The Wager (The Bet #2) by Rachel Van Dyken

Title: The Wager: The Bet series: Book 2

Series: The Bet

Classification: Adult Fiction

Genre: Contemporary Romance
File Size: 784 KB
Print Length: 299 pages
Publisher: Forever (October 1, 2013)
Sold by: Hachette Book Group
ASIN: B00E7XUGM8

Notes: Received a copy of the eARC from the publisher via NetGalley

Jake Titus is an arrogant, self absorbed, playboy millionaire who goes through woman like they were kleenex--something many a young woman has needed after he had broken her heart. A one night stand is his standard mode of operation, never letting any woman get too close. Over the years his behavior has gotten worse and worse and his grandmother has taken note. At first she thought it was a phase he'd eventually grow out of, but as time passed and the years went by she finally came to realize he wasn't going to change his wicked ways unless somebody forced him see the error of it all. Grandma's got a plan, and when she finds the woman she thinks is perfect for her grandson, someone whom she thinks can keep him in line, she sets her plan in motion. She's gonna bring her grandson to heel by striking where it hurts him the most--his pride and his pocketbook.

"Karma: It was finally coming for him. And it was in the form of an eighty-six-year-old woman with lipstick on her teeth."

This is the second book in Rachel Van Dyken's The Bet series. Grandma Nadine loves nothing better than to play the role of matchmaker, and she's on a roll. She's a Grandma with a mission, and I absolutely adored her crazy plans and antics. In 'The Bet', Grandma Nadine managed to get her eldest grandson, Travis, engaged and in 'The Wager' she's going after her youngest and when she gets something in her mind, nothing is gonna stop her. Grandma's a force to be reckoned with. This book starts off approximately two weeks before Travis' and Kacey's wedding.

Char Lynn is a TV news reporter who is pretty, smart, and unfortunately one of Jake's one night stands. She'd known Jake for years, and he'd never explained the "rules", but they were crystal clear in the morning when she woke up alone with a lame thank you note on the pillow beside her. He'd never called her, and now they were being put into the uncomfortable position of having to work together because her best friend, Nadine, was marrying Jake's older brother, Travis, and the two of them were the designated Maid of Honor and Best Man.

Now, I have to admit that in the beginning I truly didn't like Jake all that much, and I didn't fully embrace him until the end when he started to show some redeeming qualities. Additionally, I thought his Best Man speech was a little inappropriate once I heard all the details about his and Kacey's past relationship. I did, however, enjoy how he seemed to mature before our eyes into the person his grandmother always knew he could be.

Why is the book entitled 'The Wager'? Well, it's because Grandma and  Kacey/Travis have a bet about what the outcome will be from Grandma's meddling.

Overall, I gave this one 4 1/2 out of 5 roses. It was laugh out loud hilarious, and I couldn't help but love it. I enjoyed all his grandmother put him through and the way Char handled him. If you're looking for a book to make you laugh, you may want to check this one out. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one scores a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed.

Most Anticipated New Releases of October 2013

The following list is comprised of books my friends, family, and I are most looking forward to reading in October. It also consists of books by popular authors and others I've heard a lot of hype about. I am not flawless and sometimes I'll accidentally leave one or more books off the list that I shouldn't. Let me know if one of your favorites is missing. Sometimes my search techniques just don't work as well as I wish they did.

If you'd like to read a book's description, just click on the cover photo and you'll be magically transferred to Goodreads. Remember a book a day keeps the boredom at bay! Happy reading.


