Just a Little Bet

Let me preface this with this book is not really about smokejumpers even though it's a smokejumper book. So don't be disappointed. This book is more about growing as a person. It's about learning to trust others, but mostly yourself. And it's about respect; for others and for yourself. This is actually a very well written book of self discovery and learning what your own needs and desires are. Very well done, Ms Fenske, very well done.

Just a Little Bet, the second Smokejumper book by Tawna Fenske is once again a page turner. We were introduced to Kayla and Tony in the first smokejumper book. Despite them dating and subsequently breaking up, these two became best friends. After a drunken night they make a little bet to determine why Tony is so bad at love. They decide to take a road trip together just to figure it out. Throughout the ensuing road trip they both work on themselves and slowly learn how they both need to learn to love. This book does also tackle a domestic situation that could potentially be triggering for some. Tawna presents it wonderfully and even at the end provides resources. She clearly is amazing! I’m so glad I was able to get an ARC of this from the publisher!

This was a great friends to lovers, road trip story. I really enjoyed both Tony and Kayla. Kayla and Tony had previously dated each other but like all of Tony’s relationships it didn’t last very long yet they stayed friends. When Kayla had to go on a road trip to take photos, Tony decided to go along. While on this road trip they would look up some of Tony’s exes and figure out what went wrong. This brought Tony and Kayla closer, it allowed Kayla to see a deeper side to Tony that he didn’t normally let people see. I really liked the friendship that really grew between Kayla and Tony...and Fireball.

Just A Little Bet was a great read for this Fenske fan. While not as laugh out loud funny as some of her books have been, I really enjoyed the easy relationship between former exes turned best friends Tony and Kayla. While touching on Tony’s job as a smoke jumper, this book doesn’t go into as much detail as book 1, The Two-Date Rule, which you don’t have to have read to enjoy this story. The focus is on Kayla and her photography, and their road trip that brings them in contact with a few of Tony’s many ex-girlfriends. We learn a lot about the kind of guy that Tony is...great, kind, funny, but definitely commitment-phobic. Of course, there’s a loveable pooch, a rekindling of feelings plus some long-ignored family drama that Tony hasn’t shared with anyone. Kayla is great for him and is way too hard on herself where her family is concerned. She’s discovering things about herself on this trip as well. While I don’t want to give away the storyline, I do want to mention that elements of abuse are discussed, and this might be a trigger for some. It is handled in a factual, caring and informative manner and I applaud the author for her thoughtful and thought-provoking portrayal of this sensitive subject. I loved it!

After Two-Date Rule, I thought I had an idea of the people that Tony and Kayla are but meeting them in that book barely even scratched the surface. Their story is way more angsty and heavy than I was expecting but it was balanced by how perfect these two are for each other. There’s some pretty deep topics explored in this book but Tony and Kayla’s amazing sense of humor brought out the lighter side. This series is fun and I want even more smokejumpers!!

I’m a huge fan of Tawna Fenske, and I’ve loved all the books she’s written. “Just A Little Bet” is no exception. This is a friends to lovers romance with plenty of heat and lots of emotion. Tony and Kayla started out as a couple, then decided they were better off just friends. A road trip helps them to figure out that maybe they really do belong together after all. This book had everything you could ask for in a romance. There was depth and complexity to both characters, but it didn’t get weighed down too much and had some funny moments that helped lighten it. Fenske always adds a little quirk to her books, along with the sweet, sexy and serious. It makes for a charming read all around. Highly recommended. (Thanks to the publisher and Ms. Fenske for allowing me to read an advance copy of the book.)