Lynn Painter is no novice author, and her latest installment, BETTING ON YOU, drives that home. This book is a kaleidoscope, lighthearted whirlwind of a story — a perfect escape for all romance readers!

absolutely obsessed I couldn’t stop laughing. This was my first Lynn Painter book and I completely understand why they're so popular!

**Review of "Betting on You" by Lynn Painter**

"Betting on You" by Lynn Painter is a charming read that intertwines the thrill of unexpected romance with personal transformation. Painter's narrative is lively and sprinkled with humor, making it easy to root for her characters. The protagonist's journey is both heartwarming and relatable, making it a great pick for those who enjoy character-driven stories.

However, the plot does tread familiar ground and some twists feel predictable, which might not satisfy readers looking for more originality in their romantic escapades. Additionally, the pacing can seem uneven at times, particularly in the middle section of the book.

Overall, Lynn Painter delivers an engaging tale that is sure to entertain. Its light-hearted approach and endearing characters make it a solid choice for a cozy afternoon read. "Betting on You" earns a well-deserved 3.5 stars, appealing to fans of contemporary romance looking for a mix of humor and heartfelt moments.

I went into this book blind. I picked it up purely for the author, and this did not disappoint.

This lead characters meet at some point during their respective vacations on a plane ride. They don't hit it off per se, but then end up working job at a same place. Then ensues some fake dating, making parents mad, a maybe a little friends-to-more...

This story touches on themes of loneliness and divorce.

Good god this book and the characters in it were so annoying. I don't even know what Bailey and Charlie saw in each other. Bailey was excessively quirky and Charlie was very annoying. He was also very rude at times. I understand that they've been hurt by their parents' divorces but the way they react to things is very over the top. Also their first meeting was at an airport where Charlie was literally sticking his tongue down some other girl's throat and then antagonizing Bailey for no reason. How could I like him after this 😅

I didn't even like how Bailey's mom reacted to certain things later and Bailey's hate for her mom's bf was understandable but could have been resolved if these adults had sat down to talk to her. Also, Bailey's absentee dad was basically forgiven at the end? Like hello?
There were too many unnecessary tropes thrown in without context and the main reason for the bet itself is so weird when Bailey's bff Nekesa was in a relationship. And not only does Nekesa end up cheating on her boyfriend later, she's also forgiven by him. And her boyfriend gets down on his knees to win her back. Like WTF?
There's also some unnecessary third act drama where I didn't like Charlie's behavior or how Bailey forgave him so easily later.
TLDR : All of the characters except for Bailey are horrible and don't deserve forgiveness but they got it anyway.

Lynn Painter does it again with this funny, heartfelt YA romance that nails the "When Harry Met Sally" references in a unique and refreshing way.

3.75. This took me forever to read & mostly felt stuck and repetitive. I loved the last 1/3 of it because so much finally happened and was authentically written, but not sure it is worthy of our Battle list. I will buy it for our library.

This was a super fun read. The banter was phenomenal and I loved the vocabulary used, lots of "Gilmore Girl" vibes. So much fun! A sweet fluffy read that will have you rolling on the floor laughing. I will totally be reading this again in the future. Absolutely recommend!

This was another great book from Lynn Painter, that I would recommend to those who think it sounds good!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing for the access to this one via NetGalley. These are my honest thoughts.

This is my first Lynn Painter novel, and it had almost all of the things I love about her contemporary romance books, which means I loved this one too!

This is a story about two teenagers who meet on the plane. Both sets of parents are divorced, and they're flying back to their primary caregiver's when they meet at the airport. Then, they have a serious of awkward re-encounters until their... senior years in high school? When they start working at the same place together and become friends (even though, a la When Harry Met Sally, guys and gals cannot be *just friends*). They didn't even know each other's first name, only the nickname they assigned to each other, until their first days on the job?

What developed was a truly unique friendship at a time when both of them needed a friend... navigating divorced parents, new boyfriends encroaching on your space, new siblings, etc.

Things I loved about this book:
- The nicknames
- All of the tropes! Kinda enemies to friends to lovers, kinda fake dating, kinda forced proximity...
- The friendships and friend groups and the honest conversations between them, but especially Bailey and Charlie
- The different components of the story - the work, the party, the trip to Colorado, bowling, etc. You get to see the main characters in a lot of different environments
- The banter and chemistry! Bailey felt awkward around a lot of her peers, but she was feisty and playful with Charlie and I loved that for her!
- ALL THE TAYLOR SWIFT REFERENCES + THE FREAKING TEN MINUTE VERSION OF ALL TOO WELL!

Like I mentioned, this is my first YA novel by Painter, but I'll definitely be going back and reading her other YA novels!

This was an absolutely magical little rom-com that so perfectly encompasses what it feels like to be seventeen and having an all-consuming crush. Lynn Painter can do no wrong in my eyes--she is the voice of a hopeless romantic yet appropriately post-rom-com-era-cynical generation and everything she puts out is PHENOMENAL

Absolutely loved this book! The writing was captivating, characters were well-developed, and the plot kept me hooked until the very end. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a gripping read!

Another winner from Lynn Painter. She is an automatic buy for both the Library and my own personal collection! Although it has been many years since I've been in HS, I feel like she creates more depth to her teenage characters, making them easy to relate to. I loved this story, but must admit however, no one can top Liz and Wes!

Lynn Painter is definitely a favourite auto-buy author, whether it's her YA or romance books. Her YA as usually total hits for me, and while I did really enjoy this book, I found it a bit similar to the last YA of hers I read.

Regardless, I loved the characters and the story. It didn't feel too cheesy or cringe, which I usually feel with YA books, but had real emotions and issues that would arise in real life without being too dramatic. I loved the dynamic between the two and their families - as a child of divorce, I really loved seeing it represented and the emotions the two along with it.

