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Losing to Win
"Grant entices, captivates, and mesmerizes." --RT Book Reviews
The small town of Belle Haven, Louisiana, is still struggling with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the Gulf oil spill, and its residents will do whatever it takes to get it back on its feet. So when local English teacher Carissa Melody Wayne is asked to appear on the weight-loss reality show Losing to Win, she agrees. She doesn't realize that others from her past will be joining her, including her high school nemesis, an acquaintance who's been nursing a long-time crush on her--and most shocking of all, Carissa's ex-fiancé, former NFL star Malachi Knight.
As Carissa's group is split into pairs to compete in a series of challenges, she finds herself at the mercy of the chaotic Hollywood crew and cast members, and her own unfinished business. Soon enough, she discovers that her biggest challenge will be deciding what's really important to her, what she's willing to do to win--and how to do it with cameras following her 24/7...
The small town of Belle Haven, Louisiana, is still struggling with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the Gulf oil spill, and its residents will do whatever it takes to get it back on its feet. So when local English teacher Carissa Melody Wayne is asked to appear on the weight-loss reality show Losing to Win, she agrees. She doesn't realize that others from her past will be joining her, including her high school nemesis, an acquaintance who's been nursing a long-time crush on her--and most shocking of all, Carissa's ex-fiancé, former NFL star Malachi Knight.
As Carissa's group is split into pairs to compete in a series of challenges, she finds herself at the mercy of the chaotic Hollywood crew and cast members, and her own unfinished business. Soon enough, she discovers that her biggest challenge will be deciding what's really important to her, what she's willing to do to win--and how to do it with cameras following her 24/7...
- GenresRomanceAfrican American
289 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
About the author
Michele Grant
9 books221 followersMichele Grant grew up wanting to be a combination of Maya Angelou, Perry Mason, and Eartha Kitt. Deciding that law books were dusty and boas not practical for everyday wear, she’s still clinging to that Maya Angelou dream.
When not laboring away on the keyboard, she can be found trying to channel her “inner B. Smith”, growing roses, trying new recipes and wondering if just one more throw pillow works with that sofa?
She has Ella Fitzgerald and Kanye West on the same playlist in her iPod, she’s affectionately been given the nickname “Shopping Queen”, and there is not a single fall Sunday where her TV isn’t tuned in to an NFL game.
Contradictory yet contemporary, Michele sees the humor in all things and shares that with her readers.
When not laboring away on the keyboard, she can be found trying to channel her “inner B. Smith”, growing roses, trying new recipes and wondering if just one more throw pillow works with that sofa?
She has Ella Fitzgerald and Kanye West on the same playlist in her iPod, she’s affectionately been given the nickname “Shopping Queen”, and there is not a single fall Sunday where her TV isn’t tuned in to an NFL game.
Contradictory yet contemporary, Michele sees the humor in all things and shares that with her readers.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 20, 2019
This started out really good - it's like the author threw chick lit, women's fiction and romance into a blender and concocted a yummy, humorous smoothie. What didn't work so well? There's eleventy billion characters and about half of them could have been left on the cutting room floor IMHO. Also, the heroine, still stung over her failed relationship with the hero, stings along a secondary Mr. Nice Guy character. I "got" that she wasn't all that anxious to jump right back into the deep end with the hero, but to be knockin' boots with him while telling Mr. Nice Guy that she "needs time" drove me insane. The only saving grace is that Mr. Nice Guy has a moment in the spotlight towards the end.
July 21, 2015
3.5 Grant is turning out to be a pretty solid 3.5 for me--strong writing, snappy dialogue, fun situations, hot sex, but something just a bit lacking when it comes to the romance arc. Schoolteacher Carissa Wayne is set up by her family and friends to appear on the "Losing to Win" weight-loss reality TV show, accompanied by five others from her past--including her ex-fiancé, former NFL football star Mal Knight. Carissa and Mal were childhood sweethearts, and Carissa spent five years waiting for Mal to make good on his promise to marry her. But she finally dumped him when his ego got so big that he continually blew her off and made her feel inferior ("time to start living outside my shadow" is his diss that breaks the camel's back).
Though the set-up is the weight-loss show, there's little here about body image issues--in fact, when Carissa meets with her TV "life coach" Dr. Julie, she and her friend specifically talk about the fact that they're not obsessed with body image at all, a nice change of pace from the typical white girl body image thing. The show is more of a framing device, used to get Carissa and Mal back in the same orbit. The romance arc is pretty much "oh, honey, I still love you and I won't be a jerk anymore, let's get it on" on his side, and "oh, I really want to have sex with him, but should I trust him?" on hers. Carissa breaks down mid-book and gives in to the sex, thinking she can just cope with a sex-only relationship with her ex. But of course she can't, and of course Mal is determined to win her back, so of course they end up together in the end.
Not a big fan of the "no, no, no, ok let's have sex" storyline, or of the alpha-hole hero, even when he mitigates his a-holeness to win the girl. But I can see how this would be appealing to readers with other tastes than mine.
