[ARC Review] The Bet by Max Monroe

Release date: July 17, 2021
Format: eARC
eARC provided by: Max Monroe via Social Butterfly PR

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Sophie wasn't looking for love or even a fling when she pretended to be something she wasn't. But she found one while chasing the other, and it ended up changing the course of her life.

Of course, Jude was pretending, too. And no matter how good it was with Sophie, no matter how many of his own rules he broke when it came to her, Jude kept pretending to be someone he wasn’t: a cold-hearted, love ‘em and leave ‘em kind of guy. 

Pretending was bound to hurt when their hearts were on the line. Their love came fast, but Sophie and Jude needed to work through their pasts if they hoped to save that love from careening out of control and destroying them both. Featuring hot romance, a woman with big dreams, and a panty thief, The Bet by Max Monroe will have you falling hard for Sophie, Jude, and the rest of the Winslow family. 

I really fell hard for the romance between Sophie and Jude. I loved how Max Monroe started both of them in a lie - meeting while pretending to be someone they’re not - and neither character would have or should have worked well with the other while in the lie. But as soon as the lies were revealed and they dropped all pretenses, they really were perfect for each other in personality, lifestyles, and even careers. Sophie and Jude both started off with their idea of what the perfect relationship was for them. For Sophie, she wanted that insta-love, and Jude wanted no love. And it was fun and sexy watching them grow with each other throughout the novel, realizing by the end that their ideals have changed. 

Besides writing great characters who go on an interesting journey together, Max Monroe includes some very hot scenes between Sophie and Jude. We’re talking everything from vanilla to exhibitionism and everything in between. Anyone who is a fan of the tall, dark, and handsome take-charge type in the bedroom will fall for Jude as he falls for Sophie. Their chemistry was instant, and I was happy that they got past their early lies quickly so they could start building a relationship together. Sophie and Jude’s relationship truly is what keeps the plot moving, and I loved seeing their relationship blossom so early on. 

Max Monroe’s writing is easy to read and get lost in. I found myself diving into Sophie and Jude’s dual perspectives and, with so much happening between the two, I didn’t want to put The Bet down. This book has a lot of elements: romance, family drama, personal growth, and past issues to resolve. I loved that this wasn’t just a romance, with the romantic leads just getting from point A to point B. Max Monroe also included just enough secondary character story to seamlessly transition to the next book in the Winslow brothers’ story. Well-written and sexy, The Bet is a fantastic romance between two people who finally find the love they’ve been missing.