Bet on Love

Good Bad Idea #1

by A.F. Zoelle

alternate cover edition of ASIN B085DMD1NV

After Rhys wakes up married to his best man, he never expects to fall in love with his new husband. Will their surprise romance survive the wedding bells?

Rhys Huntington

Drunkenly eloping with my best man was never part of my wedding plans. Falling in love with him definitely wasn’t supposed to happen. But even though we’re both straight, the longer we’re married, the more I start to love Lucien as my husband and not just as my best friend.

We’re supposed to get an annulment to undo our bad idea. That’s not what I really want, though. I’m ready to bet everything on love by committing to our marriage for real. Can I convince him to stay married to me and give us a chance at finding our happily ever after together?

Lucien St. Amour

I would do anything for my best friend. That apparently includes making a rash decision to save Rhys from the mistake of marrying a woman who doesn’t love him by eloping with him before his wedding. Instead of it being a funny story we tell our friends, the feelings I’ve suppressed for Rhys since sharing our first kiss as teenagers explode into a roaring blaze of desire for my new husband.

Our marriage may have started as a joke in front of an Elvis impersonator at a quickie Vegas wedding chapel, but I meant every word of my vows. Will Rhys allow me to love, honor, and cherish him as my husband like I promised?

Bet on Love is the first book in the Good Bad Idea series and part of the Sunnyside universe. This novel features a friends to lovers, dual bisexual awakening, second chance romance. If you love cute sweetness, sexy fun, and low angst stories that will make you laugh and swoon, you’ll enjoy this satisfying HEA without cliffhangers. Each book can be read as a standalone or as part of the series in order.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Contemporary, LGBT, Novella, Gay For You, Contemporary Romance

132 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 24, 2020

About the author

A.F. Zoelle loves spicing up her angst with some fiery heat. Her books are a dramatic wild ride, but there’s always a guaranteed happily ever after. She embraces the philosophy of “the more the merrier” when it comes to her passionate characters finding their perfect partners. But sometimes she’s in the mood for something more light-hearted. If you are too, check out her Ariella Zoelle books.

Reviews

[Carol [Goodreads Addict] · Rating 5 out of 5]

RATING 4.5 STARS

Bet on Love is book one in the Good Bad Idea series by A.F. Zoelle. This is my very first book by this author and I am in love. This is a MM, sexy, fun, sweet romance that is low angst and high on the swoon. This is the kind of book that you read that just makes your heart happy.



Leopold Huntington or Rhys as his friends call him, is getting married. Only his fiance is someone he can barely tolerate. Rhys comes from a wealthy family and dating has never been easy so he just kind of gave up. He never should have let it go this far. He knows she’s only marrying him for his money and status.



Lucien “Luci” St. Amour and Rhys have been best friends since they were kids. Inseparable. Luci would do anything for his closest friend. Including agreeing to marry him the day before his wedding to save him from a lifetime of a loveless marriage.



Luci and Rhys may have made a spur of the moment decision in eloping but once they realize that they are really legally husbands, they start to wonder. What would it be like to be married to your best friend? They start to realize that they might feel attracted to the other in ways they never expected. Even though their initial reaction was to start annulment proceedings, they wonder if maybe they could be happy together, happier than they’ve ever been.



I adored these two. Through everything, they stuck together, supported each other. They were so darn cute! Now I can’t wait to read more by this author. I’m immediately going on to book #1.5, Serving Love.

For more about this book and so many more, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...

[W · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reviewed on 03/24/2020
2.5 Stars. Soapy. Melodramatic. Silly.

I ended up revising my original review , to end on something positive instead of negative

I don't think, I read the same book as all the 4 and 5 stars reviewers did; as I found it to be predictable, melodramatic and silly.

What I had trouble with:
👬There is little to none character development .
🙈The plot has more holes than Swiss cheese.
🙊Narrative is written with every single formulaic , romance and fairy tales clichés there is.

What you might like:
💕The plot is ridiculous , silly and hot, but if you can suspend (your) disbelief, it's a satisfying story. A Pure Escapism read.

Reviewed an ARC of Bet on Love and this is my honest opinion.

[Mariam ; reading slump :( · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tropes:
💫 Best friends to lovers
💫 Whatever happens in Vegas, does not stay in Vegas
💫 “Drunken” Elope
💫 OTT
💫 Mutual undiscovered PINING
💫 Each other's first time


My sleep deprived, could not be bothered, post exam cranky Mariam review:

Yes I started this 8 hours before my exam and yes I finished this 4 hours before my exams and NO I don't regret it.

“If it’s so wrong, why does being with you always feel so right?” Rhys wondered...

This was super cute, hella sweet and kind of swoony, I love the their fierce friendship and the soft moments we got. I love how protective they both were of each other, and how both of them were utterly irresistible to the another. It was OTT as hell and I thoroughly ate up every chapter of this.

“Eloping was the best bad idea ever, huh?”
“Only you could turn a terrible idea into a happy ever after.”
He laughed. “Does that make you my Prince Charming?”
“It makes me your loving and devoted husband forever.”

Initial reaction:
I'll post my review later because I have exams in 4 hours 🤡 and yes, I've barely prepared for it.

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

MM Romance
Friends To Lovers
2.5 Stars ⭐️


I thought this was kind of cute until the 80% mark when the dreaded miscommunication moment happened. It was so incredibly stupid too because these two were best friends and had just professed their love to each other and then BAM! it’s drama and not well done drama at that. I can’t say I was enthralled by any of it all that much because I finished this a few hours ago and can’t even remember one of the main characters names. 🤦🏻‍♀️😂

Unfortunately, I own this book and have no idea when or how that came to be. There’s no way I would have paid for this so hopefully it was one of those ‘stuff your kindle’ free sales. Hopefully. 🤞

[Guy Venturi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love is always a bet with high stakes

And piles of chips and dips in the love pool. In Vegas, Elvis is not optional. But almost everything else comes in the wedding package. Much cheaper than the massive wedding that was planned for Olivia but replaced by Luci and Rhys in one of the best alternative endings a honeymooner could ever find.

[Barbara➰ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute and sweet, and I enjoyed it until the dreaded miscommunication that caused one of the mc's to act stupid. Thank goodness the other mc didn't let it drag on and chased after him. If he hadn't, I'd be really pissed right now.

[michaela ⚘ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Luci and Rhys have been best friends since they were toddlers. They had a connection on every level but romantically and sexually until a drunk decision before Rhys wedding leads them legally married to one another.

Bet On Love was a fast paced, friends to lovers, low angst book that has a very satisfying HEA. I really enjoyed it because of how well the two mcs fit together and the authors writing style made it a very easy, fast read for me. If you’re in the mood for something to lift your spirits I recommend this.

4.5 stars

♡ arc given in exchange for an honest review ♡

[Gustaf · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. It was such a fast read, funny and pure escapism. I'm for sure going to check out the rest of the series.

This won't work without you suspending all of your disbeliefs though.

[Athira · Rating 3 out of 5]

Luci, short for Lucien and Rhys are really cute together. I just wish it was a tad longer, so that we get a bit more background on the characters. They do take the oblivious bestfriends in love to a whole new level. Everyone already thought they were secretly dating!

It's a short, sweet and a sexy read. It does have a lot of the cliché tropes but if you're looking for a quick fun read, it doesn't matter. I did think it was a bit too dramatic, especially at the end when Luci was being stupid. I mean, really?

There's also an introduction to characters for the next book. While I usually always end up wanting books for a secondary characters the authors have no plan for, this time around they really could have used a bit of subtlety. But I do think I'll read the next book because it has fake boyfriends!

Overall it's a cute bestfriends to lovers story that I wish was longer and a bit more fleshed out.

*ARC provided by the author via Gay Romance Reviews in exchange for an honest and unbiased review

[Javi reads and reads and reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book from Gay Romance Reviews in exchange of an honest review.

...

So this book tells us how two best friends end up married by “accident” 2 days before one of them was supposed to get married.

I will be the first to admit that Olivia was a horrible person, but that doesn’t mean she deserved her groom marrying another person. Oh, well...

Ignoring that (there’s cheating involved! If that’s a trigger for you, take that into consideration), the characters felt too flat for me and the conflict a little too cliché, so I didn’t really enjoy the story, not even the sexy times.

I’m very sad I didn’t like it, I thought it was going to be a fun read and a little more serious I guess.

I will say that I am interested in the following story about the 2 best men.

[Ed Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an easy quick read and it was enjoyable. I couldn’t give it more than 3 stars because there were several things about the story that bothered me. First of all there were inconsistencies in the plot. One minute Rhys and Luci couldn’t remember being married because they were drunk, and a little latter they said they were sober when they got married and got drunk afterwards. The way they were affectionate one minute and taking annulment the next was another example.

After they finally declared their love for each other things got better. Although, once they started having sex they seemed to have no problem doing everything to each other. Even with these problems I did like the book.

[Calila · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Received A Copy To Review From The Author*

A cute fun ridiculous quick read. It's pretty basic, but I enjoyed the soapy drama of it all. The characters were likable enough and I just went with the sudden attraction/acceptance. You just have to throw all to the wind and go for the ride. I'd happily read more in the series.

[~BookNeeds~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, sweet and sexy! I loved it. I’m so going to be reading the rest of the books in this series. I liked the dynamic of the 2 mc’s so much. Lucí had my heart from the get go.

[Rielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super cute! Suspend disbelief and you’ll enjoy this sweet little story.

[Ruta S. · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was just okay.

There was nothing special about it.

Writer had followed the every step of the how to write a cheesy romance book guide.

Which was okay.

There was no real development to the characters, and a cringe worthy misunderstanding, but everything resolved very quickly.

I don't recommend reading this book if you are looking for something that will capture your attention so sharply that you won't dare to look elsewhere. But it is an okay book if you want to know what will happen next after reading the previous sentence.

[peach · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just didn't find these characters or their romance compelling to read about. There was a lot of focus on how awful the ex-girlfriend/fiancee was, and since I wasn't emotionally invested it just felt tedious to read. The last third or so of the book felt slow and meaningless except for a very dumb misunderstanding, and I ended up skimming a lot at the end.

[❤Sharonica-Logic❤ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bet on Love
MMy Thoughts and Review:

This super cute and sweet love story hits the brain's taste buds in much the same way a decadent bite of delicious cheesecake tickles the tongue.
I devoured this little Novie in one sitting and found myself smiling through the entire story. The characters are lively and adorable, even bridezilla was pleasantly docile. The story was more about the two MCs exploring their inner awakenings and each other than in peripheral musings. According to the author, we will see more from some of the book's secondary characters in subsequent books. Yay!

Bet On Love was ALL Rhys and Luci. Best friends since childhood now husbands in adulthood. Low on angst, high on passion and taking care of each other. The perfect friends to lovers romance!

4.00 Elvis-has-left-the-chapel-stars🌟🌟🌟🌟

I received a complimentary copy of this book from GRR in exchange for an honest review.☔

[Mari Cardenas · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 Stars!

GFY has always been one of my favorite tropes and lately, it's not been as easy to find good ones as when I first started reading MM. Bet on Love definitely is a good example of why I love GFY, or in this case, double GFY.

Luci and Rhys have been BFFs their whole lives and even if they were each other's first kiss and first (botched) handjob, they've always been drawn to women. Now, with Rhys just about to marry his fiancée in Las Vegas, Luci is afraid Olivia will make Rhys put an end to their friendship. Many, many drinks after, and with Rhys getting less and less inclined over actually going ahead with the ceremony, Rhys comes up with a crazy idea, marrying his best man instead.

I loved Luci and Rhys, they were fun and oblivious and despite this being a novella, I think they were very well-developed. They had amazing chemistry and I adored seeing their relationship go from best friends to a married couple and then lovers. While it's double GFY, as I mentioned before, there wasn't that much angst as they started getting physical. They were just so comfortable and in tune with each other, that the progression felt realistic and believable and damn, if they weren't oh, so very hot together!

If you're looking for a light, sweet, hot, fun read, with very little angst, look no further, as this book fits the bill perfectly. I can't wait for book 2!

*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prepare to Suspend Your Disbelief

This book was written by a new to me author, but I was totally hooked by the promise of my two favorite tropes: best friends to lovers and fake relationship. I must say that the book delivered on both promises, and I was satisfied with the execution. There's even an over the top, ridiculous female villain AND a silly conflict thrown in the mix to really satisfy my inner drama queen, so what more could I ask for?

Normally this is where I would say "but here's where the problem comes in" to justify a 4 star review. But I mean... there's really not a problem, per se. The book is what it proclaims to be and was a quick and enjoyable read. My personal taste just runs a little more to realism, and this book was more sort of an extended fantasy scene that would never actually happen. I didn't really connect with the characters that much because the relationship did seem more like a fantasy sketch, but at the same time it was a light read that makes a good palate cleanser from the heavy stuff going on IRL.

[Valeen Robertson (Live Thru Books Blog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

When best friends Luci and Rhys wake up married, will they stay married or stick it out and figure this formerly platonic relationship out?



As friends to lovers, wake up married romances go, Bet on Love is pretty awesome. Luci and Rhys have that chemistry and that easy familiarity that only the best of and longest of friends have and when the attraction heats up? FIRE! I loved how sweet they are together, how they get each other, and the whole fairy tale-ish feel this story has. Though this is the first I've read by this author, after this, it most certainly will not be the last.



ARC via GRR ARC Team for an honest review.

Review & Blog Tour: Live Through Books Blog.

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[Kaila · Rating 4 out of 5]

the bantar and love was so much fun.. this book made me smile and laugh.. it made me happy.. emotions were real and raw.. it was so much fun to see how this all came about and what happens between the two. i really enjoyed it and it was well written

[the kevin (on brainrot hiatus) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute start to the story, and them only sort of struggling to figure out they both feel the same way. The 80% Breakup was extremely contrived though, way too much eye rolling. Mostly enjoyed the read though.

[Airy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cuteness overload

[Badh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one. I really liked watching Lucien and Rhys figure themselves out and figure out their relationship with the fact that they both thought that they were straight, but eloped. A lot of times in books where one guy turns out to be a little less straight than they thought they were, there is a lot of stressing out about how to label their sexuality, which isn't necessarily a bad thing in a storyline, but sometimes gets a little overly dramatic. There isn't any of that here, instead, you get two guys who are trying to figure out their relationship, and I think that it works really well.

There are a couple of things that I thought were a tiny bit problematical, but I think that those may just be my issues, and not anything else. Obviously they weren't problematic enough for me to stop reading, so there's that.

[Maria Vickers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet, romantic, a little tense at times, with some funny moments thrown in. Bet On Love is a great story that I thoroughly enjoyed. Rhys is getting married, but is it for the right reasons? His best friend Lucian, aka Luci, doesn't want it to happy, but why? In a chain of drunken and not so drunken events, they end up married, the wedding is canceled, but that isn't the end to the stories. I loved the characters, and while the theme isn't the most original, it was a fun and great read with a good storyline. One of my fave parts was telling everyone of their nuptials. Trust me, read this book to find out what I'm talking about. 4 stars and I recommend you one-click today!

[Ariel · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot was cute, the tension was for the most park good. Dialogue was a bit awkward, very romantic but not very "something people actually say" at points. There were zero redeeming factors in the fiance or any of her side. I would have enjoyed this more I think if it were spread out over more and fleshed out a bit more.
Still, it was a cute read.

[Kerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Why? Why would Rhys have spent any time with that horrible Olivia, let alone get engaged to her? She was horrible. Her parents were horrible. His parents were horrible. Why would he have ever asked her to marry him? It just infuriated me listening to her bitch and complain about Rhys and his best friend Luci. Luci was a great guy, but both he and Rhys were slow to figure out that they wanted to be more than friends. I loved Luci's family. They were the only supportive, caring group out of the whole bunch.

[bridgetann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny, adorable story!!

This is a new to me author. I'm definitely going to be checking out her other stories! This novella was exactly what I needed at a time like this. Best friends to lovers, gay for you, my favorite trope. I love when two 'straight' guys realize their love for each other runs deeper than they thought. It doesn't hurt that they have explosive chemistry!! There was no angst. Rhys and Luci are perfect for each other. As they start talking about their "bad idea", you just know that you need to hold on and see what happens!! Chaos ensues but so does happiness and laughter!!!

[Kk · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short fun sexy read of what happens in Vegas doesn't always stay there.

Best friends Luci & Rhys are there to celebrate Rhys' marriage to an utter bitch. They get drunk then married instead...

[Katey Guillot · Rating 5 out of 5]

I might have a favourite trope after all…

Because for real, “accidentally” marrying your best friend books are always amazing. I loved this story. It was flippin’ adorable, and I wish it had been longer. I can’t wait to continue this series and see what else goes down!