The Odds of You

Over the last few years I’ve been enjoying Scotland-based romances. This made The Odds of You by Kate Dramis stand out among this week’s new releases.

Sage Collins quit her job to become an author, and though her first book was a bestseller, she has intense writer’s block as she starts working on her sequel. Adding to the drama is the rumors swirling that she’s dating rising actor Theo Sharpe—just because they were seated next to each other on a plane, and he caught her when she tripped at baggage claim. To escape it all and focus on writing, Sage books a retreat in Scotland… only for Theo to be in the same town as her. Despite denying the dating rumors, there is a spark between them, but there may also be too many differences to overcome if they want to move from casual to serious relationship.

What I Liked:

• Examining ADHD, perfectionism, “potential,” and parents’ expectations. The driving force of The Odds of You is Sage’s mental state as she begins writing her second book. She has intense impostor syndrome, largely fueled by her judgmental parents (I kind of hated them) and sensitivity to internet perception. She’s a whole mess right now! I really felt for her, even though I wished she could take a step back and gain perspective. Theo is also coming up against judgment, with comparisons to his late brother’s unfulfilled acting potential. That was a particularly sad element here, but a way for him and Sage to connect as well.
• Examining creative careers. Sage is a writer; Theo is an actor. I loved their discussions around the arts, including the movie lessons Theo was giving Sage. I’m not exactly a film buff myself, but come on, Sage! Watch more movies! The characters also discuss the sustainability of doing what they love and working in creative spheres.

What Didn’t Work for Me:

• It takes a long time before the characters actually go to Scotland. Maybe I just latched on too hard when I saw the book cover and “Scotland” in the summary, but for a while I kept wondering if I was accidentally reading something else. The first third of The Odds of You is mainly set in New York and Los Angeles, and it feels like a lot of buildup. It could have been shorter. As it was, I was hoping for more of Scotland even when they finally were there.
• This is more women’s fiction than romance. A lot of books straddle the line, and while I can appreciate the genre and, indeed, many of the important themes here, I wish it had been a bit more focused on the romance. Sage was a little too stuck in her head for me!

Audio:

Georgina Sadler narrates the full novel, which is told from Sage’s point of view. She does a great job of capturing her stress, humor, and argumentative attitude—the whole spectrum of Sage’s personality! This audiobook kept me engaged from the very first chapter.

Final Thoughts

The Odds of You is a valuable story about worth, fulfillment, and finding love with someone who appreciates all of you. It’s an emotional book that will make a lot of readers feel seen. While I might not have been in the right headspace for this, it was still an enjoyable romance.

Special thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Get the Book

You can buy The Odds of You here – it’s available as a paperback, ebook, and audiobook.

The Odds of You by Kate Dramis
Audiobook Narrator	Georgina Sadler
Audience	Adult
Genre	Contemporary Romance; Women’s Fiction
Setting	Scotland; New York; LA
Number of Pages	352
Format I Read	Audiobook & Ebook (NetGalley ARCs)
Original Publication Date	January 6, 2025
Publisher	St. Martin’s Griffin

Official Summary

DELUXE LIMITED EDITION–featuring beautiful stenciled edges!

Once is chance. Twice is fate.

“This book made me remember why I fell in love with reading.” – B. Celeste

Sage Collins knows a thing or two about odds. A year ago, she was a data analyst until she burned it all down to pursue her dream of becoming an author. One whirlwind bestseller and a struggling second book later, and Sage isn’t sure she’ll ever write a novel again.

But then an accidental encounter with an irritating passenger on the flight to Comic Con leaves Sage in an untested position. That passenger is Theo Sharpe: a breakout actor on the cusp of fame. And, unfortunately, the paparazzi have mistaken her for his girlfriend.

Armed with signature British charm and a smile that could tame oceans, Theo wears fame like a well-fit coat…though Sage can see there’s something deeper held in his eyes. But his fans are too involved in the drama, the pressure to deliver the next bestseller is on, and Sage and Theo both must agree there’s nothing between them. They don’t have to acknowledge that saying it doesn’t make it true.

When Sage decides to flee to Scotland to clear her head and write her novel, she expects to find fresh air and the stillness to think. What she doesn’t expect is Theo Sharpe to come back into her life…and how he may be her greatest miscalculation of all.

An emotionally-charged novel in the vein of Ashley Poston and Yulin Kuang, The Odds of You is a smart and sexy first contemporary novel from bestselling romantasy author Kate Dramis.

“A raw and poignant love story.” – Tarah DeWitt