What do you think?
Rate this book
Call My Bluff
Who says two dollars and a condom won’t lead you to love?
Beatriz Cortes, a hopeless romantic and perpetual sidepiece to all Main Character Men, is a broke bartender in desperate need of a real, full-time job but will settle for a flight back to her hometown of Las Vegas to see her sister. Benjamin Crown, The Quintessential Main Character, is a gorgeous, reclusive, grumpy NBA superstar with a lot of money, a pampered dog, and a vacant seat on his jet as he makes his way to Sin City for a mandatory team-building vacation.
So it’s a win-win when an innocent misunderstanding forces the unlikely duo to conspire in a fake relationship ruse to get what they both a flight for her, and someone to be there for him.
What is meant to be a fun and casual trip ends up being a never-ending cycle of What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas mishaps. But when their fantastical time runs out, and they’re jerked out of their Vegas bubble, the two are forced to confront the reality of their circumstances and what they might mean to each other.
It’s only a matter of time before Beatriz calls his bluff.
Beatriz Cortes, a hopeless romantic and perpetual sidepiece to all Main Character Men, is a broke bartender in desperate need of a real, full-time job but will settle for a flight back to her hometown of Las Vegas to see her sister. Benjamin Crown, The Quintessential Main Character, is a gorgeous, reclusive, grumpy NBA superstar with a lot of money, a pampered dog, and a vacant seat on his jet as he makes his way to Sin City for a mandatory team-building vacation.
So it’s a win-win when an innocent misunderstanding forces the unlikely duo to conspire in a fake relationship ruse to get what they both a flight for her, and someone to be there for him.
What is meant to be a fun and casual trip ends up being a never-ending cycle of What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas mishaps. But when their fantastical time runs out, and they’re jerked out of their Vegas bubble, the two are forced to confront the reality of their circumstances and what they might mean to each other.
It’s only a matter of time before Beatriz calls his bluff.
447 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 5, 2024
23 people are currently reading
925 people want to read
About the author
Jeanine Bennedict
2 books486 followersJeanine Bennedict is a MENA author that loves to write Romance novels featuring lots of spice, and complex, realistic characters—they're flawed, so you'll love them, but you might also hate them sometimes, too. She's the youngest of many kids, and is best friends with her older sister. When she's not working her Big Girl job or spending hours watching nostalgic TV shows with her friends, she's writing fiction to further clutter her already busy schedule. You can find her on Instagram @itsjeanyb
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
November 24, 2024
4.33!
Call my bluff is easily one of the chunkiest romance books I have ever read and tbh I dont like romance books when they are more than 300-400 pages but this one was a nice surprise, it had me in a roller coaster of emotions and it may not be for everyone but I had such a good time with it, Jeanine's writing had me hooked so effortlessly, she wrote it, I read it and I enjoyed it. I feel her main power here was writing the banter between the main characters. It felt so pure and natural and I loved reading about it. It also crossed out my Vegas troped booklist so a yay for that. The Vegas setting and the fake dating was such a joy to read! I also love angry confessions and this one had it and the third act break up happened a few pages before than most books so I would say that it was dealt with well.
Bea, our main character was so relatable honestly and so snarky at times that I just loved it, I love how her remarks were at the tip of her tongue and the way the banter between them felt so good to read like I loved it solely because of that at times because the basic interaction between them would just have me lost in this book and I would just read it until I would look up to see a heft portion of the book done lmaoo and we also had our mmc Ben, a cinnamon role, athlete with a dirty mouth so you know how well that went lmaoo but yeah the characters were so fun in this story. Even the side character who was a foreign Pakistani heh so I loved how I understood all the reverences.
The romance!!! ahhhhhh like you know when you wanna scream because you're enticed and mad uff lemme just say by saying how hot this was, like this was easily one of the hottest book i have read like chapter 19 (?) absolutely aced the spice level in that chapter because its cold here and I was sweating. The back and forth between made the spark between them so much better the miscommunication in this one I feel like worked better for them and the angst it created for them was amazing, like it was so cute at times, the grand gestures were amazing but the hotness was hotttttt and its not even a smut powered story there's like hardly 3 or 4? chapters but they were so well written and besides that angry confession between Bea and ben was so good like my heart was pounding because I was that invested lmaoo.
One last thing was that it was satisfying because our fmc grew up in a dysfunctional, emotionally abusive family so like seeing her stand up and take action felt so good!!
I mean it when I say it's not for everyone because its slow and longer than most romance books are but everything else is just so good!! I would definitely recommend and try her other books!!
__
I am so excited to read this (Iqras updates made me more hyped!!)
*Thank you to the author for giving me this ARC*
Call my bluff is easily one of the chunkiest romance books I have ever read and tbh I dont like romance books when they are more than 300-400 pages but this one was a nice surprise, it had me in a roller coaster of emotions and it may not be for everyone but I had such a good time with it, Jeanine's writing had me hooked so effortlessly, she wrote it, I read it and I enjoyed it. I feel her main power here was writing the banter between the main characters. It felt so pure and natural and I loved reading about it. It also crossed out my Vegas troped booklist so a yay for that. The Vegas setting and the fake dating was such a joy to read! I also love angry confessions and this one had it and the third act break up happened a few pages before than most books so I would say that it was dealt with well.
Bea, our main character was so relatable honestly and so snarky at times that I just loved it, I love how her remarks were at the tip of her tongue and the way the banter between them felt so good to read like I loved it solely because of that at times because the basic interaction between them would just have me lost in this book and I would just read it until I would look up to see a heft portion of the book done lmaoo and we also had our mmc Ben, a cinnamon role, athlete with a dirty mouth so you know how well that went lmaoo but yeah the characters were so fun in this story. Even the side character who was a foreign Pakistani heh so I loved how I understood all the reverences.
The romance!!! ahhhhhh like you know when you wanna scream because you're enticed and mad uff lemme just say by saying how hot this was, like this was easily one of the hottest book i have read like chapter 19 (?) absolutely aced the spice level in that chapter because its cold here and I was sweating. The back and forth between made the spark between them so much better the miscommunication in this one I feel like worked better for them and the angst it created for them was amazing, like it was so cute at times, the grand gestures were amazing but the hotness was hotttttt and its not even a smut powered story there's like hardly 3 or 4? chapters but they were so well written and besides that angry confession between Bea and ben was so good like my heart was pounding because I was that invested lmaoo.
One last thing was that it was satisfying because our fmc grew up in a dysfunctional, emotionally abusive family so like seeing her stand up and take action felt so good!!
I mean it when I say it's not for everyone because its slow and longer than most romance books are but everything else is just so good!! I would definitely recommend and try her other books!!
__
I am so excited to read this (Iqras updates made me more hyped!!)
*Thank you to the author for giving me this ARC*
December 13, 2024
I adored this book sfm 🥹
Rtcc
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
UR GIRL GOT THE ARC 🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️💋🎀💕💘💖💗💗🗣️🗣️
Rtcc
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
UR GIRL GOT THE ARC 🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️💋🎀💕💘💖💗💗🗣️🗣️
November 8, 2024
3.5 ★
main thoughts:
This was fun and entertaining and I had the best time buddy reading it with my bestie, but I felt like something was missing for some reason, this is a sorta long book so I felt like in some ways it could have been shorter I’m not sure. I feel like we went between making progress in this book, to declining, to finally making full on progress at the end. I was invested in bea and ben right away and even though there was way too many moments that gave me second hand embarrassment I was still enjoying the book😭 and then we got to the end of the Vegas trip and I just felt a little iffy about how the whole argument to no talking scenes were done. I just feel like I started to feel disconnected to the characters a bit. Maybe this is a me problem though😔
˚୨୧
At the end I starting enjoying the characters again and what was happening, but than the book ended so yk🤷♀️ I also feel like I can't remember everything that happened in this book and I felt like we got some important scenes and then just some irrelevant ones.
characters:
Beatriz: I love her for the most part she’s a flawed character and so is ben, but I still understood both of them🫣 I think bea was just done dirty so many times that that’s all she knew pretty much. I definitely think her parents did not deserve her and I appreciate how much she loves and cares about others even if it makes her seem naive or makes her get walked on by others. She did make me mad at times though same as ben😅
Benjamin: He's a cutie, but he had things he for sure needed to improve during this book, which he started to do at the end which made me happy, but still sometimes his actions made me want to rip out my hair cause I was frustrated🥲 I think he was also a product of his environment and let his insecurities get in the way, but I just wanted this man to admit what he was feeling so much earlier then he did.
Halima: This is my girl I loved her and she’s me from another universe, she is the most amazing friend you could ask for😆
romance:
Whew I have mixed feelings, on one hand like I said I love them and on the other I feel iffy about them😅 they had some cute scenes that I appreciated don't get me wrong. But we deserved something else better between them as well. Maybe this is realistic because not every couple goes through love easily, but I feel like there should have been more connection and not it being just one sided mostly throughout the book. I’m glad ben realized his feelings at the end or I would have been aggravated even more😤 the love confession was sweet though I won't lie, I did love his whole little speech I just wish they rekindled a little faster cause they took forever to reconnect if you think about the months that went between them without a conversation. Which was kinda also bea’s fault but maybe I'm reading into stuff too much.
quotes I loved: 🩵
“I know you, Bea. Even if you think I don’t or that I don’t pay attention to you, I do. I know you.”
