Characters

The most important characters in "How to Lose" by Virginia Patterson are Natalie and her nephew AJ, as the plot mainly revolves around their relationship and development.

Though Natalie is AJ's aunt, she has taken on the role of his mother after AJ's real mother, Gina, died of an overdose, and both of them are still getting used to this new reality. However, the story concludes on a hopeful note, as it indicates that both of them develop and become stronger persons.  

The story also contains a number of secondary characters, such as Natalie's frequently absent husband Phil, AJ's baseball coach and AJ's swimming instructor Emilliano. There are also brief references to AJ's school counselor and Natalie's other sister Caroline.