Virtual Book Tour ~ Losing It by Christine d'Abo (Guest Post + Review + Giveaway)

Hello, my name is Christine d’Abo and I’m so happy to be here today.

All things, no matter how good and loved, must eventually come to an end. When I originally planned to write my Ringside Romance series, it was only going to be three books. But then my lovely Justin came into being and there was no way I could leave this world without giving him his happy ending. So here we are, at the final stop on the journey, with both excitement and a few tears.

Justin’s character was my way of showing myself that every character can be his or her own hero. That we don’t have to be slaves to our circumstances, that given the right motivation and support from those who love us, we can move past our own negativity and become someone more.

Justin thought the person to help him was Grady.

That was because he hadn’t met Finn yet.

By helping Finn find his voice, Justin realizes that there’s more to life, more to himself, than he’d ever realized. I hope you’ll join me for LOSING IT, the final tale in the world of the Ringside Gym, where even the most unlikely of heroes can find his happily ever after.

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.

Available now from Riptide Publishing!

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. ***

About Ringside Romance

Deep in the heart of Toronto lies Ringside Gym. Once a safe haven for troubled teens, Ringside has gone derelict, a forgotten memory of past days. Until a group of friends set out to do what they can to bring life back to the ring and create a new home for LGBT youths.

But when their lives threaten to pull down their dreams, each man must turn to others to help make it a reality. Winners take all—but there are no losers in love.

Check out the Ringside Romance universe!

Hello my name is Christine d’Abo and I’m a romance author of both het and LGBTQ stories. Thank you so much for having me here today, and giving me an opportunity to talk about my upcoming M/M romance novel, LOSING IT.

When I’m in the process of writing a book, other things in my life tend to fall by the wayside. Little things like cleaning, sleeping, cooking for my family. Well, maybe not that last one. Not anymore at least.

For Christmas my husband bought me an Instant Pot, something I wasn’t sure I’d use at first. Now? I’m not certain how I’d survive without it! Of the many recipes that I’ve tried over the past few months, the hands down favorite is Mac and Cheese. I thought I’d share the recipe with you all.

You will need an Instant Pot (or other electric pressure cooker)

1 pound of dried macaroni

3 tbsp of butter

1 tsp of yellow mustard

1 tsp of salt (I will use ½ tsp, but that’s a family preference)

¼ tsp of black pepper

4 cups of water

1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk

10 ounces of shredded cheddar

8 ounces of Monterey Jack cheese shredded

2 ounces of parmesan shredded

1 cup of breadcrumbs (Optional)

• Add macaroni, butter, salt, pepper, mustard to the Instant Pot.
• Cover with water. Stir and secure lid.
• Select Manual and cook high pressure for half of the pasta cooking time minus 1 minute. For example, if the macaroni says to cook for 10 mins, set your timer for 4 minutes.
• Once cooking is complete do a quick release until pin drops. If not cooked enough sauté for 2-3 mins.
• Hit sauté mode and add milk and cheeses, stirring until melted and mixed and thickened.
• You can add the breadcrumbs and broil it, or just eat it as is without breadcrumbs.

I hope you enjoy this as much as we do.

About Christine d’Abo

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.

You can visit Christine at her website www.christinedabo.com, and chat with her on Facebook and Twitter. Want to keep up with Christine’s new releases? Sign up for her newsletter and receive a free book!

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Losing It, one lucky winner will receive a $25 Riptide credit! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on February 24, 2018. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!