“I know you’re awake, and I know I don’t ever tell you how I feel or what you mean to me, but I need you to know that Dog might have been the best thing to happen to me, but you’ve made everything in my life better. I know you don’t understand where I’m coming from, I know that to you, I’m confusing, but just…just let me keep you at my side however I can, for however long I can. I can’t lose you, B. I can’t.”
“Tell me, then. Tell me what you want. I’ll lose for you, Bea, willingly and repeatedly. Just for you. Only for you.
˚୨୧
extra:
Don’t let this review make you not pick up this book because I think it’s worth giving a chance and I can see people loving this book more than I did, I still had a pretty fun time so it could have been worse, but it could have been better also!!
pre review:
lots of feelings as always rtc!!
pre read:
This is a new release and it looks fun so I figured why not? plus iqras updates about it made me curious😆
br with the lovely jahni <3
main thoughts:
This was fun and entertaining and I had the best time buddy reading it with my bestie, but I felt like something was missing for some reason, this is a sorta long book so I felt like in some ways it could have been shorter I’m not sure. I feel like we went between making progress in this book, to declining, to finally making full on progress at the end. I was invested in bea and ben right away and even though there was way too many moments that gave me second hand embarrassment I was still enjoying the book😭 and then we got to the end of the Vegas trip and I just felt a little iffy about how the whole argument to no talking scenes were done. I just feel like I started to feel disconnected to the characters a bit. Maybe this is a me problem though😔
˚୨୧
At the end I starting enjoying the characters again and what was happening, but than the book ended so yk🤷♀️ I also feel like I can't remember everything that happened in this book and I felt like we got some important scenes and then just some irrelevant ones.
characters:
Beatriz: I love her for the most part she’s a flawed character and so is ben, but I still understood both of them🫣 I think bea was just done dirty so many times that that’s all she knew pretty much. I definitely think her parents did not deserve her and I appreciate how much she loves and cares about others even if it makes her seem naive or makes her get walked on by others. She did make me mad at times though same as ben😅
Benjamin: He's a cutie, but he had things he for sure needed to improve during this book, which he started to do at the end which made me happy, but still sometimes his actions made me want to rip out my hair cause I was frustrated🥲 I think he was also a product of his environment and let his insecurities get in the way, but I just wanted this man to admit what he was feeling so much earlier then he did.
Halima: This is my girl I loved her and she’s me from another universe, she is the most amazing friend you could ask for😆
romance:
Whew I have mixed feelings, on one hand like I said I love them and on the other I feel iffy about them😅 they had some cute scenes that I appreciated don't get me wrong. But we deserved something else better between them as well. Maybe this is realistic because not every couple goes through love easily, but I feel like there should have been more connection and not it being just one sided mostly throughout the book. I’m glad ben realized his feelings at the end or I would have been aggravated even more😤 the love confession was sweet though I won't lie, I did love his whole little speech I just wish they rekindled a little faster cause they took forever to reconnect if you think about the months that went between them without a conversation. Which was kinda also bea’s fault but maybe I'm reading into stuff too much.
quotes I loved: 🩵
“I know you, Bea. Even if you think I don’t or that I don’t pay attention to you, I do. I know you.”
“I know you’re awake, and I know I don’t ever tell you how I feel or what you mean to me, but I need you to know that Dog might have been the best thing to happen to me, but you’ve made everything in my life better. I know you don’t understand where I’m coming from, I know that to you, I’m confusing, but just…just let me keep you at my side however I can, for however long I can. I can’t lose you, B. I can’t.”
“Tell me, then. Tell me what you want. I’ll lose for you, Bea, willingly and repeatedly. Just for you. Only for you.
˚୨୧
extra:
Don’t let this review make you not pick up this book because I think it’s worth giving a chance and I can see people loving this book more than I did, I still had a pretty fun time so it could have been worse, but it could have been better also!!
pre review:
lots of feelings as always rtc!!
pre read:
This is a new release and it looks fun so I figured why not? plus iqras updates about it made me curious😆
br with the lovely jahni <3
November 14, 2024
I went into this very excited because I LOVED Midnight Kisses and this sounded like it could go that way too. I mean, a slow burn fake dating romance between a struggling bartender and a pro basketball player?! Sounds like my kind of book.
And it was fun and cute and relatable, but it also kind of wasn’t for me.
I think the author excels at writing characters that are just a bit more true to life. I can’t put my finger on why that is, but they just feel more realistic to me, which is refreshing.
This was also the case here, Beatriz was my absolute favourite. I understood her struggle and frustration with her current situation, I felt for her regarding her family situation, and I loved her determination to keep doing her thing. She wasn’t perfect, of course, but relatable, and that made her a strong and well written character.
Unfortunately, I didn’t feel the same way about Ben. He really wasn’t for me, like at all. And well, this is a romance, so not liking the mmc becomes a problem fast.
I also struggled with the length of this book. It was just too long imo, especially the Vegas trip took up too much of the story, it became repetitive, and I’d have enjoyed it if there was more time for them together outside of that trip.
All in all, this story definitely had its moments and I overall enjoyed it.
Thank you to the author for the arc in exchange for an honest review!
___
wtf I got the arc?! 🥹🩵
And it was fun and cute and relatable, but it also kind of wasn’t for me.
I think the author excels at writing characters that are just a bit more true to life. I can’t put my finger on why that is, but they just feel more realistic to me, which is refreshing.
This was also the case here, Beatriz was my absolute favourite. I understood her struggle and frustration with her current situation, I felt for her regarding her family situation, and I loved her determination to keep doing her thing. She wasn’t perfect, of course, but relatable, and that made her a strong and well written character.
Unfortunately, I didn’t feel the same way about Ben. He really wasn’t for me, like at all. And well, this is a romance, so not liking the mmc becomes a problem fast.
I also struggled with the length of this book. It was just too long imo, especially the Vegas trip took up too much of the story, it became repetitive, and I’d have enjoyed it if there was more time for them together outside of that trip.
All in all, this story definitely had its moments and I overall enjoyed it.
Thank you to the author for the arc in exchange for an honest review!
___
wtf I got the arc?! 🥹🩵
August 26, 2024
4.25 starssss a beta read 🥹
June 22, 2025
I liked this book but I also didn’t like it if that makes any sense.
November 19, 2024
Was hoping to love this a lot more, but it was still a cute and fun read 💙
Something I loved about this book was how unique the characters were! I can honestly say I’ve never really read about characters quite like Bea & Ben, and it was really refreshing. I was also obsessed with the banter throughout this entire book — it literally had me laughing out loud! And my favorite thing about this book was probably the growth from both characters and the groveling from Ben, like we love to see it 😌
As far as issues go, they really were mostly just because of me. For one, I’m not a big “she falls first, he falls harder” girl so that’s on me haha. And Ben kind of reminded me of an ex at times and was sort of giving red flag in my eyes? I mean that’s a problem I’ll have to unpack for another day lmao, but for a large portion of the book I wanted better for Bea. I definitely felt the tension and longing between both of them though.
As a huge mood reader, I wish I’d been in the right mood for this because I think I would’ve enjoyed it a lot more. But if you’re a true hopeless romantic and/or love books with characters who feel real and make real mistakes, this might just be the book for you! The writing style of this book had my attention, and I definitely want to read more from Jeanine in the future 🫶
Thank you so much to Jeanine Bennedict for an ARC of this book! 💌
Something I loved about this book was how unique the characters were! I can honestly say I’ve never really read about characters quite like Bea & Ben, and it was really refreshing. I was also obsessed with the banter throughout this entire book — it literally had me laughing out loud! And my favorite thing about this book was probably the growth from both characters and the groveling from Ben, like we love to see it 😌
As far as issues go, they really were mostly just because of me. For one, I’m not a big “she falls first, he falls harder” girl so that’s on me haha. And Ben kind of reminded me of an ex at times and was sort of giving red flag in my eyes? I mean that’s a problem I’ll have to unpack for another day lmao, but for a large portion of the book I wanted better for Bea. I definitely felt the tension and longing between both of them though.
As a huge mood reader, I wish I’d been in the right mood for this because I think I would’ve enjoyed it a lot more. But if you’re a true hopeless romantic and/or love books with characters who feel real and make real mistakes, this might just be the book for you! The writing style of this book had my attention, and I definitely want to read more from Jeanine in the future 🫶
Thank you so much to Jeanine Bennedict for an ARC of this book! 💌
November 2, 2024
jeanine bennedict i don't even know how you do it but you write the funniest, silliest and most beautiful romances????
