The beloved New York Times bestselling novel, now with an exclusive letter from Jennifer Crusie in celebration of its tenth anniversaryThis is New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Crusie’s novel about long shots, risk management, true love, and great shoes. . . .Minerva Dobbs knows how to work the odds.Calvin Morrisey always plays to win. But when they face off, neither one is … win.
But when they face off, neither one is prepared.
Because when real life meets true love, all bets are off. . . .
Minerva Dobbs knows that happily-ever-after is a fairy tale, especially with a man who asked her to dinner to win a bet, even if he is gorgeous and successful Calvin Morrisey. Cal knows commitment is impossible, especially with a woman as cranky as Min Dobbs, even if she does wear great shoes and keep him on his toes. When they say good-bye at the end of their evening, they cut their losses and agree never to see each other again.
But fate has other plans, and it’s not long before Min and Cal meet again. Soon they’re dealing with a jealous ex-boyfriend, Krispy Kreme doughnuts, a determined psychologist, chaos theory, a freakishly intelligent cat, Chicken Marsala, and more risky propositions than either of them ever dreamed of. Including the biggest gamble of all—true love.
Bet Me is the winner of a 2005 RITA Award.
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It’s raining here in SoCal, so I decided to cosy up with one of my favorite feel-good reads. Jenny Crusie has a way of writing warm, witty characters you just want to spend time with – and the romantic chemistry between her couples is the cherry on top.
Bet Me is a sparkling romantic comedy full of shenanigans, but there’s real heart to the story, too. Cal and Min are two lovable, smart, stubborn characters trying their best not to fall in love… and having a ton of fun failing along the way.
(And if you love this one, try Welcome to Temptation next!)
One of my favorite books of all time! Jenny Crusie writes smart characters with the best dialogue you’ll ever read. She’s a master. If you’ve never read her books, pick up this one, and I promise you’ll read every title she’s ever written.
If you’re looking for a fun, lighthearted romantic comedy, Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie is the book for you.
When curvy, insecure Min is at the bar with her friends right after a breakup, she overhears gorgeous Cal accepting a bet that he won’t be able to get her in bed within a month. She figures, why not enjoy a month of going out with this hottie? Besides, she needs a date to her sister’s upcoming wedding.
Super silly premise but Crusie really makes it work. All the characters are loveable but I feel this book needs a warning — there’s an overwhelming amount of descriptions about food. Chicken marsala, donuts, more chicken marsala… tons of dinners and savoring meals. This romance is an absolute delicious delight!
This is always one of my go-to books that I’ll read again and again. The characters are interesting, dynamic, and fun to read about. I enjoy the sense of humor with which this book was written, but it also just feels like a good friend telling you a great story. Highly recommend!
There’s a LOT going on in this book, but it’s still an easy read (if you can keep track of all the characters and their distinct personalities). Lots of girl power and giggles. I really appreciated a plus sized heroine — she was written with a lot of empathy — you just have to deal with her man-hating for a (long) while before you get to see the great layers beneath.
I first found “Bet Me” when Bella Andre called it one of her favorite books. Since then I’ve recommended it a dozen times and always heard back from happy readers. A great, great book.
This book is romantic comedy at its finest and one of my all-time favorite Crusie novels. The banter is absolute perfection and the humor and heart injected throughout the book will leave readers with a smile on their face.
Min is a fabulous heroine and so relatable. I loved her inner monologue and her friendships and relationships felt so authentic. Cal is a great hero–confident, intelligent, and able to keep Min on her toes. There’s a chemistry to their interactions that feels so organic and from the moment they meet, sparks fly.
One of the things Crusie does so well is creating lovable characters and the ensemble cast is as delightful as the hero and heroine. I felt like I could be friends with all of these characters and they lended themselves to a strong narrative.
This book really has it all. It’s sweet, funny, and romantic. If you love romance, this one is a must-read. Enjoy!
