I liked the idea of this book but it feel flat for me. Too slow, not a ton of chemistry. I had a hard time picturing the MCs. Took me quite some time to figure out their general ages.

This was a great closed door romance. Both MCs were likable and relatable. The side characters were just as great though, including the gnome 😝

Read this if you enjoy…
-gardening
-grumpy-ish cinnamon rolls
-closed door
-small town
-tight friend group
-funny nosey neighbors (think golden girls)

I really enjoyed Gillian and Noah's story. I did not like the inner Bette moments. The hedge destroying was a bit too short of a scene for me to have so much conflict leading the rest of the book. So much fun and heart in this book.

This was a sweet, closed door romance that I enjoyed! The plot and cover is what drew me in, but it wasn't something I haven't read before. I would still recommend it.

This was such a cute romcom! I loved Gillian and Noah as a couple. The gardening competition was a unique aspect to the story and very fun!

This story really made me want to dive in to gardening! Which wasn't really the whole point of it, but a definite underlying theme. This story was so cute, I really enjoyed the FMC and her independent "I can do it all," attitude, as I saw myself in her. The MMC was cute and grumpy but with a nice soft side (lil cinnamon roll!). Overall 4 stars, this author is great!

2.5 stars, rounded up

I struggled a bit with this book. It took me a week to read which is quite long for a romance (which are typically pretty fast reads for me). This didn’t really hold my interest and the stakes felt very low. Both of the characters were flat and I found Gillian kind of annoying in spots.

I also had some issues with the writing style. For example, Gillian’s reaction to seeing Noah shirtless was “Great googly moogly” which..:.ugh. It made her seem like she was about twelve instead of a divorced woman in her 30s. Other scenes too were just weird and didn’t really fit with the (mostly clean) story.

Plot wise, it was fairly slow. The whole garden competition took quite a while to get going and the stakes felt fairly low.

Love the cute cover and the punny title, but I wish I had liked this one more.

Hedging Your Bets by Jayne Denker is an entertaining, delightful, and clean romance that is once again set in Willow Cove; the fictional small town from The Rom-Com Agenda where we fell in love with Leah and Eli. This time we learn more about Leah’s friend Gillian.

Gillian is a long time resident of Willow Cove and is known for being smart, sassy, and single. Noah is new to town, having had his heart broken in California, and moves in next door to Gillian.

As someone who regularly enters the local Gardening Clubs annual competition, Gillian is appalled when she sees Noah ripping up flowers and plants that serve as a border between their yards. He’s ruined her hard work and she lets him know it, vowing to stay away from him. That proves difficult however considering Gillian is the local pharmacist and Noah is plagued by his newly found east-coast allergies.

Noah, feeling bad about their first encounter, offers up a garden gnome as a sign of peace. Gillian responds by hanging it in his backyard.

This frenemies story was a four star read for me and I really enjoyed it after immediately reading The Rom-Com Agenda. I definitely recommend it to those who prefer cute, clean romance that is a slow burn.

Thank you NetGalley, Jayne Denker, and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this ahead of the anticipated January 9th, 2024 release date in exchange for a candid review.

I quite enjoyed this book. A fun closed door romance. Gillian, a plus sized woman, venturing into the dating world after her divorce, has a new (and hot) neighbour that she is butting heads with. But he really that bad?! I loved this author’s writing style. The storyline was funny, cute, entertaining and just plain fun. It also delved into the hard conversations about weight. I really liked Gillian - she was a strong, independent woman - a professional Pharmacist who loves gardening and has the greatest group of friends.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC. I recommend this book for those looking for a well written and fun romcom.

This was my first read from this author and I am glad I took the chance on this one. It was easy to read and connect with the characters.

Gillian has a nice life in a small town in Upstate New York, with supportive friends and a good job. I enjoyed her self confidence and sass, especially when dealing with her new neighbor.
(Not really a fan of "Bette" (IYKYK) but easy enough to get around.)

Noah is running from a painful breakup, and is trying to start fresh. Moving cross country, buying a house and business (sight unseen) wasn't his best thought out decision, but he's determined to make it work. He infuriates his new neighbor Gillian (easily) and the animosity between these two is entertaining! The older busybody neighbors are fun, and I enjoyed watching them insert themselves into the situations.

The story moves nicely, and it is a slow burn, with little steam. It does heat up a little bit, closer to the end, when they finally give in to their attraction. There are many things to enjoy in this story, and I recommend this book. I thank St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for my free ARC and voluntarily leave my review.

