Jericho Conway is the type of son most people would be proud of. He doesn’t cause trouble, keeps his head down, does whatever’s asked of him, contributes to the family, and doesn’t talk back to his mom. They’ve been on their own for as long as he can remember, and he’s always done his best to take care of her—lately that’s in spite of his stepdad.Jericho’s a way-too-mature-for-his-age fifteen … fifteen (and a half), and he’s feeling stuck in the small community outside Knoxville where they live. Stuck, because no one here is quite like him. He’s different from his classmates, has been all his life, but what sets him apart is one of those secrets that can’t ever be brought to the light of day.
Then his stepfather stumbles onto his secret. And Jericho’s right. There’s hell to pay.
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Eeerrrrkkk.
Okay, okay. As the person writing the description, I know Bet On Us might not sound like a totally romantic story right off the bat, but it really is! On the one hand, there’s Jericho himself. He’s amazing, promise. And strong, so very strong. Then we’ve got his uncles, who would do anything for him. In Trent and Jacob, we get to see this dynamic, resilient, and loving couple with deep family ties, especially when you factor in Jacob’s sister and her family. (That’s Jaime, Connor, Nate, and Matt from With My Whole Heart. Oh, and Jordan, Nate’s best friend.) Jericho is finally exposed to the kind of fierce and loyal example for how incredibly sweet love should be, and thinks he might see an echo of the thing that’s always set him apart. Here’s hoping his Coming Out Day gives this precious boy exactly what he needs.
Continuing on …
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It’s been two years since Trent first watched his husband’s eyes grow misty as they talked seriously about babies. Two years of Trent and Jacob searching for the right clinic, then the right surrogate, and then the ever-elusive “right time.” However, all of their tentative plans come tumbling down when Trent receives a phone call from his hometown. A place he’d long ago left in his rearview mirror, stuffing all the memories associated with his personal Coming Out Day into a deep, dark hole never to be revisited.
Only now, Trent is forced to return, because the call is about the murder of his estranged sister and the health and welfare of a half-grown nephew he didn’t know existed. Thrust into guardianship of Jericho, Trent and Jacob struggle to help the damaged teen deal with his grief and the hidden reasons behind his mother’s death.
*Set in the world of With My Whole Heart, this story is a continuation of characters first introduced there, and while it can be read as a standalone, is best enjoyed as a follow-on to that story.
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Bet On Us is a book that gives you more than you could have hoped for. Not just one love story but two. An M/M romance at its absolute best. If you have read With My Whole Heart you will remember Trent and Jake. It is not necessary to read that book first but to enjoy this story and feel an even stronger attachment to the characters I would highly recommend that you do. Bet On Us is a story that not only gives us their love story but mixes in with the story of Trent’s nephew Jericho who they suddenly become parents to after the murder of his mum. An emotional and inspirational read that deals with love, loss and understanding. A family devastated, each dealing with grief in their own way and struggling to find peace. Jericho will have your heart aching at all that he is dealing with but at the same time enjoying the journey to finding his inner strength, acceptance and finally love. Take a gamble on this beautiful, poignant and passionate story because the risk will have you being a winner.
First things first…this is a M/M story…so if that’s not your cup-a… then maybe it’s not for you.
Second and more importantly, if that is the only reason you’re choosing to not read this…..well…shame on you and WHOA are you missing out!
‘Bet On Us’ is quite simply perfection.
Sweet. Loving. Sexy!
In true DeMora fashion, every word strings together to deliver a gut-punch, emotional rollercoaster of an amazing look at what happens when REAL family come together when it counts.
Every book gets better. I don’t know how, but they do.
READ THIS BOOK.
Read ‘With My Whole Heart First’…but READ THIS BOOK!
Not enough stars….NEVER enough stars
“We’ll help you keep it together, and when you can’t, like right now, if you let us, we’ll help you fall apart.”
I fell too…I fell in love, I fell apart, I fell even harder for the writing of MariaLisa deMora…sigh.
Jericho had my support from the beginning. I suffered right along with him, helpless as he was facing a situation nobody should have to endure, pained by my inability to ease his pain. The mother in me wanted to cuddle him soo bad.
Trent and Jacob had my love and admiration as well. They had me smiling and laughing at their antics, but mostly they inspired me with their strength and ability to give more love than they were given themselves. Jericho couldn’t have found better examples of unconditional love.
This beautiful story had my heart swelling until it was almost too big for my chest. I smiled so hard my jaw hurts. “This is us, and now us includes you.” Yeah, I know they weren’t saying that to me, but I was so invested in this story I felt like an honorary member of the family. Excuse me while I melt into a puddle on the floor.
Straight to my heart. I swear I felt it grow two sizes as I read Bet On Us. If you’ve read With My Whole Heart by MariaLisa you will be at little familiar with Jamie’s brother, Jacob and his partner Trent.
MariaLisa takes us on a whirlwind ride with Trent and Jacob and their new family member, Jericho, Trent’s nephew he knew nothing of until he’s faced with being his only living relative after his sister dies. But like most things in life nothing, including adjustments in a household formerlly without a teenager, is easy. Trent and Jacob have their work cut out for them as Jericho hasn’t had it easy at all.
Love, without borders, zero conditions, and in amounts that are unfathomable to Jericho are his future. With his new family he will shine and fly until he hits a spot in his life where things get a little confusing for him, but with Jacob and Trent leading the way and making him feel safe Jericho sails safely through life’s most confusing moments and comes out sunny side up.
A story about family, even when they’re so new and fresh, love without conditions, life lessons and just finding their way. Heartbreaking and beautiful. A classic MariaLisa story that hits straight to the heart and keeps you turning pages and mouring when the end is reached.
“Bet On Us” means we will always be there for you.
This book is a story of resiliency and love. First, there is Jacob and Trent, first seen in With My Whole Heart. They are a couple in love and living in CA, a more accepting place than Knoxville, TN-Trent’s hometown. Trent’s sister is murdered and he discovers that he has a nephew, Jericho, who was abused by his step-father because Jericho was interested in boys. Enter Jordan, a friend to Nate, Jericho’s new-found cousin. Jordan and Jericho are attracted to each other and the story explores relationships and how they shift and yet, remain steady. “Love means never having to say you’re sorry”, well, “Bet On Us” means we will always be there for you.
This book is M/M, so if that isn’t your cup of tea, maybe pass by. Or not! Give it a try because this story is amazing.
Picking up one of our favorite couples from “With My Whole Heart,” Trent and Jacob are such strong and compassionate characters in the story about finding and learning to love yourself. We’re introduced to Trent’s nephew Jericho, who’s kept his own secrets. When tragedy strikes and his mother is killed, Jericho finds solace in his Uncle Trent and Jacob, who help him find himself when he thought he was alone. 10/10 me’s would recommend.
What a touching, heartwarming story. I loved it so much. MLDM tackles so many emotional topics in this one, you’ll be on a roller coaster the entire book. This story picks up with characters introduced in With My Whole Heart, with two narratives weaving in and out of each other. The story of Trent and Jacob navigating instantaneous parenthood, but not in the way they’d anticipated. And Jericho finding himself an orphan, who spent most of his adolescence defending himself from his stepfather as he was discovering his true self. MLDM does a wonderful job pulling you into their lives and feeling every bit of frustration, angst and happiness. Her characters are so well developed I felt like they were real and I know them. She’s truly a master at storytelling. Go ahead, dive in. You won’t regret it.
Honestly by far one of the best books I’ve read in this genre. You can feel the emotions of the characters, and it brings the emotions out. Not going to lie I might have teared up a time or two. The love between Jacob and Trent really really got to me. Honestly I dont wanna give spoilers but read it! The love is so darn beautiful! I love seeing how Jericho grows during the book through the losses and the love given to him. Definitely a must read, so beautiful.
Bet on Us was such a beautiful and inspirational story of loss, love and acceptance.
This story may be considered a MM romance but it never even came across that way to me. What I got from the story was the strong sense of family and love. Which are the two most important topics-full stop.
How Trent and Jacob immediately stepped up for Jericho. Took him in. Gave him the love and acceptance he had never received in his first 15 years before they came in help him. A family he never new about instantly there to pick up his pieces and give him the support he’s never known. It was absolutely beautiful.
My heart was in this story whole heartedly. I felt for Jericho and the life he was living and then I joyed for him when Trent and Jacob swooped in to be the family he needed and didn’t know he had. The understanding, support and patience they had at every turn was inspiring.
I was MOVED, in heart as well as in spirit by this story.
Not my usual read but this book is so well written I didn’t notice. We are brought into the story with hate and anger, but we end with love. It is not an easy road, there will be tears and head shakes as we are faced with our own preconceptions. Only to come to the realization that we wish what they had, unconditional acceptance.
What a great love story. We get so much more of Trent and Jacob and they are absolutely beautiful, funny, and so sexy. We first met the couple in With My Whole Heart and fell instantly in love with them.
When a horrific situation arises, the couple is faced with an opportunity to expand their family.
Jacob is Trent’s 14 years old nephew. He is dealing with his emotions and his ideas of what is right and wrong.
