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keraniluna 's review for:
Losers: Part I
by Harley Laroux
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
One of my new favorite books! I'll be reading this series over and over. Also - if you decide to read this, start with "The Dare," the novella prequel to this story.
Losers is set in Wickeston, Tennessee, a small(ish?) fictional town that has the usual small-town dynamics - conservative, religious families with kids who are supposed to uphold those values; popular kids who dress stylishly and are mean to everyone else; and "freaks" who are the outcasts, dress alternatively, and just don't fit in.
Except this is a bit different. If you read "The Dare" you'll know the backstory - Jessica, one of the popular kids, returns home during college, goes to a Halloween party with everyone there, and gets herself into an interesting.....predicament with the "losers" in town. I won't spoil that book, but the things that happen are exciting, then she leaves town again, ghosting her new love interests.
In this book, the story starts off with Jess coming home after graduating college - she'd hoped to have a "big kid" job and be working, but instead she's working part-time with the hope of landing her dream job in the future. She runs into the old crowds - the popular kids, who are still as nasty as ever, and the losers, who have begun to make a life for themselves in this small town but still struggle with the town's views of them. She finds herself torn between these groups - is she still one of the cool kids, or is she attracted to the dark side? What happens is remarkable and unique, but you have to read to go further.
The truly unique aspect of this story is, the tension between Jess's two sides doesn't last long - although she sides with her old crowd at first, she finds herself too drawn to the "freaks" to stay away. Her loyalty is questioned for quite some time, but after she makes her choice, she stays strong. Moving beyond that tension into a meaningful relationship is something special, and I loved seeing the characters evolve past that point.
I'm going to focus this review on the dynamic between the characters and their polyamorous family, and my review of Part II will talk about the BDSM aspect of the story since that is explored (sexplored?) even further in Part II. It's hard to describe any of this without spoilers, though!
When Jess first meets these boys in their poly/MMMM dynamic during The Dare, she isn't afraid of who they are - she's curious as she finds that not only do there seem to be a few "couples" in the group, but they all share and play together at times. More is revealed about the group over time, as if from Jess's perspective as she uncovers how they relate to each other. I love discovering things as she does, and it's heartwarming to see her acceptance of them. In fact, I think the way the author writes them is perfect - you see their interactions, the love and desire between the characters, and then you reflect on the nature of their relationship. With love like this between them, I would imagine most open-minded readers would find it hard to judge the boys' dynamic.
The relationship in these pages is so incredible - these boys grew up together, were formed into the men they are through tough interactions with the other people in town as well as their own families, and found love and caring with each other. The times when their early awakenings are described are beautiful - the description of watching and imagining themselves with another really shows how this unique family evolved. The way the boys take care of each other, their strengths building up the others' weaknesses, keeping each other safe and protected - even as someone in a happy (cishet) marriage, I still wished I could be in their pod and feel that kind of love and safety.
Getting into Part II a bit here, the boys incorporate Jess into their group, each of them having unique connections and different dynamics with her. Jess is first attracted to Manson in The Dare - she thinks of the others more as his friends until she discovers much more. If there is a main relationship here it would be theirs, but Manson is interesting - he likes to be the boss, dominate, and watch, so many of the interactions between him and Jess involve him directing another one of the boys with her. Vincent and Manson play much more dominant roles, while Jason and Lucas tend more towards the sub side, but all of the boys get to be dominant with Jess at times, since she thrives with submission. She is so feisty, though, that her challenges in and out of the bedroom help the boys learn and grow even as she submits to them.
Also, the spice is hot. Like, smoking hot. These are some really, really horny MCs, and everything they do together is orgasm-inducing. There are many tropes and kinks here, but nothing too out of the ordinary for most people to enjoy, especially if you're already in the BDSM realm and familiar with the power dynamics.There is one scene in Part II that might not be for everyone, with a golden shower, which I would guess is across a line for some, but it's somehow still hot even if you're not into that, so I wasn't offended. Some of my favorite themes were the D/s dynamic between all characters, outdoor/public sex, and some really sexy bondage. As someone who doesn't usually read much MM stuff, I found that the writing of those interactions was amazing. I feel like often, MM interactions are written as either perfunctory (just a quick description in passing, especially in books with MF interactions) or as some sort of thrilling/shocking thing in themselves. These MM scenes are full of steamy hot spice but also full of love, caring, and nurturing - the boys in this book really help each other become better men, and that includes their dynamics during sex.
