One of the better romcoms I’ve read in a while as it’s actually romantic and also quite funny. Our main characters have great chemistry and funny banter. Their texts are actually entertaining to read, as they keep each other updated on their romantic exploits trying to see who will win their wager of who can find love first. Of course, their best option is right in front of them!

Very good, felt like a classic romcom and read like a movie in the best way. Looking forward to reading more from Lynn Painter, I’m actually a little surprised that I’ve not read her before!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is 1000% Lynn Painter - laugh out loud funny, exceptional banter, sizzling chemistry! Loved Hallie and Jack, loved getting to see Olivia and Colin again. Come for the tacos, stay for the vomit condoms and fake dating.

I enjoyed reading this book which is about two friends who make a deal that they need to find “the one” on the dating app in order to win the prize. This book takes place in the same universe as Mr. Wrong Number but you don’t have to read that book in order to understand the story. I enjoyed the plot of this book and was instantly hooked with the story. Painter is such an incredible writer who knows what the readers want. The storyline was enhoyable and it was fast paced that you won’t get bored with the story. I also enjoyed the different conflicts that were in the book which reminded me a bit of another book I can’t think of right off my head. This book is also in dual povs which was really enjoyable.

This book is written from both Hallie and Josh’s pov. Hallie is a bartender that is adventerous and fun. She kind of reminds of of Lucy from The Hating Game. Josh is an architect who is trying to find someone to commit his life too. I really enjoyed both characters and their development. Their chemistry was off the charts and I wish they knew way sooner. There are many side characters in this book whom you will enjoy. The romance is friends to lovers and I enjoyed it quite a bit. I just wish we got to see them as a couple for a good because it did take a while. There are also some closed steamy scenes in this book but nothing too detailed.

The ending was well done and I enjoyed how cute the book was. I wish we got to see the couple as a couple for a but longer then we have because the next thing you know that the book is done. It was very well written though and I enjoyed the story. Painter is an incredible writer and I totally recommend reading her books especially Mr. Wrong Number.

Sadly, this was a DNF for me. I thought Mr Wrong Number was cute, but it didn't really grab me. I forgot how much I didn't like Jack in that book and with this being his book... Well, it didn't make me like him any better.

A one night stand leads to friendship and more.

As soon as I read that sweet and precious dedication, I knew this book would be the blend of humor and tenderhearted romance I yearned for. So many things can follow a one night stand, and for Hallie and Jack, it resulted in a wonderful and supportive friendship.

Both Hallie and Jack had reached a reckoning point in their lives. Jack was unmoored following the passing of his favorite uncle, while Hallie knew it was time to pick herself up, dust herself off, and get her life back on track after a shocking break-up. Part of their plan was finding their soulmate, and Jack and Hallie were there to help each other navigate the search.

My affection for this book centered around Jack and Hallie. Their banter and playfulness kept a smile on my face, but I also reveled in the bond that formed between them. The moment they realized they already found their soulmate in each other was a moment that set my heart aflame. I was especially thrilled about this union with respect to Hallie. The reasons for her break up angered me and broke my heart, but she traded up for Jack who delighted in all parts of Hallie and loved her as-is. And that trip to Colorado!!!! One of my favorite parts of the book.

A fat cat, a wacky roommate, and appearances by Liv and Colin put this one over the top for me. Painter’s streak of hits continues, and I am grateful for all the warmth and laughter she brings to me via her stories.

This follow-up to Mr. Wrong Number was absolutely fantastic!

Jack’s self-imposed redemption arc and Hallie’s determination to keep him solidly in the friend zone was a constant battle against their impulse to go all out for each other.

Full review to come on my blog and on Amazon on release day!

This book was cute. A really good friends to lovers. Only frustrating part is why they just....wouldn't date. The plot was a little confusing (if you went out with someone and had amazing chemistry why would you them decide to set them up with others? makes no sense).

It’s just another manic Monday !!

Have you ever laughed so hard you leaked some bodily fluids ? No? Me either , never .

LIES .

I found a book that made my little squirrel brain jump up and down like an old lady at bingo .

The Love Wager

The book is everything you never knew you needed .

