REVIEW: 'Losing It' by Christine d'Abo
Title: Losing It
Series: Ringside Romance #4
Author: Christine d'Abo
Published: February 19, 2018
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Cover Artist: L.C. Chase
Genre: Contemporary Romance; Erotic Romance
Length: 229 Pages
Tags: Gay; M/M; Friends to Lovers; Geek/Nerd; Humor; HEA; Standalone; CW: Off-Page Bullying
About Losing It
Finn Miller doesn’t do social. He works his IT job from home as often as he can to avoid people. If it weren’t for his weekly training sessions at Ringside Gym, he might never leave his apartment. And he only does that because of Leo, the gym member he’s in love with. When Finn gets talked into attending a speed dating fund-raiser at the gym, his greatest wish is to have the courage to try to say something—anything—to Leo.
Justin McCormick has spent most of his adult life being used, whether playing a corporate heavy, or acting as guard dog for his ward. So when he leaves Vancouver for a fresh start in Toronto, he doesn’t quite know what to do with himself.
The moment Justin sees Finn at a speed dating event, he knows there’s no way he’ll make it without a little help, so he offers to coach Finn on the art of conversation. What he doesn’t count on is his unexpected attraction to this shy boxer, or his fear that if Finn gets his way, Justin might lose out on his best chance at love.
4 HEART READ
REVIEW:
In Losing It, the fourth standalone novel of her Ringside Romance series, Christine d'Abo crosses Cyrano De Bergerac with The Wizard of Oz. Her update is equally classic.
Justin's job, babysitting a rich man's wild teen-aged son (Grady) into adulthood, requires all Justin’s glibness to smooth talk Grady's rebellious kerfluffles. But when Justin refuses to come between Grady and his true love, Grady's wealthy father obstructs Justin's employment options in Vancouver. Eventually, even Justin's parents, “whose interest in having a child,” d’Abo informs readers, "had had more to do with their public persona and less to do with the urge to love and care for another human being," kick him out.
Though Justin expects to be rejected as a meddlesome manipulator, he swallows his pride, moves to Toronto, and asks Grady for work. Justin's surprised to find Grady thrilled to assist. Grady and his friends provide Justin with an apartment above their gym, and a job managing the decrepit building's extensive remodel.
Finn, a socially awkward computer geek, once bullied as a kid, exercises through fight sessions at the gym, where he lusts after the vain and shallow Leo. Finn’s coach pressures him into attending a speed dating event to benefit LGBTQ youth.
Justin takes pity and offers to coach the clueless Finn in wooing Leo... until Justin realizes he wants Finn for himself.
Though Justin carefully rescues and safely releases spiders, he believes he has no heart, that his relationships are merely functional. Finn perceives his social anxiety as proof he lacks courage, though he spars with an ex-MMA professional, the biggest man at the gym. And their cast of friends act as Oz's Wizard, proving Justin and Finn are simply too brainless to realize they are great guys.
This book is fun, start to finish. The manner in which Justin and Finn are presented, permits readers to know more about the men than they themselves do.
The plot is designed to reveal their true characters to them! And when a good writer lets characters push plot, the personalities end up as rich and nuanced as these two confused souls.
How will d'Abo force two lonely, awkward men to get from out of their own shadows? Losing It is gentle and humorous, embarrassing and silly, light-hearted yet serious, poignant and profound, a quick, delightful piece.
It reads like hot spiced cider on a chilly winter eve. Read Losing It to warm up your faith in humanity. And yet again, I’m irritated there aren’t half hearts. This is definitely a 4.5 heart romance.
A copy of Losing It was provided to Kimmers’ Erotic Book Banter, by Riptide Publishing, at no cost and with no expectations in return. We offer our fair and honest opinion on behalf of our readers.
Meet the Author
A romance novelist and short story writer, Christine has over thirty publications to her name. She loves to exercise and stops writing just long enough to keep her body in motion too. When she’s not pretending to be a ninja in her basement, she’s most likely spending time with her family and two dogs.
For more from Christine be sure and visit her website!
