Book: Nothing to Lose by Jenn Plummer
Reviewed by Maggie Hayes
Rating: 5/5
Nothing to Lose by Jenn Plummer
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
Dark academia meets stepbrother romance with a side of rugby? GIVE IT TO ME. I absolutely devoured Eli and Hunter's forbidden and oh-so-spicy love story. It was quick, fun, and had just the right amount of heart and heat to fully capture my attention.
I instantly connected with Eli. He dreads the idea of sharing a dorm room with his new stepbrother, his competition for next year's rugby team captaincy, and a terrible flirt, constantly doing the most to make Eli uncomfortable. While my siblings have never flirted with me, they sure have annoyed me, giving Eli all my sympathy. He tries so hard to fight his growing attraction to Hunter—a truly valiant effort. Luckily (for me), the temptation is too sexy, and soon Eli opens his heart to the guy he always considered his rival.
Hunter won me over from the start. He is playful and flirtatious, but very serious about how he feels about Eli. He has been down bad since day one and is finally ready to get his man! I love that he is a secret mastermind, orchestrating ways to get closer to Eli but also knowing when to back off so he doesn't spook him. He is an excellent caregiver, friend, and romantic partner.
Together? HOLY PAJAMAS. The chemistry is sizzling. The tension could be cut with a knife. It was never a question of if they were going to happen, but when. I lived for every moment of Hunter teasing Eli and making him blush—it's adorable! But ultimately, it was the tenderness and willingness to risk it all for each other that had me rooting for them.
I really appreciated the discussion around queerness and expectations of high-level athletes. Through Eli, we get thoughtful introspection on what it's like to accept yourself but still feel like you need to hide parts of yourself from the world because of society's beliefs and prejudices surrounding traditional male masculinity. The fear of other people's reactions and the possible repercussions to your athletic career for subverting those expectations is very real, and I thought the book handled the topic wonderfully.
As if I wasn't already sold on the series (WHICH I SO AM), the bonus chapter at the end teasing the next book has me SALIVATING for more. I have one million questions and will be (un)patiently waiting for answers!
Thank you to the author and The Smuthood for providing an ARC.