Bet Me

By: Jennifer Crusie

Narrated by: Deanna Hurst

Length: 12 hrs

Publisher's summary

Min Dobbs knows that happily-ever-after is a fairy tale, especially with a man 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 a jealous ex-boyfriend, Krispy Kremes, a determined psychologist, chaos theory, a mutant cat, Chicken Marsala, and more risky propositions than either of them ever dreamed of, including the biggest gamble of all: real love.

©2004 Jennifer Crusie (P)2004 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Hurst's voice contains an energy and exuberance that leaves little doubt that she's the perfect narrator for Crusie's heartfelt comedy of errors....[A] zesty, vibrantly told tale." ( Publishers Weekly)

PURE JOY!!!!

I love her sarcasm...specially towards her mother. i love all the funny witty humorous 1 liners. i promise you wont be dissapointed!!!

One of my "go to" books

Setting is Ohio, time frame is contemporary ( I do wish that kind of information was included in all book reviews. I think I'll go back to my other reviews and make it so.)
Let's start with the overall production of the work, shall we? I don't usually bother to mention it unless it's terrible enough to spoil the experience. In this book, the production, direction, and narration are excellent. They really add to the enjoyment.
I loved the heroine because she comes across as real. She has issues about her weight - she isn't a stick figure - which is not helped by her mother harping on it. But she's also a strong person, except in the areas of her insecurities. This may irritate some of you, but keep in mind that personalities are really what drive the story. The hero is a gorgeous self-made man who never loses a bet. He's perfect. Except he really isn't and he knows it, so he isn't a jerk. He comes across as the kind of guy who IS NOT best friends with every reflective surface he passes. He has his own insecurities. The only synopsis I'll give you is that the plot revolves around misunderstandings. It made me laugh, and I got a little teary at times. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you that the secondary characters are well-developed, and integral to the plot. You'll love them or dislike them, depending on how Jennifer Crusie wanted you to feel about them.
This is one of my "go to" books when I get restless and nothing else is really catching my interest. I also will use it as the filling in the sandwich of two disparate genres. It is, in my humble opinion, definitely worth the credit!

Huh?

What did you like best about Bet Me? What did you like least?

I really tried to listen to this 4 or 5 times but I kept falling asleep. Just could not get into the story at all. I had a hard time keeping track of who was trying to hook up with who and who was fooling who?

Would you ever listen to anything by Jennifer Crusie again?

Yes, I love many of her books! This just wasn't one of them. The characters were just not interesting and had little personality.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Did not distinguish between characters well at all...I think that was part of not being able to get into the story.

Did Bet Me inspire you to do anything?

Wish I hadn't wasted a credit...

Elvis Costello vs Elvis Presley?

I love this book so much that I've reread it almost every time I'd had to replace it. It seemed to leap off my bookshelves into the purses of friends. So this time I got it in audio, and found it to be even better!
The six friends and their exes are all single thirty somethings, there are also a couple of siblings, some parents, and a nephew. There is drama with lots more situational and verbal humor. I'll leave the summarizing to the publisher's blurb and skip the spoilers. Just know that this is a really fun pick me up book!
Deanna Hurst gives an excellent audio performance on this one.

Hm

Not a bad book but the author needs a thesaurus. He said, she said, he said, she said..,., too many 'saids'. Annoying

My Go To Feel Good Read

This is one of my all time favorites. I love strong snarky women. Min is speaks out loud what most of us keep in our head. And the men in this book....well again strong smart and caring. Yes!!! I love how Jennifer Crusie's heroines make you feel good about not wanting or needing the 2.5 kids to complete your life. I have given this book to everyone of my romance reading friends. I have worn through the spines of multiple soft cover versions. The Audible of this book is not my favorite. Deanna Hurst does an okay job but it doesn't live up to the voices in my head when I read the book.

Classic Crusie

This is such a great Crusie book- haven't found any other author that can mix drama, comedy, suspense and spicy love like her. This is quick witted and captivating.

Another winner

The one liners cracked me up and made me laugh throughout. Some of the characters are a bit annoying but I can't help but want to know more what happened later!

Fun and witty

This is the first Jennifer Crusie book I have listened to and I really enjoyed it. I found the characters to be fun and witty, the storyline engaging and the ending wrapt it up well. It is a light read, lots of romance and some sexy parts too, especially near the end. I particularly liked the underlying theme of self acceptance, as the main character Min moves towards embracing her curvaceous body, with the help and encouragement of Cal and her friends. Good narration also made it an enjoyable listen.

Great Listen

This was a fun interesting book. The characters really came alive.