I fell in love with Jack and Hallie over and over again . By the time I concluded this book I felt a strong connection and needed more, so I instantly ran over to Amazon to purchase Mr. Wrong Number and Better Than The Movies. I just needed more from the author that caused irreparable bladder damage from laughing so hard.

Lynn Painter is my spirit animal and we are going to become best friends, she just doesn’t know it yet .

This book is filled with love, laughter, truth and at times a tear or two .

Teaser :

Two people make a wager on who can find love first, not realizing what they should be betting on is each other, in this new romantic comedy by Lynn Painter, New York Times bestselling author of Mr. Wrong Number.

Hallie Piper is turning over a new leaf. After belly-crawling out of a hotel room (hello, rock bottom), she decides it’s time to become a full-on adult. She gets a new apartment, a new haircut, and a new wardrobe, but when she logs onto the dating app that she has determined will find her new love, she sees none other than Jack, the guy whose room she snuck out of.

After agreeing they are absolutely not interested in each other, Jack and Hallie realize they’re each other’s perfect wing-person in their searches for The One. They text each other about their dates, often scheduling them at the same restaurant so that if things don’t go well, the two of them can get tacos afterward.

Spoiler: they get a lot of tacos together.

Discouraged by the lack of prospects, Jack and Hallie make a wager to see who can find true love first, but when they agree to be fake dates for a weekend wedding, all bets are off. As they pretend to be a couple, lines become blurred and they both struggle to remember why the other was a bad idea to begin with.

I loved Mr. Wrong Number and The Love Wager is right up there with rom-com's I'll be recommending. Great premise and utterly lovable characters. Yes, fake dates is an overused trope -- but Painter makes is work her own way. Well done!

I'll admit that I didn't read Mr. Wrong Number. I tried twice (print book & audiobook) but just couldn't get into it. Something about the story just wasn't clicking with me. But when I heard the premise for The Love Wager I was super excited to give Painter another try.

The Love Wager is sweet, cute and wonderfully executed romcom.

I had a lot of fun with the characters. They are silly, fun and chaotic which gave the book a lighter feeling and great for escapism. The dates each of the MCs went on were fun to read about and I loved the meet ups Jack and Hallie would have after. Those were so cute! I also liked that we got to see Hallie and Jack become friends. This rarely happens in friends to lovers story lines so I found it to be nice.

I will say I think the one-night stand happened too quickly (for my liking). I think maybe having it in the middle of the story would've added more drama and angst in the story. It just seemed strange that after their one-night stand and becoming BEST friends that they wouldn't give into their feelings sooner. Plus I wasn't a huge fan of the miscommunication between them either. But those are my only complaints.

Overall The Love Wager was a quick, fun romcom read that was great to escape into.

Hallie and Jack met when he was buying an engagement ring for the girl he just broke up with. After a crazy night, they end up connecting over a dating app and forge a friendship and a bet. Whoever finds true love first wins. Of course, since this is a romance, we know where it's headed, but the journey is fun and filled with banter, friendship and one of my favorite romance tropes. Lynn Painter has become one of my go to authors when I need a fun read that will grab me from page one and keep me riveted until the end. This was a perfect read for an unexpected day off.

My first book by Lynn Painter and for the most part, I enjoyed it! It was told in alternating POVs and I liked how quickly it shifted between our two MCs, Hallie and Jack. It started off really cute and I liked the premise of the love wager-- it was so fun! Though I enjoyed the first half more, the second half is where I started to lose some of that steam and interest. As the book went on, I became less of a fan of Jack because of his jealousy and his behavior and actions related with this. At times it almost seemed possessive to me? I also wasn't the biggest fan of the ending that much. Overall though, it was still cute and I would be interested in checking out her other books!

Okay I’m starting to think I’m just not a Lynn painter girlie and that’s okay. The book wasn’t bad just not a favorite.

A perfect rom-com to recommend to fans of Emily Henry and Christina Lauren.

After having a one night stand, Hallie and Jack reconnect on a dating app. Both insist they aren’t interested in dating each other, but need motivation to stay in the dating scene. A wager is born and these one-time bedmates become sidekicks. They meet up for tacos after bad dates and text each other all the time. Surely they’re just going to remain friends…

Readers who prefer their romance with a heavy dose of banter won’t be disappointed. Hallie and Jack’s snarky conversations are the star of this book. The chemistry and connection that grows between them over their text conversations, taco dinners, and time spent hanging out makes for a delightful slow(ish) burn. A few plot points are left unexplored, but that didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment.

