Betting on You

Betting on You by Lynn Painter is a contemporary young adult fiction novel published by Simon and Schuster in October 2024. This 448-page reprint follows seventeen-year-old Bailey as she navigates her new job at a hotel waterpark, where she unexpectedly reconnects with Charlie, an old acquaintance from her past. Initially at odds due to their contrasting personalities, Bailey and Charlie find themselves drawn into a bet about the romantic entanglements of their coworkers, leading to unexpected developments in their own relationship.
Readers will discover a blend of romance and social themes as Bailey and Charlie track the budding relationships around them while grappling with their own feelings. The story explores the complexities of friendship and attraction, particularly as Charlie’s secret threatens to complicate their connection. With elements reminiscent of classic romantic comedies, this novel delves into the challenges of young love and the impact of personal secrets, making it a relatable read for those interested in contemporary romance and friendship dynamics.
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A New York Times Bestseller
From the New York Times bestselling author of Better Than the Movies, this “entertaining” (Publishers Weekly) rom-com in the vein of She’s All That and 10 Things I Hate About You follows a teen girl who unwittingly finds herself at the center of a bet while working at a waterpark.
When seventeen-year-old Bailey starts a new job at a hotel waterpark, she is less than thrilled to see an old acquaintance is one of her coworkers. Bailey met Charlie a year ago on the long flight to Omaha, where she moved after her parents’ divorce. Charlie’s cynicism didn’t mix well with Bailey’s carefully well-behaved temperament, and his endless commentary was the irritating cherry on top of an already emotionally fraught trip.
Now, Bailey and Charlie are still polar opposites, but instead of everything about him rubbing Bailey the wrong way, she starts to look forward to hanging out and gossiping about the waterpark guests and their coworkers—particularly two who keep flirting with each other. Bailey and Charlie make a bet on whether or not the cozy pair will actually get together. Charlie insists that members of the opposite sex can’t just be friends, and Bailey is determined to prove him wrong.
Bailey and Charlie keep close track of the romantic progress of others while Charlie works to deflect the growing feelings he’s developed for Bailey. Terrified to lose her if his crush becomes known, what doesn’t help his agenda is Bailey and Charlie “fake dating” in order to disrupt the annoying pleasantries between Bailey’s mom and her mom’s new boyfriend. Soon, what Charlie was hoping to avoid becomes a reality as Bailey starts to see him as not only a friend she can rely on in the midst of family drama—but someone who makes her hands shake and heart race. But Charlie has a secret—a secret that involves Bailey and another bet Charlie may have made. Can the two make a real go of things…or has Charlie’s secret doomed them before they could start?
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