The Love Wager

Swoony and funny in equal measure, this book had my heart and my funny bone. 

Let me start off by saying that the banter and the chemistry between Hallie and Jack were *chef's kiss* and I absolutely luuurved the tropes. There's one bed, fake dating, forced proximity, friends to lovers, and guy falls first tropes!! *le swoon* Add in the fan-freakingtastic banter and be still my romance reader heart. 

The story centres around a one-night stand that morphs into a friendship which causes some complicated feelings between Hallie and Jack. I loved how they supported and teased each other about their separate dating experiences when they make a wager about who can find true love first. 

The Love Wager had me from the first page, left me giggling to myself and suffering from a massive book hangover. It's a romantic and funny romp with some mild spice and a couple you won't soon forget. I read a library copy and will be buying a copy for my bookshelves because I know I will be rereading this RomCom.

My Rating: 5 stars

Author: Lynn Painter

Genre: RomCom

Series: #2 in Mr. Wrong Number series

Type and Source: Paperback from public library

Publisher: Berkley

First Published: March 14, 2023

Book Description from GoodReads: Two people make a wager on who can find love first, not realizing what they should be betting on is each other, in this new romantic comedy by Lynn Painter, author of Mr. Wrong Number.

Hallie Piper is turning over a new leaf. After belly-crawling out of a hotel room (hello, rock bottom), she decides it's time to become a full-on adult. She gets a new apartment, a new haircut, and a new wardrobe, but when she logs onto the dating app that she has determined will find her new love, she sees none other than Jack, the guy whose room she snuck out of.

After the joint agreement that they are absolutely not interested in each other, Jack and Hallie become partners in their respective searches for The One. They text each other about their dates, often scheduling them at the same restaurant so that if things don't go well, the two of them can get tacos afterward.

Spoiler: they get a lot of tacos together.

Discouraged by the lack of prospects, Jack and Hallie make a wager to see who can find true love first, but when they agree to be fake dates for a weekend wedding, all bets are off. As they pretend to be a couple, lines become blurred and they each struggle to remember why the other was a bad idea to begin with.