Max Bet

by Frederika Bradford, C.L. Marie

This edition is no longer available. A revised version is currently in development.

[Three best friends. One city built on risk and reward. Grayson, Parker, and Alaric aren’t looking for love, but in Atlantic City, it finds them. Between private gambling tournaments and high-roller lifestyles, their carefree world is upended when romance brings unexpected challenges.

With sparks flying and emotions running high, they’ll have to decide if they’re willing to gamble on love—or fold before the final hand.]

Genres: Romance

425 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 30, 2022

About the author

Frederika Bradford writes swoon-worthy stories while juggling too many Spotify playlists (because silence is for villains) and researching murder—strictly for plot purposes, of course! She knits like a grandma with secrets, almost earned a brown belt in karate (twice, but who’s counting?), and belts out power ballads with a feminist women's chorus. Now based in Indianapolis after living coast-to-coast, she’s on a mission to turn every love story into an epic adventure—with a little chaos thrown in for fun.

Reviews

[Dea Farrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Frederika Bradford, CL Marie, and Goodreads for the gifted e-book.

Atlantic City is home to the Borgata Hotel & Casino. You can typically find Alaric, Grayson and Parker at the Borbata. For this trio of friends, who are more like brothers, the Borgata is their sometimes home.

Circumstances bring three very different women into the Borgata. When Laurel, Sadie, and Gemma cross paths with the trio of men, sparks start to fly. But are the couples willing to place bets and beat the odds in their relationships?

Max Bet is a fast, sexy read. The book was very short and it moved at such a fast pace I felt that the relationships of the characters weren't developed as well as they could have been. I would have liked to know more about Grayson, Parker, and Alaric's backstories. I also feel that giving each guy his own book would've allowed the relationships between the characters to be more fully developed. These characters felt rather two-dimensional at points throughout the story, likely because the authors had to divide their focus between six main characters. I did enjoy the story and I would have loved it if it was broken down into separate novels, that way each of the couples would have gotten the full attention their relationships deserved.

[Heather Heckman · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is omniscient 3rd person narrating, and there is no clear break when it changes perspective. From one sentence to the next, readers are experiencing a different character's thoughts. This is the worst case of head hopping I've read in a long time. Because there are six main characters, no single one is developed as much as I'd like. Why to the three guys have such a strong bond compared to all the acquaintances they've met in that lifestyle? The question is not posed in the text let alone answered. There are plenty of sex scenes, but they go by very quickly, with limited emotional impact and I did not savor them. It is not emotionally satisfying, but for it to be satisfying I would at minimum have to be invested.
I got this in one of Goodread's giveaways.

[Kayla Gray · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story. I can’t say it was the most well written or put together, but it was still a good read. I’m always a sucker for close friendship romances like this. The perspective was written in a way that jumped around a lot and not particularly in an organized way, but I was able to follow it fine. There could be some refining in the characters and I wasn’t a fan of how Grayson’s character fixated on Laurel’s size, but the overall story was good and I was still pulled in enough that I wanted to know what happened with these characters. The spice was good and there was a bit of action/twist to the end that was nice. I met the author and she was incredibly nice. I can only imagine how her talents will grow with each story she brings to life. I’ll look forward to future books.

[Lisa Rae Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Max Bet

I enjoyed this story so very much! The three guys were great friends which lead them to being there for each other. As each man found his other half, they all became great friends! Splendid book!!!

[Joy Rosales]

DNF @ 5% I received a copy of this ebook in a Goodreads giveaway. I found this to be kind of cringe-y and the writing style felt a little amateur.

[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

💕 Great amount of spice! This story is about the friendship/brotherhood of 3 men in their early thirties, all with ties to the high-roller gambling lifestyle. Each of these men end up pursuing relationships. The conflicts include jealousy, familial issues, fear of intimacy, and an age gap. Each couple has their own story arc, but the story is interwoven into one.

[Michelle Acevedo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Max Bet is a quick read, fun, steamy romance set against the Atlantic City backdrop. The story is packed with sizzling tension, quick banter as 3 couples collide in both business and pleasure. It’s a fast, engaging read with just the right mix of passion and heart, perfect for anyone looking for a quick escape.