Losing it by author, Christine D’abo is the fourth book in the Ringside Romance series. I did not read this series in order. I did understand this book. However, there are side characters that were obviously from other books, I did not get so well. I think readers who have followed the series though will love that. I know when I do, I love catching up on previous characters and seeing where they are now.
Finn is a computer geek. He is shy and not much of a people person. But I liked him a lot he is smart and sexy.
Justin has spent most of his life being used in one way or another. He wants a fresh start.
I also loved him. He tries very hard even when things do not always go his way.
I liked this story very much and cannot wait for more in this series in the future.


Five Shooting Stars

I loved this book! Super cute. Will recommend for sure! This book was exactly what I didn't know I was looking for!

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.

Loved "Working It" a lot. Haaaaated "Faking It". Missed the third book, but thankfully this is closer in tone to Working It. Liked the friends helping each other out that turns into so much more plot. A nice book.

I loved this book. Really cute romance and a plot that kept me reading right to the last page. Fabulous.

Losing It by Christine D’Abo
Book #4: Ringside Romance Series
Source: Netgalley
My Rating: 4½/5 stars

I have loved this series from the very beginning and Losing It is just one more excellent read in the series!

When first we met Justin McCormick (in book #3, Making It) he was not the nicest of men. In fact, Justin rather delighted in being the bad guy. Over the course of a decade, Justin has earned quite the reputation as an uncompromising, stone cold, shrewd business man willing to go to any length to protect his ward and please his boss. With his skillset, Justin is incredibly employable, but his reputation and past actions have closed a great number of doors. With a dwindling back account balance and no prospects in Vancouver, Justin packs his bags and heads to Toronto.

Though he never expected the kindness, Justin’s former ward, Grady, is willing to help Justin get back on his feet. Within hours of arriving in Toronto, Justin has a place to live and a temporary job. With nothing else to do and only one friend in the area, Justin sets to work turning his awful apartment into a showroom! Since he doesn’t intend to become a proper hermit, Justin also becomes involved in the goings on at Ringside Gym. First up, attending/volunteering at a ridiculous charity speed dating event.

Finn Miller has no interest in attending Ringside Gym’s speed dating event. Oh, he doesn’t mind donating money, it is a charity event after all, but he is only interested in dating one man. Trouble is, Finn has an incredibly difficult time speaking to others. Thanks to a horrifying array of childhood bullying, Finn has learned to keep his mouth closed and only offer the briefest of replies when absolutely necessary. Finn’s silence/inability to talk to others has become nearly pathological except in two circumstances, when he is discussing tech issues for work and when he is speaking with Justin.

Justin instantly likes Finn, but knows, thanks to Finn’s very clear and explicit explanation, that they can be nothing more than friends. As one of Justin’s skills is public speaking, he offers to help Finn overcome his difficulties and land the guy he has been lusting after for months and months. As the days speed by, Justin discovers a side of Finn very, very few people have ever seen. Finn is kind, wicked smart, funny, and stunningly sexy. With each speech session, Justin finds it increasingly difficult to separate his own growing feelings for Finn from the work they are doing. Justin recognizes he is simply a tool (as he has been his entire life) to help Finn date another man, and that other man is a tool! But, Justin is also a man of honor and he refuses to go back on his offer to Finn no matter how difficult it is.

The Bottom Line: I think Losing It may be my favorite book in this series to date. Justin was easy to dislike him in book three, but his circumstances have changed dramatically, and this book is all about his redemption, his move to be a better man and I couldn’t help but love him for that. No matter how much I liked Justin, I liked Finn even more. He is such a deliciously nerdy guy who has had a load of crap heaped on him over the course of his life. His inability to speak is born out of sadness and cruelty, but with Justin’s help, encouragement, and love, Finn can grow, overcome, and be the man he was always meant to be. As with the other books in the series, the characters from books past make appearances and help the new couple find their way to their own HEA. I love the sense of community in this world, the message of helping rather than hindering, and supporting above all else. There is such a strong sense of loyalty, friendship, concern, and caring in this series and think that is ultimately why I have enjoyed it so much!

Too cute for words, Finn Miller is the awkward guy who is so sweet. I just want to take him under my wing and protect him. As the reader gets to know Finn and his idiosyncrasies better, it is hard not to fall a bit in love with Finn. He is loyal, smart and possess an ever optimistic outlook. He is the kind of guy who would never let their friend down. His crush on Leo was interesting. When this book takes a turn when Finn meets Justin, the story starts to get really good. I have not read the first three books in this series and it was still easy for me to pick up the tie ins from previous books.

