Review: Teh Wager is a sweet and hilarious read!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 18, 2013
If there is a book writing prize for completely redeeming a character from him jerk off ways in a previous book, then Rachel Van Dyken should win! After I read her first book, The Bet, I figured there was NO WAY she could make me like this character. His behavior was deplorable! But this is the exact reason why I love to read. I love when authors flip the switch on your preconceived notions.The Wager begins with a flashback of Jake Titus showing me exactly why I can't stand him-he's selfish and clueless toward the people who care about him the most. I wasn't sure I wanted to take this trip with Jake. He pissed me off so much that I don't think I wanted him to get his happily ever after. But since Rachel's books are so funny, I decided to ride it out. I'm glad I did. The Wager is just as funny as The Bet. Her characters have depth and a deep history together. Rachel gives you a great back story with these characters, allowing you to really understand why they behave the way they do. But she doesn't let the drama overwhelm you. Rachel's is great at ripping your guts out in one scene, then making you laugh and forget how mad you were in the next scene.Jake Titus's character had a lot of making up to do with me. In The Wager, he does exactly that. Rachel lays out all his sins and forces him to deal with the aftermath of his behavior. You see real remorse and attempts to atone for his behavior. Char Lynn probably has a bad case of whiplash watching him finally come to terms with who he is. Grandma Titus's character is a friggin' riot The crazy shenanigans she puts all her family through had me laughing so hard. I love that Kacey and Travis are in this book, too. The continuation of their story is wonderful to see, especially after what they both went through in The Bet.The steamy sex factor is a bit low in this series. Rachel is very good at the sexual tension build up. You feel the chemistry between the characters. But the actual sex scenes aren't graphic.The Wager was a sweet, upbeat read that you want to read in one sitting. So you may want to hide from your family and obligations if you intend to pick up this book. You won't want to put it down! I give The Wager by Rachel Van Dyken 4 out of 5 stars.Written by Dee McGee - Booze, Bookz, and Bad Boyz