also anxious, but I felt like it took over the story in a lot of places.

I did love the small town feel and how Aja was able to meet a group of friends that took her in as their own.

I didn't love the narrator especially during the male POV. I found her male voices, and the elderly ladies voices a bit grating.

Overall I think it's a cute love story that centers around bingo, finding yourself, dealing with anxiety and small town living. I think it will appeal to a lot of people, but just wasn't as good as I was hoping.

Bet On It by Jodie Slaughter is a romance about two individuals who both suffer with their mental health. Asia is a woman who has suffered from anxiety for much of her life and who also has little social interaction in her daily life. This story starts off with her having an anxiety attack in the store and a man named Walker running into her during this moment. He helps to calm her down and then they go their separate ways. Later on that week she meets him again at bingo which she attends weekly. Walker is at bingo to help out his grandmother who had a recent injury. Asia and Walker are introduced to one another by his grandmother because of the relationship that Asia has with his grandmother. As Walker stays in town to help his grandmother him and Asia get to learn more about each other emotionally, physically and mentally. This helps both of them and their mental health as well as Walkers relationship with the town his family is from. I enjoyed listening to this book. I loved seeing how Walker and Asia were able to open up to one another and help each other out. I also loved the bingo aspect because usually bingo is only associated with the elderly people so it was fun seeing young people being so entertained by it as well!

While I did love the strong focus on mental illness, this book just fell flat. I didn’t feel any connection to the characters and truly just wanted to finish the book and move on.

4 stars

While this one wasn’t quite as light and fluffy as I was initially expecting (and hoping, honestly), I did still enjoy it. The characters felt well-developed, had interesting backstories, and (I thought) had real chemistry. There were a lot of sweet moments, but also some pretty heavy scenes; the main characters carry a lot of baggage, primarily in the forms of mental health issues and related trauma. These issues are treated with care, though, and the writer even provides a brief warning at the beginning of the book. At some points, the characters almost felt a bit too thoughtful and self-aware; that might just be a reflection of the personal growth I need to undergo myself (haha?), but sometimes, it felt a bit unrealistic. Even so, I liked their story, and some elements of this lovely rom-com were actually pretty unique. At a few points, something about the tone of the story made me worry it was going to have less of a traditional ending rather than the HEA I wanted; thankfully, I was wrong about that. It was a fun read with a happy conclusion.

Based on the adorable cover and synopsis I assumed this would be a lighthearted read and it was at times, but it also had some heavier aspects as well that I’ll get into later. I know you can never tell how steamy a romance will be based off those two alone either but this one gets spicy and the chemistry between Aja and Walker was apparent from their first encounter. I believed in their relationship and I even believed in their messy issues, both separately and together. I was definitely rooting for them, HARD even when they were both making mistakes.

Maybe it’s just the romances I’ve been reading lately but there seems to be a new trend of exploring mental health issues in quite a few romances lately and this is one trend I can get behind. This one has both main characters dealing with anxiety disorders and it’s a big part of the story, so a heads up if that may be a trigger for you. If it’s not, I thought the author did a really great job of exploring anxiety and balancing the heavy with the light. The audio was solid and Angel Pean did a great job bringing Aja and Walker to life.

This story was pretty cute! Overall I think I would give it between a 3 and 4 stars. I liked the two main characters, and I think they each get a lot of background and context apart from the relationship. There is also a lot about anxiety and how they each deal with it, as well as trauma, in their own ways. It also talks a lot about their familial relationships. I liked the bingo parts a lot, and obviously a sex bet based on winning bingo games is what we all need. There were quite a few steamy scenes as well, which we love to see!

When Aja Owens meets Walker Abbott they have instant chemistry, even if the first encounter is while Aja is having a panic attack. This is a steamy, fast-paced romance and I ate it up quickly. The representation of PTSD and general anxiety disordered was appreciated and treated with care.

While the chemistry was so intense, I feel like the emotional connection was slightly lacking. Readers who prefer more emotional connection and less steam may not enjoy this one as much. But, if you love steam, diverse leads, and engaging, well-done sex scenes, this one is for you.

I think this is an excellent choice for fans of Talia Hibbert and Jasmine Guillory.

3.5 stars rounded down.

Bet On It
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance / Rom-Com
Format: Kindle eBook and Audiobook
Date Published: 7/12/22
Author: Jodie Slaughter
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press (ebook) and Macmillan Audio (audio)
Pages: 320
Goodreads Rating: 3.79

TW ⚠️: Mental illness, panic attack, anxiety, PTSD, self-harm, and addiction.

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio, and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: The first time Aja Owens encounters the man of her dreams, she’s having a panic attack in the frozen foods section of the Piggly Wiggly. The second time, he’s being introduced to her as her favorite bingo buddy’s semi-estranged grandson. In Walker Abbott’s counting down the days until Gram heals and he can get back to his real life. Just when he thinks his plan is solid, enter Aja to shake everything up. A hastily made bingo-based sex pact is supposed to keep this…thing between them from getting out of hand. Especially when submitting to their feelings means disrupting their carefully balanced lives. But emotions are just like bingo callers—they refuse to be ignored.

