Bet Me by Jennifer Cruise

An awkward and unpredictable love story, Bet Me has a series of twists that keep the readers interested. The story opens with Minn Dobbs and her current love interest, David. The relationship they share is superficial, causing many insecurites for Minn. Throughout the book, Minn comes to the realization that she can find better people if she simply branches out and becomes more outgoing.

As Minn is growing and learning to show herself to others, she meets Cal. The circumstances in which they meet are less than desirable; Minn was approaching him as David is attempting to make a crude bet with Cal. To make things worse, the bet is all about Minn. Cal declines the first bet, but consents to another; one which involves taking Minn out to dinner.
In the first few dates shared by Cal and Minn, the reader tastes the hostility, but, as Cal forces Minn to become more confident, she relaxes and comes to trust him. Just as she becomes more confident, Cal's former girlfriend of nine months comes into the picture. She is a successful psychiatrist who is known nationwide as the consultant of love. She is convinced that Cal was ready to marry her, but when she provided him with an ultimatum of marry me, or i'm leaving, Cal honestly and modestly lets her go.
Cal's girlfirend will not accept Cal's infatuation with Minn; the fact that he has started to quickly fall in love with Minn forces her to get in contact with David and try to sabotage the growing relationship. She and David plant seeds of doubt in the lovers' heads, try to make them jealous, and even bring the families into the picture.
Cal comes from a rich family who looks down on him for his dislexia, while Minn comes from a middle class family who looks down on her for her weight. The two help with the other's insecurities and they both become able to live with their families. Without the guilt of being a less than desirable child.
After only two months of this mutual support, Minn realizes that she is in love with Cal; a fact that she can not cope with because she still thinks that Cal only dated her as a bet. Cal attempts over several more weeks to try and convince her that they should be together, but, not knowing why Minn will not see him anymore, all his attempts fail. At Minn's sister's wedding, the truth comes out, and Cal explains that he had declined David's attempted bet, and would never have done anything that crude.
Now that Minn knows the truth, she is forced to let go of all the doubt she has been holding onto, and must accept that she is in love with Cal. The only battle left for their relationship is showing Minn's parents that Cal is, indeed, an acceptable partner. As soon as the pair do that, they are able to relax and, in the end, get married.
Bet Me is a hilarious and unique novel and I recommend it for any optimist who likes to laugh and can appreciate a new type of love story.