Betting on Red
by itsvlada
🎓 A campus romance with a bad boy-good girl trope…
- Genre
- YA/Teen
- Chapters
- 10
- Status
- Completed
- Reads
- 242
18+Review by Julia ·
At Elm Creek High, David has it all: he is untouchable, charming, and has lots of power. Teachers stay away from him, the guys want to be like him, and the girls fall at his feet. It has always been that way until Betty Moore showed up.
She had red hair, a sharp wit, and did not want me at all. She was different from everyone else, and that attracted me. David thinks it was the challenge, or maybe it was her, but he could not get her out of his mind.
David’s best friend, Nate, bet he could not charm Betty, and he should have ignored the bet, but he couldn’t. He told himself it was just a game out of boredom. The more time he spent with Betty, the more he forgot about the bet.
She was not a target anymore; she was someone David wanted to spend his time with. Then it fell apart, and now she hates the poor guy. He thought he was king of Elm Creek High, and a young woman proved him wrong.
Themes Discussed in Betting on Red
🏫 High school challenges
😈 Bad boy – good girl
🤝 Reputation and identity
❤️ First love
Reasons to Read Betting on Red
👩❤️👨 Enemies-to-lovers drama
📚 A romance explored in high school
😏 Banter, drama, and emotional twists
👍 Characters readers can easily relate to
Meet The Main Characters
👩🏻🦰 Betty Moore
The new girl at the school has red hair and a sharp tongue. She has no patience for arrogance and is smart and strong. Betty is the one person who does not fall at his feet.
😎 David Burns
David is Elm Creek High’s self-proclaimed jock. He is confident, arrogant, and always gets what he wants. The girls love him, the guys want to be him, and teachers avoid him. But when Betty enters his life, things change.
👌 This book will easily take you back to your college years. Explore how a man can change when he falls in love.
Betting on Red synopsis
People say I have it all—looks, charm, and the ability to get whatever I want. At Elm Creek High, I’m the king, and everyone knows it. Teachers avoid me, guys envy me, and girls? They fall at my feet. I don’t chase—I take. That’s how it’s always been.Then Betty Moore showed up. With her fiery red hair, sharp wit, and infuriating resistance to my charm, she wasn’t like anyone else. She made it clear from day one that she wasn’t impressed by me, and for the first time, I wanted to change that. Maybe it was the challenge, maybe it was her, but I couldn’t get her out of my head.When my best friend Nate bet me I couldn’t make her fall for me, I should’ve walked away. But I didn’t. I told myself it was just a game—a way to kill the boredom. But the more time I spent with Betty, the more I started to forget the bet. She wasn’t just a target anymore. She was smart, strong, and real in a way I didn’t know I needed.Then it all fell apart. Now she hates me, and the worst part? I don’t blame her. I thought I was the king of Elm Creek High. Turns out, I’m just a guy trying not to lose the only girl who can see right through me.
Read Betting on Red – “The King Gets Bored”
David Burns strolled into Elm Creek High with the confidence of someone who owned the place—and in a way, he did. The whispers started as soon as he crossed the threshold. Girls nudged their friends, boys nodded in silent respect, and teachers subtly glanced away, pretending not to notice the school’s resident bad boy sauntering in fifteen minutes late.
At the front desk, Mrs. Carter sighed audibly when he appeared, her lips pressing into a thin line. She tried to look stern, but David caught the faint blush creeping up her cheeks.
“Good morning, Mrs. C,” he said, his voice smooth as honey. “Did you do something different with your hair? Looks great.”
Her face turned scarlet. “Mr. Burns, you’re late. Again.”
“Am I? Must be my watch,” he said with a charming smile, tapping his wrist. “Or maybe I just couldn’t stay away from this lovely office.”
She sighed again, gesturing for him to move along. “Go to class, David.”
“Anything for you, Mrs. C.” He winked as he walked away, her flustered expression giving him a small boost of satisfaction. Too easy.
By the time he reached his locker, the hallway was buzzing with energy. Sophie, the blonde cheerleader he’d hooked up with last weekend, was already waiting for him. She leaned against the locker next to his, twirling a strand of hair around her finger and pretending not to notice him.
“Hey, David,” she said when he stopped to open his locker. Her voice was high-pitched, breathy. Fake.
“Morning, Soph,” he replied, not even looking at her as he grabbed his books. “Shouldn’t you be off practicing that pyramid thing you all do?”
Sophie giggled, louder than necessary. “Not until after school. Want to come watch?”
He shut his locker with a shrug. “Maybe. We’ll see.”
Tropes
- Affair
- Sexy
- Mr. Player
- Campus Romance
- Bad boy
- Steamy