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The Book of Luke
Not yet published
Expected 2 Dec 25For fans of Survivor and Less, this fast-paced debut novel shines an unflinching light on the drama of reality TV when a gay man returns to the cut-throat show he won in his youth after his adult life begins to unravel.
Following the car accident that ended his football career and left his body scarred, 22-year-old Luke Griffin joins the cast of Endeavor, a new competition-based reality show that pits the tabloids’ darlings against one another in tasks of endurance and problem solving. At first, he thrives, effortlessly forming friendships and even a romantic relationship that he thinks will last a lifetime. But Luke has aspirations far bigger than the show's million-dollar prize, and soon a series of betrayals leads to irreversible tragedy, changing the course of his and his fellow contestants' lives forever.
Ten years later, Luke’s world looks very he is now a father of two and the stay-at-home husband to America’s only openly gay senator. When his husband's serial cheating is exposed, Luke impulsively joins the cast of Endeavor's latest season in a desperate bid to earn some fast cash. Back on set, he is confronted with everything he tried to leave in the bitter rivalries, shattered friendships, and crushing guilt, all of which threaten to tear down the walls he’s spent a decade building. As Season 20 of Endeavor kicks off, Luke must give everything to the game, even as he finally learns what it means––and what it costs––to face the truth.
Combining the fabulous rivalries of The Traitors with the epic physical stunts of The Challenge, THE BOOK OF LUKE offers a grounded portrait of what it means to reinvent yourself when no one will let you forget your past - especially if it's immortalized on streaming services.
Following the car accident that ended his football career and left his body scarred, 22-year-old Luke Griffin joins the cast of Endeavor, a new competition-based reality show that pits the tabloids’ darlings against one another in tasks of endurance and problem solving. At first, he thrives, effortlessly forming friendships and even a romantic relationship that he thinks will last a lifetime. But Luke has aspirations far bigger than the show's million-dollar prize, and soon a series of betrayals leads to irreversible tragedy, changing the course of his and his fellow contestants' lives forever.
Ten years later, Luke’s world looks very he is now a father of two and the stay-at-home husband to America’s only openly gay senator. When his husband's serial cheating is exposed, Luke impulsively joins the cast of Endeavor's latest season in a desperate bid to earn some fast cash. Back on set, he is confronted with everything he tried to leave in the bitter rivalries, shattered friendships, and crushing guilt, all of which threaten to tear down the walls he’s spent a decade building. As Season 20 of Endeavor kicks off, Luke must give everything to the game, even as he finally learns what it means––and what it costs––to face the truth.
Combining the fabulous rivalries of The Traitors with the epic physical stunts of The Challenge, THE BOOK OF LUKE offers a grounded portrait of what it means to reinvent yourself when no one will let you forget your past - especially if it's immortalized on streaming services.
400 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication December 2, 2025
7 people are currently reading
3233 people want to read
About the author
Lovell Holder
1 book10 followersLovell Holder is a filmmaker who has directed and co-written the feature films Lavender Men and Loserville. As a producer, his movies include The Surrender, Peak Season, Midday Black Midnight Blue, The End of Us, Working Man, and Some Freaks. A graduate of Princeton University and Brown University (MFA), he currently lives in Los Angeles, California and Charlotte, North Carolina. The Book of Luke is his first novel. Instagram: @lovell.holder
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 21, 2025
Didn’t think it was possible, but Lovell Holder has successfully created a story that combines the best contestants and shocking moments of MTV’s The Challenge, the drama from Bravo’s reality TV, and action-packed set pieces from the Hunger Games to create “The Book of Luke,” a reality tv fan’s dream of a book. While no one dies here (no need to volunteer, Katniss), if you’re a fan of Survivor and other competition shows that blend politics and endurance, you’ll be dying to check this one out.