October 12, 2024
you guys, get ready to laugh your asses off, but also be on the edge of your seat because the tension between bea and benjamin is criminal. jeanine, i'm looking at you!! here's what you can expect: friends to lovers + fake engagement + slowish burn + she falls first, he falls harder (!).
bea and benjamin together is pure chaos and comedy gold—they're both so unserious yet so compatible, constantly finding themselves in situations that have you thinking, "what is going on right now?" bea is all sunshine, while benjamin is giving major grumpy vibes (but not when he's with bea <3), and they just WORK. their friendship, their slow love progression, and the spice!!! it's all so delicious.
bea and benjamin together is pure chaos and comedy gold—they're both so unserious yet so compatible, constantly finding themselves in situations that have you thinking, "what is going on right now?" bea is all sunshine, while benjamin is giving major grumpy vibes (but not when he's with bea <3), and they just WORK. their friendship, their slow love progression, and the spice!!! it's all so delicious.
November 9, 2024
4.5 stars
This book was EVERYTHING!! I was obsessed from the first page and nearly read this entire book in one sitting. I honestly cannot remember the last time a book had me contemplating pulling an all nighter just so I could keep reading. I love this book so much for showing me that it’s possible to be obsessed with a book and more than that, to read about characters that could make me feel so much. I was laughing, crying, swooning..my goodness did this book pull the emotions out of me.
I will admit that the last quarter of the book felt like it was missing something. I don't know what it was, maybe it was a lot of telling and not showing, but something felt off when compared to the rest of the book. Just scenes that were glossed over that I desperately wanted to be a part of, to see from their perspective, etc. I still thoroughly enjoyed the book but upon time to reflect, I personally feel like it could have been longer (which I do understand is crazy to say when the book was already over 400 pages, but alas).
This book was EVERYTHING!! I was obsessed from the first page and nearly read this entire book in one sitting. I honestly cannot remember the last time a book had me contemplating pulling an all nighter just so I could keep reading. I love this book so much for showing me that it’s possible to be obsessed with a book and more than that, to read about characters that could make me feel so much. I was laughing, crying, swooning..my goodness did this book pull the emotions out of me.
I will admit that the last quarter of the book felt like it was missing something. I don't know what it was, maybe it was a lot of telling and not showing, but something felt off when compared to the rest of the book. Just scenes that were glossed over that I desperately wanted to be a part of, to see from their perspective, etc. I still thoroughly enjoyed the book but upon time to reflect, I personally feel like it could have been longer (which I do understand is crazy to say when the book was already over 400 pages, but alas).
December 12, 2024
This book was so fun! I love me a broody man who is quiet and grumbly but has a soft spot for her. I loved the fake dating and their time in Vegas. My only complaint is that the 3rd act breakup was too long, I don’t have enough patience for that. But the groveling was top tier.
July 20, 2025
I first want to thank Jeanine for the chance to read her baby, I had the best time<3<3<3 💐
Now... I feel like I wanna scream from the rooftops for people to read CMB because Bea and Ben are an absolute gem ✨️ I had high expectations because Jeanine's debut novel is another fave of mine and I was not disappointed, I'm happy to say that I loved CMB more (stil adore my baby princess Botis🫶🏼)👀💜💜💜
The story opens to Bea, bartender-serial lover girl, talking to Ben the grump about her latest love of her life, they've been friends for a while at this point and even tho she doesn't know much about Ben, because he's as talkative as a wall..., they have a friendship going on, Ben is a professional basketball player and a great listener, grumpy but also confident to levels I didn't know existed, and he goes every week to the bar that Bea works at<3
Then one day, Ben's teammates come to the bar and Bea overhears them trash talking Ben, so she jumps to defend him and ends up lying on the spot about being his fiance... which ends with her on a plane to Vegas for Ben's team building retreat for all players and their families 😅
From then on the romance, the friendship, the lies all get entangled to a beautiful, fun, spicy story that now that it's live on KU can't wait to reread, and again when I get the paperback 👀✨️✨️✨️
So don't walk... RUN to read it because it's absolutely worth it
Now... I feel like I wanna scream from the rooftops for people to read CMB because Bea and Ben are an absolute gem ✨️ I had high expectations because Jeanine's debut novel is another fave of mine and I was not disappointed, I'm happy to say that I loved CMB more (stil adore my baby princess Botis🫶🏼)👀💜💜💜
The story opens to Bea, bartender-serial lover girl, talking to Ben the grump about her latest love of her life, they've been friends for a while at this point and even tho she doesn't know much about Ben, because he's as talkative as a wall..., they have a friendship going on, Ben is a professional basketball player and a great listener, grumpy but also confident to levels I didn't know existed, and he goes every week to the bar that Bea works at<3
Then one day, Ben's teammates come to the bar and Bea overhears them trash talking Ben, so she jumps to defend him and ends up lying on the spot about being his fiance... which ends with her on a plane to Vegas for Ben's team building retreat for all players and their families 😅
From then on the romance, the friendship, the lies all get entangled to a beautiful, fun, spicy story that now that it's live on KU can't wait to reread, and again when I get the paperback 👀✨️✨️✨️
So don't walk... RUN to read it because it's absolutely worth it
October 26, 2024
Arc Review for Call My Bluff 🩵
thank you to Jeanine Bennedict for giving me the opportunity to be an arc reader for this release & providing me with an advanced reader copy of Call My Bluff in exchange for an honest review! 🤍
overall rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️
spice rating: 2.5/5 🌶️
I felt like Call My Bluff showcased that there aren’t consecutive ways of how and when certain people fall in love - i thought it was a fantastic standout of a romance book without having it be so similar to every other romance book out there.
Something i really loved in this book was the sisterhood that we got to see between fernanda and Beatriz so much, i feel like i don’t get to see a lot of (romance) books that have a really good chuck of focus put on familial relationships like between sisters and this one was so nice and comforting to see — this leads back to my claim that this book, as it’s a romance book, didn’t fully like like it was focused on the romance part and thus stood out to me (in a very good way). All in all, this book just felt so realistic - the realest of the realistic in every aspect of its story.
this book is told in majority of beatriz’s point of view, and i really enjoyed learning about her, her family, her past, serious relationships she held with other characters and just everything that made her, her. I felt Ben’s little interlude chapters were like a little bonus that i cherished and got so excited to see whenever i stumbled upon them. i loved getting to see the little bits and pieces of him falling in love with our dear Beatriz, even as much as he was fighting it and just couldn’t help himself. he’s a certified lover boy through and through for our girl.
Loved loved loved getting to see my babies greta & otis from midnight kisses again after all these years - this book was sooo worth the time, effort and the overall wait because it was perfect 🩵
what to expect in call my bluff:
🩵 fake engagement
🩵 he hates everyone but her
🩵 slow-ish burn
🩵 bickering friends to lovers
🩵 mmc is an athlete
🩵 one bed + comfort scenes
🩵 forced proximity
🩵 he’s a grump with a filthy mouth
🩵 she’s a bartender
🩵 reformed player girl x commitment boy
🩵 she falls first, he falls harder
🩵 what happens in vegas doesn’t stay in vegas
🩵 he grovels like it’s the end of the world without her
🩵 he’s a dog dad
I recieved an ARC copy of Call My Bluff and all thoughts & comments on this review are my own!
Call My Bluff releases November 5th, 2024!
thank you to Jeanine Bennedict for giving me the opportunity to be an arc reader for this release & providing me with an advanced reader copy of Call My Bluff in exchange for an honest review! 🤍
overall rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️
spice rating: 2.5/5 🌶️
I felt like Call My Bluff showcased that there aren’t consecutive ways of how and when certain people fall in love - i thought it was a fantastic standout of a romance book without having it be so similar to every other romance book out there.
Something i really loved in this book was the sisterhood that we got to see between fernanda and Beatriz so much, i feel like i don’t get to see a lot of (romance) books that have a really good chuck of focus put on familial relationships like between sisters and this one was so nice and comforting to see — this leads back to my claim that this book, as it’s a romance book, didn’t fully like like it was focused on the romance part and thus stood out to me (in a very good way). All in all, this book just felt so realistic - the realest of the realistic in every aspect of its story.
this book is told in majority of beatriz’s point of view, and i really enjoyed learning about her, her family, her past, serious relationships she held with other characters and just everything that made her, her. I felt Ben’s little interlude chapters were like a little bonus that i cherished and got so excited to see whenever i stumbled upon them. i loved getting to see the little bits and pieces of him falling in love with our dear Beatriz, even as much as he was fighting it and just couldn’t help himself. he’s a certified lover boy through and through for our girl.
Loved loved loved getting to see my babies greta & otis from midnight kisses again after all these years - this book was sooo worth the time, effort and the overall wait because it was perfect 🩵
what to expect in call my bluff:
🩵 fake engagement
🩵 he hates everyone but her
🩵 slow-ish burn
🩵 bickering friends to lovers
🩵 mmc is an athlete
🩵 one bed + comfort scenes
🩵 forced proximity
🩵 he’s a grump with a filthy mouth
🩵 she’s a bartender
🩵 reformed player girl x commitment boy
🩵 she falls first, he falls harder
🩵 what happens in vegas doesn’t stay in vegas
🩵 he grovels like it’s the end of the world without her
🩵 he’s a dog dad
I recieved an ARC copy of Call My Bluff and all thoughts & comments on this review are my own!
