I read this in two sittings and I can't imagine giving it anything other than an absolutely perfect rating.

At this point, I feel like I'm starting to get to a place where I can write up poetry reviews with a certain amount of awareness of what else is out there. Content-wise, I've read this kind of thing before. The difficulty of a past relationship, the finding of oneself in the aftermath, and the realisation of new love.

One note on the content, though: narratively, this book honestly couldn't be put together any better than it currently is. Obviously, this is an autobiography, but just the way he's chosen to piece together these units of his life are a work of, well, poetry.

It wasn't merely content of the collection that struck me, though, it was the writing. And it was the formatting.

Formatting-wise, he was just *so* clever. You get to a point about halfway through the collection where you realise you can tell who he is writing about based on whether it is left aligned, centred, or right aligned. If I've read poetry that was as sharp as this before, I have no noticed it. In poems where he's talking about multiple people, the poem shifts from side to side. It is always readable. It is always deliberate. And I cannot overstate just how much that part of this collection floored me.

Writing-wise, nobody can deny that Cyrus is an incredibly strong writer who gets to the heart of matters. I read so much of this with my hand to my chest. I had to stop in the middle only because I was overwhelmed by such feels. That doesn't happen just from content alone. It's how you write the content, and I can already tell you I am looking forward to whatever he writes in the future.

Seeing that this collection is the first part of a DROPKICK poetry collection has truly been the best part of my day.

There is something incredible and magical about reading someone's love story. The way authors and poets open up their lifes and hearts and turn love, heartache, happiness and suffering into words.

Cyrus wrote a story of two separate loves.

The first one is a toxic love, one of those loves that take and take until there's nothing else to give them. That kind of love is dangerous, for while toxic and hurtful it's still love, and it's so difficult to leave behind. This first part of the book was touching and moving.

The second love is a rebulding one. A love that conquers time and space, a love that isn't perfect, but it's true. This is the kind of love and happiness I find the hardest to find in print. It's a combination of the same 26 letters all other stories are made of, and somehow it's a totally different outcome. I've never felt what true love is like, but reading this made me very excited for when I do.

Overall I think this is one of those collections that will forever have a special place in my heart. I adored it and I hope you do too.

** I got an E-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**


I loved this one pretty much. Once I opened up the very first page, I thought that it would be my kind of book to read, and yess. it was.

DROPKICKromance is one of those books that makes a deep, deep impact on you and leaves you reeling with its beauty. The writing in this poetry collection is so honest and truthful that it made fall in love with it almost immediately. I think I was about 3 poems in when I decided that I loved it already. I was a little scared to move ahead after that because I didn’t want to not like it. So, I stopped myself from devouring it quickly like I wanted to, instead reading at a more leisurely pace, which I think added to my experience of the book.

Though the first half of the collection is about a relationship that the author was in for almost eight years, but which was all kinds of toxic and he realized that all too late because he thought he was in love and he believed they could make it work. That part was so heartbreaking to read because all this sad stuff kept happening and I just wanted to go inside the book and give the writer a huge, tight hug and just make him feel better.

But, then, the main romance started and I was all smiles and sighs and swoons! It was so beautiful. I absolutely fell in love with the words in this section. The way the relationship is described and the way both of them supported each other through the good and the bad is kind of inspirational. These two people are totally hashtag relationship goals. I adored their relationship so very much!

So, yes, this book is absolutely amazing and I love it and I know you will love it so please go and preorder this and then read it ASAP when it comes out because you absolutely have to do it, okay?

A beautiful poetry collection about love lost, and love found. I really liked that the second half of this is about the woman that wrote "The Princess Saves Herself in this One." I've read that poetry collection and just knowing the connection was really cool. Almost every page of this book had something beautiful written on it. I certainly enjoyed reading it.

Like Amanda Lovelace said in her forward “when he aches, you will ache. When he falls, you will fall”. This seems like an accurate summary of the emotional roller coaster this collection is.

Cyrus Parker’s debut poetry collection shows the heart ache in toxic relationships and how rewarding true love can be. Every single word he wrote is raw and relatable to the reader. Cyrus writes about a low time in his life and how he finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel. I loved this collection and I look forward to what Cyrus does in the future.