The Book of Luke follows titular Luke, a former reality TV competitor who after discovering his husband, a gay republican (oh vey!) has been having an affair (or two, or three, or more) must jump back into the very career he left behind so he can better provide for his children. The invitation, seemingly out the blue, is his chance to pick up some easy cash and move him and his two kids out of DC and into a new life. Of course, easier said than done, as Luke arrives to season 20 of the popular reality tv completion, Endeavor, reunited with former best friend, but now sworn enemy, Imogen, and others from his past, who are sure to make his time back on tv a bit of a nightmare. There’s some nuance (emphasis on the “some”) here — Luke isn’t a perfect lead, having made some bad decisions since his first appearance, including outing a cast member, marrying a republican who’s voting record has put members of underserved communities at more of a risk, and overall is a crappy friend. This all comes to a head over these 400 pages of twists, backstabbing, reveals, and countless characters.
Speaking of, there are a lot of characters in this book. Almost laughably so. It’s almost too difficult to keep track of these people, though it does get easier as more eliminations occur. I would have loved more double eliminations or Challenge-like purge moments. Thankfully, no redemption house here so once people are eliminated they stay eliminated. Another issue lay with how Luke was written. At times, you want to root for him, but there are others where you can’t — a moment from his past is pretty despicable no matter how much Lovell wants to say it was part “of the game.” It’s too bad because serious topics are handled with a lot of care including the trans identity on television, which as a viewer of reality tv, is all but missing in real life. This pipe dream extends to the ending and boy does this book end on a happy ending. It’s sweet but maybe too sweet.
This one was a fun one for me — I ripped through these pages as more layers of this onion were removed, but mileage will vary. If you’re a fan of the source material, then this one is for you. If you’re looking for dramatics and some inner workings of reality tv, also give this a shot. At times I wasn’t sure if it was my love of The Challenge that kept me going (sometimes thinking to myself “I wonder if the author will pull a twist like MTV did in The Rivals 3”) or if it was my interest in the story. The story at times, may fall flat, but your interest in this genre of TV will make up for it. My thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC.
The Book of Luke follows titular Luke, a former reality TV competitor who after discovering his husband, a gay republican (oh vey!) has been having an affair (or two, or three, or more) must jump back into the very career he left behind so he can better provide for his children. The invitation, seemingly out the blue, is his chance to pick up some easy cash and move him and his two kids out of DC and into a new life. Of course, easier said than done, as Luke arrives to season 20 of the popular reality tv completion, Endeavor, reunited with former best friend, but now sworn enemy, Imogen, and others from his past, who are sure to make his time back on tv a bit of a nightmare. There’s some nuance (emphasis on the “some”) here — Luke isn’t a perfect lead, having made some bad decisions since his first appearance, including outing a cast member, marrying a republican who’s voting record has put members of underserved communities at more of a risk, and overall is a crappy friend. This all comes to a head over these 400 pages of twists, backstabbing, reveals, and countless characters.
Speaking of, there are a lot of characters in this book. Almost laughably so. It’s almost too difficult to keep track of these people, though it does get easier as more eliminations occur. I would have loved more double eliminations or Challenge-like purge moments. Thankfully, no redemption house here so once people are eliminated they stay eliminated. Another issue lay with how Luke was written. At times, you want to root for him, but there are others where you can’t — a moment from his past is pretty despicable no matter how much Lovell wants to say it was part “of the game.” It’s too bad because serious topics are handled with a lot of care including the trans identity on television, which as a viewer of reality tv, is all but missing in real life. This pipe dream extends to the ending and boy does this book end on a happy ending. It’s sweet but maybe too sweet.
This one was a fun one for me — I ripped through these pages as more layers of this onion were removed, but mileage will vary. If you’re a fan of the source material, then this one is for you. If you’re looking for dramatics and some inner workings of reality tv, also give this a shot. At times I wasn’t sure if it was my love of The Challenge that kept me going (sometimes thinking to myself “I wonder if the author will pull a twist like MTV did in The Rivals 3”) or if it was my interest in the story. The story at times, may fall flat, but your interest in this genre of TV will make up for it. My thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC.
