3 Stars

While filming in Birmingham, UK, actor Patrick Lake meets and falls in love with local drag queen, Will Wright. Given Patrick’s role as the next Captain Kismet (essentially Superman), he isn’t able to be out without losing the career he’s slowly built for himself. Will agrees to love in secret, but with the film coming to a wrap the two aren’t sure what it will mean for their relationship.

What you see is what you get with this novel. The humor was excellent and mainly came from fast quips from the drag queens. The first kiss between Patrick and Will was actually really really cute. Will was living everyone’s fantasy of having a big star actor fancy them, but I found it really believable how quickly Will seemed to get used to Patrick. At times, he was hyper aware of his fame and the difference in their power dynamic, but other times he had to be reminded of that fact. It was really interesting to see played out and I enjoyed seeing these two get closer.

I also enjoyed the chapters from the past showing how Captain Kismet came to be. It was giving Evelyn Hugo vibes, and I think readers who like the feel of that book but want a modern day twist will really enjoy this book. Ellis balances taking this novel seriously and also having fun with it perfectly. It was a fun touch to make the epilogue after the author note, similar to how in a superhero movie there’s a teaser cut scene after the credits.

While I did enjoy this read overall, the beginning was a bit clunky with having to meet all the characters and understanding the dual timeline. As wonderful as this book was, I didn’t get that feeling like I was tapping into something extraordinarily special either. I’m landing on a solid 3 Star book that I’m sure you’re bound to find some good laughs, swoony moments, and feel-good messaging in.

Thank you NetGalley and Putnam Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

First, I would LOVE to thank Netgalley, Philip Ellis, and Putnam Books/Penguin for the opportunity to read this ARC. The reviews below are my own honest thoughts.

This story was nothing short of enlightening, painfully truthful (in the right way), organic, and heartbreaking. “We Could Be Heroes” follows Patrick, an actor whose career is on the rise, especially because he is filming the second installment of his superhero movie, which is bound to lock him into stardom. We then meet Will, a bookseller by day and Grace Anatomy by night, his drag persona. Patrick finds himself at the local gay bar, The Village, on a night off with his colleagues. Things take a turn for the worse when Patrick is recognized by the MC, and the crowd goes wild. In a scene of craziness, Patrick is saved by Grace Anatomy in all her redhead glory. This sparks the beginning of a long journey that both characters are not ready for… or are they? We are also taken down a parallel storyline that dates back to the 1950s, where we watch the creators of the “Captain Kismet” comics gain their inspiration and how it ties back to the present day.

My favorite part of this novel was how the author compared the similarities between being a celebrity and being gay in a way that can be understood by all readers. Celebrities are public figures. They must act a certain way and be “role models” for their fans. They are not allowed to be sloppy, unattractive, poor, have their own opinions, and forget about having any privacy. One simple mistake can tank their reputation and career. The same can be said about the gay community. We are not allowed to be outgoing, feminine, masculine, loud, proud, experimental, etc. This results in us being called names and discriminated against. A long list can be found in this novel. We are confined to our society's expectations of us, whether they are right or wrong. This stood out to me and made many sections of this novel more meaningful to me when reading.

This novel touches on a lot of current day issues that the LGBTQ+ community deals with on a regular basis. The Don't Say Gay Bill, drag queens being banned from reading in libraries, women's rights, gender identification, mental health issues, acceptance issues in the family household, hate crimes in LGBTQ+ safe establishments, and the lingering anxiety that we feel to ensure we are safe to be who we are. There is a portion of the novel where Patrick describes that Coming Out is not a one-time struggle. We fear every time we start a new job, meet new people, experience a new place, we have to monitor and ask ourselves, “Is it safe to be who I am here? Can I tell these people who I am?”

While this novel does hit the nail on the head for a lot of really important and tough issues, it is also balanced well with lots of humor, heartfelt moments, and great character building. I don’t think there was a character I didn’t like. The jokes aimed at the MCU made me laugh, and I LOVED the “Post Acknowledgement Scene.” A superhero story would never be complete without it.

I encourage everyone to give this one a read.

"We Could Be Heroes" by Philip Ellis isn’t for me. I may not be the right audience for this story. I couldn’t connect with the story of the characters. The book has a promising premise but I was disappointed in the actual story because I found the characters to be boring and self-involved. Some of the supporting characters were narcissistic and unlikable. The characters lack depth, and the attempt to interweave the Kismet comic books into the story feels forced and distracting. At the 40% point, I gave up. Life is too short to force myself to read something that puts me to sleep.

I don’t know if this one was for me, there were certainly a lot of cute moments, and some of the humor I enjoyed, but other parts (of the humor) felt kind of hurtful, so that took me out of it a bit. If you’re into superhero romances, and a bit of a quirky ride, this book could definitely be for you.

You can just tell by the cover that this is going to be a fun, cute story, and it definitely delivered on that. Both main characters are delightful and nuanced, and they each come with a great cast of supporting characters. I loved the backdrop of filming a blockbuster comic book film. And especially liked the flashbacks and tie-in of how that particular comic book came to be. I did think the main conflict for the couple hit quite suddenly, but otherwise this is a solid romance for modern audiences.

I am so glad I was able to get this book as an ARC, I had a blast reading this! It was so different from most things I’ve read in its quirky but genuine cast of characters. The author managed to weave the plot lines of the actual characters with the characters of the comic so seamlessly.

As a character reader, I absolutely adored both Patrick in his quieter, reserved nature and Will in his chaotic, adorable sweetness. When the two get together, their personalities mesh so well. I loved how tender and wholesome their love was! Every casual forehead kiss from Patrick to Will added 5 years to my life! Specially because it contrasted so much from the backstory we get to know about Patrick, and the inner monologue we hear from him. My baby isn’t even aware of how loving and affectionate he truly is 🥺🥺.

The side characters were also so well written, both Patrick and Will’s friends added to the sense of this loving found family that I wish I had. I want a friend like Jordan 😭

The only issue I had with the book was the Hollywood plot. This story is set in present time and we get so many modern references that it feels jarring whenever the scene cuts to Simone being a horrendous nightmare. The whole being queer is gonna have you jobless in Hollywood in 2024 felt off as a plot device. If anything, that’s very much “in style” right now. I wish the story had stuck with Patrick’s upbringing for his own reasons to not want to be out rather than because it’s not acceptable in Hollywood. I would argue it’s one of the few industries where it is accepted.

But overall, I loved it and I will be getting the actual book for my collection when the book is out!

I loved this book! As other reviews have mentioned, WE COULD BE HEROES gave me strong Notting Hill vibes, while also being a fun and unique romcom all its own. On the surface, Patrick and Will couldn't be more different. Patrick's star is on the rise, and the superhero movie he's currently filming just might cement him as an actor to watch. Will is a part-time bookseller, part-time drag queen who's just trying to live his best life. When a chance encounter on a chaotic night out brings the two men together, it sparks an unexpected friendship between them...and maybe even something more.

This was such an enjoyable, endearing story with characters you can't help but root for! I honestly think it would make a great movie. Ellis strikes a good balance between the lighthearted, sweet romance between Patrick and Will, and the heavier issues that affect their dynamic/the story overall. Beyond Patrick and Will, who are both so well-developed, the side characters were also very fleshed-out and fun to read about! I particularly enjoyed following Will's sister Margot and best friend/coworker, April, and Patrick's costar Audra and the other friends he makes on set. There is a secondary storyline woven throughout the main plot that I initially thought was a little unnecessary, but I ultimately loved how it was included and thought it was wrapped up in a really satisfying way. Overall, I would definitely recommend WE COULD BE HEROES for fans of romcoms with equal parts swoon and substance! Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books/Penguin for the ARC.

We Could Be Heroes was such a wonderful read! I was rooting for Will & Patrick so hard! I wanted to see them succeed and win at life both with one another and in their relationship.

Will & Patrick were surrounded by good friends, and love and support. This was a really sweet book!

4.5 stars. Super cute. I especially enjoyed the Notting Hill Easter eggs (famous American actor, diffident English bookseller named Will, Hollywood comes between them…). Patrick and Will are lovely, and surrounded by a Richard Curtis-worthy cast of friends and family.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

This book was amazing. Will was a neurotic dramatic drag queen who lived life authentically. Patrick was a closeted all-American movie star who gave up his authentic self in pursuit of his dreams. They had explosive chemistry and plenty of tender moments.
Jordan and April were amazing friends. Sure, they had their moments when they sucked, but who doesn’t? They were there for Will when he needed them and made sure he knew his worth.
Audra was also a surprisingly good friend. She had her own issues, but was still able to empathize with Patrick when he most needed it.
I was a little unsure about the introduction of the original authors of the comic in the 40s, but it ended up fitting in so beautifully with the rest of the book. I might have cried a little. I also loved the range of LGBTQIA+ side characters.
In many ways, this book hit close to home for me personally. Coming out is such a process and you have to come out over and over again, never knowing who is going to really support you. Although I can’t relate personally to movie stardom, Patrick’s story was very relatable.
The only thing, in my opinion, that would have made this book better would have been a more complete wrap up of the Omega Issue plot. We got answers, but I wanted more than just Patrick and Will’s responses.
This book was so well done.

Spice: 2,5/5 - not completely closed door, but not very explicit

Triggers: homophobia, transphobia, drug use, mention of doxxing, cheating (not by MCs), drinking, child neglect, mention of death in childbirth, domestic violence (off page, side character)

With two main characters you want to see succeed, a supporting cast full of lovable characters, and the parallels to current events while maintaining a fun read, We Could Be Heroes get five superhero stars.

What first drew me to this book was the cover and the playfulness of what piqued my interested definitely paid off with this complicated love story between a closeted superhero-playing actor and a bookstore clerk who performs in drag part time.

I really liked this book. It has heart and humor and queer joy and I was here for it. I found the story to be interesting, especially when it came to the realities of what I'm sure Hollywood is actually like for queer actors, particularly those who are still relatively new on the scene. Despite how many strides have been made for the queer community, it doesn't change the fact that people still view any sexuality aside from hetero and cis to be some sort of message or something that needs to be managed and controlled as if people aren't just existing as who they are. I think Patrick's struggle was very real and I empathized with him. I also empathized with Will since he did deserve to be with someone who didn't treat him like some dirty secret. I thought their relationship and growth as a couple and individuals was great and the representation and discussions about being queer and being part of the community were perfect. I simply adored this book and gave it 5 stars. As an aside, I don't know if this is simply a cultural thing (Britain vs. US), but the author kept referring to poppers which seemed to be some sort of drug but then in another part of the book it is mentioned how one of the MCs doesn't do drugs, but then they kept inhaling poppers, which I found confusing. Aside from this, I loved this book.

I had a lot of fun reading though this cute and fun romance featuring a closeted actor playing a Captain America-style superhero falling in love with a part-time bookseller, part-time drag queen.

The main story/timeline started out with strong Notting Hill vibes, but evolved into something more like Alexis Hall's Boyfriend Material. The joyful parts of the story were really nice and though the tougher parts of the story were less enjoyable to read through, I think they made other portions of the story more meaningful and touched a lot on current events. While most of our time is spent with Patrick and Will, the supporting characters and the characters in the secondary timeline all seem very fleshed out and are fun to explore!

At first I was a little confused about how the secondary timeline really was going to weave it's way into the main story and honestly for the first few chapters of Charles and Iris, I thought that it was ruining the rest of the book. That being said, as it progressed, I started to enjoy their storyline and it led to a really rewarding payoff. I would have almost liked the Charles and Iris storyline to be it's own standalone book. While I don't think I would have wanted additional time spent in this book on it, there was so much more to explore in that story that I wish we had gotten a chance to see.

Thanks to NetGalley and Putnam Books/Penguin for providing an ARC of this book!

This has everything I love. Queer love, drag queens, and a complicated romance. I am a major judge a book by it's cover person, and I saw the cover and immediately requested it on Netgalley. I was so happy to have been approved for it and even happier to be able to have read it. I absolutely love these two and it's safe to say I will be re reading this one (and probably purchasing a physical copy even though my shelves are packed full oops!)

1.5/5 ⭐
.5/5 🌶️ (closed door)

Will is a bookseller by day and a drag queen by night. Patrick is the star of Captain Kismet, a popular comic book movie adaptation. When Patrick is filming the sequel to his franchise in Birmingham, he meets Will and they become friends. Soon, closeted-Patrick and Will begin a flirtatious relationship, but when Patrick leaves Birmingham and is faced with the reality of coming out of the closet, their relationship crumbles.

I...hated this. Honestly the rating is just for the sheer amount of queer joy in this book. But other than that, this book fell apart at every turn. Almost every single character in this book is insufferable. I would say the best characters in this book are minor characters, like Dylan (Will's sister's child) and Faye (Will's drag queen mentor).

First things first: the plot (or lack thereof). This story is all over the place. First it's about Will's drag club, but also about his relationship with his found family, but then about Patrick finding that with his costars and also Will's family but then also it tells the story of the people who created Captain Kismet??????? Way too many things trying to be achieved by this story that were not successfully done. Ellis should have written out a clear outline of what he wanted to happen in this book and focused on developing less plot points more in depth. Then a two month time jump towards the last 90% of the book? Come on.

Second of all: the character! Literally I hated almost everyone in this story at one point or another. Audra, Patrick's costar, is a vapid, superficial bitch. And not in a fun way. But more in the way that she has little to no redeeming qualities and it makes it hard to see why anyone likes her. The same with Will's friend Jordan - his entire personality is somehow championing for LGBT+ rights but also being super mean to all his friends? Again, no redeemable qualities. I didn't understand at all why Will was friends with him.