I didn't know this author wrote in the same style as many of the contemporary poets. It's not my preferred style of poetry. There is definitely an audience for this style of work, but it's not for me.

As a fan of both pro wrestling and poetry, I was intrigued by this collection. However, I didn't care for this collection. While this type of poetry is really popular right now, I tend to not like it at all. I'm sure most fans of modern poetry will enjoy it though.

Excellent first read of 2018. Of all the poetry I've read recently, and especially the poetry of this style, during this new "insta-poetry" movement, Parker's is the strongest. His use of language is profound; though this does very much feel like a debut collection, and Parker's voice and conflicts are those of a young man, he spins metaphors and similes alike with skill and ease. Many of his comparisons caught my breath as I thought, "How? How did he?"

It helps that my favorite types of stories are young males coming of age. I've written of this bizarre inclination before (I think it takes its roots in the Faulkner novels I started out with), and this collection nestles into that very love. Parker's bildungsroman is personal, deep, and above all, relatable. I hope many give this collection a chance and feel the same admiration I do. This deserves to be in the hands of all readers.

Wow. This book contains more raw heart and soul than you can imagine. These poems were real and open and honest. I think Cyrus Parker definitely has a bright future as a poet, especially if he keeps it as real as he has so far. Lilting and beautiful poetry that is both sincere and relatable.

DROPKICKromance was one of my most anticipated books of 2018 and it really met my expectations!

This poetry collection tells the story of a boy who endured a toxic relationship for way too long. It's hard to read because it's a story of heartbreak and it resonates. However, it also talks about healing, about learning to love and value yourself. Throughout his poems, Cyrus Parker presents a journey from a harmful relationship to a healthy one, from dishonesty and pain to trust and respect, from lies and illusions to true, sincere love.

The second part of the book is my favourite, of course, and I think that every fan of 'the princess saves herself in this one' will really appreciate reading it, because it tells the other side of the story that Lovelace writes in her book, and it's really beautiful.

Cyrus writes about heartbreak, loss, new found love and happiness in a way that touches my heart and brings a tear to my eye. I hope he continues along this writing journey, I would eat up anything he writes after reading this collection!

I enjoyed reading DropkickRomance however it wasn’t anything new. I didn’t feel a connection with the author or the content, that being said if I had been in the places the author had been then I would have found it more relatable. So it’s definitely good, but I feel that perhaps someone who has been in this situation would find it more beneficial and relatable.

From the first poem it was clear to see how much feeling there was in the words comprising some 178 pages of insight.

The first half of the book, about a toxic relationship that broke and was reassembled time and again, was heartbreaking because of the pain and how, even telling yourself you wouldn’t let the same thing happen to you, realizing the possibility it out there for the people we love to hurt us. Lies, betrayal, false hope, it’s all here.

There is also potential, personal growth, and finding your way to a better place. Confidence, self worth, those things exist too.



“i am mine before i am yours.”



Watching Cyrus through his poems was a journey from reliance on this past person through recovering and eventually finding a new and lasting love. The pieces that show his meeting Amanda (Lovelace, author/future wife), dealing with his ex trying to come back, and the forward movement he and Amanda share as a couple was visual, heart felt, and written so well that the words were more than that. They became tangible things I could imagine feeling myself. Some moments were more personal and hit me dead center. Being able to evoke those emotions in readers is a great skill of poets and Cyrus in particular.

As to the style of the poems, it is clear that he shares a style similar to that of Amanda. The structure and the format of the title in italics at the end rather than the beginning of the poem, will be familiar to readers of The Princess Saves Herself in This One. Each one flowed well and made consuming the book pleasant, even with the poems that were about difficult times.

Easily one of my favorite collections of the year, DROPKICKromance is a volume that everyone ought to try out, from fans of poetry to new comers unsure where to start.

I am obsessed! This cover is amazing and really sets the standard for what should be expected within the book! DROPKICKromance definitely doesnt disappoint. Each and every poem grabbed hold of my heartstrings and didnt let go until the final page! I know this will be a collection I will revisit many times.

It is difficult to review poetry for me, but I must say: this book is full of talent and feeling. It's personal and beautiful and is going to help so many people. While I liked every poem, I didn't *love* every poem, so I cannot give it 5 stars, but I would 100% recommend this and will be on the lookout for Cyrus' next works.