This was a cute, YA book about Patch and his journey to find a boyfriend. The characters in the book were all memorable and I thought the writing was fun and vivid. I could really visualize the book as I was reading, which doesn't often happen for me. Overall, I would recommend this to most teens!

It's been a long time since I laughed THIS MUCH reading a book. Perfect for theater lovers, queer joy love story enthusiasts, and people who want their characters to leap off the page and walk straight into their living rooms. Can't wait to read more from Trevaldwyn!

Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King in exchange for an honest review!

Patch Simmons wants to find a boyfriend, and so it’s time to stop with distractions (namely his pen-pal, Jean-Pierre) and start getting serious about love. He has options, a bold new attitude, and a bestie to get him through this new era. Yet, love is always a teensy bit more complicated than expected… especially when taking a big chance.

Charming, sweetly nostalgic, and capturing the embarrassment and big feels of being young, The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King succeeds not only as a romance, but an exploration of identity and human wants/needs. Heartstopper meets Love, Simon for theater nerds, and those who remember their high school days all too painfully clear. I’m so happy it exists, and we are embarking on a new age of queer fiction. This is the type of story I wish I had when I was a teenager. As a thirty-something, I’m not quite the target audience for it now, but like many my age, I have some healing to do and reading novels like this always does the trick. Romance is great, but don’t forget to fall in love with yourself, too.

"The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King" is a charming and witty read. Harry Trevaldwyn's writing blends humor with heartache, capturing the complexities of love with sharp insight. The protagonist's journey is relatable, though at times the pacing is slow/inconsisten. Still, it’s an enjoyable and thought-provoking story that will resonate with fans of romantic fiction.

Sweet nostalgia! The AWAKWARD! The CRINGE. Oh navigating attraction, friendships and all the drama!
Hilarious, laugh out loud coming of age queer mm romance - loved it!
Patrick's desperation is so relatable - creating his own nickname, his bff, miscommunication all over the place. So genuine!

Impossible to not be charmed by this drama king! This is for theater nerds, Heartstopper lovers, and dramatic teens (or the dramatic teen buried deep down inside you!)

I loved that this was about first kisses and first boyfriends. YA books need to bring back butterflies and "was that my first kiss or did it not count because it half-missed my mouth?" Not every teen is ready for what YA books are rolling out these days, so it's nice that there is a wide variety. This goes at the tame/innocent end of the spectrum.

The characters come across like teens. They aren't mature for their age--they just felt like typical 16 year olds. So, as an ancient 33 year old, I am definitely not the target audience for this book. I still thought it was cute and would recommend it to those looking for a lower YA book!

What else:
• theatre kids and friendship drama
• had me chuckling several times! very amusing main character
• lighthearted, queer joy

I usually like queer rom-coms, but the voice in this one was…very intense. The gay theater nerd archetype was dialed up to eleven here, and I think it caught me a bit off-guard. And I know this is YA, and the main character is sixteen, but some of the dialogue felt very over-the-top cringey, I can see the appeal of the story for others; this one was just a miss for me.

Was a bit hard for me to slog through. Patch was downright idiotic, insufferable, and hard to like. While he did get some nice development, and I was happy to see he got his happy ending, it was hard for me to like or want to root for him to get his happy ending. I find it very hard to connect with characters like him, and therefore when they do change for the better in the end, it's hard for me to care as they were just too annoying for me to develop any fucks to give later on.

Here is what I loved about this book Patch is very much their authentic self. They are passionate in their search for love and realistic in their journey. Sometimes one can’t distinguish between just wanting to find love and when love is present. I will say that sometimes Patch was a bit too self-centered for me. However, that is who he truly is. I just tend to veer away from people who portray that type of personality. Patch does have a lot of growth in this book though which is lovely. I am very happy for their story and what type of representation they will provide to readers of any age.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

I understand that as a 41 year old woman, I am not the target audience for this book so I will not judge it so harshly. It was cute and funny but Patch.... Patch was, dare I say it, dramatic? He was a little over the top and sometimes annoying. I get it. I've read a lot of YA and I am sure he would be a riot to be around but he was a little much... maybe I see too much of myself in him. Ha! It was a cute book, it wasn't for me but I will recommend it to my students.

Considering this is a YA novel, I cannot stop expressing how JOYFUL I am to read a story such as Trevaldwyn's The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King. TOO MANY LGBTQ+ narratives focus on the trials (and sometimes/often tragedy) of coming out; what makes Drama King stand out is its focus on queen JOY!

Patch, a wonderfully flawed and hilariously precocious high schooler, finds himself on a quest for a prom date - and, perhaps, even love. He's surrounded by a small, well-developed cast of characters; the cast is small enough to feel intimate and engaging, Patch's interactions are, at times, laugh out loud funny.

I honestly cannot wait to share Trevaldwyn's refreshing take on queer YA fiction with my students!

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King by Harry Trevaldwyn is a witty, charming read that had me laughing out loud! The story follows a loveable yet hopelessly dramatic protagonist, whose romantic misadventures are both hilarious and heartwarming. I loved the humor throughout, with Trevaldwyn’s clever writing bringing both absurdity and sweetness to the plot. It’s the perfect book for anyone who loves a good romantic comedy with a quirky twist. I think our library patrons will really enjoy it—it’s light, funny, and a perfect escape for anyone looking for a feel-good read with a lot of laughs!

This is a feel good laugh out loud book! I even snorted a few times lol. Patch is my favorite character in a long time. He's unapologetically himself for all the good and bad. Definitely recommend!

The book was funny and heartwarming in parts, but all in all, Patch was a lot. It irritated me how delusional he was and crafted crazy narratives in his own head so much. If he was toned down, I would have likely loved this book. I’m all for a great LGBTQ read, but Patch was so much more than extra. His mental gymnastics gave me a headache. Apart from that, loved the characters, wish there had been more resolution with Peter though. Solid effort, solid story.

Thank you to Harry Trevaldwyn and his publisher for an Advanced Reader's Copy in exchange for my honest review of this young adult, light-hearted rom com.

I thought this book was funny and, although Patch is truly a self-centered, drama king, he made me laugh out loud and I found it all quite endearing.

I think his best friend Jean is amazing and she made me nostalgic for days long past of high school and college friendships when your friends really are everything.

The romance part is just okay, not really sure how it even developed and I, honestly, would have liked to see more there.

Otherwise, this is a funny, light, and quick read that I'll be sure to recommend to others!

This was a beautifully done romantic comedy and enjoyed the overall story going on. I was engaged with the characters and getting to know them in this story. I enjoyed how well Harry Trevaldwyn wrote this and had that element that I was looking for.

I don't think I'm the target audience for this one. While it's billed as YA, it feels geared toward middle grade/teen. Patch was... a lot. And having the story from only his POV felt chaotic. There would have been more space to breathe if done as a dual POV. I think it was clear from the start that Sam would end up the love interest and that Patch had some serious growing to do.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!!

What a good book! I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I loved the main characters! They had great chemistry and worked so well together. I loved how the book just flowed. My first by this author but will not be my last!!!

The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King took me straight back into high school, in a good way! Patch's voice was so clear and it made his character development so rich. I truly felt like I was experiencing things as a high schooler would. 

We meet Patch and he has goals for this school year, the main one being find himself a boyfriend. So of course all hilarity ensues on that journey. I thought the author's exploration of emotion and feelings and how we aren't always seeing the full picture was so well done. It's particularly challenging to see things from the other perspective at times, and this book does a great job of showing how its characters can do that amidst their own inner turmoils. 

If you love theater, drama, strong friendships, and romance I'd recommend picking this up. Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books and NetGalley for providing an eARC

What a tremendously good time I had reading this book. Really brought me back to my Kurt from Glee days. Teens being dramatic about love and life is my jam. I loved how the story started and ended with a letter. Thoroughly enjoyed.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest e