Sunday, September 29, 2013

THE WAGER by Rachel Van Dyken

THE WAGER by Rachel Van Dyken
Advanced Reading Copy
Published: October 1, 2013, Forever

My rating: 3.5 of 5

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Fate is a bitch. Must be, since it landed Char Lynn on the same flight as the last person on earth she wanted to bump into. Jake Titus, spoiled, rich playboy, childhood friend, adolescent crush and since almost a year, sworn enemy. Damn if he isn't as beautiful as he always was, and he barely even recognizes her!! Too bad she knows she'll be seeing a lot more of him, since she will be maid of honour at his brother's wedding. Difference is, this time around, she won't succumb to his charms and be tossed out like last night's dinner the next morning!

He should have know she would be there. Had it  not been for his grandmother's constant meddling, he would have......what's her name....by his side, who would provide a nice distraction. It was weird enough to stand up for his brother who was marrying his best friend, but having Char be her maid of honour would make the circus complete. Jake can't believe that on top of all that, his grandma fired him. She's nuts. Trying to teach him some lesson. The only lesson Jake needs to learn is to stay far away from Char, she is way to tempting and even though he carried a torch for her when he was younger, he couldn't go there now. 

Grandma worked every angle, pulled every ploy and manipulated until the cows came home to throw Jake and Char together. Not that they really needed much help once the initial awkwardness was dealt with. They weren't lacking in chemistry, or attraction, but that wasn't a surprise to Char, nor was it enough. She had been burned by Jake before and wasn't about to stick her head in that bees nest again! Jake had to do some major scrambling to prove not only to Char, but the rest of the family, that his irresponsible, selfish days were done. And then grandma had one more ace up her sleeve........

****

Such a fun read!!! 

Light hearted, hilarious at times, especially some of the opening scenes in the airplane had me choking on my coffee. This story is clearly intended as an airy, comedic, and spicy novel, not requiring an awful lot of brainspace, but providing a lovely escape.

The characters are fun; Jake is a rascal, a loveable bad boy. Spoiled, indulged and oh so charming. Nothing much was ever asked of him, not a lot was expected, so Jake didn't make an effort. And when he did try, he wouldn't get credit for anything anyway, so why bother. Two people saw through the layers, one was his grandma, who did most of the indulging herself, and the other was Char, who had always seen more in Jake than even Jake did. 

Char herself was a bit of a disappointment to her family. She wasn't really, or she shouldn't have been, but they all made her feel that way. Making fun of her job as a TV reporter and always comparing her to her sister, with Char of course coming out on the bottom. Char had always been under the impression that Jake looked down on her too, saw her as less than she was, but she turned out to be very wrong about that. 

Grandma wins the prize. She is absolutely devious and hysterical, although I must admit, if I had a family member like her, I would likely have them committed. She clearly rules the roost, with her dramatic antics, steamrolling over everyone and everything. Despite every scheme  being more outrageous than the next, she obviously has everyone's best interests at heart.

All in all a delightful book, a story not to be taken too seriously, but simply enjoyed.

✨A witty, spunky, loveable tale of redemption.✨


**ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Forever Publishing in return for an honest review.**


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