Book Review: Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie

Summary: 

Thirty-three-year-old Minerva Dobbs is annoyed when her current boyfriend dumps her three weeks before her sisters' wedding. But she's downright furious a few moments later when she overhears her now "ex" boyfriend bet hunky Calvin Morrisey that he can't take her home and bed her. In fact, she's so angry at them both that she lets Cal take her to dinner and decides to string him along until after her sisters' wedding. Minerva pegs Cal as a handsome "used car salesman of seducers." Cal thinks Minerva is a "cranky, starving, risk-averse statistician." But Minerva's hormones keep whispering "this one," although she knows the gorgeous Cal isn't the man for her practical, white-cotton-bra, several-pounds-over-thin, self. And Cal is blindsided by the lust he feels for the voluptuous, sensual woman he glimpses behind Min's actuary exterior. While Cal and Min struggle to deal with their mutual distrust and attraction, their friends and families try their best to interfere and direct the progression of the unlikely romantic connection.

Review: 

This was my first time reading Jennifer Crusie and I was pleasantly surprised at Bet Me.  I'm not usually a fan of chick lit but I enjoyed this read.  It was full of pep, a smart heroine who doesn't take anything from anybody, sexual tension, humor and warmth.  All of this was wrapped in a fluffy, feel-good package.  

Minerva is an actuary who is slightly overweight and just got dumped by David the jerk for refusing to sleep with him after two months.  Cal is a handsome semi-player who runs his own business teaching business seminars with his two best friends.  David dumps Min in a bar and Min overhears David betting Cal that Cal can't take her home and sleep with her.  Min overhears the bet and decides to string Cal along to have a date for her sister's wedding.  Min never expects to genuinely like Cal, and I think he feels the same.  Min is not Cal's usual type and he is surprised at how attracted he is to her.  

I think what really made this book for me was the attention to detail and the excellent supporting characters.  Min's two friends were perfect foils to her staid, buttoned-down ways, and Cal's business partners were equally perfect.  The interfering family members were very well-written, as well as David and Cynthe, who try to prevent Min and Cal from falling in love. 

All in all, Bet Me was a fun read.  It had some funny parts, some tender parts, warmth, and was very well-written.  I don't see me making chick lit a staple, but it's definitely perfect for a change of pace.  I look forward to reading more of Jennifer Crusie in the future!

Just One Gripe: 

There was too much emphasis on the big bet and subsequent smaller bets throughout the book.  That got old for me.  

The Best Thing About This Book: 

I love reading about a woman who struggles with her weight.  The average American woman is a size 12 and weighs 164 pounds.  It seems to me that almost all of the female characters I read about are model-thin.  I hate that!  Min was curvy and it was great reading about a realistic woman.  She doesn't lose weight or change in order to find love, which I love. 

Appropriate for a younger audience: 

Probably not.

Score: 

Characters: 4/5

Plot: 3/5

Setting/Imagery: 4/5

Originality: 4/5

Ending: 5/5

Total Score:  20/25