This was okay. The majority of this book is spent seeing the heroine go on terrible date after terrible date. The two main characters do not even get together untill almost 75% of the book. I like slow burn but this was slowww. By the time they actually did get together I was underwhelmed and pushing to finish the story.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a fun book with some friendly competition. There's a HAE but some ups and downs along the way.

This was such a cute book! I loved this so much!! This was such a different plot line and I loved every word of it!! 6 star read!
I just reviewed Hedging Your Bets by Jayne Denker. #NetGalley
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Cute story of opposites attract. However, the story truly felt more about a gardening competition than about building any type of relationship. There is very little, to no, dating, only some vailed flirting. No romance, no relationship. Would almost classify as women’s lit, not romance.

It get’s three stars because I managed to finish it, just.

Weak characters and writing. Which sounds mean, and I really hate that because that is the last thing I want! But it’s how I feel about the book. Individually I like Noah West. He is a solid character and I can tell a good amount of time was spent on developing his. Gillian, not so much. She is a little flat and not as present in the story. Not sure I can recommend.

Very much appreciate the chance to read the book. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the ARC.

Hedging Your Bets is fun, romcom style novel that makes you fall in love with its main character, Gillian. She is an adventurous and fiery pharmacist that does not put up with any nonsense in the small town of Willow Cove. When Noah returns to Willow Cove and moves into the house next to Gillian, a quick rivalry ensues that involves dancing in your underwear, clearing out hedges, and adorable garden gnomes.

I absolutely adored Gillian's character throughout this book. She is a strong, female lead that inspires confidence and encourages people to be themselves no matter what other people think. I enjoyed her relationship with Noah but felt that he was a little lacking as an independent character with his own story line. I felt as though his history could have been flushed out a little more to help the reader connect with him as another main character instead of just him as 1/2 of the relationship.

This is a slow burn romance, so it did feel a little quick when their relationship flipped from rivalry to romance within just a chapter or two. There were definitely teasers throughout the beginning of the book where you got a feeling that they were feeling more for each but I felt as though those could have really been built up a little bit more before they started dating.

Overall, Hedging Your Bets was a fun and light read that put a smile on my face throughout. The town of Willow Cove felt like exactly what one would want in a small town romance (nosy old neighbors included).

CW: fatmisia, divorce (recounted), body shaming, toxic relationship

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for inviting me to review a free e-ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Gillian has her eyes set on winning Willow Cove’s annual garden competition. After a string of disappointing dates since her divorce, Gillian finds much comfort in her garden and believes that this will be the year she will finally take on the title of best gardener in town. Noah just moved to Willow Cove from California to get away from a recent breakup and through a series of events winds up being entered into the gardening contest despite never tending a garden a day in his life. Though the two are set out on outdoing the other and constantly bickering, they realize that the other might be exactly what they need.

For the most part, I enjoyed reading Denker’s Hedging Your Bets. Both Gillian and Noah were good MCs and I thought Denker did a great job with their character development throughout the book. I also really appreciate Denker’s efforts of centering the book around a plus-size heroine who isn’t afraid to hide who she is and I feel that she can resonate with readers (myself included).

Another thing I think worked well for Denker in Hedging Your Bets is her plot execution. Following her previous novel, The Rom-Com Agenda, I liked how Denker expands on the world-building efforts to bring Willow Cove to life as well as keep readers connected to the new characters introduced in this book. Additionally, Denker is able to provide a mostly strong, consistent plot that really works out the enemies-to-lovers and opposites-attract tropes that Denker utilizes.

Now, I didn’t love every single aspect of Hedging Your Bets. For example, one of my critiques is that the slow pacing Denker adopts for this book. While I’m not entirely against slow pacing in books, I felt like that the pacing ended up with parts of the book that felt like an occasional drag to read. Secondly, I had mixed feelings about the ending for Hedging Your Bets. No spoilers here and I thought the ending as a whole was okay, but part of me felt like it was rushed and/or put together at the last minute. I think if she combined aspects of the last two chapters of the book into a single cohesive chapter, the ending might have worked out better or at least not feel so rushed.

That being said, I liked Hedging Your Bets and would read it again. While I wouldn’t recommend this title if you’re not a fan of books with slow pacing that drags, I feel like this could be a good book for readers looking for a small town rom-com featuring enemies-to-lovers and features a plus-size heroine.