August 12, 2025
Hands down one of the best books I’ve read this year! I didn’t think a story about a gay guy on a reality show would be my cup of tea, but I was ever so wrong. This is a rollercoaster ride I never wanted to get off of. I laughed, I cheered, I held my breath, I cried. This story has it all, action, betrayal, love, family, secrets and lies, messy gays and well written “to the point” sex scenes. The characters here are just so wonderfully crafted and realized. Some of the best written gay characters in a book I’ve read. They feel like real humans. He doesn’t shy away from the tough things. I love that Holder lets his characters be messy and complex. Showing the complexities and shapes that love takes. He captures the dehumanizing nature of reality television. And he gives us one of the most exciting and emotional novels of 2025. Read it!! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!
August 17, 2025
ARC edition -
You can acquire many titles throughout your life. Athlete, car wreck survivor, reality game show contestant, winner, loser, lover, husband, father.... The list can just keep changing. Some titles drop away, some more are added. But once you are in the game show - do you ever actually leave? And when you finally realize that you haven't - who do you become?
Follow Luke, in a amazing weaving of past and present storylines, as he discovers himself all over again. Back in the game - there are games inside of games inside of games. Discovering where they begin, or often when they began, will take him to his toughest challenge yet...
When watching reality tv, you can hit pause, walk away, and take a breather. This book will keep you binge reading to see what happens next!
You can acquire many titles throughout your life. Athlete, car wreck survivor, reality game show contestant, winner, loser, lover, husband, father.... The list can just keep changing. Some titles drop away, some more are added. But once you are in the game show - do you ever actually leave? And when you finally realize that you haven't - who do you become?
Follow Luke, in a amazing weaving of past and present storylines, as he discovers himself all over again. Back in the game - there are games inside of games inside of games. Discovering where they begin, or often when they began, will take him to his toughest challenge yet...
When watching reality tv, you can hit pause, walk away, and take a breather. This book will keep you binge reading to see what happens next!
June 20, 2025
The Book of Luke is a fun, drama-filled dive into the world of reality TV. Luke returns to a Challenge-style show for an anniversary season and chaos follows. He’s a compelling lead, balancing personal emotion with the show’s madness.
The dual timeline and large cast might be a lot for some, but I had a great time with it. Big thanks to Grand Central Publishing for the ARC via NetGalley—I’ll definitely be recommending this one to all my reality TV-loving friends.
The dual timeline and large cast might be a lot for some, but I had a great time with it. Big thanks to Grand Central Publishing for the ARC via NetGalley—I’ll definitely be recommending this one to all my reality TV-loving friends.
June 15, 2025
I was given an e-arc of this book from Netgalley.
THIS BOOK IS EVERYTHING AND MORE. When I read the description I knew I needed to read this book. I didn’t know I would devour it so quickly. You get sucked into the story straight away and it’s nonstop from there.
The ups and downs never stop. The twists and turns and everything in between show you the good, the bad and the ugly of reality TV.
The author does a great job of creating the characters and how they fit into the show. As someone who watches reality competition shows, this really is a great background for the main character, Luke. You feel for him but also see all his flaws throughout.
It is probably my favorite book of the year.
THIS BOOK IS EVERYTHING AND MORE. When I read the description I knew I needed to read this book. I didn’t know I would devour it so quickly. You get sucked into the story straight away and it’s nonstop from there.
The ups and downs never stop. The twists and turns and everything in between show you the good, the bad and the ugly of reality TV.
The author does a great job of creating the characters and how they fit into the show. As someone who watches reality competition shows, this really is a great background for the main character, Luke. You feel for him but also see all his flaws throughout.
It is probably my favorite book of the year.
Read
June 22, 2025DNF @ 40%
Setting: Italy/US/China
rep: gay protagonist, multiple queer & poc side characters
The writing never quite gripped me but based on the high reviews I decided to power on through the messy plot and the too many characters, but after two separate but extensive Harry Potter references I have to call it quits. seriously, HP references in a queer book is not on in 2025. do better.
Setting: Italy/US/China
rep: gay protagonist, multiple queer & poc side characters
The writing never quite gripped me but based on the high reviews I decided to power on through the messy plot and the too many characters, but after two separate but extensive Harry Potter references I have to call it quits. seriously, HP references in a queer book is not on in 2025. do better.
