Min Dobbs knows that happily-ever-after is a fairy tale, especially with a man like Cal Morrisey, who asked her to dinner to win a bet. Cal Morrisey knows commitment is impossible, especially with a woman as cranky as Min Dobbs. When they say good-bye at the end of their evening, they cut their losses and agree never to see each other again.
But Fate has other plans, and it’s not long before Min and Cal are dealing with meddling friends, wedding cake, a jealous ex-boyfriend, Krispy Kremes, a determined psychologist, chaos theory, a frantic bride, Chicken Marsala, a mutant cat, snow globes, two Mothers-from-Hell, great shoes, and more risky propositions than either of them ever dreamed of including the biggest gamble of all–unconditional love.
Logical Min thinks love is a fairy tale. Rational Cal thinks forever’s a myth. Implacable Fate thinks they’re meant for each other.
New York Times, USAToday, and Publishers Weekly Bestseller
2005 Rita Award Winner for Best Contemporary Single Title Romance
“No more pep talks about believing in toads,” Liza said.
Jennifer Crusie, Bet Me
“Don’t they turn into princes when you kiss them?” Bonnie said.
“Thats frogs,” Liza Said. “Entirely different species.”
Book Notes from Jenny
I wrote the first version of Bet Me back in 1992 and sent it out everywhere. Editors were universally unenthusiastic about it, which was just inexplicable to me. Fast forward ten years and my agent, who regards an unsold manuscript the way Nature feels about vacuums, said, “Send me Bet Me. It can’t be that bad.” I dug out the manuscript and sent it to her, and she sold it to my genius editor, Jennifer Enderlin at St. Martin’s, who said, “Uh, you are going to rewrite this, right?” “Absolutely,” I told her. “It should take me a month or two tops.” “Great,” she said. “We’ll do it as a paperback original,” which I translated as “Let’s not call a lot of attention to this one, okay?”
Praise and Reviews
“Crusie gives chick-lit cliches a triple shot of adrenaline, intelligence, and smart-mouth wit. Bet you can’t stop reading it. Absolutely, irresistibly hilarious.” ~Kirkus Starred Review
“Crusie has another hit on her hands with this romantic comedy, a novel in the madcap vein of the films of George Cukor and Billy Wilder — updated with plenty of modern-day spice. Witty, sharp, and wickedly funny, Bet Me is eminently satisfying.” ~Booksense 76 #5
“[Jennifer Crusie is]… a master of fast-paced witty dialogue… [Bet Me is] a non-stop hoot.” ~Seattle Times
“Jennifer Crusie’s Bet Me… knocks into a cocked hat one of the usual misconceptions about the romance novel, that “they’re all the same… a twisting plot and the snap and flash of witty dialogue… Crusie navigates it with assurance and outright brio.” ~The Washington Post
“Min is bold, sassy and funny–a combination that Cal and the reader will find to be irresistible.” ~Oakland Press
“A sure bet… Jennifer Crusie’s rollicking romance hits the jackpot.” ~Bookpage
“New York Times best-selling Crusie maintains her winning streak in another wickedly witty, deliciously sexy contemporary romance. Finding exactly the right balance between cynicism and optimism, Crusie deftly blends snappy dialogue; quirky, irrepressible secondary characters; and two beautifully matched protagonists struggling against their romantic fate.” ~Booklist
“…a cast of immensely appealing characters and smart dialog… enthusiastically recommended …” ~Library Journal
“…Cutesy, corny, romantic fun… Crusie’s latest should delight romance readers with a penchant for sinful foods.” ~Publisher’s Weekly
“…bet on fireworks–and lots of laughter…” ~Doubleday Book Club
“Utilizing her own unique brand of humor and panache, Crusie delivers yet another amazingly fun and funny novel… slightly offbeat, touching, and always hilarious.” ~A Romantic Times Top Pick