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Sweet Valley High #77
Cheating to Win
When track star Tony Esteban tears a tendon in his knee, it looks like he's lost his chance of being an Olympic star. But Tony refuses to give up. Against his doctor's advice, he trains harder and harder. Not even his girlfriend, Annie Whitman, can convince him to slow down.
Then a weightlifter gives Tony "magic vitamins," and suddenly Tony is running faster than ever-and acting mean and aggressive. When Annie discovers Tony is taking a dangerous steroid drug, she knows she has to help him stop-before he destroys his whole life along with his Olympic dreams!
Then a weightlifter gives Tony "magic vitamins," and suddenly Tony is running faster than ever-and acting mean and aggressive. When Annie discovers Tony is taking a dangerous steroid drug, she knows she has to help him stop-before he destroys his whole life along with his Olympic dreams!
150 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 1, 1991
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323 people want to read
About the author
Francine Pascal
1,142 books1,833 followersFrancine Paula Pascal was an American author best known for her Sweet Valley series of young adult novels. Sweet Valley High, the backbone of the collection, was made into a television series, which led to several spin-offs, including The Unicorn Club and Sweet Valley University. Although most of these books were published in the 1980s and 1990s, they remained so popular that several titles were re-released decades later.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 16, 2020
Super cheesey afterschool special book about teenaged steroid use, as Annie's boyfriend Tony the trackstar gets lured in by guys at his gym to take their "magic vitamins" (yes, for real..lol) while he can't be patient enough to wait 2 weeks for an injury to heal. Considering nobody had ever heard of Tony, nor do they care about Annie, and the side plot of Liz and Todd trying to surprise each other by "kidnapping" themselves for a date...when LIZ HAS ACTUALLY BEEN KIDNAPPED I THINK TWICE NOW IN THIS SERIES ALONE... was stupid, even for Sweet Valley. Can't even give this one 2 stars because it was that bad. Onward.
August 31, 2021
I laughed out loud every time someone unironically referred to the Very Obvious Steroids as "magic vitamins."
March 6, 2025
Cheating To Win
Tony Esteban and Annie Whitman have been dating for a while Tony is training hard because there will be some Olympic scouts coming to the meets to check him out. Roger (who's also on the team) will have a house guest (a 13-year old kid named Mitch who’s starting to get in with the wrong crowd). Apparently, he’s the son of his dead mother’s friend. Roger decides to have a bbq for Mitch, but the only one he seems to really listen to is Tony. Annie tries to tell Tony he should step up and sort of be a positive influence on Mitch.
There’s a guy named Lou (who's a wrestler) that’s also “attracted” to Tony’s skill as a runner. Tony doesn’t like him all that much but is impressed himself with Lou (who won a lot of championships). Tony’s been getting mad heat at home from his Dad. His Dad was gonna be a pro athlete but had to drop out of school and take care of his sick mother so, he’s forcing his failed career on his son.
There’s a race at school and he accidentally falls and sprains his tendon. The doctors tell him it’ll heal in a month, but of course, neither he nor the Dad can wait that long. Eventually, the Dr. says he can run again but his speed isn’t as good so he accepts Lou’s offer for the magic vitamins. Tony is suspicious about why the Dr. hasn’t recommended them and asks Lou the name of them. But he plays dumb and says he can’t remember. He sells him the pills for 10.00. Immediately he starts noticing improvement at practice and so he asks Lou for some more pills.
Lou says he can get him a month’s supply for 100, but if he doesn’t have his money he’s gonna have to fuck him up. Tony forgets to ask what’s in the “magic vitamins”. The light blub starts to click when he and Roger overhear some guys on the team talking about a swimmer at SWU who got kicked off the team for taking steroids.
He considers breaking up with Annie because he thinks she’s causing him to lose focus and his Dad doesn’t think he should have a life outside sport. Roger tells him off and Tony just throws it in his face that he wouldn’t understand because he doesn’t have a Dad. He apologizes to her and starts to see that maybe he was wrong about her and his father.
Tony tries to talk to Lou but again he just tells him to pay him and not ask questions. Annie goes to find a guidebook for romantic spots for Elizabeth in Tony’s locker and sees the pills. She takes one and gives it to her cousin whose a biochemist at SVU and she tells her it’s steroids. She confronts him about it, and he goes off on her and leaves.
She goes to Elizabeth who convinces her to replace Tony’s pills with placebos. It works until Tony hears Lou being confronted by this guy and he can’t play dumb anymore. He tells his Dad whose apologetic instantly for trying to live his dream through his kid.
Annie confesses what she did and he makes a chart and shows it to the Coach of when he started and stopped taking the steroids and the coach tells him he wasn’t on them long enough to do any damage.
B) Basically Mitch is whiny about all the activities he goes to and the only one he listens to is Tony. They find an empty beer can in his room and Marie Patman flips out and wants to send him back home. Hank Patman doesn’t agree but is gonna go along with it. Tony makes him see the importance of rules and he promises he won’t drink again. Tony also suggests he go to Project Youth.
C) Is Todd is frustrated that Elizabeth keeps putting other people in their dates and doesn’t wanna give him any (private time). I think Winston suggests a romantic stop to Todd and agrees to kidnap Elizabeth. And Annie suggests a romantic spot and Enid agrees to kidnap Todd. And in the end, it’s the same restaurant and they finally have their alone time.
My Thoughts:
It’s really bugging me that I *KNOW* they used this placebo switch thing in an old sitcom. I just can NOT think of which one it was. That’s gonna nag at me till it hits me.
I didn’t have a *ton* of thoughts for this one. Disbelief that Tony kinda (sorta) knew these pills weren’t legit but still he was playing dumb with his *own* self. If you have just a teeny little notion this isn’t on the level then you probably shouldn’t do it.
And then even with legitimate pills, you have to be careful. Pills NONE OF EM are something you can play around with. I myself had my DR. prescribe me some stuff that affected me SO BAD that I had to call off work (when I was working). I was bawling my eyes out for NO REASON AT ALL! So, I would definitely not take something that a guy in a gym named LOU (that probably looked like Bow-Legged Lou from Full Force) offered me in a gym. Not smart Tony! NOT SMART!
And then what else gets me is these parents that force sports on their sons. I was reading something someone said that I REALLY like that said his parents made him do 3 things if he wanted to continue to work in the field he’s in when he was younger 1 get good grades 2 (I think was keep his room clean) 3 play sports. Play sports?
The first two I can understand but what if he wasn’t athletic? What if he had no interest whatsoever in sports? What if Tony hadn’t. Would Mr. Esteban *still* have forced him to run track? Then down the line what if either Tony or said person I like were ever a father? And they had a son? Would they do that to their son because that’s what was expected of them?
No parent should push what they like and their failures on their kid. I mean SURE Mr. Esteban understood easily enough but do these SV parents ever sit down and actually have a CONVERSATION with their kids that goes like this? “I’m proud of you for going out for (insert sport name). Did you know that I use to play sports back when I was your age and almost went pro? I didn’t make it because of other obligations, but I just want you to know there’s no pressure at ALL. I just want you to get out there and have fun.” Not AFTER the kid gets messed up on steroids, but before? Then maybe Tony would have felt pressured to try "magic vitamins" in the first place.
And how long just out of curiosity do you have to take steroids before they start working? Weeks? Months? I've never taken steroids but not to throw anyone under the bus, but I *did* have a family member who used to be into bodybuilding for a brief period of time. During that time he entered contests and he *might* have taken them (don't quote me on that). I however wasn't around him long enough to know the effects and how long and I certainly didn't slip him placebos. I'm thinking maybe after the gig was up he got off them. But then again, don't quote me on any of that. It's just a hunch. But, Of course, they don’t cause this is SV. What was I even thinking? But IJS shouldn’t one em do this? Thank you again Sweet Valley for demonstrating to us what kind of parent NOT to be
Rating: 5
Tony Esteban and Annie Whitman have been dating for a while Tony is training hard because there will be some Olympic scouts coming to the meets to check him out. Roger (who's also on the team) will have a house guest (a 13-year old kid named Mitch who’s starting to get in with the wrong crowd). Apparently, he’s the son of his dead mother’s friend. Roger decides to have a bbq for Mitch, but the only one he seems to really listen to is Tony. Annie tries to tell Tony he should step up and sort of be a positive influence on Mitch.