1st - Autumn Bones: Agent of Hel by Carey, Jacqueline (Oct 1, 2013)
1st - Blackout by Wells, Robison (Oct 1, 2013)
1st - Chili Con Carnage (A Chili Cook-Off Mystery) by Logan, Kylie (Oct 1, 2013)
1st - Eat, Brains, Love by Hart, Jeff (Oct 1, 2013)
1st - The Elixir of Immortality by Gleichmann, Gabi (Oct 1, 2013)
1st - The Enchanter Heir (Heir Chronicles, The) (The Heir Chronicles) by Chima, Cinda Williams (Oct 1, 2013)
1st - Endless Knight (The Arcana Chronicles) by Cole, Kresley (Oct 1, 2013)
1st - A Finder's Fee (A Missing Pieces Mystery) by Joyce and Jim Lavene (Oct 1, 2013)
1st - Gilt Trip (A Scrapbooking Mystery) by Laura Childs and Diana Orgain (Oct 1, 2013)
1st - Hereafter (A Shadowlands Novel) by Kate Brian (Oct 1, 2013)
1st - To Kiss a Dragon by G. A. Aiken (Oct 1, 2013)
1st - Midnight's Temptation (Dark Warriors) by Donna Grant (Oct 1, 2013)
1st - Murder and Marinara: An Italian Kitchen Mystery by Genova, Rosie (Oct 1, 2013)
1st - One Summer: America, 1927 by Bill Bryson (Oct 1, 2013)
1st - My Immortal Highlander by Sands, Lynsay and Howell, Hannah (Oct 1, 2013)
1st - Possession: A Novel of the Fallen Angels by Ward, J.R. (Oct 1, 2013)
1st - The Protected by Walker, Shiloh (Oct 1, 2013)*
1st - The Rosie Project: A Novel by Simsion, Graeme (Oct 1, 2013)
1st - A SEAL Wolf Christmas by Terry Spear (Oct 1, 2013)*
1st - The Signature of All Things: A Novel by Gilbert, Elizabeth (Oct 1, 2013)
1st - Spy's Honor: The Hearts and Thrones Series by Raby, Amy (Oct 1, 2013)
1st - The Spymistress by Chiaverini, Jennifer (Oct 1, 2013)
1st - The Dark Lady: A Novel of Mad Passions by Maire Claremont (Feb 5, 2013)*
1st - The Seance Society: A Mystery (O'Nelligan and Plunkett) by Nethercott, Michael (Oct 1, 2013)
1st - Tempt the Stars: A Cassie Palmer Novel by Karen Chance (Oct 1, 2013)
1st - The 39 Clues: Unstoppable: Nowhere to Run by Jude Watson (Oct 1, 2013)
1st - The Tilted World: A Novel by Tome Franklin and Beth Ann Fennelly (Oct 1, 2013)*
1st - Unbreakable (The Legion) by Kami Garcia (Oct 1, 2013)
1st - The Wager: The Bet series: Book 2 by Rachel Van Dyken (Oct 1, 2013)
1st - The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie (Mackenzies Series) by Jennifer Ashley (Oct 1, 2013)
1st - Year of the Demon: A Novel of the Fated Blades by Steve Bein (Oct 1, 2013)
3rd - Perfect Ruin (The Internment Chronicles) by DeStefano, Lauren (Oct 3, 2013)
3rd - Wild Cards by Simone Elkeles (Oct 3, 2013)


8th - Beauty's Daughter: The Story of Hermione and Helen of Troy by Meyer, Carolyn (Oct 8, 2013)
8th - Close to You: A Downside Ghosts Story (A Heroes and Heartbreakers Original) by Stacia Kane eBook format only (Oct 8, 2013)
8th - Cold Blooded (Jessica McClain) by Carlson, Amanda (Oct 8, 2013)
8th - Death and the Girl He Loves (Darklight) by Darynda Jones (Oct 8, 2013)
8th - Desert Tales: A Wicked Lovely Novel by Marr, Melissa (Oct 8, 2013)
8th - Doing Hard Time (Stone Barrington) by Stuart Woods (Oct 8, 2013)
8th - The Eye of Minds (The Mortality Doctrine) by James Dashner (Oct 8, 2013)
8th - Emerald Green (Ruby Red) by Kerstin Gier and Anthea Bell (Oct 8, 2013)
8th - The House of Hades (Heroes of Olympus, Book 4) by Rick Riordan (Oct 8, 2013)
8th - Inherit the Dead: A Novel by Child, Lee, Box, C. J., Harris, Charlaine and Connolly, John (Oct 8, 2013)
8th - Lighthouse Island: A Novel by Jiles, Paulette (Oct 8, 2013)
8th - The Midnight Dress by Foxlee, Karen (Oct 8, 2013)
8th - No Angel by Keeble, Helen (Oct 8, 2013)
8th - Resist (Breathe) by Crossan, Sarah (Oct 8, 2013)
8th - Storm Front (A Virgil Flowers Novel) by Sandford, John (Oct 8, 2013)
10th - Eternity (Fury) by Miles, Elizabeth (Oct 10, 2013)