Justin is a guy who has hit rock bottom. Things he's down has burned so many bridges and he never prepared for the day when it all came crashing down on him. Maybe if I had read Faking It, I would have been predisposed to not like Justin in this book. Since I did not, I felt for Justin. He is a guy who realized a little too late, he put all his eggs in the wrong basket. Luckily for him, he did have one little egg placed with his old friend, Grady. Grady's support allows Justin to rebuild his life and more importantly, find that someone who makes it all work for him.

The estrangement or distance between child and parent in this story is a recurring theme for Ms. d'Ado's stories. It makes a reader wonder if perhaps in real life, she's experienced this first hand and her stories are ways to explore possible reconciliation endings. This subplot aside, the Cyrano de Bergerac plot is well done. At times Justin's recommendations and Finn's execution are hilarious. Other times, Justin's wistful yearning is painful to witness. The ups and downs of emotions is what makes this story so good. This m/m romance is recommended to readers who enjoy friends to lover themes.

4.5 Stars

I think this might be my favorite book of the series so far. I loved Finn and Justin and I enjoyed watching them transition from strangers, to tentative friends and later, to lovers. It was a bit of a slow-burn, since Justin is helping Finn, who has major social anxiety, to learn to be more confident and comfortable around others, especially Leo, who Finn believes is his dream guy. As Justin helps Finn prepare for his date with Leo, the two form a solid friendship, something that neither man have very many of.

I thought Finn’s awkwardness was endearing and sweet, but I loved that he felt so comfortable with Justin, like all the nerves melted away when he was standing in from of him. My heart went out to Justin, he just seemed so lost, but I loved that he found a home at Ringside and with Finn.

This story was easy to read and flowed well. It was on the sweeter and less angsty side, compared to the other much more emotional stories in this series. While this can definitely be read as a standalone, if you haven’t read the other stories in the series, you’re missing out and should definitely pick them up.

The chemistry between Justin and Finn was off the charts and the story is packed with sweetness, friendship and love. I loved getting to catch-up with the other guys from Ringside and I’m hoping this won’t be the last we’ve seen of them. Although if I never see Finn’s initial love interest, Leo, besides maybe on the receiving end of someone’s fist, ever again it’ll be too soon!

This was a great addition to the series, a joy to read and very recommendable!

*copy provided by author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

I thought the book was sweet with low angst, regardless of the start with Justin having no job or support from friends/family. I was so glad Justin got a book though, as i felt horrible for him at the end of book 2! I wasn't sure i would like him during the second, but by the end i really did feel bad, and i am so glad he got to redeem himself in book 4.

I really liked relationship build between Justin and Fin. It was a little slow (in the love dept.), but very compatible. I have a soft spot for Geeks and Finn ticked off all my buttons! The few scenes that there were between Justin and Finn were hot, i just wish there would have been a little more of them!.

All in all, i really enjoy this series and I hope we get more future Ringside stories!

3.5*

I totally missed the LGBTQIA categorization for this listing. If that's your jam, I'm sure you'll love it. I'm a big Christina d'Abo fan, so trust that this is worth the read.

I feel in love with Justin from the get go. He had a charisma that was addicting. He didn't see himself clearly and that bothered me a lot, because he was this great guy, he only needed to see it.

Finn is awkward. He has a crush on a fellow gym member but he's awkward and doesn't know what to feel about it. When he meets Justin the two work together to get Finn more comfortable in his own skin. What they don't know is that by helping Finn it's helping Justin as well.

Their relationship is tentative. It's a budding friendship that turns to more without either of them realizing it.

Friends-to-lovers, falling in love without realizing it, and two people healing each other are my favorite things to read about. I've never read Christine d'Abo before but she hit every point for me with this book.

Finn and Justin don't know they need each other until it's too late and when they finally came together it was sweet and perfect and what they both so desperately needed.

***4.25 Stars***

"What a pair they were, awkward and slightly broken. Trying to slot their various bits and pieces together."

Oh I liked this so much!!

Not gonna lie...I was a little worried about whether I'd warm up to Justin. Justin was a secondary character in Faking It. He was Grady's handler and fixer. He was distant, cold, unapproachable. Having cut ties with Grady's father, he's now trying to find his place in the world.

And with getting his back story and being in his head...I understood so much of why he is the way he is. And beyond the picture of polish and rigidity that Justin presents....what he is, is lonely.

Enter Finn. Finn with his social anxiety and crush on Leo, a popular member at the gym.

Finn and Justin meet at the gym's charity speed dating event. An event that they both begrudgingly got talked into attending. They easily hit it off, bonding as two random awkward attendees. And during their introduction, Justin agrees to help Finn overcome his social anxiety and get Leo.

And so begins the journey of these two working towards one goal, but slowly falling for each other. This is one of my favorite storylines. I love the simplicity and ease of it. The "oh no" moment when they realize what they originally wanted isn't what they want at all.

The evolution of Justin and Finn's relationship is sweet and honest and seriously tugs on the heartstrings. I loved both of these guys so much. Their connection felt so authentic and natural.

However, I wish the transition into "more" was a little more fluid, especially with how natural the progression felt up until that point. It just felt a little rushed.

Also, Leo's character felt like a one dimensional villain at times. I mean, by no means is he likable, but it crossed over into being a little over the top in a couple of places.

But even with my couple of quibbles, I enjoyed this book from the first page to the last.

Though it can technically be read as a standalone, I highly recommend you read Faking It first, as it's your introduction to Justin's character. But also, it's my favorite book in the series! And if you're a fan of fake relationship tropes...it's a must read!

Another one that falls somewhere between a 4.5 and 5...

If this series had to end, I'm glad that it ended with Justin... and trust me, I never thought I'd be saying those words. He was most definitely not my favorite character when he was introduced in Faking It, the second book in the Ringside Romance series. Up until the very end of Max and Grady's story, he played the "bad guy" and he was more than a little convincing. For the record, I love it when an author makes me fall for a character that I never expected to even like. ;)

Justin's trying to turn his life around, which is how he ended up in Toronto. He never expected to get the help he know he didn't deserve from Grady and his friends. He also didn't expect to fall for someone he was only trying to help. Finn turned out to be just as clueless as Justin in Losing It. He thought that Leo was who he really wanted, but Justin (and pretty much everyone else) knew that Leo wasn't good enough for him. Of course, Justin didn't think he was good enough for Finn either. *sigh* Both these guys needed a huge hug and a healthy dose of self confidence - which is another thing I never thought I'd say about Justin.

Everyone from the previous books in the Ringside Romance finale, which was only fitting. It was great to see them all happy, whole and thriving. I'm sorry to say goodbye to this crew, but the author did an amazing job of bringing things to a satisfying end.

3.5 Stars. This is the fourth book from Ringside Romance and although it could be read as a stand alone I recommend reading book #2, Faking It, first since that's when the reader is introduced to Justin.

I enjoyed Faking it although I wasn't sure I was going to like Justin in the beginning of this book. He quickly grew on me and I was rooting for him and Finn. This book has a lot of UST with only a few sex scenes but those that are in the book are well written and hot. I did find Leo to a bit OTT and would have liked him to have a bit more dimension. I loved the date scene with the microphone though and I thought it was very funny.

There wasn't a lot of angst in this book and the relationship was a slow build. All of the previous characters from the earlier books make an appearance as well. I enjoyed this book although not quite as much as some of the earlier books in the series.

This was another solid installment of this series centering around the gang now involved in some shape or form with the gym. We met Justin in the second book, Faking It, where he was the guy giving Grady trouble working for Grady’s father as his right hand man. He played an important role in Grady’s life, but after things that happened in that book, he now finds himself out of a job. He shows up at Grady’s door looking to make amends and ask for some help.

Finn is a young man who has some anxiety issues and has been going to the gym to build his confidence. It hasn’t helped him this far in getting a date with his crush, another gym attendee, and things are not looking too positive in that respect. That is, until he meets Justin, whom he has no trouble speaking with. Justin offers to help Finn with his confidence with his crush, and their friendship begins to grow from there.

This was a great friends to lovers story, and I found watching their friendship and trust grow to be the best part of this. We were able to see all sides from the various points of views which was helpful. While this wasn’t super steamy, the relationship blossomed in a natural progression. It was also nice to see other relationships mended in the process. This wasn’t my favorite of the series, but I still really enjoyed it and can’t wait to see what’s in store for this crew next.

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 star romance.

This was a cute story without a lot of angst. Slow burn as the MCs figured out what they wanted and how to make it happen. I enjoyed Finn's character a lot, and his struggle with social anxiety was very realistic.

Since I haven't read the first books in the series, I felt very overwhelmed with the introduction of so many of the previous characters all at once. I'm not sure so much information about their backstories was necessary for me to enjoy this book. Overall, I just couldn't get into the writing style. I often found myself skimming or chuckling at some awkward word choice or stilted dialogue.

~ 3.5 Stars ~

Losing It is the fourth book in Christine d’Abo’s Ringside Romance series, but it was the first in the series that I’ve read. I grabbed it because I liked the sound of the premise—I have a thing for geeks. What can I say?—and I assumed it would work as a standalone, which, for the most part, it does. For the first couple of chapters I was definitely feeling like I would have been enjoying it on another level if I had read the previous books; I would have known who all the other Ringside guys were, and it would have undoubtedly added to the reading experience. But, once I got into the story, it stood just fine on its own and I ended up thoroughly enjoying it.

Justin is looking for a fresh start, a way to sort of remake himself and break free of his old reputation and previous employer, so he leaves Vancouver and heads to Toronto. There is at least one huge piece of his old life in Toronto, though, and that’s Grady, the son of Justin’s former boss. Justin looks Grady up at Ringside, the boxing gym he helps run, and lucks into a place to live and a temporary job. I liked Justin’s character a lot. He’s calculating and reserved and definitely knows what he wants, but underneath that no-nonsense exterior is a gooey center. And, I loved his relationship with Grady. There’s a lot of history there that shines through even if you haven’t read Faking It, the second book in the series, where Justin is introduced. The author does a great job of cementing their bond in this book.

One of the people Justin meets at Ringside is Finn Miller. Finn is doing MMA training under Eli, one of the gym’s owners, and catches Justin’s attention on his first day at the club. Finn also notices Justin and finds him attractive, but Finn is stupidly lusting after Leo, a Ringside regular. I stay stupidly, because Leo is a jerk. I just gotta come right out and say it. He was cocky and smarmy, and I couldn’t stand him from the word go. Finn doesn’t see it at first, though, so he keeps right on thinking that Leo is this great catch who he’d be so lucky to date, when it’s quite honestly the other way around. But, Finn is so painfully shy and socially awkward that he needs to enlist Justin’s help in order to have a shot at a successful date with Leo.

The love story in the book is very sweet. And though the timeline has things progressing very quickly, the story doesn’t veer off into problematic territory. The relationship develops at a nice pace, and Justin and Finn share a mutual respect and admiration that grows into a solid friendship, and then more. By the time they start to acknowledge what’s really going on between them, I was fully on board and rooting for them all the way. And, they were very sexy together! I liked them together a lot; they were good for each other, and it made me smile. 😊

I’m so glad I read this one. If you’ve been reading the series, I have no doubt that Losing It is a solid addition to the set. I’ll be making it a point to go back and read the rest of the books for sure! And, if you need a nerdy but super cute IT guy, and a sexy, confident, slightly older man in your life, then I think you’ll enjoy Finn and Justin’s story all on its own.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the fourth book in the series. The first three deal with three childhood friends who are rebuilding Ringside Gym, and their grown-up romances. Here we see Justin, who was Grady's minder in Faking It, as he comes to terms with life now that he has reformed. He comes to Toronto to start again and ends up getting help from Grady and his new friends.

Whilst it is difficult for the guys to know quite what to do about Justin, they give him a chance and he does not disappoint them. He even pitches in and helps with the speed dating event at the club to raise money for an LGBT class. There he gets to spend more time with Finn. Finn, who has his eye on someone else, but is always tongue-tied. Finn, who he finds very attractive, has an excellent rapport with, and who never finds it hard to speak with him. We obviously get the message straight away, but the naive Finn takes a little longer. It is highly enjoyable watching it unfold, and very satisfying by the end.

Justin was such an interesting character, that I commented in my review of Faking It that he deserved his story to be told – so I was really delighted to get this book, and even more so with how things turned out for him! Thank you for that, Ms. d'Abo.


Lee’Anne – ☆☆☆
I’ve only read one other book in this series and I loved it, so I thought I’d give book four a chance; I have to say that unfortunately, I didn’t love it. I felt like both of the characters were almost… whiny or unmanly, it kept me from loving the book.

