Nothing To Lose

Christina Jones

Average Rating 9/10 (1 Review)

The latest exhilarating novel from the author of Walking on Air and Jumping to Conclusions.

Christina Jones specialises in robust yet romantic heroines, unusual situations like acrobatic flying or fairgrounds, and remarkable casts of supporting players who are exceedingly realistic but rendered with immense affection.

Her latest novel asks you to imagine that someone - in payment for a debt - gave you a greyhound. What would you do? Single mother April Padgett is scraping a living with bar work and debt collection when one day, in lieu of payment, she is given Cair Paravel, allegedly a champion greyhound. The owner scarpers, and April decides not only to keep the dog, but also to train and race him. There are a few snags - she has no money, she knows nothing about training greyhounds, and her housing has a no- animals clause. But she has nothing to lose by trying her dog in a small local race.

Now imagine that you are left - in the will of a beloved but distinctly disreputable relation - a bookmaker's pitch at a rundown greyhound stadium. On the death of her grandfather, Jasmine Clegg inherits this, along with various bits of his businesses and his council-condemned beach hut. The stadium may look shabby, but there are plans afoot and it's a prime site close to the sea-front. Almost engaged to a suitable man and with a promising career with perks, she opts to the horror of her family to take her place at the bookie's stand. She too has nothing to lose - if she can figure out the odds.

Two life-changing moments for two determined women who by themselves can cause confusion, but together can bring mayhem - to the dogs and the punters, to the stadium and to their working lives, and to those they love. Debt collectors and developers, posh relations and bookmakers, possible husbands and bar owners, the girls and the greyhound are all involved in a wonderful chase. Any Christina Jones novel makes you feel elated, ecstatic and exuberant. Nothing to Lose will make you feel like a winner.

Review by Chrissi (310301) Rating (9/10)

Review by Chrissi
Rating 9/10
Well, I've done it - I've started and finished the proof copy of Nothing to Lose today. I'm feeling really good about it too. It has left me with a lovely warm and fuzzy feeling, knowing that both our ladies are happy and facing nice futures.

The two ladies are Jasmine and April. Jasmine's Grandfather died recently and left her his track side bookies pitch at a small run down Greyhound Racing stadium in a seaside town. She is engaged to Andrew, a longstanding relationship which may lead to a wedding at some point in the future, but which is ongoing because neither of them has considered doing otherwise. April is working three part time jobs to support her daughter while hoping that her partner will return to her and resume the relationship whilst accepting his role as a father. Given, however, that he has legged it out of the country with another woman, this seems rather unlikely to all but April.

Through Greyhound Racing their lives are entangled in ways which you may not expect. April receives a greyhound as part payment for a debt and then finds out that, whilst a beautiful dog, he won't race. She finds that he will chase something, so starts to train him whilst waiting for Noah to return and build a life with her in a cottage with roses around the door.

Jasmine meanwhile, is finding her feet after the death of her beloved Grandfather and his bequest that she continues his bookmaking business. Entwined in here are the love lives of our ladies, and the men who they are involved with.

The climax happens when a brewery decides to hold a prestigious Race and Jasmine and her friends enter the competition to hold the event. By coincidence, April's greyhound is now racing well, too... I loved this - you really like both ladies and you want to tell them that their men are no good, but you know that all you can do is wait for them to find out for themselves.

I can sympathise with the doughnut addiction, and I would like to think that I could have a wake like that requested by Jasmine's Grandad, and have someone read out a will that makes perfectly clear my opinions of people - read it and laugh.

I really do think that this is excellent, better than Jumping to Conclusions for my money - go on, you have Nothing to Lose!!
Chrissi (31st March 2001)