This story is one of the best and purest kind of love, I believe, can exist. Family and sacrifices for family.
MariaLisa is just an amazing writer and I am so excited about the opportunity one can experience with her stories. Her tales are filled with all the feels and this book did not disappoint. Grab some tissue and I hope you will enjoy and love this beauty of a story as I did.
MariaLisa’s storytelling is just incredible and if I could give her books more than a 5-star rating, I would. I always highly recommend this amazing author and her magnificent ability to bring her characters to Life to all of my friends.
This was an amazing story about two couples at different stages in their relationships and life journey that says so much about the power of love an acceptance.
There are such strong and compassionate characters in the story it hurts your heart to think anyone would or could display prejudice. Jericho has it rough until tragedy gives him his Uncle Trent and husband Jacob who totally embrace him in love. There are also appearances from those beloved characters in With My Whole Heart. This is a heartwarming story of recognizing yourself, learning to love yourself, finding out you are worthy of love and finally finding the love of your life. For some reason Rachel Platten’s song Stand by You sums up this book for me.
This was an amazing story about two couples at different stages in their relationships and life journey that says so much about the power of love an acceptance. Acceptance of self and of others is showcased beautifully in the story of Trent and Jacob, Which then transfers to their relationship with Jericho and his relationship with all the wonderful people that come into his life after a terrible loss. I loved this book so much!
What a beautiful, soul wrenching love story! This story is beautifully written. It will make you laugh, make you cry and make you scream. This is a story about unconditional love, acceptance and family. This is a story that shows that if you have those three things, anything is possible. This is one of those books that will become part of your soul, you will find yourself thinking about occasionally and remember fondly.
From the moment I finished reading With My Whole Heart, I just knew there had to be more for Trent and Jacob. When MariaLisa deMora announced she was writing Bet on Us, I squealed with excitement. I floved this book so much! If ever a couple deserved the perfect happily ever after it is these two men. At least that is what I thought until I was introduced to Jericho and Jordan. This book is so beautiful. There is sadness, but that reflects real life. It isn’t always sunshine and happiness. I loved how Trent and Jacob immediately accept Jericho into their home and help him handle the trauma he has endured. I have to hope that Bet on Us is only the beginning of Jericho and Jordan’s story. We get to see Trent and Jacob as parents in Bet on Us, now I really need to seem them as grandparents.
This is the most beautiful story I have ever read! I was extremely emotional a lot throughout this book, at times the tears were so bad I had trouble reading.
Marialisa has a way of telling a story that weaves like a vine in your heart and stays there. Jacob and Trent are both so loving and family oriented, I want them to be my Uncles! Jericho’s a beautiful soul and I’m so happy he discovers true family and what love is meant to be. I truly hope there’s more stories to come with them.
I would say this one was a little bit different which was refreshing because the one that captures my attention right away is Jericho whom for a teenager seems to be more mature than some adults I know. As this goes along we are dropped a surprise which now makes you a goner you are deep in this one with other characters taking their spot. so wrapped around your heart as tears escape Trent and Jacob take us the rest of the way. Fine picture full blown of love that warms all the way to your toes. These guys will have you coming away with them owning you leaving you feeling like a wet noodle.
Now that’s a love story.
Jericho was a teen with a secret, one that he wanted no one to even get a hint. However, his mother’s partner finds out and beats him, and it escalates from there.
Trent and Jake get a phone call and turn their lives upside down. That’s what family does for family. This is exactly the kind of family Jericho needs. The Uncles as Jericho comes to call them, give him immediate love and attention. They are a happily married sexually active couple, and they demonstrate that love openly.
Enter Jordon to the picture. He is 3-4 years older than Jericho and his cousin Nate’s best friend. The sparks shoot when they meet, but a misunderstanding takes place. After years of long-distance romance, the young men finally get their happily ever after.
I loved how open this book is about a sexually active same sex couple. I didn’t like all the J names.
A beautiful emotional story. It’s about family, what is considered unconventional love by some, unconditional love and acceptance for who you are.
Jake and Trent are a beautiful couple who just belong together. You can feel their love shining with the author’s words. I love how they interact with each other and Jake’s humor kept me smiling through out the book. My heart was on emotional overload and went out to Jericho and what he suffered thru. How he struggled with himself, dealing with abuse, tragedy, family he didn’t know about and a romance he didn’t see coming.
“We, me and Trent, aren’t going to get tired of you or decide you’re too much trouble. We aren’t going to leave you, and we will not, will never leave you. This is us, and now us includes you.” A passage from Jake says it all.