Call My Bluff releases November 5th, 2024!
January 15, 2025
4.5⭐️ I LOVED THIS. I read Midnight Kisses almost two years ago now and I said in that review that I was going to be reading future publications from the author, and I’m so glad I did!! Jeanine did an amazing job with Bea and Ben, I was GAGGGED from their very first interactions in the bar. One of my all time favorite dynamics is friends with benefits but they do everything they would if they were actually in a relationship but they aren’t because they either won’t admit their feelings or don’t realize they have feelings. I love this dynamic because it allows the feelings to develop slowly while also creating sooooo much tension, and Call My Bluff was SEEPED in emotional tension.
I loved Bea and Ben. They were so believable. Like Ben, specifically, was honestly pretty emotionally unintelligent, but he was a good person at heart and grew a lot by the end of the book, and something about him struck me as so real (even though he was a 6’9 multimillionaire professional basketball player). I kind of enjoyed reading about a man who was less than perfect (don’t let this description scare you, I promise he’s lovable in his own special way). Anyway, this wasn’t perfect (some grammatical/formatting errors and some uneven pacing at the end), but you should read this if you want giddy, kicking your feet, sexy fun!!!
I loved Bea and Ben. They were so believable. Like Ben, specifically, was honestly pretty emotionally unintelligent, but he was a good person at heart and grew a lot by the end of the book, and something about him struck me as so real (even though he was a 6’9 multimillionaire professional basketball player). I kind of enjoyed reading about a man who was less than perfect (don’t let this description scare you, I promise he’s lovable in his own special way). Anyway, this wasn’t perfect (some grammatical/formatting errors and some uneven pacing at the end), but you should read this if you want giddy, kicking your feet, sexy fun!!!
October 28, 2024
Realistic Rating: 3.5 ⭐️
“You’re who you are, and I like you like that.” - Beatriz
This book was so cute and I loved the relationship development between Ben and Beatriz. They are so funny, the banter and chemistry had me reading the book so fast. Includes tropes like; forced proximity (one bed), fake dating (engaged), hates everyone but her, friends to lovers, slow(ish) burn, she falls first he falls harder.
Pros:
- Loved the mini “Ben’s interlude” chapters
- The flow of the book was good
- I love that Beatriz is so relatable— she’s delulu and giggles at the bare minimum from Ben like that’s so relatable
- Love love love the poc representation and cultural aspects
Cons:
- It was quite a long book for a romance book in my opinion (about 420 pages) and I think some chapters could have been shorter
- The translations for the Portuguese conversations between Beatriz and her mom at the banana pudding shop were added as footnotes which I almost missed. I wish it was translated in brackets right after the sentence
- A little too much smut for me…like there were at least 3+ FULL chapters of it that I was just skipping through cause it got repetitive
Overall, this was a cute book and it’s a great second novel for Jeanine Bennedict. Very excited to read more of her books in the future.
Thank you Jeanine Bennedict for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
・₊✧ Quotes ・₊✧
“No matter how far I wander from him, his radiance shines so bright I’ll find him again.” - Beatriz
“…his words of comfort delivered at a caliber I’m incapable of reciprocating”. - Beatriz
“You’re who you are, and I like you like that.” - Beatriz
This book was so cute and I loved the relationship development between Ben and Beatriz. They are so funny, the banter and chemistry had me reading the book so fast. Includes tropes like; forced proximity (one bed), fake dating (engaged), hates everyone but her, friends to lovers, slow(ish) burn, she falls first he falls harder.
Pros:
- Loved the mini “Ben’s interlude” chapters
- The flow of the book was good
- I love that Beatriz is so relatable— she’s delulu and giggles at the bare minimum from Ben like that’s so relatable
- Love love love the poc representation and cultural aspects
Cons:
- It was quite a long book for a romance book in my opinion (about 420 pages) and I think some chapters could have been shorter
- The translations for the Portuguese conversations between Beatriz and her mom at the banana pudding shop were added as footnotes which I almost missed. I wish it was translated in brackets right after the sentence
- A little too much smut for me…like there were at least 3+ FULL chapters of it that I was just skipping through cause it got repetitive
Overall, this was a cute book and it’s a great second novel for Jeanine Bennedict. Very excited to read more of her books in the future.
Thank you Jeanine Bennedict for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
・₊✧ Quotes ・₊✧
“No matter how far I wander from him, his radiance shines so bright I’ll find him again.” - Beatriz
“…his words of comfort delivered at a caliber I’m incapable of reciprocating”. - Beatriz
October 30, 2024
First of all, thank you to Jeanine Bennedict for sending me the ARC <3 🩵
♥️♠️♦️♣️
God I loved this book. I think I went through every human emotion while reading it: love, lust, laughter, betrayal, anger, forgiveness, and everything in between. The relationship between Beatriz and Benjamin is something out of a realistic fairytale, and the amount of times they had me blushing is too many to count. 🤭
While the FMC, Beatriz, is outgoing, talkative, and determined to make a life for herself, in walks Benjamin: tall, broody, and incredibly secretive. She is a bartender trying to make ends meet and find a career in her relevant field while he is a pro basketball player.
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, or so they thought. 🃏
Tropes:
Sports romance 🏀
Fake dating 💍
She falls first but he falls harder 💕
One bed (and he did it on purpose) 😮💨
He loves the dog more than her (maybe) 🐶
Grumpy x sunshine ☀️
BURLESQUE SCENE (turned freaky) (I'll probably re-read this scene multiple times) 😖
He grovels 🙏🏼
I will DEFINITELY be purchasing a physical copy to have and admire on my shelves. Jeanine Benedict is now on my list of auto-buy authors (and speaking of, I now need to read Midnight Kisses hehe).
♥️♠️♦️♣️
God I loved this book. I think I went through every human emotion while reading it: love, lust, laughter, betrayal, anger, forgiveness, and everything in between. The relationship between Beatriz and Benjamin is something out of a realistic fairytale, and the amount of times they had me blushing is too many to count. 🤭
While the FMC, Beatriz, is outgoing, talkative, and determined to make a life for herself, in walks Benjamin: tall, broody, and incredibly secretive. She is a bartender trying to make ends meet and find a career in her relevant field while he is a pro basketball player.
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, or so they thought. 🃏
Tropes:
Sports romance 🏀
Fake dating 💍
She falls first but he falls harder 💕
One bed (and he did it on purpose) 😮💨
He loves the dog more than her (maybe) 🐶
Grumpy x sunshine ☀️
BURLESQUE SCENE (turned freaky) (I'll probably re-read this scene multiple times) 😖
He grovels 🙏🏼
I will DEFINITELY be purchasing a physical copy to have and admire on my shelves. Jeanine Benedict is now on my list of auto-buy authors (and speaking of, I now need to read Midnight Kisses hehe).
December 3, 2024
This was a really fun and relatable fake dating romance, but I felt it wasn’t really for me. I loved that both main characters were flawed, and I really understood them. Ben made me kinda annoyed by how stubborn he could be. I loved his short interludes that gave an insight into what he was thinking and feeling. Bea was understandably the product of her environment but she made me mad at times. They both grew in the end and the book really showed that relationships do take a lot of work on both sides.
November 6, 2025
Contains the following:
◇Fake dating
◇Singular Pov with mini chapters of his pov
◇Latina FMC
◇Diversity
The Review:
Started well, I was interested and hooked, until somewhere in the middle kinda lost interest. Could have been the lack of communication about their feelings, that made me put it down for a bit and then slowly read it until it hooked me up again. But yeah Beatriz and Ben should have worked on their communication skills since well shit got serious honestly.
◇Fake dating
◇Singular Pov with mini chapters of his pov
◇Latina FMC
◇Diversity
The Review:
Started well, I was interested and hooked, until somewhere in the middle kinda lost interest. Could have been the lack of communication about their feelings, that made me put it down for a bit and then slowly read it until it hooked me up again. But yeah Beatriz and Ben should have worked on their communication skills since well shit got serious honestly.
September 12, 2025
Benjamin & Beatriz
November 16, 2024
ARC Review
⤷ 4 ⭐️
This was such an adorable read! Also, can we talk about how HILARIOUS this book is??? I couldn't stop laughing for one second throughout this book. Another thing I wholeheartedly adore was how the author connected the characters and their personalities to their past. I think this is an absolutely crucial factor to show why the character is acting like such! While reading, I sometimes felt like the book was taking a very rushed route but other times it was the normal and casual slow burn BUT I loved how Beatriz was seen by everyone as a hopeless romantic but little did they know how some people become such when they don't feel like they're loved nor do they even get the love by the ones around them.
✿ This was such a funny and absolutely adorable read! Thank you @itsjeanyb for the ARC! 🥹🫶🏼🌟
Tropes / Microtropes:
✩ What happens in Vegas, STAYS in Vegas
✩ Hates everyone BUT her
✩ Sweet & absolutely HILARIOUS bantering
✩ He calls her his bunny 🥹
✩ Slow burn
✩ One bed & forced proximity
✩ Angsty!!
⤷ 4 ⭐️
This was such an adorable read! Also, can we talk about how HILARIOUS this book is??? I couldn't stop laughing for one second throughout this book. Another thing I wholeheartedly adore was how the author connected the characters and their personalities to their past. I think this is an absolutely crucial factor to show why the character is acting like such! While reading, I sometimes felt like the book was taking a very rushed route but other times it was the normal and casual slow burn BUT I loved how Beatriz was seen by everyone as a hopeless romantic but little did they know how some people become such when they don't feel like they're loved nor do they even get the love by the ones around them.
✿ This was such a funny and absolutely adorable read! Thank you @itsjeanyb for the ARC! 🥹🫶🏼🌟
Tropes / Microtropes:
✩ What happens in Vegas, STAYS in Vegas
✩ Hates everyone BUT her
✩ Sweet & absolutely HILARIOUS bantering
✩ He calls her his bunny 🥹
✩ Slow burn
✩ One bed & forced proximity
✩ Angsty!!
September 19, 2024
5/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ with perfect 🌶️🌶️🌶️ I would give it more if I could. I had the privilege of reading the VERY ARC for this book!
Where do I begin. Holly Molly I have never read better banter and chemistry. I was laughing so hard because the banter was bantering between these two. No filters. Just intrusive thoughts and all and bickering but in the best possible way. This book is for all the girls that fall in love so easy and are so sick of being a side character and want to be the one the guy chooses. The one he falls in love with. YALL THIS IS THAT BOOK. She is every delulu girly who thinks the hot guy jogging at the park was checking her out 😭 and when she tried to change and give herself self worth she has to learn new lessons and is challenged in the best way possible (aka the hot as sin quite grumpy basketball player Ben). Now before I dive into Ben and Bea’s characters, can we talk about her best friend. I cackled my heart out. I LOVE Halima. I want her to have her own story 😭. The side characters were a favorite! And seeing Greta and Otis from Midnight Kisses doing what they do best WAS MY FAVORITE SUPRISE!
Okay now my favorite thing about this author is her books always have a reality element that we can relate to. It’s nice reading romance but it’s boring when every book is the same narrative. That’s not the case here. Jeannie always has elements that ground you in her books and let you reflect in your own life. Bea, and her struggles to find a job after graduating and all her student loans hit home. This writer is always so good at relating to real life struggles. I cried like a baby at Beas pain end of chapter two and cried when she finally had a chance but was too scared to share the news in fear of disappointing those she cared about. I don’t want to spoil anything so I won’t elaborate. Also, her relationship with her sister was so heartwarming, I freaking loved Fer. Her toxic relationship with her parents and how she over came that was heavy and hard to read but therapeutic at the same time.
Now let’s talk Ben, he was interesting to figure out. I loved that he is always seemed one way to the world (granted it’s due to his own traumas and experiences) but another way with Bea and Dog. He was always so competitive and in his own ego/competitiveness didn’t realize how much he was falling for her. His word of the day always made my day with laughter. And the way that ANYTIME Bea made a comment about something (be it food or expressing something she wanted) HE ALWAYS listened and learned and tried to give it her by the next day. Before they were anything. Even when they were just friends.
The spice was SPICY 🌶️🌶️🌶️ 🥵. Let’s just say Ben has a very healthy appetite 😉
Next, I just think it was just down right foul calling the cat Tripod and yall will learn why lmao
Also, can we talk about Chapter names. I FREAKING LOVED the chapter names, they got me so giddy and excited throughout (ex: Scub-A-Dub-Dub, Rub that Nub) you can only imagine what this chapter is going to be about haha
One thing I wish we had more of was Ben’s interludes. I was looking forward to those like water in the sahara dessert.
Overall, loved this book and was so grateful for a very ARC!
Where do I begin. Holly Molly I have never read better banter and chemistry. I was laughing so hard because the banter was bantering between these two. No filters. Just intrusive thoughts and all and bickering but in the best possible way. This book is for all the girls that fall in love so easy and are so sick of being a side character and want to be the one the guy chooses. The one he falls in love with. YALL THIS IS THAT BOOK. She is every delulu girly who thinks the hot guy jogging at the park was checking her out 😭 and when she tried to change and give herself self worth she has to learn new lessons and is challenged in the best way possible (aka the hot as sin quite grumpy basketball player Ben). Now before I dive into Ben and Bea’s characters, can we talk about her best friend. I cackled my heart out. I LOVE Halima. I want her to have her own story 😭. The side characters were a favorite! And seeing Greta and Otis from Midnight Kisses doing what they do best WAS MY FAVORITE SUPRISE!
Okay now my favorite thing about this author is her books always have a reality element that we can relate to. It’s nice reading romance but it’s boring when every book is the same narrative. That’s not the case here. Jeannie always has elements that ground you in her books and let you reflect in your own life. Bea, and her struggles to find a job after graduating and all her student loans hit home. This writer is always so good at relating to real life struggles. I cried like a baby at Beas pain end of chapter two and cried when she finally had a chance but was too scared to share the news in fear of disappointing those she cared about. I don’t want to spoil anything so I won’t elaborate. Also, her relationship with her sister was so heartwarming, I freaking loved Fer. Her toxic relationship with her parents and how she over came that was heavy and hard to read but therapeutic at the same time.
Now let’s talk Ben, he was interesting to figure out. I loved that he is always seemed one way to the world (granted it’s due to his own traumas and experiences) but another way with Bea and Dog. He was always so competitive and in his own ego/competitiveness didn’t realize how much he was falling for her. His word of the day always made my day with laughter. And the way that ANYTIME Bea made a comment about something (be it food or expressing something she wanted) HE ALWAYS listened and learned and tried to give it her by the next day. Before they were anything. Even when they were just friends.
The spice was SPICY 🌶️🌶️🌶️ 🥵. Let’s just say Ben has a very healthy appetite 😉
Next, I just think it was just down right foul calling the cat Tripod and yall will learn why lmao
Also, can we talk about Chapter names. I FREAKING LOVED the chapter names, they got me so giddy and excited throughout (ex: Scub-A-Dub-Dub, Rub that Nub) you can only imagine what this chapter is going to be about haha
One thing I wish we had more of was Ben’s interludes. I was looking forward to those like water in the sahara dessert.
Overall, loved this book and was so grateful for a very ARC!
November 3, 2024
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you so much, Jeanine Bennedict!
“In his hold, I see us as Bea and Ben, the couple, and not Beatriz and Benjamin, the fakers. It’s a wonderful sight to behold. I’m only too hopeful for if— when— it’ll become a reality.”
Beatriz, a grad student balancing her master's and her job as a bartender. It’s at the bar where she meets Benjamin, a standoffish, famous basketball player. Their connection is unexpected and a friendship of sorts is built—if you even can call it that.
Things take a wild turn when Ben’s teammates show up at the bar to rile him up, and Bea, in a classic "think before you leap" moment, decides to defend him. In a burst of impulse, she claims they’re not just dating, but engaged! Cue the awkwardness, because Ben is not thrilled about Bea’s help. But reluctantly accepts the situation.
As a result of Bea's innocent lie, she finds herself accompanying Ben on a three-week team retreat in Las Vegas. The chemistry between Bea and Ben only grows as they navigate this unexpected journey together.
I was so excited about this book, I loved Midnight Kisses and truly couldn't wait for another book by Jeanine. And as soon as I knew the FMC was a Brazilian, I was even more excited!
I forgot how angsty her books can be, and with Ben and Bea it was no different. They went through a lot. It's really amazing how Jeanine always writes such layered characters. They can annoy you—multiple times I wanted to shake some sense into them—but you can't say you don't know where their behavior come from.
I absolutely loved Bea! I could relate to her so much, and not just because she's a Brazilian, that was just the cherry on top. Her character development was incredible and a journey I really enjoyed following. I think it's the thing I loved the most about the book. I also appreciated how her Brazilian culture was portrayed; it felt very respectful. The inclusion of Portuguese was on point and felt completely natural. I really loved it!
But let's talk about Benjamin. Ben is... something else. My feelings toward him weren’t constant; they swung from loving to I-want-to-choke-him-not-in-a-sexy-way. But I get that he’s a complicated guy. As I mentioned, the characters are layered, and they never claimed to be perfect. But, wow, Ben really pissed me off at times. He had some serious groveling to do; he fucked up big time. There was a lot of buildup for his redemption, but I felt like it wasn’t quite enough? It seemed like he was just repeating himself. I expected more, but I guess that was very much in character for him. Still, he was hard not to like. Despite his shortcomings, he comes from a good place—we know that. And let’s not forget, he’s learning Portuguese for Bea, period. I literally squealed when Ben spoke in Portuguese for the first time! Fofo 🥰
And last but definitely not least, I fucking love Halima! Everyone should have a friend like her. Truly, anyone who makes brigadeiro to cheer you up is a keeper.
“In his hold, I see us as Bea and Ben, the couple, and not Beatriz and Benjamin, the fakers. It’s a wonderful sight to behold. I’m only too hopeful for if— when— it’ll become a reality.”