Though the set-up is the weight-loss show, there's little here about body image issues--in fact, when Carissa meets with her TV "life coach" Dr. Julie, she and her friend specifically talk about the fact that they're not obsessed with body image at all, a nice change of pace from the typical white girl body image thing. The show is more of a framing device, used to get Carissa and Mal back in the same orbit. The romance arc is pretty much "oh, honey, I still love you and I won't be a jerk anymore, let's get it on" on his side, and "oh, I really want to have sex with him, but should I trust him?" on hers. Carissa breaks down mid-book and gives in to the sex, thinking she can just cope with a sex-only relationship with her ex. But of course she can't, and of course Mal is determined to win her back, so of course they end up together in the end.
Not a big fan of the "no, no, no, ok let's have sex" storyline, or of the alpha-hole hero, even when he mitigates his a-holeness to win the girl. But I can see how this would be appealing to readers with other tastes than mine.
April 2, 2016
Clarissa Melody Wayne is a woman who has finally pieced her life back together after the abrupt and heartbreaking breakup with former NFL star Malachi Knight. Since that day, she refused to be in anyone's shadow and is now content with her life in Belle Haven, a small town in Louisiana that was damaged by Hurricane Katrina.
What started out as a normal day took a downhill spiral when the past comes to join Clarissa in an unlikely way. A weight loss competition reality show called Losing to Win. Not only has her past joined her front and centered but so has her ex-fiancé, Malachi.
Malachi is determined not to lose Clarissa this time around and he is willing to do whatever is necessary to show her he is a changed man and wants her to be a priority in his life. Little does he know, he has competition for Clarissa's heart.
When reality hits Malachi and Clarissa, will they be able to move towards a future together? Will Clarissa be willing to give Malachi another chance or does she have her eye on another man? Will Malachi and Clarissa come to grips to what separated them the first time?
You have to one click this amazing love story by Michele Grant to find out. It pulled at my heartstrings in so many ways as we all have had to deal with second chances and redemption. It is not always easy to forgive and forget when our heart has been put on the line. We can say what we will or won't do but in reality, you never know unless you are in that situation.
The author does a great job with character development especially with so many main characters to follow. You are given a sense of each one of them and their personalities. The plot is a made for television storyline. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Grant's works.
What started out as a normal day took a downhill spiral when the past comes to join Clarissa in an unlikely way. A weight loss competition reality show called Losing to Win. Not only has her past joined her front and centered but so has her ex-fiancé, Malachi.
Malachi is determined not to lose Clarissa this time around and he is willing to do whatever is necessary to show her he is a changed man and wants her to be a priority in his life. Little does he know, he has competition for Clarissa's heart.
When reality hits Malachi and Clarissa, will they be able to move towards a future together? Will Clarissa be willing to give Malachi another chance or does she have her eye on another man? Will Malachi and Clarissa come to grips to what separated them the first time?
You have to one click this amazing love story by Michele Grant to find out. It pulled at my heartstrings in so many ways as we all have had to deal with second chances and redemption. It is not always easy to forgive and forget when our heart has been put on the line. We can say what we will or won't do but in reality, you never know unless you are in that situation.
The author does a great job with character development especially with so many main characters to follow. You are given a sense of each one of them and their personalities. The plot is a made for television storyline. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Grant's works.
November 24, 2018
Ok. The setting of the game show was cute but a little unrealistic even for a reality show. The random hookups were also a little unrealistic...to me. I actually was not a fan of Carissa. I guess I understand her thinking but she kind of got on my nerves. I also didn't like Jordan much for having that continued interest in Carissa. He was willing to wait for her? Really? He didn't even suspect that she was running around with Mal all the time? Really? No flags about hr character or intentions were raised about her in his eyes? At the end he does mention that he suspected what would eventually happen, but he just had to try. He was setting himself up for disappointment and for that, I didn't like him. I don't know...It just wasn't developed enough for me and Carissa got on my nerves.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2019
This was a good book with an interesting story line. It seemed that the author was ready to get into some things but then decided to back off. The ending was sweet.
September 7, 2016
Losing to Win is Michele Grant’s fifth book but it was the first book that I have read from her. The book explains Carissa’s journey on the show Losing to Win. She joins the cast against her better judgment since it is a way to help revive her hometown. She soon finds out that she should have never agreed to do the show once she sees who the other cast members are. They are all a blast from her past and make her time on the show very interesting. This book shows how things that happen in the past can change you and make it hard for you to move on and return to the person that you once were. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading something else from this author.
March 3, 2014
If you love Michele Grant you will read this. I really wanted to give this a 3.5 but of course we can't.This book contains all of her wittiness that we love so much. I think the subject matter may be the disconnect. I think the way that she worked the whole reality show idea into the love story may've been awkward because really, the show itself was unnecessary. BUT I am a huge MG fan and I loved her love scenes and the emotion that she draws on. I can't wait until her next book drops.
September 30, 2013
I have to admit, I couldn't figure out exactly where this one was taking me until we got there. I started out not liking Malachi at all but he grew on me. I was cheering for him. Now I'd love to hear more about Jordan.
This might be Michele Grant's most humorous one so far. The challenges and the characters around Belle Haven were hilarious. Ranks right up with Sweet Little Lies.
This might be Michele Grant's most humorous one so far. The challenges and the characters around Belle Haven were hilarious. Ranks right up with Sweet Little Lies.
February 20, 2014
Great read that is right in line with the times.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews