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The Bet
“... a stupid bet can change your life for the better. Win or lose, the outcome always sets you on a new path..." For some, a bet is a game. For others, a simple, friendly wager becomes the catalyst for facing their fears and admitting their desires. When Jess Halliwell extends a playful bet to her friends, she has no idea what she's in for. After yet another breakup, Jess has resigned herself to never finding a woman to settle down and raise a family with. Content to live vicariously through her sister, Jess spends as much time as she can with her nephews. After a chance encounter with her sister's friend at the park, Jess starts to question her choice of women. She's had no luck with her typical type of partner, and meeting Karli Adams, a beautiful redhead with a wife who offers almost no help with the raising of their six children, makes Jess once again long for a family of her own. When Jess sees for herself how little help her sister and new friend receive from their spouses, she decides to offer them a bet. Spend one whole day in their wives' shoes, and receive free babysitting for a year. Little did she know that, in trying to prove a point to her friends, she would set herself on a collision course with fate. Will Jess find the woman she longs for? Or will her own fear of the past prevent her from the family she's always wanted?
254 pages, Paperback
Published January 14, 2018
About the author
Sarah Markel
64 books34 followersSarah Markel loves to write. When she's not writing, she spends her time playing helping her children expand their imaginations. Sarah's goal is write 100 books before her children leave home, and with her children constantly inspiring new story ideas, she shouldn't have any trouble reaching that goal.
Sarah lives in Oregon with her faithful furbaby, Leia, and her two amazing children.
Sarah lives in Oregon with her faithful furbaby, Leia, and her two amazing children.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 11, 2021
This book is amazing. Everything about it is not what I expected it to be, in the best way possible.
Just read it and see for yourself.
Just read it and see for yourself.
January 2, 2018
The Bet is a super sweet romance.
The premise of The Bet is that the partners of stay at home moms don't know jack about what taking care of home and family means. In this novel, one lesbian and one het couple fit this description. Jaymes and Perry work fulltime and want to zonk out when they get home. Their wives are overwhelmed with the constant responsibility of children and house work. They demand help and are less than happy with the results that they obtain. Jess, a single lesbian, sees what's happening when she's with her sister Serena and her friend Karli. She offers a year of Sunday childcare to the couples, if Jaymes and Perry can manage home and children for the day while the three women go out together. The plot shares this gimmick with TV sitcoms from my childhood, but it is all good natured fun.
I really liked the story and characters of The Bet. Lesbians inhabited so many different kinds of relationships. Women were falling in love, living as families, coping with ex-partners, finding the path to love and marriage and building lasting connections. They had lesbian lovers, friends, exes, relatives and spouses. The rich tableau painted the lesbian population of the town of Marilynn as productive, giving, caring and even out of control. What was lost to depth was gained in the breath of depiction. I've purchased several books by Sarah Markel, but haven't read them. This book overlaps with several others, but is distinctly stand alone. I'm glad that I started with The Bet and look forward to catching up with the other stories of these fascinating lesbian characters. I did find the book's formatting to be annoying. The words are centered instead of left justified. I'm used to a more normal format, but this may not bother anyone else.
The premise of The Bet is that the partners of stay at home moms don't know jack about what taking care of home and family means. In this novel, one lesbian and one het couple fit this description. Jaymes and Perry work fulltime and want to zonk out when they get home. Their wives are overwhelmed with the constant responsibility of children and house work. They demand help and are less than happy with the results that they obtain. Jess, a single lesbian, sees what's happening when she's with her sister Serena and her friend Karli. She offers a year of Sunday childcare to the couples, if Jaymes and Perry can manage home and children for the day while the three women go out together. The plot shares this gimmick with TV sitcoms from my childhood, but it is all good natured fun.
I really liked the story and characters of The Bet. Lesbians inhabited so many different kinds of relationships. Women were falling in love, living as families, coping with ex-partners, finding the path to love and marriage and building lasting connections. They had lesbian lovers, friends, exes, relatives and spouses. The rich tableau painted the lesbian population of the town of Marilynn as productive, giving, caring and even out of control. What was lost to depth was gained in the breath of depiction. I've purchased several books by Sarah Markel, but haven't read them. This book overlaps with several others, but is distinctly stand alone. I'm glad that I started with The Bet and look forward to catching up with the other stories of these fascinating lesbian characters. I did find the book's formatting to be annoying. The words are centered instead of left justified. I'm used to a more normal format, but this may not bother anyone else.
December 6, 2017
A delightful love story!
Again an excellent romance. It's told in a fun light way with a great love story. The characters are not perfect. They make mistakes and don't always know the right thing to do. Very human and you’ll adore them. I was laughing out loud with the kids antics, with their quirky moments and all the chaos. The way Jess was around the kids, how she treated them, really warmed my heart. We meet some couples from her other books and that was for me a bonus. A great storyline with some twists in unexpected ways. I won't give anything away so I'll just say that this story is absolutely worth reading. In fact, there isn't a book by Sarah Markel that I didn't love and this book did also not disappoint me.
Again an excellent romance. It's told in a fun light way with a great love story. The characters are not perfect. They make mistakes and don't always know the right thing to do. Very human and you’ll adore them. I was laughing out loud with the kids antics, with their quirky moments and all the chaos. The way Jess was around the kids, how she treated them, really warmed my heart. We meet some couples from her other books and that was for me a bonus. A great storyline with some twists in unexpected ways. I won't give anything away so I'll just say that this story is absolutely worth reading. In fact, there isn't a book by Sarah Markel that I didn't love and this book did also not disappoint me.
August 29, 2021
I read Sarah Markel out of order. This can be read as a stand alone but does have some brief cross over characters.
With her friends paired up and with children,Jess makes a bet that her friends' spouses will need to call their spouses after a day alone with the kids - all the kids. This one bet changes things for everyone. I loved that I didn't know exactly where this story was going. It felt like it would go in one direction than went another way.
Sarah Markel has a wide variety of books and I look forward to reading each on - especially now that I know the order.
With her friends paired up and with children,Jess makes a bet that her friends' spouses will need to call their spouses after a day alone with the kids - all the kids. This one bet changes things for everyone. I loved that I didn't know exactly where this story was going. It felt like it would go in one direction than went another way.
Sarah Markel has a wide variety of books and I look forward to reading each on - especially now that I know the order.
January 23, 2018
Although I enjoyed it there were so many things that let me uncomfortable.
Who leave their six children plus two friends children with someone they hardly know without a backward look? Let alone leave them over night without a detailed list, checking up on them and at least telling them the school they need to go to? Seriously, I adult to 8 kids, come on?
The time line was too uneven for me as was the storyline. Too many pov. I think perhaps the " drama" was a little too thin and didn't make sense. I would have preferred to read more about Jess and her dating life, it felt like Markel skimmed over her life and I felt like both couples were using her. It was a tad unrealistic. Nice but missed the mark for me.
Who leave their six children plus two friends children with someone they hardly know without a backward look? Let alone leave them over night without a detailed list, checking up on them and at least telling them the school they need to go to? Seriously, I adult to 8 kids, come on?
The time line was too uneven for me as was the storyline. Too many pov. I think perhaps the " drama" was a little too thin and didn't make sense. I would have preferred to read more about Jess and her dating life, it felt like Markel skimmed over her life and I felt like both couples were using her. It was a tad unrealistic. Nice but missed the mark for me.
January 20, 2018
AMAZI NG STORY
I picked up this book randomly. First time hearing of this Author. She shares the name of my High School Crush.
I'm so glad I read this book. It was really engaging, light hatred, family oriented. It had such a warm feeling to it. Even before I was done I picked up three more of her books. I loved the cameos and c ant wait to read about them in the other books I got.
I really recommend you get a copy today. You will love every moment of it.
I picked up this book randomly. First time hearing of this Author. She shares the name of my High School Crush.
I'm so glad I read this book. It was really engaging, light hatred, family oriented. It had such a warm feeling to it. Even before I was done I picked up three more of her books. I loved the cameos and c ant wait to read about them in the other books I got.
I really recommend you get a copy today. You will love every moment of it.
November 26, 2018
Awesome!!!
OMG!!!! What a book!!! AAbsolutely beautiful!!! This story TOTALLY rocked & then some!!
Nothing like finally finding the love you've wanted, waited & wished for over so many years hostage to the rogue waves of pain, pleasure & possibility!
But I wonder… am I the only one & was it terrible that was hating on Jaymes & rooting for her & Karli to break up?? …IJS— I SO LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!
OMG!!!! What a book!!! AAbsolutely beautiful!!! This story TOTALLY rocked & then some!!
Nothing like finally finding the love you've wanted, waited & wished for over so many years hostage to the rogue waves of pain, pleasure & possibility!
But I wonder… am I the only one & was it terrible that was hating on Jaymes & rooting for her & Karli to break up?? …IJS— I SO LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!
February 6, 2019
Enjoyed the book
I really enjoyed the book. At first I thought things would happen between Marlo and Jess, but grateful it did not end the way I thought. I also like the fact that the books always had a way to bring up characters from previous books.
I really enjoyed the book. At first I thought things would happen between Marlo and Jess, but grateful it did not end the way I thought. I also like the fact that the books always had a way to bring up characters from previous books.
February 2, 2018
Nice story
I enjoyed reading this story. I thought the couples were quite interesting with all the different dynamics. I can't imagine 6 kids.
I enjoyed reading this story. I thought the couples were quite interesting with all the different dynamics. I can't imagine 6 kids.
November 9, 2019
What a sweet story about marital couples and the struggles of domestic life. It's a great lesson for the breadwinners to not take advantage of their partner who stays home taking care of the family; cooking, cleaning, nurturing, loving, disciplining. I laughed, grew frustrated at times, and I may have developed a new crush.
I highly recommend.
I highly recommend.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews