British YA. References were a bit dated and too frequent, which is saying a lot coming from a huge fandom nerd like me who loves a good reference. Very cutesy in a borderline annoying way. Characters (especially side characters) were not very likeable. I appreciated the coming out/figuring out sexuality journey of Nate. Premise was good, execution was not as good. One of those books you have to read for yourself because you’ll either like it or you won’t. Overall kinda mid.

Jack Parker is about to ask his dear boyfriend, Dylan, to accept a promise ring while attending their Year Eleven prom. They’ve been dating openly for the past school year, and Jack revels in Dylan’s popularity, as he’d mostly been a pariah after coming out a few years back. Jack’s developed a lot of emotional armor to withstand the bullying, and he’s ready to be absolutely fabulous at the prom–maybe even elected prom king along with Dylan. Unfortunately, Jack learns that Dylan hasn’t been faithful, and is instead interested in dating another boy from their year, leaving Jack furiously devastated.

Nate Harrison is also a Year Eleven, and he’s also got a major announcement to make at prom: he’s gay. And, in love with Tariq, the sweetly quiet gay boy who has charmed him. Nate knows Tariq wants to be out, so he makes his giant declaration–only to learn minutes later that Tariq and Dylan have been secretly dating behind Jack’s back. And, of course, out-and-proud “watch me everyone” Jack Parker was the instigator to reveal all the cheating. Nate and Jack had been the best of friends all through childhood, until they turned 12. Jack was out, and Nate shied away to prevent anyone surmising that he, too, could be gay. Nate’s world feels over, and he wants to hate Jack for shining the light on the treachery. Maybe if he asks really nice Tariq will come back to him?

Yeah, no, that’s not going to happen, because Dylan and Tariq have a new Insta channel that’s documenting their amazing love, and the summer is beginning, and they’re traveling all over, hitting all the hot spots, being out and fabulous together. All Nate has to look forward to is a weird driving vacation around the armpits of England in a borrowed camper van with his family and, inexplicably, Jack.

Jack has this great idea of getting revenge on Dylan by out-fabulousing Dylan and Tariq on social media. He convinces Nate’s parents to let him tag along on their grand trip, and they agree because they adore Jack and they desperately want him to help cheer Nate up. It’s a bit of a hard job, with the capers that develop on this trip. I absolutely shook the bed laughing with this horrorscape of teen angst. Oh, my goodness! Everything that can go wrong seems to do so, in the most endearing way. I loved how their continued proximity allowed Nate to become comfortable enough with his former best mate to confess his deep guilt and self-loathing. Jack is amazing at finding all the brightest sides of everything. He begins this mission running on 98% spite for Dylan, but he recovers quickly, allowing the momentum of the trip to transform his energy. He makes new friends, reconnects with his sweet cousin, and with Nate, of course. Because, as Nate’s prescient younger sister continues to claim, Jack is Nate’s future husband.

This is an adorable, hilarious look into teen life, jam-packed with the woes of social media and the pressure to demonstrate living one’s best life 24/7. The lessons are gentle, and delivered with grace. I highly recommend for fans of young adult romance. Jack and Nate are both awesome, Tariq is decent, and I’d like to leave Dylan tied to a railway someplace. I would LOVE to see a book for Elliot, Jack’s cousin, if that’s even a possibility. I was in rapture with the ending, and loved every step of the journey to get there.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

This was a cute, wholesome read. It wasn't extremely deep, while also not being dismissive of the greater challenges of coming out in high school. It was fun read.

I snagged a copy of this book from NetGalley way back in April, but of course, my schedule went off the rails and I ended up missing the review deadline by a few weeks.* I'm glad I kept my copy and finally got around to it though, it was great!

Heartbreak Boys is the story of Jack and Nate. It starts with a coming out, two horrible breakups, cheating, a lot of sass, an Instagram rivalry, and an embarrassingly awkward forced-road trip together. If that doesn't convince you to read it, the former best-friends patch up and grow closer should!

In this story, I am 100%, Nate—especially in high school. I was the grumpy, boring, keep your head down, don't make too much of a stir, and get through kid. I'm still grumpy and relatively boring, but I'm much more willing to stand up for myself and others and give my opinion these days, so basically Nate at the end of the novel. I guess I did have a Jack growing up, and they were overwhelming, but we never got back on best terms like this again. Jack is flamboyant and over the top and lives his life how he wants which was wonderfully delightful and I enjoyed every second of it.

'You don't have to change a thing, Jack. You're living your truth, and no one should take that way from you. Me, I don't even know what my truth is, but . . .'
He raises his eyebrows.
I swallow. 'But when I'm with you, I feel like I'm . . . finding out. I feel like I'm getting to know it. I feel like I don't have to pretend. I can just be me, even if I'm grumpy sometimes, even when I'm in a bad mood, and you don't seem to mind, and I like that. Just me. No filter. Not the highlights reel, the whole thing, the whole . . . messy, chaotic, happy, sad thing call me. And, Jack?'
His eyes widen, his mouth open a little, waiting.
'Just so you know, Jack, your truth, you with no filter, the real you, maybe some people like Dylan don't like it, maybe they're scared of it, maybe you shine so brightly for them they know they could never compete. But me, I like it. I love it. And I should have told you that. I should have told you that ages ago. You're epic, Jack. You're fabulous. And please don't ever stop.' (Chapter 44: Nate)

The story exists mostly as a revenge plot via who can become more famous on Instagram Jack and Nate or their exes. That part of the story was fine and I enjoyed the lifestyle blogger/influencer, Leila, they met, but the subplot faded away pretty fast for me. I don't even remember a lot of the posts toward the end and when Nate's ex shows him their Instagram and what Jack has been publishing I'm like oh yeah they had an Instagram. The realist part was the party they attended and realized neither of them had any desire to be a part of that world.

Nate's dash through London and the speech he gives Jack after Jack runs away because his dick of an ex gets into his head about Nate is 100% swoonable and aww-worthy. Seriously, I grinned like an idiot for a good 30 minutes after I read that and I was exhausted, sick and it was like 2 am.

OK, it's just . . . don't laugh, but I have this thing, this . . . It probably sounds stupid, but I always imagine there's a monster in the bedroom hungry for limbs, and if any part of me is exposed and not under the duvet, the creature will eat them. So. My left arm, foot, and lower leg are all currently in peril. (Chapter 21: Jack)

If there's one character that stole the show, it was Nate's little sister Rose. She had so many epic one-liners and Green's timing with them was impeccable. In general, the minor characters helped take this from a mediocre novel to a better-than-expected read. Nate's family was hilarious even aside from Rose, Jack's cousin and the lifestyle blogger all had their moments.

Recommendation: This was my first book by Simon James Green and I very much enjoyed it. It was a quick read with relatively low angst considering how angsty teenagers are and how the book starts. Jack and Nate both mature and grow as characters and there were so many low-key moments that just brought queer joy and friendship to the front and that just made me so happy. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for more books by Green in the future.

*I received a copy of Heartbreak Boys via NetGalley in return for my honest opinion. No goods or money were exchanged.

Jack and Nate, who have both recently been through breakups, decide to embark on a summer adventure to prove to their exes (and their followers on Instagram) that they are doing just fine. They set out on a road trip, but things don't go quite as planned, as they are being accompanied by Nate's mid-life crisis-ridden parents and annoying younger sister. Despite the challenges, the duo (who go by @TheHeartBreakBoys on Instagram) find themselves in a series of hilarious situations and ultimately discover that the person who can help them heal from heartbreak may have been with them all along.

This was a charming and entertaining read that I thoroughly enjoyed. I was initially put off by Jack's overbearing personality, but as the story progressed, I appreciated watching him grow and change as a character. The grumpy-sunshine dynamic between Jack and Nate was a highlight of the book and kept me engaged throughout. While the premise of the story may seem predictable at first, the execution was wonderful and kept me laughing. Overall, I would give this book a solid four stars and recommend it to anyone looking for a lighthearted and entertaining read.

First of all, this book is HILARIOUS! It had me literally cackling, even as it addressed several rather serious topics, such as bullying, coming out, societal perceptions of gay enough vs. too gay, and the pitfalls of social media. Jack’s out-and-proud personality and outrage at being dumped bring a fun balance to Nate’s more serious heartbreak and depression as they navigate their summer as singletons and rediscover the bonds of their former friendship. I absolutely loved it. Tariq and Dylan can have their glamour couple goals; Jack and Nate have it just right.

These kids go through the wringer! I’m in my 40s, so it’s been a while since I was a teen….but if this is how they behave now, they have gotten much meaner than they used to be. I mean, really? Everyone was happy for the cheaters? Zero repercussions ? Anyway….I really liked both Jack and Nate, and their families were great too! It had a decent amount of angst at the beginning, but it was also very sweet and incredibly funny. And the ending! So heartwarming.

After getting publicly dumped by their respective boyfriends at prom, Jack and Nate go on a summer road trip. They post to social media about the great time they're having, even though in reality they're heartbroken. But as the trip progresses, they discover truths about the past and realize they might just belong together.

This is a cute, heartwarming, family-oriented novel. It's appropriate for younger teens as well as older ones.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Simon James Green, and the publisher of this book for the eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Jack and Nate are unset after the recent breakup and decide to take actions into their own hands. They decide to make their highlight reel to show their exes that they can still have a good time. Will Jake and Nate still be hung up on their exes that they can't open their hearts to new love?

This was a cute YA read that I absolutely loved! I can't wait to recommend it to my fellow YA book lovers!

This is a charming and heart-warming story. When Nate and Jack's respective boyfriends both dump them at prom for each other, they are each crestfallen. And it only gets worse when their ex-boyfriends begin dating and chronicling their new relationship and the seemingly amazing summer of travel and adventure they have planned on Instagram. So Jack and Nate decide to get back at their ex-boyfriends by going on their own summer adventure to prove to them and everyone else that they are doing great and chronicling it on their own Instagram account, which they call "TheHeartbreakBoys." It is not so easy to portray a perfect summer when it involves a road trip with Nate's parents and little sister, but they find a away to hide that from their followers. Soon, they each find themselves surprised by how much they are enjoying their unconventional summer and spending more time with each other -- and realize that what is helping them get over their ex-boyfriends may not be the fake life they are showing online but the very real connection they are developing with each other.

This is a delightful story about breaking up and bouncing back. It is well-written, with strongly developed characters, and full of emotion and laughs.

Highly recommended!

I stand with the workers at Harpercollins and will hold my review until they have a fair contract. Employees should not have to fight for fair wages and working conditions.

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for this advanced copy.

Simon James Green is my favorite author for YA queer books. Simon's books are hilarious. The fact that I already have read the UK version of this roadtrip romance book, and re-read again in this US version means one thing : This book is fun as hell...

It is hilarious, yes.
It is sweet, yes.
And I love it!!

Congratulation for debuting in US

Thank you to NetGalley, author Simon James Green, and Clarion Books for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I wanted to like this so badly because I'm a sucker for a good road-trip romance story, much less an LGBTQ+ one, but unfortunately, this didn't quite do it for me. I think a large part of it has to do with the fact that I'm now in my mid-20s because I think I would have enjoyed it more if I read it in high school. It was a bit too far-fetched for me in terms of the friends to romance because there was just SO much drama throughout, both with the boys and their exes. I also didn't quite resonate with Jack being so over-the-top, dramatically gay; he came across as annoying at times to me, but I did love the messaging of being 100% yourself! I do think there were other important messages of acceptance and great portrayals of all sorts of love and support, but unfortunately, it was a bit of a miss for me. I do think younger teenagers will have fun reading this though and would still recommend as a whole, just not for my personal taste.

Aweee that was so freaking cute.
I called the ending of the story around page 100 but I loved the ride completely. My heart broke for Nate and Jack and slowly mended itself. Amazing story! I absolutely loved it

This book was funny and fun but the romance aspect happened much too slow. At some points I was even wondering if it would turn out to be romantic at all, which I would have been okay with it being more about friendship. I am a huge fan of slow burn romances and I seek them out, but this was too slow and too iffy about whether or not they would end up together - I didn't feel the tension of wanting them to be together. I definitely got impatient near the end but the humor was great throughout the whole book.

I loved the parents, they were a highlight of the book for me, but another weird thing was Rose, she almost didn't exist except to jump in with "funny" remarks- she could have just not been there at all because she wasn't mentioned much at all.

Please notice that feedback for "Heartbreak Boys" by Simon James Green will become available once HarperCollins strike has ended. Star Rating does not necessarily reflect true opinion.

Jack and Nate both expected to have a fantastic senior prom. Jack was going with the boy of his dreams; Nate was finally going to be able to come out and be himself. However, things couldn't stray further from their plans. When it's revealved that both Jack and Nate's boyfriends were secretly seeing each other, they're both devastated. Especially when they both start posting their perfect summer break online.

So, Jack and Nate decide to have their own summer of fun, in the form of a road trip. To get revenge on their exes, they post pictures of their summer of adventure online. But the more time they spend with each other, the more they start to fall for each other. Maybe there's a new romance on the horizon.

Thanks to NetGalley and Clarion Books for an advanced copy of this to review! I always love a good rom-com, and this 100% fits the bill. The characters were fun, there are some downright laugh out loud moments, and it's just all around a good time.

Jack and Nate complement each other so well in this. Nate is shy and a bit awkward, while Jack is not afraid to fully be himeself, all the time. Which definitely paints him as a target at school. Their chemistry was fantastic, and I loved how hard Jack worked to try to get Nate past his heartbreak. It was honestly one of the best parts of the book.

There are some great supporting characters, and the whole road trip idea will make this a super fun summer read. Fans of Becky Albertalli will definitely love this, too!

This book is the perfect read for a weekend, or a road trip! (And yes, it's partly jecause these two dorks are on a road trip, but it also just has that kind of vibe.

It's a simple read, but I definitely got emotional at times when reading it. It's full of heart and wonder!

Nate and Jack get the reader drawn into their story from their first chapters. They're those characters I just immediately love, for different reasons, but I wanted them to have a happy ending after all the pain they went through. Through a summer of a long and wild road trip, their faded friendship comes back at full swing, making both Boyd relaize they never stopped caring about each other. It's fun, reading all the shenanigans Jack gets them into, and how Nate is able to get them out of them....eventually.

My favorite part is that through several adorable instragramable moments, both boys grow closer, making them not only relaize that they find what they need in each other, but they also find themselves with the others help, which is absolutely adorable

This was such a cute YA queer, coming of age, romance. I thought this book was so charming and a really cute read. Both boys are dealing with their heartache and humiliation in different ways. They had once been best friends, but haven’t really spoken in a few years, so not only are they dealing with their broken hearts, but also trying to heal what hurt their friendship in the past. Jack is over-the-top, in your face gay and proud, and I love him for it. Nate is recently out and trying to deal with being a young gay teen. Their individual stories and feelings were so touching, and I loved seeing both of their growth.

The story itself was well written too, full of points that make you laugh out loud and others that give you all the feels. It’s dual POV, going back and forth between Nate and Jack, which I loved seeing each of their perspectives on their blossoming friendship (and maybe more). It is pretty fast paced, and I read it in a day. It did get a little much with the Instagram/social media metaphors, especially at the end. I know the whole book is about them doing social media to show that they were FINE, but it made it a little too much with how they used it in their big heart to heart moments near the end.

Over all a really cute queer YA rom-com. Reminds me a bit of Alexis Hall’s writing, only YA instead!

I received a copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. It was originally published in 2020, but is being re-released to US publishers this December!

I've posted a review to Goodreads and will post to my IG the week prior to the release.

This was absolutely adorable and delightful. I loved the journey that Jack and Nate take, both figuratively and literally. It’s never easy to deal with the fallout of being cheated on, especially when it is done in such a public manner and you add in the already awkward teen years, but they handle it well and everyone knows living well is the best revenge!