This was absolutely predictable. There's nothing wrong with that, but there's way more interesting books out there to read than this.

Jack and Hallie meet at Jack’s sister’s wedding. Hallie, having suffered from heartbreak, decides it’s time to start dating again. And Jack, who was going to propose to his girlfriend, decided that he was only after the idea of a relationship and not exactly a relationship with the girl. So their fated meeting turned into a one night stand turned into… friendship? They’ve quickly become each other’s confidant and motivator to find the right match through online dating with a wager of sorts as incentive to find true love. But, how long for Jack and Hallie to realize that maybe, just maybe, they’re meant to be?

FANTASTIC! Absolutely fantastic! The banter, the hilarious scenes, the connection between Jack and Hallie were perfection! I lol’d probably for half the book. The flow and Painter’s writing were easy-going, addictive, and plain fun that I had the hardest of hard times putting the darn thing down. It was also great seeing Colin and Olivia again, but Jack took my cake! Loved him!! I highly recommend to my fellow rom-com fans!

I loved reading Jack and Hallie’s story. Well-written, absolutely adorable, and with the right amount of spice. The chemistry between these two is one we all hope for in our relationships, not to mention the playful, hilarious back and forth banter. It was a joy to read!

I really enjoyed this. Lynn Painter is a genuinely funny writer, and I always appreciate a rom com that's heavy on the com side. Hallie and Jack meet at Jack's sister's wedding (his sister is a character from Mr. Wrong Number) and have a one-night stand after Jack breaks up with the woman he was planning to propose to (don't worry, she's awful). Soon after, they separately decide to get serious about finding love and end up on the same dating app, where they start chatting and decide to be each others' wing persons out there in the dating world. I really loved their friendship, and while I'm into reading romances for the HEA, I was a little bummed that they couldn't keep their adorable friendship just as it was. A really cute and funny lovers to friends to lovers romance with great chemistry between the main characters, and a big fat cat as a bonus.

I have FEELINGS. But unlike these two GOONS I’m not afraid to SAY IT. Arguably, that was the most rewarding bit of this whole narrative, anxiously awaiting these two clowns to buck up and admit that they LOVE EACH OTHER. I was ready to COMBUST the TENSION was IMPECCABLE.

Honestly there were just so many moments that had me in my feelings so goddamn deep a lifeguard should have been on duty. I be DROWNING over here. The banter??? The humor??? The longing??? Jack falling hard & first??? Blow the GODDAMN WHISTLE ALREADY and GET THE LIFE PRESERVER because SHE NEEDS SAVING.

& even put aside the visceral electrical jolt to my HEART (and other bits, I am but a simple woman), this whole story was FLAWLESS. The writing was intoxicating, the characters were so tender and guttural, the plot movement was swift and captivating. And the cat analogy??? Yo that shit got me HARD.

Anywho. I’m a mess. Get a bucket and a mop or whatever cardi said.

5⭐️ a sick day binge is exactly what the doctor ordered and yet I am still UNWELL.

**all of my thanks to NetGalley and those angels over at Berkley and my queen Lynn for this eARC**

I had high hopes for this one after reading great reviews from fellow readers. This is the first book by Lynn Painter I've read, so I wasn't entirely sure what to expect.

While there were things I enjoyed about it, overall I felt like there was a lot missing. I loved the interactions, bantering, etc. between Jack and Hallie. Painter really excels with that. But what lost me was all the other writing and story-building. Things would be brought up without any prelude, and I was legitimately confused I missed entire pages while reading. Important plotlines were dropped randomly, like her sister getting married, Hallie's new job, etc. There were so many loose ends that I was confused half the time about what was going on.

There was a lot of self-realization and inner thoughts from the characters that were too on the nose. Like they shouldn't have been making those statements as early as they did in the story, it hindered the character development in my opinion.

I ended up skimming the last 20% or so of the book. It just felt like it dragged and I did not understand the characters' actions. Hallie and Jack finally getting together sort of felt anticlimactic.

So, sadly, not my cup of tea, but might try this author again in the future.