A review by jen286
Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie

4.0

This review was originally posted to Jen in Bookland

put Bet Me on my to-read list after listening to an NPR podcast on romance novels. Part of their summer romance reading thing. One of the people on the panel mentioned this book, that it was a fun, cute, good first read for people new to the genre. I thought why not give it a try?

When I first started reading this story I thought I don't know about this. Minerva is not a stick thin girl, and her mom is always on her case to lose weight. Her sister is getting married and she has had a year to fit into the smaller size dress her mom wants her to wear so Minerva is pretty miserable. She doesn't eat carbs or butter or anything that is on her mothers no eat list. She seems happy enough with herself, but it was just eh the way that was written. Really it is just...Like I don't know why she stayed with her ex. The book opens when she has just gotten dumped by him, and then she thinks back to how he was and he was horrible right from the beginning. He makes slight comments about her weight and so she wouldn't sleep with him, hence why he broke up with her. It was just...I didn't get it. I know Minerva doesn't like taking risks and she just wants something safe and secure, but why would you stay with that jerk?

Then when out with her friends they want her to go talk to the super hot guy across the room. She hesitates, but when she finally makes her way over there he is talking with her ex and overhears what she thinks is him agreeing to the bet that he can get her to sleep with him in a month. For $10. Of course Minerva is not very happy about that. She just knew this guy was a jerk. I mean he is so good looking he has to be.

Only that guy, Calvin, is not a jerk at all. He couldn't wait to get away from her ex and only agreed to the $10 bet that he could get her to leave with him that night. He never would bet that he could get her to sleep with him, a bet of $10,000, because that is just wrong. He is too much of a good guy for that.

It quickly became a really fun read. Min doesn't hold back with Cal. She is pretty angry since she thinks she is just some bet to him. She was pretty funny. And Cal? He was such a good guy. He wanted food so he asks her to dinner, buys her dinner, then expects to never see her again. Only they do. They keep running into each other for different reasons and it was fun. She drives him crazy and she keeps trying to keep the fact that she is just a bet in her head so she doesn't fall for him and his kind ways. Man I loved the time in the park with the doughnuts and it was hot and fun and silly and just great. The whole book was great. Cal was amazing, always trying to get her to have just a little bit of the thinks she loves to eat but can't. He thinks she is beautiful the way she is. She is gorgeous and if someone can't see that that is their problem. Loved them together.

Even though Min thinks she is a bet she can't help but fall for Cal. And even though she drives him crazy Cal falls for Min. It was so sweet. Cal's ex is kind of crazy, as is Min's but not to the same extent, and they were a bit ridiculous, but oh well. It all ends up great. Really those last scenes with Cal and Min in her apartment - that was so awesome! So much fun and kind of hot and a little bit of everything. Just a silly, hot, fun read.