Olivia Brent has one summer to save the dairy farm she just inherited.
But there’s one problem, and it’s not her lactose intolerance.
Jake Milovic.
The brooding farmhand has inherited exactly fifty percent of Brent Farm, and he’s so convinced the city girl can’t work the land, he bets she can’t save it in a summer.
Determined to prove him wrong, Olivia accepts what might be the dumbest wager of her life.
His strategy to win seems simple: follow her around, shirtlessly distracting her between bouts of relentless taunting. And it’s effective—if his dark eyes and rare smiles aren’t enough to sidetrack her, the sweaty, rolling topography of the manbeast’s body would do the trick.
What they don’t know: they’ll have to weather more than each other.
Mysterious circumstances throw the farm into disarray, and with the dairy farm in danger, Olivia and Jake have to work together. But when they do, there’s more to fear than either of them imagined.
Because now their hearts are on the line, and the farm won’t be the only casualty if they fail.
My Thoughts
“Because of all the paths my life could take, I knew the one that ended with her was the brightest.”
Bet the Farm, Staci Hart
Bet the Farm was exactly as I expected it to be – a small town enemies to lovers romance full of angst, laughter, and a whole bunch of farm animals.
Olivia and Jake obviously nailed the enemies to lovers and opposites attract scenario. Olivia was such a bubbly and hilarious character that I immediately love her from the moment she first appeared because of her cheery personality (and of course, her love for pink – like me). Her brightness and optimism in everything despite the dire circumstances thrown in her way were at the total opposite spectrum of Jake. Jake is fiercely loyal and stubborn, and while he has his reasons for acting the way he is, I found him a bit of an asshole that I almost hated him for at least the first half of the book. It was almost bordering on offensive for me how he treated Olivia, but I’m glad to see a redemption in him on the next half. While it took me a bit of a time to warm up to them as a couple, I enjoyed the moments where their personalities shined the best, and then later on the intense slow burn romance between them was worth the wait. They definitely know how to compliment each other nicely, and work together around the farm more effectively (minus all the bickering).
I absolutely adored the small town farm setting this book had going on. These types of settings always give such a warm, comfy feeling within a story, and also a whole bunch of antics -and there was never a short supply of that. It also helped that there were bits of useful information that can be picked up from it from knowing how to properly clip a goat’s hoof to how to manage a large-scale farm. I really liked the way how the story centered around saving a beloved inherited farm by the main characters, since it showcased how Olivia and Jake had each of their own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to managing the farm and get it back to its former glory.
I actually liked the additional conflict of the enemy farm – The Pattons – brought to the story. With the main cast already doing everything they can to save the farm, the long-time feud between the two families gave the story and even more interesting twist. While it was obvious who was trying to sabotage their farm during the latter chapters, it was interesting to see how the role of Chase Patton did for them, and finally put to a well-deserved peace between the two families. My heart definitely broke for everyone as bad things started happening in the farm.
Over-all, it was the breath of fresh air that I needed in my reading life right now, and it was entertaining and easy to get in to from start to finish. Staci Hart has left me in a very nice happy bubble after this new book, and I’m so excited for everyone else to read this book and enjoy it as much as I did.
My Rating
Bet the Farm is finally out now!
Go get your copy!
🐄Broody farmhand
🐄 Lactose intolerant city girl
🐄 Baby cows
🐄 Hayloft kisses
🐄 Goats in pajamas
🐄 Enemies to Lovers
🐄 Second Chance romance
🐄 ALL THE BANTER
🐄 Sweet, sweet heat
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About The Author
Staci has been a lot of things up to this point in her life: a graphic designer, an entrepreneur, a seamstress, a clothing and handbag designer, a waitress. Can’t forget that. She’s also been a mom to three little girls who are sure to grow up to break a number of hearts. She’s been a wife, even though she’s certainly not the cleanest, nor is she the best cook. She’s also super, duper fun at a party–especially if she’s been drinking whiskey–and her favorite word starts with f and ends with k.
From roots in Houston to a seven year stint in Southern California, Staci and her family ended up settling somewhere in between and equally north in Denver, where snow is magic and the mountains have become home. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, gaming, or designing graphics.
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