Bet Me

Rating:
Summary: Fun Reading!
Review: Jennifer Crusie has a knack for fun and witty language! I read this story in 1 1/2 days. I was glad that, for a change, Cal, the gorgeous hunk was attracted to Minerva, a big boned woman who was not the typical dainty, naive and delicate girl even if he was pushed to notice her only because of a bet!

Rating:
Summary: 4 1/2 stars -- A fairy tale with an unlikely heroine!
Review: Looking over the reviews, "Bet Me" seems to be a book that you either love or hate. Personally, I thought that parts of the book were worthy of *10 stars*, but I *love* romantic fiction and am not looking for realism in a book like this one. Jennifer Crusie is *excellent* at adapting the fairy tale into a contemporary romance. I loved the characters of Minerva and Calvin--an insecure, chubby Cinderella with a sharp wit and her gorgeous, commitment-phobic Prince Charming.

Minerva Dobbs has just been dumped in the middle of a theme bar by her handsome boyfriend of 3 months because she will not sleep with him. She is more upset about losing her date to her sister's upcoming wedding than losing David (the boyfriend), but she is feeling pretty down on herself and on men in general. Her friends try to distract her with a gorgeous guy (Calvin Morrisey) standing across the bar from her, talking to David. When her friends goad her into approaching the hunk, Minerva overhears David betting Calvin that he cannot get her to sleep with him in the next month. Minerva thinks that she has heard Cal agree to the bet and starts fuming. When Calvin approaches her to ask her to dinner, an angry Minerva agrees, thinking that she will string him along until after her sister's wedding and then dump him. Cal cannot understand why all his legendary charm falls flat with a very prickly Minerva, and Minerva cannot understand why she finds Cal so attractive, despite all that she knows about him.

I loved the character of Minerva, a curvy girl on a low carb diet in a world full of skinny Minnies. Her insecurities were very real (but I agree with Cal, all that talk about not eating food was pretty boring.) Calvin was a wonderful literary creation--a gorgeous, charming, "love 'em and leave 'em" type who gets blindsided by his deep attraction to Minerva. So *unlikely*, I know, but that is what makes romantic fiction *great*! They both have awful families, intrusive friends, meddling ex's and some real insecurity issues.

The dialogue was snappy and very witty and the plot quite clever. I loved the slightly mystical touches (minor accidents befall the H/H when they deny their love to others) and the fairy tale references in the plot (a shoe is lost, a "wolf" approaches a woman in a red hooded sweater, a kiss "awakens" a sleeper) that underscored that Cal and Min were "meant to be". Food was used as a metaphor and plot device a bit *too* much for my taste (ha!)--enough already about Chicken Marsala, donuts, bread and butter! I admit that I did love the scene in which Cal seduces a kiss out of Min on a picnic table with the help of a Krispy Kreme donut (the donut acting as a metaphor for the kiss itself--both forbidden *bliss* for Min!) My other quibble with the book was with the epilogue. Min complains near the end of the book that nobody ever writes stories about happily ever after--and she is right. While everyone agrees that the heroine should get the handsome prince at the end of a good romance, "happily ever after" means different things to different people and is best left to the reader's imagination (I think anyways...)

In summary, "Bet Me" is a sexy, light, humorous romp with an engaging hero and heroine. I think that Jennifer Crusie is a *wonderfully* talented author and would also recommend "Welcome to Temptation" (a book by JC that I liked even more!)

Rating:
Summary: Bet you you can't put this one down!
Review: This book goes at it from the very beginning and although we can guess what is going to happen for the most part, it will hit a funny bone and make you wanting more!Our characters will step out of the book and won't go back in! I read this book in one sitting!

I love Min. She is without a doubt wonderful normal character. I love shoes so I couldn't help but like her! This book is full of laughs and will make you hungry also!You won't regret picking this one up!