My Thoughts: I alternated between the ebook and the audiobook. The narration was great, especially with the various voices. The story is narrated by Aja and Walker, in alternating perspectives. One of my favorite trope is the friends to lovers trope, I just love how the relationship builds into a romantic one. Being no stranger to mental health issues with various members of my family, I really appreciated how the author approached it in this book. The characters were well developed, had depth, charisma, an immediate connection, building of female friendships, and had spice, lots of steamy spice! The author’s writing style was complex, multi-faceted, creative, and emotional. There were moments of humor but this was more emotional for me. This book releases tomorrow and I highly recommend you purchase it. I will be reading more books by Slaughter!

I was totally smitten in the first half of this book. The instant chemistry between Walker and Aja was steamy and I appreciated the honest depiction of PTSD and generalized anxiety disorder (I also live with GAD). I also enjoyed Aja as a main character. She was spunky, and just trying to start fresh in a new town.

Unfortunately, this one lost me in the second half. I struggled to connect with Walker, because his actions felt very surface-level. Second, the relationship between the two characters was all sex. It seemed like all of their conversations were about making sexual innuendos, and then suddenly they were madly in love. Their sexual chemistry was off the charts, but I needed to see more of their relationship in order to root for them to get their HEA.

Overall, this is a steamy romance with a unique premise. Unfortunately, the execution just didn't quite blow me away.

(4.5 rounded up to a 5)

Bet on It is an interracial romance between two neurodiverse characters by Jodie Slaughter. The ebook version is 320 pages. I listened to the audiobook, which clocks in at a little over ten hours and is narrated by Angel Pean. We follow our two main characters with third-person points-of-view.

Aja Owens is a fat black woman who is dealing with generalized anxiety disorder. She recently moved to a small town in South Carolina to get away from the hustle and bustle of Washington, D.C. She loves toing to her weekly bingo session, where she meets up with her single friend: her bingo buddy. One day, when she's in the frozen foods section of the Piggly Wiggly, she has a panic attack and a handsome stranger talks her through it.

Walker Abbott ran out of Greenbelt, South Carolina as soon as he could after high school. But he's back in town to help out his grandmother after she had a fall which resulted in both of her arms being in casts. When Aja's bingo buddy introduces her semi-estranged grandson, "Wally," it ends up being that same handsome stranger from the grocery.

The two of them decide to make a sex pact, where they are allowed to enjoy each other if one of them wins a game. This should help them deal with their heavy chemistry, right? But they can't run from their feelings for too long...

The book starts out with a brief list of content warnings, and refers you to the author's website that has an even more detailed list. I really appreciated that and think more books should list these at the beginning, instead of at the end in an Author's note.

I'm really pleased that I finally picked up a book by this author. Her prose is very lyrical and I loved it. This isn't just a light rom-com, though, it deals with some heavy topics. As a person who is neurodiverse, I think she did a great job writing nuanced characters dealing with complex trauma responses. There's also some great scenes where Aja is talking to her therapist which reminded me of sessions of my own. This book is pro-therapy and learning and growing and healing as a human being. I also really liked the development of Aja's newfound friendships in this book.

This book gets pretty steamy! There are several scenes of semi-public sex, so head's up if that's not your thing. Talia Hibbert has a blurb for this book, and that makes a lot of sense to me as I think fans of hers would like this book. I loved the fat representation here as well, as there is no doubt that Walker enjoys her body and definitely not in any kind of fetishized way.

The one ding that this book has from me is the fact that the author didn't take the few seconds to Google about how bingo cards work. When reading off a completed bingo, the numbers don't match the letters and that pulled me out of the story. I did read an advanced copy, so I suppose it's possible that this got fixed for the finished project, but still. This is why it's not a solid 5 stars from me.

Tropes in this book include: small town, strangers-to-friends-to-lovers

CW: PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, descriptions of panic attacks, references to previous drug addiction and child neglect

Special thanks to Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Griffin, and NetGalley for providing a audio galley of this book for me to review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

This was quite the steamy RomCom! And by steamy, I mean quite descriptive! Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining, but you’ve been warned! 🌶

I applaud Slaughters choice to highlight anxiety and panic attacks as a central plot focus and thought that aspect was extremely well done.

Unfortunately, I just never felt connected to the characters and that ultimately contributing to me just never fully getting invested in this one.

Bet on It
by Jodie Slaughter
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[blurb] The first time Aja Owens encounters the man of her dreams, she’s having a panic attack in the frozen foods section of the Piggly Wiggly. The second time, he’s being introduced to her as her favorite bingo buddy’s semi-estranged grandson. From there, all it takes is one game for her to realize that he’s definitely going to be a problem. And if there’s anything she already has a surplus of, it’s problems.

[Review] I love this book for so many reasons. I know this book won't be everyone's cup of tea. But for, there is a certain group of people that are meant for this book. And for those, this book will mean everything. And for us, I hope Jodie Slaughter creates an entire world like this. Where men can be damaged, but seek help to be better. Where they can be willing to be wrong and still try to be better. Where women with anxiety aren't seen as broken or burdens. We're loved and treasured, I loved this love story. It's not perfect. This love is real and raw.

I also love that Aja's body is a real woman's body. And it's discussed as such. There are stretch marks and folds. And that's okay. I love every aspect of this book! I really hope there are more books in this world.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC copy of this audiobook. Thank you, Jodie Slaughter, for this wonderful book and world.