Julie's Review: Bet on It

Author: Jodie Slaughter
Series: None
Publication Date:  July 12, 2022
Publisher: St. Martin's 
Pages: 315
Obtained: publisher via Netgalley
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Rating: 3.75/5
Bottom Line: Romance more on the serious side
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Grab

Summary: The first time Aja Owens encounters the man of her dreams, she’s having a panic attack in the frozen foods section of the Piggly Wiggly. The second time, he’s being introduced to her as her favorite bingo buddy’s semi-estranged grandson. From there, all it takes is one game for her to realize that he’s definitely going to be a problem. And if there’s anything she already has a surplus of, it’s problems. In Walker Abbott’s mind, there are only two worthwhile things in Greenbelt, South Carolina. The peach cobbler at his old favorite diner and his ailing grandmother. Dragging himself back after more than a decade away, he’s counting down the days until Gram heals and he can get back to his real life. Far away from the trauma inside of those city limits. Just when he thinks his plan is solid, enter Aja to shake everything up. A hastily made bingo-based sex pact is supposed to keep this…thing between them from getting out of hand. Especially when submitting to their feelings means disrupting their carefully balanced lives. But emotions are just like bingo callers—they refuse to be ignored. 

Review: In my opinion and hopefully others, there are not enough books out there with characters who struggle with their mental health but are working on it. Show the struggle and the rewards of taking care of yourself. This is definitely highlighted in Jodie Slaughter's novel Bet on It and not just the main character either. Aja Owens suffers from debilitating anxiety that has come to take over her life at the wrong times, like in the frozen aisle at the Piggly Wiggly. Then it happens that the kind stranger is the grandson of her Bingo partner and that's where the story of Aja and Walker truly begins. 

I will say that at times Walker got on my nerves because at first it seemed like he was more attracted to Aja for her physicality than her her brain or heart. This changed over the course of the story as he was attracted to more than her appearance. Aja is a gem of a character. She's working on herself in ways that all of us can learn from. She puts herself in situations that make her uncomfortable to start to be comfortable. 

As their friendship progresses, they both start to tear down their walls with each other, even if they are still up with others. I appreciated that she also made other ties to Greenbelt besides Ms. May and Walker. 

Bet on It shows how human interaction can help when you are at your lowest and be just what you need.

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