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First Loser
246 pages, Hardcover
Published May 21, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 25, 2026
First Loser by Scott Walker Cunningham appears to be a compelling and thought provoking novel that examines the complex relationship between success, failure, ambition, and self worth. With a title that immediately challenges conventional ideas about winning and losing, the book seems poised to explore what happens when achievement falls just out of reach and what can be learned from that experience.
What immediately stands out is the title itself. The phrase "First Loser" carries an intriguing contradiction. It suggests someone who came remarkably close to success yet is forced to grapple with disappointment nonetheless. This concept creates a strong foundation for a story that explores perseverance, resilience, and the often-overlooked emotional realities of competition and ambition.
Another compelling aspect is the opportunity to examine how individuals define success. Society often celebrates winners while overlooking the lessons, growth, and determination demonstrated by those who narrowly miss their goals. The novel appears well positioned to challenge those assumptions and encourage readers to consider whether success can be measured by more than outcomes alone.
The title also suggests a potentially rich character journey. Stories centered on setbacks and unrealized expectations often resonate because they reflect universal experiences. Most readers have encountered moments when hard work did not produce the desired result, making themes of disappointment, growth, and self-discovery particularly relatable.
Particularly appealing is the possibility that the novel explores identity beyond achievement. When a person invests deeply in a goal, the outcome can profoundly affect how they see themselves. First Loser appears likely to examine that tension, asking meaningful questions about resilience, purpose, and personal value.
What makes First Loser especially intriguing is its apparent willingness to explore the space between victory and defeat. The most memorable stories often reveal that life's greatest lessons emerge not from effortless success but from the challenges that test character and perspective.
Overall, First Loser appears to be an engaging and reflective novel that explores ambition, disappointment, and personal growth through a lens that feels both timely and universally relatable. Readers who enjoy character driven fiction and stories that challenge conventional definitions of success will likely find much to appreciate.
What immediately stands out is the title itself. The phrase "First Loser" carries an intriguing contradiction. It suggests someone who came remarkably close to success yet is forced to grapple with disappointment nonetheless. This concept creates a strong foundation for a story that explores perseverance, resilience, and the often-overlooked emotional realities of competition and ambition.
Another compelling aspect is the opportunity to examine how individuals define success. Society often celebrates winners while overlooking the lessons, growth, and determination demonstrated by those who narrowly miss their goals. The novel appears well positioned to challenge those assumptions and encourage readers to consider whether success can be measured by more than outcomes alone.
The title also suggests a potentially rich character journey. Stories centered on setbacks and unrealized expectations often resonate because they reflect universal experiences. Most readers have encountered moments when hard work did not produce the desired result, making themes of disappointment, growth, and self-discovery particularly relatable.
Particularly appealing is the possibility that the novel explores identity beyond achievement. When a person invests deeply in a goal, the outcome can profoundly affect how they see themselves. First Loser appears likely to examine that tension, asking meaningful questions about resilience, purpose, and personal value.
What makes First Loser especially intriguing is its apparent willingness to explore the space between victory and defeat. The most memorable stories often reveal that life's greatest lessons emerge not from effortless success but from the challenges that test character and perspective.
Overall, First Loser appears to be an engaging and reflective novel that explores ambition, disappointment, and personal growth through a lens that feels both timely and universally relatable. Readers who enjoy character driven fiction and stories that challenge conventional definitions of success will likely find much to appreciate.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to the author for providing me a copy of his novel. Here are my thoughts!
First Loser is set in a small town where wrestling is everything. High school student, Connor is expected to break records and his best friend Drummer is trying to improve and make his demanding father happy. Just like any small town, secrets are abound. Soon lies begin unraveling and some of these characters are in a lot more trouble than meets the eye.
I went into this book a little blind and I’m happy I did. First Loser isn’t overly long but the author manages to create a community of people that are all so beautifully flawed. I was surprised by how drawn in I was to each of their stories so quickly into the book. While wrestling moves the plot forward, to me it was a coming of age story. Most of the novel focuses on four teens, and then the coaching staff and their families.
Quickly the stories become interwoven and you realize this wrestling legacy is creating a ton of issues, such as abuse, addiction, deception and fear. The twists kept hitting one after the other but not in a thriller-type way. More so, when life hits you with a gut punch kind of way.
The relationships are complex and hard to read at times. You could sense when bad things were happening and there were a couple scenes in which my stomach was in knots with the tension and anticipation of something bad coming. It takes a very skilled writer to elicit such feelings.
A new author to me, but one I won’t soon forget. Can’t wait to see what Scott does next!
First Loser is set in a small town where wrestling is everything. High school student, Connor is expected to break records and his best friend Drummer is trying to improve and make his demanding father happy. Just like any small town, secrets are abound. Soon lies begin unraveling and some of these characters are in a lot more trouble than meets the eye.
I went into this book a little blind and I’m happy I did. First Loser isn’t overly long but the author manages to create a community of people that are all so beautifully flawed. I was surprised by how drawn in I was to each of their stories so quickly into the book. While wrestling moves the plot forward, to me it was a coming of age story. Most of the novel focuses on four teens, and then the coaching staff and their families.
Quickly the stories become interwoven and you realize this wrestling legacy is creating a ton of issues, such as abuse, addiction, deception and fear. The twists kept hitting one after the other but not in a thriller-type way. More so, when life hits you with a gut punch kind of way.
The relationships are complex and hard to read at times. You could sense when bad things were happening and there were a couple scenes in which my stomach was in knots with the tension and anticipation of something bad coming. It takes a very skilled writer to elicit such feelings.
A new author to me, but one I won’t soon forget. Can’t wait to see what Scott does next!
July 8, 2026
I wrapped up First Loser by Scott Walker Cunningham a few days back and this was one of those books that slowly pulls you in before you even realise how invested you have become.
At first, I thought this would simply be a story about wrestling and competition, but it turned out to be so much more than that. At its core, it is about grief, expectations, addiction and constantly trying to prove yourself to someone who is no longer there. (That hit harder than I expected.)
Connor is far from a perfect character, but that is exactly what made him feel real. His determination to honour his father’s legacy often pushes him towards unhealthy choices, and watching him struggle between ambition and self-destruction was both heartbreaking and thought-provoking. There were moments where I just wanted him to stop and take care of himself.
What I appreciated the most was the fact that this book never glorifies obsession. Instead, the author beautifully shows the emotional and physical cost of chasing success at any price. The writing is super engaging, the emotions feel genuine and the story keeps you turning the pages to see what happens next (yes it was unputdownable).
So if you are someone who enjoy character-driven coming-of-age stories with flawed characters, emotional depth and themes of resilience, identity and healing, First Loser is definitely worth picking up. It reminds us that sometimes the biggest victory is learning when to let go.
At first, I thought this would simply be a story about wrestling and competition, but it turned out to be so much more than that. At its core, it is about grief, expectations, addiction and constantly trying to prove yourself to someone who is no longer there. (That hit harder than I expected.)
Connor is far from a perfect character, but that is exactly what made him feel real. His determination to honour his father’s legacy often pushes him towards unhealthy choices, and watching him struggle between ambition and self-destruction was both heartbreaking and thought-provoking. There were moments where I just wanted him to stop and take care of himself.
What I appreciated the most was the fact that this book never glorifies obsession. Instead, the author beautifully shows the emotional and physical cost of chasing success at any price. The writing is super engaging, the emotions feel genuine and the story keeps you turning the pages to see what happens next (yes it was unputdownable).
So if you are someone who enjoy character-driven coming-of-age stories with flawed characters, emotional depth and themes of resilience, identity and healing, First Loser is definitely worth picking up. It reminds us that sometimes the biggest victory is learning when to let go.
June 16, 2026
His dad never once told him he was proud of him. Not after winning state for the first time. Not the second time. Not the third. Not even when his dad was dying in a hospital bed with tubes in his arms and machines beeping. He just… never said it. And this whole book is about what that silence does to a kid.
this book genuinly destroyed me, and I need to talk about it.
This is one of those books that feels like it was written by someone who actually lived it — because he did. Scott is a former two-time Virginia state wrestling champion, and every page reads like it cost him something to write.
It's not really about wrestling. It's about what it feels like to spend your whole life trying to earn something from someone who will never give it to you.
I don't want to tell you anything else. I just want you to read it.
One of the most honest books I've read this year. And when you're done — you'll know exactly what the title means. And it won't be about wrestling at all.
this book genuinly destroyed me, and I need to talk about it.
This is one of those books that feels like it was written by someone who actually lived it — because he did. Scott is a former two-time Virginia state wrestling champion, and every page reads like it cost him something to write.
It's not really about wrestling. It's about what it feels like to spend your whole life trying to earn something from someone who will never give it to you.
I don't want to tell you anything else. I just want you to read it.
One of the most honest books I've read this year. And when you're done — you'll know exactly what the title means. And it won't be about wrestling at all.
Review of advance copy
Connor is a star wrestler trying to get to the state championship with his friend and teammate, Drummer. The friends have painful events in their past. They each want to make their father proud, but can they- without losing themselves?
A story about working hard to find yourself while holding on to a family that has a troubled legacy. A great read.
I received an advance copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.
A story about working hard to find yourself while holding on to a family that has a troubled legacy. A great read.
I received an advance copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 6, 2026
Engaging and in-depth look into the minds of high school athletes, namely wrestlers. I didn't know anything about wrestling, but the author had a skillful way of weaving in the important aspects of competitive wrestling, and relate it to common themes that many athletes struggle with. A great coming of age story focusing on relationships, addiction, and the struggle between expectations the characters have for themselves, and those thrust upon them.
June 21, 2026
I got the pleasure of reading the ARC copy of this book.
First Loser is heavy, honest, and a little uncomfortable but in the best way. It doesn’t glamorize ambition; it questions it. It doesn’t celebrate toughness; it asks what it’s costing you.
And somewhere between all the pain... it leaves you with something softer, hope that cycles can break, that people can choose differently.
First Loser is heavy, honest, and a little uncomfortable but in the best way. It doesn’t glamorize ambition; it questions it. It doesn’t celebrate toughness; it asks what it’s costing you.
And somewhere between all the pain... it leaves you with something softer, hope that cycles can break, that people can choose differently.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews