Henry Hamlet's Heart

This was cute! I love a good gay coming-of-age story, I thrive off of the painful yearning. I found Henry to be a really likable character, but I liked Len a little less. The bi representation with the grandma was a sweet bonus. I’ve read comparisons between this and Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, and while I loved the latter more, I can see lots of similarities, although this one lacks some of the conflict that makes Becky Albertalli’s novel so engaging. I’m not totally sure what sets this apart from other entries in this genre though, and it feels a bit too basic.

Henry Hamlet’s Heart is a sweet and heartfelt coming of age story. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and it filled me up with so much joy I simply couldn’t put it down. It surprised me with how captivating it was, how much it pulled me in, and I genuinely cared for all of the characters. I’ll be thinking of Henry and Len for a long time, like they’re old friends. I also appreciated the theme of it’s okay not to know what you want to do in life, yet. It’s okay to just be, to just exist. You don’t have to have your whole life figured out yet, or know what your 5-10 year plan is. It’s one of my favorite things to find in books because so many people think they have to have it figured out, but they don’t. You don’t always have to know, and that’s okay.

It was sweet and a pretty fast read, the characters were all likable and the story engaging. There's nothing that really sets it apart from other books in this genre but it was still a good read. Would recommend!

Love the cover! The art is adorable and captures the vibes of the book’s contents so thoroughly.

This is a fun and frothy high school romance about a shy and nerdy guy named Hamlet who finds himself falling for none other than his best friend Len. His best friend who has known almost his entire life.

I loved the writing style of this, succinct and yet still evocative. It was quirky and witty at times, mostly attributed to Hamlet’s little mental commentary in so many awkward situations.

While I did enjoy this story quite a bit, I also found myself having a few mixed feelings as it progressed.

Both MC's were pretty adorable, with Henry being funny, quirky, awkward and more than a little oblivious, and Len being a good best friend, but also having some trauma to deal with after the sudden loss of his mother.

As the book began, introducing us to Henry's family, friends, and school, I loved its fun and light-hearted feel, showing us the day-to-day events that he experienced.

But while I loved the writing style and Henry's voice, the many, many, MANY chapters of his daily goings on started to feel a bit much, leaving me sometimes wishing I had a fast forward button to "get to the good stuff," i.e. the actual YA romance.

The book actually reminded me a lot of "Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda", which I found to be very heaving on everything but the actual love story.

Getting to The Romance™ does eventually happen, but even slow burn fans may find themselves wanting things to speed along while reading one friend's drama after another, with slow progress toward the guys acting on their feelings.

Overall, the first and (most of) the second parts of the story worked well for me, leaving me hopeful and happy about Harry and Len working toward their lurve connection>

However, OMMFG, beginning with the last few pages of part two, I became insanely frustrated as the author pulled out the over-used YA plot points of [ "I'm not worthy" and "The Commitment Freakout" (hide spoiler)], leaving the guys avoiding one another and not speaking for nearly the ENTIRE last third of the book.

Then once the guys finally did clear the air and reveal their true feelings, *BOOM*, the story was immediately over, leaving me feeling as though a door had been slammed in my face. It was just... over.

I would've thoroughly enjoyed at least some sort of epilogue, preferably from a few years down the road, describing where life had taken them and their relationship. Even if it were only two or three pages long, I believe that would've helped sell me on their relationship falling into more of an HEA.

So yeah, there was a lot that I liked about the story, but definitely a few things that I would've preferred having happened differently, and I'd rate it at around 3.5 stars.

Got an eArc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"How do you un-know someone if you only know most of you because of them? How do you even try?"

'This smart and charming queer YA rom-com about falling for your best friend will win the hearts of fans of Adam Silvera and Becky Albertalli.'

Yeah. I'm a fan of Adam Silvera. And yeah, it won my heart. It is already in the description. It is smart. It is charming. It is a rom-com. AND it has my favourite trope falling for your best friend! What could I ask for more? My heart and mind are satisfied. I instantly added it to my favourite shelf with no hesitation, no second thoughts.

I love Hamlet with my whole heart. My list of 'Fave characters I love with my whole heart' is getting crowded, and I don't care. Hamlet deserves a place there. And Gran and Marigold's relationship? I love it. I love their love even though they aren't the main characters and are always in the picture.

Hamlet is someone that seeks assurance, while Len is distant because he doesn't know how to work with things that need communication. It hurts how Hamlet tries to seek verification, but Len kept saying he's dramatic, don't overanalyze, don't overthink, and more. I can't help but hate that part of Len, but when Len did try to communicate, I'm finally giving him the benefit of the doubt as a red flag. There will be more scenes where he gets distant, and it's hurting Hamlet, but I'm going to tell all of you to go through it because it represents some people who are going through something within themselves. How being distant helps a little or blinds our judgement. Was those part stressful? Yes, but it's worth it.

This made me realize how much I'm a Len. I can't describe it, but this book shows me how I'm so much like him internally. Who loves too much but fear creeps up. The thought of all being ruined or I'm the one who does it, but, either way, leads to it.

TW: HP Reference, Grief and Mentions of death of a parent (search it up for more specifics or correct TW as mine is what I thought is TW while I read it)

Henry Hamlet's Heart is well-written with compelling characters and a relatable theme of self-discovery. There are plenty of high school shenanigans to keep a reader entertained with lighter moments between those of existential crisis. While it wasn't a good fit for me personally, I can see how it would be a perfect fit for others, especially teenage boys on their own journey of self-discovery much like the characters in the book.

Thank you to netgalley for the e-ARC!

Okay I will preface this with I do NOT normally enjoy friends to lovers. I am firmly an enemies to lovers girl but I thought this was REALLY sweet. I instantly fell in love with Len which I think was the intention. He was so patient and obviously in love with Henry as Henry worked through his own feelings.

My main complaint is that while this is a slow burn it felt kind of rushed once they got together? Like the entire book was leading up to them getting together and then it was just over? I would’ve enjoyed an epilogue showing us a bit of time later but that’s just me. I would give this 3.5 stars so I’m rounding it to 4 because the writing was good and it was a sweet easy read.

This was seriously so good. Once the story really got going, I found that I couldn’t stop reading and couldn’t stop thinking about it when I did have to put it down.

This book gives all those warm fuzzy fluttery feelings that come along with first love. But more so with that tentative tender time when senses are heightened around that certain someone before a full fledged romance kicks off. You really can FEEL it through Wilde’s words.

The humor that comes through on the page… the sweet sadness and everything in between. I laughed out loud and I certainly shed tears in this beautiful debut. I cannot wait to see what Rhiannon Wilde brings

While predictable, Henry Hamlet’s Heart has all the best parts of young queer love and then some. Henry is very high strung. He’s president of his class and gets top grades. Now in his last year of high school, he’s about to head to college, with no idea of what he wants to do with his life. And now, of course, he has feelings for his best friend, Len. They’ve been friends forever but one kiss on a dare at a party and Henry is falling hard. He doesn’t know what to do with these feelings, especially when Len dates around and seems to be moving from one person to the next when things start to get hard. Henry risks losing Len entirely if he explores this new facet of their relationship, but can he let his feelings go? The answer is, of course, no.

Henry is so awkward and endearing from the start, drinking too much at a party and getting sick. He’s trying to fit in but he’s also got a great group of bros so he’s alright, overall. Not exactly popular but he has people who have his back. He’s adorable and so is his family. I love their dynamic; it feels realistic and fun, true family love. His and Len’s friendship is also great, as is the budding romance. The way the romance grows is slow, yet fast, since it has that basis of friendship to grow off of. It’s that classic ‘oh’ moment, when the main character realizes their feelings are romantic and not just friendly affection, and I’m here for it. Of course, Henry’s feelings of inadequacy come into play. When Len is much more popular than he is, why would Len want Henry at all, much less romantically?

Despite the formulaic nature of this story, I found the characters and background story to be utterly compelling. Henry’s anxieties are all too relatable. He takes things so seriously and overthinks everything because he wants to fit this vision other people have of him and his own vision of himself, which is based on his outer vision. It’s all very convoluted for the fact that it’s the human experience: living up to expectations while also finding your own happiness.

Fans of Becky Albertalli, Rainbow Rowell, Phil Stamper, and Adam Silvera will love this book. It’s a wonderful morsel of sweetness with a great balance of angst, one you won’t want to miss if you like any of the aforementioned authors!

This book caught me off guard at how good it really was! I was expecting it to be okay, but it really shattered my expectations! I found it hard to put down!

There's something about the title-- it kept popping up in my head. So easy to read and remember. Henry Hamlet's Heart. I love it!

The characters are all likable: supportive parents, funny and reliable friends, sweet little brother, trying teachers-- well, maybe except for John and the crew of Clarkson. Thank goodness they didn't appear too much in the story. It's light, too. No angst and stuff that makes you feel super crushed!

The conversations in the book are quirky + witty + funny. One of my favorite lines is this one:
There are only so many times one can say, "I'm fine" before it starts to sound like "fuck off."

And then there was this part where Henry describes how in the future, he'll probably be one of the people who'll refer to his house as 'the yellow house where my parents live in'. I didn't save the line and it sounds way better in the book, but the melancholy of eventually going away for college is portrayed so well that I kind of felt this cavity in my chest. A lot of stories often refer to college and moving away as the start of some exciting adventure, but here, it's shown as a lonely-ish step. That it's going to be hard to meet up with the friends you have as easily as when you were classmates. That part hit me hard for some reason.

Another good thing is that this book has retention-- kept me up until late at night because I couldn't make myself stop reading. I'm tempted to give it a full five, but I hesitate because of these two dorks' slight lack of communication. I get why they acted like that though, all the pushing and pulling. So my rating is that it's at least 4.5 stars. It's super, super good!

A Beautiful and poignant coming of age story that hits so close to home. I didn’t realise how much non australian fiction I read until there’s one with references that I can understand so closely.

The vibe:
Henry Hamlet, referred to as Hamlet by his mates, is in year 12 of high school in Brisbane in 2008. He’s struggling with his identity, his future and a surprising crush on his best mate.

Pros:
- The secondary characters in this are so beyond gorgeous I love everyone of them so much (aside from John, he knows what he did). They all had their distinctive roles to play relative to the plot but were so unique and whole in their own way.
- The description of the setting was beautiful, I am not intimately familiar with Brisbane but Wilde’s writing made me able to picture it
- The high school confusion element of the plot was perfect, the battle between feeling like you had to know everything and like you knew nothing at all.

Cons:
- I really struggle to find any flaws in this book, once I started I couldn’t put it down
- Whilst I love the ending, I do selfishly wish for more happy ending scenes at the end, more of the “boiyss” all together

My standout quote:

Couldn’t pick just one 😌

“His eyes never leave the road. Either he doesn't feel anything, or he doesn't care.
(I feel things. Things that could ruin everything.)”

“And then I'm standing on the street and it looks the same as
ever, sleeping-tablet still. Traffic light spots flash across house
fronts.
Green. Red. Green.
Nothing's changed except all of it.”

(The cover is so pretty)
Henry Hamlet's Heart had realistic and meaningful characters that teaches about love and self-discovery. Although, I struggled to get through the first few pages, it gets better from there.

5 stars (this review contains spoilers)
The characters are relatable, Henry with his flaws and that he’s not perfect and Len with trying to push Henry’s away because he cares too much. I’m normally not a fan of the couple breaking up at 75+ % but it didn’t bother me this time. It was written well and there was a clear reason why Len broke up with Henry. I love how the cover matches with the last part of the book, Lens pictures of Henry. I love this book a lot and definitely recommend it!!

Read this in one day, and absolutely loved every minute of it. The characters are adorable, the story is relatable, and I want to give Henry Hamlet a huge hug. I'd recommend this to everyone! High schoolers everywhere who have been in love with their best friends at one point will love this story.

Henry Hamlet, what do I do and how do I explain how much you have made a place in my heart, you cutie!! I am surprised and adored by you.
This book is cute and if you enjoy reading books that are cheesy and softy and all cute, this one is a purrfeectttt choice.
Henry and Len, two BFFs, and Henry's sudden, 'I may be in love with my BFF and is he giving me hints' phase is cute, sometimes heartbreaking, and sadly, even as a slow burn lover, this one is a tidbit stretchy. Like, if you read, They Both Die At the End and how that book stretched, this one does not go to this extent, still, it is a bit .......
I loved reading this and my mood got better. Definitely a spring/summer kinda read.

What a cute story!

I genuinely had a great time reading this book.

It'd been a long time since I read a YA book. I'm usually more drawn to darker themes, so young adult books centered around highschool didn't use to catch my attention.
That was until I got this ARC, and oh god, I had forgotten how fun they could be.

The last year of highschool feels so cathartic and life changing while you are experiencing it (although in retrospective it wasn't that big a deal), and mixing that with falling in love? The drama, the pain, the uncertainty, it was so entertaining.

Henry Hamlet is a really fun character to read about. Outgoing, quirky and oh so dramatic. Being inside his head while his life seemed to crumble around him (at least that's how he saw it) was really exciting. Also, his little self deprecating thoughts had me cracking up:"(Grip, Hamlet. As in get one.)"
His relationship with his family was so nice to read about, specially his dad, I loved that crazy man, and his friend group was also surprisingly good.

About the romance, I freaking loved it.
I specially loved that him finding out he liked boys (or A boy) is not a big deal at all. The drama comes from the specific boy he falls for, and that was really refreshing.
The love Henry had for that boy was so raw, visceral, profound, it was just painful, but so beautiful.
"I’M LOSING IT BECAUSE I KISSED YOU / BECAUSE I KISSED YOU I MIGHT LOSE YOU."
"It’s so obvious, in that look. I’m so obvious."

If I have to point out any negatives, well, I don't want to give away too much of the plot, but I'll just say that although I loved Henry's development as a character, his love interest felt kinda flat to me. I would have loved to know him better as a person and like him because of who he is, not only because Henry liked him.

That said, I think I'm going to start reading YA again because of this book lmao. There's just something so charming about the first love/end of a childhood narrative that I would like to continue exploring.

If you like queer coming of age stories this is the one for you.

An adorable romance that gave me Derry Girls kookiness mixed with Love, Simon gay panic but in a good way. Also, if you're a fan of Saving Francesca and always yearned for a friend group who'd get you: HHH is for you.

Let's begin by commending the author for transferring me to '08 Australia because whoa I hadn't known I was capable of time & space travel via book but of course I can. Books are magic like that.

I loved every bit of this book: the family, the humor, the angst, the confusion, the speaking up, the school-related shenanigans and stress. It's quenticenstally the perfect YA book! Perfect for all ages.

This book was so incredibly sweet. I absolutely adore the friends to lovers trope, and this book executed that really well. Henry and his best friend Len's relationship developed in a way that felt very natural, while not waiting until the 75% mark to actually have something romantic happen between the characters. I thought it was funny and well paced and written with a beautiful quality. My only complaint is that Henry was the only character I ever really got to know. The members of Henry's friend group were so alike one another that I was never really able to differentiate them in my head as I read, and Len started off to be a really interesting character who I saw plenty of but didn't seem to maintain the same magnetic qualities he possessed at the beginning of the book. One of my favourite archetypes of all time is the spunky grandma figure, so I was thrilled when we introduced to just that in the very first chapter, but she was painfully scare throughout the rest of the book, and I would've loved to see Henry's little brother just a bit more.
Overall, this was a really great book that painted a lovely relationship between two high school boys. Everything in it just felt very real—sometimes painfully so. Henry and this world will probably live in my head for a while.

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for this eARC!

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book is one of my favorites this year. I didn't want it to end, and Len and Hamlet are just adorable together. I kind of wish that it was a dual perspective book, I'd have loved to read Len's perspective. Overall, very very cute, good pacing, and great characters.

Oh this was such a joy to read. Lovely writing and characters that felt like people I could've easily known in 2008 had I been in Australia instead of southern California, and a close POV with all the awkwardness and melodrama of being eighteen and in love and grappling with a relationship you didn't expect, at the edge of adulthood and the end of everything you've known thus far. Great family stuff and great school stuff and what felt like a well-managed edit for American audiences.

By a near perfect moment of happenstance, "Existentialism on Prom Night" came on shuffle as I was finishing this up and it was an absolutely apt soundtrack for it that I think the characters might appreciate too, so that was fun.

Thanks to Charlesbridge and NetGalley for the ARC!

Wow, this book was such a great read! I definitely had all the feels. First I loved that it was set in Brisbane, my home, and all the band references were great.
Len was everything. My heartbroke for him and his inner struggles. I loved his character and just wanted to give him a hug and just say things would be ok.
Henry was also so loveable. He made me laugh and I loved how he accepted his changing feeling for Len and gave them a chance, even though he knew Len wasn't one for commitment.
I do wish I saw more of Henry and Lens relationship, I feel like we just caught glimpses of it. But saying that I still really enjoyed this, and the pace, and the slow burn. I liked part 1, which was just basic life, it kind of made me more attached to these characters. The writing was beautiful and lyrical. This was such a great read for me. Perfect for fans of Love, Simon.

What a beautiful, sparkling little gem! This book was such a heartfelt, adorkable and sweet queer YA romance, full of relatable, fleshed-out characters to root for, a swooning friends-to-lovers romance, amazing friends and family, and some truly gripping and heartbreaking moments. I read this book in one sitting, completely hooked from the very first page!

Set in Brisbane in 2008, Henry Hamlet’s Heart tells the story of Henry Hamlet and his best friend Len during their last High School year; at that moment in life when you’re supposed to make important decisions impacting your whole future, but still struggling with the journey of growing up, finding out who you are and learning to love. There was so much Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda and Red, White & Royal Blue vibes to the story, but with some darker layers in the form of trauma after losing a parent, social awkwardness and anxiety, and bad/abusive parenting.

Henry and Len have been friends forever, despite their differences. Len is a heart-throb, a popular jock who is also on the debate team and love photography. Henry is clumsy, socially awkward and too smart for his own good sometimes. But somehow they’ve always matched. Even more than Henry had realized until a truth-and-dare kiss changes everything.

I absolutely loved Rhiannon Wilde’s writing style and the amazing friendship and dynamic between Henry and Len. I loved their banter and the humor, and not to mention the burning chemistry… Both of the characters immediately stole my heart in their own separate ways. I also really appreciated the little twist that the most popular of them both, Len, was the one that had been secretly pining for Henry, not the other way around as one would expect. The way Len always looked out for Henry and how he truly loved him for him and for all his quirks was truly adorable.

I also absolutely loved the side characters (except Len’s mean and abusive father). Their friends and family were all so well developed as characters and so sweet, hilarious and supportive.

The story dragged a little in the middle, but it was still addictive enough to stop me from putting it down even for a second.

All in all, this was an adorable, quirky, heartfelt and emotional friends-to-lovers story that I recommend with all my heart!

Thank you to NetGalley and Charlesbridge for the free review copy of the book, which I have voluntarily reviewed.

This was a great Read! Such a heartfelt and emotional story with memorable characters 🥺
Loved the LGBTQ+ representation with childhood friends to lovers.....my heart is bursting with emotions. Definitely recommend

As soon as I saw this book and read the description I just knew that I would have fallen in love with it. I also knew that this would be one of those books that even though it does makes you suffer you'll want to read it again and again.

I loved it, I couldn't stop thinking about it, it's so beautifully written, especially the characters I fell in love with them, they felt so real I could feel what they were going through and all I wanted to was hug them (and shout at them too).

This story is so relatable, it brought me back to my teen years when I was going through the journey to find my true self, and this book would have helped me so much.

I was sad when I finished it all I wanted to do was keep reading their story.
I can't tell you how much I loved it, I highly recommend it.

This story is one that exceeded all of my expectations! There's nothing like a good friends to lovers queer romance, and the pining in this one is done especially well.

Both MCs are done very well, and are developed, unique, and dynamic. I especially like how they interact in their friend groups. For a relatively short book, the side characters are done pretty well. The romance is absolutely amazing and relatable. I was completely enamored and could barely put the book down to go to work, and I ended up staying up late to finish it the same day I started.

There are very few things I would change, but I do wish the story had been a little longer (probably just because I'm obsessed), and went into a bit more detail on the relationship between Len and his Father.

All in all I CANNOT wait to get a physical copy!!

[4.75]

Okay wow I enjoyed this way more than I thought I would which is amazing!

Henry Hamlet's Heart is a YA contemporary queer romance about an Australian boy graduating high school, he's a bit nerdy, very into writing and debate... and in love with his best friend but he doesn't know it yet.

I'm a big fan of friends-to-lovers (ESPECIALLY best friends) because of all the yearning and the angst so naturally, this book scored a lot of points for me even though it was pretty cliché otherwise. It was simply a typical (queer, coming out) romance. I'm talking about the "kissing your same-sex friend on a dare and having a gay crisis because of it"-trope, as well as the public coming out in the end, the 75% break up et cetera. However, I really enjoyed all of those tropes in this book and I think others will too.

The characters and their relationships could have been a bit more fleshed out, I think, especially Len but they're not flat or boring in any way, I would have just enjoyed a little bit more character and relationship development. Henry's friends were all very realistically written and each had their own distinguished personalities which I really enjoyed.

The queer representation in this book is well-written and fleshed out. The Gay Crisis was relatable and I really loved all the queer joy. This book is perfect for anyone looking for a fluffy romance or just a cute queer romantic coming out story. If you're not the biggest fan of the coming out trope or want queer protagonists who already know they're queer before they fall in love, maybe this isn't for you. However I do have to say I would consider myself the latter, so you never know. Life is full of surprises.

Overall, I loved this book and I may or may not have cried a wee bit over it. I am taking off .25 stars because the ending was a bit rushed and I would have liked to see more of Len and Henry's relationship but I'm very excited to see what Rhiannon Wilde (amazing name btw) comes up with in the future.

This book felt like going back to my roots. It's a lovely queer YA romance that reminded me why I fell in love with reading in the first place. Also love the fact that it's set in 2008 and there are so many references to the emo music I love(d) in middle school. Really glad I gave this one a shot!

3.5 Stars

This was such a fun read!

Henry Hamlet’s Heart follows our titular character, Henry, as he tries to make it through Year 12, still not knowing exactly what he’s supposed to do with his life after he graduates, all the while trying to navigate how to deal with the fact that he’s falling in love with his best friend, Len.

Honestly, I’m not the biggest fan of romance books, but this was cute. While they did make me feel second-hand embarrassment at times - and they definitely could have avoided some problems if they weren’t so over-dramatic - the way Henry and Len’s friendship became something more was done really well. I don’t tend to like ships with the “childhood best friends to lovers” trope, but Henry and Len seem to be the exception. Even separately as characters, I thought Henry and Len were well-developed and, despite their flaws, still really likeable. The other relationships in this book - between Henry and his family, Len and his sister, and all of the other friendships - were great and, especially in the case of the “Boiyss”, had a fun dynamic.

My favourite thing about this book is that it’s set in Australia. Most of the contemporary books I read are set in the US, so it was super refreshing to hear the characters talk about foods I love and using slang that I was familiar with - subtle things that made everything about this book feel more real to me. The Year 12 experience was also so well captured I couldn’t help but think fondly of when I was in the same boat as the characters (at the same time, reading this book made me very grateful that I graduated years ago).

Overall, I enjoyed this and definitely recommend to anyone looking for a light-hearted read.

This was such a charming novel with a fun storyline and the most loveable characters. We got to see Henry’s character arc, both emotionally in regards to acknowledging his feelings for his best friend and also becoming more confident in himself and realising that he does not have his future completely mapped out. This is an inspiring story for so many people.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was a heartwarming coming of age story at its core that showcased all different kinds of love. It is narrated by 18 year old Henry Hamlet who, in keeping to his namesake, is a walking emotional wreck trying to balance being on the cusp of graduating high school and, after a game of truth and dare gone awry, falling for his childhood best friend, Len. I loved seeing the individual relationships between Henry and his family, friend group, and boy and girl best friends, and how this love looked different for all of them. I especially loved the australian school setting and am amused to see that we all lived the same schooling system experience.

Thus is a perfect comfort read that had me beaming for most the book and i definitely recommend -truly a hidden gem of a book.

This story is so cute and sweet. I enjoyed reading this one. Nice potrayal of teenage love and romance. I loved the little family of Hamlets.
This book is so light and you can enjoy it while reading.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with ARC

In a word: heartwarming. Henry is the type of lead that you can easily root for from the start; awkward and endearing. His entire family was lovely to read about and instantly made me want to be adopted by them. (A bisexual grandma in 2008? Hell yeah!) And I enjoyed every single scene with the boiyss.

Now moving along to the romance. I am an absolute sucker for a best friends to lovers trope. The yearning, the hesitation, all of it. It’s a bit of a slow burn for obvious reasons which made the story that much more believable. I loved Len and how his character was practically the opposite of Henry. He was also really sweet and charming.

The reason I put this as 4 stars is because the ending left me wanting a tad more. I feel like with the way the story played out it definitely needed some sort of epilogue or additional chapter.

Thank you so much to Charlesbridge and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you loved Boyfriend Material and Red, White & Royal Blue but want a change from the Enemies to Lovers trope - Henry Hamlet's Heart is just the thing.

It's funny, the chemistry between our two boys is wonderful, we've got fully fleshed out side characters with their own issues, worries and stories and this overall human-ness that gets forgotten so easily sometimes.

The only thing that threw me off every now and then was the fact that it's set in 2008, since it's not 'now-enough' for me to relate and not far-away-enough for me to have historical knowledge on the time.
In 2008 I was six, so that was a little weird, but that's really not the book's fault.

"How do you un-know someone, if you only know most of you because of them?"

Set in Brisbane, "Henry Hamlet's Heart" is a whimsical, endearing story about coming to terms with who you are, and growing the courage to embrace it. This is Henry's last semester at high school, and he has no clue about what comes next. Thankfully, his family doesn't push him to make all his big choices right away - and he can always count on his best friend, Len, to be there for him. Until Henry catches feelings after a fateful party, and things start spiralling out of control even further.

Someone should've warned us all that Aussie writers have perfectly understood the queer YA assignment. I really do hope that this book blows up, because it's a delightful read from cover to acknowledgements! In essence, this is a slice of life tale about a queer teen realising and accepting his feelings, as well as trying to handle high school, debate team, his grandma's wedding, and the difficult and delicate task of being by a friend's side as the latter deals with unresolved trauma and family issues. In summary, our nerdy main character doesn't have it easy! I could relate to Henry a lot as he stumbled his way through all of these challenges, which I suspect would be what most of us would end up doing.. He's an anxious mess at times, and he has no clue what he's doing half of the time. If that doesn't scream "Relatable Teen MC", I don't know what will!

The other character that shines is, of course, Len. I personally have a thing for enigmatic boys who hide secrets behind their crooked smiles, and mister Fancy Socks To Work was no exception. Despite how frustrating his choices were at times, I really loved his bond with Henry for the most part. The little gestures he had with him throughout the book made me really emotional, and I believe that the author did an amazing job at showing the duality of him - he's both confident and insecure, both warm and distant, both strong and in need of help. I was glad to see him get closure regarding his career aspirations, and it was very sweet of him indeed to do what he did towards the final pages of the book.

Characters aside, the romance itself was super sweet and realistic. It truly did feel like a first love, and a strong one at that - those of us who can relate will find themselves sighing more than once! Far from being perfect, the characters' relationship has its bumps and setbacks. While I wasn't happy that things weren't quite working out, I was so to have a realistic portrayal of what most teen romances actually look like. And that ending! I'm still swooning!

All in all, this was a very cozy read that brought me a lot of happiness, written with an excellent prose and carefuly spun into a tale about two boys learning how to love each other right. I couldn't recommend it enough, and I'll definitely keep an eye out for future Rhiannon Wilde books!

I am so grateful to the publisher and the amazing author for letting me read this novel. I inhaled it in under 24 hours, and it broke and reshaped and boosted my little heart. Flawlessly written, bursting with human feelings and doubts, this coming of age tale tells the story of Henry Hamlet, soon to graduate high school and head to university (which one, though?), his lovable and quirky family - each on their own path in life, dealing with its assorted doubts and joys - and his friends, Emily from the girls' school and the Boyiss at his own all-boys school. One boy in particular will stand out.
Truly loved, loved, loved this book. One of the finest - if not the best - I've had the privilege to read on NetGalley!

Thanks to Netgalley and Charlesbridge Teen for providing me with an early copy in exchange for an honest review. The book comes out on October 18th 2022.

Both covers for this book are so gorgeous wow.

Picked this on a whim but I truly enjoyed it. It was a nice, vitty, cute and feel-good kind type of a story. The book opens with protagonist’s grandma who came out as bisexual and is now planning her wedding with a woman. Like are you kidding me? If that doesn’t win you over nothing will.

Main plot is set on Henry and his own journey to figuring some things out, along with his best friend Len. There are some serious topics introduced but the book is not too heavy. It’s actually mostly sweet and romantic. Sometimes it’s a bit too cheesy even. Whenever there is a ~I released a breath i didn’t know i was holding~ line it makes me deduce points but other than that it was good. I liked family dynamic, I liked their friend group, I liked friends to lovers which usually hardly wins me over. It’s very easy to get into and if you’re looking for a cute gay story without high stakes I deffinitely recommend this one.

*4.5/5*

Oh, this was a lovely read. It was lighthearted with just the right amount of angst.

Henry Hamlet’s Heart follows Henry, a Year 12 student who has no clue what the future has in store for him, and his best friend Len. Like all Year 12’s, they party. However, when Henry catches feelings at one of these parties he begins to spiral.

While this book gave me secondhand embarrassment, it was still an amazing read. Being a teen is hard, especially when these never felt before feelings begin to develop. Henry really struggles with his feelings and how to accept them. With all these things going on, you start to understand why Henry is spiraling. Henry is a very relatable teen. He doesn’t know where his life is heading, but as long as his best friend is around he feels okay.

Now Len has his issues, but he’s still an amazing character. The way he is written invokes frustration, especially when it comes to his decision making. There is definitely a duality to him. I think this portrayal of grief is good. Len has his moments, but it all leads back to grieving. He fears losing Henry, so he pushes him away. Len is both confident and insecure. I loved Len, but I would understand those who end up disliking him.

Overall, this book was sweet. The writing style was great. Both the main and side characters were very well written and felt relatable. However, I wish there was an epilogue. I would have liked to have a flash forward, since the book ended quite abruptly.

Thank you NetGalley and Charlesbridge Teen for providing the eARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this title in exchange for an honest review.

Henry Hamlet's Heart was one of those books that I knew I would enjoy from the first chapter. I mean, a friends to lovers romance with a snarky and unsure about the future high school senior? Definitely right up my alley. But even more than that, this novel surprised me with its beautiful prose—I found myself crying, laughing and marveling at Wilde's writing at the same time.

This is a book for anyone looking for a bit of nostalgia; for the 2000's, for first loves, for those endless afternoons with friend where everything seemed possible... Henry and Len have a very special place in my heart and I'm sure that given the chance they will have one in yours too.

Thank you to Netgalley and Charlesbridge for providing an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

Henry Hamlet's Heart was a very cute, coming of age story that follows Henry Hamlet and his band of Boiysss. Having finally arrived in Year 12, Henry and his friends need to navigate studying, exams, friendship, relationships, family and parties and try and survive the year. On top of that, they all need to decide what they're doing for university, if they're even going, and worry about what will happen post-high school.

Henry Hamlet's Heart was very relatable. I'm thirty and I graduated high school back in 2010, but reading this book put me right back in the mindset of being an eighteen year old trying to juggle friends, graduation, and university admissions. It is clear that Wilde has lived the high school experience because there is no way she could have gotten Henry and his friends and his experiences so bang on without having gone through similar situations herself.

Henry was such a likeable character for me. I loved his inner monologues and the author really nailed his character voice. I found Len to be irritating, but I know other friends who gravitated more towards him as a character. I think if we would have gotten some chapters in his POV, it would have made the experience better for me as a reader. But the banter between Henry and all of his friends was hilarious and I found myself smiling and laughing out loud at several different points. (Spew Grant, anyone?!)

Overall, I think this is a decent addition to LGBTQ+ YA books. If nothing else, the high school experience is so relatable and I loved getting to reminisce about my own past. Also, the new cover on this book is to die for. It is so accurate and I just find myself staring at it constantly. I find something new every time I do.

This book was really cute! I was really emotionally at the end. I think when people showcase their love and feelings through art it really shows how much that person means to them. Especially considering the fact Len had photos that dated back years of Henry! I thought the story progressed really fast, and I really appreciated the friends being accepting of their friends no matter what. I finished this in a day and loved it!

This book had a slow start. Honestly, I debated not finishing it a few times but I’m glad I did. Their romance was so cute and Len was such an interesting character (I want more on him, please!) and the reunion at the end (why didn’t I see that coming?) it made me cry. This book was absolutely worth holding onto and reading until the end.

Eu demorei alguns dias pra entrar de cabeça na história, mas quando o fiz, esse livro se tornou um amorzinho. É divertido, leve e me deixou com o coração quentinho

First of all, a big thanks to NetGalley and Charlesbridge for providing an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have this strong urge to protect Henry Hamlet from all harm, at all costs. I just want to give him a big hug and tell him that he’s such a unique and kind soul.

This beautifully written friends-to-lovers coming of age novel is exactly what i needed. Henry Hamlet is a pretty relatable character; he’s a socially anxious over-thinker who struggles with self image and the all familiar “what next?” as high school comes to an end. In other words, Henry Hamlet is the opposite of his childhood best friend, Len.

The book focuses on how these two young friends deal with the issues that pose as barriers in their lives, and how they slowly come to realize that what they really needed was right there in plain sight. As Henry’s mind enters into existential crisis mode and Len battles his grief and repressed feelings, the two best friends begin to see how the last term of their senior year might actually be quite life-changing for them. They find love, they fight it, they question it and embrace it, in all of its confusing forms.

It’s light, quick and funny in the right moments. Honestly, Henry’s friend group is the type i wished i had back in high school. It’s so delightful to see how their personalities compliment one another despite being SO different. The book gives you this nostalgic feeling, like you’ve been missing something all along and witnessing Len and Henry’s character growth is somehow that missing piece.

This was such a cute book! I loved the little tidbits of Australian culture in the book and the cast of characters was really lovable. Henry was such an entertaining character to follow and I found myself really appreciating his family and their dynamics as well. My biggest (and possibly only) gripe with the book would be the abundance of male characters, but I felt like the author really tried to include as much of the female characters who were there to make up for it. Thanks to NetGalley and Charlesbridge for the ARC.

I greatly enjoyed this book from page one. It's a wonderfully sweet childhood best friends to lovers story with a loveable cast of characters and just the right balance of emotions. I fell in love with Henry and Len and their relationship, as well as the supporting characters and Henry's family. There were just a few things that were left unclear and I wish there had been an epilogue or an extended scene at the end, since I felt like it ended a bit abruptly and we never did learn what their future post graduation looks like, but overall it was a lovely read and I will definitely be checking out more works by this author. The cover artwork is also stunning which was what prompted me to pick up this title in the first place. Greatly recommended to anyone who enjoys queer coming-of-age stories in a high-school setting.

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for the eARC.!

I will start off by saying that I was given this book for free in exchange for an honest review from netgalley.

I loved this book, this is not my genre at all. Both contemporary and I don’t read much YA anymore but I just loved this. It’s a strong four star read for me and I would recommend it to everyone.

The writing style was great and it didn’t take long at all for me to get into the story. It was great that our main character wasn’t already in love with the love interest and it was something we got to experience with him.

A lot of coming of age stories usually have horrible parents(at least the ones I’ve read) but I thought it was great that Henry’s wasn’t and that there are more than just him and Len that is a part of the community. Hello Grams!

I really don’t have anything negative to say, but if I have to come up with a reason that it was four starts instead of five it has to be because it was very predictable. But I didn’t read this story to be shocked. I read it because I wanted to feel warm inside and that is what it did.

It gave me what I wanted.

my rating: ★ ★ ★ ★.5

I loved this book to pieces. This coming-of-age, romance book was hilarious, emotional, wholesome and all things beautiful.

Henry Hamlet is a character I think everyone will find relatable. In his final year of school, he’s a hardworking student, captain of his school, and a great debater. But like anyone else at this stage in life, he’s plagued by self-doubt and the constant worry of “what’s next?”. His parents are super supportive, he has a younger, adorable brother and friends who care about him. But as Len, his best friend and confidante describes it, he doesn’t have “Experiences with a capital E” - as someone who’s constantly caught between worrying and dedicating his time to various pursuits, Hamlet has lost out on experiences that would typically make up for your most cherished teenage memories.

Until he kisses Len. Done as a dare, it quickly develops into very real, strong feelings that both of them have trouble denying. Young love is always beautiful, if hard to deal with and the book encompasses that as we go on Hamlet’s sometimes painful, sometimes funny and mostly beautiful journey of figuring out how to love his best friend. The side characters are quite well-developed too, and moments with them were always light, funny and emotional.

I only wish that this book was written in double pov because Len is a very complex character, more than Henry even, and since the story is mostly from Henry’s pov, I felt like many of Len’s actions and motivations were not conveyed more clearly. Also because this story was crazy cute, Len’s pov would have definitely added to its cuteness.

All in all I recommend this to anyone who’s a romance fan. Especially if you have read and enjoyed the Heartstopper series and Red White and Royal Blue, this is a book you will definitely eat up!

(Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review)

Henry Hamlet’s Heart was not really for me. It wasn’t bad at all, and I did like it a little, I was just a bit bored. Contemporaries are very hit or miss for me, and this one did not land. The characters are great and the romance was cute, it just never really pulled me in. But if you’re the kind of person that loves very character driven stories, I would definitely recommend this!

Do you ever feel like you've stumbled across a gem of a book and want to shout about it to the entire world? I finished this somewhere around 2 AM this morning after I accidentally read it in one day. I honestly couldn't pinpoint what it is about this book that stuck a hook in my heart and dragged me along for the ride, but I'm so happy that it got me.

There actually wasn't a character that I disliked, which is rare for me in books. I thought they all had their place and served the story well. I LOVED Henry's family; the slight dysfunctionality of it all was perfect, and I especially loved all the eccentricities of Henry's dad. And, obviously, I loved Henry and Len (both together and separately). Friends to lovers remains my favourite trope and it can never do wrong in my eyes!

I really liked the story. The last few pages (chef's kiss). If you aren't familiar with Australia/Queensland/Brisbane there are a few things that are hard to find. I would've loved more development in the beginning few pages. It's a cute tale and I'm excited for this author.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! it was an amazingly quick read and once I sat down to read it, I couldn't put it down!!

Henry Hamelts Heart is truly a captivating read. From the very beginning, I was hooked. The day I was approved to read it, I read half of it that same day. It is one of my favorite types of books, a cute LGBTQ+ romance that Doesn't make coming out the focus of the book. Instead, Rhiannon Wilde took the time to develop the friendship and romance between Len and Henry. I truly enjoyed the characters and their interactions in this book, but especially those between the Boiyssssss. Rhiannon Wilde's writing style is fresh and engaging, without seeming outdated, even in a book that takes place in 2008. I was shocked when I learned that this was only her first novel, as it has the skill and ability expected from more mature authors. I also loved the character of Emilia, and I think we all need someone like her in our life. Throughout the novel, I felt myself rooting for Len and Henry. This book is definitely one that I would recommend to my friends or anyone that asks. It was a quick read for me, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I give this book a 4.75 out of 5.

This story was heartfelt and genuine. I loved the dynamic between Henry and Len trying to figure out their futures, and now Henry gets a curveball with questioning his sexuality. It felt real and personal, where Henry's reactions were understandable: confused, messy, and throwing everything he thought he knew into question.
I wish we got to see a little more of Len's life with his family and more of his reactions, but overall I enjoyed this story to pieces.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an ARC to review before it is newly released on October 18, 2022.

This book was tough for me. While I loved the concept, and I think a lot of other LGBT+ readers will LOVE this book, this kinda fell flat for me. I didn't much care for the protagonist and didn't find myself rooting for him throughout the book. His love interest is kind of dark and brooding, and honestly, I didn't want them to be together. In a lot of ways, it read to me as a very codependent relationship that would leave one or both of them spiraling and it was hard to read.

There were some really great things about it though. The characters were all different and served a purpose in the story. I loved the relationship with the grandmothers and the overall tone of the book. Just for me, it seemed to not really go anywhere, and I found myself not rooting for anyone. However, if you like other YA queer romances, I would recommend giving this one a shot, and seeing for yourself!

I struggled to get into this book and at first DNF'ed it. But, a few days later, I realized I couldn't stop thinking about Henry and Len. I went back and finished it pretty quickly after that. Once I got into it the second time, the characters really engaged me and I felt like I could relate to Henry's struggles as a queer woman. I loved that it's okay to just exist and not have everything planned out.

What a gem! (4.5 stars)

Henry Hamlet's Heart is a queer YA romance set an a Brisbane all-boys high school in 2008, and I devoured it in a day. Equal parts funny, sincere and vulnerable, this book is a tough one to put down.

I always love a good OzYA, and Wilde nailed the Aussie atmosphere. The banter, the Brisbane heat, the meat pies, the dingo-ate-your-baby jokes - it's always a treat to read a book that feels like home. And though I'm hardly qualified to comment on the feel of 2008 (... I was six) the cultural references were still a lovely touch of nostalgia (hey, people were still listening to Fall Out Boy and played snake on Nokia phones when I hit high school, I swear).

Atmosphere aside, Henry himself (self-described "writer, debater and neurotic mess") was loveable and almost eerily relatable. He made a great counterpoint to Len, and their slow progression from close friends to lovers (and all the drama along the way) was equal parts awkward, adorable and authentic. Though I felt some of the friendships felt one-dimensional in early stages of the book, they developed nicely, along with great insights into the complexities of both Henry and Len's families. Points for Henry's bisexual Gran! She's a legend.

But above all, this book was a capsule of the mixed emotions that come with the final year of high school. The uncertainty about the future, the fear that you'll drift away from your friends, the curiosity about where you'll all end up... I've never read a book that so accurately captured what those final months of Year 12 felt like for me. Oh, and there's a special kind of joy that comes from reading about students studying the books that you loved in English class.

Though I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I did feel that some characters (particularly Vince, Martin & Clarkson) struggled to develop beyond stereotypes. I also wasn't a fan of the way Hamish was written - don't get me wrong, I know writing children is no easy task, but it did feel like he was slapped in unsubtly at convenient points to make little profound points.

Overall, this was a great read, and one I'd highly recommend - especially if you've just graduated, or if you're facing down those final years of high school.

This definitely reminds me a lot of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, but it holds its own. Henry Hamlet is an adorable character. Your heart goes out to him, to all that he has to deal with. It will bring you back to how it feels to be in high school, to falling in love for the first time. Plus the side characters are darling, too? That grandma? She just gives me all the comforting feels. If you enjoyed couples such as Aristotle and Dante, Nick and Charlie, then you'll love this one. A solid 3.5 stars!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me access to this book for an honest review.

TW: HP references, abusive parent, grief

I usually start with things I liked while reviewing but I would like to start off with the negative thing first for this one.

The HP references? Not only very harmful for the trans community but also very problematic. I just don't understand why authors won't give up on the same old wizard story references. It is 2022, we're tired, please find some new, and better, books to reference.

Except for this I actually really liked this book. Set in Australia, it revolves around a teenage boy, Henry Hamlet, who is in grade 12. We see him embark on a journey of love and friendship with his friends.

The writing style was beautiful, it made me feel all the emotions Henry goes through. It was funny, it was emotional and it was also hopeful.

I loved Lacey, Henry's family, and friends so much! The characters are written with a lot of depth, except for maybe Harrison. The bi grandma was an absolute delight to read about and the wedding made me extra happy. :')

Henry's story made me want to cry but it also made me smile a lot. I loved Len so much :') I don't know why but I got little vibes of Red, White, and Royal Blue (but the books are actually nothing alike) here and there and I'm here for it. There's also SO MUCH yearning in this novel. SO. MUCH. And I for one, love books where characters yearn. ;)

I would absolutely recommend it to everyone in need of a friends-to-lovers queer romance done really well!

I really enjoyed this. a great deal It was beautifully written and incredibly relevant in so many ways. I was sixteen when this book was set, so many of the small allusions and oh, just the sensation of first love in high school.... it was like a smack in the face (a good one!!) and brought back so many memories.

what about the characters? They were very genuine. Henry and Len in particular, but also their entire buddy circle, extended families, and teachers. They're all fantastically realized.

I was intrigued throughout the narrative and sobbed several times for a variety of reasons. This is already one of my favorite books of the year, and I know I'll be reading it again.

Henry Hamlet's Heart is a heartfelt story of two best friends falling for each other in Brisbane, Australia in the late 00s.

It's funny, light-hearted, full of banter and school shennaningans that seem like the whole world when you are a teenager. Henry is adorably nerdy while artsy Len is an amazing friend but has the habit of hiding from feelings, afraid of getting hurt.

I loved the two first parts of the book, where we watch Henry, Len and the Boyisss (their friend group) during their last school term. Henry's family is weird and full of love, and I adored his little brother Ham. Len on the other side was dealt a tougher hand, especially after his mother's death left him with his (let's be honest, absolutely terrible) father.

The third part suffered from the author's choice to use some overused and eye-rolling tropes: "I'm not worth for you", "Running away afraid of getting hurt", "I refuse to communicate". It's implied that the underlying reason for this behaviour lies with the grief of the past, but it isn't really explored - and the book is from Henry's POV, so we never know what Leni is thinking.

The finale makes up with a very sweet scene, although (as in many other YA romace books) I wish the book would have one-two more chapters with the boys being more talkative and open about their feelings instead of ending with the climax.

Another standout of the book was the Australian feel, and the 2008 feel - you could very quickly see that this book is not set in the present, without explicitly mentioning it immediately.

Thank you NetGalley and Charlesbridge Teen for the ARC of the US version!

I laughed. I cried. I fell a little more in love with love and reading. Henry Hamlet's Heart is my heartstopper<33

During their last semester of high school, Henry starts to fall for his life-long best friend.

Firstly, I just want to say that as a second language English speaker I find this book's title really hard to pronounce.

Other than the title and the use of that eye-roll-worthy trope in the 3rd act I found this book very enjoyable. I didn't much care for the first 50ish pages but then I got really emotionally invested and omw, this book was so addictive.

Oh how I wish I could send this book to my 17-year old self. ‘Henry Hamlet’s Heart’ is a queer YA that takes place in 2008 and the pop culture references were absolutely perfect!

This story follows Henry Hamlet and his navigating senior year at his all boys university. At a party, events happen that turn his world upside down and the aftermath shows Henry who he truly is, but not without difficulties.

Filled with lovable characters, this book will give you all the feels and make you want to immediately run to do another watch through of ‘The OC’ (okay, maybe just me.)

This friends to lovers coming of age story is full of heart, fantastic supporting characters and self discovery.

'You're half of me,' he says, his voice soft and serious. 'What else is there?'

Henry Hamlet's Heart is a very sweet, heartwarming, coming-of-age story that I couldn't put down or stop smiling while reading. It's beautifully written with many funny moments; some of the quotes will stay with me for a long time.

I love both Henry and Len so much. Friends to lovers truly is one of the best tropes out there, especially when the more popular, outgoing friend falls first or has been in love for a long time.

What made this book really special was the healthy relationship and dynamic between Henry and his family (grandma stole the show for sure<3).

The friendships, the humor, and the awkwardness of being a teenager and falling in love for the first time felt so real and honest, and I think that is what made this book so good, fun, and wholesome to read.

I have to say that I wish there were an epilogue or at least one or two more chapters after the story's climax. But with that ending, I hope there's a chance for a second book or at least a novella set in college.

Overall 4.25 stars.

Talk about a love story that goes through ups and downs. You never know what will happen next or how the ending will finish. Henry is a quirky character and is the main person of this book with his group of friends. At what point does the line of friendship get crossed? What will the future hold. The story is based in Brisbane (Australia) around the last year of high school and the waves of the student experience. This is the first time ready a book by Rhiannon Wilde and I hope she continues this story somehow.

The type of book features a LGBTQIA+ plot and is similar to coming of age stories such as Love Simon or Heartstoppers. I really good read and really plays on ones emotions.

This book was so sweet. While it was a bit predictable I still greatly enjoyed it and it was exactly what I wanted it to be. I will definitely read more by this author in the future.

Such a sweet story.
I absolutely love the best friends to lovers aspect.
I thought the timing was perfect and the premise worked out really well.
Will be recommending this book to my friends. 😊🌸

‘Henry Hamlet’s Heart’ is a story with a big heart (pun totally intended)..

We follow Henry and his friends through a time full of changes, where each of them are trying their best to find who they truly are. In the middle of all this, there’s a friendship that grows into something bigger, feelings that were there all along (even if the characters themselves didn’t want to admit them aloud at first).

This book is sweet, a tender story about following your heart and embracing the truth of it. It’s the perfect story for those who love calm queer YA contemporary stories!

Thank you to Netgalley and Charlesbridge for providing me this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My rating is 4.5 stars, but since Goodreads doesn't do halves, I will give it a 4 star rating :)


For an immeasurable stretch of time, we're not Lennon and Hamlet, or two people who want each other, or two people at all. There's never been a proper membrane separating us the way it does other people; we're connected, and it runs so deep. I know, from how much this hurts.
I want to give him all my energy to borrow. To keep. To burn.
I give him whatever he lets me. Let him take whatever he needs.

This was a beautiful book. I absolutely adored it.

The plot was everything I expected it to be, but in a good way. It had the friends-to-lovers trope, with the secret pining and falling for your best friend. To say I loved it is an understatement. The book also takes us down a road of self-discovery, friendships, family love and family drama and so much more. The only thing that kept me from giving this the all out 5 stars, was the fact that the 'conflict' at the end was very quickly solved. I would have loved it if Len gave more of an explanation to Henry, even though I fully understood why the things that happened, happened.

The book was set in high school, but the book didn't focus too much on that which I liked. There were mentions of classes and studying, and a few scenes in their high school as well, but overall the book didn't revolve around the high school setting. We also got to see the characters at their homes with family and each other, and at some other places they visited throughout the book with their friends. It gave a nice diversity of settings and atmosphere.

The characters were fantastic. I honestly would not be able to choose my favorite between Len and Henry. They are both very unique and complex characters, who had great development throughout the book. I also love how we really got to see them be best friends first. We got to experience their dynamic before any real feelings were involved (at least that's what Henry though...). After a few chapters though we get to experience the change in their dynamic through Henry's eyes and I loved it. The way he was so unsure at first, but then slowly started to admit he had feelings for his best friend. One thing I absolutely adored, was how Len fell first. I feel like in most books, it's the person who's point of view we're reading from that falls first, and I like how that wasn't the case here. It was fairly obvious since like, chapter 2 or something, that Len already had feelings for Henry. To me that made everything even better.

Next to Henry and Len we also got some side-characters ofcourse. Henry's family for example. They were awesome and delivered some of the funniest scenes in the book. The dynamic between them was amazing and I loved how supportive they all were of Henry and Len. Than we also have the friends. I'll be honest, I could not for the life of me keep those apart in my head. I never remembered who was who, I only knew 2 were family of each other and one was emo... BUT, I did love them. Together they all made a tight friend group and I loved the traditions they have. We also got Len's family ofcourse. As expected, I hated his dad. What an absolute piece of sh*t. His sister was cute though! I'm sad we didn't get to see more about her since she was away in a big part of the book.

The writing is what often really sucked me in though. This was very beautifully written. Some scenes made my cheeks hurt from smiling, but others made me hold back tears. I think the author did a great job at writing realistic teen boys, with all their angst and fear about trying out their new relationship and (in Henry's case) coming out. I definitely am sad that I could not annotate this book since it's an e-ARC I read on Netgally, because there were so many sentences I wanted to underline. I will probably buy a physical copy when this book comes out so that I can re-read it and finally underline all my favorite scenes and quotes!!

Thank you to Charlesbridge Teen and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this digital ARC of. Henry Hamlet's Heart

As we embark on Pride Month - I knew this book had to be at the top of my list. Mix that with a YA novel that touches on gay confusion, awkward moments, total heartbreak ...and more - this book is so good! You will get sucked in, to the characters, to the story, and the writing; Wilde is so good at creating a narrative that you will not want to step away from! MC Henry is funny, has a quirky group of friends (who need sequels about them lol)....who help to tell this amazing story that kept me wanting more! Great humor, emotion moments that had tear welled up in my eyes. A must read!

3.75 stars!

Henry Hamlet’s Heart is an adorable queer friends to lovers romance with lovable, relatable characters who you will be rooting for the entire time! Beyond the romance, it is also a story of self discovery during one of the most difficult transitions in the life of a teenager, the jump from high school to university. Henry Hamlet’s Heart is sweet, funny, heartfelt, and raw.

My favorite aspect of this book was the characters. Henry and Len were both well developed and real. I felt like I was there with them navigating their feelings and struggles!

I didn’t necessarily dislike anything in this book, however I do feel occasionally some aspects of the book were slightly underdeveloped and I would have liked to see a little more insight in some places. But this was very minor and didn’t take away from the story!

Overall, Henry Hamlet’s Heart was a super sweet YA romance. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a quick feel good read!

Cuteness overload and a book to brighten my recently darker days. It was such a pleasure to read about the emotional and identity-related struggles of Henry Hamlet; a very interesting take on self-discovery. And this book brims with numerous great influences, such as the music of the National or Elliot Smith. The characters are so relatable and so true to their motivations that we quickly start to root for them. Moreover, when the book is finished, we are likely to miss having them in our daily lives. I guess what this novel does is what other aspiring YA writers should definitely pay attention to: it discusses an important issue with a bit of a light-hearted attitude; it has a simple but engaging plotline; and it describes people whom we could easily meet in our daily lives. I am very happy that I had the opportunity to discover this Australian YA gem.

I did really like this book- though as a middle aged American woman, I had to go look up some Australian slang. It’s not a typically written romance- it’s got a more ethereal, subtle quality that I really enjoyed.

The characters in this book are fantastic. The main character was relatable and easy to root for. The plot was well-written and managed to be fresh, even while using popular tropes. The romance was wonderful. I absolutely loved the love story. This book was very engaging and I really enjoyed reading it.

Right off the bat I gotta to say: I really enjoyed this book. The characters, by far my favorite part of the story, felt really special. I just want to wrap Henry up in a comfy blankie and keep him happy and safe at all times. I especially loved Henry's little brother, Hambam (what a nickname!), and the relationship they had with one another and their parents. Also, Grandma Goldie is an absolute icon!
This story was a best friend's to lovers romance interwoven amongst a beautiful coming of age story. We follow Henrey Hamlet (love a good alliteration in a name) and his ever-changing, ever-growing relationship with long-time best friend, Lennon. It's a beautiful story about growing up, whether you are ready for it or not, and Henry Hamlet is decidedly NOT ready for it. Thus, obvious akwardness ensues. This was a really refreshing queer YA that had a perfect fluff to angst ratio. It's a story that could be enjoyed not only by young adults, but by older readers as well.

Spoilers ahead!

Oh wow what a book! I have a lot to say. First off I love an oldie, Myspace and text talk, takes me right back! I got Date Me Bryson Keller vibes from this book and it's made me want to go back and read one of my favourite books so that's a positive! The chapter lengths are great, I was a bit suspicious of the Parting 1,2 & 3 of the book, but I actually liked how they broke the story up.

The description is great, I love the way Rhiannon describes the weather for example which is consistent throughout. I would have liked a little more detail in other areas, like a description of backstory characters a little more and would have happily read another 20/30 pages for that. That being said, Len was described very well.

The romance is sparse throughout the first part of the book, there's no real hint of romance until page 38. It's a slow burner so if you're there for romance hitting you in the face, read something else.

Two side notes, there were a lot of H names in the whole book, not just the one family so it was a little tough to follow, also was I supposed to hate Len at the start because I kind of did?

A solid 4/4.5 stars. I really enjoyed it, it took me back to my school days and it was an easy read. Took me 3 days and I'm a slow reader. A couple of typos but nothing major compared to some books out there! Can't wait to read more from Rhiannon in the future. Follow me on Instagram Literarylouis because I'll post about this and more in the future.

Henry and Len have been best friends forever. It's now their senior year, and nothing has really changed-- until, suddenly, everything does. At the tail end of a party, someone dares Len to kiss Henry, and the kiss is explosive. Everything Henry has ever wanted. It throws everything into question for Henry: his friendship with Len, his own sexuality, and what things will look like going forward.

Henry Hamlet's Heart is a sweet book about growing up, redefining relationships, and learning to trust in who you are.

Already released in Australia, Henry Hamlet's Heart is coming to the United States on October 18, 2022, and it's definitely worth picking up!

Henry Hamlet's Heart is an absolute gem of a book. It is a queer coming of age novel written about a young man about to graduate from high school, dealing with anxieties about college and the future, as well as school pressures and a newfound crush on his best friend, Len. Henry had never thought of himself as anything but straight; he just struggles to connect with and get the attention of women. However, after a wild party, complete with a game of truth-or-dare gone awry, he can't seem to get Len out of his head.

Henry Hamlet's Heart follows the story of Henry's coming of age, his budding relationship with Len, and all the messy steps along the way. It is a humorous and heartfelt book that is nearly impossible to put down. The author writes beautifully, with many touching scenes that keep the audience enraptured and emotional, along with the occasional and impressive poetic, vividly descriptive, phrasing. But the comical elements were just as great; the relatable gay disaster that is Henry, the painfully awkward scenes that you can't help but laugh at, and the cheesiest moments that still manage to hit you deep in the heart. As a whole, Henry Hamlet's Heart is a brillant, exceptionally charming novel that is perfect for fans of the friends-to-lovers trope and humorous and heart-touching elements. It is a must-read for this fall and perfect addition to any reader's TBR, releasing for US readers with an absolutely gorgeous new cover and the same incredible story,

* I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This is a really cute book! It has a lot of character and I really enjoyed the experience of reading it. I read the majority of it in one sitting actually. The plotting was a little messy at times, but it had a strong sense of what it was trying to accomplish and had a wonderful set of distinct characters. I think the lovable cast of characters is what really makes this book so enjoyable. They have distinct personalities that really come through on the page. I would recommend this for sure.

Such a good book, I couldn't put it down I loved len and Henry so much and their relationship. They're were parts I didn't expect and some did, but it was such a beautiful book. I loved all parts of it, the characters, the writing and the story. I think Henry and Lens story was amazing, not just some story where they kiss and love happily ever after, they were a realistic couple and that's what made it so good. I'm definitely going to buy a copy when it comes out because it's just so good.

i was obsessed with the book omg ! the plot had my hooked from the beginning and i couldn’t physically put it down. it was a perfect read for one sitting. i loved henry and fell in love with all his antics through the book, my only issue was the characters read younger then they were. i felt like the characters were 15/16 rather then 17/18 but it wasn’t a huge issue just jared me slightly. perfect if you loved Simon vs the homo saipan’s agenda!

I received this books an ARC and was thrilled when it instantly gave me Heartstopper vibes. This book is about an awkward teen named Henry and his search for love. Henry is focused on his schoolwork and hanging out with his closest friends one of whom, Len, feels that Henry is watching life pass him by. Len encourages Henry to start living and having experiences. Len tries to change the way that he sees himself and ends up showing Henry new experiences and that even the effortlessly cool Len has more to him than Henry thought. This book included complex characters with deep emotions and thoughts. I enjoyed the fact that the author didn't simplify these aspects due to the books YA status and the fact that the book was about teens. A 5 star YA read.

ahhh i totally guessed that ending- what happened at the exhibition. i knew it, i called it!

anyways this was SO CUTE but like so real and funny
all the characters were so real and like, although Henry was a bit annoying, I liked that flaw and how all the characters weren’t perfect. my favorite character has got to be ham, Henry’s younger brother, he’s just so wholesome!!!

this book was really quick and easy to read, but my arc had missing letters for some reason so sometimes I would have to guess what the word was :/

something that would’ve been a really cool addition in this book was if we had some dual-pov action, especially from len:)

ALSOO can we appreciate this cover? It’s gorgeous!

i think fans of heartstopper and what if it’s us would really enjoy this

:)

but yeah this was also an arc so make sure to check it out when it comes out on October 18th!!

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heartstopper vibes

I actually read the ebook version of this book as an ARC from NetGalley. But the cover was the same as the hardcover version.

I decided to read this book based on what I thought was an interesting description. It surpassed what I thought it was and I absolutely loved it. It was just what I needed to lighten my day.

It was beautifully written. But I think what surprised me most was the relationships and how they were portrayed: those between Henry and his friends and Henry and his family. He is such a connectable character that I couldn’t help but laugh and cry along with him. I liked the fact that we really got to see all the wide variety of things going on in Henry’s life - not just his romance with Len.

I wasn’t sure how the friendship between Henry and Len was going to develop into a romance, but there too, it was done well, making both of them so adorable.

This is a book that I think so many teens need. Is it similar to some other books with LGBTQ+ characters? Yes. Did I still absolutely love it, and think people should read it? Also yes. Henry and Len have my heart, and I think if I were a teen right now, I would relate and appreciate them and their journey.

TW: harsh parenting, grief
Henry Hamlet Heart. A breezy high school romance novel perfect for the month of June while we celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. Laden with insecurities about identity and exploration of sexuality, Rhiannon Wilde takes us on a sweet journey of falling in love and fighting for it across three parts of the book.
Henry Hamlet, a high school nerd falls in love with his best friend and it shakes his world up. Falling in love with a friend is like skating on thin ice, it puts the friendship in jeopardy. But if it hurts the heart to be apart, what can one possibly do?

"You're half of me."

This novel does not only boast of exploration about sexuality and identity but also traverses through the themes of dysfunctional family dynamics, grief, friendship and the fact that it is alright to not always be sorted about our future. While it maintains a light hearted attitude throughout the book but it discusses some heavy topics, which the author should be praised for.

Some important points I would like to mention are:
1. I felt the dire need to know what Len felt like about the entire thing because he's the one going through a lot, so it would've been interesting if the narrators were switched for every chapter. Len's side of the story could've engrossed the readers even more, if the author isn't saving it for a part two. (Are you?)
2. Henry doesn't try being a knight in the shining armour while Len grieves which definitely shows the depth and maturity of the character.
3. A bisexual woman getting married to her lady love and her children supporting them? Yes please! I beg for more bisexual characters because most people do not even understand bisexuality to begin with.
4. The only thing a gay teenage couple needs to worry about is that they might be losing their friendship and not about the society? That's a dream. Bring it on! (Well, not entirely but you know, the worry wasn't heavy on the society's part)

Tear rating: your girl didn't even cry once while reading it. Well, at times her heart felt heavy and she had closed the book to catch her breathe but didn't cry even a single drop of tear. That's so rare!

an exciting, vulnerable story about self-discovery and internal battles faced as teenagers. this book was equally cute and amusing, and henry and len were both interesting main characters who i was rooting for the entire time. this story was a great look into the process of figuring out platonic vs romantic feelings, and i fully enjoyed reading.

This was a cute Australian YA about best friends falling in love. Other reviews mention that it has Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda vibes, and I agree that it does. Henry's angst about 1) falling for a boy and 2) falling for his best friend feels real and relatable. When Henry and Len finally kiss and start a relationship, the novel started to click for me. Before that point, it was a little slow-moving, and with such a large cast of friends and classmates, it was sometimes hard for me to follow along.

Henry's Grandma was hands down my favorite supporting character! I loved her!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

Cutest mlm romance ever. The story follows Henry Hamlet through his senior year. I absolutely love his friend group since I can see a lot of my own friend group in them. The ending was kind of predictable, but I’m the type of person not to care as long as the plot over all is good. And it was amazing. I don’t really know what I expected when I started reading it but I definitely think everyone should pick this book up at least once.

This book was like a warm blanket, it reminded me of the graphic novel Heartstopper. Len and Henry were so cute! I loved how we got to witness Henry's journey of self-discovery :)

I really don't have many thoughts on this beyond enjoying it. The characters were fun and it reminded me of a less problematic Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. I wish there was less drama towards the end, but I loved reading this. I'd recommend this to people as Heartstopper meets Ari and Dante!

4 Stars


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thank you to netgalley and charlesbridge for the e-arc

I thought this book was really wonderful. I love reading YA, especially LGBTQ+ YA that takes place in other countries than the US as I feel like we really lack in that for this genre.

Henry is such a relatable character to me. When I was the same age, I didn't know what I wanted either after I graduated. I was confused, clumsy and awkward. I am also always down for a nice friends to lovers trope as well, always warms my heart.

I will definitely be giving it a re-read when it's published in it's physical form.

Very sweet childhood friends to lovers story set in the late aughts with wonderful MySpace references that brought me back to my own teenage years. It's interesting to read this back-to-back with a queer YA set in 2022 and notice the differences in the social climate.

Henry Hamlet is in his final year of high school. While dealing with his crazy family, stress of finals, and being school captain he has a lot going on, but what isn’t seen is causing the most turmoil. Henry is crushing on his bestfriend and he’s got it BAD!

Okay so this book was good, but the first half moves a little to slow for my liking. This could also be due to the fact that I’ve been reading shorter books lately. I liked the fact that this wasn’t just a coming-of-age, but there was a much deeper aspect. I really liked Len as a character and his back story. The scenes with his family were heartbreaking and infuriating all at one time. The “Boiyss” were a great group of characters. They were funny yet insightful. Henry’s family was hysterical, so supportive they’re kind of cringey. Now for Henry, he was my least favorite character. He was like the girl in a horror film that runs up the stairs when being chased by the killer. He just couldn’t get out of his own way. He was incredibly self-centered and only cared about others when it effected him. I guess he was a stereotypical teenager.

Over all a good solid book and I agree with the blurb, if you like Red,White, and Royal Blue, Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera you will like this book.

Book Review

Title: Henry Hamlet’s Heart
Author: Rhiannon Wilde
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publisher: Charlesbridge Teen
Publish Date: October 18, 2022
Rating: 3.5/5 stars

I enjoy a good coming-of-age story, and Henry Hamlet’s Heart is no exception to this.

Henry Hamlet’s Heart is the story of 18 year old Henry Hamlet who is in his final year of High school in Brisbane, Australia. Henry, his best friend, Len, and the Boiyss (the rest of their group of friends), navigate the stressful final terms of their secondary degree. The story navigates what seems like a predictable year for Henry as he tries to maximize final high school experiences alongside his friends. However, things become suddenly less predictable when, on a dare at a party, Len kisses Henry, and Henry realizes that he wants more than just that single kiss.

Overall, I found Henry Hamlet’s Heart a solid story. The characters were relatable. At the beginning, I found myself nodding along to Henry’s thoughts and reactions. When he expressed the wish for there to be a cat at a party, so he could hang out with it, I wanted to get to know him more. I also found that the writing successfully carried me along on Henry’s emotional rollercoaster.

Originally, I found the plot a bit slow, but I realized that this was purposeful. The inciting incident of the story doesn’t occur until nearly a third into the book, and, while studying in English class, Henry observes that “inciting incidents can bulldoze into everyday life” (94). I think the author mirrors this well with the slow build to Henry’s realization of his sexuality and consequently coming out.

If you have read and enjoyed, Aristotle & Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe or Simon Vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda, you should check out Henry Hamlet’s Heart when it comes out this fall.

Thank you to @charlesbridge and @netgalley for this ARC in return for my honest review.

'Henry Hamlet's Heart' by Rhiannon Wilde is a charming & warm, coming-of-age YA fiction that I read in a day. I finished reading this book days ago, but I'm still thinking about it.

Set in the year 2008, Henry Hamlet is about to graduate high school and what he hasn't figured out yet, is what to do after high school. The book follows Henry's journey discovering love, his identity and much more, himself. I loved this book and loved Henry and Len together (Henry's friend whom he has a crush on). And it's not only the relatable characters in this book that made me like it so much, it's the story that's heartwarming and unforgettable.

Honestly, I'm so glad I read 'Henry Hamlet's Heart' this June, the story and the characters will stay with me forever. Don't forget to grab a copy this book (publication date: 18th October, 2022)

Thanks soo much NetGalley for this beautifully written ARC.

Henry Hamlet is in his last year of high school, and he is unsure about his future, but he knows that he wants to get the most out of it. Also, he is starting to develop feelings towards his best friend, whom he has known since they were little kids, and it feels like his whole world is starting to tumble.

I have so many good things to say about this novel! For once, I think teenagers are very well represented in this novel. They are so good to each other and I just appreciate them a lot. Henry and Lennon’s relationship was so cute, as a friendship first and then when they started to become something more. I liked the friend group, but I think that except for Henry and Lennon the rest could have done with a bit more depth, since they fell into clichés and were not very developed.

Henry’s family was hilarious, I liked the younger brother very much and he had me actually laughing out loud a couple of times. Henry’s parents were also very supportive of him and respected his space and privacy when he needed it, which doesn’t always happen. Also I found it very cute that the grandmother remarried and her wedding scenes with Daisy were super cute! Which reminds me, a very LGBTQ-friendly book overall!

All in all, I recommend this book to everyone, but especially to teens or young adults who are figuring out their lives. Although, aren’t we all trying?

This was a really beautiful book. I was quite wary at the beginning as I did not feel as though the characters were presented to the reader with any depth - I struggled to picture them and consequently, for the first 60 pages, it was tough to get a sense of who they were. The book also didn't delve deeply into the friend-relationship between Henry and Len, which made understanding their conflict more challenging. Regardless, by 100 pages in, I was hooked and read the entire book in one sitting. Overall, the book is deeply personal and really captures the essence of what it means to love as a teenager. Thoroughly enjoyed this novel.

I’m not going to go into details about this but basically, this book was funny and heartfelt and sad and adorable at the same time. Also, it’s set in Australia, so that’s another reason.

Summary:
Henry Hamlet doesn’t know what he wants after school ends. It’s his last semester of high school, and all he’s sure of is his uncanny ability to make situations awkward. Luckily, he can always hide behind his enigmatic best friend, Len. They’ve been friends since forever, but Len is mysterious and Henry is clumsy, and Len is a heartthrob and Henry is a neurotic mess. Somehow it’s always worked.

That is, until Henry falls in love. Hard. How do you date your best friend?

Reading Henry Hamlet’s Heart by Rhiannon Wilde felt like being given a warm hug. This book is overflowing with loveable characters, dynamic relationships and moments so heartfelt that I couldn’t help but smile. Henry’s relationship with not only Led but also his entire friend group, his grandmother, and his little brother made me so happy to read. The portrayal of the friends-to-lovers relationship between Henry and Led was done so incredibly authentically that it made me look back and examine my own relationships where I may have felt the same way as Henry did. I loved the way that Henry’s hesitance and fear was portrayed as he realized his feelings for his best friend and appreciated the development of Led and Henry’s relationship as they each came to terms with their feelings for each other. The only criticism I could possibly have of this book is that I would’ve liked to have seen more vulnerability from Led’s character. At times he felt very clipped and one-sided and I wish the “Tell him” that he wrote on the paper towards the beginning of the novel was addressed again later. However, I don’t think this really affected the quality of the book or my enjoyment of it.

Overall, I thought that Henry Hamlet’s Heart was an incredible book. I think that it will go down in history as one of my favorite young adult romances. Thank you to NetGalley and Charlesbridge Publishing for allowing me access to this ARC!

Spoilers ahead!!!

"Henry Hamlet with a crush. The world's not ready"

This was such a fun, light and entertaining read.
After kissing on a bet at a party, Henry Hamlet starts feeling things for his childhood best friend Len, having absolutely no idea if his feelings are reciprocated or not. At all. Things start to get dramatic and fun at the same time while they both figure themselves, their families and they as an "us" out.
I personally liked Len a lot feeling him like a very complex character, even more than Henry.
The only thing that kinda threw me off a bit was that I found their relationship quite toxic, and due to that I didn't completely feel the whole we've-been-friends-since-kids thing. The extreme condependency that Henry develops for Len after falling for him and the tradition of running-off-shutting-out of Len made things a bit heavy, but it's cool at the same time because it shows how different they both are. But still I found the reading quite light and relaxing. So easy to read anyone can pick it up.
I adores the literary references and the family interactions (the Hamlets and Lacey at least lol) and the Boyiis too.
Perfect for fans of Heartstopper :)

let's just start saying that Gran is a genius 😂😂 She, who is past her middle age, discovered her grandson's relationship with his best friend. And on top of that, he's about to get married. WITH A WOMAN.
Ham, (henry's brother), is such a funny kid, his jokes and the way he speaks... omg the best. Henry's parents is fine I guess, they are cool about Henry's relationship with Len.
Henry though is such a romantic, and sentimental teenager, Len in the another way is a complicated teenager with so much thoughts and felling that he keep it inside him, that I understand the way he acts sometimes, pushing people away, thinking they deserve better, or that there's no future in that. The relationship with his dad is awful, he is in grief and take all his sadness and frustration out on your son. I star this book laughing but I'm ending crying because these two just need to talk to work things out.

The bike joke was amazing 😂😂 ,me as a proud bike 😂😂😂😂love it.
I would truly recommend this book to my friends, congratulations to the autor.

This book was made specifically to cater to my tastes, I think. I was about seventeen when this story takes place and let me tell you, every reference HITS. Fall Out Boy, Dashboard Confessional, The National? Be still my little emo heart. It was perfect and it made me long for the days of Myspace.

Do you ever read something so lovely it makes your chest physically ache? I can't put a number on the amount of times this happened to me while reading this book, but it was a lot. It's such an authentic coming of age story and I can't wait to hold a copy in my hands and just hug it.

The friend group is just as idiotic (affectionate) as any group of teenage boys I ever knew. Henry is my son and I will protect him with my life. I've seen Len get some harsh criticism (and he is Extra not nice sometimes, for sure) but I don't agree- his home life is Not Great and he's terrified of losing people he loves and acts accordingly (also Very relatable). Also don't aske me why I love Martin Finch, but I do. I'm a sucker for good banter and Martin and Henry had it in spades.

The writing is also just really lovely. Several lines hit me right in the chest, and I had to breathe because I understood so clearly what the writer meant. I didn't ask to be called out by this book, but oh boy, was I.

My only complaint is that the book has several Harry Potter references and it really took me out of the story each time one popped up. The story itself is gorgeous and wonderful and beyond relatable, and those references were just not needed.

This is a very sweet book, and I was surprised at the strong writing; however, I think this book would be better served by a different, catchier title. Fans of Heartstopper will love it.

This book is set in Australia, specifically Queensland, but after Heartstopper, American audiences shouldn't be too confused by the different forms of matriculation. This is very much a "one fell first, but the other fell harder" best friends to lovers trope. What makes this book stand out is the strong characterization not only of the main characters, but the supporting cast. Wilde is very good with realistic dialogue, fun banter, and individual voices. It ends a bit abruptly, but it's a satisfying end.

This book was cute! It was full of disaster gays and awkward sweet moments. Henry Hamlet's Heart is a friends to lovers set in Australia and it was more than just romance it felt deeper and almost written like literary fiction mostly about the characters lives moving through high school and life rather than the romance between them.
I liked both characters and their personality's. I liked Hamlets friends and family. (We really needed more of his grandma and her wife.) The topics like grief and school stress were well written. Overall the book was good but not much to say about it a very good in between YA fiction.

*I received a ARC from NetGalley. Thank you PenguinRandomHouse.com!!

"Maybe it happened because you think nothing scares me , when really it's nothing but you."

I picked up this book to have something light and fun to read for the summer. But oh boy, was I wrong! This book was so much more.

Banter, lovely group of friends, best friends to lovers, identity crisis, highschool politics and eventually, well, love!

I loved Len and Henry, their chemistry but it was Henry who turned out to be my favourite (Who's even surprised at this point?) I loved the way this book was written in such a beautiful and heart-warming way. I had not gone into this book expecting to feel so many emotions so many times. So, when they appeared over the course of the story, it was gentle kick and a welcome surprise.

Would recommend this to anyone wanting to get a bit of adrenaline rush of chaotic highschool days, first love that seems to be impossible and summer blues done right! 🌈

Thank you @netgalley and @charlesbridgepublishing for an arc! All opinions are my own (🖤)

I keep saying i don't like friends to lovers but the second one person starts acting possessive over their friends because they're in love i lose my mind.
It was the case this time around too, obsessed with Len and Henry, how they grew, how they probably still are.
Characters all felt very real, it felt like having a family in the hamlets + the boiyss for the length of this book<3

I loved this. Every moment was great. Can we get more heartwarming titles like this, please?

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

A big thank you to Charlesbridge and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Henry Hamlet’s Heart is a sweet teen romance that also tackles themes such as friendship, independence, and how to tackle the changes that life brings. I’m a sucker for the best friends to lovers trope, so this read was an absolute delight.

I quickly fell in love with all of the characters, especially Henry’s Gran who was fierce and inspiring (and hilarious). All the banter between characters was spot-on with how friends and family joke around and I laughed out loud multiple times per page. Henry and Len were just so sweet together and I was rooting for them from the start.

There was also a very strong sense of setting, which really grabbed me. I don't think I've read a book set in Australia before and it was fun to experience the unique dialect and culture. I love contemporary novels that still focus on world-building and immersing you in the setting, which Rhiannon Wilde executes perfectly.

Wilde’s prose was also just so beautiful. It’s not often that I find myself rereading passages in a book simply to appreciate the writing style, but it was something I did frequently while reading Henry Hamlet’s Heart.

Overall, I devoured this book in a day and it was a much-needed escape for me. I laughed, I cried, and I know this will be a book that will stay with me for a long time to come. I’d highly recommend it to anyone, but especially fans of LGBTQ+ romance or to those feeling a bit lost in the tumultuous changes of life who need a reminder that everything will be okay.

I enjoyed this really sweet coming-of-age story, and it was such a quick read. I found myself really falling in love with the characters and rooting for them to succeed. I think that the family dynamic aspects were really interesting and very realistic as well.

To be perfectly honest, I've had a difficult month and I really needed a comforting YA romance. Rhiannon Wilde's "Henry Hamlet's Heart" delivered on several levels.

I could definitely identify with Henry's Type A personality, and I viscerally remember what it felt like to be at the end of high school and uncertain about who I was as a person, where I fit in the world, and what my future looked like. I also love the way that Wilde handled the best friends to lovers trope with these two characters who were so deeply a part of each other that it felt completely natural (and terrifying) to come together romantically.

Ultimately, I think the thing that worked the most for me was the nostalgia. I remember listening to lots of Panic! at the Disco, My Chemical Romance, and Paramore in the mid-aughts, just like Henry, Len, and their friend Vince. I also read quite a bit of Twilight, so those references really hit home for me, too.

Thanks to Charlesbridge and NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you NetGallery for the eARC!

I’m not usually a friends to lovers person, but I thought this was super cute and I enjoyed it.
I fell in love with Len right away and the fact that he was crushing on Henry for a while was everything.

As much as I loved their friendship, I think their relationship was a little rushed and I would have either loved a little more or an epilogue to see a glimpse of their future.

This was quite cute! I thought that Henry and Lennon's journey was sweet. There wasn't much of a plot outside of time passing and there wasn't really that much conflict or suspense, but I didn't mind. I was happy to be along for the ride.

Both Henry and Lennon felt like developed characters, which was nice because we spent most of the book with them. I will say, though, that most of the supporting characters were kind of flat, and I found myself wishing we got to see more of their individual dynamics with Henry.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Henry Hamlet's Heart by Rhiannon Wilde

Edition: Ebook, 338 pages, on sale December 2022

Disclaimer: I got this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you so much for this amazing opportunity!

Henry is a normal guy in a pretty chaotic family and a trusted friend group. He has known his best friend Len for years and they are thick as thieves.
Everything could be perfect wouldn't Hamlet be in the last semester of high school. And if the pressure of "How will I go on after high school?" wasn't already enough, a dare on a party leads to at least one clear realisation: his feelings for Len are not only normal friend feelings!

Let me introduce to you: Henry Hamlet, uncrowned king of pining!
While understandably panics over his newly questioned sexuality, he never loses his sass. His mind is quick and his mouth even quicker.

Over the course of the book I fell in love with Henry. He has the softest, biggest heart and he feels so strongly. It's beautiful to join him in his highest and lowest moments. I wanted to hold his hand but luckily other character did this.
I started to love Len too, who is running from every deep emotional connection since the death of his mother, leaving him behind with an abusive father. I understand why he does what he does but it still hurts so much to see these boys suffer.

This book is about love and friendship, searching for your way in life, exploring sex, sexuality, trust and very deep emotions, wrapped up in a beautifully told story with lots of funny and sad moments.

Let me end this with two quotes, which reallystood out to me:

Page 196:
"You're half of me," he says, his voice soft and serious. "What else is there?"

Page 239 (following a very emotional scene with lots of grief):
For an immeasurably strecht of time, we're not Lennon and Hamlet, or two people who want each other, or two people at all.
There's never been a proper membrane separating us the way it does other people, we're connected, and it runs so deep.
I know, from how much this hurts.

5/5☆, VERY WELL DESERVED

Wonderful book. Although I found some aspects of it a bit cliche, it is a truly wonderful and emotionally demanding book.

This story is the perfect more contemporary coming of age story for young adults dealing with everything that comes along with accepting your sexuality. The humor, characters, and relationships were all heartwarming and at times tear jerking.

(Originally wanted to give it 3.5 stars, but since that's not an option, I'll go with a 4, since it's clearly better than a 3.)
This book started off pretty slow, and there wasn't much left to the imagination with the not-so-subtle hints that Len gave off about liking Henry since about forever. Things got much more exciting when Henry started to figure out his feelings, I enjoyed seeing the journey he went through until he came to terms with liking his best friend, and I loved seeing him battle with himself about whether it's worth risking their friendship for. The conflict towards the end, however, was confusing. Without giving any spoilers, what I disliked is how the conflict was.. unjustified and unresolved, honestly. We never got to learn what was the reason behind it, because the boys never actually talked about it. They kind of just swept it all under the rug and carried on like it's no big deal. (Or maybe they talked about it later, but well, the book didn't cover that part.) I also felt like we got too little of the actual relationship, the actual dating and being in love, which was sad for a romance and fluff lover like me.
All in all it was a nice one time read, I enjoyed it despite the "flaws" listed above, and I don't regret reading it, but I most probably wouldn't pick it up for a re-read. More of a "borrow from a library once" than a "buy for my own shelf" type of book.

REVIEW: I really enjoyed it! It melted my heart! It's both sweet and amusing. I truly liked how the author's writing took you through the book as if you were watching a movie!
I found the novel to be a mix between Heartstopper and Love, Simon. First love in high school. Go for it!!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for offering a complimentary early reading copy in exchange for a honest review.

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RESEÑA: Me ha encantado! Mi corazoncito estaba encogido todo el rato! Divertido y especial. La forma de escribir de la autora te lleva a través del libro como si estuvieras viendo una película, me ha gustado!
Me recordaba a Heartstopper y Con cariño, Simon. Primer amor de instituto. Vamooos!
Gracias a Netgalley y a la editorial por dejarme leerlo a cambio de una honesta reseña.

I binged this in under 24 hours. For anyone with a Nick & Charlie (Heartstopper) shaped hole in their life - this one is for you! What a gorgeous gorgeous book! I should have known it was going to be amazing after I saw a few bookstagrammers recommended it on insta.
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I absolutely adored Henry and Lennon, and their whole crew of mates. Yes there are a lot of similarities with everybody’s favourite gay couple, but this one is set in Brisbane and definitely has an Australian flavour.
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Another beautiful, inclusive ya fiction. It made me smile from ear to ear. Thank you @netgalley for my gifted ebook. ❤️ I LOVED it!

This is a quick and cute coming of age book and even though there isn’t a whole lot of depth to this book, I was pleasantly surprised by it. I liked it a lot!

This was one of those books that was hard to put down. It was fast paced and enjoyable. It is definitely not the last time that I’ll read it!

The only thing I felt was missing was a bit more character development. I felt that the development in Henry was a bit flat compared to the fact that he finds out a whole new side of himself, when he realises that he likes boys.

All around a really cute and heartfelt book. If you like cute and light LGBTQ+ books, this one is definitely for you!

henry hamlet's heart is a queer coming of age story set in 2008 brisbane, australia. it is absolutely magical. as someone who used to live in australia the nostalgia feelings really hit me. and my heart aches when i think about my own highschool graduation in less than a year. it is beautifully written. i also loved his dysfunctional family that were just so full of love (a fav is the bisexual grandma). everything about this book is so real, the characters are raw and the moments are heart wrenchingly true. definitely recommend!

A beautifully written coming of age story centered around two friends that never saw each other as anything but good mates...until now.

Henry and Len have been good friends forever and always assumed they would end up going to college, find a girl and settle down. However after a dare at a party that makes them share a first kiss, everything will change.

One of my absolute favorite things about the book is that the story as well as the characters felt so real. You can get to meet Henry's family and their dynamics, Henry's other friends and most importantly the romance is not quick or rushed.

We also do not have an emphasis on all the coming out or queer tropes which I also really appreciated.

This is also not your typical meet cute story. It is a story about two friends that know everything about each other or so they thought. Now they will have to navigate through those new feelings and sexual attraction between them.

<b>Perfect for:</b> Anyone looking for a sincere, realistic love story about two friends that discover the love for each other might be more than a simple friendship.

Henry Hamlet's heart is a heart pounding rom-com of a YA romance novel with characters you can't help rooting for around a friends to lovers story filled with pining, unrequited love, angst and misunderstanding. It sweet and wholesome and so wonderful to read. It gives you the warms and fuzzies but it also a gut punch at time. It was an emotional roller-coaster and I loved every second of it. It's a coming of age story with kind of has the vibe of a 2000s teen movie but in the best way. It was set in 2008 which was weird and wonderful in a way. But I don't know if some of the current youths will understand some of the references though. The friendships at the core of the story were so amazing and supportive, the characters had so much personality and depth and feel real and relatable. Henry's family was so cute and fun and supportive. His little brother was so cute!!

Ajdjakdhs this book is so much fun I can't stand it!

While in a technical aspect, this isn't a literary masterpiece by any means its still a fun ride and exactly what you would expect and want from it. You really feel for the characters and with the characters. The author did a great job at clearly expressing the characters often chaotic and confusing emotions in a way that was almost palpable.

The story and characters were written with great deal of empathy and care and most importantly the story was moving and fun. The characters and story was messy at times but it felt honest and real in that way.

Henry Hamlet's Heart is a fun, quirky, firework of a novel and I absolutely adore it. I definitely recommend it if you want to read a fun and funny YA romance novel with endearing characters.

I find it really hard to read on a screen, so it usually takes me days to finish a book. But I finished this book in a day and I was amazed. I am a sucker for friends to lovers especially when it’s lgbtqa+. I loved all the banter and that you can actually get to read about all the relationships, instead of just focusing on the plot which a lot of author do and don’t notice that the characters/ & relationships are as important. I loved the plot that follows a school boy with just a regular life. Personally I don’t like long chapters and this book did have a bit longer chapters than I’d usually go for. But I didn’t mind it in this book. Sometimes I did feel like it was dragging the scene a bit and the author could’ve made it shorter but otherwise I loved it. And this may just be me because I am very picky with my books and I like fast paced books more. But otherwise this book was sooo good. I found myself smiling at the book more times that I’d like to admit. All the quotes killed me, especially the “I’m losing it because I kissed you, because I kissed you I might lose you” Overall 4/5 stars

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC!

Okay this is really difficult for me to rate! I LOVED the last half of the book a lot. The ending, the plot, the drama... all of it. But I wasn't the biggest fan of the beginning. To me it felt a bit boring, and I almost DNF it! I'm glad I kept reading though, because (as mentioned) I really loved the ending.
I'm going to give this book 3.5 stars! If you haven't read it, then definitely give it a chance (even if the beginning might be a bit slow) you won't regret it.

I've always enjoyed YA, especially LGBTQ+ YA and this book was exactly that. It has loveable characters, strong character development, childhood-friends-to-lovers.
The beginning was a bit slow but once part two showed up it started picking up pace, i dont really know what i can say more than I liked it, it was a cute, fun little read that made me smile from time to time, i would really recommend picking this up if you have the chance!



A huge thank you to netgally for sending me this earc in exchange for an honest review.

This book encapsulates a lot of what I enjoy in a good friends to lovers romance. It’s got a slow burn to more but it’s almost too slow at times. I really enjoyed getting to see Henry and Len’s relationship progress though I did feel a bit frustrated with Len for backing away instead of talking it out with his best friend.

Also, this book NEEDS an epilogue. The romance finally ensues to the much anticipated crescendo and it ends so abruptly that you’re left needing more.

Overall, I did really like this story I liked Len and Henry both and I loved Henry’s family and “the boiyss” and enjoyed to getting to know their characters and how they loved their friends unconditionally, while still feeling authentically like teenagers.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and think it’s worth a read.

4 stars

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank You to NetGalley and Charlesbridge teen for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

god, this was just so, so beautiful. my heart ached and my eyes burned and i was feeling all the emotions while reading. if i could've give this a 10 out of 5, i would.

the characters were a surprisingly well-done combination of mysterious/readable and archetype/wildcard. each and every one of them was fully fleshed-out and interesting and vibrant, even if they didn't get much page time. i think this has to do with how vivid the dialogue was. it was hilarious and sad and oh so realistic (especially with the teenage boys). if this ever gets turned into a movie, wilde needs to write the script.

the plot was exactly what i like in coming of age novels, that is to say, there was little plot and it was mostly vibes, you know. the structure felt very fluid and not at all desperately trying to clutch on to something overly, well, structured, if that makes sense. there were little tidbits in each part that felt very unexpected, making it a non-overwhelming page-turner.

the writing style was giving john green/sally rooney and i was HERE for it. seriously. i usually hate when authors try to write like that because it feels like a rip-off but it works so incredibly well. the way every other ish sentence felt a little abrupt, unfinished, messy truly expressed how being young and having a whole life head of you and not knowing what you're doing feels like.

this book does a wonderful job of capturing so many experiences. the queer experience of falling for someone and desperately trying to avoid your attraction and wanting them so bad and everything feeling dangerous and intoxicating. the teen experience of fucking up and being a dumb high schooler and not knowing what's waiting even a year or two later.

i truly loved this book and i can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy <3

This quickly became one of my favorite queer coming of age books!

I wasn’t expecting to love it this much when I requested the book on NetGalley but I DEVOURED the whole thing as soon as I started it. The vibes throughout the whole book? Absolutely perfect!

Henry is so so lovable it’s ridiculous, he’s so sweet and so very brave and I love him with my whole heart.
I loved len! I loved the process of getting to learn more and more about him.
Even the side characters ( Emilia , ged, Henry’s family, etc) were genuinely fun to get to know and their interactions were interesting.

Len and Henry had great chemistry. I loved how adorably awkward they were at times, I loved seeing how much they loved each other and I loved how it wasn’t perfect. How relatable they both were in different ways. We get to see them both trying to figure out things as they go, we get to see them struggle and we get to fall in love with them as they fall for each other


It was a fun quick read. It’s perfect for heartsopper fans and for people who like awkward (endearing) mutual pinning and friends to lovers trope.

Oh, wow. That was adorable and so so cute.
Henry Hamlet's Heart was a wholesome queer romance.
The jokes were hilarious!!! I laughed so much!!!
Henry, himself was a sweet guy. I loved his confession at the end, and Len, dude!!! You were romantic as hell!!!

Wilde's writing style was so expressive. I would love to recommend this book to 'Simon VS The Homosapiens Agenda' fans out there

This book was a breath of fresh air for me. I loved Henry as a character, and his friendship with Len (which soon turned to more) the friends to lovers arc was beautifully written, and then romance was well paced.
The struggles of high school was also a well done aspect of this story. The concerns of what to do beyond high as well as completing high school in Australia was really well done.

Will be recommended this toy friends. Cannot wait to see what comes next!

First, of all the cover matches wonderfully with the story. And secondly, this was beyond adorable and you can’t help but to wish for a relationship like Henry and Len’s.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC!

When I read the synopsis of this book I got really excited and realised that this might be the book for me. However, the beginning was a bit boring and slow going and it almost made me DNF the book, but boy am i glad I didn't. The ending made up for the beginning and I loved it. The characters are really well built and struggles are portrayed splendidly. I wanna give this book 3.5 / 5 stars. For anyone that might wanna read this book, be aware of a slow beginning

A lovely heartfelt coming of age story with wonderfully written characters and relationships of all types. I especially loved the scenes with Henry and his family.

6/10
thank you to netgalley and charlesbridge teen for the arc!

Henry Hamlet's Heart is a YA fiction romance following Henry Hamlet in his last year of high school as he navigates being the class president and the responsibilities that come with it, thinking about his future, and realizing that he has a crush on his best friend Len after they kiss in a game of truth or dare.
My main issues with this book are the culture references (why does everything need a Harry Potter reference??) and with Len as a character. I didn't like how he treated Henry and thought that his characterization was a bit back and forth. I liked him more towards the beginning, but as time went on I just wished that he would communicate properly and thought that he should be acting differently if he really was in love with Henry for years.
I did like Henry's friend group and thought that the way they act and the struggles they face are realistic for their age, and overall enjoyed the book. It is a cute story and I liked the ending as well!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed Henry Hamlet's Heart. The main characters were well developed and I also enjoyed Henry's family as well as the group of friends Len and Henry share. The relationship going from friends to more was engaging and at times painful to read about. I was so engrossed that I read this book in two sittings and that was only because I had somewhere to be and needed to stop reading for a bit. I also enjoyed the Australian setting and that it took place in the early 2000's. The mentions of MySpace and some older video games were fun. I was truly invested in seeing these friends come together. I'd enjoy seeing a sequel although this book wraps up nicely. I think it would be nice to see them together as they move into Uni years. My one complaint is that I wish we had more time to see Len and Henry's friendship before things start to change between them. I wish we could have seen how they interacted with each other over the years as friends.

Overall, I did enjoy this book. Henry’s uncertainty was relatable and I loved the friendship group. However, be warned, this book starts slow. So slow that I wondered if we were going to get anything beyond a slice of life. The story does pick up after the party scene and the middle chunk is the best imo, as Henry is figuring stuff out. The ending segment left a bit to be desired and I’d have loved an epilogue or something as the it did feel a bit abrupt. Still, a solid, cute book that is good for a chill read.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I really enjoyed the new cover for the book. It highlights the story a lot better and is super cute. I’m also a sucker for friends-to-lovers troupes so I was excited for this one.

Henry is a boy who just started his 12th year of school and is thinking about what to do for university. He’s school captain, on the debate team, and juggling everything while also worrying about not being in a relationship yet at 18. It’s hard and embarrassing to be a teenager and Henry is well aware of that.

Henry was a super relatable character. I thought about being in high school and wanting to be perfect at everything while also just wanting to get out of there. He seemed like such a lovely person who has a lot of feelings and wanted everyone around him to be happy. I was frustrated with Len throughout the story, but I know it’s bit unfair to say he was a bad person when I haven’t been in his shoes. It’s just hard to see people in pain and hurt each other when they just shouldn’t be dumb and talk it out. But what can you do with teenage boys?

Henry’s friend group was hilarious. They reminded me of the boys from the Invbetweeners. All with a different personality but fitting together perfectly through their different backgrounds. I fully enjoyed all the early 2000’s references to bands and texting lingo. I was cracking up over some of it. It reminded me of being in school and I went back to my cringe days.

This was a fantastic debut book and I’m sure that it won’t be the last. Keep up the great work!

This was a gorgeous queer YA romance and everything about it was exactly what I would look for in that category. The only reason I didn’t adore it, I think, was personal preference on books when I read it- it just wasn’t what I wanted at the time. However, I’ll consider trying again in the future! Overall really good!

3.8 stars rounded up

Overall, this book was quite fun. It gave me the feeling I get when I used to read fanfic. And in no way do I mean that in a bad way, it’s a good feeling, you know? I kept reading because of that. This is what you pick up when you just want to turn your brain off for a while but you also for some reason want angst and deeper topics.

To get to specifics, I liked the way time was incorporated without outright mentioning the year (from what I remember). I didn’t catch on at first because the first indicator was an older woman using an “ancient” Nokia. Which did make me think she was just using an old phone because she didn’t care to update her devices. Then the main character started using MySpace and it all became much clearer.

Lots of fluff and cute details that made me happy. Personally, I thought Len kind of wasn’t wonderful (Some of his comments towards Henry were a smidge rude. Though it could just be Brisbane banter thus I’m not used to it?), but wasn’t irritating enough to deter me from reading nor to completely hate him. I wish we got his perspective at some point, it may have been helpful to understand his thoughts. Was also surprised that the book ended so abruptly. I wish we got more, but at the same time I get why we didn’t.

Still liked the book, and I’m glad I read it. Fast-paced, funny (I audibly laughed at some bits), simple yet complex enough to get you to continue reading, and had me feeling a lot of feelings. Finished it in two days because it hooked me in💞

[Thank you to Charlesbridge and NetGalley for the e-arc of this book]

Thank you to @netgalley and @charlesbridgepublishing for providing me with an eARC in exchange for a honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

Henry Hamlet’s Heart…what a book…

I got admit that it took me some time to get into this book, but once I did I couldn’t put it down.

I loved the opening that starts talking about Henry’s gran being bi. I think it’s the first book that I read with this kind of rep (bi elderly person) and I think it was brilliant!

Henry’s family is the best. I love their dynamic, their banter, their transparent love, how they show their emotions and prompts each other to talk about their feelings and whatever is going on in their lives. It’s truly beautiful! Also, how accepting they are and how they don’t make a big thing about who they people in the family love and want to be with. Oh, and his relationship with his little brother is so heartwarming, I really love it.

Then, there’s Henry’s friends. They’re all seniors, trying to figure out what life will be after their last year of school.

This book is about self-discovery, love, heartbreak, acceptance, friendships, family, living in the present and decisions for the future, literature, poetry, and more.

In the beginning I think I was a bit annoyed with the writing due to some abrupt scene cuts. However, as it progressed I realised that the abruptness made so much sense for how we see life at that age (18), or any age really, that indeed we don’t remember everything that happens in a day, but instead we retain only some moments and conversations. Sometimes we may be talking deeply with someone in bed and then we’re already walking up in the morning. It all makes sense in the end.

Henry Hamlet’s Heart is a beautiful YA story of friends who fall in love with each other, but there is something else I loved about it…where the book is set. I lived in Brisbane for 17 months almost 10 years ago when I was at uni, and it was delightful to see familiar places, to see the love for that place in the pages of this book. Tiny mentions that filled my heart with happiness and nostalgia. The jacarandas, the bats, the river, the ferry,…

Thanks @rhiannon_wilde for this beautiful book!

Maybe I am a bit old for that and the book has not won my heart the way it could have done a few years ago, but I am able to appreciate its advantages. It is extremely cute and at the same time touching the heart. I think it will appeal to fans of Becky Albertalli, Adam Silvery and Alice Oseman.

Henry Hamlet, my sweet flower child. Ooof this book had me ON EDGE - but in a good way. It hurt so good...but it also definitely hurt. I am a lover of fluff, so while there was definitely the cutesy moments and just slice of life young teen drama, it also knew exactly where to cut me (aka attack my feelings). I really resonated with this book because it's set in 2008 in the character's final year of high school, which is exactly when I graduated. Even though I identify as queer now, I definitely didn't in high school or in college or even in grad school! So it really struck me with all of the ways I thought of myself in romantic pairings then versus now, and how I interacted with classmates and friends who were openly gay, which was something rare in my small town, small state (at least in population) hometown life. Henry was so precious and I identified with him a lot! Len was a dreamboat and so complex; his tense relationship with his father as they both fail to process Len's mother's death was heartbreaking and angst-inducing. The Boiysss friend group (and wow how I love that name) was so funny and tension-relieving, bless them! They were so loyal and I love how even when Henry and Lennon were fighting, the Boiysss compared it to parent divorce, like how they needed to have shared custody for the rest of the friend group. I thought this was such a poignant story that really spoke to that time (2008) and that time in a young person's life (18 years old). I do wish we got more happy fluffy moments at the end, but honestly, the whole thing was perfect. I definitely plan to reread (probs via audiobook!) this and recommend it to my friends.

this was a really really sweet book! i thought the characters were really well written, the writing style was little different from what i'm used to but still really easy to read! a lot of common themes that other books have done throughout, but nonetheless a highly enjoyable read!!

The whole time I was reading this, I couldn’t stop thinking about how familiar it feels. Probably that I was in high school in 2008, but everything about Henry felt comforting to me. This is a sweet coming of age story that I’m very glad I read!!

Such a wholesome, cozy read. I loved this coming of age story of Henry. I think a lot of people could resonate with Henry’s thoughts and feeling throughout the story.

I had asked for Henry Hamlet's Heart on Netgalley, in June, after having fallen in love with the purple cover, and upon learning that I was approved for it, I felt genuine happiness.
Fast forward to July, after I had forgotten about it and when I realized that I needed to catch up on my arcs before the Netgalley gods come after me, I decided to pick it up because I needed a fun little breather from the very dense Kingdom of Ash.
Having read this book, I can safely say that I'm a dumbass because I've waited so long to read this truly wonderful book!

Spoiler free review, unless I warn ya.

The characters:
I simply adored both Henry and Len as individuals, and I also really loved them together as a couple.
Henry's character felt very relatable and likeable to me. He was a MESS and he owned it, which made him a very adorable and likeable main character. Meanwhile Len was the cool, calm and collected football captain who adored his bestfriend more than anyone else on the planet.
Their friendship was truly beautiful, and I felt emotional while reading it because I could truly feel how much Len cares for, and loves, Henry.
The bestfriends to lovers trope was extremely well done here, is all I can say.
As for their friend group, while I enjoyed them for what they had to offer to this book (which was unfortunately very little), they felt a tad too one dimensional for my taste.
Henry's grandma was an absolute riot and she always managed to get me to crack up whenever she's around, and his lil brother was adorable.

The setting and plot:
I very much enjoyed Australia as the setting for this book, since it automatically made it feel more fresh and unique than most of your usual US based YA stories.
Also, if I were to guess, I'd say that this book is "upper YA" mainly due to the beautiful writing and how mature both characters were (they're both 18) and for the use of language.
Having said that, I do wish we got a little bit more of the steamy scenes on page! We got a little teaser every time, but the rest ended up happening off-page which made it hard to understand what exactly happened between the two, which matters to the storyline since Hamlet has zero experience in that matter, so it would've been good seeing him experience a lot of firsts with the very experienced Len.
As for the plot, there was very little of it outside of the bestfriends to lovers thing going on.
I did appreciate the depth that Len's character had, due to his asshole father and difficult life at home, but it made things more difficult for himself and Henry, with very little explanation, which is why I also disliked that part about it.
(Spoilers) Len suddenly breaks things off with Henry in the middle of the book and for what? It was never really explained beyond him needing time and thinking Henry deserves better than him. I feel like the sudden breakup could've used some more buildup and explaining instead of how it ended up happening.

The ending:
The ending was enjoyable, if a bit disappointing for me.
They got back together way too late in the game, and we spent a good chunk of time with them being apart which didn't help the book since their relationship is the entire plot of the book.
It was bittersweet and I definitely like the we're back together moment, but it felt rushed and I feel like it could've been done differently, in my personal opinion.

Overall, Henry Hamlet's Heart was a truly wonderful, heartwarming and a beautiful story about two friends who could be more.
Strongly recommended!

Thank you, Charlesbridge Teen, for the advance reading copy.

This is a fun, hilarious yet so teensy read which I thoroughly had fun reading it.

A one sitting read with all the fun summer vibes with a little cringey scenes and dialogues here and there (we are dealing with teens here, hello! And they're who they are 💌 and they are trying o be the most adult version they can so let's not judge them too much).

I love the two main characters. They get really clueless at times (relatable still) but they are who they are, being the comfortable friends they always have been.

A cute friends to lovers teen romance fiction. You won't be disappointed.

Thank you NetGalley and Charlesbridge for this eARC!

I think this is a charming YA romance friends-to-lovers story, where both of the main characters are relatable and will definitely capture a lot of readers' hearts.

Henry and Len's friendship, slow-burn relationship, and individual character arcs were beautiful. Henry is awkward and inexperienced, and Len is confident and assured, but once the romance came into play, it felt like they swapped roles. Henry knew what he wanted, and Len shied away. I may be biased but I love a good story where one character is more invested than the other, so I liked how Len had built up a lot of walls. However, at the same time, I wish that tearing down those walls hadn't happened so close to the end of the story. Henry and Len had been almost no contact for a good portion of the book at that point, and the ending gallery scene was cute, but it might've made their relationship a bit stronger and believable had they come to terms with their feelings sooner.

I think the tension between Len and his father was good, especially since it further contrasted him with Henry's character and home life and complicated his arc. Coming from a detached and grief-stricken situation certainly would make it harder for Len to open up. (As I said earlier, both Henry and Len are relatable, but the more I read, the more connected I felt to Len: ruining things or leaving before someone else can. It was like reading about my thoughts sometimes.)

For me, the writing was a bit hard to get into at first––there were points where it felt like we were getting away from the plot and just kind of wandering through Henry's daily activities with him that felt flat; it left me wanting to skip ahead. But I am SO glad I kept on reading. I love Henry and Len, I love all of the side characters––their friend group, Henry's grandmother, his little brother, etc.––and the depth they brought to this story.

I loved this book! The characters, the story, the romance! It was perfect! I highly recommend it! I can’t wait to own a finished copy!

the writing was incredible and the story is the warmest thing i’ve ever read. it feels like the perfect comfort read and i am definitely obsessed with it. however if i were to give it one criticism it would be that the references to harry potter are rather disappointing when they do not really add to the story and just show me that the author does not mind sharing that they support someone who has caused harm to countless members of the community they write about. while i understand this is minor thing i also believe it would possibly cause readers to put down the book.

Such a great and beautiful book to read about identity and self exploration. It felt very relatable and characters reminded of people in my own life/history.. Though a simple read, it broached a very important topic. Got through the book very quickly and definitely had me yearning for more

I don't read as much YA anymore, and contemporary YA has never been my go-to, but I was so charmed by Henry Hamlet's Heart. Wilde does an excellent job at transporting readers to Brisbane, all blinding summer colors and sultry breezes, and although I quickly tired of the pop culture references (this book's set in 2008, after the first mention of a flip phone and a popular band I didn't need any more), she successfully captured the confusion of being a teenager graduating from high school, the build-up and following sense of being both hollowed-out and underwhelmed when it's over. I liked the friend group's dynamics—even as I wished there was more feminine energy and focus on Henry's friendship with Emilia—as well as the humor, and the pining. Pine so strong I could smell it. Seeing two best friends explore a new aspect of their relationship while trying to figure themselves out as individuals was lovely, if a tad too angsty toward the end. An additional chapter or epilogue might have helped things feel a bit more resolved: between Henry and Len, but also with their families and friends and worries about what to do at university. Overall, though, I quite liked this.

"You're half of me," he says, his voice soft and serious. "What else is there?"

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved this book! It's the first time in a while I've enjoyed a contemporary romance as much as I did.

I was pleasantly surprised to discover the book was set in Australia, and was very accurate about it. The way the characters talked and joked with each other, including slang, was perfectly done and felt actually Aussie. The only time I felt something was out of place was when the author used 'arse' instead of 'ass', which may be a regional difference, but I just don't think I've ever heard another Aussie say arse.

I also liked the characters a lot, especially Henry's family. I loved that we had additional bi rep with Gran, especially because you don't often get older LGBT characters. The two main characters were likeable enough - I enjoyed the character of Henry, his anxieties and overthinking were well written and his dynamic with his family was sweet and funny. Len was a little more difficult for me to like, because while I understand the intention between why he was the way he was to Henry, it still felt quite mean at times. The relationship between the two was sweet and well written though, and didn't feel underdeveloped or rushed at any point, which is a rarity for the genre. I was a little on the fence with how the author handled the coming out scenes, as the scene where Henry comes out to his father hit really close to my own experience and was wonderfully done, but the scene at the end of year assembly where Henry publically comes out felt incredibly awkward, and I don't know if anyone in their right mind would publically come out to an Australian all-boys year 12 class. The women in the book were also well written and had individual voices and depth, which I appreciated as the author could have easily focused only on the male characters.

The writing itself was beautiful. I'm not sure how many excerpts or quotes I can post in a review of an ARC so I'll restrain myself, but there were definitely passages I wanted to bottle up and keep. There were also some genuinely funny bits, that I wasn't expecting, and I suspect its because the author didn't try to make the teenagers talk like how adults think teenagers talk, but just let them interact like regular people. I also enjoyed the interspersing of some school texts like Gatsby, the comparisons flowed quite naturally and the use of similar visual imagery felt clever. I've seen a lot of the other reviews compare the style to Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, and I somewhat agree with it, but while I understand theres a lot of subjectivity invloved, from pure writing quality this book was leagues better. Prose and dialogue felt more natural and more polished, and the overall structure was better paced and better formatted. My only complaint would be that I think the separation of the book into Parts I-III was unecessary, especially because the chapters were so unevenly distributed between them. It also felt like it ended a little abruptly and it might be nice to have an epilogue or something similar.

Overall, the book was a delightful surprise, and if I see a hard copy at a book store I am absolutely getting one.

I recently received an early copy of this YA Novel’s United States publication and I am in love!

While this story by Rhiannon Wilde is written with a teen audience in mind, it takes place in 2008, so it is perfect for millennials who are still young at heart.

Henry Hamlet may be his school’s captain, but he’s still treated like an outcast who has no idea what to do once their final year of school ends- and to be honest, it’s true. The one thing he has going in his life is his best friend Len. They’re complete opposites: Len is always winning someone over while trying to smooth over Hamlet’s mistakes, but they always have each other at the end of the day. So why does a dare cause Hamlet’s stomach to turn inside out every time he sees him? Is it embarrassment… or something more?


This nostalgic, heartwarming novel may have taken the spot for my favorite read this year, and I can’t wait for it to be on the shelves this fall! Readers of Red, White, and Royal Blue and Never Been Kissed won’t be able to put this one down. If we’re lucky, maybe someone will create a playlist that rivals Hamlet’s iPod! Be sure to preorder or pick up a copy at your local bookstore on October 18th, 2022.

Thank you to NetGalley and Charlesbridge Teen for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Queer friends to lovers is the superior trope<3 I enjoyed this book so much, the writing was beautiful and the plot so sweet and heartfelt. Henry and Len had an interesting dynamic, i looved the tension and yearning between them, but also the friend group was funny and loving, plus Henry's wholesome family. It was lovely and relatable, i teared up in so many parts<3
The only downside is that it kind of felt rushed at times. I wish we'd see more of Henry's and Len's close friendship and have it gradually flourish into something romantic, as well as having Len's family problem and how it affected him be explored more.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with the e-arc.

This was a sweet friends-to-lovers male-male highschool romance set in the mid ‘00s. Henry and Lennon have been best friends since they can remember, but struggle to come clean with each other when their feelings for each other change. My favorite thing about it was just how realistic the character interactions felt for teenagers, in contrast to a lot of YA literature. Of course, strengths and weaknesses often go hand-in-hand, so this very trait that made it realistic also at times made the characters a little insufferable. But, overall I really enjoyed it. Props also for the secondary plotline of later-in-life bisexual representation.

[Mini review to be posted on my blog August 6, 2022]

This BOOK! I devoured this. I stayed up all night to finish this. It was so good. The characters felt so real it was like I could meet them next Tuesday if I wanted. This was a beautiful story of growing up and learning about yourself and giving yourself and others a second chance. Every side character felt three-dimensional, the pacing of the story was brilliant, and it was right at the sweet spot of good, solid, teen angst. The dialogue had me laughing out loud and at some points my heart hurt for the boys so bad I could hardly stand it. I am going to recommend this to everyone I know.

A gorgeous friends-to-lovers coming of age which focuses on a teenager on the edge of adulthood.

It's funny, light-hearted, full of banter and school shenanigans that seem like the whole world when you are a teenager. This story is very sweet and I enjoyed reading it a lot more than expected.

A very sweet friends to lovers and a great addition to LGBTQ+ YA Romance books. You won't be disappointed.

this book instantly caught my attention. I was immediately invested, i couldn't look away for even a second.

the writing style, pacing, plot, characters, everything. all of it was perfect. i was absolutely entranced by everything in this story. i will never get over this book. if i could give it 6 stars, i would. the entire book was beautiful.

I absolutely adored the hamlet family as well as Henry's group of friends. all the main characters now hold a very special place in my heart. this book will be all I'm able to think about for the next week (at the very least).

i cannot reccomend this book enough. i'm highly considering starting it over right now. please, please, please read this book.

thank you to netgalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review!

Henry Hamlet's Heart stole my heart!

Rhianna Wilde's book follows Henry as he completes his final year of school (in 2008-2009) where he's trying to navigate parties, university decisions, life's next steps and... a growing crush on his best friend Len!?!?

Cw: emesis, alcohol, abusive parent/difficult parent-child relationships, grief and parental loss

First of all, the premise is amazing. It's obvious that Rhiannon has spent her fair share of time around teens because the relationship between Henry, Len and their friend group feels so authentic and real. There's an angst about life becoming "real" at the end of school that I think all adults have felt, and all teens can relate to.

Henry and Len realizing their feelings for each other and Henry's "holy crap, am I gay?" moment will seriously touch queer readers. And knowing that he ultimately gets his happy ending, left me on cloud 9.

I will say that it took me a minute to get into the style of the book because it switches back and forth between a (very beautiful and descriptive) poetry-esque tone and a more typical prose you'd expect from YA, but I love the depth it gives the story.

There are several mentions of vomit as well as a few Harry Potter references that I could do without but ultimately they don't ditract hugely from the story.

I feel so lucky to have read an ARC of Henry Hamlet's Heart and I cannot wait to see what else Rhiannon has coming in the future.

CW: Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Grief, Death of parent, Homophobia, Vomiting, Cancer, Ableism, Sexual content

Thank you to Rhiannon Wilde, Charlesbridge Teen, and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy for an honest review. I believe this is a North American re-release that was originally published in 2021 in Australia.

This is a very cute friends-to-lovers YA novel featuring two best friends at the end of high school and all of the confusion that goes with it (including romantic confusion, of course). I thought it was very relatable and dealt with several themes that other readers could connect with, too. It was set in the same time I was in high school and I definitely had moments of sweet nostalgia. While I don't know if I would read it again, I am very curious about if the author will come out with more books in the future. I think it's an excellent debut for Rhiannon Wilde!
3.5-4 stars out of 5

I really enjoyed it, especially the last 70 pages. I cried, screamed, cheered. It wasn’t anything memorable, though. I recommend this book as a fun read (but beware of emotional moments), but I don’t think it will be in my mind for longer than a couple of days.

A YA friends-to-lovers romance, Henry Hamlet’s Heart is irresistible. A must read queer romance.

It starts with a dare at a party.

Then a kiss.

And then feelings. Then an avalanche of want and more feelings that finds Henry in a space he wasn’t quite prepared for.

Wilde’s story and characters will have readers instantly recalling their own high school experiences, while simultaneously rooting for the adorable Henry Hamlet and his first crush/love.

It is an emotional read, with some very heartbreaking moments. Be prepared for that ending, because my heart shattered into a million unrecognizable pieces and then mended a few chapters later, giving me all the feels for this charmingly delightful book.

Pre-order this one book friends!

Happy Reading ~ Cece

A sweet, quick read with a ton of heart. While I enjoyed the book, it felt a tad monotonous at times. However, it was still an enjoyable read and a welcome addition to my list of queer YA rom-coms.

I really loved this book. It was kind of stereotypical in the ways many lgbtq+ coming out, coming of age books are. But that also made it cute. And it was also just really easy to read. The characters were fun, and totally themselves. Nothing went too fast or too slow for me. It was just good. I really liked it being set in like graduation year for once, instead of like freshman's or something. It was just a really good and fun story, easy to read and really lovely. And, also, the us cover is just really nice too!

Henry Hamlet’s Heart is a sweet and funny YA coming of age story following Henry in his final year of high school as he contemplates his future, his friendships, and a new feeling for his best friend. Henry and Len have been friends forever, but after some drunk party shenanigans Henry starts to develop a crush on Len. And here in lies the downward spiral of any good YA romance: to date or not to date your best friend.

This story is sweet and funny, and it really captures what it feels like to be a teen on the brink of many new things. Henry is both insightful and oblivious in turns - in a realistic way. He has a wonderful group of supportive friends who stand by him through it all, giving him space and setting him straight when he needs it. He also has a supportive family, which is an aspect of queer stories that I love! I’m all about positive family and friend relationships. Plus Henry has a badass queer grandma whose story I would love to here more of! This is a great, lighthearted romance for anyone who likes the friends to lovers trope.

Pub Date: 10/18/22
CW: brief mention of cancer, off-page parental death, alcohol, homophobia

As always, thank you NetGalley and Charlesbridge for approving my request and granting me an eARC.

I absolutely LOVED the whole bit with The Great Gatsby and Hamlet and co. talking about how Nick had a thing for Gatsby. The first time I read the book a few months ago, I thought the SAME THING and even wrote a 2000+ word essay on why I thought so just for shits and giggles.

I had so much fun with that essay. I loved the book too.

I will say I wasn’t exactly a fan of all the H*rry P*tter references considering the absolute mess that is that book’s unfortunate author. There’s no way that Rhiannon Wilde didn’t know about all that shit unless she’s been living under a literal rock.

I’ve seen a few complaints about the pacing but honestly I don’t have an issue with it. And I love how we see Len’s side of the whole thing through Henry’s eyes. We see Len falling first. Henry isn’t oblivious to the fact that SOMETHING is happening with his best friend, even before the infamous dare that changed everything. Henry KNOWS something is up and Len isn’t fooling him. I love it.

Friends to lovers is a favorite sub genre of mine and this book did that so well. Most romances I read are enemies to lovers so seeing a friends to lovers and loving it was a nice change of pace.

This book was just ridiculously cute and I loved the little parenthetical thoughts of Henry’s. They made him that much more real. Len was such a relatable character and it was sooooo frickin obvious how much he cared for Henry.

I know I’ve said this in all my reviews, but do yourself a favor and buy this book in October.

I'm an absolute sucker for a Brisbane story and this one hit the spot beautifully. Set in the final months of high school back in the 'old days' of 2008, it's a sweet story of friendship, love, being yourself, family and growing up. It was definitely one of those stories which I didn't want to finish

“I love you, I think, louder than I’ve ever thought anything.”

Henry Hamlet’s Heart is a perfectly bingeable, sweet and messy friends-to-lovers romance that kept me gripped the entire way through. It was one of those books that made me feel everything the characters were feeling right along with them. When Henry was miserable, my stomach was in knots, but when he had those special moments with Len or his friends or family, I couldn’t hold back my smile.

Henry Hamlet’s Heart follows Henry Hamlet (obviously) in his last semester in high school, who by some odd chance (or not) is best friends with Len, their school’s resident Broody Sweetheart™. But when they attend a party and discover some unexpected chemistry, Henry and Len have to navigate their friendship, and the possibility of something more.

Henry is such a messy character. He’s clumsy and awkward, doesn’t always think everything all the way through, but at the same time is a huge overthinker. He reminded me a lot of myself, which made me doubly invested. Len is also messy, just in pretty much the exact opposite way (opposites attract let’s goooo). Len is confident, but hesitant to let people in and see the real him — including Henry. He’s guarded, but cares so much about the people he loves and he’s really gone through it.

Sometimes with friends-to-lovers, the MC and LI have a strong relationship, but it’s hard to see where their romantic and platonic feelings begin and end. In HHH, Henry and Len’s relationship has a clear shift that really marks their realization of their feelings for each other. Neither take on friends-to-lovers is necessarily better than the other, but I will say that the way it was written in this novel worked very well at heightening the tension.

I really wasn’t a huge fan of Henry and Len’s general friend group. They had a lot of toxic masculinity, and made some homophobic microaggressions at times, especially concerning Henry’s coming out. They made me uncomfortable, but I do see how it made sense to include them to add a bit of humor to the mix, and to give Henry and Len’s relationship some more context and complications.

This book is a train wreck and a half, but in a way that’s dear to my heart. It made me feel all the feels, and I really enjoyed seeing how Henry and Len were able to grow into themselves, understanding their own needs and self-worth. COMING OUT IN THE U.S. October 18th!!

Content Warnings: death of a parent (cancer), grief, homophobia, emotional and verbal abuse by a parent, underage alcohol consumption

Henry hamlet

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙚𝙧 𝙔𝘼 𝙧𝙤𝙢-𝙘𝙤𝙢 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙬𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙛𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝘼𝙙𝙖𝙢 𝙎𝙞𝙡𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙖 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙠𝙮 𝘼𝙡𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙞.

This is a heartfelt story about two best friends who end up falling for each other in Australia. I had an enjoyable time reading this and following these characters.

There were some humorous moments with laughs here and there, and let’s not even get started with the amount of banter between the characters. While we have Henry who is extremely nerdy, we also have his best friend Len who is very shy and hides his feelings (afraid of getting hurt.)

While this book is intended for a younger audience, I didn’t have an issue with the number of teenage shenanigans going on.

I was a big fan of Henry’s family, especially his little brother. I found them to be so funny and full of life. They very some very interesting side characters! Len, on the other hand, has dealt with so much in his life, especially after losing his mother and having to stay with his horrible father.

My only issue with the book was the lack of description. The third part suffered severely from putting something out there without enough details. For example, we know grief has an effect but it doesn’t explore it as much as it should. Also, miscommunication is another thing that bothered me. I would’ve loved Len’s POV as well.

Overall, this was an enjoyable YA romance. The characters were great themselves and I enjoyed the funny comments. The ending was a sweet finale. I also enjoyed how the author wrote this story, and how it’s set in Australia in the 00s. If you’re looking for a light-hearted YA romance full of sweetness and banter, this may just be for you!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy, all thoughts are my own!

A bit slow starting off and I wasn't really buying the connection between the main characters, but once I shifted my perspective and thought of them as two seemingly straight boys struggling to deny their feelings for each other, I accepted their actions as realistic and the book really came together for me. By the end I was smiling every few pages and was totally in love with their love.

I loved this book so much! What a true YA coming of age novel. I really enjoyed Henry’s pov and found myself relating to him so much. This is the kind of book I wish I had growing up. From Henry’s existential crisis’ to his queer awakening. This book has something for everyone.

thank you netgalley for giving me an EARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

4 stars!

it took me around 12% to get into this, but once i did, i never wanted to put it down. this was simply a joy to read. this is what ya contemporary is all about, and why it remains one of my favorite genres. this book was heartfelt, relatable, masterfully crafted, filled with feelings and love and it was simply an honor to be able to read and enjoy it.

henry as a main character is incredible, and also way too relatable. his family was EVERYTHING, and his friends were too. THE BI GRANDMA? THE HIGH STRUNG BUT COOL MOM? THE MENACE LITTLE BROTHER? THE ART AND CHILL AND INCREDIBLE DAD? HIS EMO FRIEND? HIS GIRL OBSESSED FRIEND? HIS GIRL FRIEND WHO I ADORE?

the way the love story develops is so real as well. i love how Henry slowly figures himself out through out the book, and i love how it truly feels like these two are meant to be. friends to lovers is incredible when well done, and god was it well done here.

the only reason this isn't a higher rating is because it did take me a while to get into it, but besides that i loved every second.

I really loved this book, it was a love story that I wouldn’t have expected that gave me the same vibes as some mlm bestsellers. The relationship between the main characters grows with their personality and it made me laugh as much as I cried. I really enjoyed the writing aswell, it was easy to read and grammatically correct.
Thank you

This was just simply amazing. Perfectly relatable from its rich characters to the simple yet complex coming-of-age story being told. Changing tones from wildly funny to heartbreaking it kept its pace perfectly as it seamlessly navigated us through Henry's friends, family, and life. I'm not ashamed to say that for the last act of the book my eyes did not remain dry, alternating from sorrow to happiness as the book reached it's finale.

There were some formatting issues in the Kindle version I received but honestly, they all fell away as I became more and more invested in this beautiful novel. I definitely will be purchasing a physical edition of this as soon as it is available, as well as goading everyone I know into reading it.

This book has been a blast to read. I would recommend this to literally everyone. The writing, the character-building. I couldn’t let go of this book until I finished it. Absolutely beautiful. The angst. I was feeling every emotion Henry was feeling, the whole time. I cried a little too. I almost never pick ip a book with the Friends-To-Lovers trope, but I am so glad I picked this up.
So, this book is about Henry, who slowly falls in love with his best friend Len, who was dared to kiss Henry at a party. After that kiss, Henry’s all confused and a teenage mess. Very relatable. This book follows their last year of high school, their friend group , and their growing romance.
You just have to read it, really. Great book.