Third of all: Will and Patrick have zero chemistry. This story is closed door, but they talk about sex and fondling all the time that when there was no clear sex scene I was like...what's the point of all that lead up and then nothing honestly. (Don't even get me started on the use of whipits in this story, dangerous and can cause death). But Will and Patrick's instalove/lust has no basis. They have nothing in common except being gay. There was not one scene where I was like, wow they love each other. It was like they saw each other once and were like yup, he's the one for me! No need to build a foundation for a relationship at all.

I would not recommend this book to literally anyone unless they want to be in for a lot of build up and no satisfying ending.

Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

This didn't live up to the promise of the cute pop culture romance jacket copy for me.
I quit at about chapter 11.
Mostly because I was close to ready to quit after chapter 9 when Patrick writes on a copy of a book he hasn't purchased, and Will is generally unfazed, compounded by the multiple bookstore scenes with only staff and Patrick, which is not how bookstores remain in business. :: sigh ::

In Philip Ellis' novel "We Could Be Heroes," Patrick, a rising star in the acting world, finds himself entangled in never-ending reshoots for his superhero movie. Conversely, Will, a secondhand bookseller and part-time drag queen, is content with living life on his own terms. Their paths cross during a chaotic night, igniting a peculiar yet strong friendship. Both men feel an undeniable connection, but they convince themselves that nothing more can develop between them. After all, superheroes don't date drag queens, or so they believe. As reality sets in and challenges their carefully constructed fantasy world, Will faces a pivotal choice between pursuing his heart's desire and staying true to his authentic self. Can Patrick rise to the occasion and become the hero Will needs, or will Will be the savior in Patrick's life? "We Could Be Heroes" is a captivating and touching tale that celebrates queer joy and the transformative power of love. With uproarious humor and poignant moments, Ellis weaves a narrative that not only entertains but also inspires readers to embrace their true selves and fight for the love they deserve. Through the journey of Patrick and Will, Ellis delivers a powerful message of self-acceptance and the limitless possibilities when hearts align despite societal expectations. Patrick's journey of self-discovery and Will's unwavering authenticity create a dynamic and compelling narrative that keeps readers engrossed from beginning to end. Ellis' writing is sharp, witty, and deeply insightful, capturing the complexities of human emotions and relationships with remarkable precision. "We Could Be Heroes" is a triumphant exploration of love, identity, and the courage to break free from societal norms. It is a must-read for anyone seeking a story that uplifts, inspires, and reminds them of the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity. This novel is a testament to the power of individuality and the beauty of embracing one's true self, regardless of the obstacles that may arise.

We Could Be Heroes is the swashbuckling and swoony romance you need to experience!

Patrick is an action star on the rise (think Chris Evans playing Captain America), and everything seems to be turning up intergalactic and great. However, Patrick knows that something seems to be off. A chance encounter with a part-time drag queen sets in motion some hard self-reflections, Will enters in the scene and changes the story for the romantic!

I really enjoyed this story and loved how it was set up. At first, I wasn't sure how this was going to all mesh together. Super-hero action movie stars and drag queens (in my initial opinions at least) however, I liked how Ellis weaved these two characters together. I think because this required some set-up, it made this a little bit of a slower start, but once the two characters started weaving around each other, I was hooked!

This romance is sweet and made me as the reader feel a part of it all the way through. Many writers struggle to put their readers in the heat of the story, but Ellis really brought me there and let me enjoy these characters falling in love. I will say the twists and turns in this story kept me hooked and I can promise that readers are going to be able to guess where this ends up.

I think the side story in the middle of this book was one of my favorite components of this story because at first I was lost and didn't know how it was going to connect, but then all was revealed and it was just so beautiful. Check this story out!!

Thank you Net Galley for an ARC. This was incredibly fun, sexy and relevant to the current LGBTQ+ political environment in this day and age without being trite. It felt natural the way superstar Patrick and local drag queen Will met-cute. I love cliches in rom coms, and queer ppl deserve them too! Also no bury your gays, but realistic navigating through a complex Hollywood that still somehow refuses to catch up with the times in spite of itself.

Am I being vague? Well it's because I want you to read this when it comes out! Funny, romantic, even bittersweet. Seriously, will be adding this to my physical collection when it comes out ☺️

Huge thanks to Putnam books for granting me this ARC!

This storyline was so FUN! I loved every second of it!
As with many books, it took me a few chapters to get used to the writing style and to feel like the characters and story was really rounded out, but when it clicked, I was all in!
Not to spoil anything, but there is another storyline woven into the main plot between Will and Patrick and it was done so beautifully. Not once did I question, "why should I care about this? BORING! Lets get back to our regularly scheduled programming!" It was done so well and really helped wrap the story up with a nice little bow.
I loved this book and it'll now and forever be on my list of must-reads!