Release Day Review by Kristie: Losing It (Ringside Romance #4), by Christine d’Abo

Losing It, by Christine d’Abo
Series: Ringside Romance, Book 4
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Release Date: February 19, 2018

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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 fundraiser 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.

M/M Pairing
Gay Characters
Contemporary
Romance
HFN
Friends to Lovers
Self-Discovery
Confidence
Social Anxiety
Trust Issues
UST

Losing It is the fourth installment in the Ringside Romance series, and possibly my favorite so far. This story was delightful, pretty romantic, and had me from the first pages.

While you don’t need to have read the previous books in the series, this one stands on its own just fine, having met Justin already in a previous book added to my enjoyment. I already had a pretty good idea about who Justin was, what he was about, and how much that wall he always puts up needed to come down before he could trust someone… or more like, how much work another person would have to do. This helped significantly in Losing It becuase I had to much more sympathy for his situation. It made me love him even more.

Finn and Justin have an instant chemistry, lust that is right there on the surface, but because Fin has a major thing for Leo, and Justin is really trying to find his place in the world, their friendship builds first. And I loved it! Relationships that have a strong friendship will always win out for me in any story.

What this book did for me the most was bring me into their lives, keep me there, and rewarded me with a great ending. The character development is fantastic and I really felt that I got to know both Finn and Justin. Each complex with insecurities that make it hard for them to form new friendships and relationships with new people. But once they are comfortable enough to let someone in, it’s really fun to see. I loved the communication between both of them, how each could read each other well, and how they were able to help each other work through personal issues.

There are some great appearences from past Ringside characters, all adding to the depth of this story, but also keeping the series as a whole more complete. I hope we get more Ringside Romance in the future, if only to check in on Finn and Justin, because I think they have my heart.

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.

Connect with Christine:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Tumblr