August 26, 2025
I requested and received an eARC of
The Book of Luke
by Lovell Holder via NetGalley. Following a car crash that ends his football career and leaves his body covered in scars, 22-year-old Luke Griffin joins the cast of Endeavour, a competition-based reality television show. He dominates in the show, forming deep relationships with the other players, but following a series of betrayals an irreversible tragedy occurs that forever alters his life. Ten years later, Luke is a father of two and married to America's only openly gay, Republican senator. When his husband is caught in a sex scandal that destroys the foundations of their marriage, Luke joins the cast of Endeavor's latest season in hopes of securing money and financial security to help ensure he gets full custody of his children.
I'm typically iffy about books that feature reality television shows as part of their plots, but man did Endeavour work well in this story. I think because there was so much emotion involved and the stakes were so high it became impossible not to care about how the competition turned out, one way or another. Luke is an imperfect and occasionally detestable protagonist. When I found out his husband was a Republican, I was immediately overcome with the ick of it all, especially as he championed anti-trans legislation. Throughout the story Luke asserts that his husband’s views aren’t his own, but because of his complicity and other revelations in the story as a reader I was fuming at him quite often.
But here’s the magic of The Book of Luke: we’re allowed to see accountability in process, along with the acknowledgment that we all carry the capacity to create hurt. The novel also shows, however, that we are capable of change and of doing better. I cheered when characters called out Luke, even after I had started rooting for him. The book might be about a reality television show, but it’s also about redemption and healing. It features a cast of lovable heroes and vile villains that might remind you of your own favorites from The Challenge or The Traitors and enough drama to ensure you keep coming back for more. There were more twists and turns than I could have ever anticipated, which is what made the book impossible to put down. I had no idea what was coming next! Holder’s story had such a grip on me that I stayed up late last night reading it and then woke up early this morning so that I could finish it before work. This was absolutely one of my favorites of 2025 and it sincerely left me wishing for a sequel.
I'm typically iffy about books that feature reality television shows as part of their plots, but man did Endeavour work well in this story. I think because there was so much emotion involved and the stakes were so high it became impossible not to care about how the competition turned out, one way or another. Luke is an imperfect and occasionally detestable protagonist. When I found out his husband was a Republican, I was immediately overcome with the ick of it all, especially as he championed anti-trans legislation. Throughout the story Luke asserts that his husband’s views aren’t his own, but because of his complicity and other revelations in the story as a reader I was fuming at him quite often.
But here’s the magic of The Book of Luke: we’re allowed to see accountability in process, along with the acknowledgment that we all carry the capacity to create hurt. The novel also shows, however, that we are capable of change and of doing better. I cheered when characters called out Luke, even after I had started rooting for him. The book might be about a reality television show, but it’s also about redemption and healing. It features a cast of lovable heroes and vile villains that might remind you of your own favorites from The Challenge or The Traitors and enough drama to ensure you keep coming back for more. There were more twists and turns than I could have ever anticipated, which is what made the book impossible to put down. I had no idea what was coming next! Holder’s story had such a grip on me that I stayed up late last night reading it and then woke up early this morning so that I could finish it before work. This was absolutely one of my favorites of 2025 and it sincerely left me wishing for a sequel.
July 13, 2025
This was delightful! I tore through it in two days, engrossed in the drama. If I stand back and look at some of the plot points at a distance I go "well, that's kind of silly" but this rarely occurred to me while reading—the book is skilled at pulling you into the melodrama and, most importantly, making you feel like every twist matters.
Luke is returning to the reality game show Endeavor for a shot at some quick cash after learning his husband's been cheating on him for nearly a decade. He knows it's probably a bad idea, but he doesn't have any other ones, and without the cash he might lose custody of his two kids, which are the only thing he's been living for. Angry, desperate, and woefully out of touch with the reality TV scene, Luke is only going to make it through with the help of his fellow contestants. Unfortunately, he left the show with more enemies than friends.
Luke is a charming protagonist, and you immediately get why people trust him, even when there's video evidence that warns against trusting him. The cast is fun, and has some pretty unflattering opinions of the reality TV circuit, even as they continue to show up. I wasn't surprised to see the author bio mention he has a history in film—while I can't say how true this is to an actual reality TV show, it certainly gave the impression of someone who understands production in general.
