The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King

LoveReading Says

Patrick ‘Patch’ Simmons (he’s decided a nickname will make him more unique and attractive, but he’s struggling to make it stick) is a 16-year-old boy whose two urgent aspirations in life are to 1) get a boyfriend, and 2) get the main role in the upcoming school production of Sweeney Todd. Armed with his mother’s self-help books and his straight-best-friend Jean, he will stop at nothing to make these happen.

Truly one of the line-by-line funniest novels I’ve ever read. Yes, the main character is a 16-year-old gay boy attending a rural school, but I can only assume that this would be just as much of a delight to read for its supposed target audience of teenagers as it is for me, a nearly 30-year-old. 

If you’ve seen Harry Trevaldywn do anything, whether his viral online videos or as an actor in the UK remake of Call My Agent, you’ll know what an effortlessly funny and charming voice he has (even when leaning into the humour of arrogant, naive, and self-centred characters), and in this debut YA novel he has managed to capture that comedic voice and timing on the page. I genuinely cannot wait to read the next in what I hope will become a classic series, like those starring Georgia Nicolson or Adrian Mole. 

Billy Lindon

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