Scan barcode
A review by dogoodwithbooks
The Love Wager by Lynn Painter
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
CW: death of an uncle (recounted), grief/loss, anaphylaxis (recounted)
Closed Door Modifications: Chapters 25-28 (some parts)
I was really looking forward to reading The Love Wager. The concept grabbed my interest and there was a lot of hype surrounding the book. Which, in case you were wondering, is mostly worth the hype.
This is the first time reading [a:Lynn Painter|19322026|Lynn Painter|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1577135205p2/19322026.jpg]'s work and I mostly know of her YA novels, such as the infamous [b:Better Than the Movies|51246693|Better Than the Movies|Lynn Painter|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1603114798l/51246693._SX50_.jpg|71767711]. For me, I thought she had a solid writing style with an interesting premise and writing that will keep you sucked into The Love Wager.
Yet, I felt like the momentum I was experiencing when reading the book fell flat a bit once you got to the fake wedding dates subplot since I didn't think of the wedding aspects as super interesting and I feel that you would have gotten more out of the book with more time focused on Hallie and Jack's relationship. Nevertheless, the momentum gets back to speed just in time for the ending.
Other than the book's pacing, I did enjoyed reading The Love Wager. Hallie and Jack had great dynamics on-page and it was great to read their "will-they-or-won't-they" predicament as they try not to fall for each other. The romance is good and Painter has moments where you can laugh or swoon at a given moment.
If you're the type of reader who's looking for a friends-to-lovers rom-com that can soothe one's love-skeptical side, you might enjoy reading The Love Wager.
Closed Door Modifications: Chapters 25-28 (some parts)
I was really looking forward to reading The Love Wager. The concept grabbed my interest and there was a lot of hype surrounding the book. Which, in case you were wondering, is mostly worth the hype.
This is the first time reading [a:Lynn Painter|19322026|Lynn Painter|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1577135205p2/19322026.jpg]'s work and I mostly know of her YA novels, such as the infamous [b:Better Than the Movies|51246693|Better Than the Movies|Lynn Painter|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1603114798l/51246693._SX50_.jpg|71767711]. For me, I thought she had a solid writing style with an interesting premise and writing that will keep you sucked into The Love Wager.
Yet, I felt like the momentum I was experiencing when reading the book fell flat a bit once you got to the fake wedding dates subplot since I didn't think of the wedding aspects as super interesting and I feel that you would have gotten more out of the book with more time focused on Hallie and Jack's relationship. Nevertheless, the momentum gets back to speed just in time for the ending.
Other than the book's pacing, I did enjoyed reading The Love Wager. Hallie and Jack had great dynamics on-page and it was great to read their "will-they-or-won't-they" predicament as they try not to fall for each other. The romance is good and Painter has moments where you can laugh or swoon at a given moment.
If you're the type of reader who's looking for a friends-to-lovers rom-com that can soothe one's love-skeptical side, you might enjoy reading The Love Wager.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Grief