The Book of Luke
A Novel
by Lovell Holder
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Pub Date Dec 02 2025 | Archive Date Not set
Description
Following the car accident that ended his football career and left his body scarred, 22-year-old Luke Griffin joins the cast of Endeavor, a new competition-based reality show that pits the tabloids’ darlings against one another in tasks of endurance and problem solving. At first, he thrives, effortlessly forming friendships and even a romantic relationship that he thinks will last a lifetime. But Luke has aspirations far bigger than the show's million-dollar prize, and soon a series of betrayals leads to irreversible tragedy, changing the course of his and his fellow contestants' lives forever.
Ten years later, Luke’s world looks very different: he is now a father of two and the stay-at-home husband to America’s only openly gay senator. When his husband's serial cheating is exposed, Luke impulsively joins the cast of Endeavor's latest season in a desperate bid to earn some fast cash. Back on set, he is confronted with everything he tried to leave in the past: bitter rivalries, shattered friendships, and crushing guilt, all of which threaten to tear down the walls he’s spent a decade building. As Season 20 of Endeavor kicks off, Luke must give everything to the game, even as he finally learns what it means––and what it costs––to face the truth.
Combining the fabulous rivalries of The Traitors with the epic physical stunts of The Challenge, THE BOOK OF LUKE offers a grounded portrait of what it means to reinvent yourself when no one will let you forget your past - especially if it's immortalized on streaming services.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781538770153 |
| PRICE | $30.00 (USD) |
| PAGES | 400 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Bradley S, Reviewer
Just incredible.
I loved this book so much. This combined my love of Survivor/reality TV with LGBTQ stories in such a way that made for the PERFECT read. I couldn't put this book down.
I think there was such a brilliant move in story telling, switching back and forth between the present and the past, but doing it at moments where we would get small bread crumbs that painted a bigger picture for the present day happenings. I thought that was really well done, along with the twists and cliff hanger endings to the chapters. I couldn't stop myself from continuing to read.
The thing I enjoyed the most, however, were the characters. There are a lot of characters in this novel, and when the cast is that large it's easy for you to lose some of them in the background. However, I thought the character development was superb and each character had their own motivations/backgrounds that allowed myself as a reader to root for them.
Luke was a really great character as a whole. He's morally complex - and not your stereotypical 'perfect' gay protagonist. I think the fact that he was a very -real- character added to my enjoyment of the overall story.
Also, it was so interesting to see such a light into the world of reality tv and how the decisions you make impact how the world sees you - even when you're not 'on camera'. It just added another layer to the character development and the plot.
Wonderful story. Loved every second of it. Cannot wait for this to come out in December!
Ashley W, Reviewer
THIS BOOK IS EVERYTHING AND MORE. When I read the description I knew I needed to read this book. I didn’t know I would devour it so quickly. You get sucked into the story straight away and it’s nonstop from there.
The ups and downs never stop. The twists and turns and everything in between show you the good, the bad and the ugly of reality TV.
The author does a great job of creating the characters and how they fit into the show. As someone who watches reality competition shows, this really is a great background for the main character, Luke. You feel for him but also see all his flaws throughout.
This is probably one of the best books of 2025. I can't wait to get a hard copy.
Jacob S, Reviewer
I absolutely LOVED this book. Imagine combining the cutthroat competition, politics, and interpersonal dynamics of The Challenge: Free Agents/Rivals with Survivor Heroes vs Villains. Now picture you're getting told those stories from behind the scenes and that's what this book is. It's a love letter to reality TV while also showcasing characters with tremendous depth, heart, and polarizing qualities. I loved this book (did I saw that already? Sorry not sorry). This debut was a HUGE swing and it really worked for me. I will be anxiously awaiting the author's next work.
Thank you to the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
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