Overview

NAMED A BEST NOVEL OF 2025 BY MARIE CLAIRE AN AUDIBLE DECEMBER PICK For 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, twenty-two-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 different: 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 past: 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.

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9781538770153

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Reviews

""At once a rich character study of a person unwillingly thrust into fame and an unstinting look into a culture that rewards attention-seeking at any cost, The Book of Luke will keep you hanging by your fingertips until the very last page. Reality show contestants may not be there to make friends, but, thanks to Lovell Holder's skillful writing, observant eye, and dazzling imagination, you'll emerge from The Book of Luke grateful for the opportunity to have met Luke, and to have spent time in his surreal, all-too-recognizable world.""--Daniel D'Addario, author of The Talent ""The Book of Luke is as intriguing, propulsive, sexy, entertaining, and compulsively bingeable as your favorite reality show (and don't pretend you don't have one). Lovell Holder is the rare breed of storyteller who can pull off twists that will make you gasp.""--Jeff Zentner, award-winning author of Colton Gentry's Third Act ""A wildly entertaining, adrenaline-fueled novel of betrayal, redemption and second chances, set in the blistering world of reality television. Keenly observed and beautifully realized, Lovell Holder has created an irresistible protagonist, surrounded by an indelible cast of globetrotting characters, navigating the regrets of their past while pursuing the hopes of the future. Funny, clever, heartbreakingly human, The Book of Luke is an unforgettable ride and a remarkable debut!"" --Bill Gaythwaite, author of Underburn and winner of the 2025 Drue Heinz Literature Prize ""The Book of Luke is a delight! Squid Game meets Kramer vs Kramer - a heartfelt odyssey through the cutthroat world of reality TV. With (sometimes literal) cliffhangers, Holder expertly unfolds his story of twists and turns, taking us on an emotionally devastating yet ultimately redemptive journey of love and forgiveness, most importantly for oneself.""--Stacy Rukeyser, Peabody Award-winning Executive Producer of Sex/Life and UnREAL ""Bold and provocative, The Book of Luke is equal parts satire and drama, told through the lens of a reality television contestant in the midst of a divorce from his husband. Holder writes with both wit and frankness as he navigates queer identity, reality television, and love. It had me laughing and tearing up--sometimes both at the same time.""--Lauren Ling Brown, USA Today Bestselling author of Society of Lies

""The Book of Luke is as intriguing, propulsive, sexy, entertaining, and compulsively bingeable as your favorite reality show (and don't pretend you don't have one). Lovell Holder is the rare breed of storyteller who can pull off twists that will make you gasp.""--Jeff Zentner, award-winning author of Colton Gentry's Third Act ""A wildly entertaining, adrenaline-fueled novel of betrayal, redemption and second chances, set in the blistering world of reality television. Keenly observed and beautifully realized, Lovell Holder has created an irresistible protagonist, surrounded by an indelible cast of globetrotting characters, navigating the regrets of their past while pursuing the hopes of the future. Funny, clever, heartbreakingly human, The Book of Luke is an unforgettable ride and a remarkable debut!"" --Bill Gaythwaite, author of Underburn and winner of the 2025 Drue Heinz Literature Prize ""The Book of Luke is a delight! Squid Game meets Kramer vs Kramer - a heartfelt odyssey through the cutthroat world of reality TV. With (sometimes literal) cliffhangers, Holder expertly unfolds his story of twists and turns, taking us on an emotionally devastating yet ultimately redemptive journey of love and forgiveness, most importantly for oneself.""--Stacy Rukeyser, Peabody Award-winning Executive Producer of Sex/Life and UnREAL ""Bold and provocative, The Book of Luke is equal parts satire and drama, told through the lens of a reality television contestant in the midst of a divorce from his husband. Holder writes with both wit and frankness as he navigates queer identity, reality television, and love. It had me laughing and tearing up--sometimes both at the same time.""--Lauren Ling Brown, USA Today Bestselling author of Society of Lies

""The Book of Luke is a delight! Squid Game meets Kramer vs Kramer - a heartfelt odyssey through the cutthroat world of reality TV. With (sometimes literal) cliffhangers, Holder expertly unfolds his story of twists and turns, taking us on an emotionally devastating yet ultimately redemptive journey of love and forgiveness, most importantly for oneself.""--Stacy Rukeyser, Peabody Award-winning Executive Producer of Sex/Life and UnREAL ""Bold and provocative, The Book of Luke is equal parts satire and drama, told through the lens of a reality television contestant in the midst of a divorce from his husband. Holder writes with both wit and frankness as he navigates queer identity, reality television, and love. It had me laughing and tearing up--sometimes both at the same time.""--Lauren Ling Brown, USA Today Bestselling author of Society of Lies

Author Information

Lovell 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.

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