Reviews with content warning for Child abuse - Bet On It

In Bet on It, Jodie Slaughter captures small-town life from two distinct points of view - people who run TO small towns and the people who run FROM them. Aja, the FMC, has moved from DC to Greenbelt, SC to escape the hustle and noise of city life while Walker, the MMC, left Greenbelt for the city as soon as he could get out. Walker mainly to escape the oppressive history of living near people who think they know him, and who have seen him at his absolute worst.

Both Aja and Walker are dealing with intense mental health issues throughout this book. Their first encounter is when Aja is having a panic attack at the Piggly Wiggly, and Walker later experiences multiple symptoms related to his CPTSD diagnosis. I liked how Slaughter wove these aspects through the story in a way that made sense. I also LOVED the opening line of this book (on the second slide).

I loved the arc of this story, with Walker and Aja remeeting through Walker’s grandmother, and the fact that Aja was a regular at the bingo hall. The spice is spicing in this book, and the ending was really satisfying. The third act breakup was MESSY and PAINFUL but it made absolute sense. All in all, if you like stories about millennial angst but want a widely diverse cast of characters? This is a great book!

🎧 I listened to a good chunk of this on audio and Angel Pean knocked this narration out of the park. She brought an extra layer of detail to these characters that was a true joy.

👍🏻Recommended! A well done contemporary romance that deals with some heavy topics and gives a good dose of spice along with a nuanced and diverse look at small town life and mental health. If you like Talia Hibbert’s Ravenswood series or Denise Williams Fastest Way to Fall or Emily Henry’s Book Lovers, you will like this.

Romance Details & Tropes

M/F romance

she’s Black, he’s white

She is plus-size

Contemporary

Emphasis on mental health and anxiety/PTSD

Small town

Sex pact/bargain

Banging “just to get this out of our systems”

Semi-public sex

Open door, explicit

Content Warnings

ashbreadin's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional funny informative inspiring lighthearted 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

3.75

Content Warnings

kimib79's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced

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

2.75

I enjoyed reading about their mental health struggles. I hated all the cussing.

Content Warnings

headinthepages's review

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emotional funny 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

I really enjoyed this romance! I loved the small town setting, the themes of complex family, mental illness, new adult friendships, boundaries & moving on from the past.

The romance itself was great. I loved the tension and the “betting” trope done in a non problematic way! The bingo scenes were cute and made me want to go play!

The sex scenes were open door and steamy.

I can’t wait to read what the the author does next! :-)

Content Warnings