14th - Club Wonderland by Christine d'Abo eBook format only (Oct 14, 2013)
14th - Disenchanted & Co., Part 2: His Lordship Possessed by Lynn Viehl eBook only(Oct 14, 2013)
15th - Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy by Fielding, Helen (Oct 15, 2013)
15th - Christmas Bliss by Andrews, Mary Kay (Oct 15, 2013)
15th - Duke of Midnight (Maiden Lane) by Hoyt, Elizabeth (Oct 15, 2013)
15th - Finding It by Cora Carmack (Oct 15, 2013)
15th - The Heavens Rise by Rice, Christopher (Oct 15, 2013)
15th - The Men Who United the States: America's Explorers, Inventors, Eccentrics and Mavericks, and the Creation of One... by Winchester, Simon (Oct 15, 2013)
15th - Revealed (House of Night) by Cast, Kristin and P. C. Cast (Oct 15, 2013)
15th - Secret Unleashed (Secret McQueen) by Sierra Dean eBook format only(Oct 15, 2013)
15th - The Scribe: Irin Chronicles Book One by Elizabeth Hunter (Oct 15, 2013)
15th - Throwing Heat: A Diamonds and Dugouts Novel by Jennifer Seasons (Oct 15, 2013)
15th - The Wolves of Midwinter: The Wolf Gift Chronicles by Rice, Anne (Oct 15, 2013)


22nd - Allegiant (Divergent Trilogy) by Roth, Veronica (Oct 22, 2013)
22nd - Black and Blue (Otherworld Assassin) by Showalter, Gena (Oct 22, 2013)
22nd - Rags & Bones: New Twists on Timeless Tales by Marr, Melissa and Pratt, Tim Anthology (Oct 22, 2013)
22nd - The Shadowhand Covenant (Vengekeep Prophecies) by Farrey, Brian and Helquist, Brett (Oct 22, 2013)
22nd - Sycamore Row by Grisham, John (Oct 22, 2013)
22nd - Teardrop (Teardrop Trilogy) by Lauren Kate (Oct 22, 2013)
22nd - The Twistrose Key by Almhjell, Tone and Schoenherr, Jan (Oct 22, 2013)
22nd - We Are Water: A Novel by Lamb, Wally (Oct 22, 2013)
22nd - Winter's Heat: A Nemesis Unlimited Holiday Novella by Zoë Archer eBook format only (Oct 22, 2013)
22nd - The Iron Traitor (The Iron Fey) by Kagawa, Julie (Oct 23, 2013)


29th - Across a Star-Swept Sea by Peterfreund, Diana (Oct 15, 2013)
29th - After Dead: What Came Next in the World of Sookie Stackhouse by Harris, Charlaine and Lisa Desimini (Oct 29, 2013)
29th - After Moonrise: Possessed\Haunted (Hqn) by Cast, P.C. and Showalter, Gena (Oct 29, 2013)
29th - Altered (Crewel World) by Albin, Gennifer (Oct 29, 2013)
29th - Archangel's Legion (Guild Hunter) by Singh, Nalini (Oct 29, 2013)
29th - Blood Curse by Page, Sharon (Oct 29, 2013)
29th - Dark Witch: Book One of The Cousins O'Dwyer Trilogy by Roberts, Nora (Oct 29, 2013)
29th - Dead Set: A Novel by Kadrey, Richard (Oct 29, 2013)
29th - Horde (Enclave) by Ann Aguirre (Oct 29, 2013)
29th - In Love With a Wicked Man by Liz Carlyle (Oct 29, 2013)
29th - Kiss the Night Goodbye: Nikki and Michael Book 4 by Arthur, Keri (Oct 29, 2013)
29th - Parasite (Parasitology) by Mira Grant (Oct 29, 2013)
29th - The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays: 140 Step-by-Step Recipes for Simple, Scrumptious Celebrations by Ree Drummond (Oct 29, 2013)
29th - The Shadowhunter's Codex (The Mortal Instruments) by Clare, Cassandra, Lewis, Joshua and Various (Oct 29, 2013)
29th - A Study in Darkness: Book Two in The Baskerville Affair by Holloway, Emma Jane (Oct 29, 2013)
29th - The Sum of All Kisses (Smythe-Smith Quartet) by Quinn, Julia (Oct 29, 2013)
29th - Winners: A Novel by Steel, Danielle (Oct 29, 2013)