Sandy M’s review of How Much You Want to Bet? by Melissa Blue
Contemporary romance ebook novella released 15 Feb 08 by The Wild Rose Press

If you like wit, humor, attitude, and snark in your books, you’re going to really enjoy this read. If you like compassion, vulnerability, sensuousness, and plain old fun in your characters when you read, you’re going to love this book.

Neil Sullivan (the heroine) is trying to start over after the death of her father and the promise she made to him to keep their secrets hidden and their family reputation safe. Whistle Lake seems like just the spot for her to do that, along with her new job at a local construction company. Things are going along fine in her anonymity until she meets Gibland Winnfred, a man who loves to bet and never loses. For some reason she can’t make herself walk away from Gib’s bets or the man himself. Between his cockiness and his kisses, his grin and his laughter, Neil is little by little falling for him, even though she knows he can never really be part of her life.

Gib has never been this intrigued with a woman before. Neil doesn’t fall at his feet; she gives him attitude and she has a body that he can’t wait to get his hands on. Financially able to do whatever he pleases whenever he wants, Gib has stayed away from the family business and what his father expects him to do, but meeting Neil puts a different spin on home, roots, and love. Trying to help her overcome her deepest fear doesn’t work like he thought it might, and when it looks like he might lose the best thing to ever come along in his life, he makes the ultimate bet to try to keep Neil by his side — forever.

These characters jump off the page and stay in your face until the very end. No way in hell you can ignore them. You get caught up in their lives and live through every emotion with them from joy to anger to loss. The humor will make you laugh out loud and you might even shed a tear or two. You cringe at their mistakes, but then you cheer at their triumphs. The secondary characters are also very well developed and add depth to the story. Both Neil and Gib have their own family issues which they handle in their own way, Gib brings the fun and spontaneity back into Neil’s life, she gives him heat and spark when she finally succumbs to his lovemaking, and they definitely sizzle.

This is Melissa Blue’s debut novel. The writing is fresh and sharp, sexy and fun. I can’t wait for her next book.

Grade: A-

Book blurb:

     Neil Sullivan, a construction worker, has finally met her match in Gibland Winnfred the Third. He wants her to build his house, and she can’t say no. This is her chance to leave the past behind her and the secrets buried there.

     Neil must ignore the attraction between them in order to keep a promise she made to her deceased father. It’s not as easy as she thought, especially when her pride refuses to ignore the innocuous bets Gib throws out as bait. The one thing she fails to realize is Gib never loses and now he wants to win her heart.

     Read an excerpt.