Bet Me

Rating:
Summary: Very disappointing
Review: I found Bet Me to be a huge disappointment. There were no quirky, funny secondary characters in this book like there had been in her others. All of the characters were lacking depth and fire. Even Jennifers' usual great dialogue was flat. From the moment the book started, you knew the ending, but there were never any curveballs thrown in along the way. And 3/4 of my way through the book, I still didn't feel any real chemistry between Min and Cal. Min is described as everything from being full figured to fat, but Cal seduces her with food every step of the way and uses Krispy Kreme donuts to tease her. What is sexy about that? I wanted to scream at her "Run for your life - you will die of a coronary before your 40th birthday if you stay with the guy!" If you want to read a fun Jennifer Crusie book - buy Welcome to Temptation or Faking It instead!

Rating:
Summary: I liked it!
Review: I, like a few others, was a little underwhelmed with "Faking It." Nevertheless, I decided to give "Bet Me" a try. I liked the two primary characters and their quick repartee and the building "tension" between the two. The early description of the cat had me chuckling and awakened my dog out of her sweet slumber. I finished the book last night and thought to myself, "that was a sweet story" maybe because I too, am in search of my own fairy tale. That's by two cents worth.

Rating:
Summary: I bet you'll like this one
Review: BET ME by Jennifer Crusie

Jennifer Crusie's latest book, BET ME, is my introduction to this author's writing, known for books written for the genre known as Chick Lit. In this story, a young woman is discouraged by the dating scene, after being dumped by a boyfriend for not having sex with him throughout their entire relationship. She then meets the most gorgeous man ever, Cal Morrissey, soon after that breakup. Their relationship grows through a series of bets, which puts Cal deeper and deeper into trouble with Minerva Dobbs, the young woman in question.

Cal and Min meet in the worst possible way - through a bet. But as they get to know each other as friends, the two fall in love, but refuse to admit it to each other. As their friends watch with amusement the charade that Cal and Min go through, pretending they are only friends and that they cannot stand each other, Cal and Min slowly realize that they can't live without each other. But as their ex's try their best to keep the two apart, Cal and Min's best friends try to decide whether the two belong to each other.

The book is told in the typical style that "chick lit" is famous for, with a humorous tone and a lot of comic relief. While I found this book to have gone on a little too long, I still enjoyed it and do recommend it to others who delight in reading books in this genre. It's a fast read and although not the perfect book, I think readers will enjoy getting to know Minerva Dobbs and maybe even relating to her, as Min tries to find that perfect fairy tale romance and happy ending that all of us hope to find in our own lives.

Rating:
Summary: Never met a Crusie book I didn't like - until now
Review: I found BET ME to be a big disappointment. Populated by cardboard characters, it lacks charm and wit. I hope she's getting paid by Krispy Kreme because it's mainly a glorified ad for them.

Rating:
Summary: A fast and funny read!!
Review: Reading this story is like eating a box of your favorite chocolates. Delicioius! The first book of Ms. Crusie's that I ever read was "Welcome To Temptation" and it was 5+ stars funny and hot. It got me looking up everything Crusie had ever written previously and reading them all. "Bet Me" wasn't up there with "Welcome To Temptation" or "Fast Women" in plot depth and complexity, but it was a thoroughly enjoyable and funny read. I highly recommend it!

Rating:
Summary: wacky romance
Review: In her early thirties in Southern Ohio, Minerva Dobbs still dreams of forever love stories, but currently is down on men though she still hopes to find that one male who is a good person and nice, especially to her. Her thoughts as she linger in the upscale Yuppie bar is that her latest loser David deserves a swizzle stick shoved by her into his heart though he probably wouldn't miss a beat.

Hollywood handsome Cal Morrissey has a $10,000 bet with his pals that he will bed Min within a month. Min knows about the wager and decides to play along with Cal so that he can escort her to her sister's wedding and then dump him with her sheets remaining dry. As Cal and Min compete for the upper hand and their friends interfere either by separating or pushing them together, they fall in love. However, will Min trust this slick stud with her heart especially when she agrees with Gloria Steinham that "Women's total instinct for gambling is satisfied by marriage".

