Betting On You

Full Review

Rating Breakdown:

• Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
• Plot: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
• Romance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
• Characters: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
• Writing: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

💕 The Romance & Relationship

Always love a good opposites attract trope! The banter might be cringe, but keep in mind it is for young adults! It’s not going to be the most riveting or witty banter, but it was so fun and lighthearted! 

I absolutely loved how Mr. Nothing (Charlie) slowly went from stranger to coworker to friend. It was a gradual growth that made sense, with Charlie not even wanting to admit his feelings until nearly the end.

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👥 The Characters

Bailey

She may have glasses but she’s not your typical shy, smart girl. Bailey’s a bit dorky because she’s particular about the things she likes and honestly, LOVE that! Everyone has their preferences!!

While she was super relatable on that front, her people pleasing made her a bit less relatable. Bay’s people pleasing felt selective, whether it was the person, the topic, and/or the severity. She IS a teenager, understandable! I just felt like that one aspect was used to move the plot along, even if it didn’t make sense to her character.

Charlie

You either love him or hate him, and I completely understand both sides. I personally think Charlie’s hot and cold nature really fit him! He’s a child of divorce and was constantly split between two families. It makes sense that’s why he, a teenage boy, acts like that! 

Other Characters

I love when the side characters aren’t forgotten, especially when they’re part of a crucial part of the story or appear frequently!

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✍️ The Setting & Style

What I Loved:

There was something about the writing in this book that so perfectly captures the teen vibe (before brainrot trends). Both Bailey and Charlie’s perspectives felt so well written! Instead of a constant back and forth, the POV switches when necessary; the timing and balance of it was great in my opinion.

What Could’ve Been Better:

I understood most of the references, but maybe a footnote or glossary/reference at the end (with the playlist) would be fun!

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🎯 Is Betting On You Worth Reading?

Perfect for fans of:

• 10 Things I Hate About You (movie)
• When Harry Met Sally (movie)
• Dual perspectives

Consider skipping if:

• You don’t like third act breakups
• You don’t like a lot of references to pop culture (Taylor Swift, trends, etc)
• Young adult slang/topics are cringe to you