Description:
A USA TODAY BESTSELLER AND A MARIE CLAIRE BEST BOOK OF 2025
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.
"An addictive, immersive love story set against the backdrop of an insane reality show!" --Andy Cohen
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.
"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." --Lauren Ling Brown, USA Today Bestselling author of Society of Lies
Review Quotes: "Fans of reality TV and funny, moving tales of self-discovery, make room on your shelf for this one."--Marie Claire