Book Review: The Love Wager by Lynn Painter

Posted March 15, 2023 by WendyW in Book Review, bookblogger / 33 Comments

The Love Wager
by Lynn Painter
Publication Date March 14, 2023
Published by Penguin
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Genres: Fiction / Romance / Contemporary, Fiction / Romance / Romantic Comedy, Fiction / Women
Pages: 320
Format: ARC

***I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.***


Two people make a wager on who can find love first, not realizing what they should be betting on is each other, in this new romantic comedy by Lynn Painter, New York Times bestselling author of Mr. Wrong Number.

Hallie Piper is turning over a new leaf. After belly-crawling out of a hotel room (hello, rock bottom), she decides it’s time to become a full-on adult. She gets a new apartment, a new haircut, and a new wardrobe, but when she logs onto the dating app that she has determined will find her new love, she sees none other than Jack, the guy whose room she snuck out of. 

After agreeing they are absolutely not interested in each other, Jack and Hallie realize they’re each other’s perfect wing-person in their searches for The One. They text each other about their dates, often scheduling them at the same restaurant so that if things don’t go well, the two of them can get tacos afterward. 

Spoiler: they get a lot of tacos together. 

Discouraged by the lack of prospects, Jack and Hallie make a wager to see who can find true love first, but when they agree to be fake dates for a weekend wedding, all bets are off. As they pretend to be a couple, lines become blurred and they both struggle to remember why the other was a bad idea to begin with.


The Love Wager by Lynn Painter is the second book in her Mr. Wrong Number series.  It’s a delightful, laugh-out-loud, romantic comedy that I enjoyed very much. 

Story Recap:

Hallie Piper had a night she doesn’t want to remember and decides to turn over a new leaf.  She’s ready for one steady boyfriend and to start a real relationship.  She gets a new wardrobe, haircut, and attitude. 

When Hallie goes to the app to find someone, she finds Jack, the man with who she spent a one-night stand that made up her mind to change herself.   Through the app they become friends, and they decide to go on dates at the same time, so they can back each other up if the dates go wrong.  

My Thoughts: 

The Love Wager has the perfect balance of romance, humor, emotions, and conflict.  I loved the characters and just knew they were meant for each other from the beginning.  The chemistry between Hallie and Jack was evident from the very beginning, but I loved their friendship even more.  They were great together, and their banter was so much fun to read.  

This book took off from the very beginning and never slowed down.  I just can’t explain how much I adored both Hallie and Jack, they know how to have fun.  

Recommendation: 

I highly recommend The Love Wager to anyone who loves romance.  I received a complimentary copy of this book.  The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

About Lynn Painter

Lynn Painter is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author who writes romantic comedies for both teens and adults. She lives in Nebraska with her husband and pack of wild children, and when she isn't reading or writing, odds are good she’s guzzling energy drinks and watching rom-coms.

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Have you read The Love Wager?

33 responses to “Book Review: The Love Wager by Lynn Painter”

  2. Carla

    This sounds like a lot of fun, Wendy. I do love a rom-com with great banter and I am looking forward to reading or listening to this one. Did you read the first one in the series? Do they have to be read in order?

  10. Tessa

    I love banter in any book. And characters that are so likable make this one sound like a real gem. It definitely sounds like one I would enjoy. Excellent review!