A review by paddlefoot55
The Wager by Rachel Van Dyken

5.0

ARC received for honest review

We first met the Titus brothers, Travis and Jake, in The Bet. The Bet is about the love triangle between Jake, Travis and Jake's best friend Kacey.

Following on from The Bet, The Wager is Jake's story with Kacey's other best friend, Char.

Char had a crush on Jake when they were kids, but he hurt her then. Years down the track he hurts her again after one night and a horrible morning after.

Now she is paired up with Jake at Travis and Kacey's wedding - awkward.

Char tells herself that she can't let Jake sweet talk her again, her heart just couldn't take it. But the Jake of today seems different - but is he? Always the womaniser - rich, successful and sexy as sin, what woman wouldn't fall for his charms?

The "wager" in this book is who can be the better matchmaker for Jake. Travis and Kacey think their friend Jace is just the man to sweep Char off her feet. Grandma Nadine just know that Jake and Char belong together.

Gotta say, I love Grandma Nadine. I want to be just like her when I hit my 80s!!

Nadine is a spitfire of a woman, loves to meddle in everyone's business, still has her booty calls with the neighbour. Awesome! She is the heart of the story, and steals every scene she is in.

Nadine's antics to keep Travis and Kacey from the "marital bed" for the week before the wedding are hilarious.

Nadine's shenanigans to get Jake and Char together are brilliantly executed - all in the name of the wedding of course. And what she ends up doing - bravo Grandma Nadine, bravo!

The chemistry between Jake and Char is tangible. Explosive even. They go from bouts of lust and tenderness, to fights like you can only have with people you truly care about. Their's really is a love/hate relationship. Their shared history adds fuel to the fire for their arguments but also to the passion they feel for each other. This history also gives a lot of fodder for their witty banter. Who could not love them (even if occasionally I did want to castrate Jake!)

The mutiple POV's give a great insight to what the characters are thinking and feeling at the time.

Rachel van Dyken has written another of my favourites of the year. I loved The Bet, but I LOOOOOVE The Wager from the prologue to the epilogue. Cannot wait for more.