A cute small town enemies to lovers romance!
Summary: Noah moves next door to Gillian in Willow Cove and unintentionally ruins part of her garden, which is what she is known for among other friendly qualities within the neighborhood and community. They get off on the wrong foot and bicker at random times throughout the book, only to find out sparks fly between them.

I had a tough time getting through this one. I love nothing more than a small town romance but this one missed the mark for me. Gillian and Noah's relationship felt forced and rushed by the end of the book. They didn't have a romantic connection for me - more like a best friend relationship. I would have liked them to be friends more than for them to end up as lovers. I felt no connection between them and some development for them was random at times. This is a very low spice romcom and perfect for those who are wanting to be introduced into the genre.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC for an honest review. Hedging Your Bets releases 1/9/24!

2.5 stars.

Hedging Your Bets has a cute premise, and a promising set of lead characters. After all, who doesn't stan a competent, plus-size heroine? Not me, pinky promise.

However, for me, it was a bit of a let down. I think that plenty of readers will find Denker's book charming; she has a breezy writing style and has clearly put a lot of thought into the town of Willow Cove. It certainly felt like a small town with very close friends and neighbors. However, for my first foray with her, this was not my cup of tea. Or bed of flowers. Whatever metaphor you prefer. I don't know Denker. I am not out to villainize her as a writer. This is just my honest review.

First, the "enemies to lovers" part....oh boy. Noah and Gillian are "enemies" because they're both jerks to each other at the beginning. And not even in an interesting or charming way, in my opinion. Just...jerks with no good reason to be jerks. It felt unearned and, frankly, juvenile. And then the "lovers" half of that statement. There is zero spice in this book. I THINK there's a kiss on-page, but it isn't described in any sort of memorable way. I am fine with closed-door romances if I can believe that the main characters are having sex. But I cannot believe these characters are. The chemistry never worked for me between Noah and Gillian. The side characters also never landed for me. I've not read the other Willow Cove books, so the friend group just came off as cloying and, frankly, annoying. The group of old ladies, similarly so. I had hoped to find acerbic comic relief with them, but no. They're just....there. Lastly, I know that people in the real world are fat-phobic. I know that dating, especially, is hard when you're fat/plus sized. BUT. So much of this book hinged on people being over the top hateful because of Gillian's size (Like, an entire conspiracy against her because she is fat. Nearly every man she goes on a date with is an asshole about her size.), when, in my experience, it's usually far more sly and insidious once you get to be an adult. The fat-phobia that Denker attempts to write about again, comes off very juvenile.

The book isn't all bad, of course. Again, Denker has a very readable writing style that propels the plot along nicely. I appreciated Gillian for being good at her job, good in the garden, and for having a never-give-up attitude. I did like that the main characters talked out their problems and were honest, rather than lying to each other for the sake of the plot. Unfortunately, however, it wasn't enough to sway me in the end. I don't really anticipate that I will return to Willow Cove, but I wish those that do all the happiest romance reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ebook ARC. All opinions are mine alone.

People who judge people are cruel. He just broke up with her ex moving cross county for change insecurity. She's a divorce who a pharmacist and trying out the dating apps which aren't going well. She's a garden master till her neighbor accidentally.... A quick small town romance. 3 Stars.


**************************I received an ARC for my honest opinion from NetGalley.******************************

I wish so much of the plot of Hedging Your Bets did not rely on fat phobia being the catalyst for why things happen and why people acted a certain way. I expected some with the heroine being plus size, because it's so rare that a FMC can just exist without negative comments about her body either from herself or other. But my gosh it was so much in this book. The fact that the book would have no plot without the fat phobia is pretty disappointing and not what I expected when I picked up a book about a gardener and a man starting over. I'm not sure if it even deserved 4 stars, but I really did enjoy the other aspects of Hedging Your Bets.

Gillian is an interesting character. I'm not positive but I think she's in her early 30's, which is refreshing to read as someone also in my early 30's. She's an avid gardener, as am I, although not nearly as good as Gillian is. She has a great friend group of girls and guys that are more than invested in her online dating (which has its own, often, hilarious consequences). There's also the group of nosy old women that live in her neighborhood and get up to all sorts of antics, and honestly they might be the best part of the book.
Then there's Noah, the grumpy next door neighbor, who turns out to not be quite as grumpy as he first seemed, although definitely as impulsive as he first comes off. And I fully agree with his stance on boxwoods.
It is a closed door romance and about as spicy as a glass of water, none of which bothered me.
I liked that it took a turn away from normal romance plot lines.
I also really enjoyed the writing style.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC.