Cover Image: Bet the Farm

Bet the Farm

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

An honest review thanks to NetGalley. I have been focusing so much on intense world building fantasy reads that I forgot how amazing and quick Riley's romances are. This book starts off fast and the connection between the two main characters is immediate. As the book progressed I fell more in love with the characters and the storyline. This was an amazing lighthearted lesbian romance that I will most definitely be reading again.

Was this review helpful?

I really hate not finishing books. And I really hate not liking books.

Perhaps this is my fault because I didn’t realize this book was a lesbian romance, which is not my favorite genre. And then it had one person in the book that I thought was a female (but I’m really not sure because I just never got that interested) that insisted on being referred to as “them“. Again, not my cup of tea - it’s just too hard to keep up with everyone in the story.

The book starts off with a one night stand between a lady whose family farm is about to be sold and a real estate agent who is going to be asked to go value thst same farm,

I just never felt the connection to this book / it was definitely not my favorite and I doubt I will read any others by this author.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions stated above are mine without biases.

Was this review helpful?

This book is the second book in the High Stakes series. I absolutely loved the first book in this series, "Bet Against me", so this one had big shoes to fill. It was entertaining and steamy but lacked the tension building witty back and forth of the first book, which was actually my favorite part of that one.

Was this review helpful?

My favourite in this series still remains the third instalment but nevertheless this was an enjoyable read. The two main characters had chemistry from the start and I appreciated that they were both mature, well developed characters and the author hadn't written in lots of drama for drama's sake. The scenery of the farm with the beautiful lake, the wonderful characters like Thea's family and Hector, the community feel with the Berry Festival and everyone looking out for each other really came alive and made the setting lovely and quaint. I would have preferred a bit more involvement from Thea in terms of actually trying to find solutions to keep the farm, but overall I enjoyed this book. It was a nice and light summer holiday read.

Was this review helpful?

I love Ms. Riley's books! Don't start this one unless you have plenty of free time because it is just that good! The story line is wonderful and unique and the chemistry between Lauren and Thea is oh so hot and steamy! it checks all the boxes. I sure hope this is not the last time we hear from this wonderful group of friends!

Was this review helpful?

Absolutely excellent follow-up to “Bet Against Me” finds Trina’s brainiac sidekick Lauren literally tasked with saving the farm oaf her bosses childhood friend.

Great sex, wonderful characters, cliffhanger suspense and an improbable romance - what’s not to love? The cast of these stories are genuinely likeable, well developed, believable humans, warts and all, despite the almost perfect HEA requirement.

Thoroughly enjoyable reading and highly recommended.

Was this review helpful?

This story get you almost instantly exactly as the attraction between main characters.
It is sweet, moving and pretty much wonderful.
You fall in love not only with the main characters and their friends but also the family.
Even the part where there is disconnect......which you have to read, it is pulling at your heart.

Great book!

Was this review helpful?

Well this was a sweet read. I found the characters interesting but Thea did annoy me. I didn't really like her and found her too fast to jump to conclusions. Lauren was okay but a little too firm in the beginning. The story was nice and it boils down into a nice sweet read in the end.

Was this review helpful?

This is the second book in Fiona Riley’s High Stakes series. It is not necessary to read the first book in the series, but I think a reader will get more enjoyment from Bet the Farm because the characters introduced in Bet Against Me are major characters in the second book.

Lauren Callaway is an extraordinarily successful realtor who has recently had a series of bad luck. She has incredibly special talents: excellence in diagnosing a sale, the ability to determine the right sales projections, and the expertise to determine what the client wants so that she is able to find the right buyer. To burn off some steam, she decides to have a one-night stand with Thea Boudreaux. Thea and Lauren enjoy their flirtation and mutually decide to spend the night together. This is not something either of them normally do, but just this once will not hurt, or will it?

Thea’s mother owns a dairy farm in Maine. Since her husband’s death she has been experiencing financial difficulties. She calls on her friend, Ellison Gamble, who own the high-end real estate company where Lauren works, for help to determine a plan to solve her financial woes. Thea left the farm shortly after her father’s death and was not aware of the difficulties her mother was experiencing. Upon returning to the farm, Thea learns that her mother might sell the farm. Unbeknownst to Thea, the hot-shot realtor coming in from Boston is Lauren.

I enjoyed the story very much. The characters are well developed and believable. The chemistry between Lauren and Thea is dynamic. I also liked that Ms. Riley brought in some of her other characters from other series. It is always fun to have these appearances. Readers will also find spots of humor throughout the book which ease the tension related to the possible loss of the family farm.

For a pleasurable read, I suggest Bet the Farm. I give it a 5 out of 5 stars. I look forward to the next book in this series.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Was this review helpful?

Sorry I didn't get to read it before the time ran out. I didnt know you couldnt renew once archived. I was looking forward to reading it aswell. I slso didn't know books archieved then.

Was this review helpful?

I'm not a fan of the one night stand scenario - I prefer romance, a few less graphic descriptions and characters that work steadily through initial attraction to the next level of a relationship. Sometimes the next level is failure to grow or success in moving forward together.

That being said - this is a well written book. The characters have layers of emotional depth - careers, family issues, coping with loss..

The characters have an amazing night together and they are fine with a one time experience - until they cross paths professionally and are inspired to explore the immediate attraction they acted on before.

Was this review helpful?

This book should come with asbestos gloves, 'cause it's hot, hot, hot! As always, Fiona Riley writes sexual tension between characters that have snappy chemistry. There's drama, witty dialogue and some angst.
Fans of Fiona Riley will love this one.

Thanks to Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a review. And thanks, obviously to Fiona for writing it!

Was this review helpful?

This is book 2 of 3 in the High Stakes Romance series which started with Bet Against Me and will finish with Beginner’s Bet. This series follows the lives of a group of realtors specialised in high luxury condos in Boston. Even though Bet the Farm can be read as a standalone, you will miss part of the background story. Book 1 is enjoyable too so it’s worth starting at the beginning.

Lauren Calloway is going through a rough patch with her bestie never around and a big real estate deal falling through. So when she had a chance to have a one-night stand with a gorgeous stranger, she took it.
Thea Boudreaux’s family is in financial trouble and about to lose their dairy farm. Now the future of the farm is in Lauren’s hands, her one-night stand. Can Thea keep the farm and Lauren in the process?

This is another hot and entertaining installment in the series. And when I say hot, I mean scorching, sizzling, flaming HOT. No wonder Fiona Riley is called “the Queen of Steam” as she writes flirting, sexual tension and sex scenes like very few authors in lesfic. It’s hard to write a one-night stand and make it memorable but Ms. Riley does exactly that and then keeps the same level of heat for the rest of the book. Lauren and Thea have serious chemistry.

Having said that, what I like about Ms. Riley’s books is that there’s an important storyline beyond all that steam. The author submerges the readers in the world of real estate business, this time in rural property and land. I liked all the tidbits of information that Ms. Riley adds to the story making it more interesting and feeding the tension around Thea’s family crisis. I also loved Lauren’s role in it and how her outgoing personality brought lightness to Thea’s family woes.

The High Stakes Romance series features a cast of diverse characters in ethnicity and sexual orientation. Those readers who have enjoyed Riley’s novel Media Darling will be happy to see that Emerson and Hayley make an important appearance in this novel. Personally, I cannot wait for book 3 featuring one of my favourite characters in this series, the intriguing real estate boss Ellison Gamble. But until then, this is the best in the series so far. 4.5 stars.

ARC provided by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Every time I read a Fiona book, I say this is my favorite. We met Lauren in Bet Against Me as a strong secondary character and I am so glad she has her own story. She is beautiful, smart and sassy. Lauren and Thea have a hot one night stand with thoughts that they might hook up again. Ellison, Laurens boss, asks Lauren to help her with a special project. A friend in Maine is losing her farm and she wants Lauren to see if she can help either save the farm or get as much money for it as possible. When she gets to the farm it turns out it is Thea’s family farm and she is not happy to have a real estate agent on the property until she finds out who it is. The plot revolves around Thea's and Lauren's romance and trying to save the farm. The characters are strong, and the romance is hot. I mean hot. I enjoyed that Trina, Kendal and Jax were also in this one. The last chapter is the standout for me. I was shedding big alligator tears as Lauren was trying to save the farm. This is an excellent read.

Was this review helpful?

This novel is a very easy and a definite "feel good" read. It touch on topics such as death and family drama but it was still relatively light. I loved the instant chemistry between Lauren and Thea. It was effortless and smooth. The added humor was well written. I found myself laughing out loud frequently. The playful and sexy banter was my favorite. Their relationship progressed organically and was very believable. I found myself rooting for them the entire time. Of course as with an romance novel there was a little angst thrown in 3/4 way where Lauren and Thea needed time apart to realize what they had and find a way to reconcile. It was wonderful how Lauren came through in the end to save the day for Thea and her family.

All in all this was a very good book. I look forward to reading more from Fiona Riley.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Never going to look at a peach the same way again..... anyway...

Bet the Farm.... Brillant. Loved the characters and how they all just seemed to connect together. The two main characters had bubbling chemistry straight away, very hot and steamy from the beginning. You've got the lovable, supportive family values too. It's a real good feel book, with a hint of laughter and cuteness in the story.

Lauren Calloway can't seem to get herself a date, her best friend has just started a new relationship so is never around, and to top things off, she blew a deal at her luxury real estate job. A one-night stand is a perfect distraction she needs with an attractive stranger.
Thea Boudreaux left her family dairy farm to escape the painful memories of her father's tragic death, but when a call from her mother telling her she's about to lose the farm, Thea is devasted.
Laurens boss tells her about a lucrative land sale that could help her get back on track, she jumps at the idea. But she never thought that one night's stand would be the person stopping her from making the deal of the century.



I've given the story 4.5.

Was this review helpful?

Absolutely brilliant! I fell in love with both MCs immediately and their story was so truly genuine and real it had me hooked from page 1. The witty banter was laugh out loud wonderful, their connection was off the charts believable and the chemistry was SO steamy. My first read from Fiona Riley and I'm going to read another immediately.. 5 stars without a doubt. Just Incredible!

Was this review helpful?

𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗺.

This is a rather enjoyable one-night-stand to lovers novel and it is the second out of three books in the High Stakes series.

Lauren is so lovable. She's positive and bubbly. And I was pleasantly surprised because I didn't recognise those qualities in Lauren's brief appearances in Bet Against Me as Trina's best friend and colleague. But that was because I found it difficult to like Trina back then and I thought Lauren's protectiveness over her best friend was misplaced.

Lauren was lonely when she met Thea at the bar. Her first night with Thea was passionate and even though it was meant to be a casual one night stand, I love how naturally Lauren and Thea got together soon after their worlds collided when Lauren showed up as the real estate consultant to Thea's declining family farm.

I liked Thea at the start but a little less as the story went on. I thought she was immature when it came to her family farm. And I was not impressed by her her throwing tandrums when it came to selling it especially because she had no interest in running it nor had a clue what to do. Not to mention the unrealistic expectations she had on Lauren to save the farm.

I didn't like the "saving the farm" storyline but I did enjoy their chemistry when Thea wasn't yapping away about the farm. And I really like Lauren a lot. I like Riley's writing and I'm looking forward to the third book.

Was this review helpful?

One of the better books I've read by Fiona Riley.

Lauren is Trina's best friend/co-worker from book 1, 'Bet Against Me,' in the 'High Stakes Romance' series. She is having a string of bad real-estate luck and finds herself blowing off some steam at the bar. She exchanges some chemistry filled banter with Thea, who she meets while getting drinks, that leads to a steamy night of sex.

But as the fates would have it, the lives of Lauren and Thea are meant to intersect once again.

I connected with these characters more than I have with other books books by Riley. I felt like there was more depth than usual. Even though this relationship begins as a one night stand, it grows naturally despite a big obstacle always looming over their heads. Their banter was fun and chemistry undeniable.

I love angst and this delivered the goods in the latter part of the book. There are a few books that have dialogue that sticks with me forever. This is one of those. When Lauren and Thea are outside an airport and Lauren demands that Thea look at her. The line just hit exactly right. Guhh.

The drama did feel a little bit contrived, though. I had to suspend belief to think that Thea would have reacted or thought of Lauren the way she did after all that had been shared/experienced. But overall it was very entertaining and I like it a lot.

I recommend to those who enjoy romance, real-estate, flings, farms, small towns, softball, and cheese puns.

Was this review helpful?

Three stars?
This did not work for me at all. I do have to mention that I'm not a fan of the trope "one night stand to forever," but I definitely have read some that I've gotten along with (cough cough, Turbulence, E. J. Noyes). For me, the important piece is showing us how the sexual chemistry develops into more. I did not find that here. Lauren and Thea both seemed content to leave their night as it was, until they ran into each other through Lauren's work. Then, everything suddenly changed: not only the potential for more nights together, but the potential for a full-on long-term relationship. What? Just because they see each other again? So there they were, meeting each other's best friends, while I was still stuck on why they were together. Especially since Thea was supposedly a "player."
I liked Lauren okay, and I knew that I'd probably like her more just because she's the link to the first book. I couldn't help but think (is this too mean?) that Thea's character is a dime a dozen? Maybe I've had my fill of players turning monogamists. Even if there's often more flirtatious banter to enjoy.
The real-estate subplot was annoying. From the start, we are made to understand that it would be next to impossible to hold onto the farm. Then this becomes the 80% conflict, and I never recovered from my exasperation with Thea. Finally, the solution? I can't see it as much more than "yay, thank goodness we have rich friends!" It doesn't really matter that the arrangement was mutually beneficial, it was still not the genius idea it was made out to be.
... I liked Bet Against Me more. Sorry, not much more to say than that.

Was this review helpful?