A quirky adventure that made me laugh out loud! It combines high school drama with witty, fast-paced fun. The writing is very snappy and humorous with characters that feel like real-life friends. This book is an entertaining read from start to finish. A very fun read!

3.5 ⭐️

Jean meets Charlie at the resort she works at in an unexpected, awkward way. It definitely sets the tone for all the awkwardness and funniness throughout the book. Charlie has a sort of hidden identity that Jean only learns about after he ghosts her. Jean being heartbroken, decides the best way to move forward is revenge. Meanwhile Charlie is feeling awful about leaving without saying goodbye. Oh and there’s several references to Charlie’s snake… I’ll let you find out what that’s all about 😂 I thought it was a cute, fun read and definitely a little silly with some of the comments Jean / Charlie made.

Thanks to St. Martin's and NetGalley for the ARC!

Jean helps a bashful scientist Charlie in her resort and clicks.... Until she discovers that he has a secret scandalous dating history and a famous family business...

Love Jean and Charlie together. They are complete opposite who fit together. Enjoy their chemisty a lot. Love the romance and the fun.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

Thank you to NetGalley for this read Macmillan Publishers. An adorable enemies to lovers/ chance meeting style romance. Jean and Charlie are well developed and lovable character. This books is bit of a cat and mouse that ends in everything great! I highly recommend this cute and fun read.

Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.

I want to start by thanking the author and publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. I thought this was a unique story. I would say it was middle of the road for me.

Honestly, I was not a fan of this book. I struggled with the writing. Right out of the gate the FMC was being sexual and extremely overwhelming to the MMC. I was able to keep reading, but ultimately I did not finish this book.

I was not a fan of the writing, not a fan of the elements, and did not like the pacing. I can tell this is a "non-popular" author but I believe that's because of the writing style and the elements of the story. It wasn't a horrible book, it just wasn't for me.

First off, thank you so much for the advanced copy of this book.

It had me from the start. I absolutely love the chaos that is Jean! And Charlie’s awkwardness was so adorable. The timeline wasn’t what I’m used to but I really enjoyed it! It was nice that I wasn’t the typical slow burn or flashback.

The book kept me intrigued from start to finish! I kept giggling and smiling and generally just needing to know what was going to happen. I had to make myself put it down and tend to my responsibilities 😅

All this to say, make sure you add The Odds Of Getting Even to your TBR because it is GOOD! Out 7.15.25

Could not finish. I didn't like anything about this book. The writing seemed clunky, the character introduction was close enough to....sexual harassment isn't quite the right word, but it was definitely icky, and I just couldn't get past that. Plus I disliked the charactes' names.

This book was so sweet and cute. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever really read before. The MMC was so sweet and kind of bumbling, which is usually not my thing but he was so genuine and lovely that you can’t help but love him.

The MMC was bold and messy while still showing the insecurities we all have, which I loved.

At first I was a little miffed that this was a closed door romance book, because some of the scenes got pretty heated and it felt like smut would fit into the story and loan it some realism. But as I read on I understood why the author would choose not to go that route and I do think it fit the vibe to have those specific scenes behind closed doors.

Overall it was a fun mix of romance and story and was genuinely just very cute. A perfect vacation read.

This book was really cute. The beginning started off a little slow for me and I was wondering where the plot would go. During the middle of the book things really started to pick up. I just wanted to keep reading. There were lots of cute moments between Jean and Charlie. The poems between the chapters also made it a little more unique. Overall I enjoyed it.

The Odds of Getting Even is a charming romantic comedy that blends humor, heart, and mystery. It follows Jean Harrington, a chaotic resort employee, and Charlie, a shy scientist obsessed with reptiles, whose chance meeting during a late-night towel run sparks a delightful romance.

Jean is a witty and relatable protagonist, while Charlie’s awkward charm provides a unique dynamic. Their chemistry and opposites-attract banter create a fun atmosphere, but the story also unveils deeper layers, including Charlie’s complex past and a “secretly scandalous dating history.”

Amanda Sellet's writing expertly balances humor and emotional depth, particularly through Jean and Charlie’s poker lessons, symbolizing their evolving relationship. Although the pacing can be uneven, with a rushed resolution, the character growth and satisfying ending make up for it.

Overall, The Odds of Getting Even is an engaging read that combines romance and mystery, appealing to fans of quirky rom-coms with intriguing characters.

Jean works at a resort, and she is surprised to meet Charlie in a very strange situation. He intrigues her, though, and they end up having a fling. Even though they both have feelings, Charlie's female co-worker comes to collect him from the resort for a family/work commitment that he is skirting, and Jean misinterprets that the co-worker is his girlfriend. Jean ends up chasing after Charlie for revenge, and this is the story of what happens when they meet again. I loved the resort part of this story, but I didn't love the rest of it.

The Odds of Getting Even came across to me as a story that should have been Young Adult. Both Jean and Charlie, especially Charlie, seemed very immature. Their initial fling at the Hawaiian resort where Jean works could possibly happen and most likely yes, Jean would get blamed and fired if the situation went off the rails. However, it doesn't seem likely she would follow her fling to the mainland. The fact she just happens to know a nepo-baby journalist who is also following him for a scoop on his rock star ex is a bit too convenient. The fact he has a rock star ex is really pushing the suspension of disbelief.
Charlie's parents and their interactions with him in front of guests in their home are weird bordering on creepy. Or cringy. Once again he's tripping all over the place, spilling drinks and making one blunder after another. The whole dude-ranch themed celebration of the family brewery business seems more like a kids birthday party. with a Texas theme. Several times over the course of this party Charlie and Jean meet yet never really talk. I don't buy it when characters have issues and don't talk - especially when one of them shows up at your family home under an assumed name.
This book did not work for me on so many levels, but to continue would reveal too much for others who still want to read it.

Thank you Netgalley and author Amanda Seller for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for a review.

amanda sellet you really cooked here!!!

this was literally such an unexpected and pleasant read?? i was smiling the whole way through and i would genuinely die for jean and charlie

What a fun ride! In “The Odd of Getting Even,” we meet Jean, a resort employee in Hawaii looking for some excitement and intrigue in her life. Enter, Charlie, a nerdy, earnest, and charming scientist. Except have him enter naked with an unexpected tattoo in an unexpected place. These opposites attract instantly, spending a week together, until Charlie leaves suddenly and Jean finds out that he isn’t exactly who he said he was. So what does Jean do? Follow him back to South Dakota to exact vengeance so that he feels the exact same heartbreak that she did. Logical? Perhaps not. Zany and fun? Yes and yes.

What I enjoyed most about the book was that even though some of the character’s choices might have seemed whacky at face value, Amanda Sellet did a great job setting up the characters and their psyches so that you could understand why they were acting the way they were. And she did it in a really delightful, well written, and unique way. For example, at first, it might seem weird that Jean and Charlie would be instantly into each other given how different they are but I LOVED this quote about Jean and her life philosophy: “There were few things more disappointing than people who oozed through life with no intriguing quirks.” So yes, it makes total sense that she would be intrigued and attracted to Charlie. And how delicious is the imagery of people oozing through life? I loved that.

I am not often a fan of miscommunications or mistaken identity because it feels like they would easily be resolved with two people just talking to each other, but the miscommunication here felt very “Twelfth Night.” It was playful and funny instead of super frustrating. Overall, I would recommend this closed door, dual POV, high jinks romance for folks who want a book that is a light, fun time.

When Jean begins a fling with a guest at the resort she works at, she never expects to fall for him. Charlie is running from his family obligations when Jean turns his world on it's axis. Could these two misfits actually be perfect for eachother? Full of good natured humor, a little revenge, and fun facts about snakes, The Odds of Getting Even is an amusing, quick read.

This book was a fun romcom read. The FMC works at a luxury hotel in Hawaii and has a chance meeting with the MMC and they hit it off right away. He disappears suddenly and she follows him back to the mainland. Shenanigans ensue. This is a fun light low stakes read. Maybe a touch of insta-love but it gets deeper as you go forward. Especially love the shy nerd that the MMC is. Total cinnamon roll! Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for sending me the e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Jean Harrington works at a hotel and when she is expected to get a towel in the middle on the night for a visitor things change for her. Charlie turns on the charm for Jean and expresses that he is open for a fling.

The story started out quite fast paced which did throw me when I began reading it. I did enjoy the characters and how they developed but the overall story wasn't my favorite. It felt like trying to fit a bunch of plot points into one longer ongoing plot. The few twists were enjoyable though, and did make for a good read that I wanted to see what happened.