The Steinham line is a great opening to a humorous off beat relationship tale as it distinctly shows the gender differences that help turn this tale into an audaciously delightful screwball comedy. Min is a delightful cynic while Cal is a charming schemer. The support cast including Krispy Crème is an eccentric bunch, but the novel belongs to the lead couple war to implement their respective plan that makes for a fine time for readers who appreciate a wacky romance.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Crusie Has Won Me Back!
Review: I have to admit, I was hesitant to buy this one in hardcover. I did not care for her last book, Faking It. But boy was I glad I took the chance after finishing this one! The romance between Cal and Min reminds me of the characters in Fast Women (love the Glenlivet) and Welcome To Temptation. Cal, Min and friends are really well-developed and you find yourself immersed in their world within 30 pages. This book was a one-nighter. I loved it. Buy this book!

Rating:
Summary: A fun, fantastic read.
Review: Once I had this book in my hands, I did NOT put it down until I had finished. Reading it from cover to cover. And when I finished? I wanted to read it again. I enjoyed the ride that much, and was close to wanting to highlight my favorite parts. Thankfully, I stopped myself.

I found this book to be worth the wait, and up to par with Crusie's other works. It was everything a fun-filled ride should be: light hearted, witty, honest, and romantic. The character of Min was realistically crafted, and a true woman. Cal viewed her the way any woman wants to be seen, and he himself wasn't without flaws.

When I find myself wanting to be part of the core characters lives for longer than the duration of the book, I view that as a good sign. I didn't want the story of Min and Cal (and their friends) to end. Definitely worth reading.

Rating:
Summary: IF I COULD GIVE10 STARS, I WOULD!
Review: I can't tell you how much I loved this book. To give you an indication, I got it from the library (not liking Crusie's last book, I wasn't willing to risk a waste of money on a hard cover) and read it. Now, I'm buying it myself! I usually buy hardcovers once every year or two, so you get the idea. Like Crusie's other books, this made me lol--for example, when describing Min's dad: he was "a lumbering man with a shock of blond hair and heavy white eyebrows who should have been hearty and welcoming but instead had the vaguely paranoid look of a sheepdog whose sheep were plotting against him."
So, why did I like this book? Let me count the ways. I loved Cal, an extremely handsome man who realizes that he loves, loves Min and that she should eat! He defends her beautifully from her mother who is always vigilent. carping about Min to diet. In turn, I also loved Min who considers herself fat and cannot really believe a good looking man would be attracted to her. Yes, the book is predictable, but that's half the fun--you don't have to worry that something unpleasant will happen and you anticipate and enjoy what you know will happen--even before it does. If you have weight issues (and how many women don't?), you'll love this book too.

Rating:
Summary: cheesy romance done right
Review: I couldn't put this book down - after I read it I had to go right back to some good parts. It's standing up excellently to re-reading: it was just as funny the third time as it was the first two.

Jenny herself described this as a "cheesy romance". There is no suspense element, and the plot is not only straightforward, but extensively foreshadowed. These are not flaws, because the writing is wonderful, the dialogue is hilarious, and the characters are interesting, as usual. I particularly liked how true everything was; there are at least six different theories of love and relationships among the various characters, all of which turn out to apply to the protagonists. In recent books by Ms. Crusie there is usually some element a bit over the top; in "Bet Me" it's the fairy tale themes. How many actuaries get to play Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, Cinderella, Snow White, a girl who cries wolf, and the Beast in the course of a single story?

Crusie writes contemporary romances in much the way Dorothy L. Sayers wrote mysteries, or Lois McMaster Bujold writes science fiction, or Georgette Heyer wrote Regencies. Which is to say excellently well, but with no two books quite alike. In particular, they don't tend to repeat themes. If you like the writers voice, and enjoy watching her grow and change, this is wonderful. It does lead to different readers having different favorite books. This week my own favorite Crusie is probably "Faking It", but tastes vary. Fortunately it doesn't matter much; they're all very good.

If you insist on suspense with your romance, try Jayne Ann Krentz or Nora Roberts instead. If you want a story more focused on a serial heartbreaker hero, try Catherine Asaro's SF novel "The Last Hawk". If you want a recent fairy tale romance as fantasy rather than as a contemporary, try "The Fairy Godmother" by Mercedes Lackey. If you love "Bet Me" and want more straight contemporary romance, try Susan Elizabeth Phillips. If you really need the same theme over and over, stick to authors like Stephanie Laurens instead.

Jenny went on to suggest "... the world needs more cheese". I'm from Wisconsin, where we heartily agree with that sentiment. Especially when it produces books as wonderful as "Bet Me".