I completely adored this book! The characters are well developed, and the story is wonderful! It is one of those stories that make you forget you are reading. Instead, it pulls you inside to enjoy the ride.

I really wanted to like this, but the main character is just so self-centered and frustrating. He is mean to his family, his friends, and his romantic interests. He finally comes around but it is hard to wait to get to that part. I don't know, I know I am not its targeted audience, but I read a lot of YA and still enjoy a lot of it. This one just missed the mark for me.

It was very hard to get into this book because the narrator was so frenzied, the voice trying so hard to be clever it made me tired and anxious--not what I was looking for in tired and anxious times. However once he started growing up a bit, and found a boyfriend, the book became a delight. I suspect I might have enjoyed it a lot more in a lighter humor when I was reading.

Today we recommend The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King by Harry Trevaldwyn. Patch Simmons has decided that this year he is finally going to get a boyfriend so when two new boys, Peter and Sam join the drama club he is certain it will be one of them, and he sets his sights on Peter.

At first, Patch is an annoying and kind of pretentious character who acts as if things can be so just because he expects them to be without worrying about other people's thoughts and feelings. He doesn't treat his friends very well either. However, he gradually learns not to try to be so controlling and let things develop naturally. He also learns to be more appreciative of his friends. The way his character grows and develops throughout the book is very admirable and makes him a much more likable character.

The side characters in the story are really likable as well. Jean is a good and loyal friend to Patch even when he doesn't see it. At first, she is a much better friend than he deserves. Their former friend, Tessa, is a relatable character who learns that becoming friends with the popular kids to fit in isn't all it's cracked up to be. Her story arc with her two former best friends, Patch and Jean develops in a surprisingly touching way. In fact, quite a few sweet and heartwarming moments of friendship happen in this book.

There is not a lot of romance, but what there is of it is also very touching. Patch learns that sometimes love comes from the most unexpected source. Things develop in a way that makes the ending that much sweeter and satisfying not only for the characters but for the readers of the book too.

If you are of a certain age that found Bridget Jones hilarious and endearing then I think you'll know just how to pitch "Patch" and all of his antics to this YA generation. He is ridiculous yet loveable and charming. He is so clueless and kids would relate to a comparison to Cher from "Clueless," I think. Our high schoolers who are looking for something light and "British" are going to love this.
Thanks so much for the ARC.

This was a fun little escape read this week! The MC is adorable and awkward and the writing just throws you into all of the contradictions of being a teenager and desperately trying to discover yourself while still posturing for others. I laughed. I felt frustrated with his teenager-isms. I rooted for the friendships and the love story. Overall, it is a very sweet and heartwarming read that felt much needed in today's world.

Patch Simmons is dedicating this school year to finding love. Unfortunately, the only two out boys at school have started dating over the summer, so his solution is to look for love in the next best place - drama club. With help from his best friend Jean, Patch sets his eyes on the two new boys, Peter and Sam, and decides that one of them will be his boyfriend. The course of true love never runs smooth, and such is the case in this YA romance as well. Teenage drama is at the forefront on multiple levels as Patch navigates friendships, the school play, and at least one crush.

I found myself laughing out loud during parts of this novel because Patch was just a bit outrageously funny at times. Definitely a feel good read.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy.

The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King by Harry Trevaldwyn was just what I needed to drag me out of my slump.
This was a wonderfully written romantic comedy.
I absolutely loved these characters and really enjoyed getting to know them.
A sweet, funny and heartwarming read!

This book had a lot of exclamation points but if you remember that the man character is a drama king, it makes sense. I thoroughly enjoyed it and hope others will too.

Such a cute, fun read!! It gives Bridget Jones Diary, Derry Girls, and Glee?? There's moments of extreme second-hand embarrassment, full on laughs, and general teen awkwardness with the stream of conscious vibes that Bridget Jones has. In the beginning, the style really was odd, but once I got used to it I didn't want to put this book down. It was adorable and perfect in my opinion for early teen readers.

One thing that bothered me was the American kid always saying British phrases. Like we don't say "shall we pop outside for a quick chat?" or "you're properly great" LOL. I also think sometimes theater kids are insufferable SORRY OK. So 4 stars.

4/5, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-ARC!!

I received a free copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press; all opinions expressed are exclusively my own.

Again, I'm coming back after a long review hiatus, so it's been quite some time since I read this book. But this is one that stuck out in my mind, because the main character is pretty unforgettable. While sometimes the secondhand embarrassment in teen books kills the experience for me, in the end I enjoyed this story.

Unfortunately, no warnings as I can't rely on my memory to be accurate.

This is a perfect fit for readers who crave a heartwarming and hilarious coming-of-age story about self-acceptance, first love, and the unbreakable bonds of friendship, with a healthy dose of humor and wit that will leave them smiling long after the final page is turned.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio for my review copies. My opinions are my own.

I both read this and listened to it on audio. The intended audience is high school, the book is marketed as Heartstopper and Derry Girls, but that really doesn't do this story justice. It reminded me of the 90/00's cheesy after school specials full with the over the top drama high school acting out. The title is extremely accurate, Patch is a DRAMA king, and he's determined to get a boyfriend by the closest equivalent to Prom that you can get in small town England. He's out and proud about it, but there is a dearth of available boys to date, but 2 new boys join the drama club and now Patch's imagination jumps to life.
Patch is decidedly not perfect, and often gets his exercise by jumping to conclusions, and inserting his foot in his mouth and chewing vigorously.
The narration is done by the author which really heightens the over the top drama.
Patch does do some impressive character growth over the course of the book which helps balance the second-hand embarrassment that I got in the first chunk of the book. I had to switch listening and reading with my eyes on several occasions.