This was messy and heartfelt and surprisingly compassionate. I think it leaned saccharine at times, but I honestly didn't mind, because the characters were legitimately allowed to mess up, and mess up badly over the course of the book, so redemption was never a forgone conclusion for anyone. If it has one flaw, it's that Erika gets surprisingly little screentime or agency outside of Luke's story, despite being a pivotal character. This is a hard thing to balance with such a large cast (the season 20 cast starts with 20 contestants, plus production staff, so there were a few early episodes where I'm unclear who was even eliminated), and it has the same trouble as actual reality TV of showing its hand if it focuses exclusively on the finalists in the early game, but also: come on, it's Erika. We know.
I started recommending this to people before I even finished it. An absolute blast.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.
Luke is returning to the reality game show Endeavor for a shot at some quick cash after learning his husband's been cheating on him for nearly a decade. He knows it's probably a bad idea, but he doesn't have any other ones, and without the cash he might lose custody of his two kids, which are the only thing he's been living for. Angry, desperate, and woefully out of touch with the reality TV scene, Luke is only going to make it through with the help of his fellow contestants. Unfortunately, he left the show with more enemies than friends.
Luke is a charming protagonist, and you immediately get why people trust him, even when there's video evidence that warns against trusting him. The cast is fun, and has some pretty unflattering opinions of the reality TV circuit, even as they continue to show up. I wasn't surprised to see the author bio mention he has a history in film—while I can't say how true this is to an actual reality TV show, it certainly gave the impression of someone who understands production in general.
This was messy and heartfelt and surprisingly compassionate. I think it leaned saccharine at times, but I honestly didn't mind, because the characters were legitimately allowed to mess up, and mess up badly over the course of the book, so redemption was never a forgone conclusion for anyone. If it has one flaw, it's that Erika gets surprisingly little screentime or agency outside of Luke's story, despite being a pivotal character. This is a hard thing to balance with such a large cast (the season 20 cast starts with 20 contestants, plus production staff, so there were a few early episodes where I'm unclear who was even eliminated), and it has the same trouble as actual reality TV of showing its hand if it focuses exclusively on the finalists in the early game, but also: come on, it's Erika. We know.
I started recommending this to people before I even finished it. An absolute blast.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.
June 9, 2025
e-ARC: 4.25⭐️ This book kept me on the edge of my seat basically the entire time I was reading it. I didn’t know much going in— an LGBTQ+ book featuring a former reality show star who is returning to the competition show that he is famed for, despite some past/history/drama/betrayal that led him to leave it behind. I will admit this isn’t my typical style/genre of book but I honestly think it was exactly what I needed, as I’ve been in somewhat of a slump and not enjoying much of what I’ve read lately. The tension created by the combination of past/present storylines was incredibly engaging and I felt like the cast of characters was surprisingly well-developed for how many people were involved in the story. There were several twists that I wasn’t expecting, but really did a great job of keeping the story interesting and engaging when it otherwise might have become a bit repetitive/monotonous (while also being believable and in-character). I have mixed feelings about the ending, but I think that’s best left up to each reader to decide if/when they get to that point.
All in all I definitely would recommend this book to anyone who’s interested in the premise. I can definitely see it being a five star read for many, but I think my mixed feelings about the ending are just holding me back from giving it that final bump.
Thanks to Net Galley and Grand Central Publishing for the e-ARC of this title!
All in all I definitely would recommend this book to anyone who’s interested in the premise. I can definitely see it being a five star read for many, but I think my mixed feelings about the ending are just holding me back from giving it that final bump.
Thanks to Net Galley and Grand Central Publishing for the e-ARC of this title!
July 27, 2025
This is the best kind of messy, emotional drama, and a hell of a debut from Lovell. We get a husband who's become a stay at home dad to two kids and a husband to the only openly gay Senator who finds out that his husband has been extremely cheating on him, and in order to get the money he needs to be able to take care of the kids with sole custody after the divorce, he goes back to the reality show where he and his husband met a decade ago. Lovell does a great job at giving us flashbacks to what happened in the original season to contextualize what's happening in the present, amazing character work, and some A++ drama that plays out across the book. Highly recommended this fall.
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