Betting on You by Lynn Painter
on November 28, 2023
Genres: Young Adult Fiction / Romance / Contemporary, Young Adult Fiction / Romance / Romantic Comedy, Young Adult Fiction / Social Themes / Friendship
Pages: 432
Format: Hardcover
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When seventeen-year-old Bailey starts a new job at a hotel waterpark, she is less than thrilled to see an old acquaintance is one of her coworkers. Bailey met Charlie a year ago on the long flight to Omaha, where she moved after her parents’ divorce. Charlie’s cynicism didn’t mix well with Bailey’s carefully well-behaved temperament, and his endless commentary was the irritating cherry on top of an already emotionally fraught trip.
Now, Bailey and Charlie are still polar opposites, but instead of everything about him rubbing Bailey the wrong way, she starts to look forward to hanging out and gossiping about the waterpark guests and their coworkers—particularly two who keep flirting with each other. Bailey and Charlie make a bet on whether or not the cozy pair will actually get together. Charlie insists that members of the opposite sex can’t just be friends, and Bailey is determined to prove him wrong.
Bailey and Charlie keep close track of the romantic progress of others while Charlie works to deflect the growing feelings he’s developed for Bailey. Terrified to lose her if his crush becomes known, what doesn’t help his agenda is Bailey and Charlie “fake dating” in order to disrupt the annoying pleasantries between Bailey’s mom and her mom’s new boyfriend. Soon, what Charlie was hoping to avoid becomes a reality as Bailey starts to see him as not only a friend she can rely on in the midst of family drama—but someone who makes her hands shake and heart race. But Charlie has a secret—a secret that involves Bailey and another bet Charlie may have made. Can the two make a real go of things…or has Charlie’s secret doomed them before they could start?
I didn’t think it could exist, but there is a thing as too many Taylor Swift references.
Overall the book was okay and I liked the idea but I also felt like I have read this before? I loved the beginning and the focus on divorced child syndrome and how kids feel in these situations as well as how it influences the mistrust kids have in the future.
Yet… I still think that there was too much going on. The bets, the faking, the friends, the drama etc. Oh and of course the fact that Taylor was mentioned on almost every page and it got repetitive. In the beginning I loved the hints but after a while I got annoyed AND THIS IS COMING FROM A SWIFTY!!!!
overall this book was entertaining to read but it’s not something new or mind blowing.
Would I recommend this to YA lovers? Yes.
Overall raising: 3.5-3.75 stars
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