NetGalley made my day with the audiobook of The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King. I love a good YA romance and I LOOOVE a good LGBTQ+ YA romance… then throw in one of the most hilarious lead characters ever created and I’m hooked. I listened to this in one sitting and I absolutely devoured it.

Narrated by Harry Trevaldwyn, the author himself, we immediately fall in love with Patch and start rooting for him to accomplish his dream of finding a boyfriend before prom. When two new guys show up to audition for Sweeney Todd, Patch’s interest is piqued. He then proceeds to embarrass himself repeatedly and the results are comically disastrous. He is also struggling with the potential end of his friendship with his lifelong bff. Through all of his trials and epically unforgettable mishaps, Patch learns so many valuable lessons about himself and the love that he deserves.

A really playful book which had me laughing out loud. Full of British humour and wit, this easy read made me smile while serving some life lessons for all ages.

I really loved the side characters in all of this, and I could easily see #DramaKing as a show on Netflix ; its giving a combo of Heartstopper and Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging. 😍

🎁 thank you to @bookbreakuk for the physical arc, and MacMillain Audio & Netgalley for the audio ARC.

This novel is an absolute delight. I loved every word, paragraph, and page and at one point laughed so hard I struggled to catch my breath.

Patch is starting a new year of high school and has decided this is the year he'll find a boyfriend. Luckily, two new boys join the community theater drama club - American Peter and his best friend Sam. Patch is new to the whole relationship business, but luckily his best friend Jean (a true hair clip connoisseur) is an expert since she had a long term relationship (five whole weeks) over the summer. It's good thing Patch has a supportive teacher who's there to steer him in the right direction.

I adored Patch. He's overly confident, very often narcissistic, and a tad overdramatic, but his observations about himself, friends, family, life, etc. are hilarious and occasionally spot on. He loves his single mother and wages war on his sister (she never admitted to breaking his karaoke machine, but she totally did) when it's required. Their interactions are heartwarming and realistic. When he and BFF Jean hit a rough spot, Patch experiences an epiphany and realizes he needs to work on being a better friend before he becomes a boyfriend.

I listened to the audiobook and didn't realize until the end that the author is the narrator - and he's fabulous! I'll absolutely be looking for his future releases. With themes of friendship, family, first love, self-discovery, and relationship advice from an "expert", this is a light-hearted read I highly recommend. For fans of clean rom-coms, well-developed characters, and laugh out loud, heartwarming stories.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Super cute and enjoyable read! I almost wish it was longer as there felt like so much more to be explored. Also I really want to watch Sweeny todd now.

Utterly charming, hilarious (I laughed out loud!), and the awkward teenager of it all was so, so sweet. As a self-proclaimed skeptic of YA (because I’m past that age myself), this was such a fun romp for me and I have no regrets!

Read if you love theatre, young love, silly inside jokes, epistolary novels, or hilarious/panicky inner narratives,

Patch is a boy that you will love or hate. He is loud, chaotic, dramatic, & messy, while also being endearing, silly, and filled with so much love. He is very realistically a young shallow theater nerd craving attention and romance. We have all been him or have known him. While I did cringe OFTEN, I still loved following Patch on his adventures at school and in town. The characters are so fun, and I couldn't help but smile or laugh at some of their antics. Also, the author narrated the audio, and it is phenomenally done! I definitely recommended listening to this one to get a feel for "Patch's" tone. It was the perfect book to listen to while driving to and from school.

4⭐

For me, this was a case of a character that was written to be amusing and over idealized rather than grounded or realistic. As such, it felt forced and overwritten/over the top to me. I found I didn't like the protagonist and was kind of wishing that the cardboard milquetoast love interest(s) would steer clear of him.

Story: Brit Patch is a theatre kid who loves his drama; but love is its own romantic tragedy since he's been unable to find a boyfriend in his small town. Things look up when two new boys appear - New Yorker Peter and his best friend Brit Sam. As Patch starts to get closer to both, past differences with a former bestie soon come into play.

The book derives its humor from Patch's OTT view on the world. EVERYTHING is a tempest in a teapot for Patch - even with his best friends. That means that the world is 100% centered around him personally and he lacks the ability to have consideration or respect for anyone else around him. There should be a moment of clarity at the end where he wishes up to his selfishness and learns to live a more considerate life; however that denouement is eschewed in favor of Patch getting the boy with little struggle and certainly no growth. It leaves the reader baffled at what the sad little puppy dog of a love interest sees in Patch other than that he was the only available gay/bi/pan male available in the entire town.

Because the main character was such a hack, nothing is really needed in the form of a plot. Patch gets into a girl fight with his former bestie, almost alienates the current bestie in the process, and otherwise acts like a jerk or a comedy clown through most of the scenes. It was really hard to like him or even want to root for him to succeed as a result. Not much else of interest happens.

Ultimately, it is a quick but fairly empty read. The humor felt forced and heavy handed, leaving no room for the reader to grow to love the characters organically. The best friend is "gay guy's BF girl cliche number 1" and the parents the usual clueless adults. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

I really enjoyed the narration for the book. Patch has the biggest personality. Some of his moments had me laughing out loud. Oh to be 16 years old again finding your first love. I enjoyed the side characters a lot. It did take me awhile to vibe with Patch's character but once it did I really enjoyed his story.

Thank you Macmillan audio for the gifted audiobook.

I wanted to enjoy this so bad!! but sadly i could they into it and i couldn’t relate to anything that was happening and i didn’t enjoy the characters. I didn’t like the audiobook narrator

The story revolves around the theme of boldly being yourself, pursuing your dreams, and recognizing those who truly support you. With its charming humor and meaningful message, it's a delightful read that resonates on many levels.

This was a fun, fast-paced read. I did find myself getting quite annoyed at the main character, Patch, who seemed to do everything just to be seen. I can't say I saw real, genuine connection between him and Sam. I wish there had been time to develop their relationship more.

This was a really fun YA romance that had me giggling through many of our MC's internal monologues. Having been a theatre kids myself, I could totally relate to the over-the-top nature of his life and experiences. I especially loved the relationship the MC had with his female friends. They felt authentic and grounded. The author as narrator was fantastic! I will definitely look forward to more from this author!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King by Harry Trevaldwyn

Well this book was fantastic. It had me busting out laughing so many times. I just wanted to give Patch a big hug and also fall into a deep convo about life. Honestly I can’t recommend this one enough. It was delightfully fun, awkward and sweet.

I am raising a teenage drama king, and am buying a copy for him that I’m confident he will completely love and relate to - the battle of achieving perfect hair volume was spot on.

The audio is read by the author which always adds bonus points in my opinion. It brings the story to life in such an authentic and entertaining way.

Thank you to @macmillan.audio for my copy! It was an incredible treat to listen to.

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!

This is lighthearted and funny for me, but I imagine it might feel a little more heavy for a younger reader who's experiencing their first relationship.

Patch is determined to get his first boyfriend by prom (the party after the community play). Unfortunately the only two other boys who are out at his school are dating each other. So he sets his sights on two new boys who've joined the community theater group.

Patch is over the top with his drama, but has a good heart. Overall a nice frothy read.

This story is absolutely adorable! As a queer adult, it was truly heartwarming to see myself reflected in our protagonist, Patch Simmons, even though I was deeply closeted during my teenage years.

“The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King” is such a delightful and entertaining read, and it felt like an excellent palate cleanser. I must admit, I need to explore more Young Adult literature.

I want to express my gratitude to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an early audiobook.

4.5⭐️

This was an absolute riot and I inhaled it in less than 24 hours. If you ever wondered what a mashup of Bridget Jones and Glee might look like, then this is the book to pick up. I laughed the entire time at Patch’s hilarious internal monologue, quips, relatable blunders, and loved this over the top, delightfully chaotic and slightly unhinged story of friendship, second chances, and the trials of navigating life as a young adult.

While the premise revolves around Patch finding a boyfriend for the prom, that thread takes a backseat and as the story unfolds, it becomes more about Patch and his friends and celebrates platonic love - there’s even a friendship grand gesture (going to need more of these asap) after an apology tour, two reconciled friendships, and a high school production of Sweeney Todd.

At the onset, Patch might come across as “too much” but I loved how he was never afraid of taking of space in the world (we could all use the reminder to not shrink ourselves down or conform), of living authentically, and who after reflection, wasn’t afraid to admit when he was wrong and apologize. Also, he’s a teenager who is being a teen - teens need books where they can see their lived experience too - YA books don’t need to be aged up and I am tremendously grateful this was a true YA novel.

The entire cast was quirky, endearing, and so memorable - I’d love Jean and Tessa’s stories - and I appreciated how they were always unwavering in their kindness and support of each other.

The audio was fantastic and Harry’s narration was stupendous! I read along in my physical copy while listening to the audiobook and hearing Harry bring his characters to life was such a delightful experience.

3.5 stars

This is a solid debut from Trevaldwyn, who not only writes a memorable character in Patch but who also does an exceptional job of narrating the audiobook (which I received thanks to Libro.fm).

Patch is the titular drama king, and readers should know that Patch's drama is not confined to the stage; it really lives at the core of his being. As a result, spending so much time in his head, as readers of this book do, can become intentionally exhausting at some moments. Folks looking for a more settled, mature character won't find that here. Be prepared to dive right into the drama, as promised. While this approach may frustrate some, it'll likely also be the central selling point for others. It definitely made the read more enjoyable for me.

While I was always invested in Patch's outcomes, I did want a bit more depth in the relationships between Patch and various secondary characters. The romantic tragedies are also only "tragic" by the standards of a very young, inexperienced person, and this made it a bit tough to get as engaged with this motif as I'd have liked.

Overall, this is a fun listen. I'll recommend it to students looking for a book that features a character with a big personality and a lot of learning ahead.

Ok I don’t give 5⭐️ very often and I can’t say it’s a gift to writing but boy was it engaging and hysterical. I also listened to the ALC which the author, an actor, narrated. I’m always hesitant when authors narrate their own books as I find it rarely successful except in the case of a memoir. But this was bloody brilliant and why I gave it 5 Stars.
It is also a very quick read at its recorded rate which moves along swiftly.

Being a theatre person that lives in a very LGTBQ positive environment while Patch may seem over the top I can fairly say that I know so quite a few “Patches”, especially having directed High School theatre.

The book is a non stop laugh coupled with endearing situations, coming of age situations and real life troubles of an adolescent. Full honesty, this book sadly won’t be for everyone beyond those who aren’t YA readers. For those that it’s not for, maybe take a minute to understand why or at the very least not take to giving low ratings because of potential personal biases.


I am thankful to have gotten the ALC for free from Macmillan Audio and Wednesday Books through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again and recommend to others.

This was a funny, bighearted queer coming of age story about a gay English boy, Patch, determined to find a boyfriend this year at school. Full of heart and humor, this was good on audio narrated by the author and perfect for fans of the Heartstopper books and authors like Jason June. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!