I absolutely loved Lynn Painter's book Better Than the Movies, so I was super excited to get an advance copy of Painter's latest novel, Betting on You. This story begins at a fun pace with Charlie and Bailey as they have a first-time encounter at the airport. The plot rolls along with the two engaging in bantering on the plane. Fast forward, Charlie and Bailey meet up again at the movies and then finally end up working together and become "friends." Betting on You is a cute story that could have been so much more. Unfortunately, almost every page (and that's not an exaggeration) had the "F-word" on it. I'm not sure why Painter felt it was necessary, it added absolutely nothing to the story and was actually a distraction from what could have been an another amazing book. I'm saddened by it, because Betting on You would have been such a fun addition to my library collection, but regrettably with the language I won't be able to purchase it. With all this being said, Lynn Painter is a great YA writer, so grab a copy of Better Than the Movies, it's excellent!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Betting on You by Lynn Painter

Let me introduce you to Charlie and Bailey. These two met on a plane from Alaska to … I don’t even remember. Anyway, Charlie is in line “sucking a girl’s face off” (how is she even in line because I felt like it was close to boarding, idk) when he and Bailey have words. Then lo and behold, he sits next to her on the plane. What a coincidence. And Charlie is a straight up, A-1 jerk. Very unlikable. They arrive and go about their business. A year later, they run into each other at the movies. Big deal. Apparently it was…they start liking each other -- love at second sight?? -- but tell no one. Now we’re at present day, and lo and behold again, they both get a job at the weirdest name place in the world. They become “best co-workers” because ya know, Charlie is so cynical that they can’t be friends, that’ll never work out!

For whatever reason, Bailey doesn’t like that her divorced-for-a-while mom might be happy with her boyfriend and is convinced by Charlie to destroy their happiness. Oh, and in another turn of events, to destroy her friendship with Nekesa. Although Bailey is smart enough to see that it’s a bad idea, she’s so hung up on this friendship with Charlie, no one else matters anymore. Let’s not forget that Bailey thinks he’s a jerk, but he’s still her best friend. (He kinda shows a softer, sweeter side, but still does jerkish things throughout that doesn’t quite offset that sweet side.)

Anyway, there’s a lot of things to unpack in this story. Too many things really. Therefore, some of it doesn’t get fully unpacked. This book was heavy on the issue of divorced parents. Both Charlie and Bailey were being quite childish about their circumstances. There were unanswered questions left with both circumstances. I felt we needed more information here.

The amount of pop references was a bit much. I lost count of how many different shows Bailey binged…and they were named in the book! I just kept thinking how dated this book will be before too long. TV show references, movie references, music references..it was so much!

And let’s not forget the potty mouth on Charlie. (And he called her “good girl” one time…ick.) I kept having to remind myself this was a young adult book and not an adult book.

Overall, not my favorite young adult romance. I absolutely adored Better Than the Movies by Painter, but this one, not so much. I wouldn’t not recommend it, because it still kept my interest piqued.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this title for review.

Betting on You starts with teenagers flying home from Alaska, independently, as products of divorce. They instantly dislike each other, yet their paths continue to cross over the years and eventually a friendship is formed. This enemies to lovers story is a tale as old as time and Lynn Painter does not disappoint. The trope is a predictable one, but it is heartwarming nonetheless.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of Betting On You.

Betting on You is an interesting take on the question can girls and guys be JUST friends?

Charlie (or as Bailey refers to him, Mr. Nothing) has a strong opinion that NO you cannot be just friends and of course when he finally becomes friends with her is when he falls for her.

I think this was a super cute YA rom com with a pretty predictable ending. It reads perfectly for those in middle/high school and the characters VERY much act their ages in the book. I'm slowly realizing that this genre/age level is not for me anymore like it used to be.

In Betting on You by Lynn Painter, we get a spirited story of unexpected romance and youthful antics. The story centers around Bailey, a seventeen-year-old navigating the complexities of a new job and the awkwardness of re-encountering Charlie, an old acquaintance whose cynicism once clashed with her own desires. As they find themselves working together at a hotel waterpark, their initial animosity gradually gives way to a playful camaraderie, with their bet on the romantic fate of two flirtatious coworkers serving as the backdrop to their evolving relationship. Painter crafts a narrative that is both charming and engaging, capturing the essence of teenage romance with a light and humorous touch. The dynamic between Bailey and Charlie is one of my favorite tropes, enemies to lovers, which is part of why I really did enjoy this book.

However, while Betting on You shines with its adorable book boyfriend and the quick-paced, easy read it promises, it occasionally veers into the realm of the childish or more juvenile, which makes sense since it is YA, but it does detract slightly from its overall appeal. Some aspects of Bailey and Charlie's interactions, as well as the surrounding plot devices like fake dating, feel a bit overdone for me. Despite these moments, the novel's strength lies in its ability to whisk readers away into a light-hearted exploration of young love, complete with all its misunderstandings and mishaps. Painter successfully delivers a story that, at its heart, is about growth, friendship, and the courage to bet on love, even when it's complicated by secrets and bets made in the shadows. Betting on You is perfect for those seeking a quick, enjoyable read that, despite its occasional dips into the juvenile, offers a heartwarming journey through the trials and tribulations of finding love where you least expect it.

Lynn Painter, I love you. Be my valentine! xoxo.

Her YA books are always a blast. I feel like it really captures all the nervous vibes of first love and this one was just so cute! Opposites attract, grouch x sunshine, goody two shoes. So many classic YA romance tropes packed into one adorable book.

And it’s dual POV, which I enjoyed. Pick up for something cutesy!