A fun and easy read, this book has wonderful characters who are real and funny. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the story and is one of my all time faves! If you haven’t read any of Jennifer Crusie’s books yet, choose THIS ONE!
This is one of my ultimate comfort reads. Highly recommended for fans of rom-com, Either Elvis and Chicken Marsala. Audiobook is fantastic too!
Why did I take so long to read a Jennifer Crusie book? I loved this humorous, unapologetically tropey contemporary romance. Sexy food scenes galore, tons of snarky banter, and a plus-size heroine whose relationship with her body and others’ expectations of same I found realistic and relatable. Great secondary cast, tasty slow burn, too. Yes, the villains are over-the-top villainous, but I greatly enjoyed this fun, fluffy romp, and I look forward reading more from this author.
I loved the “imperfect” characters in this book and the way they “saw” and understood each other. I was caught up from the first page to the last. Crusie is a favorite of mine and this book does not disappoint. (But it will leave you craving chicken marsala!)
LOVE this romance and the witty banter. Just read it again! Highly recommend.
This is the first book I’ve ever read where I when I finished it, I started it over. Jennifer Cruise not only won the RITA for this book, it was her FIRST book. Granted, she does say she rewrote it. It has amazing dialogue reminiscent of Doris Day and Rock Hudson movies.
Minerva a thirty something not a size two is so not Calvin’s type though he doesn’t quite get the wave of hostility coming off of her. Calvin who’s to good looking by half doesn’t have a chance in a million with Minerva after she hears a bet being made the hero can get her in bed within a month. But friends and family and fate keep throwing them together until the irresistible force meets the unmovable object. Comes with a great epilogue which is always a plus for me.
When Minerva is dumped by her loser boyfriend, she decides men aren’t worth the hassle but agrees to ask a handsome man out for dinner at the urging of her friends. Then she overhears her ex making a bet with the prospective date that he couldn’t get her into bed within a month. Angry, Min decides then and there to play the odds by tricking handsome guy into being her date to her sister’s wedding- no horizontal hanky-panky included- and let him learn a lesson by losing his ten-dollar bet.
Calvin has just broken it off with his clingy psychologist girlfriend and isn’t looking for any womanly complications, so when a business associate dares him to take his ill-tempered ex-girlfriend out for dinner he refuses. The idiot then ups the stakes to ten thousand to sleep with the woman. Realizing the man won’t let it go, Cal agrees to the dinner, figuring how bad can it be?
Opposites attract, misconceptions, humor, an adorable nephew and feral cat create a memorable story by the remarkable Jennifer Crusie. I’ve read this book several times over the years and still get a kick out of these characters.
A fun read!
Spunky heroine, great writing. Jennifer Crusie makes me laugh out loud.
What I love about this the most?? It’s a great feel good story. I almost always had a smile on my face and a light heart while listening. Not to mention the memorable and delightful characters. Each one was fun in their own way.
I have read this many years ago and now I have listened to it. The narrator did a good job portraying them accordingly. This is an enjoyable listen
So much FUN! Read it!!! Laugh out loud funny.
I really enjoyed this book. It kind of hit home for me with the whole mom being disproving of her daughter’s weight thing, so I kind of knew what Min must have felt; how she really must have hated her body each time her mom said those things to her about her weight.
But, at the same time, I know that coming from a mom’s perspective (even if I’m not one) that they mean well. They don’t see the hurt they are evoking by saying those things about their daughter’s weight. It comes from love and I think that is what matters most; The fact that a mom loves you enough to tell you what they think to be true. Even if it isn’t. Even if they are doing more damage than good, the sentiment is still there.
I loved this book and I loved that it was more than just a romance. Cal and Min were not perfect like couples always seem to be in other romantic oriented entertainment.
They were better. They felt less fairy tale like and more human.
This book is really amazing and I highly recommend reading it. If your anything like me, you won’t stop until you’ve finished the book. 🙂
While I don’t quite buy that a size 10 is “plus” this author is the queen of witty banter so the book is really fun to read because of the dialogue.