There’s a guy named Lou (who's a wrestler) that’s also “attracted” to Tony’s skill as a runner. Tony doesn’t like him all that much but is impressed himself with Lou (who won a lot of championships). Tony’s been getting mad heat at home from his Dad. His Dad was gonna be a pro athlete but had to drop out of school and take care of his sick mother so, he’s forcing his failed career on his son.
There’s a race at school and he accidentally falls and sprains his tendon. The doctors tell him it’ll heal in a month, but of course, neither he nor the Dad can wait that long. Eventually, the Dr. says he can run again but his speed isn’t as good so he accepts Lou’s offer for the magic vitamins. Tony is suspicious about why the Dr. hasn’t recommended them and asks Lou the name of them. But he plays dumb and says he can’t remember. He sells him the pills for 10.00. Immediately he starts noticing improvement at practice and so he asks Lou for some more pills.
Lou says he can get him a month’s supply for 100, but if he doesn’t have his money he’s gonna have to fuck him up. Tony forgets to ask what’s in the “magic vitamins”. The light blub starts to click when he and Roger overhear some guys on the team talking about a swimmer at SWU who got kicked off the team for taking steroids.
He considers breaking up with Annie because he thinks she’s causing him to lose focus and his Dad doesn’t think he should have a life outside sport. Roger tells him off and Tony just throws it in his face that he wouldn’t understand because he doesn’t have a Dad. He apologizes to her and starts to see that maybe he was wrong about her and his father.
Tony tries to talk to Lou but again he just tells him to pay him and not ask questions. Annie goes to find a guidebook for romantic spots for Elizabeth in Tony’s locker and sees the pills. She takes one and gives it to her cousin whose a biochemist at SVU and she tells her it’s steroids. She confronts him about it, and he goes off on her and leaves.
She goes to Elizabeth who convinces her to replace Tony’s pills with placebos. It works until Tony hears Lou being confronted by this guy and he can’t play dumb anymore. He tells his Dad whose apologetic instantly for trying to live his dream through his kid.
Annie confesses what she did and he makes a chart and shows it to the Coach of when he started and stopped taking the steroids and the coach tells him he wasn’t on them long enough to do any damage.
B) Basically Mitch is whiny about all the activities he goes to and the only one he listens to is Tony. They find an empty beer can in his room and Marie Patman flips out and wants to send him back home. Hank Patman doesn’t agree but is gonna go along with it. Tony makes him see the importance of rules and he promises he won’t drink again. Tony also suggests he go to Project Youth.
C) Is Todd is frustrated that Elizabeth keeps putting other people in their dates and doesn’t wanna give him any (private time). I think Winston suggests a romantic stop to Todd and agrees to kidnap Elizabeth. And Annie suggests a romantic spot and Enid agrees to kidnap Todd. And in the end, it’s the same restaurant and they finally have their alone time.
My Thoughts:
It’s really bugging me that I *KNOW* they used this placebo switch thing in an old sitcom. I just can NOT think of which one it was. That’s gonna nag at me till it hits me.
I didn’t have a *ton* of thoughts for this one. Disbelief that Tony kinda (sorta) knew these pills weren’t legit but still he was playing dumb with his *own* self. If you have just a teeny little notion this isn’t on the level then you probably shouldn’t do it.
And then even with legitimate pills, you have to be careful. Pills NONE OF EM are something you can play around with. I myself had my DR. prescribe me some stuff that affected me SO BAD that I had to call off work (when I was working). I was bawling my eyes out for NO REASON AT ALL! So, I would definitely not take something that a guy in a gym named LOU (that probably looked like Bow-Legged Lou from Full Force) offered me in a gym. Not smart Tony! NOT SMART!
And then what else gets me is these parents that force sports on their sons. I was reading something someone said that I REALLY like that said his parents made him do 3 things if he wanted to continue to work in the field he’s in when he was younger 1 get good grades 2 (I think was keep his room clean) 3 play sports. Play sports?
The first two I can understand but what if he wasn’t athletic? What if he had no interest whatsoever in sports? What if Tony hadn’t. Would Mr. Esteban *still* have forced him to run track? Then down the line what if either Tony or said person I like were ever a father? And they had a son? Would they do that to their son because that’s what was expected of them?
No parent should push what they like and their failures on their kid. I mean SURE Mr. Esteban understood easily enough but do these SV parents ever sit down and actually have a CONVERSATION with their kids that goes like this? “I’m proud of you for going out for (insert sport name). Did you know that I use to play sports back when I was your age and almost went pro? I didn’t make it because of other obligations, but I just want you to know there’s no pressure at ALL. I just want you to get out there and have fun.” Not AFTER the kid gets messed up on steroids, but before? Then maybe Tony would have felt pressured to try "magic vitamins" in the first place.
And how long just out of curiosity do you have to take steroids before they start working? Weeks? Months? I've never taken steroids but not to throw anyone under the bus, but I *did* have a family member who used to be into bodybuilding for a brief period of time. During that time he entered contests and he *might* have taken them (don't quote me on that). I however wasn't around him long enough to know the effects and how long and I certainly didn't slip him placebos. I'm thinking maybe after the gig was up he got off them. But then again, don't quote me on any of that. It's just a hunch. But, Of course, they don’t cause this is SV. What was I even thinking? But IJS shouldn’t one em do this? Thank you again Sweet Valley for demonstrating to us what kind of parent NOT to be
Rating: 5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2020
I’m so glad that Kindle Unlimited has so many Sweet Valley High books available! With everything going on right now, I’m just craving comfort reads like this. Plus, I did not stock up well enough at the library before it closed last month, so I’m running super low on “real” books to read.
I wasn’t sure I had ever read this one when I first started it, but the kidnapping side plot with Todd and Elizabeth was very familiar, so I guess I did. This was definitely cheesy, but the words “magic vitamins” made me laugh every time, so there’s that.
I wasn’t sure I had ever read this one when I first started it, but the kidnapping side plot with Todd and Elizabeth was very familiar, so I guess I did. This was definitely cheesy, but the words “magic vitamins” made me laugh every time, so there’s that.
November 4, 2021
Annie Whitman is worried about her boyfriend Tony. Ever since he damaged his tendon, his running career has been in jeopardy, but when a gym buddy gives him some *magic pills* Tony uses them to enhance his performance and get through the pain. Can Liz and Annie convince him that these pulls are steroids, and a really bad idea??
May 30, 2017
I think that is book is about knowing what is right, and what is wrong on things that you are competing against other people. cheating is bad for you, because there can be bad things that are happen to you or other people around you.
July 11, 2018
The book really showed how steroids can hurt loved ones by causing aggression. I think it’s time to say goodbye to Sweet Valley High. It was fun while it lasted.
October 24, 2010
What would the 80s have been without some Sweet Valley...it's like trying to do Miami Vice without Don Johnson, yes they tried that as a movie and look where they ended up!!!
June 21, 2013
I remember the cover but just not the story.
March 28, 2016
This one focused on Tony Esteban, the teen track star, and the issue of steroids. I didn’t really warm to Tony or his situation, he was a bit of an ass, so this one wasn’t really a favourite.
November 15, 2016
In case you didn't know already, buying "magic vitamins" from a dude at the gym is probably a bad idea.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews