Review: I wish I had a Grandma Nadine
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 1, 2013
Rachel Van Dyken's The Bet will always have a special place in my heart, not just because it was the first book I reviewed for my blog, but because the complicated love triangle between the Titus brothers and their childhood friend, Kacey one of the funniest, sweetest, and most heartwarming stories I've had the pleasure of reading. In The Wager, Jake Titus gets to redeem himself from his previous womanizing ways when he comes in close contact with childhood friend and former fling, Char Lynn. Sparks fly between Jake and Char, and there is never a dull moment throughout the story as they get swept up in the never-ending chaos courtesy of good ole Grandma Nadine.Rachel Van Dyken uses a multi-narrator format in The Wager, which I absolutely love because it allows readers to connect with four different protagonists and to follow their separate storylines to completion. While The Wager is in large part the story of Jake and Char, former protagonists, Travis and Kacey, also contribute to the narrative. The stories of the two couples seamlessly interweave with each other, bringing a double dose of romance, joy and laughter to the book.Much like with Travis and Kacey, the chemistry between Jake and Char is so potent that it erupts in spontaneous bouts of passion, which take form in either heated arguments or steamy kisses... and sometimes both. The atmosphere surrounding the couple is equal parts playful and hostile, with their shared history offering ammunition for their incessant verbal clashes. Aside from wanting to kick Jake in the nuts every so often, I genuinely enjoyed his and Char's witty banter.While all the characters are immensely entertaining in their own right, Grandma Nadine is the heart of The Wager, providing numerous opportunities for hilarity and shock value. Much like in The Bet, she is back to her scheming ways, stealing each scene she's in with her eccentric and elaborate attempt at matchmaking. I'm not sure how many different types of laughter there are (giggling, chuckling, guffawing, etc.), but I'm fairly certain I experienced them all by the end of the book.Rachel Van Dyken consistently creates incredibly likable characters with underdog characteristics, which makes it easy to sympathize with them and to root for them to have a happy ending. The Wager is a light, yet emotional read which I easily finished in one sitting. The story and its characters captured my interest with the book world's most adorable prologue (or maybe tied for the honor with The Bet), and didn't release my attention until the last page of the epilogue, especially since much of the epilogue is devoted to setting up the third book in the series.