Beatriz, a grad student balancing her master's and her job as a bartender. It’s at the bar where she meets Benjamin, a standoffish, famous basketball player. Their connection is unexpected and a friendship of sorts is built—if you even can call it that.
Things take a wild turn when Ben’s teammates show up at the bar to rile him up, and Bea, in a classic "think before you leap" moment, decides to defend him. In a burst of impulse, she claims they’re not just dating, but engaged! Cue the awkwardness, because Ben is not thrilled about Bea’s help. But reluctantly accepts the situation.
As a result of Bea's innocent lie, she finds herself accompanying Ben on a three-week team retreat in Las Vegas. The chemistry between Bea and Ben only grows as they navigate this unexpected journey together.
I was so excited about this book, I loved Midnight Kisses and truly couldn't wait for another book by Jeanine. And as soon as I knew the FMC was a Brazilian, I was even more excited!
I forgot how angsty her books can be, and with Ben and Bea it was no different. They went through a lot. It's really amazing how Jeanine always writes such layered characters. They can annoy you—multiple times I wanted to shake some sense into them—but you can't say you don't know where their behavior come from.
I absolutely loved Bea! I could relate to her so much, and not just because she's a Brazilian, that was just the cherry on top. Her character development was incredible and a journey I really enjoyed following. I think it's the thing I loved the most about the book. I also appreciated how her Brazilian culture was portrayed; it felt very respectful. The inclusion of Portuguese was on point and felt completely natural. I really loved it!
But let's talk about Benjamin. Ben is... something else. My feelings toward him weren’t constant; they swung from loving to I-want-to-choke-him-not-in-a-sexy-way. But I get that he’s a complicated guy. As I mentioned, the characters are layered, and they never claimed to be perfect. But, wow, Ben really pissed me off at times. He had some serious groveling to do; he fucked up big time. There was a lot of buildup for his redemption, but I felt like it wasn’t quite enough? It seemed like he was just repeating himself. I expected more, but I guess that was very much in character for him. Still, he was hard not to like. Despite his shortcomings, he comes from a good place—we know that. And let’s not forget, he’s learning Portuguese for Bea, period. I literally squealed when Ben spoke in Portuguese for the first time! Fofo 🥰
And last but definitely not least, I fucking love Halima! Everyone should have a friend like her. Truly, anyone who makes brigadeiro to cheer you up is a keeper.
November 5, 2024
3.5⭐️
1.75🌶️
I was so excited for Call My Bluff, especially after being completely in love with Midnight Kisses. A slow-burn, fake-dating romance between a struggling bartender and a pro basketball player? Right up my alley! This book was packed with funny moments, awesome banter, and such relatable characters. But even though I enjoyed it, it didn’t quite reach the same level as Midnight Kisses for me.
Let’s start with Bea—she’s amazing! I loved her grit and how relatable her struggles felt. Her family issues, her career frustrations, her Brazilian heritage… it all made her feel so real, especially with the casual Portuguese woven into her dialogue. And she has these small quirks, like insisting Ben can’t lie on the bed in his outside clothes, that are so funny and so real. I was cheering for her the whole time.
Then there’s Benjamin. He’s... complicated. My feelings about him swung all over the place. Sometimes I loved him, sometimes he drove me insane. He’s layered, and he messed up big time with Bea, so I was waiting for a real redemption moment. And while he did try to make things right, I felt like his efforts were a little underwhelming. He ended up just throwing money at her problems, which felt like a shortcut instead of real groveling. And after six months apart, I wanted more. He did get points for learning Portuguese for her—that was adorable and made me squeal—but overall, I wanted him to step it up.
Now, on the third-act breakup. Normally, I’m not a fan of these, but this one was actually done really well! It felt believable, and I liked the tension it added. The breakup itself felt realistic and even necessary, but the part that bothered me was after the breakup. It took them more than six months to find their way back to each other, and I kept waiting for Ben to really step up. When he finally made his move, it was more of a “throw money at the problem and hope it’s enough” situation, which was a letdown. And Bea forgave him so quickly that I wished she’d made him work a bit harder for it.
Bea and Ben together are pure chaos in the best way! Their banter and chemistry are hilarious, and they get into so many ridiculous situations that had me laughing out loud. The downside was that the story started to feel too long, especially in the last 25%. There was a lot of focus on their time in Vegas, and it got repetitive, slowing down the pace. At 508 pages, I think it could’ve been tighter.
And can we talk about the cameos? Loved, loved, loved getting to see my babies Greta & Otis from Midnight Kisses again after all these years! Seeing them, plus a couple of other familiar faces from Jeanine’s debut, was such a fun surprise and made me want to dive back into a reread of their story!
I was absolutely thrilled when I saw that I got the ARC for this book! It was super cute, fun, and filled with real, flawed characters who kept me hooked, even if it had its slow spots. Thank you so much to Jeanine for this amazing ARC—I’m so grateful for the chance to read it early! If you’re into laugh-out-loud romance with characters who don’t have it all together but still make it work, this one’s worth a read!
1.75🌶️
I was so excited for Call My Bluff, especially after being completely in love with Midnight Kisses. A slow-burn, fake-dating romance between a struggling bartender and a pro basketball player? Right up my alley! This book was packed with funny moments, awesome banter, and such relatable characters. But even though I enjoyed it, it didn’t quite reach the same level as Midnight Kisses for me.
Let’s start with Bea—she’s amazing! I loved her grit and how relatable her struggles felt. Her family issues, her career frustrations, her Brazilian heritage… it all made her feel so real, especially with the casual Portuguese woven into her dialogue. And she has these small quirks, like insisting Ben can’t lie on the bed in his outside clothes, that are so funny and so real. I was cheering for her the whole time.
Then there’s Benjamin. He’s... complicated. My feelings about him swung all over the place. Sometimes I loved him, sometimes he drove me insane. He’s layered, and he messed up big time with Bea, so I was waiting for a real redemption moment. And while he did try to make things right, I felt like his efforts were a little underwhelming. He ended up just throwing money at her problems, which felt like a shortcut instead of real groveling. And after six months apart, I wanted more. He did get points for learning Portuguese for her—that was adorable and made me squeal—but overall, I wanted him to step it up.
Now, on the third-act breakup. Normally, I’m not a fan of these, but this one was actually done really well! It felt believable, and I liked the tension it added. The breakup itself felt realistic and even necessary, but the part that bothered me was after the breakup. It took them more than six months to find their way back to each other, and I kept waiting for Ben to really step up. When he finally made his move, it was more of a “throw money at the problem and hope it’s enough” situation, which was a letdown. And Bea forgave him so quickly that I wished she’d made him work a bit harder for it.
Bea and Ben together are pure chaos in the best way! Their banter and chemistry are hilarious, and they get into so many ridiculous situations that had me laughing out loud. The downside was that the story started to feel too long, especially in the last 25%. There was a lot of focus on their time in Vegas, and it got repetitive, slowing down the pace. At 508 pages, I think it could’ve been tighter.
And can we talk about the cameos? Loved, loved, loved getting to see my babies Greta & Otis from Midnight Kisses again after all these years! Seeing them, plus a couple of other familiar faces from Jeanine’s debut, was such a fun surprise and made me want to dive back into a reread of their story!
I was absolutely thrilled when I saw that I got the ARC for this book! It was super cute, fun, and filled with real, flawed characters who kept me hooked, even if it had its slow spots. Thank you so much to Jeanine for this amazing ARC—I’m so grateful for the chance to read it early! If you’re into laugh-out-loud romance with characters who don’t have it all together but still make it work, this one’s worth a read!
July 3, 2025
10/10
Read it
I fucking adore this book. Before I get into that I wanna say I love this author. I saw in my first review that I wrote I bet she is a poc in her 20s and she is literally MENA. I said this because I was like this is exactly what I love. What I would come up with. Like there is a kinship here.
Anyways I fucking adore this author. And one of the bits that really sold this authors amazing mind for me was the Benjamin interludes. Omg. 10/10 notes. Great idea. (Mariana Zapata love ya but take notes) omg wait and the chapter names too.
I adore both the characters and their banter and EVERTHING
I love HALIMA
I felt so connected to the Characters and felt like I could relate to them.
Like with Halima and wanting a son just to raise him the way her mum shoulda raised hers and the family dynamic there. Raised in an East African Muslim home. I feel you. Her getting Bens emails was so cute and the lil relationship they formed.
Then B and her family issues especially with her parents was relatable on a level. If I was her bestie I’d tell her to cut them offffff. But I also get how hard that can be especially with siblings involved.