Finn is extremely anti-social to the point it’s almost crippling – he’s also sporting a major crush on a fellow gym rat but can’t build up the confidence to ask him out. Justin has come into town for a new beginning, leaving his old life behind to start a new life near a man whom he though he loved, Grady. While visiting Grady’s gym, Justin is offered a job that includes a place to live and he makes the gym his home. When he notices Finn struggling to talk to the man who he’s obviously crushing on, Justin steps in to help Finn with his confidence levels.

I honestly didn’t find either Finn or Justin all that likeable and I think that’s the main reason I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I’d hoped. Though their story was cute, my favorite part of the book was the glimpses of the previous characters – plus it’s pretty steamy and that kept me reading. I probably won’t be continuing on with this series.


Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
3.5 stars

This is another fun romance between the men at the Ringside Gym. Justin and Finn are loosely connected to the group of friends who run the gym, but they are perfect for each other – even if it takes Finn a very long time to believe it.

Justin was absolutely villainous in Grady’s book but a few months later he’s back and a very reformed character. I wasn’t ever able to fully believe in his transformation, but I really enjoyed him in this book. He arrives in Toronto lonely, jobless, and pretty defeated. His baggage with Grady makes for an awkward reunion. The new Justin is vulnerable and immensely loveable.

Finn is an interesting love interest for Justin. Where Justin is smooth and sophisticated on the surface, Finn is a hot mess of social anxiety. But Finn has an inner resilience. He’s actually more confident in himself and more comfortable in his skin than Justin is. Justin starts out assisting Finn, but Finn’s steady confidence stabilizes Justin.

This story is formulaic – the plot is originally Shakespeare’s (probably more recently borrowed from the film Roxanne), but it is good fun. Justin helps shy Finn win over Leo, a beautiful asshole, while falling in love with Finn himself. It is an entertaining but predictable read. The guys at the gym are fun and always entertaining and there is good heat between Justin and Finn.


Angie – ☆☆☆
I said this with book three but I need to say it again, I seriously had déjà vu when I read this book. I felt like I had read this story before. Maybe it was previously published or just so similar to something I have read before. This book is about Finn and Justin. Finn is super shy but has a major crush on this guy, Leo, at the gym. When the gym owners have a speed dating night, Finn fails miserably and Justin offers to help Finn. This starts a friendship that blossoms into more. While the story was good and I liked the characters, I just couldn't love it. I wanted too, especially when Finn gets himself into a pickle at the end, but I couldn't. I am sure it was just me not being able to get over the fact that it seemed like I had read the book before.

4.5 Stars!

Losing It is book 4 in the Ringside Romance series and I think it could be read as a standalone, however, I've really enjoyed the series and getting to know these great guys and their men, so just start from the beginning, you won't regret it.

We met Justin in book 2, Faking It, and he was sort of the bad-ish guy, but not quite, and now that I got to know him better in Losing It, I'm pretty sure he's my favorite of them all. There's something about a broken man that tries to hide his vulnerability from others that tugs at my heartstrings. My heart broke for him so many times, especially around the 75-80% mark where I went through several tissues because I just couldn't stop crying for him.

I liked Finn, but he was a bit wishy-washy at first, although he came into his own... eventually. Really, there were a couple (or more) instances in which I wanted to slap him silly so he would see what a great guy he had in front of him and stopped crushing on Leo, who truly didn't deserve the attention. I was certain that once he got to hang with Leo after the first date, he would realize, but no! He was as oblivious as ever. *sighs and sneaks in to slap Finn*

Finn and Justin had amazing chemistry and I loved that their relationship was so gradual and natural, going from friends to lovers in a very organic way.

It was nice seeing how the gym is growing and catching up with the other characters from previous books. As you might have noticed, I didn't like Leo, one of the gym members. Actually, I hated him, he was such a caricature of a villain and so predictable, but I guess he served his purpose.

Overall, while there were some things that didn't work for me, I loved the book, just because of how much I adored Justin. I love books that make me feel so much that I start crying in the middle of them or that I want to strangle one or two characters so they would do what I want them to do. LOL. Anyway, I definitely recommend this book and the series.

*** Copy provided to me via NetGalley by Riptide Publishing, a review wasn't a requirement. ***