Reviews

You Bet Your Heart by Danielle Parker

misswinchester84's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

anna_327's review

lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.25

saloniporwal's review

You Bet Your Heart is a young adult novel with black lead characters Ezra and Sasha. The story revolves around the competition for valedictorian, while the romance between the two blossoms.

Sasha was a fun MC for most of the story, ready to go to any extent to win the title she believes she deserves and the attached scholarship. Her extreme desire to pay a 'tribute' to all those who sacrificed for her was what distanced me from her. Ezra didn't have a POV in the story (I would have liked that) so I don't feel as strongly about him. I never understood his motives for winning the position and his initial meddling personality.

The third act and ending were extremely rushed. To put it simply, the romantic feelings literally pop out of nowhere and then it becomes super serious, and we have no clue what's going on. The last few chapters made no sense and although there is a character arc, it is so abrupt that the MCs feel like different people by the last page.

I had some expectations from this book but it didn't live up to the blurb. I'm not impressed by it, so I don't recommend it, but I wouldn't discourage you either. So if you want to pick it up, go ahead my all means.

ks2_alwaysreading's review

1.0

These two were gunning for the valedictorian spots, and yet they are sabotaging each other's academic future, skipping classes...it all was very immature and childish (and yes, I know they're still children, but like c'mon, they are almost 18 years old, do better than that). 

lamorenabrey's review

hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Cutsie storyline. Middle school best friends turned high school sweethearts. It was cool. It taught me a lot about how not to tie my worth to my worldly successes. I am chosen, I am enough, I am worthy of love. Also it is possible to have both the beauty and the brains, the relationship and the scholarship, it not necessary to sacrifice one for the other. I liked how emotional intelligent Ezra was which was definitely due to his parents divorce. They both learned a lot from each other. I don’t agree with her actions to look through his flash drive because I’m big on privacy and personal space but other than that it was a sweet book.💕

chwegf's review

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

lindseydomokur's review

4.0

I love YA books that don't have a ton of teen drama. Sasha and Ezra used to be best friends, until a falling out and when he moved away, she didn't even miss him. Even a little...
Ezra and Sasha are now pitted against each other for valdictorian and a scholarship that Sasha needs. Ezra feeds into this game they play, but only so he can have Sasha's attention, he misses her but will never tell her that. So they come up with bets and whoever wins will win the scholarship and the other will forfeit. When the games start feeling like something more, will Sasha choose love over her life path or will she let what she thinks her family wants get in her way of happiness?
I liked that this book felt real, these two had family drama and it impacted their ways of thinking. We don't really understand how much what goes on around us in high school molds us and shapes us, but this book hit the nail on the head.
Thanks to Random House, Netgalley and Danielle Parker for an early copy.

hazrit209's review

4.25

I enjoyed it, but it was not as good as I expected. I saw the cover and immediately thought of Lynn Painters books, but I was a little disappointed. It was still really good, but a bit basic and predictable.

gabibi4's review

funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

jasminetoney's review

lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5