Omg BEN BEN BENNNNNN in the last third when he was saying shit like I miss you and being such a little shit I was so happy I wasn’t B coz I woulda folded. He is too cute but a bit unaware? So happy he sought out therapy on his own. Wish we got to see more of his family and why he acted the way he did a little more. But overall he is so FINEEEEE AND KIND AND CUTE AND FUNNY AND FINEEEEE
And Be ah treez did I get that right. Love love her. She is hilarious. Love that she is a delusional lover girl. We’d get on great. I’d say I’m half her half Halima and maybe a dash of Ben. Anways I also love how kind she is and how she stood up for him and then how she stood up for herself. Coz you should always do what’s best for you in these situations. (Rocky relationships)
I fucking loved their back and forth. Their banter. Their sweet moments ALL THEIR MOMENTS. They literally just fit. And I liked the time line. I think they needed that. God I could talk on and on about how I just loved any interaction these two had. The fights about Dog. Dying. Him and Doggggg. It’s like the most adorable thing but also like it’s a dog babe. (Don’t shoot me Ben I love you)
Read it
I fucking adore this book. Before I get into that I wanna say I love this author. I saw in my first review that I wrote I bet she is a poc in her 20s and she is literally MENA. I said this because I was like this is exactly what I love. What I would come up with. Like there is a kinship here.
Anyways I fucking adore this author. And one of the bits that really sold this authors amazing mind for me was the Benjamin interludes. Omg. 10/10 notes. Great idea. (Mariana Zapata love ya but take notes) omg wait and the chapter names too.
I adore both the characters and their banter and EVERTHING
I love HALIMA
I felt so connected to the Characters and felt like I could relate to them.
Like with Halima and wanting a son just to raise him the way her mum shoulda raised hers and the family dynamic there. Raised in an East African Muslim home. I feel you. Her getting Bens emails was so cute and the lil relationship they formed.
Then B and her family issues especially with her parents was relatable on a level. If I was her bestie I’d tell her to cut them offffff. But I also get how hard that can be especially with siblings involved.
Omg BEN BEN BENNNNNN in the last third when he was saying shit like I miss you and being such a little shit I was so happy I wasn’t B coz I woulda folded. He is too cute but a bit unaware? So happy he sought out therapy on his own. Wish we got to see more of his family and why he acted the way he did a little more. But overall he is so FINEEEEE AND KIND AND CUTE AND FUNNY AND FINEEEEE
And Be ah treez did I get that right. Love love her. She is hilarious. Love that she is a delusional lover girl. We’d get on great. I’d say I’m half her half Halima and maybe a dash of Ben. Anways I also love how kind she is and how she stood up for him and then how she stood up for herself. Coz you should always do what’s best for you in these situations. (Rocky relationships)
I fucking loved their back and forth. Their banter. Their sweet moments ALL THEIR MOMENTS. They literally just fit. And I liked the time line. I think they needed that. God I could talk on and on about how I just loved any interaction these two had. The fights about Dog. Dying. Him and Doggggg. It’s like the most adorable thing but also like it’s a dog babe. (Don’t shoot me Ben I love you)
October 27, 2024
I feel it is a cliché to say this, but Call My Bluff changed my perspective of the world. (Corny, I know!) But the way Jeany brought the characters of Bea and Ben to life was just...so human. So perfectly imperfect.
Bea- oh Bea, I feel you girl. I figure there is always a time in a woman’s life where all she wants is to love and be loved in return (cue Moulin Rouge). I’m going to be completely honest, I had a rough start in reading this book. I didn’t feel like I could relate to Bea at all, until I realized she is, actually, exactly like me. More than I cared to admit at first. But her character growth throughout the book is what sold it for me. She has spent her whole life giving over her entire self (be it emotionally and/or physically), just to feel 0.5% of that reciprocated back to her. And that led to insecurities (Was she enough? Why was she never “the one” that got the guy?). But it was the turning point in the book where she realized that with Ben, she wasn’t going to sell herself short or minimize her feelings just to make him feel good, that sold me. She chose herself, her opinions, her choices, her wants, her passions, her career- she chose to love herself. And sure, there are books out there with strong female protagonists that share the exact same message, but frankly, they ain’t the ones I’m reading. Call My Bluff has its spicy moments, and I’m not embarrassed or ashamed to admit that it took a sexy book to actually make me learn something about myself.
Don’t get me wrong, there is plenty of humor in this book (the witty banter is hysterical). And I’m not crazy to think that it might be groundbreaking for everyone. But for me, to say I enjoyed it is an understatement.
I only take of 0.5 a star because, Jeany, you broke my heart after that one scene (you know which!), stomped on it, and then presented it half mushed back together with sticky tape and a Post It with “Sorry you hate Ben in this moment! It gets better!!”. I hope Dog pees on your clothing in retaliation (just kidding!).
Bea- oh Bea, I feel you girl. I figure there is always a time in a woman’s life where all she wants is to love and be loved in return (cue Moulin Rouge). I’m going to be completely honest, I had a rough start in reading this book. I didn’t feel like I could relate to Bea at all, until I realized she is, actually, exactly like me. More than I cared to admit at first. But her character growth throughout the book is what sold it for me. She has spent her whole life giving over her entire self (be it emotionally and/or physically), just to feel 0.5% of that reciprocated back to her. And that led to insecurities (Was she enough? Why was she never “the one” that got the guy?). But it was the turning point in the book where she realized that with Ben, she wasn’t going to sell herself short or minimize her feelings just to make him feel good, that sold me. She chose herself, her opinions, her choices, her wants, her passions, her career- she chose to love herself. And sure, there are books out there with strong female protagonists that share the exact same message, but frankly, they ain’t the ones I’m reading. Call My Bluff has its spicy moments, and I’m not embarrassed or ashamed to admit that it took a sexy book to actually make me learn something about myself.
Don’t get me wrong, there is plenty of humor in this book (the witty banter is hysterical). And I’m not crazy to think that it might be groundbreaking for everyone. But for me, to say I enjoyed it is an understatement.
I only take of 0.5 a star because, Jeany, you broke my heart after that one scene (you know which!), stomped on it, and then presented it half mushed back together with sticky tape and a Post It with “Sorry you hate Ben in this moment! It gets better!!”. I hope Dog pees on your clothing in retaliation (just kidding!).
December 27, 2024
Tropes:
Bartender FMC
Spicy sports romance
Dyslexic MMC
Fake dating
Forced proximity
Friends to lovers
One bed
She falls first
He falls harder
Groveling
Comforting
Quiet MMC x Yapper FMC
Chronically in love FMC x Rarely in love MMC
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas
Our FMC is a chronic walking love craving machine. Our MMC is a savage basically and that’s me being nice. I loved his grumpy side. Loved it.
They have banter as friends. I laughed to my hearts desire.
Initially I thought he didn’t like like her. He didn’t show it or express it and it was hard to read. Gosh the man hid his emotions well. I mean the dog!!!! The Benjamin interludes were to die for but our FMC was gone girl. She fell first it was wild.
It’s how he shows he cares for her and it’s easy to see when he’s there for her, but does want anyone else around him.
The book showed me how we raised ripples into how we react in relationships as well. The FMC was seeking in validation in the wrong way, and it affected her relationship with the MMC. There was heavy miscommunication. I feel if she had gotten Therapy then she would’ve been able to work out most of my insecurities cause they were quite a lot. She wanted the guy to fall in love with her, but he’s different, in terms of how he falls in love hes just different. There is no one road on direction to falling in love.
Benjamin made the book beautiful. Bea made the book horrible. Up to the very end she was infuriating. I hoped she would get some therapy for her behavior too. She was horrible at some point. It was just bad. I don’t want to lie, but the chapters after they got together were unnecessary. I really tried to appreciate those chapters, but they didn’t make sense and I didn’t want to read them.
“Guys under 6 foot three have no right to break hearts since they can’t look down enough to.”
Bartender FMC
Spicy sports romance
Dyslexic MMC
Fake dating
Forced proximity
Friends to lovers
One bed
She falls first
He falls harder
Groveling
Comforting
Quiet MMC x Yapper FMC
Chronically in love FMC x Rarely in love MMC
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas
Our FMC is a chronic walking love craving machine. Our MMC is a savage basically and that’s me being nice. I loved his grumpy side. Loved it.
They have banter as friends. I laughed to my hearts desire.
Initially I thought he didn’t like like her. He didn’t show it or express it and it was hard to read. Gosh the man hid his emotions well. I mean the dog!!!! The Benjamin interludes were to die for but our FMC was gone girl. She fell first it was wild.
It’s how he shows he cares for her and it’s easy to see when he’s there for her, but does want anyone else around him.
The book showed me how we raised ripples into how we react in relationships as well. The FMC was seeking in validation in the wrong way, and it affected her relationship with the MMC. There was heavy miscommunication. I feel if she had gotten Therapy then she would’ve been able to work out most of my insecurities cause they were quite a lot. She wanted the guy to fall in love with her, but he’s different, in terms of how he falls in love hes just different. There is no one road on direction to falling in love.
Benjamin made the book beautiful. Bea made the book horrible. Up to the very end she was infuriating. I hoped she would get some therapy for her behavior too. She was horrible at some point. It was just bad. I don’t want to lie, but the chapters after they got together were unnecessary. I really tried to appreciate those chapters, but they didn’t make sense and I didn’t want to read them.
“Guys under 6 foot three have no right to break hearts since they can’t look down enough to.”
November 2, 2024
Thank you to Jeanine for offering me an ARC copy of this book to read. I loved this story. Usually, I am not one to add something that wasn't from the story, but I wanted to mention the fantastic author's note at the beginning. A lot of times, people can forget how narcissistic relationships can be different for everyone. Thank you, Jeanine, for taking the time to write about this rather than putting it in a simple trigger warning and calling it a day.