Recommend for those that like British humour, over the top acting, and don't mind all the reminders of how cringe we were in high school.

Thank you net gallery for the advanced copy of this book. Initially I struggled to like the mani character, but he went from irritating to actually kind of endearing. By the end the humor had me laughing. I would definitely recommend.

There were so many cute moments in this book. I think young students may really relate to the characters in this book. However, as an adult, I had an extremely difficult time relating to Patch. I felt like he was so full of himself and didn’t like the way he spoke to and about others. Yes, he had his redemption moment but I felt like it wasn’t enough for everything that happened. His character was not relatable, which shouldn’t be a main character. I just had a difficult time continuing to read because of how annoyed he made me.

4.5 stars. What an amazingly delightful debut! First, this novel IS laugh out loud funny - I almost ruined by Kindle by spitting toothpaste all over it (I like to read when I brush my teeth). Patch is a charming teen with an outsized personality. He has some great friends (and maybe a nemesis) that round out the cast of characters.

"Patch Simmons has decided that this is the year he will get a boyfriend, so it's goodbye to his French pen-pal Jean-Pierre and hello to the world!

Unfortunately, the only other "out" boys in his school year are dating each other, so finding a boyfriend isn't going to be easy... Until fate finally intervenes and two new mysterious boys join drama club: Peter, who’s just moved from New York (very chic) and his best friend, Sam.

Patch is confident that one of them (although either of them will do!) will be his first boyfriend. So armed with his single mum’s outdated self-help books, his over-supportive best friend Jean and an alarming level of self-confidence, Patch is confident that this mission will be a complete success. Whether or not they actually like boys or him is a problem for later."

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

DNF @ 43%

From the synopsis this sounded like exactly my kind of book - I was almost a theater kid, and I love queer YA romcoms, and who doesn't love humor? Unfortunately I couldn't get past the protagonist's personality, which epitomizes "drama king"; he's a fairly typically self-centered teenager, and I assume he probably undergoes significant growth over the rest of the book, but I didn't find him nearly as funny as he finds himself and I was definitely put off by his lack of consideration for other people's feelings and personal agency. Again, I'm sure this is part of a character arc, but I just was not invested or attached enough to see it through. That said, I did make it almost halfway through when I usually DNF around 25%, so I *was* at least invested enough to go that far.

My one major criticism is the way Peter's queer identity is treated: when it first comes up, it doesn't seem to even cross Patch's mind that bisexuality/pansexuality exists as a valid possibility (bi erasure; this could be attributed to a blind spot in Patch's worldview, but wait there's more), but then Peter clarifies that he doesn't identify as "bi" yet later there's an exchange between Patch and his friend (a notedly very vocal ally) that mislabels Peter as bi. As a bi reader myself, this was honestly disappointing.

Patch is delusional, main-character-energied, and impulsive, which is totally going to both score the lead in the drama club's play AND help him get a boyfriend by the deadline he's set for himself. Unfortunately for him and his bestie, their ex-BFF has shown up to drama club...and so have two new potential relationship options. Patch has to navigate his dreams and desires as well as friendships, and he's got quite the inner monologue going.

What a fun book! It went by super fast. Patch, though annoying at times, is endearing, and it was entertaining to be inside his head. For how quickly the book went by, it covered a lot of ground. The narration was also great for the voice of Patch, and felt super realistic!

Thanks to Netgalley, Wednesday Books, and Macmillan Audio for the e-ARC and ALC!

Despite me giving the book a 3-star review - and I'll explain why - this was, unfortunately, a DNF for me.

When first reading what the book would be about, I was honestly intrigued by the plot-line. I have been attempting to read more LGBTQ+-focused novels this year, as a person in the community myself, but I was unable to continue after the first few chapters. The book wasn't bad per se, but I do think that this is intended for a much younger audience than myself. The emotional maturity of the MMC was not it for me, he irritated me so quickly and his personality was something that I couldn't move past.

This might be an amazing book to someone else, and it sounds interesting enough to catch someone else's eye, which is why I don't feel like a 1-star is deserving.

Beyond adorable, I truly laughed out loud more times than I can count with this fabulous book. The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King is perfect for whatever ails you as Harry Trevaldwyn combines sharp wit with heartwarming moments beautifully. Patch is the wonderful hapless star of this book and you can't help but root for him to find that fated soulmate no matter what happens. And plenty does! And often! Yet it doesn't dissuade Patch from trying his best and grasping any sort of happiness he can find.

Secondary characters like his well-meaning Mum and his bestie Jean, (a true standout imo) round out a story filled with mirth, mayhem and heart. You'd think a book about a young man simply trying to find a prom date would be simple and kind of dry but this author knows how to entertain and I guarantee you'll be crying tears of joy over and over again and gain an ache in your stomach from chuckling so hard! This book is a true delight and I'm forever glad I was able to read it and have a blast while doing so.

I look forward to more from this talented author and happily give The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King a big 4 stars! You don't want to miss this one,