I stumbled on the works of Megan Derr by accident one day while searching for fractured (or twisted) fairytales. Since then she has become one of my favorite authors. In that first weekend alone I probably purchased and read 4 or 5 of her fractured fairytales and fairytale like short stories. Tournament of Losers falls into this category but is a fully flushed out story.
In Tournament of Losers the main character, Rathatayen (please call me Rath) needs to pay off his father’s debt. The sum is ridiculous, failure to pay is not an option, and the only way to get the money in time by signing up for the Tournament of Loser and competing for the chance to marry nobility. Too bad luck has never been on Rath’s side.
This book reads like a fairytale with an LGBQT romance at its center. If m/m romance isn’t your cup of tea then neither is this particular story. Tournament of Losers is a fun read full of witty characters. There are no sorcerers or magicians, no dragons to kill. Just romantic nobles and stubborn commoners, a spoiled brat and a pragmatic dock worker.