Spice aside for a moment, I found that this book was so healing on so many levels. Again, as a cishet girl, I didn't experience some of the things the characters dealt with - but growing up in the Midwest, at a "rich kid" school but as a much less wealthy kid, and as someone who joined the "Gay Straight Alliance" (cringing at the name now) in high school, I am so familiar with prejudice and the attitudes and actions you face as someone who's not like everyone else. I actually felt both like Jess and like the boys - I could recognize her need to belong with the cool crowd even when her soul wanted something darker, and I could recognize their need to make the popular kids pay for what they did growing up. The coming together of these characters really healed something - allowing them to own their true natures and find love in who they are.
This is one book I'll be holding onto - my "shelf trophies" aren't going to sit unused! I wish I could live in this world, but I'll have to settle for immersing myself in their story again and again.
Losers is set in Wickeston, Tennessee, a small(ish?) fictional town that has the usual small-town dynamics - conservative, religious families with kids who are supposed to uphold those values; popular kids who dress stylishly and are mean to everyone else; and "freaks" who are the outcasts, dress alternatively, and just don't fit in.
Except this is a bit different. If you read "The Dare" you'll know the backstory - Jessica, one of the popular kids, returns home during college, goes to a Halloween party with everyone there, and gets herself into an interesting.....predicament with the "losers" in town. I won't spoil that book, but the things that happen are exciting, then she leaves town again, ghosting her new love interests.
In this book, the story starts off with Jess coming home after graduating college - she'd hoped to have a "big kid" job and be working, but instead she's working part-time with the hope of landing her dream job in the future. She runs into the old crowds - the popular kids, who are still as nasty as ever, and the losers, who have begun to make a life for themselves in this small town but still struggle with the town's views of them. She finds herself torn between these groups - is she still one of the cool kids, or is she attracted to the dark side? What happens is remarkable and unique, but you have to read to go further.
I'm going to focus this review on the dynamic between the characters and their polyamorous family, and my review of Part II will talk about the BDSM aspect of the story since that is explored (sexplored?) even further in Part II. It's hard to describe any of this without spoilers, though!
The relationship in these pages is so incredible - these boys grew up together, were formed into the men they are through tough interactions with the other people in town as well as their own families, and found love and caring with each other. The times when their early awakenings are described are beautiful - the description of watching and imagining themselves with another really shows how this unique family evolved. The way the boys take care of each other, their strengths building up the others' weaknesses, keeping each other safe and protected - even as someone in a happy (cishet) marriage, I still wished I could be in their pod and feel that kind of love and safety.
Also, the spice is hot. Like, smoking hot. These are some really, really horny MCs, and everything they do together is orgasm-inducing. There are many tropes and kinks here, but nothing too out of the ordinary for most people to enjoy, especially if you're already in the BDSM realm and familiar with the power dynamics.
Spice aside for a moment, I found that this book was so healing on so many levels. Again, as a cishet girl, I didn't experience some of the things the characters dealt with - but growing up in the Midwest, at a "rich kid" school but as a much less wealthy kid, and as someone who joined the "Gay Straight Alliance" (cringing at the name now) in high school, I am so familiar with prejudice and the attitudes and actions you face as someone who's not like everyone else. I actually felt both like Jess and like the boys - I could recognize her need to belong with the cool crowd even when her soul wanted something darker, and I could recognize their need to make the popular kids pay for what they did growing up. The coming together of these characters really healed something - allowing them to own their true natures and find love in who they are.
This is one book I'll be holding onto - my "shelf trophies" aren't going to sit unused! I wish I could live in this world, but I'll have to settle for immersing myself in their story again and again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Sexual content
Minor: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Biphobia, Drug use, Gun violence, Hate crime, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, Classism