This story follows Beatriz, a bartender desperately trying to work towards a real job, and Benjamin, an NBA superstar who is, of course, loaded. When a misunderstanding happens, they are suddenly in Vegas while faking an engagement for his mandatory team-building retreat. Does what happens in Vegas stay in Vegas?
I say this often and repetitively, but fake dating (let alone fake engagement) can be a hit or miss for me. However, I think this was written very well and quite realistically. The characters weren't strangers before the fake engagement, making it flow much better. The character development was a little muddled in some spots for me. I wished they would talk it out multiple times, but the ending was pretty sweet. I would have, however, loved to see Ben dive more into his objections rather than just skimming over them; please give me all the tea. Overall, this story was adorable, and I think the transitions and spicy scenes flowed well together. I loved how, instead of a full second POV, we saw Ben's interlude, giving us a peek into his mindset.
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice rating: 🌶️🌶️
My favorite tropes of this read: Sports romance, One Bed, and Grumpy x Sunshine.
This story follows Beatriz, a bartender desperately trying to work towards a real job, and Benjamin, an NBA superstar who is, of course, loaded. When a misunderstanding happens, they are suddenly in Vegas while faking an engagement for his mandatory team-building retreat. Does what happens in Vegas stay in Vegas?
I say this often and repetitively, but fake dating (let alone fake engagement) can be a hit or miss for me. However, I think this was written very well and quite realistically. The characters weren't strangers before the fake engagement, making it flow much better. The character development was a little muddled in some spots for me. I wished they would talk it out multiple times, but the ending was pretty sweet. I would have, however, loved to see Ben dive more into his objections rather than just skimming over them; please give me all the tea. Overall, this story was adorable, and I think the transitions and spicy scenes flowed well together. I loved how, instead of a full second POV, we saw Ben's interlude, giving us a peek into his mindset.
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice rating: 🌶️🌶️
My favorite tropes of this read: Sports romance, One Bed, and Grumpy x Sunshine.
November 6, 2024
Everyone needs a friend like Halima! I loved everything about their friendship! And this book had me BAWLING my eyes out in the best way 🥰💕
4.5/5 ⭐️
3.5/5 🌶️
Tropes:
🔄Forced Proximity
💍Fake Dating/Fiancee
🏀Sports Romance
💕Friends to Lovers
💔Third Act Breakup
📞Miscommunication
The witty banter and genuine friendship between Bea and Ben was perfect! Reading it felt like having a gossip sesh with Bea and Halima, with Hal always providing the reality check needed. I enjoyed this writing style a lot!
I am not a fan of the third act breakup, but I felt this author made the fallout feel more realistic. It wasn’t necessarily a fairytale and one big gesture and all was forgiven. There was real, raw emotions and we got to feel the heartbreak with them. There was time in between to heal and grow and that made it feel more real.
This author not only focused on the romantic relationships but on the platonic ones as well- Bea and Halima, Bea with the WAGs, and Bea with her parents. I found myself relating to Bea, being the eldest daughter of immigrants and having dreams and expectations assigned to you, dealing with imposter syndrome and inadequacy.
It doesn’t start getting spicy until about half way through but those scenes are worth the wait.
I recommend you read this book and get to experience Bea and Ben and their dynamic, it’s worth the read!!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
4.5/5 ⭐️
3.5/5 🌶️
Tropes:
🔄Forced Proximity
💍Fake Dating/Fiancee
🏀Sports Romance
💕Friends to Lovers
💔Third Act Breakup
📞Miscommunication
The witty banter and genuine friendship between Bea and Ben was perfect! Reading it felt like having a gossip sesh with Bea and Halima, with Hal always providing the reality check needed. I enjoyed this writing style a lot!
I am not a fan of the third act breakup, but I felt this author made the fallout feel more realistic. It wasn’t necessarily a fairytale and one big gesture and all was forgiven. There was real, raw emotions and we got to feel the heartbreak with them. There was time in between to heal and grow and that made it feel more real.
This author not only focused on the romantic relationships but on the platonic ones as well- Bea and Halima, Bea with the WAGs, and Bea with her parents. I found myself relating to Bea, being the eldest daughter of immigrants and having dreams and expectations assigned to you, dealing with imposter syndrome and inadequacy.
It doesn’t start getting spicy until about half way through but those scenes are worth the wait.
I recommend you read this book and get to experience Bea and Ben and their dynamic, it’s worth the read!!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 5, 2024
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ (4.5)
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
*ARC Review*
Beatriz is probably one of the funniest and most realistic FMC’s that I have read. She was boy obsessed and easily got caught up in them claiming to be in love with them before having her heart broken pretty quickly when the sentiments weren’t returned. She was so relatable and I enjoyed her POV.
Benjamin was definitely a slow burn for me. He was scared of his feelings and was in denial for SO long about them, even denying them to Bea when confronted. I loved his little interludes throughout the book - they definitely saved his butt in my opinion. If it wasn’t for those chapters and his obvious inner turmoil regarding his feelings, I probably would have been rooting against him.
I really enjoyed that Ben had to actually grovel and grovel HARD to gain Bea’s forgiveness. And the forgiveness wasn’t given quickly, it took time and many acts of service to be truly received. I love seeing a MMC have to grovel and prove their love - I feel like they are usually forgiven far too quickly.
This book was a bit long, I felt like it took me forever to get through it. It was a great story, just seemed to drag in some places. There was a point when the amount of characters got a bit overwhelming and it was hard to keep them all straight. Thankfully, these side characters weren’t super important, so it wasn’t that big of a deal.
I will definitely be picking up more of Jeany’s books in the future.
Thank you for the ARC! ❤️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
*ARC Review*
Beatriz is probably one of the funniest and most realistic FMC’s that I have read. She was boy obsessed and easily got caught up in them claiming to be in love with them before having her heart broken pretty quickly when the sentiments weren’t returned. She was so relatable and I enjoyed her POV.
Benjamin was definitely a slow burn for me. He was scared of his feelings and was in denial for SO long about them, even denying them to Bea when confronted. I loved his little interludes throughout the book - they definitely saved his butt in my opinion. If it wasn’t for those chapters and his obvious inner turmoil regarding his feelings, I probably would have been rooting against him.
I really enjoyed that Ben had to actually grovel and grovel HARD to gain Bea’s forgiveness. And the forgiveness wasn’t given quickly, it took time and many acts of service to be truly received. I love seeing a MMC have to grovel and prove their love - I feel like they are usually forgiven far too quickly.
This book was a bit long, I felt like it took me forever to get through it. It was a great story, just seemed to drag in some places. There was a point when the amount of characters got a bit overwhelming and it was hard to keep them all straight. Thankfully, these side characters weren’t super important, so it wasn’t that big of a deal.
I will definitely be picking up more of Jeany’s books in the future.
Thank you for the ARC! ❤️
November 4, 2024
Truly and fully with funny, lovable and real characters.
I read Jeany’s debut novel when it originally came out, and i found it so beautiful and a very enjoyable read, but I can immediately see the change in her writing and let me tell you, if her first book was good this one exceeded my expectations.
Bea and Ben felt so real, with real problems that I sometimes see myself having, and real emotions. I honestly liked the way Jeany wrote the conflict between them, it felt real and not rushed like we sometimes read in other books. Their emotions and doubts felt genuine, it was refreshing reading how our mfc took time for her own priorities and goals over rushing to be in a relationship. It puts into perspective the respect of one’s boundaries.
And don’t get me wrong, once you get the romantic point, you’ll fall in love with Ben, the most caring and attentive ( even though he won’t show it at first 🤭) person<3 I loved his interludes, they were the best part, he really is a grumpy but a softie inside💘 They give I hate everyone but you, guysss and it’s the most precious thing to read.
If you come from reading Midnight Kisses and you liked it I’ll say this one won’t let you down, and if you’re new here, give it a chance! Receiving the arc and reading this book definitely made my month!
I read Jeany’s debut novel when it originally came out, and i found it so beautiful and a very enjoyable read, but I can immediately see the change in her writing and let me tell you, if her first book was good this one exceeded my expectations.
Bea and Ben felt so real, with real problems that I sometimes see myself having, and real emotions. I honestly liked the way Jeany wrote the conflict between them, it felt real and not rushed like we sometimes read in other books. Their emotions and doubts felt genuine, it was refreshing reading how our mfc took time for her own priorities and goals over rushing to be in a relationship. It puts into perspective the respect of one’s boundaries.
And don’t get me wrong, once you get the romantic point, you’ll fall in love with Ben, the most caring and attentive ( even though he won’t show it at first 🤭) person<3 I loved his interludes, they were the best part, he really is a grumpy but a softie inside💘 They give I hate everyone but you, guysss and it’s the most precious thing to read.
If you come from reading Midnight Kisses and you liked it I’ll say this one won’t let you down, and if you’re new here, give it a chance! Receiving the arc and reading this book definitely made my month!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews